A man with no known connection to California State University at Chico allegedly assaulted the institution’s president, Paul J. Zingg, yesterday in the president’s office. Mr. Zingg, who suffered minor injuries, held onto the jacket of his assailant, Abe B. Stutts Jr., until campus police officers arrived, according to the Enterprise-Record, a local newspaper.

Mr. Stutts, 42, apparently walked into the university’s administrative building and asked to speak with the “person in charge.” Mr. Zingg heard the conversation and invited Mr. Stutts into his office. After a brief discussion, Mr. Stutts punched him in the face. The president returned to work, although he said he might seek medical attention later.

Mr. Stutts was charged with assault. Officials said yesterday that they had yet to discover any motive for the attack.

The Chico campus is certainly not alone in facing a security threat at a president’s office. In addition to being targets for lawful protests, college chiefs attract visits from angry or disturbed individuals. For example, North Dakota State University recently assigned a police captain to guard the university’s president, Joseph A. Chapman, after several threatening incidents. —Paul Fain