Get Involved in CSU Chancellor Search in February
The campus community is invited to participate in the search for the ninth chancellor of the CSU system. Three open forums will take place in early February, each with a virtual option. These forums will serve as a chance to speak directly to members of the committees that are guiding a comprehensive and inclusive recruitment. Participants are encouraged to weigh in on the CSU priorities that are most important to them, such as inclusive excellence, workforce preparation, enrollment, educational equity or academic programming. Attendees can Zoom with advance registration or watch the livestream of the sessions. The forums will be held:
- Feb. 7, noon to 2 p.m., CSU Chancellor’s Office. Register for virtual public comment.
- Feb. 8, noon to 2 p.m., California State University, Bakersfield. Register for virtual public comment.
- Feb. 9, noon to 2 p.m., San Francisco State University. Register for virtual public comment.
Joe Borzellino Appointed Associate Vice President of Strategic Enrollment Management
Joe Borzellino, interim director of Enrollment Planning and Management, has been appointed associate vice president of Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM). In this role, Borzellino will leverage his experience in managing enrollment and course demand to move key SEM initiatives forward, including increasing student body diversity and improving student retention. Borzellino joined the Mathematics Department in 2001, became a full professor in 2010 and served as chair from 2012-18. He earned his doctorate in mathematics from UCLA and previously held faculty positions at UC Davis, UCLA and Penn State Altoona. His research interests lie in the area of the differential geometry and topology of orbifolds, in which he is a recognized international expert. Borzellino has been an impactful leader universitywide for two decades and looks forward to serving the larger interests and goals of Cal Poly in this new role.
Cal Poly Rose Float Seeks Design Ideas for 2024 Rose Parade Entry
Cal Poly Rose Float is calling for design ideas for its entry in the 135th Rose Parade in 2024 — the milestone 75th year for the Cal Poly universities’ program. The winner of the 2024 Rose Float Concept Contest will see their design come to life as a 55-foot-long animated mechanical wonder, every inch bedecked in flowers, colorful vegetables and fruit as well as other organics, including tiny seeds and exotic floral material from land and sea. The winner also can choose between two tickets to the 110th Rose Bowl Game or $500. The deadline for submissions is 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 3. The float will roll down the 5.5-mile-long parade route Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, and then will be on display at FloatFest, the two-mile showcase of Rose Parade® floats, after the two-hour event concludes. The theme of the 2024 Rose Parade, “Celebrating a World of Music,” aims to celebrate how music acts to bring people together.
Learn more about the concept contest
Cal Poly Named 2022 AASHE Sustainability Award Winner
Cal Poly is among six CSU campus partners to share global recognition for their efforts to reshape how the system teaches its nearly half a million students about climate change. The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education bestows its prestigious awards on the institutions and individuals that help lead higher education to a sustainable future. In 2022, AASHE announced 12 winners from 430 entries in five categories. The CSU entry received the coveted Campus Sustainability Achievement Award. Entries were judged on overall impact, innovation, stakeholder involvement, clarity and other criteria specific to each category. Cal Poly was honored for its collaborative effort with five other CSU campuses — Chico, Humboldt, Monterey Bay, San Marcos and Stanislaus — to establish the CSU Faculty Learning Community in Teaching Climate Change and Resilience.
Seventh Annual Social Justice Teach In to be Held Feb. 9
On Thursday, Feb. 9, join the College of Liberal Arts and the Office of University Diversity and Inclusion as they host the seventh annual Social Justice Teach In, a daylong series of talks and workshops centered around equity and social justice, designed to inform and inspire. All are welcome at these virtual and in-person events featuring presentations from students, staff, faculty and community leaders. Over 40 sessions will be available to choose from in five different tracks focused on specific topics to help attendees find sessions to match their interests: pathways to Hispanic-serving institutions; diversity, equity and inclusion in engineering; reproductive justice; pop culture and media; and restorative justice: beyond incarceration. The day will culminate with Stanford University Professor of Psychology Claude M. Steele presenting his keynote address titled “Stereotype Threat and Identity Threat: The Science of a Diverse Community.” Visit the CLA Website for the full schedule and registration.
Campus Community Invited to Black Legacy Cal Poly Events
The Black Faculty and Staff Association, in partnership with other campus entities, will present a variety of in-person and virtual events through Thursday, Feb. 9, to celebrate the second annual Black Legacy Cal Poly. Faculty, staff and students, their families and the broader community are invited to celebrate the Black Cal Poly collective, Black power and unity, and Black culture. Noteworthy virtual events include a Feb. 7 panel featuring perspectives on life at Cal Poly for Black alumni from 1950 to the present. An RSVP is requested for all other events. Events that require tickets (e.g., basketball games, shows, etc.) will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis.
Feedback Sought on Inclusive Restrooms
Cal Poly is committed to ensuring that everyone on campus feels safe and included. Based on a public listening session hosted Jan. 24 by the Office of the Dean of Students, College of Liberal Arts and Facilities, the participants agreed to move forward with removing gendered signage from multi-stall restrooms and replacing it with fully inclusive signage in the Dexter Building (No. 34), Rooms 136 and 139. A follow-up listening session will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 23, in Kennedy Library, Room 209. Faculty and staff are invited to share their experience using the restrooms in the Dexter Building (either Room 136 or 139) by taking a quick, anonymous survey. Survey results will be used to make informed decisions about future all-gender multi-stall bathroom conversions. Anyone with questions or concerns can reach out to Dean of Students Joy Pedersen at [email protected].
Save the Date for Annual Service Awards Ceremony, Reception
State, Corporation and ASI employees with milestone service anniversaries in 2022 will be honored at the Annual Service Awards ceremony from 2:30 to 4 p.m. Thursday, March 9, in the Performing Arts Center Miossi Hall. A reception with appetizers will follow in the Performing Arts Center Main Lobby from 4 to 5 p.m. View the program for a complete listing of awardees. All attendees will be required to RSVP (a link will be posted in a future issue of Cal Poly Report). There is no cost to attend the ceremony or reception. All award recipients will receive an email with a link to RSVP to the event in the upcoming weeks, and are required to RSVP to attend. Contact the committee chair at [email protected] with questions.
Corporation Board of Directors to Meet Feb. 3
A Corporation board of directors meeting has been scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 3, in the third floor Conference Room of the Vista Grande Dining Complex (No. 112). Public comments for this meeting must be submitted by 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 1, to [email protected]. This meeting will be held in person; the Zoom webinar is for the public to view only. More information and the agenda will be made available on the Cal Poly Corporation website five days in advance of the meeting. Discussion topics can be added to the agenda at the discretion of the board. Anyone with questions should call Holly Clark at ext. 6-1131.
Cal Poly Foundation Board of Directors Meeting Set for Feb. 11
The board of directors of the Cal Poly Foundation will hold a quarterly meeting at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 11. In compliance with Cal Poly Foundation Policy 122, public comments for this meeting must be submitted in writing by 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 3, via email to [email protected]. Obtain a copy of the agenda after Jan. 31 by emailing [email protected]. Staff and members of the public are encouraged to participate virtually and can request Zoom login information by registering with the Cal Poly Foundation Office at [email protected]. Registration as a nonspeaking guest for electronic or telephonic meetings is required prior to the meeting. Once registered, attendees will be provided with login details to join as an attendee. Email registration requests to [email protected] at least 72 hours prior to the meeting. For more information, contact the Cal Poly Foundation office at ext. 6-7147 or via email.
‘Falling Forward’ Reaches New Heights
Orchesis Dance Company’s winter concert, “Falling Forward,” explored gravity, inertia and unbridled expression during its six January shows. The 53rd annual concert was a mosaic of 12 diverse performances — mostly contemporary dance with highlights of delicate ballet, traditional Folklórico, jazz and hip hop. The show is a capstone experience for students in the Theatre and Dance Department, paralleling the artistic and technical rigor a professional dancer undergoes in preparation for a concert. This year’s show came together over months of preparation anchored by DANC 345:Choreography/Workshop in Dance Concert Preparation. Four of the show’s pieces were choreographed by students, four by faculty, and four by visiting professionals as part of the Artists in Residence program. “We like to think that we are exemplary of Learn by Doing because we physically do it. We take group projects to its zenith,” said professor and company director Diana Stanton.
Students Honored by Lawmakers at State Capitol
Nineteen students were recognized for their awards, hard work and other accomplishments by state lawmakers on the floors of the state Assembly and Senate in Sacramento on Jan. 30. “These young adults have distinguished themselves in so many ways during their time at Cal Poly,” said President Armstrong, who accompanied the group to Sacramento. “They truly are representatives of our campus’s Learn by Doing ethos and individuals who are an inspiration to students in middle and high schools who seek to achieve a hands-on education.” The students, who represent all six colleges, have distinguished themselves as an individual or on a team that has received a national industry award or in other high-profile events.
Faculty Member Contributes to Open-Source Scientific Solutions
BioResource and Agricultural Engineering Department Assistant Professor Matt Haberland was recently awarded a grant of $325,000 from the Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI)’s Essential Open-Source Software for Science (EOSS) program. Haberland’s work aims to improve shortcomings in SciPy (Scientific Python), which is an open-source library for the Python programming language. SciPy helps solve complex mathematical or scientific problems — the kind of problems frequently seen in biomedical and other research. It has been used for things like COVID-19 vaccine distribution optimization, modeling of disease spread and processing images from telescopes that survey the far reaches of space. Haberland's goals include making SciPy's biomedical research tools faster and more reliable, adding features to make SciPy more useful for researchers, improving SciPy's interface and assisting other researchers in their use of SciPy via outreach and documentation.
Read more about Haberland's work
Strategic Enrollment Management Hosts College Readiness Event for Middle Schoolers
Strategic Enrollment Management’s (SEM) team of recruitment and admissions officers hosted 448 AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) students from San Luis Obispo and northern Santa Barbara counties on campus Jan. 26. Aligned with AVID’s purpose — to prepare middle school students for college eligibility and success — SEM provided information about applying to Cal Poly and the importance of enrolling in A-G coursework in high school. The students enjoyed campus tours, club performances and an interactive Learn by Doing trivia relay where their new knowledge was tested and rewarded with prizes. The participating schools included Flamson, Laguna, Lewis, Los Osos and Vandenberg middle schools; Arellanes, El Camino, Fesler, Mackenzie and Tommie Kunst junior highs; and Wonderful Education.
2024-25 and 2025-26 Academic Calendars Now Available
The 2024-25 and 2025-26 academic calendars have recently been approved and are available on the Office of the Registrar website.
Apply for Learn by Doing Scholar Awards by March 10
Kennedy Library has announced a call for applications from faculty for the 2022-23 Learn by Doing Scholar Awards, which recognize faculty contributions that demonstrate the impact of Cal Poly’s educational approach, translate conventional learning into practice and make a difference locally, nationally and internationally. Two awards will be presented, each accompanied by a cash prize of $2,000. Faculty from all disciplines are welcome to apply, and team applications are welcome and may include staff and students. Faculty self-nominate and directly submit applications online. Applications are reviewed by a faculty committee with representatives from each college and the library. Applications must be submitted online by 5 p.m. Friday, March 10. The Learn by Doing Scholar Awards will be presented at the 2023 Fall Convocation.
Safer Hosting Two Upcoming Workshops for Faculty and Staff Feb. 2 and 22
Safer invites faculty and staff to learn more in two upcoming workshops.
- Feb. 2: This one-hour workshop focuses on how faculty and staff can best support students and colleagues who have experienced sexual assault, dating or domestic violence, stalking, harassment or exploitation. This training will cover such topics as how to respond to disclosures and how to apply trauma-informed techniques in your classroom and workspace, as well as information about campus and community resources. Join the workshop.
- Feb. 22: A two-hour Safer Action Planning Workshop will help faculty and staff members grow as leaders in gender and power-based violence prevention. Delve into the root causes of gender and power-based violence and explore risk and protective factors for sexual violence perpetration. Participants will create individual plans of how to integrate violence prevention activities into their specific position on campus. Join the workshop.
University Advising/Retention Team Launches Website
The University Advising/Retention team has launched its new website, retention.calpoly.edu. Developed out of Cal Poly’s Graduation Initiative 2025, the retention team focuses on eliminating equity gaps by identifying and removing barriers to student retention, re-enrollment and graduation. Retention specialists provide time-sensitive support to students who are taking time off through the Informal Time Off, Leave of Absence and Active Not Enrolled processes, mitigating potential hurdles to re-enrollment. As part of the Cal Poly advising community, the retention team facilitates use of data to prioritize proactive advising, identifies college-specific barriers to retention/graduation and reviews policies to advocate for change.
Proposals for Continuing Instructionally Related Activities Due March 3
The Instructionally Related Activities Advisory Committee has announced the call for proposals for the 2023-24 fiscal year for any activities seeking continued recognition and funding. Proposals for continuing IRAs are due March 3. An instructionally related activity (IRA) is an extracurricular "out-of-class experience" that provides enrichment to students and enhances their learning. 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. Forms, instructions, videos and other information can be found at https://academicprograms.calpoly.edu/content/IRA/index. Contact Jessica Carson at [email protected] with questions or for assistance with proposals.
Cal Poly Preschool Learning Lab to Offer a Summer Program
The Cal Poly Preschool Learning Lab will offer a new summer program from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, June 19-Aug. 31. Faculty and staff will receive first priority and will be automatically enrolled into the regular fall 2023 academic year program if their children are continuing in preschool (i.e., not going to transitional kindergarten or kindergarten). To be eligible, children must be 3 years old by June 19 and fully potty-trained. Limited spaces are available. Add your child to the waiting list by submitting the application form to the Psychology and Child Development Department office. Application fees will be collected if a space is offered and accepted. Tuition rates will be available in late March. Questions can be directed via email to Director Patty Clarkson at [email protected].
University Personnel Offers Well-Being Workshops in February and March
University Personnel has worked with Cal Poly’s employee assistance program, LifeMatters, to offer synchronous well-being workshops. They include:
- Managing Multiple Priorities: How do you prioritize the many tasks demanding your attention? In this session you will learn practical strategies for planning your time, prioritizing tasks, organizing and managing workload. Feb. 23 at 3 p.m.
- Assertive Communication: Improve your understanding of effective communication styles. Join Jessica Coats to learn about four styles of interpersonal behavior, assertive versus aggressive communication, self-esteem, addressing conflict, setting boundaries, and tips for effective workplace communication. March 28 at 11 a.m.
Contact Lisa Gray at [email protected] for more information on well-being workshops.
Proposals for New Instructionally Related Activities Due Feb. 3
The Instructionally Related Activities Advisory Committee has announced the call for proposals for fiscal year 2023-24 for any activities seeking first-time recognition. An Instructionally Related Activity (IRA) is an extracurricular "out-of-class” experience that provides enrichment to students and enhances their learning at Cal Poly. IRA funds cannot be used to fund specific projects or field trips as part of an academic course. Forms, instructions and other relevant information is on the Academic Programs and Planning webpage. Proposals for new IRAs are due to college deans Feb. 3. Allow ample time for signature routing in AdobeSign. The call for continued recognition for currently recognized IRAs will go out separately in early February and be due in March. For additional information, contact Jessica Carson at [email protected].
New Winter Book Circles Available to Employees
Employee and Organization Development has announced the winter 2023 Book 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 four sessions. The books include:
- “Inclusion on Purpose” by Ruchika Tulshyan. Inclusion takes awareness, intention and regular practice. Join in discussing the cutting-edge inclusion practices presented and learn how to meaningfully promote inclusion and diversity.
- “Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success” by Adam Grant explores why our interactions with others hold the key to success, and in the process reveals new approaches to work, relationships and productivity.
View full descriptions and register to attend
Save the Date for the Chancellor’s Office CSUBUY Roadshow
The CSUBUY Project Team will host a roadshow at Cal Poly on Wednesday, Feb. 15, in UU 220 to provide a first look at the CSUBUY Procure-to-Pay application — a streamlined automated platform that gives employees a straightforward way to purchase goods and services and covers every step from requisition to payment — and to meet the team.Different sessions covering specific topics for operational teams, campus users and fiscal approvers will be offered by invitation. A Town Hall meeting will be held from 12:30-1:30 p.m. for anyone who would like to ask questions. Attendees will be also able to see the application in its most configured state thus far and learn what the change will mean for them. Project next steps including training and go-live activities will also be communicated. Visit the CSUBUY website for more information or contact Strategic Business Services at ext. 6-2232.
James Blacklock Guthrie, associate professor emeritus of architectural engineering in the College of Architecture and Environmental Design, passed away Nov. 9, 2022, at 72. Guthrie, born March 25, 1950, in Pittsburgh, attended undergraduate school at UC Davis and graduate school at UC Berkeley before starting his structural engineering career in 1974 in San Francisco. After a six-month introspective interlude in East Africa, he engaged in a multi-decade enterprise with Forell/Elsesser Structural Engineers, where colleagues described him as “a brilliant engineer and an amazing mentor.” He retired from Forell/Elsesser as senior principal before coming to Cal Poly in 2009, where he taught in the Architectural Engineering Department, retiring in 2016. Guthrie met his wife, Terry Wigle, on a weeklong blind date in 1978. After more than 40 years of busy city life, they retired to the small town of Bolinas, California. Beyond his passion for building and construction, Guthrie loved good meals and conversations with family and friends. By all accounts, a humble, caring, and disarming man, he was careful, measured, patient, considerate, and always generous in sharing his time and the benefit of his experience. A host of family and friends attended a celebration of life in December, including Architectural Engineering Department Head Al Estes. “A theme that ran through everyone’s tribute was that in addition to being a great engineer, Jim was truly a kind man,” Estes said. “That is how I will remember him.”
Campus Dining Celebrates Kindness with National ‘Delight-Ful’ Event
On Wednesday, Feb. 15, Campus Dining will join more than 300 college campuses in hosting a “Delight-Ful” event to recognize and celebrate the community and the importance of goodwill on campus. The event will feature Louisiana-style fare courtesy of Chef Jarvis Greene, a former New England Patriots defensive lineman and two-time Super Bowl champion; live music; free samples from Cal Poly vendors; a photo booth; giveaways and much more. Come by Campus Market between 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Learn more about "Delight-Ful"
Faculty and Staff Can Renew Their Passport on Campus Feb. 28
The Cal Poly International Center is partnering with FIE: The Foundation for International Education and all six colleges to offer its second Passport Event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28, at the Advanced Technology Laboratories Keck Lab (No. 7, Room 2). One hundred students will be able to get their first passport. In addition, the U.S. Postal Service will be able to process up to 40 U.S. passport renewals for faculty and staff. Interested employees should fill out a brief form by Feb. 10. Once available, the International Center will share a link to the USPS reservation webpage to schedule an appointment on a first-come basis.
Learn more about the Passport Event
Apply Now to Transform Campus Utility Boxes into Works of Art
Applications are being accepted for the Utility Box Art Project — a campus beautification initiative transforming utility boxes into works of public art to enhance the vibrancy of the campus and showcase local talent. All students, faculty, staff and community members are invited to submit an application by Feb. 15 via email to [email protected]. Selected artists will be notified in March and will receive a $250 Amazon gift card to cover necessary materials.
View the Utility Box Art Project guidelines and apply
Subscriptions Available through Kennedy Library
All faculty, staff and students have full access to the Chronicle of Higher Education and Chronicle of Philanthropy through the campuswide subscription provided by Kennedy Library. Users have access both on and off campus through their portal. Learn more about additional resources and journal access at https://lib.calpoly.edu/.
Campus Blood Drive to Take Place Feb. 2
Be a hero and save up to three lives in just an hour. Join a campus blood drive hosted by Orfalea College of Business, University Personnel, and Campus Health and Wellbeing on Thursday, Feb. 2. A Vitalant bus will be parked on the concrete walkway on Dexter Lawn, near the Dexter Building (No. 34). Appointments are available between 10 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. Scheduled donations are prioritized over walk-ups. Donors are encouraged to hydrate well and eat a hearty meal before donating. Contact Lisa Gray at [email protected] for more information.
Feb. 1 Concert Celebrates Music and Storytelling of Southern Culture
Cal Poly Arts presents Voices of Mississippi, a multimedia event that celebrates the music, art and storytelling traditions of the people of Mississippi, at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 1, in Harold Miossi Hall. Based on the 2019 double-Grammy Award-winning box set “Voices of Mississippi: Artists and Musicians Documented by William Ferris,” the program features live musical performances integrated with film, audio recordings and rare photographs by folklorist William “Bill” Ferris, who will serve as host for the evening. The show will feature musicians Bobby Rush, Sharde Thomas, and Luther and Cody Dickinson of the North Mississippi Allstars, all of whom have deep ties to Mississippi and artists Ferris documented. A 20% faculty and staff discount is available.
Get tickets for Voices of Mississippi
University Art Gallery to Exhibit ‘Somewhere Else’ Feb. 2-March 10
University Art Gallery will present the photography of lecturer Chen Tianqiutao in an exhibit, “Somewhere Else,” from Feb. 2 through March 10. The exhibit will open with a talk by artist at 5 p.m. followed by a reception from 6-7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 2, in the University Art Gallery, located on the ground floor of the Dexter Building (No. 34). “Somewhere Else” comprises three bodies of work interrogating thematic concepts surrounding social and cultural issues and human feelings and relationships. Tianqiutao’s work has been internationally exhibited, and his photobook “The Last Post” won the Lucie Photo Book Prize for the Independent Publishing Category and was shortlisted for the Images Vevey Book Award. Entry to the University Art Gallery is free and open to the public from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
St. Olaf Choir to Perform at the PAC Feb. 2
St. Olaf Choir will perform in Harold Miossi Hall with conductor Anton Armstrong at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2. For more than a century, the St. Olaf Choir has set the gold standard for choral singing, performing for millions around the world. Composed of 75 mixed voices, the St. Olaf Choir is hailed as the nation’s premier a cappella ensemble, renowned for its artistry and beauty of sound. It is internationally renowned for its unique combination of advanced choral singing and the presentation of challenging choral programming with a vast repertoire that includes sacred and secular choral standards, traditional hymns, new compositions, spirituals and more.
Get tickets to see the St. Olaf Choir
Jazz Vocalist Alicia Olatuja to Perform in Spanos Theatre Feb. 3
Cal Poly Arts presents jazz singer Alicia Olatuja at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 3, in Spanos Theatre. Olatuja’s performance of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” during the second inauguration of President Barack Obama stunned a global audience of millions and catapulted her to stardom as one of the most sought-after female jazz singers of our time. Olatuja combines the earthy with the sublime, bringing a grounded relatability to genres as lofty as classical, as venerated as jazz and as gritty as R&B. She has performed extensively with The Juilliard School’s various jazz ensembles; shared the stage with Chaka Khan, BeBe Winans, Christian McBride, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Billy Childs and others; and appeared at national and international music festivals with her own band, earning accolades from fans and the press. A 20% faculty and staff discount is available for this event.
Get tickets to see Alicia Olatuja
Mustang Marching Band to Perform in Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco
The Mustang Band has been invited for the eighth time to participate in the Alaska Airlines Chinese New Year Parade on Saturday, Feb. 4, in San Francisco. The band has been awarded first place in the adult marching bands category multiple times. The band’s more than 210 members, from academic disciplines across campus, perform for nearly 50 occasions on campus each year, including in support of athletic events and university functions. Prior to the 6 p.m. start of the parade, the Mustang Band will continue the tradition of performing some favorite pep and post-game tunes with the UC Davis Marching Band in front of the landmark Ferry Building on the San Francisco Embarcadero at 3 p.m. The Chinese New Year Parade will celebrate the Year of the Rabbit with floats, dragon dancers and other festive entries. The event will be streamed live from the parade’s Facebook page. For more information, contact the Music Department, ext. 6-2406.
SLO Symphony to Present ‘Cello on Fire’ Feb. 4 at the PAC
SLO Symphony will perform “Cello On Fire” at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, in Harold Miossi Hall. Famed cellist Amit Peled brings his talent and artistry back to San Luis Obispo to perform Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No.1. In 2020, during the pandemic, he performed Bach from his studio in Baltimore in a solo digital recording. The symphony will begin with Brahms’ Variations on a theme by Haydn, also known as the St. Anthony Variations, and Ralph Vaughn Williams’ Fantasia on a Theme of Greensleeves. Vaughn Williams taught composition at the Royal College in London during the 1930s, when composer Douglas Lilburn was a student. Lilburn is New Zealand’s foremost composer, and the concert will conclude with his Symphony No. 2.
Get tickets to “Cello on Fire”
Dance Company Brings ‘An Untitled Love’ to the PAC Feb. 9
Cal Poly Arts presents dance company A.I.M, founded by choreographer Kyle Abraham, performing their new work, “An Untitled Love,” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9, in Harold Miossi Hall. “An Untitled Love” draws from the catalog of Grammy-winning R&B legend D’Angelo. This creative exaltation pays homage to the complexities of self-love and Black love, while serving as a thumping mixtape celebrating culture, family and community. A.I.M is a Black-led contemporary dance company that provides multifaceted performances, educational programming and community-based workshops. Abraham has choreographed for the New York City Ballet, NYCB dancer Wendy Whelan, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and more. A 20% faculty and staff discount is available for this event.
Get tickets to “An Untitled Love”
Cal Poly to Present Free ‘Night of Chamber Music’ Feb. 10
Several of Cal Poly’s finest student music ensembles will perform traditional and contemporary chamber music at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10, in Spanos Theatre on campus. “A Night of Chamber Music” will feature student performers from a variety of majors. All are involved in at least one of the department’s large, premier ensembles, which include Cal Poly’s Arab Music Ensemble, Choirs, Symphony, University Jazz Bands, Wind Orchestra and Wind Ensemble. This annual event has long been a favorite of student performers and audiences alike. For more information on the free concert, visit the Music Department calendar website or call ext. 6-2406.
Poet Chen Chen to Headline Writers at Work Event Feb. 16
Join the College of Liberal Arts and the English Department for a virtual reading with poet Chen Chen at 2:10 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, on Zoom. This Writers at Work event is free and open to the public. Chen is the author of “Your Emergency Contact Has Experienced an Emergency” and “When I Grow Up, I Want to Be a List of Further Possibilities,” which was long-listed for the National Book Award and won the Thom Gunn Award, among other honors. He has received two Pushcart Prizes and fellowships from Kundiman, the National Endowment for the Arts and United States Artists.
Take a Linguistic Journey with Italian Writer, Translator Marino Magliani on Feb. 16
The World Languages and Cultures Department and the School of Education invite the campus community to a presentation by Italian writer and translator Marino Magliani from 4-5:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, in the Dexter Building (No. 34), Room 117. In “The Art of Translation: A Linguistic Journey from the Source to the Delta,” Magliani will weave together a transnational experience of literature, geography and ecology, exploring what happens when words are translated from one language into another. He will accompany us on a journey from Liguria — a region celebrated by artists for its beauty, though constantly torn by avalanches and landslides — to Zeewijk, on the Dutch coast, a land of sand perennially afflicted by wind erosion. For more information, contact Spanish Professor Karen Muñoz-Christian at [email protected].
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 [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.