|  | | 9/29/2022 1:07 PM |  Thropay, Janessa | 9/29/2022 | 9/29/2022 12:40 PM | In March 2022, the California State University Board of Trustees commissioned a neutral external investigation to review how administrators responded to reports and complaints of alleged Title IX violations. | | Press Release | The following statement can be attributed to CSU Interim Chancellor Jolene Koester:
"In March 2022, the California State University Board of Trustees (Trustees) commissioned a neutral external investigation to review how administrators responded to reports and complaints of alleged Title IX violations by former Vice President for Student Affairs, Dr. Frank Lamas at Fresno State. The independent investigation is now complete, and the CSU has received the findings. We want to first thank the Fresno State community members who came forward to share their experiences courageously and transparently. The report concluded that while the campus took action to explore and address each of the reports made, some responses substantially complied with applicable policy while others did not. The report identified among several issues, the President's failure to more rigorously address reports of Lamas's alleged misconduct as a notable factor that negatively impacted the effectiveness of the campus's responses.
The independent external investigation was launched to enable the CSU and the Trustees to learn from the past and to prevent such issues from occurring in the future. To assist the CSU system, we have initiated an independent assessment of Title IX practices across all 23 universities and the Chancellor's Office. The CSU has retained Gina Maisto Smith and Leslie Gomez, the chair and vice chair of the Institutional Response Group at Cozen O'Connor to lead this comprehensive Title IX systemwide assessment. We also have enlisted an independent board governance advisor to review CSU's board structure and function with the goals of enhancing board relations while strengthening our governance structure including modernizing leadership hiring processes. We are proud of Fresno State President Jiménez-Sandoval for proactively initiating a Title IX Task Force on campus to create a safer and more equitable campus. To learn more about the Task Force and how Fresno State is bolstering its programs and practices to safeguard against discrimination and harassment on campus, we encourage you to visit Title IX Task Force website."
About the California State University
The California State University is the largest system of four-year higher education in the country, with 23 campuses, 477,000 students and 56,000 faculty and staff. Nearly 40 percent of the CSU's undergraduate students transfer from California Community Colleges. The CSU was created in 1960 with a mission of providing high-quality, affordable education to meet the ever-changing needs of California. With its commitment to quality, opportunity and student success, the CSU is renowned for superb teaching, innovative research and for producing job-ready graduates. Each year, the CSU awards more than 132,000 degrees. One in every 20 Americans holding a college degree is a graduate of the CSU and our alumni are 4 million strong. Connect with and learn more about the CSU in the CSU NewsCenter.
| | | Chancellor's Statement on External Fresno State Investigation | | | | 9/27/2022 11:49 AM | Thropay, Janessa | 9/27/2022 | 9/27/2022 10:30 AM | | Apply | Press Release | All 23 California State Universities (CSU) will start accepting applications for admission to the fall 2023 term on Saturday, October 1, 2022. Students can apply for admission to any CSU through the Cal State Apply systemwide portal at calstate.edu/apply. The priority application period closes on November 30, 2022. “In the true spirit of the CSU's mission to provide an affordable and accessible education, thousands of new seats will be available across the 23 universities this coming fall for incoming first-year and transfer students," said April Grommo, CSU's assistant vice chancellor for Enrollment Management Services. “There is no better time to enroll at the CSU, as we have ramped up student success services and redoubled our efforts to guide current, new and prospective students toward obtaining their college degree." In fall 2023, the CSU will be able to increase enrollment with significant growth on several campuses. California Governor Gavin Newsom's 2022-23 spending plan will allow the CSU to enroll an additional 10,000 students, while the continued success of Graduation Initiative 2025 in increasing graduation rates will create ample opportunities for new first-year, transfer, teacher credential and graduate students. Some historically high-demand universities will also be released from the CSU impaction designation, allowing access for more students. Chico State, Cal State East Bay and CSU Monterey Bay will no longer be designated as impacted as of 2023-24, bringing the total number of non-impacted universities to 11. Additionally, highly sought degree programs, such as business, engineering, psychology and kinesiology at many CSUs will now have the capacity to accommodate more students.
Interested students can apply for fall 2023 admission through the following steps: - Apply using Cal State Apply: The Cal State Apply online application tool allows incoming freshman, transfer, graduate and international students to apply to multiple CSUs with just one application.
- Pay application fee: The application fee is $70 per university. However, the CSU has expanded its California resident undergraduate application fee waiver, and now almost half of all applicants will qualify to have the $70 fee waived for up to four universities.
- Determine financial aid need: Learn about financial aid options by visiting the CSU's financial aid website. With over $4 billion in financial aid awarded each year, the CSU continues to provide students from all financial backgrounds with a high-quality education. In fact, 80 percent of all CSU students receive financial aid, and more than 75 percent of undergraduate financial aid recipients have their tuition fully covered by grants, waivers and scholarships that do not have to be repaid.
For more information about the application process or details about any of the 23 CSU campuses and their degree programs, visit Cal State Apply.
About the California State University The California State University is the largest system of four-year higher education in the country, with 23 campuses, 477,000 students and 56,000 faculty and staff. Nearly 40 percent of the CSU's undergraduate students transfer from California Community Colleges. The CSU was created in 1960 with a mission of providing high-quality, affordable education to meet the ever-changing needs of California. With its commitment to quality, opportunity and student success, the CSU is renowned for superb teaching, innovative research and for producing job-ready graduates. Each year, the CSU awards more than 132,000 degrees. One in every 20 Americans holding a college degree is a graduate of the CSU and our alumni are 4 million strong. Connect with and learn more about the CSU in the CSU NewsCenter.
| | | CSU Application Period for Fall 2023 Opens October 1 | | | | 9/26/2022 8:57 AM | Ruble, Alisia | 9/26/2022 | 9/26/2022 9:00 AM | CSU International Programs awards scholarships that empower students to live and study in another country. | International | Story | California State University study abroad programs offer students a rich global education, helping them develop strong intercultural communication and language skills and benefiting their future careers. To provide greater access to these opportunities, the CSU has awarded scholarships to more than a dozen students from across the university for the 2022-23 school year as part of its biannual CSU International Programs (CSU IP) scholarship program.
The CSU offers one of the most affordable study abroad programs in the nation. Students enrolled in CSU IP programs pay the same systemwide tuition fee, which is $5,742 per academic year for full-time undergraduate students, and minimal campus and program fees. While CSU financial aid, scholarships, fee waivers and loans apply to study abroad programs, CSU IP provides additional scholarships to help students pay for travel expenses, housing, dining and extracurricular activities. This is especially important for first-generation, Pell-eligible students who are less likely to be able to afford the extra costs. “I wouldn't have been able to study abroad if it weren't for receiving CSUN student Kobby Tran scholarships or the support I got from my study abroad advisor," says Kobby Tran, a third-year California State University, Northridge student majoring in Asian American studies and Japanese.
Tran, who transferred to CSUN this semester from CSU Channel Islands, was awarded a Lyman G. Chaffee Scholarship and will spend the 2022-23 school year studying at Waseda University in Shinjuku, Tokyo. He says being awarded the scholarship means he will have the opportunity to explore the country he has admired for so long, meet new people and strengthen his Japanese language skills. Fourth-year Chico State University student Humberto Partida says he chose to study abroad with CSU IP because of its affordability. Receiving a CSU IP Scholarship helped him pay for his travel expenses and lodging while he studies at the CSU Florence Center in Italy, one of several CSU IP Study Centers where courses are taught in English by local faculty. “This experience is so meaningful to me because I am doing something that neither my parents nor anyone in my family has done," Partida says. “As a Catholic, I am also grateful to be able to learn about the rich history and traditions of my faith and explore the many beautiful churches." In his short time abroad, Partida—a political science and international relations major with a European and international studies minor—has already completed an intensive Italian language course, visited several other cities in Italy and made friends with other international students and locals alike.
CSU IP makes available six types of scholarships, most of which require applicants to demonstrate a high financial need and some that are made possible through the generosity of former CSU IP participants: - CSU IP Ghana Scholarship
- CSU IP Language and Culture Scholarship
- CSU IP Scholarship
- Lyman G. Chaffee Scholarship
- Michelle Marriot Study in France Memorial Scholarship
- Ward Wallach Memorial International Scholarship
“Awarding these scholarships enables more first-generation, Pell-eligible students from underserved backgrounds to experience the significant impact studying abroad can have on their lives and their future careers," says CSU IP Director Jaishankar Raman, Ph.D.
CSU IP has been providing study abroad opportunities since 1963, serving more than 500 students each year. Participants earn resident academic credit at their respective university while they pursue full-time, yearlong study at a host university or special study center abroad. To date, nearly 25,000 students have studied abroad through the CSU IP.
The program serves the needs of students in more than 100 designated academic majors and has affiliations with more than 60 recognized universities and institutions of higher education in 18 countries, offering a wide selection of study locales and learning environments.
The
CSU IP scholarship application for the spring 2023 term is now open. Visit the
CSU IP website to learn more about study abroad opportunities and scholarships. | | | How CSU is Making Study Abroad a Reality for More Students | | | | 9/27/2022 2:14 PM | Beall, Alex | 9/26/2022 | 9/26/2022 8:35 AM | How the CSU is addressing and removing administrative barriers to clear students’ path to graduation. | Graduation Initiative | Story |
Action for Equity: Removing Administrative BarriersHow the CSU is addressing and removing administrative barriers to clear students’ path to graduation.
In fall 2021, the California State University announced five new
Graduation Initiative 2025 priorities aimed at
eliminating graduation rate equity gaps that affect underrepresented students. Since then, CSU campuses have implemented steps to address each of those goals:
- Reengage and reenroll underserved students
- Expand credit opportunities with summer/intersession
- Ensure equitable access to digital degree planners
- Eliminate administrative barriers to graduation
- Promote equitable learning practices and reduce DFW (D-F-Withdraw) rates
This third installment in the five-part series focuses on how CSU campuses are eliminating administrative barriers to graduation, efforts that are closely tied to the other priorities, especially
reenrollment efforts and summer credit opportunities.
“Most of our students are first-generation, and a lot of our students have been told over and over that, educationally, they're not good enough,” says Lesley Davidson-Boyd, Ph.D., associate vice president of Academic Success & Undergraduate Advising at
California State University, San Bernardino. “Part of removing the barriers is taking out this layer that implies they don't know the right way to do things, so they don't belong here. Removing the barriers creates an environment that feels more inclusive.”
A Second Chance
Airam Quiroa only needed one more semester to graduate from Cal State San Bernardino. But after leaving mid-semester in 2020 to care for her father, she began accumulating debt from the dropped courses and forgetting to disenroll from her summer courses. Paying it off proved too much an obstacle to returning.
“When they advised me that I did qualify [for debt relief], I was really excited because a lifelong 12-year school career was finally coming to end.” —Airam Quiroa
With the help of the
Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), Quiroa found she qualified for CSUSB’s reenrollment effort aimed at eliminating the biggest barrier to students’ returning to school: debt and financial registration holds.
Through the spring 2022 reenrollment campaign, CSUSB paid off outstanding debts using the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) for students in good academic standing. Returning students who received the debt forgiveness were required to take two classes in the summer—paid for by the university—and register for the following fall.
“I couldn't enroll in summer this year without that debt being wiped out or taken care of, and that would’ve stopped me from fall as well,” Quiroa says. “Then the fact I was able to join summer allowed me to complete courses so I can hopefully graduate in December. ... I felt an inspiration to finish now because December sounds a lot closer than next year.”
This fall, Quiroa plans to take classes to finish her sociology degree, as well as some courses to boost her GPA, in hopes of going into a counseling and guidance master’s program.
“If I didn't have this opportunity, it would've set me back another year or a year and a half, because I would have to stop my life and what I have going on like paying bills or paying this debt—or get into more debt—to be able to finish school,” she says. “I feel like it's important to give students this opportunity and a second chance.”
Because many students were being prevented from reenrolling due to small balances, the campus brought back 823 students—85 percent of whom were Black or Latinx—by covering a total of just $130,000 in student debt.
“About 90 percent of our students are Latinx, Black, first-generation and Pell-eligible, so every time we help a student here, we are helping an equity gap student,” Dr. Davidson-Boyd says.
Even as HEERF funding will be discontinued after 2023, CSUSB is seeking ways to continue helping students fend off debt and registration holds through alternative funding sources. In addition, the university raised the amount of debt students can carry without getting a registration hold to $1,000 in February 2020—temporarily increased to $4,000 during the pandemic—and more recently conducted an audit of registration hold types that whittled down the number from 24 to five.
Lastly, CSUSB reworked its advising structure to a caseload model, meaning students will have the same advisor throughout their college career and the advising team can identify challenges earlier.
Hornet Help
"I was beyond excited to start this new journey to a degree." —Tatiana Brown
At
California State University, Sacramento, the
HornetAttain! reenrollment effort, which started in February 2021, focuses on stopped-out, working-age adults. In February 2022, the university launched the
Hornet Debt Reset program as part of that campaign to remove the financial barriers preventing these students from returning.
“One of the top reasons we hear from students that they left in the first place is financial issues, and the top concern about coming back is financial issues,” says Kaley Martin, project management specialist in the College of Continuing Education. “Once students are enrolled, we have scholarships and things that we can do to help ease that burden. But if they have debt already and they want to come back, it's a huge barrier. … We created Hornet Debt Reset as a way to help alleviate that initial burden. Now when students come back, they can start back with a clean slate.”
To participate, students need to submit an inquiry form online. Those who meet the eligibility requirements will have their debt forgiven and will be required to participate in the HornetAttain! advising program and complete two semesters in good standing, unless they graduate before then.
“We know our learners are disproportionately learners of color, Pell-eligible, women, single parents and first-generation,” Martin says. “They're the most vulnerable, and we've failed them. We need to do more to get them back and get them integrated.”
Tatiana Brown, a philosophy major with an ethics, politics and law concentration, was able to restart her college journey thanks to the program’s covering her outstanding debt. With the help of an advisor, Brown reapplied and reenrolled at Sacramento State and plans to graduate in spring 2024.
“I was already thinking I wanted to finish college; I had taken a few years off and now there was hope to complete my degree,” Brown says. “I am so grateful for this program and the opportunity to pick up where I left off.”
Sacramento State also reduced its number of registration hold types and is currently reviewing the threshold of debt a student can accumulate before a hold is placed.
Option for a Redo
California State University Channel Islands has likewise sought to remove barriers by reducing the number of registration hold types, lifting current registration holds and requiring that any new holds placed on a student come with a mitigation plan. The university also upped the financial hold threshold in spring 2022 to $600, which removed registration holds for 442 students, 43 percent of whom are Latinx, 10 percent were Black and 6 percent were APIDA.
“The vast majority of the student populations that were being affected were historically marginalized students,” says Vice Provost Jessica Lavariega Monforti, Ph.D.
“I come in as a bridge to open these doors and let students know there are clubs, there are scholarships open, there are on-campus jobs.” —Lyzette Cornejo
CSUCI senior Lyzette Cornejo remembers getting a registration hold her first year for a $20 identification card replacement fee.
“It wasn't something difficult for me to pay, but I can only imagine if it was a larger fee, it would’ve definitely been a barrier because on top of tuition, you have to first pay the fees to even be allowed to move forward with registration,” the Chicana/o studies major says. “That becomes a roadblock because financial burdens do exist and most students can’t pay it off at that very moment.”
In fact, the majority of disenrollments at CSUCI were due to outstanding debt from tuition and fees. To help students who had debts below the $600 amount and were nearing graduation, CSUCI used HEERF funding to cover some of those balances. The university also helped returning students find ways to complete their degrees—whether through graduation in absentia or hybrid and virtual classes.
For Pell-eligible students, the tuition reimbursement process for summer and intercession courses proved a challenge—as they pay upfront, often with a credit card that racks up interest and fees not covered by the grant. In response, CSUCI is developing a promissory note, so those students only pay once they receive the funds.
Finally, CSUCI introduced CIMAS (CSUCI Initiative for Mapping Academic Success) to offer additional programming and support for students with a D, F or withdrawal in the previous semester. Students participate in a 13-week program that includes tutoring, coaching, peer advising and a trip to the Santa Rosa Island Research Station, and those who complete it receive a $1,000 scholarship to take a summer course.
Cornejo, who is an ASSET Scholars Program peer mentor and first-generation EOP student, helped the campus with phone banking outreach to eligible students. “Checking in with students when they’ve failed a class or haven’t yet enrolled in classes…builds a connection that gives students reassurance our campus sees that they didn't just fail, that there's more to their academic success, that they just need an extra boost of mentoring or guidance or more time to work on their grades,” she says.
“The ones who did attend were very excited. They wanted the help, they wanted mentoring. They just needed someone to show them that direction, and I was that bridge.”
During the spring 2022 pilot, 74 students voluntarily joined (73 percent were Latinx, 58 percent were first-generation and 73 percent were Pell-eligible); 60 completed the program and earned the scholarship.
CIMAS students visit the Santa Rosa Island Research Station. “To get students who have had what is often a predictor of a dropout or a stop-out all of a sudden be so motivated that they're reaching out to the director and asking what they can do to make classes up...is pretty cool.” —Dr. Jessica Lavariega Monforti
Currently, Cornejo is also looking for extra financial support as she spent the spring semester abroad and will be one of 26 students in the U.S., nominated by university presidents, participating in the fall 2022 Panetta Institute Congressional Institute Program in Washington, D.C. These are opportunities she says some students may not be able to take without financial support.
“We need to work together as a campus, as the Academic Affairs department, as a mentoring team, to try to keep students here at CSUCI and help them fulfill these four years,” Cornejo says. “I strongly believe phone banking is a strategic way to help with reenrollment. It also serves as a way to understand the stories behind these students who want to strive for upward mobility, but face barriers within the CSU Channel Islands system and obstacles in life.”
Clearing the Path
Besides debt relief, CSU campuses have taken steps to streamline many of their processes, taking the onus off the students. This includes applying for graduation, changing majors, reenrolling and transferring transcripts from community colleges.
For example, Cal State San Bernardino instituted the University Initiated Grad Check (UIGC). Instead of requiring students to fill out a graduation application and pay a $50 out-of-pocket fee—which could be higher for double majors or making application changes—the university uses an automated process to scan degree audits in
digital degree planners and submit graduation dates for applicable students. If the student approves the graduation date, a flat $75 commencement fee is charged to their student account so it can be covered by financial aid.
Additionally, the university has implemented automated block enrollment for first-time first-year students and reduced the number of student groups who register before seniors from 23 to four, ensuring seniors get the classes they need to graduate.
“It’s about how we make the path as easy as possible so students can graduate, and they're not getting caught up or mired down in all these different forms and requirements,” Davidson-Boyd says. “Having these other supports for the things that take up a lot of time and bandwidth helps them focus on the academic piece.”
Even before the priorities were announced, CSU Channel Islands created a streamlined one-page readmission form to simplify the return process. Now the university is working with community colleges to automate the transfer of student transcripts and is considering a dual admission process that would further alleviate admission application requirements, graduation requirements, paperwork and fees for transfer students.
CSUCI is also automating the degree audit and clearance process and reviewing its disenrollment policies. The latter led the university to decrease the number of payment and disenrollment deadlines from four to two so students are less likely to miss a deadline.
“We have all these barriers for students, so they don't feel welcome; the ways in which they interact with the university outside of class feels transactional,” Dr. Lavariega Monforti says. “We know when students feel like they belong, they have increased confidence, and we know student success numbers then increase. In addition to just removing the barriers and letting things be more efficient, we know those things will work to improve student success. … We want students to feel like they are being supported, not just being asked to jump through hoops because that's what's easiest for us.”
 “We are making a difference in an individual’s life. We talk numbers a lot, but it's the people behind each of those numbers who drive us to do what we do.” —Kaley Martin
At Sacramento State, the
Finish in Four program, started five years ago, helps keep students on a four-year graduation track by offering targeted advising support, priority registration and provost grants for summer session courses.
“It costs another $28,000 for every year students delay graduation,” says James Dragna, Ph.D., executive director of University Initiatives and Student Success. “The idea of affordability is at the forefront for many of our families. In the course of these five years, [for] those students who participated in Finish in Four rather than delay graduation, we have saved them $58 million in costs.”
In addition, the university launched a streamlined one-page readmission form, provides grants for students to take or retake courses in the summer to make up for classes they received a DFW in and established the
Hornet Launch program to pre-enroll first-time first-year students in 15 credits their first semester.
“It's about how to effectively create learning,” Dr. Dragna says. “At the same time, it's about removing, not just mitigating, administrative barriers, so students can be in a system that is focused on their academic development, as well as their personal development, and not their ability to learn how to fill out a FAFSA form."
Story:
Alex Beall
Photography: COurtesy of CSU CAMPUSES
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| | | Action for Equity: Removing Administrative Barriers | | | | 9/20/2022 2:00 PM | Ruble, Alisia | 9/20/2022 | 9/20/2022 9:00 AM | In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month, some of the CSU's Latinx university leaders reflect on their journey and inspiration. | Leadership | Story |
LIFTING UP CALIFORNIA COMMUNITIES
In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month, some of the CSU's Latinx university leaders reflect on their journey and inspiration.
Adela de la Torre
San Diego State President
As one of a small number of Latinx university presidents in the U.S., what motivated you to keep pursuing new and higher roles when you didn’t see people like yourself in leadership positions? I had so much support and encouragement from my grandmother, an immigrant from Mexico, and my mother, a public school teacher of 40 years. They were also big supporters of education. When I was a student, discrimination and bias were very present, so being motivated meant having not only desire, but also resilience and grit. In graduate school, I was part of a small group of Latina Ph.D. students who shared those qualities, and we supported each other. We called ourselves "Mujeres en Marcha," which translates to "Women on the Move," and we ended up graduating and becoming highly successful, most of us as faculty in higher education. As my career matured and I earned leadership roles in universities, my motivation shifted from focusing on teaching and research on Latinx social inequalities to creating systemic change to address these inequalities. As president of SDSU, I have a unique opportunity to put into practice strategic initiatives and policies to further support access, equity and student success for current and future generations of students, faculty and staff. If that doesn't motivate you, I'm not sure what could.
How do your unique Latinx heritage and your lived experiences shape your leadership style?
In my experience and in my own family, I have found the Latinx community to be passionate, tenacious and family-focused. That heritage has served me well. My
familia supported me every step of my way to this position, and now, as president of this great university, I'm focused on growing the family atmosphere among our nearly 7,000 faculty and staff, 36,000 students and 470,000 alumni. The more we come together and support one another, the more SDSU will positively impact the world. As a Latina undergraduate and graduate student, I was always passionate about
understanding social inequality and how to create a society that would bring everybody to the table to bridge these differences. I studied economics because it allowed me to understand the key factors that created barriers or opportunities for these types of conversations. Indeed, early on as an undergraduate I realized that Latinx economists were virtually nonexistent in these important discussions.
This lack of presence in the profession and dire need for the Latinx perspective on these issues propelled my desire to become the first Mexican American woman to earn a Ph.D. in agricultural and resource economics at University of California, Berkeley. As a leader, that kind of passion, self-awareness and focus for what you want to do is critical in order to be successful in these leadership roles. Not only do you achieve more, but it also drowns out the hostile and negative elements around you. I strive to impart that kind of passion and family spirit at SDSU.
How do you use your leadership platform as one of the few Latinx university presidents to inspire and empower students, faculty and staff to dream big and pursue their goals? What inspires you to do this important work day in and day out?
I want our students, faculty and staff at SDSU—no matter their race, ethnicity, gender or any other identity—to see me as a Latina in this role and realize that they, too, can be pioneers in their chosen fields. Leaders who break "traditional" molds are good reminders that there are pathways for others and that anything is possible. Inspiring someone to say, "I can do that," is a great first step in getting them to dream big. From there, I always try to bring people in and listen, to value their perspectives and to see how our goals and visions can align. Giving them a voice and earning their support is empowering for them and makes me a more effective leader. And, ultimately, as SDSU president, I can support those big dreams by working to ensure there is a clarity of purpose that supports the expansion of access and opportunities for all students at SDSU and beyond. SDSU is now 125 years old and has come so far, but our work is not done and the opportunities for us are endless. That's what inspires me each and every day.
Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval
Fresno State President
As one of a small number of Latinx university presidents in the U.S., what motivated you to keep pursuing new and higher roles when you didn’t see people like yourself in leadership positions? My journey to becoming president of Fresno State has been filled with insightful mentors who have shared their wisdom with me and have invested in developing my leadership skills. Having arrived in the San Joaquín Valley at the age of 10, I have seen it grow and change into a vibrant, productive area that plays an essential role in the economic vitality of California. As an immigrant who has long called the Valley home, my journey of self-discovery intertwines with an awareness of the region's history. My father Alfonso Jiménez, an honest and hardworking man, first arrived here in the early 1950s and dedicated his life to working the fields. My mother, Tila Sandoval, and my siblings and I later arrived to forge our own productive lives and contribute to the region's development and cultural richness. Over the past years, I've realized that waves upon waves of people have settled in this fertile valley—each with the dream of working to better their families. Each left their imprint. They brought the best of themselves and built a great legacy that contributed to the Valley becoming the most productive agricultural region in the world. My inspiration to lead Fresno State comes from my awareness that my own personal history builds upon this proud legacy. I am wholly dedicated to elevating the quality of life for friends, neighbors and family who make this valley their home. For me, the presidency of Fresno State has never been a job; it's a life mission with the goal of empowering our students to succeed—that's the key to strengthening our communities.
How do your unique Latinx heritage and your lived experiences shape your leadership style? Growing up in the San Joaquín Valley gave me the unique opportunity to live in a rich cultural milieu and to celebrate my own history while enjoying the diversity of a region that speaks over 120 languages. As a scholar of history, I am keenly aware of the many peoples—past and present—who make up the social fabric of the Valley. I live amidst their combined contributions; I have thrived in an environment that is culturally rich, extremely productive and ripe with possibilities. Our diversity is the source of our strength. I, therefore, make it a point to construct bridges of understanding between communities, with Fresno State as their vehicle for opportunities for social mobility. Teachers and mentors from many backgrounds gave selflessly of themselves to nourish my development—to help me achieve my dreams. I now share my efforts, challenges, and successes with my wife, Mariana, and my sons, Arion and Leo, each of whom values and participates in the diverse experiences available in our campus and extended communities. Thus, my lived experiences fuel my focus on inclusion, as well as my celebration of the multiplicity of languages, cultures and histories that now converge in our vibrant Valley. I am so proud of my heritage and history, and so glad to contribute my talents to the bright future I see for our region.
How do you use your leadership platform as one of the few Latinx university presidents to inspire and empower students, faculty and staff to dream big and pursue their goals? What inspires you to do this important work day in and day out? I am grateful beyond words that I have the chance to contribute to our collective understanding of who can become a university president. My story is the story of the community. So many of our students have faced extremely difficult challenges, yet they still see opportunity in this Valley. It is their home and its future is a worthwhile investment. They work hard and contribute greatly to our region. My inspiration comes from my own students and their resilience in forging their own paths, as well as from the pressing needs I see in the community. I'm inspired by the sacrifice of so many families who work hard to send their daughters and sons to Fresno State so they can have better lives. They will lead our Valley to new levels of prosperity. Their vision and drive will produce higher levels of regional excellence. I'm also inspired by the collective spirit of our Valley. Every demographic of our community begins with humble origins, yet overcomes great odds and challenges. They break new ground through hard work, passionate commitment to their dreams and a vision that promotes the greater good. My community—our daughters and sons, with their ingenuity and energy—are my inspiration. My ultimate goal is to showcase Fresno State as supporting a journey within a place of belonging—a journey that strengthens both our sense of shared stewardship and our drive to create a stronger Valley for all.
Tomás D. Morales
Cal State San Bernardino President
As one of a small number of Latinx university presidents in the U.S., what motivated you to keep pursuing new and higher roles when you didn’t see people like yourself in leadership positions? I am incredibly proud of my family and my Latinx heritage. My Puerto Rican culture was a profound shaper of my life. Both of my parents were hard working and supportive, but I knew from a young age that, if I wanted to achieve something, I needed to go out and work for it. A key inspiration for me was my late mother: she raised her children and then returned to school to earn her own degree. I am a proud product of public education, from elementary all the way through doctoral. I have also spent my career at public universities. I am extremely grateful for the opportunities provided by public education, and aware from my lived experience of the obstacles that students with economically challenged, first-generation backgrounds similar to mine face. So, for me, it was more than forging a path for myself. The mentors who nurtured and supported me taught me that what I gained, I needed to give back. That is what has propelled me forward. And that has become the core, the heart of my career: building student success.
How do your unique Latinx heritage and your lived experiences shape your leadership style? I know the expertise that leads people to become chairs, deans or vice presidents is born of years of study and experience. So, in building and then working with a leadership team, I let them know I both respect their expertise as I expect them to respect mine. While I must make the final decision, I want them to know their voices matter. That comes from my family. We were always stronger together if we worked as a team. How to disagree with one another, maintain respect for each other and find a way to move forward: those were key life skills. It is an approach I take to everything that I do, be it launching a strategic planning process, revising the campus’s master plan or seeing that CSUSB’s role as an anchor institution in the community to ensure our students’ success has meant building strong partnerships with our K-12 schools, regional community colleges and universities, local government entities and private business. It’s never about just one person. We all need to come together to create the strong future for our university and our region, which remains our collective goal.
How do you use your leadership platform as one of the few Latinx university presidents to inspire and empower students, faculty and staff to dream big and pursue their goals? What inspires you to do this important work day in and day out? There are two ways that I use my leadership platform: through my words and through my actions. Speaking to our students, staff, faculty, community groups and local government and/or private organizations, I can share my story and the story of our diverse CSUSB students and their successes. It is their successes which inspire me and, I know, inspire others. I tell our students all the time: when you earn your degree, you are not simply building your own life, you are serving as a mentor and inspiration to your immediate and extended family members as well as the members of your surrounding community. Through my actions means using my platform to create and/or support initiatives which provide opportunities for students, faculty, staff and administrators to grow their careers and build their lives. That ranges from supporting opportunities for our Latinx students, to attending HACU conferences to network, to supporting an initiative created by CSUSB’s female faculty and staff to hold an annual conference focused on issues impacting women. The short answer, though, to what inspires me to do this important work day in and day out? That’s simple: our students. What amazing individuals they are, with so much heart and so much hope.
The CSU partners with Latinx communities to increase the college preparation, enrollment and graduation rates of students across the state of California.
Learn more about these efforts.
Story: ALISIA Ruble
Photography: Courtesy of CSU CAMPUSES
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| | | Lifting Up California Communities | | | | 9/13/2022 11:34 AM | Thropay, Janessa | 9/13/2022 | 9/13/2022 11:25 AM | Many California State University campuses once again occupied lofty spots in the latest round of rankings issued by U.S. News & World Report on September 12. | Social Mobility | Story | Many California State University campuses once again occupied lofty spots in the latest round of rankings issued by U.S. News & World Report on September 12. Among the more than 400 universities cited for advancing social mobility by enrolling and graduating large portions of students awarded with Pell Grants, the CSU placed four universities in the top 15 led by Cal State Long Beach, ranked third. CSULB was joined by Cal State Fullerton (7), Cal State San Bernardino (13) and San Francisco State (15) among the top 15 and Fresno State (30) among the top 30. Additionally, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo has been named the best public, master's-level university in the West for the 30th consecutive year. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo also ranked second among a list that included 13 CSUs among the top 40 universities: Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (2)
Cal Poly Pomona (14)
San José State (16)
CSU Monterey Bay (22)
Cal State LA (24)
Stanislaus State (25)
Chico State (tied for 26)
CSU Channel Islands (tied for 28)
Cal Poly Humboldt (tied for 32)
CSUN (tied for 32)
Sonoma State (35)
Sacramento State (tied for 38)
CSU San Marcos (tied for 39) Several CSUs also ranked among the top colleges in the West for serving veterans: Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (1)
San José State (7)
Cal State LA (tied for 10)
Stanislaus State (12)
Chico State (13)
Cal Poly Humboldt (tied for 14)
Sacramento State (16)
CSU Dominguez Hills (21) Cal Maritime, the only degree-granting maritime academy on the West Coast, ranked third on the list of regional colleges in the West. Each year, the 23 CSU campuses receive accolades for providing quality education, ensuring access and affordability, and serving as an engine of social mobility.
| | | CSUs Occupy Top Spots in Latest U.S. News & World Report Rankings | |  | | 9/15/2022 8:50 AM | Kelly, Hazel | 9/12/2022 | 9/12/2022 10:00 AM | The California State University (CSU) has selected 23 students, one from each university, to receive the 2022 Trustees' Award for Outstanding Achievement. | Student Success | Press Release | The California State University (CSU) has selected 23 students, one from each university, to receive the 2022 Trustees' Award for Outstanding Achievement. The students will be honored for their talent, diligence and zeal during a ceremony as part of the CSU Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday, September 13. The CSU Trustees' Award is the university's highest recognition of student achievement. Each award provides a donor-funded scholarship to students who demonstrate superior academic performance, personal accomplishments, community service and inspirational goals for the future. The awardees have demonstrated a deep commitment to making a positive impact on their generation, as well as those who come after them. “These 23 remarkable scholars wonderfully exemplify the ideals of the California State University," said CSU Interim Chancellor Jolene Koester. “Their inspirational stories are connected by a common thread of intelligence, perseverance, resilience and the transformative power of higher education. Our communities, state and nation—indeed, our world—will long reap the benefits of their academic, professional and personal achievement." More than 420 students have been honored with the Trustees' Award since the scholarship program was established in 1984 by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation. In 1999, the Hearst Foundation partnered with the CSU Board of Trustees to supplement the endowment with contributions from CSU Trustees, CSU Foundation board members and private donors. The 23 scholarships awarded this year will total more than $180,000 in scholarship funds. Each student scholarship bears the name of a donor. Ali C. Razi, a CSU Trustee Emeritus who serves on the CSU Foundation Board of Governors, endowed a scholarship fund to recognize the top CSU Trustees' Award recipient annually. Cal State Long Beach student Nevi Keser Gruskin was named this year's Trustee Emeritus Ali C. Razi Scholar and will receive a $17,000 scholarship. The awardees will be recognized for their superior achievements during the Committee on Institutional Advancement portion of the September 13 CSU Board of Trustees meeting, with a special reception to follow. Visit the CSU Trustees' Award for Outstanding Achievement website for bios on all 23 scholars as well as donor information.
The 2022 CSU Trustees' Scholars are: Lesley Bode, Cal Poly Humboldt
Trustee Emerita Debra Farar Scholar
Kenya Janae Burton, Sacramento State Chancellor Emeritus Charles B. and Catherine Reed Scholar Serina Cabrera, Sonoma State Trustee Emeritus Murray L. Galinson Scholar Chamese Dempsey, San Diego State Stauffer Foundation Scholar Ome Garcia, San José State Trustee Emeritus William Hauck and Padget Kaiser Scholar Nevi Keser Gruskin, Cal State Long Beach Trustee Emeritus Ali C. Razi Scholar Isaiah Armond Jamal Henderson, Chico State Chancellor Emeritus Timothy P. White Scholar Dylan Gunner Jones, CSU Bakersfield William Randolph Hearst Scholar Breana Lewis, Cal State East Bay Trustee Emeritus Peter Taylor Scholar Miquelle McCarthy, Cal State LA Michael A. and Debe Lucki Scholar Dawoud Mishal, CSUN William Randolph Hearst Scholar Chiefe Mo, Cal Poly Pomona Trustee Wenda Fong and Daniel Fetterly Scholar Jeffrey Mueller, Cal Maritime Trustee Jack McGrory Scholar Daisy Morado Navarrete, CSU Channel Islands TELACU Scholar Samantha Patricia Navarro, Fresno State Trustee Emeritus Peter Mehas Scholar Nghia Trong Phan, Cal State Fullerton Southern California Edison Scholar Jeisson Pulido, CSU Dominguez Hills Ron and Mitzi Barhorst Scholar Lisamarie Raimondo, Stanislaus State William Randolph Hearst Scholar Johnathan Rodney, CSU San Marcos Trustee Emeritus Kenneth Fong Scholar manmit Singh, San Francisco State William Randolph Hearst Scholar Misealle Louise Tolliver, Cal State San Bernardino Steinhauser Family Scholar Nathalie R. Zamora Vigil, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo William Randolph Hearst Scholar Spencer Hart Winter, CSU Monterey Bay Trustee Emerita Claudia H. Hampton Scholar
About the California State University
The California State University is the largest system of four-year higher education in the country, with 23 campuses, 477,000 students and 56,000 faculty and staff. Nearly 40 percent of the CSU's undergraduate students transfer from California Community Colleges. Created in 1960, the mission of the CSU is to provide high-quality, affordable education to meet the ever-changing needs of California. With its commitment to quality, opportunity and student success, the CSU is renowned for superb teaching, innovative research and for producing job-ready graduates. Each year, the CSU awards more than 132,000 degrees. One in every 20 Americans holding a college degree is a graduate of the CSU and our alumni are 4 million strong. Connect with and learn more about the CSU in the CSU NewsCenter.
| | | CSU Trustees Award 23 Top Student Scholars for Outstanding Achievement | | | | 9/12/2022 3:31 PM | Ruble, Alisia | 9/12/2022 | 9/12/2022 9:00 AM | Join us as we track down CSU alumni who went from promising to prosperous. | Alumni | Story |
Where are they now? Join us as we track down CSU alumni who went from promising to prosperous.
| | | Where Are They Now? | | | | 9/15/2022 8:49 AM | Kelly, Hazel | 9/8/2022 | 9/8/2022 11:05 AM | Throughout September, the California State University (CSU) will be hosting “College Night” college fairs across the state providing all aspiring students the opportunity to meet with all 23 CSU campuses in one location. | Student Success | Press Release | Throughout September, the California State University (CSU) will be hosting “College Night" college fairs across the state, providing any high school or community college students, returning students or adult learners, as well as parents and family members, the opportunity to meet with all 23 CSU campuses in one location. “With the CSU looking to grow enrollment, the upcoming College Nights are a great way for prospective students to get more information about the opportunities available at the 23 universities in one place," said Ginger Reyes, systemwide director of Admissions and Outreach. “The pandemic limited events like this in recent years, so we are excited to engage with prospective students and their family and friends to help them determine which CSU campus is the best fit for them." Beginning on October 1, the CSU will begin accepting applications for admission to the fall 2023 term at all 23 universities. Prospective students interested in attending any CSU campus can apply online at the university's application portal: Cal State Apply. Cal State Apply enables all potential CSU incoming freshman, transfer, graduate and international students to apply to multiple CSU campuses with just one application. Attendees at any College Night session will be given key tips to help navigate the application process, important dates and deadlines, information about financial aid and more. CSU representatives will be ready to share insight on various topics, including: Learning how to prepare for CSU first-year and transfer admissions Tips on completing your CSU application Finding resources to help pay for college Discovering why the CSU is the best value in higher education
Please visit the CSU College Night website for more information.
CSU College Night Dates:Monday, September 19th | Clovis Veterans Memorial District | Clovis, CA [CENTRAL VALLEY] Wednesday, September 21st | San Jose DoubleTree Hotel | San Jose, CA Thursday, September 22nd | Sacramento State Campus – Student Union | Sacramento, CA Tuesday, September 27th | Pasadena Convention Center | Pasadena, CA Thursday, September 29th | Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina | San Diego, CA
About the California State University The California State University is the largest system of four-year higher education in the country, with 23 campuses, 477,000 students and 56,000 faculty and staff. Nearly 40 percent of the CSU's undergraduate students transfer from California Community Colleges. The CSU was created in 1960 with a mission of providing high-quality, affordable education to meet the ever-changing needs of California. With its commitment to quality, opportunity and student success, the CSU is renowned for superb teaching, innovative research and for producing job-ready graduates. Each year, the CSU awards more than 132,000 degrees. One in every 20 Americans holding a college degree is a graduate of the CSU and our alumni are 4 million strong. Connect with and learn more about the CSU in the CSU NewsCenter. | | | California State University to Host 'College Night' College Fairs | | | | 9/6/2022 9:20 AM | Beall, Alex | 9/6/2022 | 9/6/2022 10:40 AM | These advancements aim to improve the overall experience for CSU students. | Student Success | Story | As fall approaches and students head back to school, there are a few new things they might find on their respective CSU campuses—whether it's a new building or stadium, a new dean of their college or a new piece of technology to enhance their studies. Take a quick tour of the CSU campuses to find out what's new this school year. Leadership
CSU Monterey Bay President Vanya Quiñones assumed leadership on August 15, 2022.
Each year brings new faces to the campuses, but some are seeing exciting changes at the top level of leadership. Both CSU Monterey Bay and Sonoma State will have new presidents this year. CSUMB's
President Vanya Quiñones is taking over from retiring President Eduardo Ochoa, and Sonoma State's
President Ming-Tung “Mike" Lee is serving in an interim role. Other campuses will see their share of new vice presidents: - CSU Channel Islands welcomed
Eboni Ford Turnbow, Ph.D., vice president for Student Affairs.
- Chico State appointed
Monique Sendze, Ed.D., vice president for Information Technology and chief information officer and
Isaac Brundage, Ed.D., vice president for Student Affairs. The campus will also host the new project manager for the California Native American Graves and Repatriation Act,
Adriane Tafoya.
-
Bobbie Porter, Ed.D., begins her tenure as the first vice president/chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer at CSU Dominguez Hills.
- Fresno State named
Bao Johri, Ed.D., as vice president for Information Technology and chief information officer and
Xuanning Fu, Ph.D., as provost and vice president for Academic Affairs.
Academic Programs
CSU Channel Islands introduced a new dance studies major. Previously, the school only offered a performing arts major with a dance emphasis.
Students at several campuses will also find new degree and academic programs to enrich their learning experiences. CSU Bakersfield is offering a
new history degree with a concentration in social science teaching that will combine a traditional history degree with courses counting toward a social science teaching credential. CSU Channel Islands introduced a
dance studies major, while Fresno State created
bachelor of music degrees in composition, instrumental performance, jazz studies and vocal performance—which will require students to meet more rigorous standards than when the degrees were bachelor of arts. Sacramento State has a new
master of arts in Universal Design for eLearning, and San Francisco State introduced a new
Migration and Refugee Studies undergraduate certificate that teaches the "economic, political and environmental displacement of people within countries and across borders." San Diego State's Imperial Valley campus launched an
accelerated pre-licensure bachelor of science in nursing, which will help address the nursing shortage by allowing first-years to complete the program in three years and transfer students in two years. In addition, Cal State San Bernardino partnered with the Stater Bros. grocery store chain to develop the
Stater Bros. Markets Online Bachelor of Arts in Administration Degree Completion Program to increase access to higher education in the Inland Empire, especially for the chain's employees. Other new programs will help with professional development and networking. CSU Dominguez Hills's new
Japan Job Training program, created in partnership with the Japanese Consulate and local Japanese businesses, will introduce students to international industry leaders and work opportunities. And, CSU Bakersfield is launching a free 10-week
venture accelerator program in its new Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation for the CSUB community. Student Support Services
Cal State Long Beach students participate in the "Healthy Home Cooking: Build Burrito Lettuce Cups" cooking class hosted by ASI's Sustain U at the new Beach Kitchen, which opened in April 2022 as part of the ASI Beach Pantry.
A student's experience on campus, however, goes well beyond the academic and professional realm. The CSU aims to provide a holistic approach to caring for a student through efforts like Basic Needs programs, the Equal Opportunity Program (EOP) and mental health and wellness services. To meet those needs, campuses are constantly improving and adding student services. This fall, Chico State is opening
The Well, a new student wellness center at Bell Memorial Union. Students will find a place to study, create art, take naps, participate in wellness activities like yoga and meditation, get a massage and receive nutritional and financial counseling—among other things. Cal State Long Beach has likewise implemented a new wellness initiative,
Beach WELL, to ensure students can access mental health support with help from the entire campus community. The initiative also includes elements to support students' family members, who are likely the first points of contact for struggling students. In addition, the new
Beach Kitchen, an extension of CSULB's ASI Beach Pantry, will teach students to cook nutritious, culturally-inclusive meals using the pantry staples available. Other new services will help strengthen students' sense of belonging on campus, increase access to higher education for underrepresented populations and provide overall support. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo will add a
Latinx Center to its mix of campus resource centers, CSUN launched its
Bridge to the Future: Black Scholars Matter program to provide tuition-free college to local students of African descent, and Cal State East Bay held its first
Summer Transition Empowerment Program to help students from underserved communities transition to life on campus. Additionally, CSU Dominguez Hills introduced Student Success Centers into each of its six colleges to improve student retention by providing college-based advising, mentorship, counseling and more. Buildings and Facilities
Congresswoman Norma Torres and Cal Poly Pomona President Soraya M. Coley tour the campus's new Liquid Rocket Lab at the April 2022 grand opening.
This year, campuses are also opening new doors of opportunity for students literally as they unveil new buildings and facilities. To provide more research opportunities, Chico State's new
FinTech Lab will provide students access to financial software and trading technology including the Bloomberg Terminal, a finance platform with real-time data and analytics, and Cal Poly Pomona opened the
Liquid Rocket Lab where aerospace engineering students will work to make CPP the first university to launch a liquid-fueled rocket. Cal State Fullerton is introducing
The Latinx Lab for Storytelling and Social Justice in its Chicana and Chicano Studies Department, and San Diego State opened a
Mesoamerican Studies Center in Oaxaca, Mexico to facilitate transborder research. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is finishing up construction on the
William and Linda Frost Center for Research and Innovation, which will house research and learning facilities for various colleges In addition, Cal State East Bay's new
CORE building will be home to facilities like the university library and the Hub for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Fresno State is welcoming students into the new
Lynda and Stewart Resnick Student Union and expanded its
SCOUT transportation services for students with disabilities, and Cal Poly Humboldt opened a new
campus store at its Arcata location. Stanislaus State focused efforts on its
Stockton campus to upgrade the student lounge, recreation room, library and food services—with plans to open a food pantry.
Cal State Fullerton and
CSU San Marcos have also built new residential halls to house their growing student bodies, with the latter also opening its first student dining hall, Campus Way Cafe. And, campuses didn't forget about their sports—and esports—teams. Cal State Fullerton constructed new
baseball and softball facilities as well as an
Olympic-sized, 53-meter pool, which will be filled with the men's water polo team for the first time since 1985 and the campus's first women's water polo team. Cal State San Bernardino opened its
Esports Arena in May, and San Diego State's football team took the field for the first time at the new
Snapdragon Stadium for a preseason scrimmage in August. Technology and Equipment
Tal Slemrod, Ph.D., Chico State Educational Technology and Distance Learning program coordinator, with the campus's new mobile classroom, which has enough interior seating to serve aboout a dozen students. The exterior screen also allows the university to serve larger groups.
Lastly, students will also see some technology changes on campus and online. Cal State Long Beach introduced its
Elbee Chat Bot for students to ask questions on the website, CSUN launched its
updated website and acquired new ethnic studies-related
databases and digital archives for the library, San Diego State released its mobile safety app “SDSU Safe" and San José State's new
SJSU Online initiative will enable adults to return to school and complete their bachelor's degrees online. To improve remote and in-person teaching, Cal State Bernardino has added new tech tools to its classrooms. Almost 300 classrooms have new
audio-visual communication tools like video cameras, microphones and touchscreen monitors thanks to the Next Generation Smart Classroom project. At the
Palm Desert campus, the hospitality management program acquired virtual reality technology,
Paws Radio has new station equipment and the kinesiology program added new learning software and equipment. Science students at Sacramento State will also get to take advantage of new technology as the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics will install a
Size Exclusion Chromatography-Multi Angle Light Scattering device, which enhances research on viruses. Lastly, the Chico State School of Education and College of Communication and Education converted a Winnebago RV into a mobile classroom with desks, benches and learning technology. It will support teachers and students in rural areas of Northern California through lectures, science experiments and other educational resources.
Stay up to date on the latest news and developments across the CSU's 23 campuses at Calstate.edu/news. | | | What's New at the CSU | | | | 8/31/2022 3:56 PM | Thropay, Janessa | 8/31/2022 | 8/31/2022 3:15 PM | The California State University (CSU) has appointed Ed Clark, Ed.D., to serve as Chief Information Officer. | Leadership | Press Release | The California State University (CSU) has appointed Ed Clark, Ed.D., to serve as Chief Information Officer. Dr. Clark currently serves as the Vice President for Innovation and Technology Services, CIO and Chief Digital Officer at the University of St. Thomas, the largest private college in Minnesota. “Dr. Clark brings a deep understanding of the ways in which technology can improve teaching, learning and research and lead to greater achievement for students," said Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer Steve Relyea. “His leadership will be invaluable to the CSU as we continue to explore new and innovative solutions for our students and employees across California."
In his role at the University of St. Thomas, Clark works both internally and externally to enhance the strategic impact of technology for his university and its many stakeholders, all toward the goal of advancing student success. Under his leadership, the university developed new and greatly improved technology capabilities, while modernizing its technology infrastructure and approaches to IT services and portfolio management. Dr. Clark currently serves in many leadership roles for the university and as a board member for several public and private organizations.
Prior to his appointment at St. Thomas, Dr. Clark was the Chief Information Officer at Minnesota State, Mankato, the largest public university in the Minnesota State University (MSU) system, where he worked and advocated for student and faculty success. He has also served as CIO for the University of Minnesota's College of Liberal Arts. In these positions, Dr. Clark was responsible for all aspects of technology, from teaching and learning technologies to research support, infrastructure and administrative computing services, and has led many strategic initiatives for these institutions.
Dr. Clark holds a doctor of education from Minnesota State University, Mankato, a master of science in management of technology from the University of Minnesota, and a bachelor of arts in English from Florida State University.
About the California State University
The California State University is the largest system of four-year higher education in the country, with 23 campuses, 56,000 faculty and staff and 477,000 students. Half of the CSU's students transfer from California community colleges. The CSU was created in 1960 with a mission of providing high-quality, affordable education to meet the ever-changing needs of California. With its commitment to quality, opportunity, and student success, the CSU is renowned for superb teaching, innovative research and for producing job-ready graduates. Each year, the CSU awards more than 132,000 degrees. One in every 20 Americans holding a college degree is a graduate of the CSU and our alumni are 4 million strong. Connect with and learn more about the CSU in the CSU NewsCenter.
| | | Ed Clark Appointed CSU Chief Information Officer | | | | 8/30/2022 10:01 AM | Thropay, Janessa | 8/30/2022 | 8/30/2022 9:45 AM | The recent action to preserve and fortify the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy comes as welcome news and a relief for many of the best, brightest and most dedicated students and employees of the California State University. | DACA | Press Release | The following statement can be attributed to CSU Interim Chancellor Jolene Koester:“The recent action to preserve and fortify the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy comes as welcome news and a relief for many of the best, brightest and most dedicated students and employees of the California State University. We commend the Biden-Harris Administration for their leadership on this critically important issue, and for their support of the thousands of Dreamers learning and working across the CSU, striving for a better life. While this is a positive step, important work remains to be done. We are in agreement with the Administration that a swift legislative solution—one that is bipartisan and, most importantly, permanent—is still necessary to protect these current and future students and employees who make so many positive contributions to our institutions and communities."
About the California State University The California State University is the largest system of four-year higher education in the country, with 23 campuses, 477,000 students and 56,000 faculty and staff. Nearly 40 percent of the CSU's undergraduate students transfer from California Community Colleges. The CSU was created in 1960 with a mission of providing high-quality, affordable education to meet the ever-changing needs of California. With its commitment to quality, opportunity and student success, the CSU is renowned for superb teaching, innovative research and for producing job-ready graduates. Each year, the CSU awards more than 132,000 degrees. One in every 20 Americans holding a college degree is a graduate of the CSU and our alumni are 4 million strong. Connect with and learn more about the CSU in the CSU NewsCenter.
| | | CSU Statement on Department of Homeland Security DACA Regulations, August 2022 | | | | 8/24/2022 2:27 PM | Thropay, Janessa | 8/24/2022 | 8/24/2022 2:10 PM | The California State University is committed to providing an affordable, high-quality education for all Californians, and reducing the burden of debt for our students is another critical step. | Affordability | Press Release | The following statement can be attributed to CSU Interim Chancellor Jolene Koester:“The California State University is committed to providing an affordable, high-quality education for all Californians, and reducing the burden of debt for our students is another critical step to ensure that they start their careers on solid financial footing. At the CSU, fewer than half our students borrow, and those that do borrow significantly less than the national average. Nearly half of the CSU's undergraduate students are Pell Grant recipients, so today's announcement is welcome news for many. With even less debt, these students and our recent alumni will be better positioned to strengthen the California workforce and communities throughout the state as they pursue their professional and personal dreams. I applaud and thank the Biden-Harris Administration for their dedication and ongoing efforts to support our students. Increasing the maximum Pell Grant award to $13,000 is another important strategy for making higher education accessible and affordable, and would greatly reduce the need for CSU students to take on debt while in college. We will continue to work with our federal leaders to advance this effort, and to ensure that a CSU education remains an unparalleled value."
About the California State University The California State University is the largest system of four-year higher education in the country, with 23 campuses, 477,000 students and 56,000 faculty and staff. Nearly 40 percent of the CSU's undergraduate students transfer from California Community Colleges. The CSU was created in 1960 with a mission of providing high-quality, affordable education to meet the ever-changing needs of California. With its commitment to quality, opportunity and student success, the CSU is renowned for superb teaching, innovative research and for producing job-ready graduates. Each year, the CSU awards more than 132,000 degrees. One in every 20 Americans holding a college degree is a graduate of the CSU and our alumni are 4 million strong. Connect with and learn more about the CSU in the CSU NewsCenter. | | | CSU Statement on Federal Plan for Targeted Debt Cancellation | | | | 8/23/2022 8:38 AM | Beall, Alex | 8/22/2022 | 8/22/2022 8:00 AM | A transitional program is helping first-time students from historically underserved backgrounds realize their potential. | Educational Opportunity Program | Story |
CSU Summer Bridge PROGRAM BUILDS COMMUNITY FOR EOP STUDENTS
A transitional summer program is helping first-year students from historically underserved backgrounds realize their potential.
California State University campuses open their doors to more than 477,000 students every fall, but the college experience begins a little earlier for
Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) students like incoming freshman Helbert Luis. The statistics major participated this summer in a transitional program called Summer Bridge that is helping advance student readiness and improve retention. Luis took part in California State University, Northridge's six-week residential
Summer Bridge program in 2022, during which time he lived and studied on campus. He says the experience built up his self-confidence and instilled in him a sense of community he has never felt before.
"Where I come from [in Los Angeles] there aren't a lot of people going to college to make their lives better," Luis says. "In this program I am surrounded by people who have gone through a lot of the same experiences I have and want to succeed with me. I'm grateful to be here because it's not every day you have people there for you."
Though his parents encouraged him to pursue a career and escape the minimum wage job cycle many in his community find themselves stuck in, he says he often felt isolated and unmotivated.
"My parents were always working, so I didn't really have anyone there to ask me if I needed help with homework or extra tutoring," he says. "I felt alone at home, and it made me wonder: 'Who am I doing this for?' But coming here has changed my perspective."
"In Summer Bridge, I am surrounded by people who have gone through a lot of the same experiences I have and want to succeed with me." — Helbert Luis, incoming CSUN student
PROVIDING ACCESS
EOP was created in the late 1960s to provide access and support services for first-generation college students from historically disadvantaged backgrounds. Today, there is an EOP at all 23 CSU campuses serving more than 31,000 students. CSU applicants can learn about EOP and apply to the program while simultaneously applying to their desired campus through the university's online application portal,
Cal State Apply.
“EOP serves California's most underserved population,” says
CSUN EOP Director Shiva Parsa. “They have at least a ten-year history of being low-income, and many of their parents or guardians never graduated from middle or high school. This shows us they may not have been raised with a lot of resources and may need more skills building academically, socially and emotionally to be better prepared for the rigors of college.” The CSU EOP improves access to higher education for these students by providing a comprehensive program of support services including academic advisement, tutoring, learning skill services and personal, educational and career counseling. It also offers a free Summer Bridge program that provides students with an opportunity to adjust and transition to the university environment prior to the start of the fall term and introduces them to an extensive educational support network. While strengthening math, English and other academic skills, the program also allows participants to form a strong sense of belonging to the university. "Summer Bridge is critical to student success because it helps them feel more prepared and connected to our campus," says
California State University, Long Beach EOP Director Eduardo Leyva. "In addition to promoting academic preparation, it builds a community that improves overall student well-being."
Glenn Omatsu, a lecturer in CSUN's department of Asian American Studies and the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), leads Summer Bridge students in a discussion.
BOOSTING SUCCESS
Strengthening transitional programs to improve college readiness among first-time students has been a strategy implemented by the CSU as part of its
Graduation Initiative 2025, launched in 2016 to increase graduation rates, eliminate equity gaps in degree completion and meet California's workforce needs.
Most campuses require all EOP students to complete Summer Bridge before their first term, though the length of time and delivery format varies. Programs range from one week to six weeks and students can choose from residential, commuter and virtual options, depending on the campus. And, campuses like Fresno State University, for example, have recently expanded eligibility to include transfer students as well as first-time freshmen.
EOP staff help students resolve any issues with their financial aid, secure housing and employment for the fall term and facilitate in-depth presentations and workshops about campus resources like the library, health center, basic needs program and counseling.
"EOP students are less likely to reach out when they have questions or need help," Parsa says. "During Summer Bridge, we introduce them to representatives from each of the campus's support services so they can build a relationship with them before they even start fall classes."
In some Summer Bridge programs, participants complete academic units that help them brush up on math and English skills. CSUN Summer Bridge students, for example, are enrolled in a general education (GE) course, part of which they complete in the summer and continue in the fall. This is part of their EOP linked learning curriculum in which students remain with the same cohort for summer, fall and spring in a learning community for writing. Employed at other campuses as well, grouping students in an EOP cohort helps them make connections and increases their chances of persisting to their second year.
"The people you meet in Summer Bridge will always come back into your life to support you, whether they're your classmates, best friends or staff members." — Samuel Chheng, Fresno State student
During the program, students also learn important skills like budgeting, time management and self-discipline, as well as how to use their student portal and CANVAS, a learning management system used by many campuses as a supplement to in-person and virtual course material.
At Fresno State, students in the program are enrolled in a CANVAS course and engage in structured activities, assignments, quizzes and discussion board posts. The course material contains an orientation module and six learning modules that expose students to information about academic advising, major and career exploration and connections for success.
Fresno State EOP Director Mui Vuong says the primary goal of Summer Bridge is to make students feel like they are part of the university and build a support network they can lean on when confronted with a challenge. "EOP staff members believe in our students and are incredible advocates for them," Vuong says. "We call it an EOP family because we never give up on them. If they do fall behind, they know who they can turn to for help getting back on their feet." Fourth-year Fresno State psychology major Samuel Chheng reflects: "The most valuable thing I got from Summer Bridge was the social networking. The people you meet during the program will always come back into your life and help support you, whether they're your classmates, best friends or staff members." Chheng, who is also pursuing a minor in Asian American Studies, participated in Summer Bridge in 2019 and says the experience inspired him to be an EOP peer mentor and become a high school counselor after graduation with the goal of helping more Southeast Asian students in Fresno pursue higher education. "Summer Bridge and EOP offered me so much, I wish every student could participate," Chheng says. "I was nervous about attending Fresno State because I had no idea what I wanted to do or what I wanted to major in, but I learned so much about myself in the program and it even helped me decide my career path." Vuong says participation in Summer Bridge and the subsequent support from EOP leads to higher retention and graduation rates. As of fall 2020, the first-year retention rate for Fresno State EOP students who completed Summer Bridge is 84 percent, compared to a campus-wide first-year retention rate of 76.9 percent. Additionally, the six-year graduation rate for Fresno State EOP regularly admitted students who completed Summer Bridge is 71.9 percent compared to a campus-wide six-year graduation rate of 56.6 percent.
CSU Dominguez Hills Summer Bridge students participate in "Fun Friday" activities like bowling to help them form bonds and increase their sense of belonging to the university.
making connections
In addition to teaching academic and life skills, EOP staff plan fun activities like movie nights, talent shows, potlucks and more to help students make friends and form lifelong connections. At California State University, Dominguez Hills, Summer Bridge students take part in
Fun Fridays, which involve themed, off-campus events like hiking, roller skating and bowling.
While specific activities vary by campus, Summer Bridge programs statewide have the same goals and learning outcomes, and their mission is clear: To build a community for EOP students that will support them throughout their entire college career.
"Summer Bridge celebrates first-generation students and encourages participants to be their authentic selves by creating intentional space for them to learn and support each other," says
San Francisco State University EOP Director Oscar Gardea. "Doing so creates a strong community of learners who are engaged, connected and believe in each other and themselves."
For many students, the impact of the program can be felt long after they experience it. Recent
San Diego State University EOP graduate
Fabiola Moreno Ruelas says participating in Summer Bridge led to opportunities to be a peer mentor and to advocate for those who come after her.
"I met wonderful people in the program, and I was fortunate enough to have a support system so early on," Ruelas says. "Those six weeks propelled me to do so much throughout my time at SDSU, including getting involved in student government and eventually representing EOP at the highest level as the Vice President of Systemwide Affairs for the
California State Student Association."
Listen to what Cal State Long Beach Summer Bridge students and staff have to say about the program.
Story: Alisia Ruble
Photography: Courtesy of cSU Campuses/students
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| | | CSU Summer Bridge Program Builds Community for EOP students | | | | 9/6/2022 1:19 PM | Rawls, Aaron | 8/18/2022 | 8/18/2022 11:40 AM | Under President William Covino's leadership, student achievement has reached unprecedented heights at California State University, Los Angeles. | Leadership | Press Release | The following statement can be attributed to CSU Interim Chancellor Jolene Koester:
“Under President William Covino's leadership, student achievement has reached unprecedented heights at California State University, Los Angeles. The university has made remarkable progress by more than doubling the four-year graduation rate for first-year students. Students coming from community colleges are achieving similar success, with their graduation rates reaching all-time highs, as well. These success measures demonstrate just a few of the ways that Dr. Covino has positively impacted the university. Cal State LA also ranks in the very highest echelon of the nation's universities when it comes to driving upward social mobility for its students.
Under his guidance, Cal State LA has also gained renown for its innovative academic and student-support programming, and has established vital community partnerships that serve as models for the rest of the California State University.
Over the course of more than 40 years in higher education, Bill Covino has transformed the lives of countless students at San Diego State, Stanislaus State, Fresno State and Cal State LA, and I thank him for his many years of distinguished and dedicated service to the CSU."
On August 18, 2022, California State University, Los Angeles president William A. Covino announced that he will retire from his role as university president upon the completion of the 2022-23 academic year. Covino is the seventh president of Cal State LA and has served in the role since 2013. He joined Cal State LA after serving as provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at Fresno State. Covino also held the role of provost at Stanislaus State, and he began his career in higher education as an assistant professor at San Diego State.
The CSU will soon launch a national search for Covino's successor. Under university policy, the chair of the CSU Board of Trustees, Wenda Fong, and Interim Chancellor Koester will select a committee comprised of campus and community stakeholders who will be publicly announced at a later date. Campus and community input will be sought in an open forum held on the Cal State LA campus.
About the California State University
The California State University is the largest system of four-year higher education in the country, with 23 campuses, 477,000 students and 56,000 faculty and staff. Nearly 40 percent of the CSU's undergraduate students transfer from California Community Colleges. The CSU was created in 1960 with a mission of providing high-quality, affordable education to meet the ever-changing needs of California. With its commitment to quality, opportunity and student success, the CSU is renowned for superb teaching, innovative research and for producing job-ready graduates. Each year, the CSU awards more than 132,000 degrees. One in every 20 Americans holding a college degree is a graduate of the CSU and our alumni are 4 million strong. Connect with and learn more about the CSU in the CSU NewsCenter.
| | | Statement on Pending Retirement of Cal State LA President William A. Covino |
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