Transportation and Parking Services
Reboot Your Commute to Campus May 8
In honor of National Bike and Roll to School Day on Wednesday, May 8, Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS) is partnering with Green Campus to host a Reboot Your Commute snack table along the bike path at the California Boulevard entrance to campus. TAPS will offer quick grab-and-go snacks from 7:30-9:30 a.m. for morning bike commuters to work and/or school! A few lucky bicyclists will also win fun giveaways. Be sure to stop by and Reboot Your Commute!
Associated Students Inc.
Poly Escapes Used-Gear Sale on May 9
ASI Poly Escapes will host a used-gear sale Thursday, May 9, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on the Health Center lawn. Items to be sold at discounted prices include tents, surfboards, wetsuits, climbing shoes, medicine balls, surf booties, coolers and more.
College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences
What’s Going on at Swanton Pacific Ranch? May 14 Update
Architects will give an update on reconstruction plans for Cal Poly’s Swanton Pacific Ranch on Tuesday, May 14, from 2:10-3 p.m. in the Advanced Technology Lab (No. 7). Work is underway to rebuild the 3,200-acre facility in Santa Cruz County, following the 2020 CZU Lighting Complex Fire that destroyed much of the ranch’s infrastructure. Siegel & Strain Architects visited campus in 2023 to gather input to inform reconstruction planning. The session is open to the campus community and will be an opportunity to learn of their efforts, ask questions and provide input to ongoing planning efforts.
Kennedy Library
Transformation Project Subject of Virtual Town Hall May 20
The Kennedy Library Transformation team will host a virtual panel discussion featuring the project design and build firms, Miller Hull and Hensel Phelps, on Monday, May 20, from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Learn more in this Zoom session about the library project and how it is progressing. During a Q&A portion, panelists will answer questions submitted by the online audience prior to the event . Go online to save this event to your calendar or to submit a question.
Attend the May 20 Town Hall on Zoom
Cal Poly Partners
Subway Donates $25,000 to Help Fight Campus Food Insecurity
During the “Wrappy Hour” event April 25, Subway made a $25,000 donation to the Cal Poly Basic Needs Initiative to help support campus members struggling with food insecurity. The initiative, which includes the Cal Poly Food Pantry, procures and offers a wide variety of packaged and canned foods, fresh produce, frozen meals and personal hygiene items to students, faculty and staff. It’s a commitment to fostering an equitable environment that honors the well-being of the campus community through intentionality and innovation. The donation was made in partnership with Subway, Cal Poly Partners and Campus Dining.
Campus Health and Wellbeing
Annual Out of the Darkness Campus Walk Is May 11
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, in partnership with Campus Health and Wellbeing and the San Luis Obispo County Behavioral Health Department, will host the annual Out of the Darkness Walk on Saturday, May 11. The 1.5-mile walk around the campus begins at 11 a.m. at the UU Plaza. On-site registration begins at 10 a.m. Faculty and staff are invited to walk to support a friend, a loved one or yourself. Questions? Contact Alexis Becerra at [email protected] or ext. 6-6142.
Employee Assistance Program
May Is Mental Health Awareness Month
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, when individuals acknowledge the struggle; fight stigma; and provide support, education and advocacy for people impacted by mental illness. Online screening may help determine whether you or a loved one is experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition. The Employee Assistance Program, MyLifeMatters.com (sign in: calpoly), is a resource with screeners and webinars on boosting mental health, balance, meditation, resilience and finding help through The Self-Guided Journey. The Self-Guided Journey is an online resource that increases knowledge of how modifying thoughts may improve well-being. LifeMatters can also be reached at 800-367-7474. Questions? Email Lisa Gray ([email protected]).
Campus Dining
Vista Grande Dining Complex Certified Green
Eight venues in the Vista Grande Dining Complex have earned Certified Green Restaurants® status, Campus Dining announced. To achieve this distinction, each eatery passed the rigorous sustainability requirements established by the Green Restaurant Association. Ratings involved such factors as water and energy usage, waste, vegan menu items, reusable containers, educational materials and others. Campus Dining is proud of its team for operating the complex in an environmentally sustainable manner so that it provides the Mustang community with quality sustainable meals and services.
Campus Health and Wellbeing
Virtual Community Resiliency Workshop Set for May 9
Campus Health and Wellbeing’s Courtney de Blieck, trauma treatment coordinator and continuing education specialist (pictured at left), and Alexis Becerra, a health educator and mental health specialist, will lead a virtual Community Resiliency Model workshop Thursday, May 9, from 1:10-2 p.m. Participants will learn how to tune into their nervous system and focus on sensations with skills to build resilience. For more information about the training, visit the CH&W website.
Questions? Contact Becerra ([email protected]).
Commencement Office
Graduation Roadshow Coming May 13
The Commencement Office invites faculty and staff to the Commencement Roadshow event Monday, May 13, from 10:30-11:30 a.m. in the Advanced Technology Labs (No. 7). Meet the commencement team, learn about this year’s ceremony and receive important updates. The office is ushering in a new era of excellence and innovation for graduates and wants employees to be part of it. Donuts and drinks will be provided at the session. Don't miss this chance to prepare for a spectacular commencement season!
CSU’s Got Talent Webcast
Employees’ Impact on the Future of Work Topic of May 14 Webcast
The future of work has drastically shifted on a global scale. Despite living in an age of tremendous change, campus workers have a golden opportunity to prioritize fulfillment, creativity and impact for everyone. Join Elatia Abate, founder of The Future of Now, and explore work’s evolving role while discovering new tools to create and navigate change. Employee and Organization Development invites attendees to register for the May 14 webcast and other free CSU’s Got Talent Webcasts.
Dream Center
Income Generation for Undocumented Students Workshop May 14
An Income Generation for Undocumented Students workshop will be held Tuesday, May 14, from 1-2 p.m. in the Student Services Building (No. 124), Room 117. Hosted by the Dream Center, the event will focus on ways to help empower and support undocumented students in overcoming challenges they face accessing income opportunities while pursuing higher education. Attendees will also discover how to provide guidance and support through inclusive and diverse resources. Michelle Segura (pictured), co-founder of Self-Work By Me LLC, will facilitate the workshop that is co-hosted by Career Services, University Housing DEI Fund and the Office of University Diversity and Inclusion. Questions? Email [email protected].
Cal Poly Pride Faculty Staff Association
Lunch on the Green with Pride May 16
Bring a bag lunch and join the Cal Poly Pride Faculty Staff Association at O’Neill Green Thursday, May 16, from noon-1 p.m. PFSA provides a safe and welcoming environment to empower, attract and retain Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning, Intersex, Asexual and Ally, and Pansexual (LGBTQIAP) faculty, staff and graduate students. Come meet new friends or say hello to old friends! All interested are welcome!
Employee and Organization Development
Upcoming Professional Development Courses
Employee and Organization Development offers live and virtual professional development workshops from Cal Poly and other CSU campuses through the Cross Campus Collaboration series. Registration for the following and additional workshops is on a first-come basis.
- Subject Matter Experts and Course Design, Thursday, May, 30, 2-3 p.m.
- Success as First-Gen Professional, Wednesday, June 5, noon-1 p.m.
- Building Trust in the Workplace, Tuesday, June 11, 2:30-3:30 p.m.
Administration and Finance
Travel Lodging Expense Limit Increases
The lodging expense limit has been increased for travel on university business. The lodging expense limit policy has been increased to $333 per night from $275 to adjust for inflation and to align with other state public higher education institutions. This rate applies to travel on or after April 18. Conference hotels do not require a justification if they are over the policy limit. When completing expense forms, be sure to identify the hotel as part of the conference in the comment section. For more information, see the CSU Travel and Business Expense Policy.
College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences
Popular College Facility Tour Returns May 17
CAFES is hosting its popular bus tour of the college’s unique production units and centers on Friday, May 17, from 2:10-4:30 p.m. Stops include the Oppenheimer Family Equine Center, JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture, Trestle Vineyard, Strawberry Center, Grimm Family Center for Organic Production and Research, dairy and creamery (with a free scoop of Cal Poly ice cream) and the Leaning Pine Arboretum. Seating is limited. The tour meets at 2 p.m. at Ag Circle in front of Erhart Agriculture Building ( No. 10).The event is part of Poly Connections, which connects faculty and staff with places, people and resources across campus.
Courtney Elizabeth Smyth Memorial
Nominations Sought by May 24 for $10,000 Scholarship
The Office of the Dean of Students invites faculty and staff to submit nominations for the Courtney Elizabeth Smyth Memorial Scholarship. The $10,000 scholarship honors the memory of Smyth, a Cal Poly business student whose short life was marked by resilience in the face of adversity. Each year, the university acknowledges a student who has overcome personal tragedy or hardship, suggesting inner strength and a commitment to maintaining academic progress. Send nomination letters to [email protected] by Friday, May 24. Letters should include the nominee's name, strengths, potential for success, character insights and ability to excel under personal adversity.
Commencement June 15-16
Honor the Class of 2024 with a Graduate Celebration Slide
Cal Poly Graduate Celebration Slides give faculty, staff and departments the unique opportunity to honor and recognize the Class of 2024 in a big way on a big screen. Send a special message for a graduate to see on the large video screen as they enter Spanos Stadium. Each slide will showcase a graduate's name, degree, college, two photos and a personal message. They will run in a celebratory slideshow visible to graduates and attendees before each college commencement ceremony June 15 and 16. Space is limited — purchase a slide today!
Music Department
Pianist W. Terrence Spiller to Perform Final Beethoven Sonata Cycle at PAC May 10
Pianist and music Professor Emeritus W. Terrence Spiller will give his final Beethoven sonata cycle recital at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 10, in the Pavilion of the Performing Arts Center. The program will be bookended by two large sonatas: the massive Sonata No. 4 in E-flat Major, Op. 7; and the majestic “Waldstein” sonata, No. 21 in C Major, Op. 53. Between these titans will be two smaller works: the compact and joyous Sonata No. 22 in F Major, Op. 54, and the lyrical No. 13 in E-flat Major, Op. 27, No. 1. Spiller’s first recital in the cycle was in 2016. Tickets are sold at the Ticket Office, ext. 6-4849. Call the Music Department with questions, ext. 6-2406.