The last of three finalists to replace retiring Cal State Bakersfield President Tomás Arciniega visited campus Thursday.

G. Timothy Haight, dean of business and economics at Cal State Los Angeles, echoed the other two candidates in saying he would support the pursuit of Division I status for the university's sports programs.

Cal State Bakersfield now competes in the less competitive Division II.

"Obviously we're going to need the support of our community to fund it," Haight said.

Horace Mitchell, vice chancellor of business and administrative services at the University of California, Berkeley, was on campus Wednesday.

Ephraim Smith, vice president for academic affairs at Cal State Fullerton, made his public visit Tuesday.

The candidates met briefly with reporters and held public forums to meet with the public and university staff.

California State University trustees are expected to choose a new president next week.

Haight suggested expansion of nursing programs and the addition of degrees for oil-, agriculture- and construction-related fields.

"We need to work with the community to make sure its economic interests and the university's academic interests coincide," Haight said.

He said fund raising will be an important role for the next president because state funding is never enough to make a university great.

Haight has been the dean of business at Cal State Los Angeles since 1998. He has bachelor's and master's degrees in business administration from the University of Dayton in Ohio, according to the CSU chancellor's office. He has a doctorate of business administration from George Washington University.

Arciniega will retire at the end of June after 21 years as president. He earns $204,156 a year. This school year he also received a $23,004 housing allowance and a $750 monthly car allowance.

The new president's salary will be set at or before the trustees' July board meeting.