Cal Poly Report — May 16, 2018
News
Cal Poly Scholars Program to Receive $80,000 Gift From Amazon
Cal Poly announced that Amazon has pledged $80,000 to the university in support of high-achieving students in the Cal Poly Scholars Program. The donation will support eight Cal Poly Scholars majoring in computer science or software engineering for four years, starting in fall 2018. The universitywide Cal Poly Scholars Program was established by President Armstrong in 2012 to recruit and retain qualified California students. “This generous gift provides the means for eight accomplished students to attend and be supported at Cal Poly, and it moves the university closer toward our goal of expanding the Scholars program to all students in need on our campus,” Armstrong said. “Our strong industry partnerships are key to our ability to give all low-income California students the opportunity to benefit from Cal Poly’s Learn by Doing philosophy.” The Cal Poly Scholars Program is aimed at recruiting and retaining low-income students from California high schools. The program is open to all California high school graduates who are admitted to the university and meet certain financial criteria as determined by their financial aid application. Currently, 240 Cal Poly Scholars span across all six academic colleges and are actively pursuing degrees from more than 30 majors.
President's Diversity Award Winners Announced
Four individuals, one student group and one campus organization were honored May 10 with President's Diversity Awards. The eighth annual ceremony celebrated members of the Cal Poly community who have exhibited a commitment to diversity. In addition, retiring College of Liberal Arts Dean Douglas Epperson received the Legacy Award for his support of diversity-related initiatives in the college, including a diversity cluster-hire of faculty members, a new queer studies minor, and creation of the associate dean for diversity position, among other initiatives. "Learn by Doing is not complete without diversity and inclusion," President Armstrong said during the event. Jozi De Leon, vice president for diversity and inclusion and chief diversity officer, said she continues to be impressed by the diversity work happening on campus. Cal Poly is in the process of defining its future work, she added, to further embed diversity and inclusion throughout the university and create an environment where diversity is central to its identity. "We are committed to it as long as it takes," she said, "to make this place the most welcoming place — for students to feel that Cal Poly belongs to them, because it does." She added: "The diversity award nominees, the finalists and recipients are really the individuals who do the work, day in and day out." The Office of University Diversity and Inclusion received nearly 70 nominations for six awards. The categories and recipients are:
— Faculty: Oscar Navarro, faculty member in the School of Education.
— Staff: Jennifer Teramoto Pedrotti, associate dean for diversity and curriculum in the College of Liberal Arts.
— Student: Leilani Hemmings, ethnic studies student, president of Triota and member of the CLA Student Diversity Committee.
— Campus Organization: Cross Cultural Centers (staff members are pictured accepting the award, above).
— Student Group: Black Student Union.
— Excellence in Inclusive Design: Catherine Trujillo, exhibits and campus arts curator for Kennedy Library. (Inclusive design, also known as "universal design," is a product, service, or environment that is accessible to, and usable by, everyone to the greatest extent possible.)
Civil rights leader Dolores Huerta (pictured at right with President Armstrong), who spoke on campus May 10, also gave the closing remarks at the Diversity Awards ceremony. "When we do not treat people as equals, we are denying their humanity," she said. "We have, all of us here, a call to action — none of us can take a backseat anymore. We have to end the bigotry. We not only want a welcoming campus but a welcoming community."
Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Health and Wellbeing Candidate Open Forums May 21-23 and May 30
Campus community members are invited to attend four open forums to meet the final candidates for assistant vice president (AVP) for Student Affairs Health and Wellbeing. As a senior leader within Student Affairs, the AVP provides the vision and strategic leadership for all aspects of student health and wellbeing. Additionally, the AVP is responsible for collaborating with on- and off-campus entities to develop entrepreneurial activities, including partnerships with private providers and fund development that enhance the health and wellbeing experience for the campus community. Each forum will be held from 8:15 to 8:55 a.m. and feature a 20-minute presentation, followed by audience questions. The Open Forums are as follows:
— Monday, May 21, in University Union (No. 65), Room 220: Grace Castillo Johnson, director, student health and wellness, Cal State San Bernardino.
— Tuesday, May 22, in UU 220: Tina Hadaway-Mellis, clinical services director, UC Berkeley.
— Wednesday, May 23, in UU 220: Jenny Haubenreiser, executive director of student health services, Oregon State University.
— Wednesday, May 30, in the Student Services Building (No. 124), Room 117: Roger Elrod, director, student health and wellness, San Jose State University.
For more information about the candidates, visit https://chw.calpoly.edu/avp.
College of Liberal Arts Dean Finalists Visiting Campus Through May 18
President Jeffrey Armstrong and Provost and Executive Vice President Kathleen Enz Finken have accepted the recommendation of the College of Liberal Arts Dean Consultative Search Committee, chaired by Josh Machamer, professor and chair of the Theatre and Dance Department, to invite four finalists for the position to visit campus. Faculty, staff and students are invited to attend the open forum scheduled for each finalist. The finalists and their visit dates are below. All open forums will be held in the Performing Arts Center Philips Hall (No. 6, Room 124):
— Michelle M. Camacho, Ph.D.; faculty administrator, University Relations; professor, Department of Sociology; University of San Diego; May 7-8. The open forum was held May 8.
— Jon B. Gould, Ph.D.; professor, School of Public Affairs; director, Washington Institute for Public Affairs Research; chair, Department of Justice, Law and Criminology; affiliate professor, Washington College of Law, Women’s Studies; American University; May 10-11. The open forum was held May 10.
— Madhavi M. McCall, Ph.D.; associate dean, College of Arts and Letters; professor of political science; San Diego State University; May 14-15. The open forum was held May 15.
— Kate Drowne, Ph.D.; associate dean for academic affairs, College of Arts, Sciences, and Business; professor, Department of English and Technical Communication; director, Center for Science, Technology, and Society; Missouri University of Science and Technology; May 17-18. The open forum will be held from 11:10 a.m. to noon Thursday, May 17.
Curricula vitae, biographies and candidate photos are available on the Academic Personnel website: https://academic-personnel.calpoly.edu/content/announcements.
Cal Poly Corporation Launches New Website
After nine months in the making, the Cal Poly Corporation recently launched a new website to better serve the entire campus community. Completely redesigned with the latest web tools and techniques, the site is more dynamic and functional in order to help users find the information they’re looking for faster and minimize the time they spend on the site. It also features updated content that helps explain the mission, organization and history of the corporation and the important impact it has on the university community each day. This focus carries over to other new elements, including a Corporation Life page that features news and updates from corporation employees and events, as well as a new Calendar page. Developed completely in-house by the corporation marketing and communications team in collaboration with corporation administrative offices and commercial operations, the new website will not only help streamline work processes, but also tell the story of the corporation and its employees, and their impact on the campus and the community. Check it out at www.calpolycorporation.org/.
Student Success
Cal Poly Students Earn Four Awards at Statewide Research Competition
Four students received awards — including three who earned first-place honors — at the 32nd annual California State University Student Research Competition held May 4-5 at Sacramento State University. The competition promoted excellence in scholarly research and creative activity by recognizing outstanding student accomplishments throughout the CSU. Forty-one individuals received either a first- or second-place award in 21 categories. Three Cal Poly students received first-place honors for research on the psychological impacts of a rare genetic disorder, the impact of cold on an invasive lizard species and the implications of internet source coding: Tobias Bleisch, a software engineering graduate student, competed against eight others with a project titled “An Empirical Study of CSS Behavior in Web Frameworks.” He won the mixed graduate/undergraduate section of the Engineering and Computer Science category. Graduate biology student Daniel Haro edged out 11 others in the Biological and Agricultural Sciences category for his study titled “How Cool Can Lizards Be? An Investigation with Two Populations of the Italian Wall Lizard (Podarcis siculus).” Psychology major Leah Thomas won the Behavioral and Social Sciences undergraduate category with her research titled “Meta-analysis on Internalizing Outcomes in Neurofibromatosis Type 1.” NF-1, one of the most common genetic disorders that is not limited to a person’s race or sex, is a condition characterized primarily by changes in skin color and the growth of non-cancerous tumors along the nerves of the skin, brain and other parts of the body. Christopher Hatch, a biomedical engineering junior, was the runner-up in the Health, Nutrition and Clinical Sciences category for a project titled “Mechanisms of Reduced Vascular Tone Following Collateral Arteriogenesis.” (The students are pictured clockwise from top left: Bleisch, Haro, Thomas and Hatch.) Read more here.
Campus Community Members, Groups to be Honored at Annual Leadership Awards Ceremony
The Center for Leadership will recognize the largest class of students to complete its Emerging Leaders Series from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 16, in Chumash Auditorium. The event showcases the third annual Leadership and Engagement Achievements of Distinction (LEAD) Awards and recognizes outstanding leadership and service contributions by members of the campus community. “The LEAD Awards honor students who exhibit leadership in a variety of ways,” said Jason Mockford, leadership and service director. “These are students who stand up for what they believe in, find ways to make a difference in their community, and commit to bettering themselves and others — including the staff and faculty who support them." Awards will be presented to individuals and organizations in 20 categories and across seven university programs. Among them, the Center for Leadership will award more than 100 Emerging Leaders Series certificates to participating students — the largest class in the program’s three-year history. In addition, the Center for Leadership will present the program’s inaugural Applied Leadership Award, which honors students who have applied Emerging Leadership Series skills to positively impact the campus. Read more here.
Engineering Students Take First Prize at GE Digital CSU Challenge
A team of engineering students won the first-place prize at the GE Digital CSU Challenge on April 29. The competition prompted CSU students to develop a novel approach to an important urban problem over the span of three months. The Cal Poly team created “Treety: a pact between the people, the city, and the Earth,” a data-driven system for educating San Diego residents and policymakers about the environmental and socio-economic benefits of trees in urban settings. The application aggregated data from San Diego to accurately quantify the benefits of planting trees at given locations. The platform modeled tree benefits by taking historical data from pedestrian, environmental and traffic sensors to predict potential impacts of having trees at the locations, such as carbon reduction, average pedestrian and vehicular traffic, and property values. The team included computer engineering students Huy Dong, Jake Loveland and Sonia Mannan; electrical engineering student Nicholas Serres; software engineering student Larry Hu; computer science student Yiupang Chan. Professor Joseph Callenes-Sloan was the team advisor. The team will receive an $8,000 scholarship for its first-place finish.
Faculty & Staff
Professor Robb Moss Selected as Fulbright Specialist
Civil engineering Professor Robb Moss has been selected as a Fulbright Specialist for the next three years and will work with universities in Chile to develop curriculum and faculty education in engineering. Moss specializes in geotechnical, earthquake and risk engineering. The Fulbright Specialist Program sends U.S. faculty and professionals to serve as expert consultants on curriculum, faculty development, institutional planning and related subjects at academic institutions abroad. In Chile, Moss will develop curriculum and programs that address soft skills including ethics, technical communication, emotional intelligence, licensure and the importance of continuing education; active learning techniques, including training for university professors on implementing a Learn by Doing approach and senior design capstone courses. Moss has been a professor in the Civil Engineering Department since 2006 and has a doctorate in geotechnical earthquake engineering from UC Berkeley. Moss will take a sabbatical next year to conduct research, write a second edition of his textbook and complete papers.
'Teach On!' Series Continues; Next Event May 17
Due to the overwhelmingly positive response from the Winter Teach-In, the Office of University Diversity and Inclusion is hosting a "Teach On!" series for spring quarter. Faculty and staff are now presenting workshops on Thursdays through May 24 from 11 a.m. to noon in the Erhart Agriculture Building (No. 10), Room 220. The schedule is: May 17, "Myth vs. Fact About Undocumented Students," featuring Katherine Zevallos Pastor and Zulema Aleman; and May 24, "Wakanda Forever: Race, Gender and the Revolutionary Mind: An Analytical Discussion of Black Panther," featuring Blanca Martinez-Navarro, Blaze Campbell, Denise Isom, Jenell Navarro, Oscar Navarro and Steve Ross. All events are open to the campus community. For more information, contact diversity@calpoly.edu, or visit OUDI's Facebook page.
Myron’s Features Tacos at Faculty and Staff Mixer on May 17
Myron’s, Cal Poly’s bistro-style restaurant, is trending Taco Thursdays with a mixer from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, May 17. The event will feature items from the Myron’s menu plus one glass of beer or wine for $5 per guest. The mixer will offer a special tasting of grilled fish and carnitas tacos with avocado mousse; mango pineapple salsa; cabbage, cilantro and queso fresco; chips with salsa and guacamole; chile relleno with roja sauce and lime cream; jicama salad with chipotle and honey vinaigrette; and tres leches cake. Myron’s is located upstairs in the Dining Complex (No. 19) across from the Rec Center. For additional information, visit https://www.calpolydining.com/myrons/.
Informational Session on Retirement and Medicare To Be Held May 23
Human Resources has partnered with the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP), a local nonprofit organization, to provide information on retirement and Medicare on Wednesday, May 23. Spouses and partners are also welcome to attend. The session will be held from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Facilities Building (No. 70), Room 110. Space is limited; reserve a seat by signing up here: Retirement and Medicare. Attendance is subject to supervisory approval and based on departmental operational needs.
New NINJIO Training Video Available- Email Attachment or Cyber Threat?
This month’s NINJIO information security training video, “Macro Trojan Takedown,” reaffirms the dangers of opening email attachments from unknown senders. See how a routine day for two employees is quickly turned upside down by an unsuspecting cyber-threat that puts innocent lives at stake. Learning more about defending against similar threats protects you and your colleagues from falling victim to macro malware. NINJIO releases a new security topic each month, aimed at spreading security awareness. All videos are available through Skillsoft under the Staff and Faculty Training tab on the My Cal Poly Portal.
General Education Task Force to Share Recommendations During Design Charrettes in May
The GE Task Force invites feedback from students, faculty and staff regarding draft recommendations for the Cal Poly General Education program. The task force will share its recommendations during design charrettes scheduled for the following days:
— 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, May 22, in the Advanced Technology Laboratories (No. 7, Room 2).
— 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, May 24, in the Library Atrium (No. 35).
The GE Task Force encourages the campus community to attend one or more of the above charrettes to learn about its work and to provide ideas regarding possible revisions to General Education at Cal Poly. These are pass-through events where you have the opportunity to spend as much time as you want interacting with others and providing feedback. The provost formed the GE Task Force in February 2017 in response to GE Program Review and the review team's conclusions and recommendations. The task force includes students, faculty and staff members representing all six of Cal Poly's colleges as well as the GE Governance Board, Office of University Diversity and Inclusion, University Advising, University Registrar, and Academic Programs. The provost charged the Task Force with recommending a new vision for breadth education at Cal Poly. Outreach by the task force continues through the end of the 2017-18 academic year. At that time, the group will present its vision to the provost and Academic Senate. Contact the task force chairs for more information: Gregg Fiegel (gfiegel@calpoly.edu) or Andrew Morris (admorris@capoly.edu).
Many Employees Eligible for CSU Educational Fee Waiver Program
The fee waiver program provides eligible faculty, staff and management employees the opportunity to attend classes at CSU campuses at greatly reduced rates. This benefit may also be transferred to eligible dependents. For information regarding eligibility, guidelines, procedures, fees and deadlines, visit the Educational Fee Waiver Program website. For more information, contact Terizza Miller at feewaiverslo@calpoly.edu.
International Center Releases Information on Updated Deadlines and New Student Fees
All international travel conducted as Cal Poly business must go through the Cal Poly International Center. International travel packets must be completed and submitted electronically through https://abroad.calpoly.edu (select "International Travel"). The online system allows the International Center to retain all information in one secure area, enhance travel safety, ensure compliance with CSU policies and procedures and provide for rapid location and communication in the event of an emergency. Note that there are new student fees and deadlines for non-study abroad international travel. Travelers must submit a completed travel packet by the required deadlines posted on the site in order to have their travel approved. For more information or to request a workshop, contact the International Center at intltrvl@calpoly.edu.
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Retirements
James Meagher, interim dean for the College of Engineering, will retire July 1 after 30 years of service. Meagher joined the Mechanical Engineering Department in 1988 as an assistant professor. He was awarded tenure and promotion to full professor in 1994. His areas of scholarship include rotor dynamics and modeling of high-speed rotating machinery. For three years before being named interim dean in February 2017, Meagher served as department chair. In addition to his teaching and research activities, he served as faculty advisor to the Cal Poly chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers for 25 years. During his career at Cal Poly, Meagher helped establish the Donald E. Bently Center for Engineering Innovation, a research center in the Mechanical Engineering Department; the Bently Computational Facility; and the Solar Turbines/Bently Nevada Vibrations and Rotor Dynamics Laboratory. A retirement reception will be held from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Thursday, May 24, in the lobby of the Advanced Technology Laboratories (No. 7).
Todor D. Todorov came to Cal Poly in 1990 as a mathematics lecturer and later became a full professor. Todorov earned his doctorate in mathematical (theoretical) physics from the University of Sofia, Bulgaria, in 1982 under Christo Yankov Christov, professor of the University of Sofia and academician of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. He emigrated to the U.S. in 1988 as a political immigrant from then-communist Bulgaria and has been a U.S. citizen since 1994. His favorite course to teach is Math 248: Methods of Proof. Most of Todorov’s research is on the application of non-standard analysis (modern theory of infinitesimals) to the Colombeau theory of generalized functions. After retiring, Todor plans to work on a monograph tentatively titled “An Axiomatic Approach to the Colombeau Theory of Generalized Functions” and enjoy life in California and Europe. A retirement reception for Todorov will be held from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Thursday, May 17, in the Baker Center (No. 180), Room 537.
Goro Kato began his Cal Poly career in 1981 as an assistant professor of mathematics. Born in Kariya, Japan, he came to the U.S. as a graduate student on a Rotary International Foundation Fellowship. He earned his doctorate at the University of Rochester in New York with advisor Saul Lubkin, who proved Weil’s conjectures (except the Weil-Riemann hypothesis). Kato’s professional accomplishments include 40 published papers, six books and 75 international talks and seminars, including the European Science Foundation Supported Advanced Lecture Series. He has been invited to the Institute for Advanced Study — one of the world’s leading centers for basic research, located in Princeton, New Jersey — seven times. His areas of study are p-adic cohomology and its zeta invariants, temporal topos (theoretical physics), the theory of D-modules, and cohomological algebra. A retirement reception for Kato will be held from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Thursday, May 17, in the Baker Center (No. 180), Room 537.
Nanine VanDraanen, associate 
dean of faculty affairs in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, will retire May 30 after 22 years at Cal Poly. She joined Cal Poly as an assistant professor in 1996, teaching chemistry in the College of Science and Mathematics. Six years later she received the Distinguished Teaching Award. She developed new teaching approaches to organic chemistry, and championed improvements to the organic chemistry curriculum. VanDraanen served as the chair of the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department from 2012-15, when she originally planned to retire. She postponed her retirement to serve as the associate dean of faculty affairs in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences from 2015 to 2018. An extensive world traveler and adventurer, VanDraanen plans to continue to travel extensively, for longer periods of time. Long-term goals include biking cross country, hiking the Pacific Crest Trail and the Te Araroa in New Zealand. Also high on her list is spending a year in Alaska and returning to Antarctica, as well as further pursuing her passion for backpacking food preparation. Join us in celebrating her career from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 30, in the PAC lobby. Wine, beer and hors d’oeuvres will be served.
In Memoriam
Cal Poly Loses Longtime Campus Community Member
This past weekend Cal Poly lost a beloved, longtime member of the community. Kim Shank died peacefully at her home after a battle with lung cancer. She had been on a leave of absence after receiving the diagnosis in January. A 33-year Cal Poly Corporation and University Store employee, Shank had developed an outstanding reputation as a buyer of collegiate apparel and had built friendships throughout the industry. During her career she helped the Cal Poly brand reach far and wide, with a unique ability to make choices for the store that appealed to every size and taste. She most recently served as the general merchandise manager for the University Store and Cal Poly Downtown. A friend to everyone who met her, Shank was known across campus and throughout the county as someone who was passionate about her family and friends. “Kim enjoyed so many things, whether it was traveling, riding her Harley with friends, or joining in on a celebration for someone else," said Lorlie Leetham, associate vice president of commercial services and executive director of Cal Poly Corporation. "I think I speak for many of us here at Cal Poly when I say we are heartbroken, not only for our own loss, but for Kim and her husband, Terry, and all the things they had planned.”
Campus Announcements
Events Planned Throughout May for Inclusive Excellence Month
May at Cal Poly is Inclusive Excellence Month, hosted by the Office of University Diversity and Inclusion to raise campus awareness of diversity and inclusion. Programs, workshops and panel discussions will be held throughout the month. Upcoming events include:
— "Women's Network Meeting" from noon to 2 p.m. Wednesday, May 16, in UU 220.
— "Drag Show" from 8 to 10 p.m. Friday, May 18, in Chumash Auditorium.
"Paul Wolff Accessibility Advocacy Award Program" at 6 p.m. in the KTGY Gallery in the Engineering West Building (No. 21) Room 105.
— "Students of Color Summit" from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Chumash Auditorium.
— "Across the Spectrum" from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in UU Plaza.
— "State of Asian and Pacific Islanders at Cal Poly" from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in Chumash Auditorium.
— "Riot Grrl: Punk and Feminism" from 6 to 9 p.m. in UU Plaza.
— "Bey Day" from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in UU 220.
See the full list of events for the entire month at www.facebook.com/DiversityCalPolySLO/. Questions? Email diversity@calpoly.edu.
May Poly Body + Being Workshops Continue Through May 31
Celebrate Cal Poly Wellness Month with Poly Body + Being fitness and wellness workshops at the Recreation Center. Embark on your journey to becoming your best self with these upcoming classes:
— Every Thursday through May 31, 5 to 6:30 p.m.: Women and Weights.
— Saturday, May 19, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.: Olympic Lifting.
— Tuesday, May 22, noon to 1 p.m.: Poolside Meditation.
— Wednesday, May 23, 12:15 to 1:15 p.m.: Listen to Your Gut. Open to the campus community.
— Thursday, May 24, 6 to 9 p.m.: Dance the Night Away.
All workshops located in the Training Room are complimentary to the campus community, including non-members. Workshops that are not held in the Training Room will be available to the campus community with a purchase of a day pass. All workshops are complimentary for Recreation Center members. No registration is required. View the complete list of offerings on ASI Access. For more information, contact Cal Poly Recreation Center Wellness Graduate Assistant Danielle Jones at djones43@calpoly.edu.
Cal Poly Wellness Month to Feature Wellness Fairs, Activities and Events
Calling all faculty, staff and students — Campus Health and Wellbeing is hosting the second annual Cal Poly Wellness Month. The 31 Days of Wellness happens in May during Mental Health Awareness Month. Join us for Wellness Fairs, Learn @ Lunches, fun activities and events. This annual event is made possible by many campus and community partners who support campus well-being. Wellness isn't just about our physical health; wellness is a part of our community well-being, social relationships, emotional health, career development, academic success, financial well-being and physical health. Help us celebrate Cal Poly's legacy of wellness on campus by supporting our partners who make it all happen. Join the fun by downloading the Cal Poly Now App and using the “Be Well at Cal Poly” guide to register and see all the events. Learn more at https://mycpwell.com/calpolywellnessmonth/ or email wellbeing@calpoly.edu.
Submission Guidelines for Cal Poly Report
Cal Poly Report (CPR) is Cal Poly's official employee newsletter, designed to communicate information about officially sanctioned university news or events to faculty, staff and administrators. Submissions may run a maximum of three times and should be limited to 150 words. To help ensure CPR continues to contain only relevant and approved information, submissions are required to come from or be approved by the employee designated to approve submissions in the respective colleges, units and work areas. A list of designated approvers is available on the Cal Poly Report index website. Entries submitted by those other than the designated approver must be accompanied by an approval form signed by the unit's approver. The approval form is available online in fillable pdf format or a downloadable Microsoft Word format. CPR is published weekly during the school year, except during academic breaks, and monthly in the summer. The deadline for each issue is 12:30 p.m. the Friday prior to publication.
Events
Katie Couric's 'The Muslim Next Door' Screening and Discussion Set for May 16
The Religious Studies Program together with Cal Poly Theisms Club and Worldview Analysis Club will offer a public screening of the National Geographic special "America Inside Out with Katie Couric: The Muslim Next Door" from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 16, in the Performing Arts Center Philips Hall (No. 6), Room 124. In the film, Couric travels across America to talk with Muslim Americans about their challenges and opportunities given the current environment.
Numerous Free Music Department Recitals Offered Starting May 17
The Music Department is offering numerous free student recitals through the rest of the academic year. At 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 17, the Spring Quarter Student Piano Recital will be in Room 218 of the Davidson Music Center (No. 45). At 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 18, Polyrhythmics, Cal Poly's percussion ensemble, will perform in the Performing Arts Center Pavilion. The concert will include new works that combine African polyrhythmic drumming with American minimalism to create a kaleidoscope of rhythm and color. Also featured will be Daniel Levitan's “Marimba Quartet,” and Sven-David Sandström’s rarely performed “Drums.” At 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 22, "An Evening of Woodwinds and Strings" will take place at the United Methodist Church in San Luis Obispo. A variety of traditional and contemporary repertoire will be performed by a woodwind quintet, saxophone quartet, string quartet, string trio, string duo and piano trio — a piano with two stringed instruments. At 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 25, "All That Brass" will also be presented at the United Methodist Church. The centerpiece for the concert is the Concerto for Brass and Percussion by Australian composer Paul Terracini. The brass ensembles will also perform compositions and arrangements by composers Henry Fillmore, Goff Richards and J.S. Bach, among others. At 6 p.m. Sunday, June 10, Clarinetfest will be in Room 218 of the Davidson Music Center. It will feature the Cal Poly Clarinet Ensemble and guest artists in both solo and ensemble performances. For the grand finale, all the musicians — up to 35 — will perform together. For more information and a complete event listing, visit the Music Department calendar website or call ext. 6-2406.
Inclusive Design Expert to Give Keynote for Global Accessibility Awareness Day
Derek Featherstone, an internationally known speaker and authority on accessibility and inclusive digital design, will present a talk titled “Inclusive by Design” from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday, May 17, in Spanos Theatre. Featherstone will explain how intentionally engaging and inviting people of all abilities into the design process makes the digital world easier to use for everyone while making it accessible to people with disabilities. He will offer techniques and strategies that can be immediately put into practice to make design more accessible to all. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact John Lee in the Disability Resource Center at jlee245@calpoly.edu or ext. 6-5972, or visit the Accessibility website.
Pulitzer Prize-Winning Novelist to Read and Discuss His Work on May 17
Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Robert Olen Butler will read and discuss his work at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 17, at the Business Building Rotunda (No. 3, Room 213). Butler is among the most significant living American writers. He has published sixteen novels and six volumes of short fiction, including “A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain,” which won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. He has received both a Guggenheim Fellowship and a National Endowment for the Arts grant. His stories have appeared widely in such publications as The New Yorker, Esquire, Harper’s, The Atlantic and The Paris Review. His works have been translated into 21 languages. He has worked as a screenwriter for New Regency, Twentieth Century Fox, Warner Brothers, Paramount, Disney, Universal Pictures and HBO. His reading is part of the College of Liberal Arts’ WriterSpeak series. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Todd Pierce at tjpierce@calpoly.edu.
Foremost Americanists to Talk at Cal Poly May 17
One of the nation’s foremost Americanists, John Carlos Rowe, will present a talk on his forthcoming book, “The Ends of Transnationalism and 19th-Century U.S. Cultural Imperialism,” from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 17, in UU 220. The talk is titled “‘Take Me To Your Leader’ Sarah Winnemucca’s Transnational Authority in ‘Life Among the Piutes: Their Wrongs and Claims.’” Rowe has been largely responsible for helping spearhead the "new American studies" as well as the rise of international American studies programs across the globe. He has published widely on Henry James, the intersections of 19th-century American literature and postmodern theory and U.S. imperialism. The talk is sponsored by the Ethnic Studies Department and the CLA Lottery Fund. Learn more at https://ethnicstudies.calpoly.edu/take-me-your-leader.
‘Relationship Building for Success in Sales and Life’ with Retired Goldman Sachs Partner
Fredric Steck, a retired partner at Goldman Sachs, will present a talk titled “Relationship Building for Success in Sales and Life” at 3 p.m. Friday, May 18, in the Baker Center (No. 180), Room 101. Every year, many students enter the work world and find success in sales. The essential skills they learn at Cal Poly and hone through sales can open many additional career paths. Join Steck to learn how building positive relationships is a key component for success in sales and in life. During his 25 years with the investment bank, Steck held a number of leadership positions. He earned a bachelor's degree in history from UC Santa Barbara. He’s a private investor with interests in entrepreneurship, education and the environment. Steck is a board member of Aravo Solutions Inc., an enterprise software company addressing the issue of third party risk and compliance, and chairman of DNP, a holding company with a major investment in Thorne Research, a science-based health and wellness company. A Q&A session and reception with refreshments will follow the talk. More information is available at https://cla.calpoly.edu/events/fredric-steck.
25 Under 25 Film Fest Screening at Palm Theatre May 19-20
The 25 Under 25 Film Fest will screen Saturday and Sunday, May 19-20, at the Palm Theatre in San Luis Obispo. Created by Cal Poly journalism student Michael Frank, the two-day film festival will feature short films created exclusively by filmmakers in California under age 25, including three by Cal Poly students. Journalism senior Leah Castillo created “Nail Polish,” business sophomore Soren Dickens created “Rivers of Recovery,” and business senior Teryn Steaffens created “Couch.” The aim of the festival is to create an environment that encourages youth art, innovative ideas and lasting connections between young filmmakers. For details and tickets, visit www.25under25fest.com.
Men and Masculinity Program to Host Manifest Exhibit May 22-25
Cal Poly’s Men and Masculinity Program will host its annual Manifest exhibit at the University Art Gallery, May 22 through May 25. The program will hold an exhibit grand opening on May 22, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Manifest is an art exhibit that aims to create an engaging and dynamic space for people to think about, talk about and participate in shaping individual thoughts about men and masculinity. This year’s exhibition theme is “Masculinity: Art from Dark to Light,” which seeks to capture the wide range of experiences and perceptions of masculinity. For more information about Manifest, visit masculinity.calpoly.edu/events.
Professor to Discuss 'The Trump/Evangelical Romance: Five Theories' on May 23
Some of President Donald Trump's strongest supporters are American Evangelical Christians — and their support is only growing. Religious Studies Professor Stephen Lloyd-Moffett will offer five theories regarding this unexpected romance from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 23, in the Pilling Computer Science Building (No. 14), Room 259. Lloyd-Moffett will discuss possible answers to the question: How have Evangelicals framed the Trump presidency in ways that fit their religious convictions? An open discussion will follow. For more information, contact Stephen Lloyd-Moffett at ext. 6-2475 or slloydmo@calpoly.edu.
Arab Music Ensemble to Perform with Guest Artists May 26
The Arab Music Ensemble and guest artists will perform a program of music and dance from the Eastern Mediterranean and larger region at 8 p.m. Saturday, May 26, in the Spanos Theatre. A special feature of the concert will be chamber ensemble (takht) performances by advanced members of the group including biological sciences major Kamal Ahmad on percussion, mathematics major Laila Zaidi on viola, music major Talia Phillips-Ortega on vocals, Music Department alumni Brandon Webb on percussion and Joel Demir on oud, and biological sciences and biochemistry alumna Linda Ashworth on qanun. Original compositions by Demir and Webb will also be featured on the program, and visiting ethnomusicologist Joseph Kinzer will direct a widely known traditional song that has adapted to local languages in its travels throughout and beyond the region — to Malaysia in this case. Critically acclaimed guest artists who hail from music cultures that will be featured in the concert and who specialize in the associated performance practices will join the ensemble from the Sacramento, San Francisco and Los Angeles areas. They include Ishmael on qanun (trapezoidal zither), Fathi Aljarrah on kamanja (violin) and Mohamed Radi on riqq (tambourine), daff (frame drum) and darabukka (goblet drum). Tickets for the concert are sold at the Cal Poly Ticket Office, ext. 6-4849. For more information, visit the Music Department calendar website or call ext. 6-2406.
‘RSVP XXIII: Fatherland’ to be Staged May 29, 31 at Cal Poly
The Music Department’s student production ensemble RSVP will stage the production “RSVP XXIII: Fatherland” at 8 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday, May 29 and 31, in the Performing Arts Center Pavilion. Marking the 23rd season of the transmedia series, this year’s production celebrates electroacoustic diversity, compositional risk and belonging. “This show examines what we believe we belong to,” said RSVP Artistic Director Antonio G. Barata, a Music Department faculty member. “Given that we live in such a factional time, this production is profoundly timely. It artistically examines the experiences, contexts, commonalities, spiritual moorings and frailties of human connection. It prompts the audience to consider and reconsider how our sense of self is informed by the groups and organizations to which we belong. At the same time, it challenges who we think is in charge and who really is.” The composition, performance, soundscape and staging combine the creativity of students in Barata’s Sound Design classes with choreography by students Evan Ricaurté, Justin Tomas and Lindsay Eklund, dancers in past productions. Tickets for the performances are sold at the Cal Poly Ticket Office, ext. 6-4849. For more information, visit the Music Department calendar website or call ext. 6-2406.
Cal Poly’s Wind Bands to Feature Student Saxophone Quartet at Spring Concert June 2
The Wind Bands’ Spring Concert will be held at 8 p.m. Saturday, June 2, in the Performing Arts Center. The Wind Orchestra will begin the concert with “Night on Fire” by John Mackey, “To the Sky” by James Stephenson, and “Be Glad Then, America” by William Schuman. Next, the Wind Ensemble will accompany the student saxophone quartet Six Four on Jerome Naulais’ “Saxtory.” The quartet is comprised of software engineering major Victor Wei on soprano saxophone, history major Paige Rooney on alto saxophone, mechanical engineering major Isaac Becker on tenor saxophone and civil engineering and music double major Noah Scanlan on baritone saxophone. “Their individual lyricism and technical facility really needed to be front and center in concert,” Interim Director of Bands Christopher J. Woodruff said. The Wind Ensemble will also perform a new transcription of Antonín Dvořák’s “Golden Spinning Wheel,” by Music Professor Emeritus William Johnson, as well as Paul Hindemith’s masterwork “Symphonic Metamorphosis on Themes by Carl Maria von Weber.” Woodruff will conduct the concert. He was recently named Cal Poly’s director of bands, and he’ll assume the role in September. Tickets for the concert are sold at the Cal Poly Ticket Office, ext. 6-4849. For more information, visit the Music Department calendar website or call ext. 6-2406.
Symphony and Choirs to Present Maurice Duruflé’s ‘Requiem’ and other French Masterworks on June 3
The Cal Poly Symphony and Cal Poly Choirs will perform Maurice Duruflé’s “Requiem” and other masterworks by French composers at 3 p.m. Sunday, June 3, in the Performing Arts Center. “The concert will open with a study in orchestral contrast — Camille Saint-Saëns’ energetic and menacing ‘Dance Macabre,’ and Maurice Ravel’s elegant ‘Pavane pour une infante défunte,’” Cal Poly Symphony Conductor David Arrivée said. The Cal Poly Chamber Choir will follow with several unaccompanied French chansons, most notably the famous “Trois Chanson” by Ravel. The first half of the concert will conclude with Ravel’s “Don Quichotte à Dulcinée,” featuring guest baritone Ryan Bede, who will perform with the orchestra. After intermission, the combined choirs and symphony will perform one of the greatest masterworks of the 20th century: Maurice Duruflé’s “Requiem,” Op. 9. “Duruflé’s Requiem is an ingenious combination of ancient chant and modern compositional techniques, resulting in one of the most beautiful works of all time,” said Scott Glysson, Cal Poly’s director of choral activities. Bede will join in the performance with guest mezzo-soprano Dawn Padula. Padula and Bede are on the faculty of the University of Puget Sound. Tickets for the concert are sold at the Cal Poly Ticket Office, ext. 6-4849. For more information, visit the Music Department calendar website or call ext. 6-2406.
Event Calendar
To find out what’s going on at Cal Poly, visit the Events Calendar. The site includes community events that are open to the public and Campus Life events open to students, faculty and staff. The calendar also includes events at the Performing Arts Center. A link from the calendar allows staff, faculty and students to check facility availability before requesting and reserving on-campus locations for activities and events. For more information about publishing an event on the calendar, contact events@calpoly.edu, or visit the university scheduling page.
Athletics
For an overview of up-to-date sports information, photos and videos, visit gopoly.com. Students always get in free. Faculty and staff discounts are available.
Upcoming Events @ Home
Friday, May 18
Baseball vs. UC Santa Barbara, Baggett Stadium, 6 p.m.
Saturday, May 19
Baseball vs. UC Santa Barbara, Baggett Stadium, 1 p.m.
Sunday, May 20
Baseball vs. UC Santa Barbara, Baggett Stadium, 1 p.m.
Job Vacancies
Employment Opportunities
The complete listing of staff and management vacancies is posted on the Cal Poly Jobs website. To apply, go online and complete the application form. For assistance, call Human Resources at ext. 6-2236.
#104904 — Prospect Research Analyst (Administrative Analyst/Specialist — Non-Exempt), University Development — Prospect Management and Research. $3,288 to $5,809 per month. (Anticipated hiring range: $3,288 to $3,563 per month.) Open until filled.
#104863 — Lead Custodian (Lead Custodian), Facilities Operations — Custodial Services. $2,713 to $4,843 per month. (Anticipated hiring range: $2,713 to $4,400 per month.) Open until filled.
#104883 — Emergency Facilities Operations Pool (Facilities Worker I), Facility Services. Various positions available. Salary determined by classification. Continuous hiring through Dec. 31.
#104911 — Contracts Analyst (Administrative Analyst/Specialist — Exempt I), Academic Affairs — Grants Development Office. $3,897 to $6,647 per month. (Anticipated hiring range: $3,897 to $5,272 per month). Open until filled.
#104795 — Personnel Analyst (Administrative Analyst/Specialist — Exempt I), College of Engineering. $3,897 to $6,647 per month. (Anticipated hiring range: $4,500 to $6,000 per month.) Open until filled.
Faculty Employment Opportunities
Candidates are asked to visit the Cal Poly Jobs website to complete an application for any of the positions shown below. The complete listing of faculty position openings is posted on the website. For assistance, call Academic Personnel at ext. 6-2844.
There are no listings at this time.
Corporation Employment Opportunities
Cal Poly Corporation is a separate entity operating in concert with the university to provide a diverse range of services and resources to students, faculty and staff. To view job postings or apply, visit the Corporation website. For assistance, contact Human Resources at ext. 6-1121.
There are no listings at this time.
ASI Employment Opportunities
Candidates are asked to visit the ASI website to complete an ASI application and apply for open positions. For more information, visit the ASI Business Office in UU 212 or call ext. 6-5800.
Accounting Technician I (A/R and Fixed Assets), $18.03 per hour with excellent benefits. Position open until filled; review of applications begins May 24, 2018.
Coordinator — Human Resources, $61,036 annually with excellent benefits. Position open until filled; review of applications begins May 29, 2018.