Poet, Activist Sonya Renee Taylor to Headline 19th Annual Change the Status Quo Conference
Award-winning performance poet and activist Sonya Renee Taylor will deliver the keynote address for the 19th annual Change the Status Quo (CSQ) Social Justice Leadership Conference to be held virtually from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27. The annual event, hosted by Cal Poly’s Center for Service in Action, is free for all community members and aims to empower students to use the Learn by Doing spirit to challenge social norms, ask critical questions, demand solutions and make lasting social change. This year’s event will focus on the theme “Action over Apathy” and will be headlined by Taylor, a former national and international poetry slam champion and founder and radical executive officer of digital media and education company The Body is Not An Apology. Visit Change the Status Quo for more information and to register.
Campus Community Invited to Provide Feedback for CSU Review of President Armstrong
Per a CSU board of trustees policy requiring campus presidents to be reviewed every three years, the university community can submit comments that provide feedback to the board of trustees and the chancellor about President Armstrong’s leadership and the current state of affairs at Cal Poly. Comments should also provide information that will further the university’s progress and assist Armstrong in the leadership of Cal Poly. The criteria for feedback are posted on the CSU website. The written responses will be summarized into a confidential report that will be discussed with Armstrong and presented to the board of trustees. None of the commentators will be identified by name and responses will be treated in confidence to the extent permitted by the law. Unsigned letters and petitions will not be accepted. Submit letters or emails by March 22 to presidentreview@calstate.edu or Chancellor Joseph I. Castro, The California State University, 401 Golden Shore, Suite 641, Long Beach, California 90802-4210. Read Chancellor Castro’s letter to the Cal Poly community.
Reflect Back, Look Ahead with Cal Poly Magazine
The winter issue of Cal Poly Magazine offers readers a chance to look back on an unprecedented year and envision what hope and progress are on the horizon in 2021. Dive into stories of staff leading the wildfire recovery effort at Swanton Pacific Ranch, researchers persevering through the pandemic, a student making the most of his second chance, and athletes hustling through a season like no other. Readers will also meet several new faculty members championing social justice, rank Cal Poly’s most memorable Rose Parade floats, and go behind the scenes of a student startup. Read the winter issue.
Submissions Sought for COVID-19-Related Research Showcase
Cal Poly’s Center for Health Research invites faculty, students and staff to submit an abstract for its fourth annual conference, which will showcase original research, results from innovation and initiative projects, and evidence-based practice related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Research topics may include, but are not limited to: health, methods of assessment, social justice, economic impacts, environmental factors and pedagogical tools. Those interested in presenting should fill out the online submission form by April 19. Six authors will be selected to give a 10-minute presentation with five minutes for questions and discussion. The presentations will be live on Zoom and will be recorded and available for viewing after the event. All abstracts will be posted on the Center for Health Research website. For more information, contact Todd Hagobian at thagobia@calpoly.edu.
Nominate a Faculty Advisor for the 2020-21 Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award by Feb. 22
The Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award recognizes a faculty member who has had a positive influence on students through academic advising. The award recipient will receive a $2,000 cash stipend and be recognized by President Armstrong at Fall Conference in addition to having their picture and award citation posted in the Kennedy Library. One faculty member will be recognized annually. The nomination should describe the nominee’s academic advising services, activities and interactions as distinct from the nominee's teaching responsibilities, as well as include any special activities that relate to student development. Faculty, staff and current students are eligible to nominate faculty for this award. However, at least one submission must come from a current student and no self-nominations will be recognized. Nominations are now open and will close on Monday, Feb. 22. Find more information and a link to the nomination form.
Wellbeing Toolkit Provides Crucial Resources to Support Employees
The Employee and Organization Development department is proud to announce a new Wellbeing Toolkit. This is one of 21 toolkits custom curated for faculty, staff and student employees to provide on-demand resources to meet the personal and professional development needs of employees and managers. Workplace well-being relates to all aspects of working life — from the quality and safety of the physical environment, to how employees feel about their work and working environment. Well-being is a key factor in both an employee’s health as well as the organization's long-term effectiveness. Many studies show a direct link between productivity levels and the general health and well-being of the workforce. Check out this toolkit with practical information on resources available to you addressing six key aspects of Well-being: community, financial, physical, social, emotional and career.
Duo ‘Remember Me’ Extended to 30 Days
On Feb. 4, the Duo multifactor authentication (MFA) “remember me” period was extended to a more convenient 30 days instead of 12 hours. Users who you log in to Cal Poly resources and authenticate with Duo should select “remember me,” and they won’t be prompted to authenticate again for 30 days. Anyone needing help enabling "remember me" on their device can find step-by-step instructions in the Information Technology Services(ITS) Knowledge Base. The Knowledge Base also offers helpful “how to” articles for other common Duo MFA challenges and concerns, like a lost mobile device or authenticating without a WiFi or cell signal. The ITS Service Desk is available to answer questions. Support is available online at the Support Center, by email at servicedesk@calpoly.edu, or by calling 805-756-7000.
"Disability Tapas" Presentations to be Held Thursdays Through Winter Quarter
Disabilities come in many different forms and can vary greatly. Join the Disability Resource Center (DRC) for some snack-size information and interactive discussions on a variety of disability-related topics. Presentations are geared toward faculty and staff (students are welcome), and offered every Thursday from 11:10 a.m. to noon via Zoom at https://calpoly.zoom.us/j/491400215. Past presentations are viewable on the DRC website. The presentations include:
- Feb. 11: Introduction to Disability Allyship (part of CLA’s Social Justice Teach In).
- Feb. 18: Social Media: Guidance for Posting Accessible Content and Positive Disability Messages.
- Feb. 25: Supporting Veterans with Disabilities.
- March 4: Supporting Students with Learning Disabilities.
- March 11: Supporting Students with Autism.
The presentations are provided by the Disability Resource Center, which can be reached at drc@calpoly.edu or 805-756-1395.
Call for Proposals for Continuing Instructionally Related Activities
The Instructionally Related Activities Advisory Committee has announced the call for proposals for fiscal year 2021-22 for any activities seeking continued recognition and funding. An Instructionally Related Activity (IRA) is an extracurricular "out-of-class experience" that provides enrichment to students and enhances their learning at Cal Poly. Note that IRA funds cannot be used to fund specific projects or field trips as part of an academic course. Requests for funding typically exceed the available funds, so recognition as an IRA is no guarantee of funding. Workshops to help you prepare the forms are available. Proposals for continuing IRAs are due to the appropriate college dean or vice president by March 5. Find forms, instructions, dates and times for preparation workshops, and other relevant information on the Academic Programs and Planning website.
New User Software Planon to Launch in February
Facilities Management and Development (FMD) will implement Planon, a new work order management system, this month. Planon will serve as FMD’s new project management platform and will enable facility projects and maintenance operations, along with space and finance teams, to effectively and efficiently manage facilities throughout the entire building lifecycle. Planon will also be the new spot for projects, service and maintenance requests, in addition to storing all space information and details for the campus. Planon will provide users with an improved, updated and more efficient experience. It will provide an intuitive interface for Facilities’ customers, making it easier to check work statuses, see financial information, and receive automated updates on their project. Once it is up and running, Planon will create a simple, seamless user experience for campus community members who need something fixed. Planon is set to launch on Feb. 16. FMD will host open lab sessions from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Monday, Feb. 22, and from 1:30-2:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 26, for campus users interested in learning more about the use of Planon. Visit FMD’s Planon webpage for more information.
30% Discount Extended for Department Canopy Tents or Table Covers
University Marketing has worked with Strategic Business Services to secure exclusive pricing with licensed vendor ID Me College, a California-certified small business. At first, this was set to expire at the end of 2020, but with the pandemic, all parties were able to extend it into the spring of 2021. This offer is for 10-foot-by-10-foot canopy tents and 6-foot or 8-foot fitted table covers. These are high-quality, durable products with excellent printing. With the newly refreshed university branding, departments’ existing canopy tents and table covers with old logos and colors will expire at the end of 2021, so this offer will ease the burden of purchasing these new items at the full retail cost. Access the ordering details and visual templates from the offer webpage.
Registration Open for Feb. 11 Social Justice Teach In
On Thursday, Feb. 11, the campus community is invited to join the College of Liberal Arts for its fifth annual Social Justice Teach In — a daylong series of virtual talks and workshops centered around equity and social justice, designed to inform and inspire. These virtual events are open to all members of the Cal Poly community and will feature numerous speakers and presentations from students, staff and faculty from across the university. With 46 sessions to choose from, the planning committee has identified the following tracks that may be useful as you select which sessions to attend: “Racism, Anti-Blackness and Movements for Racial Justice,” “Public Health Inequities and Movements,” “Art, Media, Storytelling and Social Justice,” and “Science, Technology and the Environment.” The day will culminate with acclaimed author and scholar Andrew Jolivette, Ph.D., joining the Cal Poly community to present his keynote address titled "Black Lives, Indigenous Lives: From Mattering to Thriving." Visit Teach In for the full schedule and to register for sessions.
Cal Poly to Host Guest Presenters for ‘Entrepreneurship in Music’ Webinar on Feb. 11
The Cal Poly Music Department will present a webinar, “Entrepreneurship in Music,” with guest panelists sharing methods for beginning and sustaining a career in music at 11:10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 11. The panelists will be David Cutler, professor and director of music entrepreneurship at the University of South Carolina, and Mark Tonelli, assistant professor of guitar and entrepreneurship at Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois. “The intent of the webinar is to inform and empower college-age musicians to think entrepreneurially about their career in music,” said Arthur White, Cal Poly’s director of jazz studies and moderator of the panel. “Due to the decline in traditional career opportunities, students need to adapt with foresight, ingenuity, diversity and a well-laid out plan of attack.” The event is free and open to the public. More information on the panelists and the presentation is on the department’s calendar website.
2021 Aspire to Grow Conference Set for Feb. 18
The College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences is hosting the third annual Aspire to Grow Conference, exploring innovation in food and agriculture, virtually from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 18. Register here for the event. The symposium will focus on new technologies and developments and the role diversity of thought and experience plays in achieving these. Keynote speakers include Michael Frank, executive vice president and CEO of retail at Nutrien; Karen Ross, secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture; Justin Trabue, alumna and assistant winemaker at Lumen Wines; Patricia Carillo, executive director of ALBA Organics; Surendra Dara, cooperative extension advisor with the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources; and Fadzayi Mashiri, Mariposa County director/farm advisor. There are more than 21 million jobs associated with food and agriculture in the U.S. The Aspire to Grow Conference aims to inform and empower students from across campus about the many and varied career opportunities in these industries and create a forum for students to learn from and network with companies for which diversity and inclusion are an essential part of their visions. For more information, visit the conference webpage.
Cal Poly Jazz Ensembles to Present Virtual CD Release Concert on Feb. 19
Cal Poly's Jazz Ensembles will present a virtual CD release concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 19, to celebrate their recently produced double album titled “another time, another place.” The album is the result of at-home rehearsals by members of the Cal Poly Jazz Ensemble and Cal Poly Vocal Jazz Ensemble that began in March due to the pandemic. Arthur White, director of jazz studies, wrote compositions and arrangements for the groups. The album also features a student composition by Davis Zamboanga, who graduated from Cal Poly with a degree in music in spring 2020. There are guest solos by Grammy Award-winner Randy Brecker and three Grammy-Award nominees: saxophonist Ada Rovatti, trombonist Robin Eubanks, and vibraphonist Joe Locke, who contributed solos from their East Coast home studios. Cal Poly’s Vocal Jazz Ensemble, Contemporary Jazz Group, Hard Bop Group and other student ensembles will perform for the virtual event, which will also include interviews with students who participated in the album-making process. Tickets are $5 and are sold at the Performing Arts Center, ext. 6-4849. For more information, visit the Music Department calendar website.
An Evening With DeRay Mckesson Open to Campus Community on Feb. 23
The Men and Masculinities Program and ASI events invite the campus community to an evening with DeRay Mckesson from 6-7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 23. Mckesson is a powerful educator, author, civil rights activist and one of the leading voices in the Black Lives Matter movement. Titled, "Let Us Cry: Black Persistence and Masculinity," this conversation will explore the intersections of Blackness, masculinity, and advocacy. The Zoom webinar link is https://calpoly.zoom.us/j/85138638389 and the Zoom webinar ID is 851 3863 8389. Questions? Contact Nick Bilich (nbilich@calpoly.edu).
Event Postings
We have a new platform to shine a spotlight on high-profile special events at Cal Poly and throughout our community, focusing on the wide and diverse range of activities on and around our campus. The newly launched Events website will help our colleges, programs, departments and facilities promote exciting events that can be seen by a selected audience. It will update regularly and include events happening in the next 30–45 days. It is not a calendar of all events, and it does not include student club events. Here are some links to help you navigate:
Submitting an Event to the Events.calpoly.edu Website
To submit your event for consideration, please send the event title, date, time, duration, ticket information, intended audience(s) and image (1600 bpi wide) to event-submission@calpoly.edu.
University Events Calendar
To find a listing of all events — such as performances, lectures, workshops and more — visit our Master Calendar.
Scheduling/Booking Venues
25Live: Space and Event Scheduling can help you schedule or book a venue for an upcoming on-campus event.