‘In the Next Generation, We Have a Fighting Chance’ — MLK Legacy Winner Discusses Kids and Race
At last month's MLK Legacy Celebration, psychology and child development Professor Amber Williams was named one of two winners of the MLK Legacy Award. Williams spoke with Cal Poly News about her research on how children form ideas about race, why it's important to discuss race and injustice from an early age, and what it means to win the award. The award, nominated by students and peers, recognizes members of the campus community who “lead with love and hope to create a better campus for all.” Read the interview on Cal Poly News.
Campus Feedback Plays Big Role in Rave Guardian Campaign
Rave Guardian, Cal Poly Public Safety's new app, is launching a communications campaign that was made possible, in large part, through campus feedback. Public Safety and Cal Poly Corporation’s Marketing and Communications team collaborated with students, faculty and staff to understand how users identify with the features of the new safety app. The team developed three campaign concepts that were shared with the campus community. While all three concepts had their merits, one rose to the top. The winning campaign features different pictures of Cal Poly’s campus with headlines that tout one of the app’s features. The communications campaign is designed to promote and encourage members of the Cal Poly community to download the app and take advantage of its features, and in turn help increase campus safety.
Cal Poly Logging Team Takes First Place in Timbersports Competition
The Cal Poly Loggers, an intercollegiate team of male and female students involved in traditional forestry field skills, took first place at the Sierra-Cascade Logging Conference and Exhibition in Anderson, California. In addition, Kelly Schwenger, second-year forest and fire sciences major, earned top women’s competitor at the event. Seven teams representing four Western states competed in traditional timber sports Feb. 10-12. This was Cal Poly's first competition since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Students competed in such events as underhand chopping, single bucking, double bucking, jack and jill, stock saw, choker setting, axe throw and speed axe. The Cal Poly logging team is advised by Professor Samantha Gill of the Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences Department and assisted by Walter Ruzzo (Natural Resources Management, ’78). Read the news release.
Attend Student Research Competition March 4-5
All faculty, staff, students and supporters are invited to attend the Cal Poly Student Research Competition. Members of the Academic Senate Grants Review Committee will serve as jurors and select 10 projects to represent campus at the 2022 CSU Student Research Competition. Both the 2022 Cal Poly Student Research Competition (to be held March 4-5) and CSU Student Research Competition (to be held April 29-30) will occur virtually. The CSU Student Research Competition is held each spring to promote excellence in undergraduate and graduate scholarly research and creative activity by recognizing outstanding student accomplishments across the 23 CSU campuses. Current undergraduate students, graduate students and recent alumni from all academic disciplines can participate. More information about the Cal Poly Research Competition — including the schedule for Friday, March 4, and Saturday, March 5 — are available on the Office of Student Research website. Join for part or all of the time. Email [email protected] with any questions.
Find Qualified Student Applicants by Posting On-Campus Positions on MustangJOBS
Faculty and staff can easily promote student job openings on MustangJOBS, powered by Handshake. Career Services offers this convenient, fast way to quickly reach many qualified Cal Poly student applicants, including those eligible for Federal Work Study. To post one or more positions on MustangJOBS, click here to get started. Career Services also offers a custom on-campus job posting guide for faculty and staff to maximize their recruiting efforts. For more information on using MustangJOBS, contact Career Services at [email protected] or ext. 6-2501.
First-Year Success Program Coaches needed for Spring Quarter
The First-Year Success Program (FSP) is looking for graduate students, faculty and staff from across campus who want to serve as academic coaches for first-time freshmen who are on academic probation for the first time. FSP coaches will support a small group of students by facilitating growth-centered conversations, engaging in goal setting and skill development, and exploring resources that students can use to help them move toward success in future quarters. FSP staff will provide a training on Friday, March 18, to discuss the details of the program and provide materials. FSP is looking for diverse members of the campus community who represent all areas of Cal Poly. All levels of experience and background are welcome. Sign-up or express interest by Wednesday, March 16. Questions? Contact Kara Hitchcock at [email protected].
Join Cal Poly Baseball for Faculty/Staff Appreciation on March 2
As a sign of appreciation for everything faculty and staff members do for the university, Cal Poly Athletics is pleased to offer four free general admission tickets to the Cal Poly baseball game on Wednesday, March 2. The Mustangs are playing Portland and first pitch is set for 6 p.m. at Baggett Stadium. All faculty and staff can claim their four free tickets to the game by showing their Cal Poly ID at the Cal Poly Ticket Office or at the Baggett Stadium Box Office on the day of the game. For more information or to purchase tickets to other Cal Poly baseball games, visit www.gopoly.com.
Nominations Open for the 2021-22 Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award
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. One faculty member is 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 will close at 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 28. More information and a link to the nomination form is available here. Questions? Contact Shelly Wolf at [email protected].
Nominations Due March 18 for Provost’s Leadership Award for Partnership in Philanthropy
Nominations are being accepted for the Provost’s Leadership Award for Partnership in Philanthropy. This award celebrates visionary leaders who have forged critical partnerships to advance the mission of Cal Poly. Nominees may be current or former faculty members who have been instrumental in comprehensive development and fundraising efforts. The award recipient will be recognized at Fall Convocation. Faculty and staff are encouraged to submit nominations, which are due by March 18. The nomination form and more information are available on the Office of the Provost website. Direct any questions to [email protected].
Faculty Nominations Open to Serve on Cal Poly Corporation Board
The Academic Senate is seeking nominations from tenured faculty to serve on the Cal Poly Corporation board of directors for the 2022-25 term. Interested faculty should complete an Expression of Intent and Willingness to Serve form. A description of board member’s responsibilities is available here. The completed form must be received by the Academic Senate office by Friday, March 11. For more information, email Sarah Best at [email protected].
Free Faculty and Staff #MoveItMarch Passes to the Recreation Center
ASI Recreational Sports wants to get you moving this March. Faculty and staff are invited to enjoy two free days at the Recreation Center as part of a #MoveItMarch special. Ever wanted to experience an Olympic-caliber swimming pool, try a group fitness class, or train in 20,000 square feet of state-of-the-art exercise space? Now is your chance. Just mention #MoveItMarch at the ASI Membership Services front desk, located inside the Recreation Center. Save a few minutes and set up your access before redeeming this special. Download the ASI Access app and follow the steps provided on the ASI website to receive access to the touchless entry system for future visits. The #MoveItMarch passes can only be redeemed and used during the month of March by the eligible user. For more information, contact [email protected].
CTLT's Spring Quarter Opportunities for Educators
The lineup of spring quarter professional development offerings from the Center for Teaching, Learning and Technology is available for faculty to explore. All activities will be fully virtual or offer virtual options. Workshops include:
- Assignment and Assessment Design to Promote Academic Integrity (new).
- Intro to Teaching With Writing in General Education Courses (new).
- Intro to Online Teaching and Learning .
- Blended/Hybrid Course Design.
- CTLT/CSU Training Opportunities for Teaching Online.
- Creating Accessible Course Materials.
- Examining Whiteness.
- Intro to Equitable and Inclusive Teaching (two cohorts: one for College of Engineering faculty and one for College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences faculty).
Details on workshops and links to signups can be found on the CTLT Workshops page.
In addition, two book circles will be offered in spring quarter:
- “Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking The Stress Cycle” by Emily and Amelia Nagoski.
- “Grading for Equity: What It Is, Why It Matters and How It Can Transform Schools and Classrooms” by Joe Feldman.
Details and links to signups for these can be found on the CTLT’s Book Circles page.
Spring Into New Professional Development Courses in March
Employee and Organization Development has announced the March professional development offerings as part of the Cross Campus Collaboration series. Many of Cal Poly’s and the CSU campuses’ workshops are offered online, providing a unique opportunity to extend learning beyond campus borders and offer a new way to share professional development.
New courses and dates have been added in March. View and register using the links below. Registration is on a first-come basis.
- March 2, noon to 1 p.m.: Mindfulness Wellness Circle (series 1 of 3).
- March 3, 10 a.m. to noon: Decisions, Decisions! Creative Problem-Solving and Decision -Making Techniques.
- March 8, 10:30-11:30 a.m.: Interviewing 101 Workshop.
- March 9, 2:30-4 p.m.: Exposing Hidden Bias.
- March 15, 9-10 a.m.: Retaining Continuity when Employees Leave.
- March 16, 10 a.m.-noon: True Colors for Personal Success.
- March 17, 1-3 p.m.: Avoiding Bias in Hiring.
- March 17, 1-3 p.m.: Positive Psychology-The Happiness Advantage.
- March 22, 11 a.m.-noon: Ask Me Anything: LinkedIn Edition.
- March 30, 2-3 p.m.: How To Get Your Child to College.
- March 31, 2-3 p.m.: Personal Branding — Building Your Professional Presence.
More classes are coming in April. Check the Upcoming Opportunities page of the learnandgrow.calpoly.edu website for updates.
Call for Proposals for Continuing Instructionally Related Activities
The Instructionally Related Activities Advisory Committee is accepting proposals for the 2022-23 fiscal year 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. Videos and workshops to help prepare the forms are available. Find forms, instructions, videos, and dates and times for preparation workshops. Proposals for continuing IRAs are due to the college deans and vice president for Student Affairs by Friday, March 4.
More Dining Venues and Plant-Based Choices Available
To better serve the Cal Poly community, Campus Dining introduced five more dining venues and added more vegan and vegetarian options across campus. Venues new to Cal Poly include Health Shack outside the Dexter Building, which features acai bowls, pressed juices and other healthy selections; local vegetarian food truck Plant Ivy, which offers a variety of plant-based burgers with meat lovers in mind; and Market UU, a convenient grab-and-go spot on the first floor of the UU across from the Multicultural Center. In addition to these three newcomers, Campus Dining welcomed back campus favorites Julian’s Café Bistro on the second floor of Kennedy Library and a special Chick-fil-A pop-up in Poly Canyon Village featuring a limited menu of classic items. The expanded plant-based options can be found with vegan and vegetarian icons on menus across campus. Visit calpolydining.com for hours and menus for Cal Poly’s nearly 30 restaurants.
German and Russian Conversation Tables Open to All
Grab lunch and head to Kennedy Library to practice your language skills, learn more about German and Russian cultures, and meet new friends. The German Conversation Table occurs every other Thursday from 11:15 a.m. to noon with upcoming events on March 3 and 17 on the steps in front of Kennedy Library. The Russian Language Conversation Table meets every other Wednesday from 11:10 a.m. to noon with upcoming events on March 2 and 16 in Room 220C on the second floor of Kennedy Library. Contact German lecturer Angelica Browne at [email protected] for more information.
Learn About the Impact of Physical Activity on Public Health
Eduardo Esteban Bustamante, director of the Healthy Kids Lab at the University of Illinois, Chicago, will give an in-person presentation on the impact of physical activity on public health from 11:10 a.m. to noon Thursday, Feb. 24, in the Education Building (No. 2), Room 213. Bustamonte's research focuses on generating evidence-based lifestyle interventions that promote physical and mental health among children and families in underserved communities. The presentation is hosted by the Kinesiology and Public Health Department.
Activist Hoda Katebi to Headline 20th Annual Change the Status Quo Conference
Award-winning activist Hoda Katebi, an abolitionist, organizer and creative educator, will deliver the keynote address for the 20th annual Change the Status Quo (CSQ) Social Justice Leadership Conference to be held on Saturday, Feb. 26. The annual event 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. Further details and preregistration for the all-day conference is now live at serviceinaction.calpoly.edu/CSQ. Early-bird conference fees are $10 for Cal Poly students (and AmeriCorps fellows) and $30 for faculty, staff and community members. Fees include admission to keynote address, lunch and a full array of workshops. Those interested in underwriting the cost of their students to attend should email the Center for Service in Action at [email protected].
Percussionist John Astaire to Perform at Feb. 26 Cal Poly Wind Bands Concert
The Wind Ensemble and Wind Orchestra will present a concert titled “Afterimage” at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 26, in the Performing Arts Center. John Astaire, who teaches percussion at Cal Poly, will perform Mutsuhito Ogino’s “Concerto for Percussion and Wind Ensemble.” Astaire is an active orchestral performer and session artist. The Wind Ensemble will also perform music Professor Antonio G. Barata’s “Winds of Change” and Joan Tower’s “Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman, No. 5.” The group will conclude its set with Julie Giroux’s “La Mezquita de Córdoba.” The Wind Ensemble will perform these and other works for the 2022 College Band Directors National Association Western/Northwestern Division Conference to be hosted March 16-20 at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. The ensemble is one of only eight selected to participate. At the Feb. 26 concert, Cal Poly’s Wind Orchestra and Chamber Winds and Percussion will also perform. The groups are directed by Christopher J. Woodruff and Nicholas P. Waldron. Tickets for the concert are sold at the Cal Poly Ticket Office, ext. 6-4849. For more information, visit the Music Department calendar website or call ext. 6-2406.
2022 Aspire to Grow Conference Set for March 2
The College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences is hosting the fourth annual Aspire to Grow Conference, exploring innovation in food, agriculture and natural resources, at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 2, at the JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture. The symposium will focus on the theme of resilience and the role diversity of thought and experience plays in achieving this. Featured speakers include Leslie Coleman, vice president and head of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at Nutrien; Toni Bucci, chief operating officer at AgBiome Innovations; Shermika Duerson, senior director, Travel and Administration at Elanco; Rebecca Sandoval, senior recruiter at Brightview Landscapes; and Yen Tsutsumi, senior vice president, Integrated Production at George P. Johnson Experience Marketing. The Aspire to Grow Conference aims to inform and empower students from across campus about the many and varied career opportunities in these industries. It will also create a forum for students to learn from and network with companies for which diversity and inclusion are an essential part of their visions. Faculty, staff and students are welcome to attend. For more information visit bit.ly/aspiretogrow2022.
NASA Scientist to Present on Journey of James Webb Space Telescope
Planetary scientist Stefanie Milam of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center will present “The Journey of the James Webb Space Telescope: Where We Are and Where We Are Going” from 7-8:30 p.m. Thursday, March 3, online and live in the Advanced Technology Laboratories (No. 007-01). The James Webb Space Telescope is an orbiting infrared observatory that will complement and extend the discoveries of the Hubble Space Telescope. It will study every phase in the history of our universe, including the first luminous glows after the Big Bang, the formation of solar systems capable of supporting life on planets like Earth, and the evolution of our own solar system. Milam will provide an update of the Webb Telescope, briefly review its main science themes, and conclude with some revolutionary science planned for the first year of operations. The talk is free and open to the public. Register for the live event. Register for the online event. For more information, call ext. 6-2448.
Intercultural Competence Collaborative to be Held March 4
The World Languages and Cultures Department and School of Education invite faculty and staff to meet and collaborate from 3-5 p.m. Friday, March 4, in the Advanced Technology Laboratories (No. 7). The event will include discussion and networking around the importance of intercultural competence for faculty, staff and the students they serve. Presentations by Kinesiology and Public Health Department Assistant Professor Marilyn Tseng and Cuesta College Ethnic Studies faculty member Mario Espinoza-Kulick of the Mi Gente, Nuestra Salud initiative, and Agribusiness Department faculty member Tim Delbridge will be followed by informal discussion of culturally sustaining practices. Participants will have the opportunity to make connections with colleagues across disciplines and to brainstorm pathways for our students to become culturally responsive professionals. Organizers hope this event might become a standing meeting once per quarter to provide a space for supportive, inclusive collaboration.
Music Faculty to Perform 'Music She Wrote’ Recital to Celebrate International Women's Day
Music faculty members Amy Goymerac, soprano, and Suzanne Duffy, flute, along with faculty emeritus Susan Azaret Davies, piano, will present a recital at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 8, in the Pavilion of the Performing Arts Center. Works by female composers will be performed in honor of International Women’s Day. Local composer Deon Nielsen Price’s works will be included, and the composer will be present to give explanatory remarks about the program. Compositions by Amy Beach, Clara Schumann, Fanny Mendelssohn and Katherine Hoover will also be performed. The recitalists will perform solos, duos and as a trio. Admission is free to the recital, but parking will be enforced. For more information, visit the Music Department calendar website or call ext. 6-2406.
International Women’s Day Activities to be Held March 8
The Cal Poly International Center will host a virtual presentation from 5:10-6 p.m. March 8 with guest speaker and Professor Emerita Maliha Zulfacar and moderator and Professor Dawn Neill titled “Gender Apartheid in Afghanistan: A dialogue for engagement and understanding of women’s lives (at risk).” The documentary “Kabul Transit” co-produced and co-directed by Zulfacar can be viewed by the campus community prior to the talk via this link to the Cal Poly Library. The panel is co-sponsored by the College of Liberal Arts; Interdisciplinary Studies Liberal Arts; Social Sciences; Women’s, Gender and Queer Studies; and Men and Masculinities Program. The panel will cover gender-related issues from cross-cultural and international perspectives. To find out more about International Women's Day and ways to celebrate, visit the International Center website or the Facebook event page from Feb. 28-March 11. Then get ready to join the #BreakTheBias #IWD2022 conversation.
Cal Poly Symphony to Feature Student Soloists and Music of Mexico at March 11 Concert
The Cal Poly Symphony will showcase the talents of student soloists at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 11, in the Performing Arts Center. In addition, the symphony will perform four works by Mexican composers: Arturo Márquez’ “Danzon No. 9” and “Conga del Fuego Nuevo,” Blas Galindo’s “Poema de Neruda,” and Silvestre Revueltas’ “Sensemayá.” The featured students were all winners of the Music Department’s Solo Competition in November. Cellist Karlson Can will perform the first movement of Edward Elgar’s Cello Concerto in E Minor, Op. 85; violinist Fiona Soetrisno will play the first movement of Samuel Barber’s Violin Concerto, Op. 14; contralto Dylan Benander will sing “Mio cor che mi sai dir” from George Frideric Handel’s “Rinaldo”; and alto Mady Frei will sing “Erbarme dich, mein Gott” from Johann Sebastian Bach’s “St. Matthew Passion.” Soetrisno is a computer science major, and the others are music majors. The concert will be conducted by Music Professor David Arrivée. Tickets for the concert are sold at the Cal Poly Ticket Office, ext. 6-4849. For more information, visit the Music Department calendar website or call ext. 6-2406.
Cal Poly Choirs to Perform ‘To the Hands’ Concert on March 12
The choirs’ Winter Concert, “To the Hands,” will be a collaboration with students from other majors at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 12, in the Performing Arts Center. The title piece, “To the Hands,” is by Caroline Shaw and will be performed by PolyPhonics and will feature creative engineering projections and lighting by students in the Liberal Arts in Engineering Program and dancers from the Theatre and Dance Department. The piece explores ways in which homelessness is viewed in society. “To the Hands” is based loosely on a 17th-century piece by Baroque composer Dietriche Buxtehude titled “Jesu Membra Nostri” (“The Limbs of Jesus”). It is a collection of seven short cantatas for soloists, choir and orchestra, and will be performed by the Cal Poly Chamber Choir. The concert will also feature works performed by Cal Poly’s University Singers and the Cal Poly Cello Ensemble. Tickets for the concert are sold at the Cal Poly Ticket Office, ext. 6-4849. For more information, visit the Music Department calendar website or call ext. 6-2406.
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.
Note that a minimum three-day lead time is required to process a request for use of space through the Office of the Registrar.
Visit Cal Poly Now for Student Affairs events, learning opportunities and more
Find the latest student-focused campus events from your favorite Student Affairs programs and services by visiting the new Cal Poly Now.