Cal Poly Report — July 15, 2020
Note: Cal Poly Report is published monthly during the summer. The next issue will be published Aug. 12. Regular publication will resume Sept. 9.
News
Updated Case Information Posted on Campus Coronavirus Site, Face Coverings Required in Many Public Spaces
As additional COVID-19 cases occur within the campus community, the university will continue to provide the latest information at coronavirus.calpoly.edu. The site is updated daily with the number of COVID-19 cases in the campus community, in San Luis Obispo County, the state and the U.S. In addition, campus community members are urged to continue to follow all COVID-19 prevention and safety measures, including frequent hand-washing, following stay-at-home orders, and physical distancing. The state has also mandated that face coverings be worn when people are outside their homes in specific circumstances. At Cal Poly, face coverings are required in indoor public spaces, including classrooms, common areas of residence halls, and public areas of campus academic and administrative buildings. They are also required when outdoors in public spaces when a person cannot maintain a physical distance of 6 feet from others. A plan for face coverings and face shields is being developed and will be distributed in August at the division level. Learn more at https://coronavirus.calpoly.edu/prevention-0.
Train to be a Volunteer COVID-19 Contact Tracer
The San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department needs volunteer contact tracers. There are free, online training courses available for you to serve as a COVID-19 contact tracer for the county. The training takes 21 hours to complete, and is sanctioned by the state and is held in conjunction with San Luis Obispo County Public Health. Anyone interested in participating can contact Christina Tutt for more information at ctutt@calpoly.edu.
Learn More About Cal Poly Requirements for Ordering Branded Face Coverings
Are you looking to order face coverings for your department? Cal Poly has specific requirements for ordering any kind of branded face coverings. These include:
— There are only a few pre-approved licensed vendors to produce face coverings.
— Please note, there is an elevated product liability insurance requirement from these vendors.
— Face coverings for resale require a charitable component.
— All Cal Poly merchandise guidelines apply.
Click here for more details and the pre-approved vendor list.
Cal Poly Hosts Viewing of Rare Corpse Flower Bloom
For the first time ever, a Titan Arum, or corpse flower, bloomed at Cal Poly, and more than 3,000 people waited in line for a chance to view — and smell — the plant from July 9-11. Face coverings were required for everyone attending and physical distancing was rigidly practiced. A corpse flower’s bloom can grow more than 10 feet high and four feet in diameter. The plant grows from a large underground stem and sends up one leaf a year, which can reach over 10 feet tall. After 10 or more years, instead of making a leaf, the plant sends up a huge maroon funnel, called the spathe, with tiny flowers on a huge spike. Horticulture and botany students have been growing the Amorphophallus titanum for several years — and this is the plant’s first flower. Corpse flowers are open for only two days. At its tallest, this bloom holds the record for the world’s largest unbranched cluster of flowers arranged on a stem, called an inflorescence. To attract the insects that pollinate the plant, the spathe acts like a funnel, sending out a foul aroma similar to that of rotting flesh.
Aerospace Engineering Professor Breaks Three U.S. Records with Unique Glider Plane
A unique sailplane designed by aerospace engineering faculty member Paulo Iscold broke three U.S. national soaring records in June. And Iscold has more records in his sights. “Our radar is now 100 percent focused on the weather,” he said. “We will chase good weather during the summer.” A sailplane — or glider — soars without the benefit of engine power. With the sailplane designed by Iscold, pilots Jim Payne and Alan Coombs broke three records on June 10, including one Payne himself set 24 years ago. The records included:
— Distance in triangle flight – 1025 km (636.9 miles)
— Speed in 1000 km triangle – 141.7 km/h (88 mph)
— Distance in free triangle – 1025.8 km (637.4 miles)
Iscold began working on his sailplane prior to joining the Cal Poly faculty in 2018. Since then, he has enlisted students from the Akaflieg club to help with his plane, named Nixus (“pushing forward” in Latin). Read more here.
Cal Poly Partners with Morro Bay in Bloom to Beautify Downtown Morro Bay
Planter boxes brimming with green foliage and blooming flowers now adorn downtown Morro Bay, creating an elegant touch to the classic beach town in a beautification effort done through a partnership including the Horticulture and Crop Science Department and Morro Bay in Bloom. The nonprofit Morro Bay in Bloom donated the plants to Cal Poly, and a handful of students grew them in the university’s Horticulture Unit and then transplanted them to 18 planter boxes that were placed strategically near businesses throughout the city. Wendy Robinson, manager of Cal Poly’s greenhouses, connected with the nonprofit as a way to involve students in the beautification effort. Lecturer Susan Snyder spearheaded the design concepts, while Robinson oversaw the plant production with student employees. “Cal Poly’s partnership with Morro Bay in Bloom provided students with a hands-on horticulture project that they were able to execute from start to finish,” Robinson said. “Students grew the plants from 2-inch rooted plugs and were tasked with creating an aesthetic plan for integrating them throughout the city.” Read more here.
Student Success
Political Science Student Accepted to Panetta Congressional Internship Program
Imahn Daeenabi, a third-year political science major from Menlo Park, California, will serve as Cal Poly’s 2020 representative to the Panetta Institute’s Congressional Internship Program. After a two-week training period at the Panetta Institute at CSU Monterey Bay, he will work in the capitol office of a California congressional representative in Washington, D.C., for 11 weeks in the fall. Daeenabi’s previous experience includes internships with California State Senator Jerry Hill, San Mateo County Supervisor Warren Slocum, and the SLO Legal Assistance Foundation. In addition to his work experience, Daeenabi anticipates that his Cal Poly coursework, including classes on the U.S. Congress and American politics, will be a major benefit when working at the Capitol. “My experience working at the county and state level in district offices was incredibly beneficial,” he said. “Working at the federal level will be a new challenge and hopefully provide a holistic view of how all of our levels of government operate.” Daeenabi plans to graduate from Cal Poly in June 2021 and attend law school. He is the 20th student from Cal Poly to participate in the Panetta Institute program since 2001. For more information, visit https://provost.calpoly.edu/content/internship.
Reservations Available for Student-Run Succulentopia Plant Sale at Cal Poly
More than 100 varieties of student-grown succulents are now available for purchase at Poly Plant Shop at Cal Poly. The succulent plant sale, typically held during spring quarter in the college’s Horticulture Unit, was moved to a reservation-based system to meet state physical distancing guidelines for COVID-19. Poly Plant Shop is now open Thursday through Saturday. While walk-in customers will be accommodated as space allows, customers may make a reservation for up to two people for one hour at the plant shop to guarantee their entrance. To make a reservation, visit polyplantshop.com. Appointments are available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a limit of six reservations per hour. More than 4,000 plants are available for purchase. Cost is determined by size, with prices ranging from $3 to $30 and sizes ranging from 4-inch pots to 8-inch succulent gardens. Additional large plants are priced accordingly. Varieties include Crassula, Echeveria, Sedum, Sedeveria, Aloe, Gasteria, Haworthia, Kalanchoe, Graptopetalum, Graptoveria, Senecio, Agave, Peperomia, Aeoniums, Callisia, Cyanotis, Adromischus, Sempervivum, and Orostachys, among others. In addition, a variety of indoor plants, cut flowers and orchids will also be available for purchase. Read more here.
Faculty & Staff
2020 Learn by Doing Scholar Award Winners Announced
The awardees of the Learn by Doing Scholar Awards, which recognize and encourage faculty scholarship on the pedagogy of Learn by Doing across all disciplines, have been announced.
— Learn by Doing Scholar Career Award: Architecture Department Associate Department Head Professor Robert Arens, Associate Professor Carmen Trudell, and Assistant Professor Brian Osborn for their project titled “Teaching Architectural Technology: A Scholarly Approach.” An exemplar of their research was an article, "Testing is Teaching Too: Transitioning a Large-Lecture Course from Summative to Formative Exams," which was published in June 2019 conference proceedings of the Building Technology Educator's Society. This work has already been viewed 79 times and downloaded 40 times.
— Learn by Doing Scholar Early Career Award: Assistant Professors Javin Oza and Katharine Watts of the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department for their project titled “Genetic Code in a Test Tube: Unlocking the Cell for Learn by Doing.” Their work has resulted in numerous publications and presentations and has been supported by a National Science Foundation Research in Undergraduate Institutions (NSF-RUI) grant.
The Career Award is accompanied by a cash prize of $2,000, and the Early Career Award has a cash prize of $1,000. The Learn by Doing Scholar Awards were established in 2014 and are financially supported by the Library Dean’s Advisory Council in recognition of the quality, significance and impact of Learn by Doing scholarship. For more details, visit http://lib.calpoly.edu/faculty/learn-by-doing/.
Padma Maitland named Faculty-in-Residence for University Housing
Padma Maitland, assistant professor in the College of Architecture and Environmental Design, has been named faculty-in-residence by University Housing. Maitland earned his doctorate from UC Berkeley. Prior to joining Cal Poly, he was a curator of Asian art, specializing in modern and contemporary art of South and Southeast Asia. His research and work have taken him around the world. The Faculty-in-Residence program is a partnership between Student Affairs and Academic Affairs that bridges academic and residential life for campus residents. While living in campus residential communities, faculty form strong connections with residents and become an integral academic and community partner. They host dinner conversations and guest speakers, and organize community outings to local events and landmarks. There are many ways faculty can engage with student residents, including office hours, mini-lectures, outings and study sessions. Time commitments vary. For more information, see http://www.housing.calpoly.edu/content/res_life/faculty-involvement or contact Hunter Simmons at hasimmon@calpoly.edu.
Cal Poly Photographer Awarded First Place in Annual Photo Competition
The University Photographers' Association of America awarded University Photographer Joe Johnston first place in the General Features and Illustrations category of its Annual Photo Competition for his photo of the Cal Poly Dairy at dusk. The Annual Photo Competition is the flagship competition of the UPAA an international organization of college and university photographers concerned with the application and practice of photography as it relates to the higher education setting. Visit the competition page to see all awardees: https://upaa.org/content/2020-annual-photo-competition?field_upaa_entry_category_tid=All.
Mustang Family Insights Features Campus and Community Experts in Webinar Series
Hosted by Parent and Family Programs, Mustang Family Insights is a webinar series for Cal Poly parents and supporters featuring campus and community experts. View past Mustang Family Insight sessions featuring Vice President for Student Affairs Keith Humphrey, Admissions, New Student and Transitions Programs, Club Sports and ASI. Stay informed about upcoming Mustang Family Insight sessions by following Parent and Family Programs on Facebook, Instagram and signing up for department newsletters. Interested in being featured in an upcoming session? Email calpolyparent@calpoly.edu.
ITS Introduces Online Support Center
At the end of July, Information Technology Services (ITS) will launch the new, virtual Support Center, powered by Atlassian. Support Center is an online portal where Cal Poly students, faculty and staff can request tech support or one of the many other services that ITS offers. Whether someone emails the ITS Service Desk directly, or clicks “Submit a Ticket” from the ITS Service Catalog (https://tech.calpoly.edu/services), their request will be managed through the Support Center to provide a more user-friendly interface and streamlined notifications. Support Center connects to the ITS Knowledge Base (also powered by Atlassian) to provide the most relevant self-help articles when a user is selecting their topic of request. The launch of Support Center is the beginning of a phased approach to improving ITS service delivery to campus. Therefore, requests for some services (including Cal Poly accounts and software downloads) will still temporarily be managed through the Service Request System (SRS), accessed through the Technical Service Request link under My Apps in the My Cal Poly Portal.
Connect with Your Campus Learning Community on LinkedIn
The Employee and Organization Development Department has a newly launched LinkedIn page providing faculty, staff and student employees with a collaborative, online learning community to keep you up-to-date about Cal Poly and CSU learning and development opportunities. This interactive learning community is managed and updated daily, keeping you connected to the latest campus resources and events such as book and learning circles, live workshops, and CSUwide learning activities. Preview upcoming events (as far as two months in advance), get early access and preregister for limited-time programs, and set up customizable event notifications all while building and refining your professional brand online. The EOD LinkedIn page keeps you connected with your Cal Poly community by offering you an online learning community to engage with program hosts and speakers before, during and after learning events; easily invite your teammates to upcoming learning events; and keep the learning discussions going after a live learning event has ended. Follow EOD today to connect with our Learn and Grow community.
Watch the Latest NINJIO Information Security Training Video About Identity Theft
Watch this month’s information security video from NINJIO, “House of Fraud,” to learn how cybercriminals use “spoofing” to steal personal information and leverage a person's data to commit fraud and initiate loans. In this episode, Toni is tricked into giving her personal information to a fake IRS website. The website has all of the warning signs: wrong URL, not HTTPS enabled, and spelling/grammar errors, but she doesn’t catch them. All NINJIO training videos are available on the Cal Poly Learning Hub under the Staff and Faculty Training tab on the My Cal Poly Portal.
PolyLearn-Moodle Courses Migrate to Canvas by July 20
Fall 2019, winter and spring 2020 PolyLearn-Moodle courses will migrate into Canvas by July 20. These courses will be added to the Canvas “Migration” sub-account so that faculty can review the content before they choose to copy them into their fall course shells. Since some faculty may want to use the Cal Poly Template, start fresh or completely redesign their courses, this migration space allows faculty to do that. Faculty members who cannot wait until July 20 can back-up their Moodle courses and import them into Canvas on their own. The Center for Teaching, Learning and Technology's "Introduction to Canvas and Support Resources" recorded webinar provides the pros and cons of copying a migrated course into Canvas without making any changes to it. Additional recordings and current webinar schedules are also available.
Back to Shortcuts
In Memoriam
Clyde Hostetter, a professor in Cal Poly's Journalism Department from 1958-83, died on May 16 at the age of 94. In the 1950s, he worked for Howard Hughes in public relations in Culver City. He and his wife, Caroline, had two small children at the time, and decided a small college town near the ocean would be better than a long daily commute. As Hostetter wrote in a 2015 Retired Faculty and Staff newsletter, “I wrote to Cal Poly, had a long talk with Julian McPhee and found that I agreed completely with his Learn by Doing and earn while learning mottos as they applied to journalism education.” Hostetter accepted McPhee’s job offer and spent the next 30 years enjoying a 10-minute commute to campus and the Journalism Department’s move to the new Graphic Arts Building. He also served as director of communications and media productions and as instruction materials program coordinator while at Cal Poly. Later, he moved away from academia and into production of multimedia education materials for the nation’s agricultural teachers. He also headed a vocational education production team. Hostetter and his wife lived in Tempe, Arizona, for a number of years.
Back to Shortcuts
Campus Announcements
Campus Dining to Use UV Sanitizing Technology This Year
Campus Dining is installing new UV sanitizing technology at all self-serve drink stations for the 2020-21 academic year. ValidFill UV Container Sanitizing units use ultraviolet light to inactivate 99.99% of viruses and bacteria harmful to humans in 20 seconds or less. Designed to fit on a countertop, the units will be available on the first and second floor of the new Vista Grande dining complex and in Campus Market, next to the self-service beverage fountains. The use of the ValidFill units is just one of many steps that Campus Dining is taking to help ensure the health and safety of the Cal Poly community. For more information on what Campus Dining is doing during the pandemic, visit calpolydining.com/health-and-safety/.
Statistical Consulting Service Available During Summer
The Statistics Department provides a statistical consulting service to the university community to facilitate research design and data analysis in a wide variety of disciplines. Consulting will be available through Friday, Sept. 4, by appointment only. Steve Rein will serve as the consultant. He is available to advise on data collection, experimental design and analysis of research projects. In addition, he will be available to lead seminars or tutorials on requested topics and offer advice on various computer packages available at Cal Poly. Faculty, staff and students interested in utilizing the consulting service are encouraged to access the Statistics Department website for additional information, including what to bring to a consulting session. To schedule a consultation, email statconsulting@calpoly.edu.
Participants Needed for Sedentary Screen Time Study
Sedentary screen time consumes more than half of discretionary time and is the single most prevalent use of time for adults in the U.S. outside of work and sleep. Participants are needed for a study on the best ways to reduce the use of screen time and increase health outcomes. The study is led by Professor Sarah Keadle, Ph.D., in Cal Poly's Center for Health Research, and is conducted in partnership with Arizona State University. Eligible participants must be between the ages of 23 and 64, own a smartphone or tablet, and have internet access with no limit on the amount of data. The study will be conducted virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic. If you are interested in participating or learning more about the study, which is called StandUPTV, call ext. 6-5506 or fill out an interest form.
Events
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.
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
All athletic events through the spring were canceled.
Job Vacancies
Employment Opportunities
For all available job openings, visit jobs.calpoly.edu. All new positions opened this week are listed below. To apply, go online and complete the application form. Current employees can also find job postings at CSU Careers, an internal job site for CSU employees. For assistance, call Human Resources at ext. 6-2236.
#496979 — Clinical Lab Scientist II-Per-Diem, Student Affairs — Campus Health and Wellbeing. $19.92-$84.86 an hour. Anticipated hiring range: $38.12-$42.35 an hour. Open until closed.
#496968 — Clinical Lab Scientist II, Student Affairs — Campus Health and Wellbeing. $47,040-$90,792 per year. Anticipated hiring range: (10/12) $51,744–$66,132 per year. Open until closed.
#496999 — Systems Management Analyst (Administrative Analyst/Specialist), Academic Affairs — Office of the Registrar. $39,456-$76,164 per year. Anticipated hiring range: $54,000-$70,200 per year. Open until filled.
#497103 — Credential Analyst Trainee, Academic Affairs — School of Education. $44,640-$54,120 per year. Anticipated hiring range: $44,640-$49,380 per year. Open until filled.
#497038 — Executive Director Facilities Operations (Administrator III), Administration and Finance Division — Facilities Management and Development. Salary commensurate with the background and experience of the individual selected. Open until closed.
To find internally posted positions, start from the Cal Poly Portal. Click “Cal Poly Jobs” on the left-hand menu. On the next page click “Apply.” There you will see all internally and externally posted positions. For a full list of available jobs, go to jobs.calpoly.edu.
Faculty Employment Opportunities
Visit jobs.calpoly.edu for all available job openings. The part-time lecturer pools are now open. Visit jobs.calpoly.edu for current openings, further information and how to apply. For assistance, call Academic Personnel at ext. 6-2844.
#496918 — Department Head, Experience Industry Management, College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences. Open until filled.
#494866 — Department Head, Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences. Open until filled.
#496866 — Full-Time Lecturer, Animal Science Equine, College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences. Open until filled.
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 all available job postings or apply, visit the Corporation website. For assistance, contact Human Resources at ext. 6-1121.
There are no new 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.
There are no new listings at this time.
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.