|  | | 3/21/2023 5:25 PM |  Bentley-Smith, Amy | 3/21/2023 | 3/21/2023 4:00 PM | Comprehensive dual admission program will create a more efficient and accessible way for students to transfer to the CSU. | Transfer Student | Press Release | Even greater numbers of the state's high school graduates will have access to a high-quality California State University (CSU) education through a new dual admission program with the California Community Colleges announced today during the CSU's March Board of Trustees meeting. Called Transfer Success Pathway, the program will guarantee future CSU admission to 2023 high school graduates and beyond who are entering a California community college and who commit to transferring within three years. The Transfer Success Pathway gives students clearer direction as they begin their post-secondary education journey and greater confidence that they will achieve their goal of a four-year degree. “Our community college transfer students are an integral part of our Cal State community, and we are excited about the opportunity to work more closely with them earlier in their journey," said April Grommo, CSU's assistant vice chancellor of Strategic Enrollment Management. “The Transfer Success Pathway is the CSU's promise and commitment to those who don't take a direct route to a four-year degree, particularly those who face academic, geographic or financial barriers. We want you to know that the CSU counts you in, not out." The community college-to-CSU track has long been a way for students to obtain a college degree. CSU enrolls tens of thousands of new California Community Colleges transfer students every year, accounting for 95 percent of CSU transfers. However, a large gap exists between the number of students who intend to transfer, and those who do. According to the Public Policy Institute of California, only 19 percent of California Community Colleges students who are interested in transferring do so within four years. For students who transfer to the CSU, the success rate is high. Data shows that 40 percent of CSU transfer students graduate within two years, and 80 percent within four years. Designed to create a more efficient and accessible pathway for transfer students to the CSU, the Transfer Success Pathway is the CSU's response to Gov. Gavin Newsom's Council for Post-Secondary Education Record with Equity Report and the Postsecondary Education Trailer Bill of 2021 (AB 132), which prompted the CSU and University of California to offer dual admission programs by fall 2023. The CSU's new program exceeds legislative requirements, creating a comprehensive, systemwide dual admission program that complements existing pathways to more students. Beginning with the California high school graduating class of 2023, the Transfer Success Pathway will be open to first-time, first-year state community college students who meet the following eligibility: - were not CSU eligible at the time of high school graduation.
- were CSU eligible but chose not to attend due to personal or financial reasons.
- were CSU eligible but the application to their campus of choice was redirected to another campus, and they did not enroll.
Eligible students can apply in summer 2023, entering into an agreement with the specific CSU campus they wish to attend. As part of the agreement, students must complete either an Associate Degree for Transfer or an established course of transfer at a community college within three years.
The Transfer Success Pathway provides the CSU with a greater opportunity to establish a stronger connection with students while they are enrolled at community college. In addition to guaranteed transfer, students will also receive additional benefits such as pre-transfer counseling, direct access to CSU libraries, and financial aid information. A CSU Transfer Planner online tool will launch in summer 2023 to support the program. Students will be able to determine their program eligibility, research campuses and programs available and enter into one agreement.
For more information, visit Transfer Success.
About the California State University The California State University is the largest system of four-year higher education in the country, with 23 campuses, nearly 460,000 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 nearly 130,000 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 Expands Access to a College Degree with New Transfer Success Pathway | | | | 3/20/2023 8:53 AM | Ruble, Alisia | 3/20/2023 | 3/20/2023 8:05 AM | The CSU celebrates Women’s History Month and a significant moment in history in which three of the top university leadership positions are held by women. | Leadership | Story |
a 'DEEP POOL OF EXPERIENCED WOMEN LEADERS'
The CSU celebrates Women’s History Month and a significant moment in university history.
JOLENE KOESTER, PH.D.
CSU Interim Chancellor
What is the significance of women holding all three of these top leadership positions? How might it benefit CSU students and employees to have women leading the university? What do you think got us here?
This moment—when so many of the key leaders across the CSU's constituencies are women—shows
students and employees it is possible for women to assume top leadership positions. The fact that we would notice it and that we would recognize it as something unique and something really significant in the history of the CSU is a reminder that change, in terms of equitable access to leadership for women and people of color, still needs to occur. But it is a thrill at a personal level. It empowers those who identify as women, or who have felt marginalized for other reasons, to imagine themselves in roles that they wouldn't have thought possible previously. It makes a difference to our students as well as those who work for the CSU system. I started at Sacramento State as a faculty member in 1983 and became a department chair in three years. At that point, there were other women in leadership positions on the faculty side as department chairs. Then gradually, over time, there have been more and more female leaders in many of the kinds of administrative positions I have served in. It has been gradual, steady change that has brought us to this particular moment.
Who or what has been your biggest inspiration on your personal leadership journey?
I was supported along the way very enthusiastically when I was in high school by teachers who taught me that I had skills and that I was smart. They gave me lots of opportunities. And I've had many individuals over time who also did that, most of whom were men. My mother was not well educated—she didn't even go to high school—but she was tenacious in her reminders. I grew up at a time when women didn't necessarily go to college, but my mother was really clear: She wanted me and my sisters—and my brother—to go to college. I learned a lot from her and had a lot of gumption because of who she was and how she urged her children to seek higher education.
In what ways do you want to set an example for the next generation of women leaders in higher education and beyond?
I would like to set the example of someone who can attain this kind of leadership role, but also recognize that all people deserve to be treated with respect. Leadership doesn't mean you have to be crude or cruel. I would like to be seen as somebody who leads with values.
WENDA FONG
Chair of the CSU Board of Trustees
What is the significance of women holding all three of these top leadership positions? How might it benefit CSU students and employees to have women leading the university? What do you think got us here?
This moment in time is so significant because it illustrates the deep pool of experienced women leaders qualified to serve in each of these unique roles. It shows that there is a pipeline of women leaders who have decades of experience climbing that ladder rung by rung, some breaking through glass ceilings, unlocking doors and holding them open for others to follow. Something I've learned in my work with diversity, equity and inclusion is that representation and visibility are critical. It's critical for our students and for the CSU community to see women leaders, particularly those of us who are of color, to prove that if we made it, they can too. If you can see it, you can be it. How did we get here as leaders? Allies. It was our previous and current leaders who gave each of us opportunities to gain experience and to persevere, achieve and accomplish. It's not only allies who were supportive, but, frankly, those people who were not. I actually learned a lot from those people who put up barriers—who made things very difficult for me—and I learned how to overcome those challenges.
Who or what has been your biggest inspiration on your personal leadership journey?
It's really simple: My mother. Sadly, my father died when I was just seven years old. My mother raised me and my four siblings. She raised each of us to be independent, to know where we came from, to be proud of our ancestry, to understand the sacrifices our grandparents made and the barriers they and my parents faced, and to love our country and be good citizens.
We were encouraged to value education, and to leave a positive legacy in the world. My mother was an incredible parent, but also an incredible businesswoman and community leader. She taught us by example to be responsible, reliable, professional, hardworking, generous and grateful—and to give back, to persevere, to have integrity, to problem-solve and not to give up. I stand on the shoulders of my grandparents and parents, and we understood that it is our responsibility that we, in turn, lift others onto our shoulders.
In what ways do you want to set an example for the next generation of women leaders in higher education and beyond?
Something I've learned over my four decades of working, particularly in the entertainment industry is that you can succeed by being yourself—your best self. I believe it's important for each of us to strive to be the best person we can be using the unique gifts God has given to each of us. That we don't have to be like someone else, but that we should be true to ourselves. Back in the '70s, women were told we had to dress and act a certain way to succeed, particularly in the business world. I hope I am an example of someone who was able to reach this level of achievement by being her best true self.
SYLVIA A. ALVA, PH.D.
CSU Executive Vice Chancellor, Academic and Student Affairs
What is the significance of women holding all three of these top leadership positions? How might it benefit CSU students and employees to have women leading the university? What do you think got us here?
I think it's remarkable. It is a very unique moment in time to see so many women in such significant and impactful lleadership positions. I feel very honored and privileged to be in such distinguished company. The impact for employees and students is an affirmation that it is possible and within their reach to continue to grow professionally and to aspire and achieve positions of leadership. It's also important to acknowledge that women have always been impactful leaders in our society, and for any number of reasons have not always been recognized for their contributions. Much of my success is owed to women who have been mentors to me and helped me lead in these important roles day in and day out, either as part of my leadership team or as part of my support staff. I really see it as an opportunity to thank them and to extend a deep appreciation for the role of women in both higher education and in the success of women leaders. Even in higher education, there has been a shift in which more women are aspiring to pursue and complete college degrees. And so, with time, you're going to see an increase in representation of women in a variety of key roles in society. I also think there's now an acknowledgement that there have been barriers and obstacles that women have had to face that are disproportionate when compared to those their male counterparts had to face. As a society, we've become more aware of these equity considerations and are trying to be fairer—even in our recruitment and selection processes. Trying to be more intentional and more equity-minded makes a difference.
Who or what has been your biggest inspiration on your personal leadership journey?
I had a moment in my own leadership journey when I literally rode a bus with Rosa Parks, and that moment provided me with what I consider to be an epiphany in my own leadership style. I was at a professional conference where she was the keynote speaker, and there was a bus that shuttled the attendees back to the hotel. Ms. Parks was also on this bus—this very demure, elegant, elderly woman. At the time, I was committed to doing my best work as a faculty member. Reflecting on her impact on society, I realized there was much more that I could do as a leader, as a member of the higher education community. That moment in my leadership journey inspired me to commit to being much more engaged and involved in equity-minded initiatives That was a pivotal moment in my leadership journey, and one that really awakened in me a deeper passion and responsibility for leading.
In what ways do you want to set an example for the next generation of women leaders in higher education and beyond?
A phrase by Cesar Chavez resonates with me in terms of a message I'd like to leave women and other leaders: “Sí se puede." "Yes, it is possible." It takes a lot of hard work, dedication and commitment, but it is possible. I think serving as an example of what is possible is a tremendous privilege and an opportunity I feel very proud of. It's also important to remind women and others that we need a network of support. We need people in our personal and professional lives to whom we can turn. Whether they're confidants or colleagues, it takes a community, a group of dedicated people to get this important work done. There have been many times throughout my career when I was the only woman, the only Latina, in a leadership community, and it can get lonely without your community's support. Your voice needs to be part of the conversation, but you have to create that synergy. You create that harmony. I bring it back to the importance of small impacts. Small gestures like Rosa Parks refusing to sit at the back of the bus can really change the course of history. I believe there's a role for all of us to play as transformative leaders.
The leaders who oversee the CSU system are dedicated to maintaining the institution's promise of access and quality to the students of California.
Learn more about them and the work they do.
Story: Alisia Ruble
photography:
Courtesy of CSU CampusesShare this story
| | | A 'Deep Pool of Experienced Women Leaders' | | | | 3/14/2023 10:00 AM | Thropay, Janessa | 3/14/2023 | 3/14/2023 10:00 AM | New PK-3 Early Childhood Education Specialist Instruction Credential aims to equip teachers with the necessary knowledge and tools to educate California’s youngest learners. | Teacher Preparation | Story |
The California State University (CSU) is a national leader in developing well-prepared, diverse educators for California's school system. It is home to the largest teacher preparation program in the state and among one of the largest in the nation, and awards approximately 7,000 California teaching credentials annually. In light of California legislation passed in 2021 requiring any school district operating a kindergarten to also provide a transitional kindergarten (TK) program for all four-year-olds, the CSU is excited to offer aspiring and current teachers the opportunity to earn the PK-3 Early Childhood Education Specialist Instruction Credential at participating CSU campuses starting in the 2023-2024 academic year. As California begins implementing TK programs throughout the state, there is a great demand to expand the early learning teacher workforce. The state anticipates the need for 12,000 to 15,000 new teachers by 2025-26. “I am excited about the potential of this new PK-3 early childhood specialist instruction credential to provide a strong and equitable early learning foundation for our youngest and most diverse learners in the state," says Shireen Pavri, Ph.D., assistant vice chancellor of Educator & Leadership Programs at the CSU Chancellor's Office. “These students will be taught by teachers who have specialized knowledge, skills and dispositions to teach our multilingual and multicultural young children in inclusive settings using age and developmentally appropriate practices." The credential will authorize graduates to teach all subjects in a general education classroom setting and to team teach or to regroup students across classrooms, in pre-kindergarten (PK) through 3rd grade. The English learner (EL) authorization provided through this credential aligns with the EL authorization that is earned upon completion of a single-, multiple-subject, or education specialist, credential program. Understanding the critical importance of establishing a strong educational foundation for young children, the CSU values this opportunity to prepare teachers with the necessary knowledge and tools to educate California's youngest learners. In alignment with the CSU's goals for equity and diversity in education, the PK-3 Credential will elevate the early learning education workforce and effectively prepare them to serve students and their families who hail from unique backgrounds and have experienced diverse circumstances. California Governor Gavin Newsom's multi-year compact with the CSU includes funding to increase the number of early education degree pathways available to college students by 2025. Once the PK-3 Credential program is approved at participating CSU campuses, financial aid and grants will be available for teacher candidates seeking this credential. These resources will help establish an accessible and affordable avenue for those interested in pursuing a career teaching in PK through third grade settings. The PK-3 Credential is meant not only to improve the quality of education for all students, especially those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, but also to explore an untapped resource of early childhood professionals to help address the state's teacher shortage. Whether candidates are new to early childhood education or have been a teacher for 10 years, this credential has the potential to positively impact graduates' careers. CSU programs for educators are designed to promote career-long growth, offering credentials that help graduates excel in their profession, as well as master's and doctoral programs that provide the necessary skills to be transformational leaders. To learn more about the CSU's efforts in preparing California's future educators, visit the Educator and Leadership Programs website. | | | CSU Set to Offer Early Childhood Teaching Credential | | | | 3/13/2023 11:32 AM | Barrie, Matthew | 3/13/2023 | 3/13/2023 8:45 AM | See how CSU field courses provide hands-on learning and prepare students for future research careers. | Research | Story |
The Great Outdoor ClassroomSee how CSU field courses provide hands-on learning and prepare students for future research careers.
Whitewater rafting down a river, trekking through the jungle, spotting wildlife in its natural habitat. While field studies courses offer students these kinds of adventurous experiences, they also give students a taste of life working in the field and hands-on learning that ensures they are job-ready for a career in research. Learn more about some of the CSU’s field experiences.
Cal Poly Humboldt “Immersive courses are really impactful not only for learning, but also for changing people's lives in terms of how they see the world, where they go in their future trajectory, opening their mind to new experiences and not being afraid.” – Dr. Alison O’Dowd Several years ago, Alison O'Dowd, Ph.D., Cal Poly Humboldt professor of Environmental Science and Management, and her master's student conducted research around the Klamath River Watershed. Since then, that experience has grown into a full
field course, which ran its
first session in summer 2022 for 14 students. “The Klamath is such a great outdoor classroom because there's so much going on in terms of restoration, interdisciplinary partnerships, science and monitoring," Dr. O'Dowd says. Following two days of orientation on campus, the group embarked on 12 days of car camping around the basin with an academic focus on restoration, especially as several dams are in the process of being removed from the region. As they moved along their route, the group met with research practitioners, engineers, nonprofits and tribal representatives leading different restoration projects. For example, the group went snorkeling with the Salmon River Restoration Council, learned about off-channel pond restoration with the Karuk Tribe, whitewater rafted to explore river channel features and hiked to 7,000 feet in elevation on Mount Eddy. In addition, each student was assigned two species to become the resident expert on, so when it was encountered in the field, the student could practice acting as a natural historian. “The work you do in the Klamath is hands-on," O'Dowd says. “You're getting wet, you're getting dirty, you're really experiencing it. Every day, students were in the work and not just sitting back and listening. … They felt like they got more out of a two-week course than they did in a lot of their semester-long courses because it was so immersive [and they were] living and breathing that information."
Students in Cal Poly Humboldt's Klamath Basin field course work with technicians in the Yurok Tribal Fisheries Program to collect juvenile salmonids from a rotary screw trap on the Trinity River.
Not only were students learning the material, they were also making meaningful connections with individuals and organizations working in the field who could offer future internships or jobs. “I've found it helps students get that first job or second job after graduation and helps them get over the hump in terms of putting themselves out there and going in the direction that they want to with their career," O'Dowd says. “We hope they get out of the experience a renewed confidence in themselves and their ability to apply for these different positions, and to see themselves as biologists, as restoration workers, as fisheries experts or whatever their discipline is." Participating students earned class credits through the field course and were able to get their tuition covered through Cal Poly Humboldt's program to provide
free summer courses last year. The course will run again in summer 2023, and O'Dowd plans to offer a few scholarships and will encourage students to also seek out funding opportunities to cover the costs.
San Diego State “[The field experience] helped students think through what's next for them and gave them the experience to move forward to the next step in their careers.” – Dr. Erin Riley With a focus on human-primate conflict and biodiversity conservation, the 2022
Indonesia Fieldwork Experience took three students with SDSU Anthropology Professor Erin Riley, Ph.D., to eight sites across two islands, including to Dr. Riley's research site in Bantimurung Bulusaraung National Park. The students learned about field research methods, attended seminars and workshops, and interacted with local communities. “Some of the lessons and experiences students gain by doing field work—especially being in an international setting and outside of a normal routine—challenges them on so many different levels, in terms of travel, organizing one's things to bring, and troubleshooting," Riley says. “How do you engage and network with people from that country, and if you don't speak the language, how do you navigate that? If you do, how do you navigate your position as a foreigner? These are all skills that are so crucial in the contemporary era, and … field work, particularly in an international setting, helps prepare students for that." As part of the program, the SDSU students worked with Indonesian students to develop a digital conservation education outreach tool. Together, they completed an education-related workshop during the three-week trip before splitting into groups to determine how best to communicate the importance of primate conservation to the public. The resulting projects, completed in the fall semester, were an infographic on how to properly observe primates, a video on the harms of keeping primates as pets, and a children's storybook about a monkey experiencing the effects of climate change on her environment. “I think that was a great project to help the students focus on what they learned during the trip and think about how to communicate science to the public," Riley says. “Working with Indonesian students [built] teamwork skills as well."
SDSU student Melissa Callado (center right), who participated in the 2022 Indonesia Fieldwork Experience, presents the concept for a children's book with a team of Indonesian students.
While Riley has been working in Indonesia for more than 20 years and has previously taken master's students with her, last year was the first time she ran a
formal program open to undergraduate students thanks to funding from the ASIANetwork Student-Faculty Fellows Program.
With a National Science Foundation grant covering the next three years, Riley will offer a six-week, research-intensive program with stipends, focused on human-primate coexistence and ecosystem health. The program will be open to both graduate and undergraduate students, allowing the latter to be mentored by students further along in their education. Riley hopes participants will also be able to disseminate their research through conference presentations and journal articles. “Getting students involved in research early in their undergraduate careers, with mentorship from both faculty and graduate student peers, will better prepare them for future research endeavors," she says. “It will also increase the likelihood that they will pursue graduate-level training." Riley adds that this is particularly important for students from underrepresented groups, and the stipends will allow more students the opportunity to gain this hands-on experience.
CSU Channel Islands “It's not about the information, it’s about the experience. It's about taking students out of the classroom and off the campus and putting them someplace new where the topic of study and the method of study are completely adapted and embedded in the place where it belongs.” – Dr. Dan Reineman Through its
Santa Rosa Island Research Station (SRIRS)—established through a partnership with Channel Islands National Park—CSU Channel Islands provided
two opportunities in summer 2022 for students to spend several weeks at the field station and experience hands-on learning on the island. “A lot of our students are from traditionally underserved communities and are first-generation college students—and being able to spend time doing education and research in a national park on an offshore island is not necessarily in the cards for them," SRIRS Director Russell Bradley says. “We offer a variety of programs for them, but one element that we wanted to add with this program is the intensive field course. It's another level of opportunity for education, career preparation and research experience." First, the interdisciplinary field studies program taught field methods and research in topics spanning environmental science to cultural history through lectures, field activities and hikes. “It was the opportunity to travel and work in settings where there are remote field stations and where science is happening in a wet, muddy, hands-on way that was transformational for my career—and the opportunity to provide those experiences for our students in Channel Islands National Park is an enormous privilege," says Dan Reineman, Ph.D., assistant professor of Environmental Science and Resource Management, who helped lead the interdisciplinary session. “To live and work in the park, and learn research methods in biology, anthropology, ecology and resource management, over the course of weeks is an incredible opportunity for our student population." One such field activity included observing a location on the island at the beginning of the trip and then again at the end to show how the students' new skills helped them perform more in-depth observations.
CSUCI students in the Santa Rosa Island Research Station Summer Interdisciplinary Field Studies Program gather at the base of the pier in Becher's Bay on Santa Rosa Island.
“It was wonderful to look at the growth they could demonstrate in such a short time," Dr. Reineman says. “They acquired the skills to look differently at a place that they'd come to know by learning about the place, the species, the geological processes and the deep enriched history. It's a different lens through which to interpret, understand and appreciate the world." The second program was a biology-focused field studies course concentrated on learning field methods in marine and terrestrial ecology, designing scientific questions and conducting research. Participating students developed their own primary research projects on the island and worked in groups to collect data, conduct experiments and analyze the data. “This was really intensive, and the tests didn't always work," says Geoffrey Dilly, Ph.D., associate professor of biology and one of the program leaders. “The failure was part of the point, because the students got to see from the hypothesis testing and the methods building how a project actually comes to fruition." The 2022 programs were supported by private funding and allowed students to earn class credit. SRIRS will resume intensive summer field courses in 2024 and continues offering its other, short-term programs.
Learn more about
research at the CSU.
Story: ALEX BEALL
Photography: Kellie Jo Brown/Cal Poly Humboldt; Contributed
Share this story
| | | The Great Outdoor Classroom | | | | 3/6/2023 9:41 AM | Ruble, Alisia | 3/6/2023 | 3/6/2023 8:00 AM | Women may be underrepresented in STEM fields, but these CSU programs aim to change that. | STEM | Story | UN Women has declared the theme for International Women's Day on March 8, 2023 "DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equity" to celebrate women and girls who are championing the advancement of transformative technology and digital education.
A report by the American Association of University Women (AAUW) shows that women are significantly underrepresented in STEM majors across the country—for instance, only around 21 percent of engineering majors are women and only around 19 percent of computer and information science majors are women. The California State University offers 1,200 STEM degree programs and enrolls about 90,000 women in STEM degree programs, awarding more than 26,000 STEM degrees to women every year. Resources are available throughout the university to encourage women to pursue careers in STEM, diversifying the workforce and bringing innovative ideas and solutions to solve problems facing women.
As we celebrate International Women's Day and Women's History Month, we highlight CSU programs and organizations that empower women in STEM through recruiting strategies, support programs and career development.
'WiCSE' Women
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There has been a tremendous demand for skilled, diverse talent for specialized high-wage roles in Orange County, especially in the engineering and computer sciences fields. According to Cal State Fullerton, there are, on average, 2.5 job opportunities for every CSUF student who graduates from the College of Engineering and Computer Science (CECS).
To increase the number of women in the STEM workforce, CSUF developed Women in Computer Science and Engineering (WiCSE) in 2012 under the leadership of Susan Barua, dean of the CECS.
“Women, especially women of color, are still greatly underrepresented in computer science and engineering so, often, when they are in their upper-level classes, they're one of very few women and it can make them feel 'othered,' as if they don't belong," says WiCSE advisor and computer science adjunct faculty member Beth Harnick-Shapiro, who is also a CSUF alumna. “We offer a welcoming place where they're surrounded by people who share their lived experiences."
The WiCSE program offers academic and career support, in-house tutoring and programming that addresses students' well-being, prepares them for future careers and creates space to build a strong sense of community. The organization has hosted panels and luncheons with companies like Southern California Edison, Curtiss-Wright, Disney and Raytheon where students can meet and network with company executives and employees.
WiCSE also has plans to resume on-site visits once companies are back on their campuses and can safely host students. Past site visits have included Disney, Dreamworks and NASA JPL. "We are excited to coordinate with companies who hire engineers and computer scientists," Harnick-Shapiro says.
“The goal is to create community while improving retention and graduation rates of women in computer science and engineering degree programs at CSUF by teaching them how to navigate the structure of higher education, and by providing multiple touch points throughout their educational journey," Harnick-Shapiro says. “Thanks in part to WiCSE efforts, as well as revisions to the lower division courses offered through the department, computer science boasts a 93 percent retention rate for women. We like to say: 'If you're a woman in the computer science program, we're going to get you to graduation.'"
The impact has not gone unnoticed. In 2021, WiCSE received a grant from Bank of America that helped the program establish a half-million-dollar endowment, expanding the program from two to four years and potentially tripling the number of female students it helps prepare for careers with the region's tech employers. WiCSE has also received strong financial support from companies like Chevron and Hyundai.
WiCSE has been able to hire a full-time in-house tutor and four paid student assistants who serve as peer mentors and develop their own leadership and “soft" skills as they help coordinate programming. Harnick-Shapiro says she sees many WiCSE participants also become student leaders with organizations on campus like the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM).
In a recent campus article, Rocio Salgueroa—CSUF alumna, former WiCSE peer tutor and now a technical solutions engineer at Google—said: “What I think is great about WiCSE is that it helps you keep an open mind. I also learned how to search and find answers. Knowing where to look or finding the right person to ask is critical."
Women Lead in Cybersecurity
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With nine tenths of the world's money transacted electronically, the need to protect and secure cyberspace only grows more urgent. As a Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity, Cal State San Bernardino's Cybersecurity Center leads the nation's community of 335 universities as part of that effort. Combined with its wide range of cyber-related degree programs, CSUSB prepares nearly double the national average of women in the field, says Tony Coulson, Ph.D., executive director of the CSUSB Cybersecurity Center (CSC) and professor of information and decision sciences. CSUSB is helping to prepare more women by offering several degree programs that include cybersecurity in a variety of fields—including four different bachelor's degrees and five master's options. Programs include information systems and technology with a cybersecurity concentration, public administration with cyber, business administration with cyber and crime analysis with cyber.
One program that is extraordinarily popular among CSUSB's female students, Coulson says, is the national cybersecurity studies graduate program, which focuses on the global intelligence environment and intelligence analytics. “A lot of people think cyber is one dimension, super technical. But there's a lot of intelligence work. There's a lot of policy work," Coulson explains. The key to getting more women in cybersecurity and STEM, Coulson says, is creating a pipeline at the community level, to make it more natural for girls to think of these careers as options. CSUSB has partnered with the Girl Scouts to create what has become a trajectory-changing cyber camp for at-risk girls in the Inland Empire. Since 2015, more than 1,400 Girl Scouts have participated in GenCyber and more than 300 CSUSB students have contributed more than 4,600 volunteer hours to help make the program success. Coulson explains that their CSUSB-based program eventually led to the Girl Scouts taking part in a national cyber initiative, including introducing cyber badges. “If you give students the opportunity and the resources, they'll provide the passion and they will make this happen," Coulson says. “That's really been a hallmark of our philosophy and how we do things in the Cybersecurity Center." While female representation is growing in the cybersecurity workforce, it still has a ways to go. A 2017 study estimated that women represented just 11 percent of the cyber workforce. However, a 2019 report from the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium (ISC)² found that women comprised 24 percent of the global cybersecurity workforce. Yet, a 2020 report found that women make up just 21 percent of the North American cyber workforce. CSUSB's Cybersecurity Center continues to push the boundaries and possibilities of cyber education, especially for women.
The STEMinist Mystique
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Through the CSU STEM VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) program, a San Diego State University alumna is reaching across campus to support women in STEM majors and increase graduation and retention rates in SDSU STEM majors. STEM VISTA is a yearlong national service opportunity in which volunteers use their knowledge and talents to inspire STEM students and coordinate projects focused on eliminating race, class and gender disparities in STEM undergraduate programs. Daniela Narvaez, who graduated from SDSU in 2022 with a bachelor's degree in international security and conflict resolution, is the STEMinist coordinator at SDSU's Women's Resource Center (WRC). In this position Narvaez serves as a liaison between the WRC and departments across campus, learning what support services students might need directly from the departments that serve them. “Through collective work with faculty, staff and students, we have been able to shine a light on women in STEM at SDSU," Narvaez says. “We have been able to grow the Women in STEM Support Group since its creation in 2020 and provide more students with a safe and supportive space to thrive." Narvaez's primary duty is hosting the WRC's Women in STEM Support Group, during which she listens to students and leads discussions on topics including gender and science, how to navigate sexist microaggressions in the workplace and what resources are available to help students prepare for interviews. During the fall 2022 term, Narvaez held an “imposter syndrome" panel in collaboration with the SDSU Center for the Advancement of Students in Academia (CASA) and a “Heart to Art Talk" with the College of Engineering and Tech San Diego, among other events. She plans to host additional events like these in the future. “The panels with SDSU alumna and industry professionals in STEM especially offer students the opportunity to learn from and talk with women who have been through what they are currently experiencing or will experience," Narvaez says. “They're able to build connections with these powerful women and be inspired to believe they can achieve their dreams, too." In addition, the Women in Engineering (WE) Program provides resources and learning opportunities to help female engineers succeed. A special component within the WE Program is the College of Engineering's Femineer® Program, which strengthens the STEM pipeline through PK-12 STEM outreach.
Career-Ready Women Engineers
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Since the 1980s, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo's Women in Engineering Program (WEP) has been recruiting and retaining women engineering and computer science students by focusing on outreach, on-campus support and workforce preparation. While women continue to be underrepresented in the engineering workforce—only 13 percent are women—Cal Poly is taking steps to attract more women to the various engineering disciplines. WEP Director Helene Finger explains the College of Engineering has a goal to have its demographic mirror the state of California, which is 50 percent women. “As of fall 2022, we're up to 30 percent women in our incoming freshmen classes for the first time ever. And as time goes on, our women students at Cal Poly and the College of Engineering are very academically successful," Finger says. “We're trying to get up to that 50 percent mark and really being thoughtful about making sure we're reaching out to women of color in particular." In some of Cal Poly's 13 engineering degree programs, such as biomedical engineering and environmental engineering, women make up more than half of enrollment, while women are less represented in other majors, including mechanical and electrical engineering, Finger says. Working closely with the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), Finger explains that Cal Poly's WEP wants to send the message that there are many opportunities for women to earn bachelor's degrees that will bring in a wage that can support their family. One of the ways in which they attract more women to the field is through outreach via K-12 and community college partners to let women and girls know that there are many options in engineering. “You don't have to absolutely and only love math to be a good engineer because it's problem solving," Finger says. While engineering majors will need to use math and science skills, many of Cal Poly's students—especially women—have broad interests. “In order to solve our current problems and our future problems, we need a range of people who have a range of interests." Broad interests and problem-solving abilities have prepared Cal Poly's women engineering grads to be job-ready on day one. “We have female alumni in every major who are doing amazing things," Finger says. From NASA JPL to Disney to Google and Tesla, “they have been a really sought after group of students in industry." Beyond industry, some Cal Poly women engineering alumni are paying it forward in the academic field. One alumna is leading up diversity and inclusion efforts at Cal State Fullerton, and another is now an environmental engineering professor at Cal Poly Pomona.
Discover more CSU programs and events that help women build their confidence and leadership skills:
| | | How CSU Empowers Women in STEM | | | | 2/27/2023 7:42 AM | Rawls, Aaron | 2/27/2023 | 2/27/2023 6:00 PM | Follow the career journeys of CSU alumni working in the robotics field. | Alumni | Story |
The World of RobotsFollow the career journeys of CSU alumni working in the robotics field.
Grace Lim
Cal Poly Pomona (2015)As a high school student, Grace Lim didn’t see herself attending college. But with the help of her math teacher, she not only applied and was accepted to Cal Poly Pomona, she secured enough financial aid and scholarships to cover her tuition. And, while she left the university after two years to pursue music, Lim later returned to CPP, where an Applied Probability course redirected her career path. “The professor I took that class with is probably the number one reason why I'm here today,” Lim says. “I remember struggling in the class initially and being so overwhelmed on his tests. But I went to his office hours, and those were pivotal moments. He treated me like a normal student, like I wasn't this dropout.” That professor introduced her to the
McNairs Scholars Program—which aims to increase first-generation, low-income and underrepresented students in Ph.D. programs and academia—and agreed to be her research advisor. The opportunity allowed her to find more financial aid, connect with like-minded peers and participate in research related to her math major. “That was where I started getting my motivation to push for what I'm doing and see visions of what I could do with what I'm learning,” Lim says. The program empowered her to take on a research internship at MIT, using math modeling for the motion of microorganisms in a porous medium like cancer spread in tissues, and earn a computer science minor to learn programming. Then, after graduation, she applied to a research internship at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory—where she has now been for six years, working her way up to the current role of robotics engineer in the multi-agent autonomy group. “It is really cool to see myself doing something that was so far beyond a dream,” Lim says. During her time at JPL, Lim has worked in a variety of capacities—from conducting product tests to developing software to serving as project lead. Projects she’s worked on have included Department of Defense-funded autonomous vehicles for reconnaissance, the
Europa Lander to look for life on Jupiter’s moon Europa,
Cooperative Autonomous Distributed Robotic Exploration (CADRE) technology for small rovers exploring planets’ surfaces, and the
RACER program to equip autonomous vehicles for high-speed off-roading.
Ken Ballinger
Cal Poly Humboldt (1999), Sacramento State (2010)Ken Ballinger’s CSU journey began with pursuing a music education degree at Cal Poly Humboldt—but continued about a decade later as he entered Sacramento State to earn a second bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. For Ballinger, the two seem more connected than expected. “My observation is that my brain handles mathematics and formulas similarly to musical patterns, permutations and compound thinking,” he says. “I think this helped me with my math and engineering classes. Engineers have to be creative, not just technical, to arrive at good solutions. And, teamwork, listening and humility, as with writing and performing music, is still very important.” Following his 2010 graduation, Ballinger landed his first engineering position. During his time there, he longed to do more of what he enjoyed, leading him to launch his own business, KB CAD, which provides 3D modeling services to small businesses using computer aided-design software. He later began working at the United States Mint as the facilities engineer, before being offered the role of robotics engineer. In this current role, Ballinger works with a team to maintain and reprogram the robotic assembly lines, serves as technical representative for the investments in robotic systems, and designs and builds the custom automated machines—including designing the controls and safety systems, conducting research, developing prototypes, assembling and testing the machines, and training the users. “To me, robotics is the intersection of mechanical, electrical and computer/software engineering,” Ballinger says. “I am formally trained in mechanical engineering, so there is an incredible amount of other stuff for me to learn.” “The experience of earning my degrees gave me a boost in confidence that I had achieved something tangible towards my goals,” he continues.
Jaime Ciriaco
Sonoma State (2017)As a quality assurance engineer for Bear Robotics, Inc.—which develops service robots for the hospitality industry—Jaime Ciriaco is responsible for creating and running tests on the quality of the products’ software and firmware, which enables communication between software and hardware. But Ciriaco’s journey to his current role began first with a childhood interest in how “televisions, pagers, cell phones, game consoles and remote-controlled cars were made.” This led him to major in electrical engineering and minor in mathematics at Sonoma State, where the support he received helped prepare him for the future. “The professors in the engineering program at Sonoma State were always invested in the students’ development and pushed their students in order to bring the best out of them,” Ciriaco says. “The luxury of being able to walk into my professors’ office hours without a hassle allowed me to ask for help or seek advice on anything I needed. I strongly believe because of this I am able to excel in my current role.” After graduation, a friend working for Knightscope helped Ciriaco secure a role at the autonomous security robot company. There, he oversaw and maintained 100 robots as a network operating center specialist and later built and deployed robots as an operations specialist, before transitioning to his current position. “I was seeking a new challenge and Bear Robotics, Inc., has been able to give me the opportunity to help and grow within the team,” he says.
Story: Alex Beall
Photography: Jason Halley/Chico State; Contributed
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| | | The World of Robots | | | | 2/21/2023 10:00 AM | Thropay, Janessa | 2/21/2023 | 2/21/2023 3:40 PM | Immersive on-campus arts experiences at Fresno State and abroad offer rare opportunity for students to live and work with some of the best artists in their disciplines. | Community | Press Release | The application deadline for most classes is May 22.
The California State University is now accepting applications for its 2023 CSU Summer Arts program, which offers undergraduate, graduate and advanced practitioners a chance to live and study with world-renowned artists and CSU faculty in the fields of art, creative writing, dance, media, music and theatre. An immersive, multi-disciplinary arts experience, CSU Summer Arts will be held in two sessions—June 26-July 9 and July 10- July 23—at Fresno State. In addition, three-week international courses will be offered in Italy (June 5-25), London (July 11-Aug. 1) and Spain (July 20-Aug. 10). “Summer Arts is a truly transformative opportunity for emerging artists to enhance their knowledge, skills and appreciation of the arts," said Ray Smith, CSU Summer Arts director. “The intensive environment accelerates the creative process and helps students master their craft while fostering lifelong friendships and professional relationships that will help them in the future." CSU Summer Arts offers a wide array of creative learning and mastery opportunities in a close-knit and apprentice-like environment. Through the international courses, flutists can perfect their art in Italy, actors can master the British accent, or musicians can hone their skills on the Spanish guitar in Spain. Sample courses on the Fresno State campus include K-pop dance, West African drum and dance, digital world building, print making and novel writing. Students can choose to attend one or both two-week sessions. At the end of the summer, students proudly showcase their artistic talents in an open-to-the-public festival of arts. CSU Summer Arts is accepting applications now through May 22 and is open to students from community colleges, CSU and UC campuses and private colleges, or members of the community with the desire to master their craft. Students admitted to the program can earn up to six units of transferrable credit. Note: the Italy-based course deadline is April 17. Costs range from $1,700 to $4,500 depending on number of units, California residency status, and degree level. Housing and travel are additional costs. Scholarships are available to cover part or all of a student's enrollment fees.
For more information about CSU Summer Arts courses, registration, scholarships or public events, visit the CalState.edu/SummerArts.
About CSU Summer Arts
CSU Summer Arts is a national and international program that provides innovative arts education, exhibition and performances that nurture the artistic spirit and enhance an appreciation of the arts. Launched in 1985 as a summer dance program on the campus of Cal State Long Beach, the Summer Arts' curriculum expanded the following year to include various arts genres. For more than 35 years, CSU Summer Arts has united artists and students, igniting passions and enriching lives through the arts. About the California State University The California State University is the largest system of four-year higher education in the country, with 23 campuses, nearly 460,000 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. | | | The Arts are Calling: CSU Summer Arts Program Accepting Student Applications | | | | 2/20/2023 1:43 PM | Ruble, Alisia | 2/20/2023 | 2/20/2023 9:00 AM | Take a look at these rankings from 2022 that highlight the incredible value and uniqueness of a CSU education. | Apply | Story | Prospective students and their families have long relied on college rankings to help guide their admissions decisions, but a national conversation about some factors used to calculate their rankings has many people asking: Which ones really matter?
Critics claim that rankings like those from U.S. News & World Report, for example, favor schools that have substantial endowments and enroll students from more affluent families over schools that demonstrate a strong commitment to enrolling low-income and first-generation college students. Some have even suggested these rankings promote economic inequality on campuses. Over the past year, several law and medical schools opted not to participate in future U.S. News rankings, and the media company has since announced it will change how its rankings of law schools are calculated, which will be reflected in its 2023-24 rankings. In light of this sentiment, we would like to highlight some of the national college rankings that place a high value on return on investment and upward mobility, as well as some lesser-known ones that demonstrate the wide-ranging benefits of a CSU education.
Moving On Up
.jfif) CSU San Marcos was ranked No. 1. in the nation in CollegeNET's 2022 "Social Mobility Index" for elevating the economic trajectory of alumni and their families.
CSU campuses consistently rank high each year in CollegeNET's Social Mobility Index (SMI), which measures to what extent higher education institutions are helping solve the declining levels of economic mobility in the U.S. In 2022, CSU San Marcos was ranked number one in the index with Cal State Long Beach, Cal State LA and CSU Bakersfield also ranking in the top ten. Earning a university degree is always a game-changer, especially for CSU graduates. As one of the nation's most powerful engines of social mobility, the CSU has a lifetime impact on graduates, significantly boosting earnings capacity and changing the trajectory of families for generations. CSULB alumnus Eduardo Cisneros ('06), intergovernmental affairs director for COVID-19 at The White House, says the university “not only gave me the foundation and the academic tools to prepare me for my career, but as a first-generation immigrant and first-generation college student, I credit them for even putting me on a career path in the first place."
Money Matters
.jpg) CSU campuses are consistently ranked high for incredible value and return on investment and for graduating students who are job ready. (Photo courtesy of Cal State LA/J. Emilio Flores.)
All 23 CSU campuses ranked in the top 100 of Washington Monthly's “Best Bank for the Buck" schools in the West in 2022, with Cal State LA, Cal Maritime, Stanislaus State, CSUN and Sacramento State filling out the top ten. The rankings consider factors like the cost of attendance, the number of enrolled students and graduates who are Pell-eligible—demonstrating significant financial need—and the amount of debt the average student accrues. The CSU provides the most affordable higher education in the nation with the lowest tuition and fees among comparable peer institutions. Additionally, 83 percent of students receive some form of financial aid and more than half of bachelor's degree recipients graduated with zero student loan debt in 2021-22.
Lights. Camera. Action
 San Francisco State alumna and 2017 CSU Trustees' Scholar Anaiis Cisco working on set. (Photo courtesy of Mary Pena.)
CSUN once again ranked among the Hollywood Reporter's 2022 list of the Top 25 American Film Schools. The publication credited the program for acting as a pipeline to the industry's executive ranks and for its expansion of virtual production, as well as its affordable tuition for aspiring film students. The ranking also named notable alumni such as Arielle Kilker, a two-time Emmy Award-winning editor, and Glenn S. Gainor, head of physical production at Amazon.
Cal State Long Beach, Cal State LA and San Francisco State also received honorable mentions in the Reporter's list, which praised the universities' low tuition and sparkling reputations. SF State alumna and 2017 CSU Trustees' scholar Anaiis Cisco, a filmmaker and an assistant professor of moving image production at Smith College, said of her college experience: “The media professionals in SF State's School of Cinema helped me develop my craft as a filmmaker and as a professor. I found ways to intersect art and scholarship while supporting and learning from the next generations of student creators." In an effort to provide a competitive edge to CSU students entering the entertainment industry, the university established the CSU Entertainment Alliance (CSUEA) which provides internship, financial aid and other opportunities.
Going Green
.jpg) Chico State professor and founder/director of the university's Center for Regenerative Agriculture and Resilient Systems Cynthia Daley Ph.D., (center) examines soil samples with students. (Photo courtesy of Chico State/Jason Halley.)
The CSU has a deep commitment to sustainability, evident in its efforts to reduce its carbon footprint, invest in sustainable building practices and engage students in climate change research. In its 2022 Sustainable Campus Index (SCI), the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) recognized Chico State as the top performer overall among master's institutions for its environmental practices and commitment to sustainability. Chico State was also among the top performers in subcategories including curriculum, which looks at courses, programs and learning outcomes in sustainability, and water conservation and reuse. Several other CSU campuses were also recognized among the ten overall top performers: CSUN, San José State and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
A Global Education
.jpg) CSU Channel Islands professor of applied physics Geoffrey Dougherty, Ph.D., (center) with faculty and students at Airlangga University in Indonesia as part of a Fulbright Fellowship in 2018.
Four CSU campuses were named top producers of Fulbright Scholars among master's institutions for 2021-22, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education: Chico State, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, CSU Channel Islands and Cal Poly Humboldt. More than 800 U.S. scholars, artists and early-career professionals teach or conduct research overseas through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program annually. Through these opportunities, faculty gain a global perspective that they bring home to CSU students and also help find solutions to global problems. CSUCI professor of applied physics Geoff Dougherty, Ph.D., says his experiences as a Fulbright Scholar have further improved his teaching and provided myriad ideas for new course development and student research. Dr. Dougherty is a veteran Fulbright Scholar, having traveled to Indonesia as a Fulbright Specialist in Engineering Education in 2013 and 2018, and to Australia as a Fulbright Senior in 2009. During his 2022 trip, he taught at two universities: Diponegoro University in Central Java and Airlangga University in East Java.
Stay tuned for more stories highlighting the unique reasons to attend a CSU, and learn about what's happening across the university at Calstate.edu/news.
The value of a California State University degree is unmatched. We offer an affordable, high-quality education taught by world-class faculty members along with strong career advising and hands-on experiences that ensure graduates are job-ready and highly desired by employers. The university works with industry professionals to ensure our more than 4,100 degree programs are relevant to California's workforce needs. Earning a CSU degree has the potential to change the trajectory of students' lives, as well as the lives of their family members, by opening doors to opportunities for upward mobility.
| | | College Rankings that Matter: 5 You May Have Missed | | | | 2/16/2023 11:00 AM | Thropay, Janessa | 2/16/2023 | 2/16/2023 4:30 PM | The California State University has partnered with nearly 100 predominantly African American churches throughout California to present the 18th annual CSU Super Sunday on February 26, 2023. | Diversity | Press Release | The California State University (CSU) has partnered with nearly 100 predominantly African American churches throughout California to present the 18th annual CSU Super Sunday on February 26, 2023. CSU system leaders, campus presidents, administrators and students will visit places of worship to share personal stories and important college-related information with congregants to advance access, opportunity and success for Black and African American students. “Super Sunday seeks to empower African American youth and their families to start early on the path to college and to understand that a CSU degree is accessible, affordable, achievable and transformational," said Sylvia A. Alva, Ph.D., CSU executive vice chancellor of Academic and Student Affairs. “Our 23 universities are committed to ensuring students in historically underrepresented communities have the resources and support they need to thrive, experience a sense of belonging, and achieve college and career success. As part of Graduation Initiative 2025, we are laser-focused on eliminating equity gaps and supporting Black and African American students in earning their degrees and making a lasting difference in our communities." After Super Sunday services, outreach directors and staff will provide information on the CSU application and admission process, as well as scholarships and financial aid available to Cal State students. Since its launch in 2005, more than a million people have participated in this signature awareness event of the CSU's African American Initiative, which aims to increase the preparation, support, retention and degree attainment of Black and African American students. In 2021-22, more than 3,900 African American students earned CSU bachelor's degrees and more than 800 earned CSU graduate degrees. The CSU remains focused on improving equity and inclusivity for underserved students of color, first-generation college students and students from modest-income families. In fact, eliminating graduation rate equity gaps that exist between underserved students and their peers remains a top priority of the CSU Graduation Initiative. With 23 universities across California, the CSU offers more access to diverse higher education pathways than any public university system in the United States. Nearly one-third of CSU students are the first in their family to earn a degree, more than half are from traditionally underrepresented communities and nearly half of undergraduates receive the Pell Grant. And, more than half of CSU bachelor's recipients in 2021-22 graduated with zero student debt. To find a CSU Super Sunday church location near you, visit the CSU Super Sunday 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, nearly 460,000 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 Super Sunday Message Inspires College-Going Culture Across California | | | | 2/13/2023 7:58 AM | Rawls, Aaron | 2/13/2023 | 2/13/2023 1:30 PM | For Black History Month, we acknowledge the milestones and exceptional people who have helped to make the California State University what it is today: a place of academic rigor, exceptional achievement and pioneering inclusiveness. | Community | Story |
Honoring the Voices of our Ancestors
Story: Audrey Eftychiou, Alex Beall
Photography: Courtesy of CSU CAMPUSES
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| | | Honoring the Voices of our Ancestors | | | | 2/8/2023 8:37 AM | Kelly, Hazel | 2/8/2023 | 2/8/2023 9:10 AM | Cal Poly Pomona's President Soraya Coley reflects on the message of CSU Super Sunday and its impact on the lives of students and families. | Diversity | Story | As the California State University enters its 18th consecutive year partnering with more than 100 predominantly African American churches throughout California, I am deeply moved as I remember dozens of conversations I've had with prospective students and their families at our annual CSU Super Sunday event. "I can't afford to go to college." “What if I didn't get very good grades in high school?" “I'm not sure what course of study I want to pursue." “What will I be able to do with my degree?" “Is it too late for me to attend college?" “Can I work to support my family while being a college student?" “What classes does my child need to take in high school in order to attend college?" “What if I can't attend college right after high school—can I do so in a few years?" “Is your university a welcoming place for my child?" Prospective students and their families often have questions like these, and yet they don't know where to direct them. Super Sunday provides a safe space where they can freely explore such questions. Bringing the CSU to community churches—our faith-based partners—serves as a signature event of the university's year-round African American Initiative, which aims to increase the preparation, support, retention and degree attainment of African Americans. It's an opportunity for potential students and their families to feel welcomed, which can be the first step toward a transformative college experience. At this year's Super Sunday events on February 26, 2023, future students and their families can pose questions to my fellow campus presidents, their senior teams, outreach directors and staff members. They will hear personal stories and experiences, advice and college-related information, such as the application and admission process, as well as scholarships and financial aid available to Cal State students. But perhaps most importantly, university representatives will engender hope, nourish students' aspirations, and extend a message that all are welcome in the CSU and we will support you in the pursuit of your educational dreams. When engaging in such events and activities, I often reflect on the words and sentiments in Dr. Martin Luther King's final Sunday sermon in which he acknowledged the many advancements in society that also sit beside the continued efforts to deny access and opportunity to all. In the climactic conclusion of his speech, he declared: "We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." At the same time, Dr. King proclaimed that this does not happen through some natural force of gravity and never on its own. He declared: “I submit that nothing will be done until people of goodwill put their bodies and their souls in motion." He made clear that we collectively must continue working to bend that arc. The CSU Super Sunday is just one of many efforts aimed at bending the arc of access, inclusion, opportunity and success of African Americans.
For more than a decade, the CSU has partnered with faith-based leaders to host Super Sunday during the month of February. CSU leaders bring an empowering message to churches throughout California about the importance of preparing for college. CSU Super Sunday takes place throughout California on February 26, 2023. | | | President Coley: Reflections on CSU Super Sunday 2023 | | | | 2/9/2023 3:04 PM | Ruble, Alisia | 2/6/2023 | 2/6/2023 8:00 AM | In celebration of Black History Month, the CSU's African American university leaders reflect on their journey and inspiration. | Leadership | Story |
Cultivating Potential
In celebration of Black History Month, the CSU's African American university leaders reflect on their journey and inspiration.
THOMAS PARHAM
CSU DOMINGUEZ HILLS PRESIDENT
Who or what inspired you to continue pursuing new and higher leadership roles, and how were you influenced by the presence or absence of people of color in these positions? I come to my role as the chief executive of a campus with a posture as a reluctant leader who, if truth be told, never aspired to be a university president or even a senior executive. On the contrary, I was content being a psychologist of African descent, and an African-centered one at that, whose roles and duties as academician, clinician, scholar and researcher, administrator and consultant were enough for me to manage. And yet, the invitations to serve in higher levels of the organization hierarchy that I received in my career echoed the voice of my first mentor and mzee [respected elder], the great psychologist and contemporary father of the Black psychology movement Dr. Joseph L. White. He reminded me to consistently produce excellence, and that excellence would bring me opportunities. He was also clear that in the context of one’s trajectory toward career success, the key to mental health, particularly for a young Black man or woman in the field of psychology in America, was to develop and create a broad range of choices and options in one’s endeavors. It also helped to see other people of color and of African descent in these roles. CSU Bakersfield President Emeritus Horace Mitchell, Ph.D., and former University of California, Irvine Chancellor and current UC President Michael Drake, Ph.D., are two examples I can point to who were not only role models but symbols of possibility and potential for me.
The CSU places high importance on diversity, equity and inclusion. Why are these values important in higher education and how do you ensure your campus is an inclusive environment for students of color?
Higher education is about the cultivation of the human spirit and human potential. And yet, that cultivation must consider the cultural mores, values, customs and traditions diverse people bring with them on their journey through life. Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) are essential elements in higher education and impact everything from faculty and staff composition, curriculum offerings, the instructional methodology and system of pedagogy an instructor employs, the student experience on campus and the relationship of a campus to the community in which it is located. Equally important, students should be able to see themselves reflected within the fabrics of the university community and attention to DEI helps that. Regarding insuring that my campus is a diverse and inclusive environment, I tend to engage in a multi-pronged approach. One strand of that approach puts great intentionality of ensuring that we have a competent and capable, yet diverse, student body, staff, faculty and senior executive leadership team. Increasing the pipeline of applicants and providing opportunities to review credentials of students, staff, faculty and senior administrators in the admissions, human resources and academic department domains where each segment apply is also important. However, making real and authentic DEI progress demands that we move beyond simplistic yardsticks of diversity progress like counting demographics. That’s where the second strand emerges. For me, diversity is not just percentages of race, gender, etc. Diversity is a question that asks if policies and practices of our institutions and agencies change as a function of our demographics, or whether they are contaminated with the racism, sexism and biases that are too pervasive in the human condition. It is that level of review and interrogation that helps us be a truly diverse and inclusive environment.
How do you use your platform as a university president to effect change in the African American community?
Throughout my professional life as a psychologist, academician, clinician and senior administrator, I have been blessed with a platform to use my voice, my writing and my behavioral activities to effect change. That posture has been enhanced since becoming a university president. As a president, I speak to my university community with an uncompromising clarity about our campus's ability to transform and move from where we are to where we might be, if only we can close that attitudinal and behavioral gap between aspiration and actualization. Externally, I stay involved in and engaged with the larger African American community, participate in national and community-based organizations and write
articles and
commentaries on issues that impact various segments of our nation's citizenry for various local and national periodicals like Inside Higher Ed and the Los Angeles Sentinel.
TOM JACKSON JR.
CAL POLY HUMBOLDT PRESIDENT
Who or what inspired you to continue pursuing new and higher leadership roles, and how were you influenced by the presence or absence of people of color in these positions? My leadership experience in higher education is rooted in student affairs. Having worked closely with students, I have seen firsthand the power of opening doors to education. It has been—and still is—amazing to see what students are capable of when they have access to opportunities and resources that are often out of reach for many, including underrepresented young people. They flourish in an environment where their dreams are seen as concrete, achievable goals. Given the chance to shine, students can change the trajectory of their lives. I'm inspired by their dedication and their commitment to bettering themselves through education.
My own life trajectory has been influenced by many factors and people. My parents instilled perseverance to withstand the naysayers I would encounter. Early supervisor Joe Poell inspired me to pursue graduate school. Mentor Dr. Charlie Fey, who is still one of my closest friends, opened the door to doctoral programs for me and befriended me through a more than 35-year career, so far. There are others who are diverse in their own ways. A few were of color; most were not. But they valued our relationship, they valued me and they valued the work of helping students. Their passion for helping others comes out every single day in the work that I do as a university president.
The CSU places high importance on diversity, equity and inclusion. Why are these values important in higher education and how do you ensure your campus is an inclusive environment for students of color? There is no question that diversity continues to be the source of strength for all campuses in the CSU system. That's why amplifying the voices of students who may not otherwise be heard is critical to providing a positive, meaningful educational experience at Cal Poly Humboldt. Our students—45 percent of which are people of color—bring with them their unique perspectives and life histories which ultimately make us stronger as a university and as a campus community. Cal Poly Humboldt also plays a major role in diversifying the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) workforce. Of current students, 41 percent are Pell Grant recipients and 37 percent of STEM majors are people of color. Fifty-one percent of STEM majors are women while 41 percent of STEM faculty are women. And 48 percent of recent Cal Poly Humboldt graduates were the first in their families to earn a college degree.
I look at these figures and I'm in awe of the resilient spirit of students who have overcome personal and financial hurdles to graduate from Cal Poly Humboldt. That's all the more reason campus resources are dedicated in support of these students and continue to play an important role in their success. In the spirit of staff and faculty helping others, we have programs like the Cultural Centers for Academic Excellence. The centers support academics and create a sense of belonging for students of color. They are also homes away from home where students can receive peer mentoring, be involved in cultural programs and build a community.
As a campus, we are not just trying to help students of color succeed while they are in college. We have an obligation—a duty—to help students succeed beyond college and in society. To help them find their voice and their life's passion is a service to a greater good. The person who will discover the cure for Alzheimer's disease, cancer and other diseases will be a college graduate. That graduate may also be a person of color. We cannot afford to lose any students who are in the pipeline for a degree. The one we do lose might have been the one to make a history-making discovery later in life.
How do you use your platform as a university president to effect change in the African American community? This is a very personal question to me. My grandmother lived during a time when African Americans weren't allowed to pursue an education beyond the eighth grade. Still, she believed in the power of books and of education. She passed those values on to her children including my father who passed them on to me. Two generations later, I am proud to say that, like so many students across the CSU system, I am the first in my family to earn a college degree and the only one to earn a doctorate.
I am also a university president who is African American and also Filipino, Native American and Irish, and I am honored to be an educator who makes tangible changes by supporting opportunities for people of color. Those opportunities include the continuing push to hire diverse administrators and faculty. Additionally, we have a new position that supports outreach and partnerships with local Tribal nations. Being a person of color in a leadership role carries with it incredible opportunity and responsibility. Through my story and the stories of other leaders in the CSU, we can show students what is possible after graduation. Despite the obstacles that may come their way, students can serve their communities and help to solve the many challenges our world faces today.
SORAYA COLEY
CAL POLY POMONA PRESIDENT
Who or what inspired you to continue pursuing new and higher leadership roles, and how were you influenced by the presence or absence of people of color in these positions? I grew up in North Carolina at a time when segregation was the law of the land—a time when the color of my skin determined where I could live and go to school. Significant portions of society said to me, "You are not and you cannot." The attitudes and prejudices of others could have defined or deterred me. But it was the sense of self-worth instilled by my mother and my grandmother that gave me the resilience to succeed. I owe an incalculable debt to my grandmother, who was very active in registering Black Americans, especially the elderly, to vote for the first time after the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Her courage still burns within me today. I owe a gratitude to my mentors and supporters, especially those who saw potential in me that I never imagined. I vividly remember a time earlier in my career when I had just settled into my role as a department chair at Cal State Fullerton. The university president at that time, Dr. Jewel Plummer Cobb—an African American woman and trailblazer in the sciences—said very emphatically that, someday, I was going to be a university president. I summarily dismissed that idea, but her confidence in me and her mentorship proved critical in getting to where I am now.
The CSU places high importance on diversity, equity and inclusion. Why are these values important in higher education and how do you ensure your campus is an inclusive environment for students of color? Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), as core values, are not only crucial to higher education but to humanity. Our human diversity, along with our diversity of thought, experiences and contributions are among our greatest strengths and greatest benefit to our communities, our state and our nation. Only by fostering inclusion and mutual respect can we create an environment where each of us is empowered to reach our full potential and greatest contributions.
Higher education remains the greatest engine for social mobility. This is especially the case for low-income students and for students of color. Unfortunately, the converse is also true. When low-income students and students of color start college but don't complete their degree, they end up worse off than if they had not gone to college at all because they do not have a degree but, too often, end up in debt without means to pay. So, we have to create the conditions in which all students—including those who the system is not set up to serve—can thrive.
Cal Poly Pomona is the most diverse polytechnic in the nation. But the benefits of diversity and inclusion don't just happen. It takes deliberate effort and an institution-wide approach. Academic Affairs, Advancement, Student Affairs, Administrative Affairs, Information Technology, Athletics...everyone needs to be engaged. I'm fortunate to serve at a campus where those efforts are valued and actively promoted. And yet, I know that there is so much more that we need to do.
How do you use your platform as a university president to effect change in the African American community? I appreciate being part of a public university and system in which we welcome and proactively engage in extending access to achieving the social mobility that is derived from higher education. I work with local and national groups in promoting access, opportunities and education advancement. We are hosting the American Association of Blacks in Higher Education (AABHE) Leadership and Mentoring Institute summer program. I also served on the faculty of the New Presidents Academy sponsored by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) that engages attendees in discussions regarding DEI in higher education. As a campus, we also collaborate with local professional and community-based groups as well as national organizations that provide early education and information about college to young people.
Cal Poly Pomona is the first CSU to launch a Black Thriving Initiative. Through town hall meetings, surveys and listening sessions, we found that we have more to do to fulfill our value of inclusion, particularly for Black students, faculty and staff, and we have welcomed and encouraged our entire campus to participate. The initiative recognizes that our university's future is connected to the success of Black communities both on and off campus.
The CSU partners with African American 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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| | | Cultivating Potential | | | | 1/31/2023 9:14 AM | Beall, Alex | 1/30/2023 | 1/30/2023 10:00 AM | How the CSU is implementing equitable learning practices to help students overcome academic challenges on the road to graduation. | Graduation Initiative | Story |
Action for Equity: Equitable Learning Practices How the CSU is implementing equitable learning practices to help students overcome academic challenges on the road to graduation.
As
Graduation Initiative 2025 remains a top priority for California State University leadership, the system has been working to implement the
following efforts to eliminate graduation rate equity gaps and achieve GI2025's 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
After delving into the first four priorities, this fifth installment in the series explores current ways the university is shifting classroom culture, offering professional development for instructors and addressing course structures to promote equitable learning practices and reduce
DFW rates. To support similar efforts across the university system, campuses were invited to apply for funds, distributed in spring 2023, out of a one-time allocation of $3 million to address large enrollment courses that have low rates of first-time completion and large equity gaps in those rates.
“Addressing DFW rates is about being student-centered and being faculty-centered," says Michelle Hawley, Ph.D., associate vice president and dean of Undergraduate Studies at
California State University, Los Angeles. “The keys to closing equity gaps are to create a sense of belonging, to make sure that every student feels seen and heard, feels like they can be successful, feels like the faculty members on the campus are there for them. And, the same holds true for the faculty members. If there is an equity gap, that needs to be addressed on an institutional level, and the faculty should not be in it alone."
Redesign for the Better
At Cal State LA, faculty have a range of opportunities in support of implementing equitable teaching to better serve students. The
Center for Effective Teaching and Learning (CETL) in particular provides workshops, programs and professional development in this area. The Critical Course Redesign for Equity and Student Success program—a combined effort between CETL and the
Center for Academic Success (CAS)—is especially aimed at improving student outcomes in the most foundational classes.
“The course redesign initiatives give us an opportunity to be intentional and to focus our efforts, our funding and our conversations on what takes place in the classroom," Dr. Hawley says. “It gives us an opportunity to come together as a campus around those experiences that are most critical to what we do: teaching and learning. … It's about how we all come together to create a sense of belonging and support one another."
With a focus on multi-section gateway courses, the program works with faculty to redesign challenging courses taken early in the college career to ensure the classes meet students' academic and social needs and are culturally responsive. Courses are first nominated by their colleges after a GI2025 progress review, and faculty can choose to opt into the redesign process. CETL helps with initial redesign efforts through a syllabus review, faculty workshops, analysis of course-specific equity data and a survey of students who previously completed the course. If needed, instructional designers run a Design Your Course Blueprint boot camp for faculty to restructure the course and syllabus.
“We're looking for alignment between student learning outcomes, activities and measurable criteria to have change that is transformative," CETL Executive Director Catherine Haras says.
CAS then helps build in additional support including academic assistance for students like tutoring, faculty development support and regular student outreach with the goal of creating a sense of belonging among both students and instructors.
“Students come into the classroom with different experiences, and [our efforts] allow faculty to identify and quickly bring in students to get them connected in ways that are non-stigmatizing, that are asset-based and speak to their realities," CAS Executive Director Andrew Long says. “We've completely and utterly demystified the academic support in the messaging that takes place with faculty and with everyone involved in this so that this is a standard part of the student experience."
"Developing [a general structure] to deploy the course both in lecture and labs helped create course coordination and helped students get consistent instruction." —Dr. Michael Joseph
One such effort was the redesign of the Anatomical Kinesiology course to address both the class's high DFW rates and those of the prerequisite course, Anatomy and Physiology, which had about a 67 percent DFW rate among kinesiology majors. The non-passing rates in the latter created a bottleneck in the early kinesiology courses, leading the team to develop a new syllabus and structure for Anatomical Kinesiology that would allow the class to fulfill the same prerequisite requirement as Anatomy and Physiology.
“Our goal was to create a course and curriculum to prepare our students to successfully matriculate through our kinesiology upper division courses, thus ultimately improving graduation rates," says Michael Selvan Joseph, Ph.D., assistant professor in the School of Kinesiology and faculty redesign lead. “We intentionally redesigned our course content to be scaffolded to help the student absorb difficult content at all levels of their development."
The redesign process involved working with upper division course faculty to ensure course content successfully prepared students for future classes; developing a general course structure for faculty to follow; and establishing meetings to coordinate learning objectives and track student progress. Preliminary data has shown a decrease in the course's DFW rates.
Dr. Joseph will use the same techniques to redesign an upper division kinesiology course as well—which the CETL and CAS teams have found to be the case for many faculty who complete the redesign process.
“It's about an improved course, it's about an improved experience, but it's ultimately about culture change," Hawley says. “Something that is successful is going to build a community that is going to continue to become stronger, that's going to learn, that's going to have a process of ongoing improvement, and then is going to have opportunities to reflect and want to improve the course further."
Try, Try Again
The
Summer Boost Program at
California State University, Chico, held for the first time in summer 2022, serves the dual purpose of
expanding credit opportunities for students and reducing DFW rates by offering students a second chance at a course.
When creating the Summer Boost schedule, the team identified courses with high DFW rates and equity gaps that showed better pass rates during the summer and made those available for free to students who had completed fewer than 45 units, had a non-passing grade in the previous three semesters and had financial need. Faculty were encouraged to use equity-minded pedagogies and to adopt low- and no-cost course materials.
“The overarching plan was to focus on the first year because all our data showed that that's where the big impact is in retention," says Kate McCarthy, Ph.D., dean of Undergraduate Education. “We saw it as a chance for first year students who might be discouraged by that early DFW to have a quick do-over."
Ultimately, the program offered eight general education courses that have historically been challenging for students, with 171 enrollments—137 individual students—and a pass rate of 77 percent and a retention rate of 84 percent. The team will be running the program in future summers, but will analyze the data to learn how to further improve these outcomes.
"Not only was it an opportunity for students to retake this course, but it also allowed me to try different things with the course to help boost student understanding." —Dr. Lisa Kendhammer
“Sometimes, a student needs to retake one class and then their whole graduation plan is thrown off," says Lisa Kendhammer, Ph.D., associate professor of chemical education. “The Summer Boost program gave students the opportunity to get back on track and graduate in a timely manner."
Dr. Kendhammer taught the General Chemistry course during the 2022 Summer Boost, a condensed version of the class which involved four hours of combined lecture and lab Monday through Thursday. To encourage learning and help students keep pace, she incorporated outdoor activities and regular 'Brain Breaks.'
“The students were able to not only have more personalized attention, but they also were able to devote more time to learning the material for just this one course," Kendhammer says. “This not only helped students to get back on track, but they were able to successfully pass the course. I think showing students that we are invested in their future and giving them the opportunity to participate in programs like Summer Boost will show them how much the faculty cares about them and their success."
The Summer Boost program falls under Chico State's
Advancing Equity Project, the university's most recent iteration of GI2025, and is the launching point for the new Critical Success Course Model being piloted this spring to target classes with high DFW rates. Through that effort, two of the courses offered in Summer Boost will be holistically reimagined with the help of an assigned course coordinator, course assessments and professional development. All faculty involved with the course will participate in a faculty learning community and will agree to an implementation plan to address issues like student outreach, culturally competent content, students' sense of belonging and access to course materials.
“This is something I hope will become institutionalized on our campus for critical success courses or critical gateway courses, and it will be understood that elite faculty teach these classes," Dr. McCarthy says.
Looking at the Grade Book
While campuses are offering formalized training and programs to improve equitable learning practices, faculty are also leading efforts toward improved student outcomes.
"We are building compassion into the system. Being able to attempt the same problem multiple times normalizes struggle with learning new material. It also allows students to iterate on their own work, and they feel like they understand more after they finish the problem." —Dr. Cassandra Paul
Cassandra Paul, Ph.D., associate professor of physics and astronomy and the graduate coordinator of the Science Education Program at
San José State University, has dedicated much study to equitable grading practices with both the CSU and the University of California systems.
“Grading is the most important part of the process because it's what goes into creating the final grade and it's what determines whether or not students are able to move on in their courses," Dr. Paul says. “Equitable grading practices are the first thing we should be looking at when we're trying to increase retention. … The idea should be that equity is achievable, that students’ grades should not be predictable based on their demographics."
Paul's work is built on the
course deficient concept, which argues that equity gaps are the result of problems with the course, not deficiencies among the students.
“There are all these things built into the system like systematic sexism and systematic racism," she says. “We need to think about how we're going to change our structures in order to erase those structural barriers that exist. It's not that we have to catch students up; there's nothing wrong with the students. We have to think about how our coursework can better serve the population we have."
Based on her years of testing various grading options to achieve more equitable outcomes, Paul implements and recommends other faculty adopt these
five grading practices:
1. Ungrading: While there are multiple ways to use ungrading, Paul utilizes the technique in her small classes by marking all assignments incomplete or complete. Incomplete assignments are returned with extensive feedback, and students are given the opportunity to improve the work to meet assignment criteria. The final grade depends on the number of assignments marked complete.
2. 4.0 Scale: Paul's research found that switching to a 4.0 grading scale, which aligns with the GPA scale and assigns a numeric value to a letter grade (e.g. 4 equals an A), reduces equity gaps across ethnic and racial demographics by 20 percent.
3. Minimum Grading: In this practice, faculty continue using the traditional percentage scale, but 50 percent is the lowest grade given. Doing so aligns the percentage scale with the 4.0 scale and works more easily with learning management programs like Canvas that only rely on the percentage system.
4. Milestone Problem Situation: Based on mastery grading, Paul and her colleagues developed this strategy for their large introduction courses during the first semester of the pandemic. This strategy allows students to attempt a problem three times with feedback following each attempt. Their grade is based on how many correct solutions they achieve after those three tries.
5. Grading by Response Category: Applicable to large classes, this final practice groups students based on the area in which they need further instruction. Students receive feedback based on their most prominent error, so that they know where to focus their efforts on the next assessment. This practice can be coupled with the 4.0 scale or minimum grading.
Support from the Top
At the university-wide level, the CSU has been helping its campuses implement equitable learning practices through the
CSU Certificate Program in Student Success Analytics. An integral part of GI2025, the certificate program provides professional development opportunities for faculty, staff and administrators to understand the factors that perpetuate equity gaps in higher education.
Since its inception, the program has served more than 600 individuals both within and outside the CSU system. The curriculum utilizes guest speakers and CSU student success data to spur collaborative efforts for how to improve the educational outcomes of college students.
“There was certainly a profoundly empowering aspect that having access to this data gave me in terms of my own courses, interacting with other faculty, doing program review and within other contexts.” —Dr. Nielan Barnes, Cal State Long Beach professor of sociology, department chair and 2021 program participant
“We leverage the data by addressing equity and student success in a holistic manner," Cynthia Alvarez, Ph.D., assistant director of Student Success at the CSU Office of the Chancellor and program co-lead, said in a
previous article. “This process helps our learning community think through what it means to make changes on campus to benefit students, especially historically marginalized students, all while spurring new goals and innovative ideas to serve their campus as a whole."
Story:
Alex Beall
Photography: Jason Halley/Chico StateShare this story
| | | Action for Equity: Equitable Learning Practices | | | | 2/15/2023 9:11 AM | Kelly, Hazel | 1/25/2023 | 1/25/2023 3:40 PM | With the country’s lowest tuition and fees, CSU institutions provide a proven path toward upward mobility. | Affordability | Press Release | Staff from the California State University (CSU) Chancellor's Office today presented CSU Trustees with the university system's annual student fee report. Data from the report once again demonstrates that the CSU's annual undergraduate and graduate resident tuition and fees are lower than those of peer comparison institutions across the country. “The CSU continues to be a national leader in providing a high-quality education at an unmatched value," said CSU Interim Chancellor Jolene Koester. “A college degree is increasingly important in today's society, and the CSU's value proposition empowers students to achieve their dreams of pursuing higher education and – in turn – transforming their lives and those of their families, as they elevate their communities." The data was presented during the January 2023 CSU Board of Trustees meeting and compared the CSU's systemwide tuition plus average campus-based mandatory fees against 15 public peer comparison institutions from across the nation. With just one tuition increase in the last 11 years, CSU's annual tuition for an undergraduate resident student checks in at just $5,742. When including the average for campus-based fees, that total moves to $7,520, which is nearly $1,300 less than the next university from the comparison group. Additional data points demonstrate the CSU's commitment to affordability: - Thanks to robust financial aid, more than 387,600—or 81 percent—of all CSU students received financial assistance.
- Nearly 61 percent of all undergraduate students do not pay tuition as it is fully covered through financial aid.
- 2020-21 CSU bachelor's degree recipients who did accrue loan debt had lower average debt ($17,966) than the state average ($21,125), and far lower than the national average ($28,950).
- More than half of 2021-22 CSU bachelor's recipients graduated with zero student loan debt.
Providing Californians with access to a high-quality, transformative education remains a priority for the university. Year after year, the CSU and its 23 universities have ensured that individuals from every socioeconomic background are able to obtain a college degree at an affordable price. In fact, eight of the 23 CSU campuses recently earned top honors for graduating more economically disadvantaged students at lower tuition into well-paying jobs—with California State University San Marcos occupying the top spot. In total, CSU campuses claim four of the top 10 and eight of the top 20 spots in CollegeNET's 2022 Social Mobility index rankings.
About the California State University The California State University is the largest system of four-year higher education in the country, with 23 campuses, nearly 460,000 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 Continues to Provide the Most Affordable Higher Education in the Nation | | | | 1/24/2023 1:00 PM | Thropay, Janessa | 1/24/2023 | 1/24/2023 1:00 PM | Wang Family Excellence Awards honor exceptional contributions in teaching, scholarship and service to CSU students. | Faculty | Press Release | The California State University (CSU) will honor four faculty and one staff member with the esteemed Wang Family Excellence Award for their unwavering commitment to student achievement and advancing the CSU mission through excellence in teaching, scholarship and service. As part of their recognition, each honoree will receive a $20,000 award that is provided through a gift from CSU Trustee Emeritus Stanley T. Wang and administered through the CSU Foundation. Honorees will be recognized publicly Tuesday, January 24, during the CSU Board of Trustees meeting in Long Beach, California.
“As we emerge from the pandemic, it is my great honor to confer the 2023 Wang Family Excellence Award to five extraordinary individuals who are connecting students with transformational opportunities to grow, contribute and lead in our communities," said CSU Interim Chancellor Jolene Koester. “We extend our enduring appreciation to Trustee Emeritus Stanley Wang and his family for their unparalleled generosity and for continuing to nurture a world of connection." Introduced in 1998, the Wang Family Excellence Awards recognize CSU faculty members who have distinguished themselves through high-quality teaching and excellence in their area of expertise. The awards also acknowledge a staff member whose contributions go above and beyond expectations.
The five honorees are:
Steve Alas, Ph.D., Cal Poly Pomona (Professor of Biology, Director of SEES), Outstanding Faculty Service A tumor immunologist with expertise in genetics and DNA repair and a former research fellow at City of Hope National Medical Center, Dr. Steve Alas' impact on human lives extends far beyond his research lab. The veteran biologist has provided extraordinary service and opportunities to thousands of students at his alma mater, Cal Poly Pomona, while diversifying the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields and connecting California's industries with invaluable untapped talent. Dr. Alas first joined the university as an assistant professor in 2005. Today, as director of CPP's Science Educational Enhancement Services (SEES), he works tirelessly to eliminate barriers for underrepresented and first-generation students in the fields of science and engineering, serving more than 700 students each year. While establishing a community of peers, SEES provides students with professional development, peer mentoring, academic support, referrals to fellowships and scholarships and summer orientation for incoming freshmen, among many other services. His efforts have helped narrow the graduation gap for participating underrepresented students from 17.6 percent to 3.9 percent.
Described by CPP President Soraya Coley as “the epitome of a teacher-scholar-mentor-leader," Dr. Alas has received the Provost's Award for Excellence in Service, as well as the CSU Faculty Innovation and Leadership Award (FILA). He holds a bachelor's degree in biological sciences from CPP and a Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology from the University of California, Los Angeles.
David Blekhman, Ph.D., Cal State LA (Professor of Technology, Technical Director of Hydrogen Research and Fueling Facility), Outstanding Faculty Scholarship
Tapped by Cal State LA to expand its green portfolio by developing the largest hydrogen and fuel-cell research facility at any academic campus in the United States, Dr. David Blekhman jumped at the opportunity. When the Cal State LA Hydrogen Research and Fueling Facility opened in 2014, the engineering technology professor was named its technical director. The station was the first in the world to be certified to sell hydrogen by the kilogram directly to drivers, and it has hosted more than 10,000 students and industry professionals. Beyond his vision for clear skies and a green and healthy planet, the alternative energy expert is intent on creating a world where his diverse and talented students are prized as highly skilled practitioners, with a direct hand in advancing sustainable policies and technical solutions for California's top research firms, businesses and government agencies. To achieve this goal, Dr. Blekhman actively develops cutting-edge courses in electric and hybrid vehicles, fuel cell applications, photovoltaics, advanced engine design and other in-demand fields, leading students to explore real-world problems and their solutions through hands-on projects, guest presentations, industry tours and attendance at local conferences. Instrumental in introducing electric vehicle charging infrastructure and solar energy projects to Cal State LA, he now employs the campus as a “living laboratory" to enhance students' learning and professional development.
An internationally renowned author and presenter, Dr. Blekhman holds bachelor's and master's degrees in thermal physics and engineering from St. Petersburg State Polytechnic University in Russia, as well as a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of Buffalo in New York.
William (Bill) J. Hoese, Ph.D., Cal State Fullerton (Professor of Biological Sciences), Outstanding Faculty Innovator for Student Success “I allow students the freedom to learn, permission to fail, space to strive, opportunities to take risks and support to succeed. I use field experiences to take students out of their comfort zones, build community and encourage curiosity about the world around us." Revered at Cal State Fullerton as “a creative, effective and rigorous classroom instructor who is universally loved, praised and admired," Dr. William (Bill) Hoese has distinguished himself as an exceptional educator with a gift for inspiring students to delve into life science. A 23-year veteran at CSUF, Dr. Hoese has been nationally recognized for his efforts to transform the way biology is taught, from a fact-driven course to one that engages students in active learning and critical thinking. As just one example, Dr. Hoese has introduced 300-plus lower-division biology students each semester to Southern California's ecosystems with an overnight trip to the Mojave Desert where—away from city lights—many reported seeing stars for the first time. His approach led to “Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education," a movement spearheaded by the American Association for the Advancement of Science with support from the National Science Foundation, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the National Institutes of Health and the United States Department of Agriculture.
Dr. Hoese has also designed multiple programs that increase student success beyond his classroom.
Dr. Hoese holds a bachelor's degree in human biology from Stanford University, a master's degree in biology from Stanford and a Ph.D. in zoology from Duke University.
Alyssa Goldstein Sepinwall, Ph.D., CSU San Marcos (History Professor and Graduate Coordinator), Outstanding Faculty Teaching Various pundits are credited with issuing the warning, “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it." CSU San Marcos history professor Dr. Alyssa Goldstein Sepinwall is determined to steer her students clear of that fateful path and instead give them a full picture and visceral connections with the people, events and challenges of our past. Dr. Sepinwall joined CSUSM in 1999 and was promoted to full professor in 2011. As a past winner of CSUSM's President's Award for Innovation in Teaching and the Harry E. Brakebill Outstanding Professor Award, she specializes in showing students how history connects to their own lives through compelling and hands-on projects, first-hand accounts such as diaries, whole-class and small-group discussion and diverse guest speakers. Her creative assignments, such as a cookoff exploring changes in eating habits for a women and Jewish history class, not only create community within the classroom, but they also allow students to see themselves in historical narratives. Her cutting-edge teaching is continuously informed by feedback from her students, and their questions shape her research.
With a busy schedule that includes serving on university and department committees, advising graduate theses and conducting research, she has become a sought-after expert in Haitian and French history, slavery and colonization and the history of gender, as well as visual and pop cultures. Widely quoted in national media, she is also a frequent speaker and guest lecturer at the CSU and around the world.
Dr. Sepinwall holds bachelor's degrees in history and political science from the University of Pennsylvania, and a master's degree and Ph.D. in history from Stanford University.
Joy Stewart-James, Ed.D., Sacramento State (AVP, Student Health & Counseling Services), Outstanding Staff Performance After a 20-year career working for a large hospital health care system in Austin, Texas, overseeing several clinics and departments, Dr. Joy Stewart-James made the leap to higher education in 2007, landing on her feet at Sacramento State. Since then, the seasoned public health professional has been widely credited with keeping the Sacramento State community safe, healthy and calm, even as the campus navigated the global COVID-19 public health crisis. She has become a recognized leader not only within the CSU system, but across the state and national college health communities.
After joining Sacramento State as executive director for Student Health and Counseling Services, Dr. Stewart-James was promoted to associate vice president in 2017. In her current role, she provides strategic leadership, management, fiscal oversight and programmatic direction for a comprehensive model of health and wellness for a campus of over 30,000 students. She oversees and manages Sacramento State's fully accredited, multidisciplinary health care services, including urgent and primary care, mental health counseling services, pharmacy, radiology, nutrition, athletic training, sports medicine, health promotion services, basic needs, case management and student peer education programs.
She has dedicated herself to improving the patient experience and helping students to become better health care consumers. With a new paperless system that allows students to access appointments, view records and message their providers via their patient portal, use of the student health center has increased dramatically.
Dr. Stewart-James holds a bachelor's degree from Florida International University in Miami, a master's degree from the University of Oregon, Eugene and an Ed.D. from the University of Texas at Austin.
Excellence in teaching and a dedication to student success from faculty and staff as demonstrated by the 2023 Wang Family Excellence awardees further supports the CSU's Graduation Initiative 2025. This key initiative is focused on increasing graduation rates for all CSU students while eliminating equity gaps and meeting California's workforce needs. For more information on the awardees and their accomplishments, visit the Wang Family Excellence Award 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, nearly 460,000 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 Faculty and Staff Honored for Dedication to Student Success |
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