Benefits Open Enrollment Ends Oct. 13
Benefits Open Enrollment, your annual opportunity to review, enroll, make changes or cancel your health and voluntary plans effective January 2024, will conclude Friday, Oct. 13. This includes medical, dental, vision, flexcash, dependent care reimbursement account, health care reimbursement account and voluntary offerings. All plan selections must be completed by the Oct. 13 deadline.
More details are available on the Open Enrollment webpage
Use Strong Passwords and Password Manager to Defend Against Cyberattacks
October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, which kicks off with an article focusing on strong passwords and using a password manager. A password is the first line of defense in a cyberattack. To avoid password vulnerabilities it’s important to use a combination of uppercase, lowercase, special characters (such as !@#$) or a long passphrase. Since strong passwords can be difficult to remember, using a password manager is a handy option. Password managers help individuals securely store and manage passwords through encryption and implementing multi-factor authentication. Cal Poly partners with LastPass, a password manager to keep all your passwords secure and in one place for work or at home. It works across all devices, will notify you of potential phishing websites, and can alert you if any passwords have been compromised.
Learn More about LastPass, Cal Poly’s Password Manager
October Safer Events Highlight Dating Violence Action Month
Join Safer in October for Dating Violence Action Month 2023: “Pathways to Partnerships.” Relationships are a journey — built on communication, trust and continuous growth — and Safer’s offerings all month hope to collectively build toward a healthier standard. October also falls within the first six weeks of the new school year, traditionally considered a time of increased risk of sexual violence on college campuses nationwide. Safer’s focus will spotlight the intersection between dating and sex, particularly on college campuses. Highlighted events include weekly informal Lunch and Learns at various lawns across campus, weekly collaborative booths, a partnership with the Cal Poly Swimming and Diving Program, collaborative community events and continuous education on Instagram @calpolysafer. For more information on Dating Violence Action Month, including event registration and a downloadable Zoom background, visit Safer's website.
October is Breast/Chest Cancer Awareness Month
University Personnel aims to raise awareness of the prevalence and risk factors of breast cancer; many men and non-binary people prefer the term chest cancer. Risk factors include being a woman, age, smoking, obesity, drinking alcohol and lack of regular exercise. Symptoms vary, and sometimes there are no symptoms. Black women are more likely to die from breast cancer than women of other ethnic/racial groups. To promote early detection, conduct monthly self-exams and get an annual screening by your health care provider. It is important to know your body so talk with a medical provider if something changes. Women who inherit a mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene are much more likely to develop breast (and ovarian) cancer. If you are concerned that you could have a mutation, the first step is to collect family cancer health history and share with a doctor. All Cal Poly health plans include breast/chest screenings. Contact your health provider or LifeMatters for more information on prevention and screening. Contact Lisa Gray with questions about LifeMatters at [email protected].
Distinguished Scholarship Award Nominations Open to Honor Faculty Efforts
Nominations are open for the 2023-24 Distinguished Scholarship Award that recognizes faculty with outstanding achievements in scholarship and/or creative activities, including writing, scientific research, the fine arts and many other fields. Faculty, students, staff and alumni can submit nominations The deadline for nominations is noon, Tuesday, Oct. 31. The Academic Senate reviews the nominations. 2023 DSA honoree Seeta Sistla is pictured with President Armstrong at the 2023 Fall Convocation at the Performing Arts Center on Sept. 18. The other distinguished scholarship awardees were Carlos Flores and Clint Francis. Read the trio's biographies on the 2023 staff awards webpage.
Find nomination form at the Academic Senate webpage
National Transfer Student Week! Kickoff is Monday Oct. 16 on Dexter Lawn
The Transfer Center and departments across campus are celebrating National Transfer Student Week — Oct. 16-20 — a week full of building community, connecting transfers with campus resources and sharing transfer pride with the campus. The kickoff is Monday, Oct. 16, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Dexter Lawn.
Check out full list of events on Transfer Center website
Cal Poly Now App Launches to Campus Community
Cal Poly Now, the go-to guide for Student Affairs events, clubs, organizations and other student-focused opportunities, is available as an app. There are over 400 clubs and organizations and thousands of events posted each year in Cal Poly Now. The Cal Poly Now app is designed to make it easier for the campus community to access these experiences, as well as follow clubs and organizations, participate in group chats and grow connections across campus. All current students, faculty and staff can access the app. Download to Apple or Android devices and sign in with your Cal Poly credentials.
Cal Poly College Corps Fellows to Provide Service to SLO Community
The second year of the statewide #CaliforniansForAll College Corps program kicked off Sept. 22, with 195 Cal Poly students sworn in to dedicate their time serving local organizations in the community. Cal Poly serves as the lead institution for the Coastal California College Corps Consortium, which also includes CSU Long Beach, Cuesta College and Allan Hancock College. This year’s consortium includes 335 College Corps fellows, who will focus their efforts in three key areas: climate action, food insecurity and K-12 education. “I guarantee when you’re together again at the end of this experience you will not be the same person, because service changes you,” Dean of Students Joy Pedersen told the fellows. “You will have made a tremendous contribution to your community, but service gives back to you as well.”
Pregnant Participants Needed for Weight Maintenance Program Research
Center for Health Research staff are studying the health effects of a lifestyle program that supports weight maintenance during pregnancy for women with a body mass index (BMI) of 31 or over. Those who are under 15 weeks pregnant may qualify and earn up to $400 to participate in the study. Questions? Visit the center’s website, email [email protected] or call 6-5365.
Volunteers Needed for Healthy Kids and Baby Research Studies
The Healthy Kids Lab is seeking participants for two research studies on infant feeding and development. The studies are open to pregnant women and new mothers with infants under six months old. The Baby Study is examining the relationship between technology use in families and infant development. Participants receive $460 if they complete the 18-month study. The Paced Bottle-Feeding Study aims to support families during breast- and bottle-feeding. Participants receive $140 if they complete a weeklong study. For more information, visit the Healthy Kids Lab website, call or text 805-242-6566 or email the team at [email protected].
Take Advantage of Professional Development Courses in October; Virtual Sessions are Live
Employee and Organization Development is offering October professional development courses through the Cross Campus Collaboration series. These live, virtual workshops are offered by Cal Poly and other CSU campuses. Each provides a unique opportunity for learning beyond campus borders in a convenient way for participants. Registration for the partial list of opportunities is on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Thriving in Remote and Hybrid Teams, Wednesday, Oct. 4; 9 a.m.-noon.
- Train the Trainer (series), Friday, Oct. 6; 10 a.m.-noon.
- Self-Coaching 101, Tuesday, Oct. 10; 9:30-11 a.m.
- Exposing Hidden Bias, Tuesday, Oct. 10; 10:30 a.m.-noon.
- Sustainability in the CSU: 101, Wednesday, Oct. 11; 11 a.m.-noon.
- The Lifelong Learner: Developing Your Intellectual Curiosity, Thursday, Oct. 12; 1:30-3 p.m.
- Avoiding Bias in Hiring, Thursday, Oct. 19; 10 a.m.-noon.
- Increase Productivity with MS OneNote, Wednesday, Oct. 25; 10-11 a.m.
- Decisions, Decisions! Creative Problem Solving and Decision-Making Techniques, Thursday, Oct. 26; 10 a.m.-noon.
- Designing Presentations for Results, Thursday, Oct. 26; 11 a.m.-noon.
See the full Cross Campus Collaboration Sessions
Service-Learning Faculty Fellowship Accepting Applications
The Center for Service in Action and the Center for Teaching, Learning and Technology invite faculty to apply individually or in teams to be part of the Service-Learning Faculty Fellowship for the 2023-24 academic year. Service learning combines learning goals and community service in ways that can enhance student growth and the common good. The fellowship supports expanding the number of service-learning courses offered across campus through faculty stipends and potential funding for future dissemination of this work. The deadline for applications is 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 23. Complete the online application form and submit it. Questions about the program? Email faculty liaison Anurag Pande at [email protected].
Apply for Service-Learning Faculty Fellowship by 5 p.m. Oct. 23
Stress, Home-Life Balance and Strategies for Financial Success Workshops Offered
University Personnel – Employee Wellbeing has worked with Cal Poly’s employee assistance program, LifeMatters, to offer synchronous well-being workshops. These include:
- Stress or Success: Thriving in a Chaotic World — Learn practical ideas on how to reduce stress right away as an overall lifestyle change. Learn causes of stress through understanding the art of resiliency, mindset and attitudes, habits and actions, and connections and relationships. Wednesday, Oct. 18, at 2 p.m.
- Living to Work or Working to Live: Finding Life Balance — What is life balance? Let go of the idea that there is a perfect balance between work and family. There are steps to take to bridge a gap between the two. Learn to identify values, review barriers to life balance, review goals setting and receive tips for life balance. Thursday, Oct. 26, at 2 p.m.
- Ten Steps to Financial Success — No matter how one defines financial success, the path to achieving it requires goal setting. This session includes 10 strategies for financial success including developing a spending plan, creating objectives and weighing insurance needs. Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 10 a.m.
Email Lisa Gray for more information on wellbeing workshops..
Application Deadline for BEACoN Research Faculty Mentorships is Oct. 6
The BEACoN Research Mentoring Program is seeking faculty mentor applications for the next cohort of BEACoN scholars. Run by the Office of University Diversity and Inclusion (OUDI), BEACoN exists to educate, empower and advocate for historically underrepresented students and provide them with funded undergraduate research opportunities. New this year are two project types: Faculty-generated projects (all disciplines welcome) and OUDI-generated projects (select topics to help us gain a greater understanding of our campus community and assist OUDI and campus collaborators in DEI-related efforts). Selected faculty will receive $1,000 per winter/spring quarters ($2,000 total) via Faculty Service payment for their mentoring efforts in research and professional development. Students will receive $2,000 per winter/spring quarters ($4,000 total) via financial aid. Matches will be finalized by the end of fall quarter, with research mentorships occurring during winter and spring quarters. Applications are due 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6. Questions? Email Kelly Bennion at [email protected].
Learn more About BEACoN and apply
Transfer Inclusivity Virtual Training Oct. 9
The Transfer Center will host a Staff and Faculty Transfer Inclusion Training from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, Oct. 9, on Zoom. Register today! The training is focused on learning about Cal Poly’s transfer population, sharing research on practices for creating transfer-inclusive environments and discussing ways to create a transfer-friendly culture for these students. Check out the Supporting Transfer Students website for additional resources to create transfer-friendly websites and transfer-inclusive classrooms. Questions? Email Heather Domonoske at [email protected].
Register for the Oct. 9 Zoom session
Become a First Foster Youth Ally Through Oct. 12 Training
The Office of the Dean of Students, in collaboration with the Guardian Scholars Program, will host its first virtual Foster Youth Ally Training from 10-11:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 12. The goal is to spotlight the experiences of students who have or are currently experiencing foster care. The training will bring together faculty and staff interested in enhancing inclusive and equitable practices to bolster foster students' success. Topics will range from the challenges these students experience while in foster care, what it means to be an ally and discuss strategies for empowering this community of students to succeed.
Register to receive the Zoom link
Peace Ambassador and Observer Virtual Training Oct. 19
The Office of the Dean of Students is offering a virtual Peace Ambassador and Observer training from 11:10 a.m. to noon, Thursday, Oct. 19. Campus organizations occasionally host events that draw protestors and demonstrators, making it essential to ensure the safety and peaceful conduct of these gatherings. Peace Ambassadors assist in safety matters during social action, protests and demonstrations, potentially engaging with participants to defuse situations when safe to do so, providing support, answering questions about logistics and safety, and facilitating communication with campus administration or law enforcement. Observers, on the other hand, play a neutral and impartial role, attending events where conflicts might arise, reporting objectively and inadvertently contributing to a calming effect through their presence. Interested staff and faculty can register for the training at https://forms.office.com/r/XHAN6yFkz0. The Zoom link will be sent out to participants before the event. Questions? Email the Dean of Students office at [email protected].
CTLT Opportunities Abound for Educators
The fall lineup of professional development offerings for campus educators (faculty and staff) from the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Technology is available. Workshops include:
- Building Toward Racial Equity.
- Hybrid Course Design.
- Assignment Design for Academic Integrity.
- Creating Accessible Documents.
- Creating Accessible PowerPoint.
- Creating Accessible Canvas Pages.
Also offered is an extended workshop to earn an ACUE Certificate in Effective College Teaching and a learning community on evaluating inclusive teaching and how that is recognized in faculty evaluations. Book circles include titles on equitable grading practices and teaching methods that promote belonging, growth mindset and resilience. There are also opportunities for academic writing support, an Equitable Grading Community of Practice, and on-demand resources for academic success.
Faculty Advisor Training Series is Oct. 6-20; Still Time to Register
University Advising is offering a Faculty Advisor Training series that introduces undergraduate faculty advisors to academic advising core competencies. Click on the below links to register.
- FA 101: Nuts & Bolts of Faculty Advising, Friday, Oct. 6.
- FA 102: Assemble Your Faculty Advising Toolkit, Friday, Oct. 13.
- FA 103: Building Student Success through Faculty Advising, Friday, Oct. 20.
Questions? Contact Christina Wolfe-Chandler, advisor training coordinator, at [email protected].
Learn by Doing Research Showcase at the Oct. 13 SURP+ Symposium
The annual SURP+ Research Poster Symposium will showcase 100 projects completed as part of Cal Poly’s Summer Undergraduate Research Programs, also known SURP. Student researchers from five colleges will present their findings from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13 at Engineering Plaza, between Engineering IV (No. 192) and Bonderson Engineering Projects Center (No. 197). Student poster presenters worked with faculty members and community partners last summer, resulting in student-faculty co-authored publications and university, industry and community collaborations. In addition, 46 Central Coast community college researchers – from C6 campus as well as Allan Hancock, Cabrillo, Cuesta, Monterey Peninsula, Moorpark, Oxnard College, Santa Barbara City and Ventura colleges – will share their research. The symposium is jointly organized by the Bailey College of Science and Mathematics, the College of Agriculture, Food & Environmental Sciences, the College of Engineering, the College of Liberal Arts, the Orfalea College of Business, and the Office of Student Research in collaboration with LSAMP B2B California Central Coast Community College Collaborative (C6). Additional support is provided by the Division of Research and CSU Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) in STEM Program at Cal Poly.
Learn more about the annual SURP+ Research Poster Symposium
There’s Still Time to Sign Up For Book and Learning Circles
Upcoming Book and Learning Circles from Employee and Organization Development are still open:
Read and discuss books over three to four sessions:
- “Inclusion on Purpose” by Ruchika Tulshyan [
- “Atomic Habits” by James Clear
Learning Circles involve watching a video or other media with a discussion during a single session:
- “Intersectionality at Work” by Michelle Gadsden-Williams
For book and learning circles at capacity, add names to the waitlist. To view all book and learning circles, and to register, visit the Book and Learning Circles webpage at learnandgrow.calpoly.edu.
Mini Graduate School and Research Opportunities Resource Fair Oct. 13
A graduate school and research opportunities fair featuring recruiters from three states as well as Cal Poly and UC Santa Cruz will be held from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13 at Engineering Plaza, between Engineering IV (No. 192) and Bonderson Engineering Projects Center (No. 197). The fair is for students interested in graduate programs or learning how to get involved in research activities in preparation for a master’s program. Learn about doctorate, master’s and certificate programs offered at Cal Poly or partner graduate school institutions as well as resources to support undergraduate and graduate research activities. The fair will be held in conjunction with the annual SURP+ Research Poster Symposium, a showcase of over 100 research projects done by Cal Poly students and faculty last summer and nearly 50 Central Coast community college student researchers. Off-campus recruiters scheduled to attend are from: Oregon State University; Colorado School of Mines; University of Colorado Boulder; and UC Santa Cruz Computer Science and Engineering Department. Cal Poly resources include: Career Services; Graduate Education/Graduate Admissions; Office of Student Research/BEACoN/CSU LSAMP; Extended Professional and Continuing Education; School of Education; and the six colleges. Questions? Email [email protected].
CSU’s Got Talent Webcast: ‘Being the CEO of Your Life’; Watch it Live on Oct. 24
Paula Boggs, veteran, former assistant U.S. attorney, and general counsel at Starbucks, will present “Career Management: Being the CEO of Your Life” from 10 to 11 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 24. Boggs will share her personal journey, taking charge of her own happiness, friendships and financial well-being. Attendees will gain valuable insights and inspiration through her story with a wide array of switchbacks, setbacks and successes. Register and attend this and other free webcasts using this Zoom link. Can’t make it? View previous CSU’s Got Talent recordings on the CSU Learning Hub. Employee and Organization Development is offering the live webcast as part of the CSU’s Got Talent series.
Tune in to the Live Oct. 24 webcast
Work Continues on Tech Park Expansion
Cal Poly broke ground on a 16,200-square-foot expansion of the Technology Park this summer. The project includes a new two-story building adjacent to the existing Mount Bishop Road complex. Building officials anticipate opening the new facility next August. The structure will offer a blend of fully finished spaces primed for immediate occupancy, as well as customizable areas for tenant improvements. The expanded Tech Park will continue to offer an environment where faculty, students and industry professionals can seamlessly collaborate, and it will provide space for startups and opportunities for sponsored research and development. For tenants, the facility will house advanced infrastructure with high-speed internet access. It is being built to LEED Silver certification standards, which reflect the campus’s commitment to sustainable building practices. Reflective of the Cal Poly student body degree paths, the Technology Park focuses on attracting businesses and startups in the public health, cybersecurity, agriculture, and biotechnology and software industries. Pictured, from left, are U.S. Congressman Salud Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, with Cal Poly Project Manager Daniel Contreras and Jon Broyles, corporate safety officer with AMG and Associates. Carbajal visited the work site Sept. 6.
Cal Poly Research Week is Coming Oct. 9-13
The Division of Research invites the campus to attend various events focused on celebrating and creating connections in research, scholarship and creative activities at the university during Research Week, Oct. 9-13. Students are finding more opportunities to engage in academic research and working with faculty mentors. Student authors are writing papers that are generating headlines while they gain real-world experience conducting scientific queries. To learn more and register for specific events, visit research.calpoly.edu/upcoming-events.
Register for October's Research Week
Faculty and Staff Invited to Foster Youth Ally Training Oct. 12
The Office of the Dean of Students, in collaboration with the Guardian Scholars Program, will host its first virtual Foster Youth Ally Training from 10-11:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 12. The goal is to spotlight the experiences of students who have or are currently experiencing foster care. The training will bring together faculty and staff interested in enhancing inclusive and equitable practices to bolster foster students' success. Topics will range from the challenges these students experience while in foster care, what it means to be an ally and discuss strategies for empowering this community of students to succeed.
Register to receive the Zoom link
International Center to Host Study Abroad Fair Oct. 5
Faculty members are encouraged to tell their students about Cal Poly’s myriad study abroad opportunities. Students can learn more at the International Center’s in-person Study Abroad fair for students from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5, on Dexter lawn. The annual event provides a unique opportunity to meet with Cal Poly Global Programs faculty, program representatives, current exchange students and study abroad alumni to learn more about life abroad and discover the right program for every budget, major and lifestyle. The International Center connects students with opportunities to study, intern and get involved with research projects (delete abroad with) in hundreds of programs in over 75 different countries, including multicountry programs. About one in four Cal Poly students go abroad on sponsored programs, earning credit for major, minor and general education courses while immersing themselves in other cultures and developing new competencies that will make them more competitive in the global job market. Questions? Learn more about the fair.
More on International Center’s Oct. 5 Study Abroad Fair
¡Adelante! Register Now for Oct. 17 Cal Poly HSI Symposium with Dolores Huerta
The Office of University Diversity and Inclusion is hosting ¡Adelante!, Cal Poly's inaugural Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) Symposium on Tuesday, Oct. 17, from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The keynote speaker will be Latina labor leader, activist and community organizer Dolores Huerta. This immersive program, will explore the university’s journey towards becoming an HSI and the integral role it plays in Cal Poly's mission. An HSI is where at least 25 percent of undergraduate, full-time enrollment is Hispanic; and at least half of degree-seeking students are from low-income families. The day includes an HSI Task Force panel discussion, a review of task force recommendations, a UU Plaza gathering and resource fair, and workshops for the campus community to engage in thought-provoking discussions, meaningful connections and an inspiring vision for Cal Poly as an HSI. Huerta, who co-founded the United Farm Workers Association, is one of the most influential labor activists of the 20th century and a leader of the Chicano civil rights movement. Registration is required for the keynote event. Adelante, which translates to "forward” from Spanish, is about honoring the past, present and future momentum of this effort and the collective drive to become an HSI that holistically serves and empowers the Latinx/e community. Learn more about the event and register.
Register for the Oct. 17 Cal Poly HSI Symposium
Additional Temporary Study Structures Open
Three new temporary structures opened Sept. 21 to increase study and service opportunities for students during Kennedy Library’s two-year transformation. Located near the library building, the temperature-controlled structures provide comfortable seating and study spaces, power outlets, Wi-Fi, and access to restrooms and nearby Mustang Shuttle stops. The structures, one in the heart of campus on Via Carta near the intersection with North Perimeter Road (Parking Lot H-11) and the other two on California Boulevard near the intersection with North Perimeter Road (Parking Lot C-7) will be open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. These structures offer additional study and gathering spaces to study and join the six other temporary study sites on campus.
Rite Aid Vaccine Clinics Set for Oct. 6, 19, 20 and 27, and Nov. 3 in Recreation Center
Rite Aid pharmacy returns to campus and will host multiple daylong clinics in October and November with COVID-19 and flu vaccines, as well as additional vaccination offerings. Clinics are scheduled: Friday, Oct. 6; Thursday, Oct. 19; Friday, Oct. 20; Friday, Oct. 27; and Friday, Nov. 3. All will be in the ASI Recreation Center (No. 43), Room 107, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Clinics are open to students, employees and community members. Most insurances are accepted, and cash payment is also available. Vaccine Consent Forms are available to download in English and Spanish. Forms will also be available at the clinics. For additional information and the full list of available vaccinations, visit the Campus Health and Wellbeing Vaccinations webpage.
Get Four Free At-Home COVID-19 Tests
Residential households can order one set of four free COVID-19 at-home tests again. There is a limit of one order per residential address, the Sept. 25 announcement said. Each order includes four individual rapid antigen COVID-19 tests. COVIDTests.gov has more details about at-home tests. Orders will ship starting Oct. 2. Order free at-home tests from USPS.com. Before discarding expired COVID-19 test kits, check the FDA website to see if expiration dates have been extended.
Protect Campus Livestock by Not Trespassing Into Animal Enclosures
The College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences reminds all campus visitors, including students, faculty and staff, not to go inside animal units — including fenced enclosures — without permission. Faculty, staff and students are actively engaged in classes, labs and research as well as in the ongoing care of the college’s livestock in these areas. It is essential for the health and safety of all that outside exposure is limited. No-trespassing signs are posted at all campus animal units making it clear where viewing can occur in a safe manner. To request a tour of a livestock operation, email [email protected].
Watch the Replay of Fall Convocation 2023 Presentations
President Armstrong hosted the annual Fall Convocation on Sept. 18 for faculty and staff in the Performing Arts Center. The program included remarks from representatives of student government, the California Faculty Association, the California State University Employee Union and the Academic Senate. Armstrong provided his State of the University address outlining exciting news about a robust summer enrollment opportunity. The award winners were honored for Distinguished Scholarship, Distinguished Teaching, Outstanding Staff, Outstanding Faculty Advisory, Provost Leadership for Partnership in Philanthropy, and Learn by Doing during a recognition ceremony. Visit the Fall Conference Schedule for more details of the welcome to the new school year. Or watch the replay on
YouTube
Kennedy Library Free Furniture Giveaway is Noon to 4 p.m., Oct. 4; Come Early
Kennedy Library Transformation team will host the second in a series of pop-up free furniture events from noon to 4 p.m on Wednesday, Oct. 4, in Parking Lot H-16, on Via Carta near Highland Drive. Come early; the Aug. 30 giveaway started at noon and nearly all of the furniture was gone by 12:30 p.m. All surplus library items — including office chairs, desks and study carousels — are free. The event is hosted in partnership with Cal Poly Green Campus and JackRabbit, an eCommerce startup founded by Cal Poly alumni, in an effort to reduce landfill waste in support of campus sustainability and conservation initiatives. One additional date, open to the public in October, will be announced soon.
Cal Poly Toastmasters Becomes New Club; Meetings Held Noon on Wednesdays
Cal Poly Toastmasters is an officially chartered club and currently stands strong with 20 members. The club is part of Toastmasters International, the well-known nonprofit educational organization to help individuals enhance public speaking and leadership skills. Enjoy a supportive and positive community that empowers members to develop skills through an engaging and interactive program. All are invited you to connect, network and grow! No commitment is required. Cal Poly Toastmasters meets from noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesdays in the main Facilities building, No. 70, Room 110. Email Emily Jenson to learn more at [email protected].
Make a Splash in Your Fitness With ASI Aquatics
Join ASI Aquatics’ Masters and Intermediate Swim classes to enjoy expert swim instruction at the state-of-the-art Cal Poly Recreation Center Lap Pool. Whether you are wanting to improve your technique and endurance with Intermediate Swim or challenge yourself through water interval training with Morning and Evening Masters Swim, there is a class for you. Registration is open.
‘Toltequity: Personal and Community Growth Through Ancient Toltec Knowledge’ Oct. 6 Talk
The World Languages and Cultures Department and College of Liberal Arts will host a virtual presentation by Armando Cruz Sánchez, a practitioner of ancestral Toltec knowledge, Zapotec healer and spiritual guide from Oaxaca, Mexico. The event will be held from 2:10 to 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6. Participants can expand their worldview through the wisdom and practices of the Toltecs, the ancient Mesoamerica civilization. Toltequity is the knowledge aimed at helping individuals realize their full potential, enabling their harmonic integration with the community, the environment, and ultimately, with the Spirit. The Zoom link is calpoly.zoom.us/j/87103509450. Questions? Contact Karen Muñoz-Christian at [email protected] or Angelica Browne at [email protected].
Attend the virtual Zoom presentation on Oct. 6
Statistics Consulting Offered Through Dec. 8
Statistics consulting for the campus is offered by appointment through Dec. 8. The service provides assistance in facilitating research design and data analysis. The Statistics Department can assist a variety of disciplines, said Professor Soma Roy and Associate Professor Steve Rein, who serve as consultants. They can advise on data collection, experimental design and analysis of research projects, in addition to leading seminars or tutorials on requested topics and offering advice on computer packages available at Cal Poly. Faculty, staff and students interested in the service can visit the Statistics Department website for more details. Email [email protected] to schedule a consultation.
More details on Statistics Department consultations
Dexter Lawn Blood Drive is Oct. 10
Come to Dexter Lawn on Tuesday, Oct. 10, for a life-changing event! You’ll be a hero and save up to three lives — in just an hour. A campus blood drive hosted by University Personnel, the Orfalea College of Business and Campus Health and Wellbeing returns to campus in search of the heroic. A Vitalant bus will be on the concrete walkway 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.
Schedule An Appointment for a blood donation
New Student Center Software Features
The PeopleSoft Student Center has been upgraded. The new Student Center features a mobile-friendly interface, intuitive navigation and convenient access to enrollment, financial and academic progress resources. The Office of the Registrar website has been updated with tutorials and instructions to familiarize students with the new look of the platform. Faculty and staff who regularly use the Student Center in their campus roles can view the upgraded platform via their Advisor and Faculty Centers. For more information, consult the Advisor Center User Guide or the Faculty Center User Guide.
OperaSLO Brings Broadway and Opera’s Greatest Hits to PAC Pavilion Oct. 15
Opera San Luis Obispo presents “Wait I’m Singing What?” at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 15, in the Performing Arts Center Pavilion. OperaSLO will kick off “Broadway and Opera Road Trip” with an interactive performance concept where the audience has a say in what’s sung. With a list of Broadway and opera’s greatest hits to choose from, patrons will cast votes for their favorite tunes. Join six of OperaSLO’s resident and guest vocalists accompanied by pianist Paul Woodring for this intimate recital. Each $37 ticket also includes wine tasting and catered appetizers for an all-inclusive experience.
Get Your Tickets to “Wait I’m Singing What?” on Oct. 15
L.A. Dance Troupe BODYTRAFFIC Coming to the PAC on Oct. 18
Cal Poly Arts presents BODYTRAFFIC on Wednesday, Oct. 18 at 7:30 p.m. in Harold Miossi Hall. Captivating audiences by their Los Angeles grown, contagious and lyrical vivacity, BODYTRAFFIC is hailed as one of the most musical and talked about contemporary dance companies nationwide. Led by Artistic Director Tina Finkelman Berkett, the company brings to life the timeless vocal and melodic styles of Peggy Lee, James Brown and Dean Martin through an “absolutely joyous and oh-so-entertaining” evening of dance. BODYTRAFFIC’s performances reverberate through a dynamic tension of music, harmoniously alternating in time with the dancers. Says LA Dance Chronicle: “BODYTRAFFIC gave a performance that confirmed why it is considered to be one of Los Angeles’ finest. The cast was in top form and much of the choreography was excellent.” This event has a 20% staff and faculty discount available.
Get Tickets to L.A. Dance Troupe BODYTRAFFIC on Oct. 18
Music Faculty Showcase Set for Oct. 20 During Mustang Family Weekend
Several new faculty members in the Music Department will be featured in a Faculty Showcase recital at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20, in Room 218 of the Davidson Music Center (No. 45). The event is part of Mustang Family Weekend and will feature several applied music faculty recognized across the region for their expertise in solo and chamber ensemble performance. They will present intimate works that highlight their artistic achievements. For information on the recitalists, visit the Music Department’s faculty website. The new faculty members are cellist Megan Chartier, soprano Jennifer Freye, clarinetist Sarra Hey-Folick, pianist Janet Joichi, saxophonist Anthony Yi, Inga Swearingen, a mezzo-soprano, singer-songwriter and Stephen Nutt, who plays tuba. The recital is open to all. Admission is $10 general, and $5 for students at the door.
Read more about the Oct. 20 Faculty Showcase
SLO Symphony Opens Season with ‘Rachmaninov Rocks’ on Oct. 7
The San Luis Obispo Symphony opens their five-concert “Classics” series at the Performing Arts Center with “Rachmaninov Rocks” at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7 in Harold Miossi Hall. Back by demand, SLO Symphony’s opening concert features pianist Ilya Yakushev performing Rachmaninov’s mighty Piano Concerto No. 2. Flanking this work are two American works – “Fanfare for an Uncommon Man” by John Stevens, and Symphony No. 1 in e minor by Florence Price, the first African American woman recognized as a symphonic composer, and the first to have a composition performed by a major orchestra. A free, pre-concert discussion with Maestro Andrew Sewell will be held at 6:30 p.m.
Get tickets to the SLO Symphony Classics Oct. 7 Opener
Nordic Folk Group Dreamers’ Circus to Perform Oct. 10
Cal Poly Arts presents Dreamers’ Circus at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct.10, at Spanos Theatre. Winners of five Danish Music Awards, discover the innovative brilliance of this Nordic world music sensation. The trio’s sound is based on virtuosic and incendiary musical ability across a range of instruments — violin, accordion, piano and the lute-like cittern. The trio was recently named “2023 Artist of the Year” by the Danish national classical radio channel P2 — the first non-classical group to earn that honor. Endlessly exploring new challenges for themselves and audiences, Dreamers’ Circus mine performers’ backgrounds in traditional and roots music to present a genre-bending amalgam of folk sensibility, jazz improvisation and classical complexity distilled through an openness to popular music influences. This concert has a 20% staff and faculty discount available.
Buy your Tickets to the Oct. 10 Dreamers’ Circus concert
Experimental Guitarist Matt Sargent to Present Free Recital
The Music Department will host guest artist Matt Sargent for a unique guitar concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13, in Room 218 of the Davidson Music Center. The versatile artist — a composer, guitarist, recording engineer and music technologist — will perform new guitar works with electronics. The program will include works by renowned postminimalist composer Eve Beglarian, Connecticut composer and critic Robert Carl, as well as Sargent’s original works. Based in upstate New York, Sargent is an assistant professor of music at Bard College. His experimental compositions grow from interests in resonance and recursive systems, computer models of intelligence and the making/breaking of long-form patterns. He recently recorded and premiered James Romig’s “The Fragility of Time,” a new concert-length work for electric guitar. Last December, he premiered “Splectar,” a new work by classical composer Carl for retuned electric guitar and live electronics.
Read more about the Matt Sargent concert
British Actor to Bring C.S. Lewis to Life at the PAC on Oct. 14
Fellowship for Performing Arts presents C.S. Lewis On Stage: Further Up & Further In at 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14, in Harold Miossi Hall. Award-winning actor Max McLean’s tour de force performance captures C.S. Lewis’ magnetic personality, astonishing eloquence and laugh-out-loud wit to create an onstage experience venturing deep into the soul of one of the most influential thinkers of the past century, who died in 1963 at age 64. Using Lewis’ own words, this dazzling, multimedia theatrical event explores what convinced Lewis of the divinity of Christ; why the BBC gave him a huge audience to deliver wartime talks that would become Mere Christianity; how Adolph Hitler influenced the writing of The Screwtape Letters; and how Lewis’s profound insights on prayer, heaven and the Second Coming of Christ influenced his fantasy novels “The Chronicles of Narnia.” See the production Center Stage calls, “Thoroughly engrossing ... visually stunning experience!”
Get your tickets to C.S. Lewis On Stage on Oct. 14
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.
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