Inside Cal Poly’s New Saliva-Based COVID Testing Program
Cal Poly’s COVID-19 testing capacity got a major upgrade earlier this month as the university transitioned from an outside vendor to a new, faculty-developed saliva-based surveillance test and on-campus laboratory — enabling faster processing and providing a valuable Learn by Doing experience in the process. As a saliva-based test rather than a nasal swab, the testing experience is more comfortable and reduces the time individuals are on-site getting tested. More importantly, the new test significantly increases the volume of samples that can be processed and reduces wait times for results to under 24 hours, allowing university health staff to more effectively catch infections before they spread. It’s also an invaluable factor in the university’s goal to achieve biweekly testing for more than 4,000 students and eventually more, as campus protocols evolve with the pandemic. “At full scale, we will be processing at minimum 4,000 individual samples in roughly eight hours,” said Nathaniel Martinez, a biology professor and the lead researcher on the team that developed the new protocols. All students who are required to test have been transitioned to the new saliva method. Check the Employee Testing webpage for updates on testing availability for employees starting this Thursday, March 25. Read more about the saliva testing program on Cal Poly News.
Cal Poly Employees Eligible for the COVID-19 Vaccine in SLO County
All current employees, including student employees, who want to be vaccinated are eligible for COVID-19 vaccines in San Luis Obispo County. The county’s eligibility also includes a list of specific employment sectors, residents who are 50 and older, and residents with specific medical conditions or disabilities. Those eligible can look for first-dose appointments at several local pharmacies or through San Luis Obispo County’s Vaccine Appointment Registry for appointments at one of three local vaccine clinics. Employees can sign up for the county’s registry online or by calling the County Phone Assistance Center at 805-543-2444 or 805-781-4280 (seven days a week, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.). University employees who live outside the county are still eligible for a vaccine at a county site based on their employment at Cal Poly. Be prepared to show proof of employment at your appointment through a photo ID with a recent paystub, a PolyCard that establishes your role on campus, or a Cal Poly ID badge specific to your job. If possible, fill out, print and bring the medical screening form to your appointment to help quicken the process. Review these frequently asked questions on Cal Poly’s vaccine page to help prepare for your appointment, and plan to get your second dose of the vaccine wherever you get your first dose. Employees are highly encouraged to receive the vaccine when eligible but are not currently required to be vaccinated. Learn more about the vaccines and the vaccination process on county public health’s frequently asked questions page and the Cal Poly coronavirus website’s vaccine page for more information.
COVID-19 Vaccine Fact Check: Should I Get the Vaccine If I've Recovered from COVID-19?
Welcome to the COVID-19 Vaccine Fact Check, weekly insights on the COVID-19 vaccines presented by Campus Health and Wellbeing. This week’s fact check addresses whether people who have recovered from COVID-19 should consider getting the vaccine. The CDC says this: You should be vaccinated regardless of whether you already had COVID-19. That’s because experts do not yet know how long you are protected from getting sick again after recovering from COVID-19. Even if you have already recovered from COVID-19, it is possible — although rare — that you could be infected with the virus again. Learn more about why getting vaccinated is a safer way to build protection than getting infected. If you were treated for COVID-19 with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma, you should wait 90 days before getting a COVID-19 vaccine. Talk to your doctor if you are unsure what treatments you received or if you have more questions about getting a COVID-19 vaccine. To learn more about vaccines available in SLO County, visit the RecoverSLO.org website’s frequently asked questions page. Look for more COVID Vaccine Fact Check posts in future editions of the Cal Poly Report.
Associate Vice President for Facilities Management and Development Announced
Following a nationwide search, Michael (Mike) McCormick has been named associate vice president for Facilities Management and Development. McCormick comes to Cal Poly with 35 years of experience, the last three serving as the associate vice president of Asset Management and University Architect for the University of Washington. In that role, he developed and implemented strategy planning for a facilities team of 1,000 employees who oversaw three campuses comprising 27 million square feet and directly supervised professionals in sustainability, real estate, capital planning and delivery, campus planning, portfolio management, space management, engineering, energy conservation, preventive maintenance, and customer care. McCormick has proven experience working on projects and teams that are driven by values that we as a Cal Poly community hold dear. During his time in Washington, he directed the creation of green building standards, a green revolving fund, and a universitywide Sustainability Action Plan. He created a facilities department that leveraged funding and data to more effectively use resources and create better outcomes for customers. He also developed a long-term capital plan that aligned needs with resources and helped to reduce deferred maintenance, decrease carbon footprint, and change the overall approach to funding and operational growth. McCormick will begin his new role on June 1.
Michelle Crawford Named Interim ASI Executive Director
The ASI board of directors recently approved Michelle Crawford to serve as interim ASI executive director. Crawford succeeds Marcy Maloney, who retired earlier this month. In her role, Crawford is accountable for the financial, legal and administrative management of ASI; the general management of all ASI resources, programs and managed facilities; and ensuring that ASI effectively supports and complements Cal Poly’s educational mission. Crawford began her career with ASI as a student in 2002 and has held numerous positions, including student manager, temporary assistant coordinator, coordinator, assistant director, associate director, and most recently University Union director. She received the ASI Outstanding Service Award in 2009 and the Student Affairs Chandler Award in 2014. Throughout her career, she has combined her passion for student development and strong stewardship of student fees with providing outstanding programs and services to students. Crawford has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in recreation, parks and tourism administration from Cal Poly.
Vice President of Information Technology and Chief Information Officer Receives National Award
Cal Poly’s Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer William J. “Bill” Britton received the 2021 CIO Award from the Tambellini Group, an independent technology research and advisory firm dedicated to higher education. The CIO Award recognizes Britton’s achievements in serving students and leading progress during an exceptionally challenging year for higher education. The honor is awarded annually as part of the Tambellini Technology Leadership Awards. “I am honored to receive this award. I feel fortunate to work with an incredible team at Cal Poly, who has been instrumental in modernizing the university’s technology environment,” Britton said. “These efforts have allowed us to be more agile and responsive to the university’s needs, which is critical to the success of students, faculty and staff, especially now.” In his five years as chief technologist at Cal Poly, Britton has led numerous ambitious modernization projects, including the university’s successful transition to a cloud-based campus data center, and the development of the Digital Transformation Hub (DxHub). For more information about the 2021 CIO Award, visit the Tambellini Group’s website.
CSU To Host Systemwide Vaccine Webinar on March 30
CSU Systemwide Human Resources invites all employees to join a live webinar from 11 a.m. to noon Tuesday, March 30, on “COVID Vaccinations: An Overview of the Various Vaccinations and their Benefits.” With COVID-19 vaccine rollout now underway, there has never been a more important time to learn about the vaccinations and speak to common questions and concerns. Dr. John Rott, regional assistant medical director at Kaiser Permanente, will speak about updates to our nation’s COVID-19 strategy and address several of the most frequently asked questions they’ve received related to the vaccine. Submit questions by emailing them now to [email protected]. No registration is required. Use this link to join the live broadcast on March 30. Closed captioning will be provided. The webinar will be recorded and available to view until April 15.
Cal Poly Team Wins First at National Grocers Association Student Case Study Competition
A team of four agricultural business seniors won first place in the National Grocers Association 2021 Student Case Study Competition for their presentation on how grocers can combat the major economic issues caused by COVID-19 by staying competitive through their “local supply chains” against low-price operators. The team included students Katherine "Scottie" Lester, Joshua Smith, Annika Bertelsen, and Amber Eckert. Agribusiness Associate Professor Ricky Volpe advised the team. The National Grocers Association (NGA) hosts the annual competition, which moved to a virtual platform this year. Each year, the NGA Foundation selects an independent retailer and a pressing industry issue to use as a subject for the competition. Five schools, including Cal Poly, competed on March 10, delivering presentations demonstrating how retailers with strong local supply chains were better equipped than their competitors in dealing with issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more about the competition.
Big Sur Upgrade For Mac Users
The Big Sur operating system was pushed out to campus-managed Mac computers on Monday, March 22. The compatibility issues between macOS Big Sur, GlobalProtect virtual private network (VPN), and Sophos Home antivirus that we notified campus about in November have been resolved with the latest version of Big Sur. If you have a Mac, you may have already seen a notification about Big Sur pop up on your screen. Employees who are away from their computers during spring break can expect to see the notification the next time they log on. Downloading and installing Big Sur can take upwards of one hour, depending on the speed of your internet connection, and it will require your computer to restart. For your convenience, you can defer the upgrade up to five times before it’s automatically installed. Anyone with questions can contact the ITS Service Desk online via Support Center, via email at [email protected], or by calling ext. 6-7000.
Faculty Advisor Training Series to be Held in Spring
University Advising is offering a Faculty Advisor Training Series that introduces undergraduate faculty advisors to academic advising core competencies. The series includes:
- FA 101: Nuts and Bolts of Faculty Advising: April 16.
- FA 102: Assemble Your Faculty Advising Toolkit: April 30.
- FA 103: Building Student Success through Faculty Advising: May 7.
Learn more about the Faculty Advisor Training series. Anyone with questions can contact Christina Wolfe-Chandler, advisor training coordinator, at [email protected] or ext. 6-5735.
Staff and Faculty Spring Parking Permits Available on March 22
Spring parking permits will be available for purchase online beginning Monday, March 22, and are valid starting March 29. Winter quarter parking permits expire March 26. Faculty and staff can purchase permits online and update their vehicle information using their parking account. Parking permits are required for parking on campus during the spring academic break. Visit Transportation and Parking Services staff page for more information on staff parking.
Account Requests Are Moving to Support Center
Beginning spring quarter, Cal Poly account requests, including the creation or renewal of temporary guest accounts and the creation of new shared department accounts, will be managed through Information Technology Services’ (ITS) virtual Support Center. The Support Center is an online portal that offers a user-friendly interface and streamlined forms where the Cal Poly community can request tech support or one of the many other services that ITS offers. It allows requesters to track the progress of their requests and receive automated updates via email. Previously, account requests have been managed through the Service Request System (SRS), accessed through the Technical Service Request link under My Apps in the My Cal Poly portal. A few specialized services, like software downloads and Common Management System (CMS) requests, are still managed in SRS as ITS takes a phased approach to improving the way students, faculty and staff access technology services. The ITS Service Desk can answer questions. Request support online via Support Center, via email at [email protected], or by calling ext. 6-7000.
Faculty and Staff Invited to Join New Book and Learning Circles in Spring
Employee and Organization Development has announced the spring 2021 Book and Learning Circles, where participants can engage in enriching conversations and connect with peers across campus. Book Circles involve reading a book over the course of three to five sessions. The books are “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents” by Isabel Wilkerson, who explores how America today and throughout its history has been shaped by a hidden caste system; “The Self Care Prescription: Powerful Solutions to Manage Stress, Reduce Anxiety & Increase Wellbeing” by Robyn L. Gobin, which will help participants create a personalized self-care plan and learn techniques for building the life they want to live; and “Lead from the Outside,” in which author Stacey Abrams, former member of the Georgia House of Representatives, uses her hard-won insights to break down how ambition, fear, money and failure function in leadership and challenge those ready to make change. Learning Circles involve watching a video, listening to a podcast or reading an article and participating in a discussion during a single session. In “What makes us feel good about our work?” Dan Ariely presents two eye-opening experiments that reveal our unexpected and nuanced attitudes toward meaning in our work. In “The Great Migration and the power of a single decision” journalist and author Isabel Wilkerson shares how a single decision can change the course of history as journalist. In the third Learning Circle, “Delivering Employee Feedback,” Todd Dewett explores how to create a culture driven by meaningful feedback and deliver coaching and suggestions to help your team move forward. To view full descriptions and register to attend, visit the Book and Learning Circles webpage.
Help A&F ‘Focus Forward’ and Win Prizes
After a challenging year, it's time to “Focus Forward.” But first we need to look back. On Wednesday, April 7, Administration and Finance will launch the next iteration of its annual customer satisfaction survey. Renamed Focus Forward, the survey will reach out to A&F constituents for feedback on the division’s services over the past year. Responses will provide the division with valuable feedback needed for continuous improvement. Open to all faculty, staff and students, Focus Forward will remain open through April 30. While the survey covers every unit and department within A&F, campus community members are being asked to complete the sections relevant to them. For every section that participants complete, they will be entered into a drawing for an IPad Mini and more than 60 other prizes. More information on the survey, prizes and a link to participate are available at afd.calpoly.edu/survey.
Cal Poly Recreation Center Indoor Reopening
The Cal Poly Recreation Center will open indoors at partial capacity on Monday, March 29. Recently, San Luis Obispo County moved into the red tier of the Blueprint for a Safer Economy, which allows gyms and fitness centers to open indoors with modifications at maximum 10% capacity. The opening includes access to the upper exercise area, an additional exercise space in the South Gym, and the restart of group fitness classes, which will be held in the North Gym at a maximum of 10-person capacity to maintain physical distancing. The Recreation Center will continue to provide outdoor recreation spaces in addition to virtual programming. For information and class reservations, visit asi.calpoly.edu. For more information and updated guidelines, visit the ASI COVID-19 Updates page.
Balance Café Receives Allergen-Free Certification
Following a thorough inspection and audit, Campus Dining was recently notified that Balance Café, a dining venue in Vista Grande, will receive allergen-free certification from Kitchens with Confidence for its efforts and commitment to providing food and facilities safe for customers with dietary restrictions. Kitchens with Confidence is an independent accreditation/certification entity founded to help dining facilities become safer for diners with food allergies and to imbue those facilities with credibility through trusted certification. Balance Café is receiving its “Certified Free From” seal, confirming it is free from the “Big 8 Allergens,” including peanuts, wheat, milk, soy, shellfish, fish, eggs, and tree nuts plus gluten. Balance Café prepares meals that are free of the top eight allergens — foods that account for 90% of food allergic reactions — plus gluten and sesame. The cafe is completely self-contained, with a dedicated kitchen, cold storage, cook and serve ware, dishwasher and team of chefs. This certification recognizes Campus Dining’s commitment to serving food that is safe for customers with dietary restrictions and food allergies and is dedicated to meeting the community’s evolving dietary needs.
Own a Home Within Walking Distance of Campus
A beautifully appointed home is available for purchase at Bella Montana. The unit, at 555-B Paseo Bella Montaña (La Cumbre) is 1,029 square feet with two bedrooms, 2.5 baths, convenient indoor laundry, a spacious one-car garage, a beautiful deck for outdoor living, attractive baths and energy-saving appliances. Surrounded by beautiful coastal foothills, Bella Montana offers an opportunity to own a home in San Luis Obispo, one of the most livable cities in California. The nearby location offers an enhanced lifestyle as homeowners enjoy more time for the things they love, a hike after work, lunch at home, or more time with family. The home is ideally located in a 5.3-acre planned housing community that was designed and crafted with Cal Poly employees and their families in mind. Located within walking distance of campus, shops and restaurants, Bella Montana encompasses 69 individually owned homes on Highland Drive near iconic Highway 1.
‘The Muse Hour’ Returns for a Second Season Starting March 27
Cal Poly Arts has announced the return of its lauded virtual music and conversation series, “The Muse Hour,” for a second season. Produced in cooperation with Tacoma Arts Live in Washington and The Luther Burbank Center in Santa Rosa, the new five-part series opens at 7:30 p.m. March 27, with the new chapter in the hilarious one-man show “God is a Scottish Drag Queen Pandemic Edition,” from creators Mike and Chantelle Delamont. God, dressed in a floral power suit, comes out of quarantine to expound on everything — from washing your hands to booty smooches in an all-new, side-splitting hour of pandemic-style comedy. This event includes a prerecorded performance, followed by a live virtual and moderated Q&A session with Mike Delamont. Tickets to the second season of “The Muse Hour” are $11.50 per device, per event, and current VIP members at the $75 Cameo Level and up receive free access to all of “The Muse Hour” events. Visit calpolyarts.org for more information.
‘Mysterious Seas’ to Air on March 31
For the past two years, Cal Poly Arts, in partnership with the Performing Arts Center, has presented a wildly popular series of evocative speakers from National Geographic Live. During this pandemic closure, Cal Poly Arts is continuing that tradition with a four-part virtual speaker series. Each 60-minute event will include stories and visuals; live, moderated conversation; and audience Q&A. Tickets are $16.50 per device, per event. The third event in the series, "Mysterious Seas," airs via the Cal Poly Arts website at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 31. Get a glimpse into the ocean’s greatest depths — and the fascinating creatures that live there — with two leading marine biologists and National Geographic Emerging Explorers. David Gruber searches the oceans for bioluminescent and biofluorescent marine species and designs delicate and noninvasive tools for studying and interacting with deep-sea life. Diva Amon participates in expeditions around the world to study the unusual animals living in a variety of deep-sea habitats and how humans impact them. Through stories and conversation, they’ll shine a light on this dark, cold and mysterious world.
Event Postings
Events.calpoly.edu is a new platform that shines 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. This site is designed to 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 Events.calpoly.edu
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 [email protected].
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.