Statistics Department Receives Grant for Low-Income Student Scholarships, Mentorship
The Statistics Department has received a $447,000 grant award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to help with financial support and to mentor low-income students to continue their higher education in graduate programs. The grant is part of a $5 million funding investment involving multiple West Coast universities through the Pacific Alliance for Low Income in Statistics and Data Science program supported by the NSF’s Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (S-STEM) Program. Financial access has proven to be a barrier for many lower-income and historically underrepresented students in the field of statistics and data science, especially for those who wish to continue with graduate studies. The Pacific Alliance program aims to broaden the pipeline of graduates with advanced degrees and provide access to not only academic careers, but also to positions in industry as senior/leadership level statisticians and data scientists. In the photo, statistics Professor Andrew Schaffner works with a student as others look on. Schaffner is the chair of the Statistics Department.
Coordinator of New Off-Campus Housing Support Program Named
Cal Poly has named Sarah Bacio as coordinator of its Off-Campus Housing Support Program, which seeks to help students successfully transition from living on campus to off campus within the San Luis Obispo community. She will help students identify and secure affordable and safe off-campus housing, assist in identifying resources to assist with housing expenses, and provide opportunities to help them better understand the off-campus housing market. In her new role, Bacio will also offer a Renter Certification series to educate participating students on various aspects of off-campus housing to improve the renter experience for both students and landlords.
Read more about the new program coordinator.
Celebrate Indigenous Artistry at Winter Solstice Marketplace on Nov. 1
To kick-off Native American Heritage Month, the campus community is invited to celebrate Indigenous artistry at the Winter Solstice Indigenous Marketplace from 1-6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 1, in Mission Plaza in downtown San Luis Obispo. There will be over 20 Native American and Indigenous vendors selling various artworks and food. This event is a collaboration between Cal Poly's Native American and Indigenous Cultural Center, the Office of University Diversity and Inclusion, and the city of San Luis Obispo. The jewelry pictured was made by Damien Montaño.
Learn more about the marketplace
Reminder on Employee State Law and CSU Election Compliance
With the upcoming general election, it is important that all faculty and staff comply with state law and CSU policy regarding the use of CSU resources in connection with election issues. Section 8314 of the California Government Code provides: (a) It is unlawful for . . . any state or local appointee, employee or consultant, to use or permit others to use public resources for a campaign activity, or personal or other purposes which are not authorized by law. In this context, “public resources” means any property or asset owned by the state or any local agency, including, but not limited to, land, buildings, facilities, funds, equipment, supplies, telephones, computers, email system, vehicles, travel and state-compensated time. (Cal. Gov’t Code § 8314(b)(3).) CSU policy regarding what election-related activities are allowed and what activities can be prohibited, as well as guidelines on how to exercise appropriate discretion, are set forth in the CSU Handbook of Election Issues published by the Office of the General Counsel.
Introducing Vista Grande Express Reusable Container Program
Campus Dining is introducing a new program at Vista Grande Express intended to help the Earth and your wallet. Choose a small or large reusable container — $6.95 or $8.95 respectively — and fill it with your choice of a wide selection of menu items. A single container needs to be reused as few as three times to beat the environmental impact of using a single-use container. The Vista Grande Express reusable container program will keep at least 500,000 single-use containers from entering the waste stream each year. Vista Grande Express only accepts PolyCard payments. Faculty and staff can add funds to a PolyCard through Campus Express. A $5 refundable deposit will be added to all purchases, and it will be returned once the container is brought back. The menu rotates weekly, so come by often to find new favorites and help the planet.
Learn more about Vista Grande Express
Cal Poly Corporation Board of Directors to Meet Oct. 28
A Cal Poly Corporation board of directors meeting has been scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 28, in the Performing Arts Center Founder’s Room. Public comments for this meeting must be submitted no later than 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 26, via email to cpcadmin@calpoly.edu. The meeting will be held in person; the Zoom webinar is for the public to view only. More information will be made available on the Cal Poly Corporation website, along with the agenda, five days before the meeting. Discussion topics can be added to the agenda at the board’s discretion. Call Holly Clark at ext. 6-1131 with any questions.
Cal Poly Foundation Board Hosts Fall Meeting Nov. 12
The Cal Poly Foundation board of directors will hold its fall quarterly meeting at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 12. The agenda will be available on Wednesday, Nov. 2. Request a copy of the agenda by emailing calpolyfoundation@calpoly.edu. According to Cal Poly Foundation Policy 122, written comments must be emailed to to calpolyfoundation@calpoly.edu before the meeting. The submission deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4. Staff and members of the public are encouraged to participate virtually, but they must register first. Request Zoom login information by registering as a non-speaking guest at least 72 hours before the meeting with the Cal Poly Foundation Office, at calpolyfoundation@calpoly.edu. For more information, contact the Cal Poly Foundation office at ext. 6-7147 or email calpolyfoundation@calpoly.edu.
Change the World Challenge Deadline Extended to Oct. 28
Last year, Cal Poly kicked off the Change the World Challenge, a transformative, multidisciplinary student design competition that addressed the world’s most pressing contemporary problems. In May, $35,000 was awarded to students who spent three quarters balancing technical concerns with social, cultural, economic, historical, political and environmental implications related to the challenge theme, Solutions for Living in a Post-COVID World. The Change the World Challenge is continuing this year and students will collaboratively design technology-based approaches to society’s greatest challenges. There are three award opportunities, including a top award of $20,000. The faculty co-chairs of the challenge are Rebekah Oulton (Environmental Engineering Department, roulton@calpoly.edu) and Dawn Neill (R-EDGE, dbneill@calpoly.edu). Faculty mentors for the student teams include Priya Verma (Natural Resources Management Department), Jill Speece (Industrial Engineering Department), Christina Firpo (History Department), Erik Sapper (Chemistry and Biochemistry Department) and Miranda Yin (Marketing Area). Students can apply by Oct. 28.
Transfer Inclusion Training for Staff and Faculty Set for Nov. 2
In an effort to create a more inclusive and equitable environment for transfer students at Cal Poly, the Transfer Center is offering a Transfer Inclusivity Training to all staff, faculty and grad students from 10-11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 2, on Zoom. This training will run 90 minutes and includes a short break. To learn more about ways to support a transfer-inclusive Cal Poly, check out the supporting transfers website.
Baker/Koob Endowment Funds Available for Student Research
Proposals are being accepted for the Baker/Koob Endowments, which support hands-on, project-based learning opportunities for individual students and groups at Cal Poly. This year, approximately $65,000 is available with anticipated funding for 18-24 projects. All students are invited to apply for funding, which may be used for student support, student and faculty travel, student and faculty expenses associated with participation in student research, group projects, conferences, competitions, and equipment and materials related to student research. Completed proposals, including a letter of support from a faculty advisor, are due electronically to baker-koob@calpoly.edu by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15. Email baker-koob@calpoly.edu with any questions. In the photo, civil engineering student and 2021-22 Baker/Koob Grant Recipient Corinne Watson and Professor Amro El Badawy are researching new methods for carbon capture.
Get Involved in Cal Poly's Efforts to Support Offshore Wind Power Generation
The Corporate Engagement and Innovation (CEI) office has opportunities for faculty who are interested in research related to offshore wind development efforts along the Central Coast. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) just announced Dec. 6 as the final lease sale on the Morro Bay Offshore Wind Lease Area. The Morro Bay Wind Lease Area, a 376-square-mile area northwest of Morro Bay, is ideally situated for offshore wind turbines because of the wind profile in that zone, its low environmental impact, and its proximity to the 500-kilovolt powerlines that terminate at Diablo Canyon Power Plant and are anticipated to be available after the nuclear power plant’s decommissioning. Cal Poly is poised to play a significant role in supporting the auction winner's feasibility and impact studies in the Morro Bay wind lease area through its faculty expertise, Cal Poly Pier and Tech Park facilities. In 2020, a Cal Poly research team found that offshore winds along the Central Coast increase at the same time that people start using more energy — in the late afternoon/evening — making it an ideal candidate to fill the gap left by solar and on-shore wind energy production. California has one of the most ambitious energy goals in the world: 100% renewable, carbon-free power by 2045. Floating wind turbines off the Central Coast will be a critical part of meeting this goal. Faculty interested in learning more can visit CEI's page on offshore wind and can contact CEI at cei@calpoly.edu.
Nominations Sought for Outstanding Staff Award
Staff employees, faculty members and department or division heads are encouraged to submit nominations for the Outstanding Staff Award. The deadline to submit a nomination for the 2022-23 award is Friday, Jan. 20. To be eligible, nominees must be permanent, full-time employees of the university, corporation or ASI, who have completed at least three years of employment as of Dec. 31, 2022 (10-month employees are eligible). Employees represented by bargaining unit 3 (faculty), former recipients of the award and student assistants are not eligible.
Find selection criteria and the nomination form
Form Available for Employees with Dependents Seeking Admission
Faculty and staff members who have a dependent applying to Cal Poly as an undergraduate for fall 2023 should complete the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Faculty/Staff Dependent Inquiry Form for the Admissions office. The form is required to be considered as a possible faculty/staff dependent.
Distinguished Teaching Award Nominations Are Open
The Distinguished Teaching Award recognizes Cal Poly faculty who demonstrate excellence in teaching. Only students and alumni may submit nominations, so faculty are encouraged to notify their classes and direct them to the nomination form on the Distinguished Teaching Award webpage. The deadline for nominations is Thursday, Nov. 24 — Thanksgiving Day. For more information, contact the Academic Senate Office at academic-senate@calpoly.edu.
The Staff Learning Community Seeking Support, Meets Oct. 19
The Staff Learning Community, or SLC, provides a forum for learning and exchange among a critical group on campus — administrative professionals. On the third Wednesday of each month, the SLC hosts a program designed to support administrative professionals in gathering the essential information needed to do their jobs. This month’s virtual meeting will be held from 11:10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19. Sessions are typically recorded and available later on the SLC Wiki. These SLC forums bring together individuals to learn the tricks of the trade from knowledgeable employees across campus regarding the systems, policies, procedures and topics that impact the entire Cal Poly community. All are welcome to attend. The SLC operates through volunteers. Anyone who would like to contribute to this meaningful cause, has an idea for a speaker or topic that would make your job easier, would like to share their expertise, could serve as a moderator, or are interested in providing support in any capacity, can email learnandgrow@calpoly.edu.
Learn more on the Staff Learning Community webpage
Service-Learning Faculty Fellows Program Accepting Applications
The Center for Service in Action (CSA) and the Center for Teaching, Learning and Technology (CTLT) invite faculty to apply individually or in teams to be Service-Learning (SL) Faculty Fellows for the 2022-23 academic year. Service learning combines learning goals and community service in ways that can enhance both student growth and the common good. The purpose of the program is to support expanding the number of service-learning courses offered across campus. Stipends are available. Interested faculty should submit their online application by 5 p.m. Monday Oct. 31. Anyone with questions about the program can contact faculty liaison for service learning Anurag Pande at apande@calpoly.edu.
Take Advantage of Professional Development Courses in November
Employee and Organization Development is sharing the release of the November professional development offerings as part of the Cross Campus Collaboration — a series of online workshops offered by Cal Poly and other CSU campuses. These unique opportunities extend learning beyond campus borders and offer a new way to share professional development. New courses and dates have been added for November. View and register using the links below. Registration opens Oct. 24 on a first-come basis.
- Communicating with Impact!: Nov. 2, 9-10:30 a.m.
- Book Circle: Crucial Conversations (Session 1 of 3): Nov. 2, 1-2 p.m.
- Personal Branding for Career Success: Nov. 8, 10 a.m.-noon.
- Nurturing Emotional Well-Being: Nov. 8, 2-3:15 p.m.
- Communicating with Impact!: Nov. 9, 9-10:30 a.m.
- Preparing Emotionally to Transition to Retirement: Nov. 15, 11 a.m.-noon.
- Interviewing 101 Workshop: Nov. 16, 2-3 p.m.
- Exposing Hidden Bias: Nov. 18, 9-10:30 a.m.
- The Five Elements of Well-being: Nov. 18, 10:30-noon.
- Personal Branding -- Building your Professional Presence: Nov. 30, 2-3 p.m.
Learn more on the Upcoming Opportunities page
Be Aware of Email Security and Phishing
Phishing is one of the most common cyberattacks seen at Cal Poly. Scammers send emails aimed at tricking recipients into thinking they are from a business, classmate, professor or even the university. Before clicking on a link or opening an attachment, take a few seconds to ensure the email looks legitimate:
- Does the email stress urgency to click a link?
- Does the sender’s e-mail address match a legitimate sender?
- Does it include requests to send personal information or gift cards?
Scammers tend to impersonate legitimate companies, faculty or staff, usually asking to cash fake checks or to send gift card codes — with the recipient at risk of losing thousands of dollars. Report suspicious emails using the "Report Phishing" button in your inbox, and Cal Poly’s Information Security team will review it. To learn how to keep yourself safe from phishing, visit StaySafeOnline.org.
A Better Way to Buy is Coming to Cal Poly
The CSUBUY Marketplace update in July 2020 was the first step in transforming the way the CSU manages the Source-to-Pay process at Cal Poly. This change created a foundation for the university’s upcoming implementation of automated workflow, approvals, requisitioning, purchase orders and accounts payable functionality with integration into the Common Financial System (CFS). Trainings will be offered leading up to the CSUBUY launch in fall 2023 to help Cal Poly community members prepare for this new, more efficient process. More information is forthcoming.
Safer Hosts Dating Violence Action Month
Join Safer and Lumina Alliance this October for Dating Violence Action Month, with the theme of “We Deserve.” In all our relationships, we deserve respect, equity, honesty, bodily autonomy, independence, boundaries, healing, joy and more. Highlighted events include weekly informal Lunch and Learns at various lawns across campus for all Cal Poly community members; engaging student workshops and booths; collaborative SLO community events; and continuous education and giveaways on Instagram @calpolysafer.
Cal Poly Food Day Events Planned for Oct. 27
Food Day 2022 events will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, on Dexter Lawn. This student-led event intends to celebrate healthy, affordable and sustainably produced food while raising awareness of food system issues as they relate to public health nutrition, food justice and sustainability. Come learn more, win prizes and take home a rosemary or basil seedling. Contact Anna Cahn for more information.
Cal Poly Pier Open House Set for Oct. 29
The Center for Coastal Marine Sciences welcomes everyone to explore the Cal Poly Pier between 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, in Avila Beach. Guests will be able to interact with marine creatures in touch tanks, view tiny marine species through microscopes and learn about whale migrations. Interactive displays will offer insights into scientific studies conducted by Cal Poly researchers and students on protection of local ocean ecosystems, sustaining fisheries, mapping currents and more. Visitors are encouraged to bring cameras for photos of sea creatures and the incredible views of San Luis Bay. To best prepare, guests should be aware the pier with grating is 1.2 miles round trip. Closed-toe walking shoes are required (flip-flops or heels prohibited) and visitors should bring their own water bottles. Pets must be left at home (only ADA service dogs permitted).
Learn more about the open house
New Mustang Shuttle App Makes Catching a Ride Even Easier
Catching a ride on the Mustang shuttle is even easier this fall following the release of a new Mustang Shuttle app. The app allows users to track the location and times of the shuttles as they make their routes across campus. ASI, the University Union Advisory Board, University Housing and the Cal Poly Corporation partnered with Public Safety to extend the Mustang Shuttle Service with new daytime hours this fall. Mustang Shuttle runs during the day from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and in the evening from 7 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. daily, not including academic holidays or breaks. Riders can download the free Mustang Shuttle mobile app from the Apple Store or Google Play.
Theatre and Dance to Present ‘Twelfth Night, or What You Will’ in November
The fall 2022 Mainstage Production, “Twelfth Night,” will be performed at Spanos Theatre at 8 p.m. Nov. 3-5 and 10-12, and at 2 p.m. The Theatre and Dance Department is pleased to welcome guest director Peter Hadres for its highly anticipated production of William Shakespeare's “Twelfth Night.” Hadres is a seasoned Shakespearean director, actor and fight choreographer who has spent decades working in Shakespeare festivals and regional theaters all over the country. He was a resident artist at the Pacific Conservatory Theater (PCPA) for 20 years. “Twelfth Night” is one of Shakespeare’s most successful comedies. Its popularity with audiences is due partially to the fact that it has something for everyone — music, shipwrecks, romance, mistaken identities, unrequited love, comic relief and even swordplay.
Get Tickets to 'Twelfth Night'
Intercultural Competence Set for Nov. 4
The School of Education and the World Languages and Cultures Department invites faculty and staff to an event from 4-5:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4, in the Mathematics and Science Building (No. 38, Room 121) for discussion and networking around the importance of intercultural competence for faculty, staff and the students they serve. The event is intended to create a space for like-minded faculty and staff to meet and collaborate. The event will include a panel presentation by Paso Robles High School Social Studies teacher Geoffrey Land and his students, “In Search of Self: Identity in the Curriculum.” Following this presentation, faculty and staff will have the opportunity to make connections with colleagues across disciplines and to brainstorm pathways for our students to become culturally responsive professionals.
Wind and Mustang Bands to Present Bandfest Nov. 4
Nearly 300 students will perform for Bandfest at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4, in the Performing Arts Center. The combined forces of Cal Poly’s Wind Orchestra, Wind Ensemble and Mustang Band will open the concert with Stephen Montague’s “Intrada, 1631.” The Wind Orchestra’s set will include Kim Archer’s “Awakenings,” Julie Giroux’ “Let Your Spirit Sing” and Gustav Holst’s Suite in E flat. The Wind Ensemble will continue the program with “Distanced,” composer Alex Shapiro’s response to the COVID-19 protocols; “Esprit de Corps” by Robert Jager, a celebration of the bond that sustained arts organizations during the pandemic shutdown; and Giovanni Santos’ new work, “Chavez, 1927,” which celebrates the life and work of civil rights activist and leader Cesar Chavez. Mustang Band will conclude the concert with arrangements the group is performing at this fall’s football games in Spanos Stadium. The band will perform music by Lizzo and Green Day, traditional school songs and more. More information is on the Music Department calendar website. Tickets are sold at the Cal Poly Ticket Office, ext. 6-4849. For more information, call ext. 6-2406.
Writers at Work Events to be Held Oct. 27, Nov. 10
The campus community is invited to two upcoming Writers at Work events. Both are free and open to the public, and supported by the College of Liberal Arts and English Department.
- A virtual reading by poet, teacher and essayist Danusha Laméris will start at 2:10 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, on Zoom. Laméris, at left in photo, is the author of “The Moons of August,” which won the Autumn House Press poetry prize, and “Bonfire Opera,” winner of the Northern California Book Award in Poetry. The 2020 recipient of the Lucille Clifton Legacy Award, Laméris is Poet Laureate Emeritus of Santa Cruz County.
- An in-person reading with Cal Poly faculty member Mira Rosenthal will be held at 2:10 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10, in the Baker Center for Science and Mathematics (No. 180), Room 102. Rosenthal’s “Territorial” was recently selected for the Pitt Poetry Series, and her first collection, “The Local World,” won the Wick Poetry Prize. She has received a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship and a Wallace Stegner Fellowship from Stanford University.
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 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 includes 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 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.
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.