Cal Poly Report — June 17, 2020
Note: Cal Poly Report will be published monthly during the summer, on July 15 and Aug. 12. Regular publication will resume Sept. 9.
News
Employees Invited to Complete the COVID-19 Virtual Transition Survey
The university is conducting the Cal Poly COVID-19 Transition Survey to understand how employees have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the university’s transition to virtual instruction and telework. This survey is a collaboration between Student Affairs, Academic Affairs and Human Resources that seeks to gather key insights, including how Cal Poly faculty and staff are responding to the crisis; provide the best resources available to support employee success; and gather employee perceptions on how the virtual transition has impacted course design, work productivity and more. All employees were invited to participate in the survey in an email from President Armstrong earlier this week. Check your inbox. The survey is anonymous, takes approximately 15 minutes to complete, and will be open through June 23. For more information about the Cal Poly COVID-19 Transition Survey, visit https://coronavirus.calpoly.edu/transition-survey.
Cal Poly Corporation Names New CEO
Following a nationwide search facilitated by the executive search firm of Isaacson Miller, Cody VanDorn has been named the next chief executive officer of the Cal Poly Corporation, effective Aug. 1. VanDorn has served as the executive director of Strategic Business Services at Cal Poly for the last five years. During that time, he has led teams at Cal Poly and across the CSU, creating innovative strategies to engage in strategic sourcing, streamlining operations, driving cost savings and developing impactful revenue partnerships. In addition, he serves in a leadership role with the CSU 23C Strategic Sourcing Plan, which has been acknowledged for generating more than $100 million in benefits since 2018. VanDorn succeeds Lorlie Leetham, who is retiring after six years leading CPC and a total of 24 years working on campus.
Campus COVID-19 Updates: Fall Registration Moved to June 29
Fall registration will now begin on Monday, June 29. The university hopes to have the finalized fall schedule of classes approved by the CSU Chancellor’s Office and then released next week. By moving the registration date to June 29, students will have an opportunity to create their class schedules before registration begins. In addition, moving the registration date to June 29 will provide the opportunity to confirm class modalities with the CSU and protect against any further delays in having our fall schedule approved. Next week, the Office of the Registrar will be offering virtual drop-in sessions to assist all students—both undergraduates and graduate students—as they become more familiar with Schedule Builder, Cal Poly's new class scheduling tool. Students are welcome to drop in at any time during each session to ask the experts Schedule Builder-related questions. Registration is not required. Note: These drop-in sessions are not designed to provide registration or advising assistance.
The sessions will take place on the following dates:
— Wednesday, June 17, 1–2 p.m. Join the Zoom meeting at: https://calpoly.zoom.us/j/3842828338.
— Thursday, June 18, 11 a.m.-noon. Join the Zoom meeting at: https://calpoly.zoom.us/j/3842828338.
For updates and information about the university’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, continue to visit coronavirus.calpoly.edu.
CASE Recognizes Cal Poly for Brand Update
Last week the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) awarded Cal Poly its Circle of Excellence Gold Award for the development and rollout of the updated university brand. The project was a two-year effort in partnership between University Marketing and the firm Simpson-Scarborough, leading to a comprehensive set of tools to help university communicators represent Cal Poly in a more unified and appealing way. “This is a comprehensive rebrand that maintains the historically important elements of the existing brand, yet embraces a refresh across all of the elements of the institution’s visual identity,” the CASE judges said in their report. They cited in particular the rigorous research and feedback Cal Poly and Simpson-Scarborough used throughout the process to gauge the effectiveness of the brand elements. This is University Marketing’s 20th award from CASE and its fifth at the international level.
Cal Poly Partnership Introduces Technology to Reduce Pesticide Use
An advanced method of treating citrus before it leaves San Luis Obispo County will eliminate more than 700,000 gallons of pesticide per year currently being used to control agricultural pests. The wash line is the latest Learn by Doing enhancement made possible by the continued partnership of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences and Bee Sweet Citrus, a prominent citrus packing and shipping company based in the Central Valley. A state-of-art wash line for processing citrus and a 14,900-square-foot steel canopy to protect it were installed by Bee Sweet Citrus at the Bartleson Ranch in Nipomo. The 450-acre avocado and lemon ranch, donated to Cal Poly in 2015 by Stu and Jan Bartleson, is used as a site of extended hands-on learning and research opportunities for students studying horticulture, fruit science, soil science and more. The wash line will provide a significant environmental benefit to the agriculture industry in San Luis Obispo County and beyond. It is beneficial in two significant ways: providing increased control of the Asian citrus psyllid pest (which is known to damage citrus crops) and dramatically reducing the amount of pesticides used on those crops. In the photo, Cal Poly alumnus Thomas Marderosian, center, shows Bill Swanson and President Armstrong the wash line controls. Read more here.
Student Success
Construction Management Students Complete Senior Project to Enhance University’s Rodeo Program
Two construction management students are putting the finishing touches on their senior project, a rodeo observation deck designed to record the practice runs of student riders. Ryan Fiorio of Gilroy and Timothy Smith of El Cerrito partnered with Cal Poly’s Rodeo Program and Head Coach Ben Londo to conceive a platform in the practice arena to mount Soloshot cameras that automatically track a rider in motion to record the runs for later analysis and team improvements. The project included design, fundraising and construction. Fiorio and Smith worked through some construction issues with Londo, a Cal Poly construction management alumnus, and their senior project advisor, Dan Knight, a construction management faculty member. The students also collaborated with Arroyo Grande-based Harris Architecture and Design on drawings for the 1,200-square-foot project to ensure the deck was safe to accommodate the recording equipment and up to 75 people. So far, the students have raised $11,000 for the materials. They are still seeking funds to complete their goal. Learn more and get involved here.
Submit a Nomination for Student Health Advisory Committee
The Student Health Advisory Committee (SHAC) is accepting nominations for SHAC members for the 2020-21 school year. SHAC serves as a universitywide standing committee and meets monthly to make recommendations to the assistant vice president for student affairs — Health and Wellbeing and the senior management team of Campus Health and Wellbeing. Members consult with and provide feedback on accessibility, health care programs, services and emerging student needs. It is a great opportunity for leadership and working with students from other areas of campus. Anyone wanting to nominate a student to serve on SHAC can send their name and email address to James Ramirez at jjramire@calpoly.edu.
Faculty & Staff
CAFES Announces 2019-20 Staff and Faculty Award Recipients
The College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences held its annual Staff and Faculty Awards on June 9. The 2019-20 award recipients are as follows: Outstanding Faculty Award: Stuart Styles, Irrigation Training and Research Center; Outstanding Staff Award: Haley Marconett, Dean’s Office; Dean’s Special Recognition Award: Shereen Langrana, Dean’s Office; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award: Bob Flores, Agricultural Education and Communication; Sustained Excellence in Teaching Award: Matt Burd, Animal Science; Outstanding Lecturer Award: Jenn Prentice, Experience Industry Management; New Teaching Award: Jean Dodson Peterson, Wine and Viticulture; Early Career Staff Award: Kyle Blauer, Strawberry Center; Sustained Excellence in Scholarship Award: Greg Brown, Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences; New Scholar Award: Ike Kang, Animal Science.
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.
Watch the Latest NINJIO Information Security Training Video About Charity Scams
Watch this month’s information security video from NINJIO, “Charity Case,” to learn about cybercrimes taking advantage of the coronavirus pandemic. In this episode, Nico is tricked into letting down his guard and helping move money from cash to crypto currency. Be wary of official communication coming from web-based mail services (e.g., Gmail, Hotmail, etc.) as it may be a sign of a potential scam. 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.
Get Involved in New Virtual Book and Learning Circles for Summer
Employee and Organization Development invites employees to participate in summer 2020 Book and Learning Circles.
— Book Circles involve discussing a book over the course of three to five sessions. The first book is "Crucial Conversations" by Patterson, Grenny, McMillan and Switzler, which has revolutionized the way millions of people communicate when the stakes are high. The second book is "Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything" by B.J. Fogg. The third book, "Driven by Difference: How Great Companies Fuel Innovation Through Diversity," takes a look at the importance of leveraging differences in perspectives and ideas in order for an organization to reap the benefits of a variety of viewpoints. The fourth book is "Emotional Intelligence 2.0" by Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves. Skills related to emotional intelligence (EQ) are consistently identified as top indicators of success and the most imperative during times of crisis and change such as this COVID-19 pandemic.
— Learning Circles involve watching a video or reading an article, and participating in a discussion during a single session. The first learning circle is "The Happy Secret to Better Work" with psychologist Shawn Achor. In this fast-moving and funny talk, Achor argues that happiness actually inspires us to be more productive. The second learning circle comes from Julia Middleton who focuses on developing future leaders in working in a more interconnected world in "Cultural Intelligence: The Competitive Edge for Leaders." In the third learning circle, "How Science Can Fix Remote Work," Adam Grant takes participants inside the minds of some of the world’s most unusual professionals to discover the keys to a better work life.
To view a full description and register to attend, visit the Book and Learning Circles webpage at learnandgrow.calpoly.edu.
Data Cookbook Coming to Cal Poly
The Office of Data Management has recently implemented the Data Cookbook to provide a central, automated process for all data access requests. Starting June 1, all requests for data from the Cal Poly community must be made via the Data Cookbook. The Data Cookbook will automate the data access process and provide consistency, streamlining data requests for all members of the campus community. For more information on the Data Cookbook, detailed instructions and a link to login, visit ir.calpoly.edu/data-cookbook.
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Campus Announcements
Subway to Reopen Wednesday
Subway is planning to open its doors for service starting Wednesday, June 17. The sandwich shop, located in the courtyard of the Dexter Building (No. 34), will be open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and will be closed on the weekends. For updates on hours of operation for Subway and all Campus Dining venues, visit https://www.calpolydining.com/hours/.
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.
Emeritus Parking Permits Will Become Virtual July 1
Transportation and Parking Services successfully launched License Plate Recognition (LPR) software in fall 2019. Staff, faculty and student parking permits are now virtual. The roll out of virtual emeritus permits is part of the next phase of the program. Current emeritus physical permits will expire June 30. All emeritus are asked to reply to a survey addressing parking privileges that was sent to their Cal Poly email. These survey responses will activate a new virtual permit that will be valid starting July 1, 2020. For more information about LPR, visit the TAPS website at parking.calpoly.edu/LPR. Each user's parking account should reflect accurate information at all times to stay compliant. Log into your parking account and ensure that the license plate number is correct and linked to an active parking permit.
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 have been 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.
There are no new listings at this time.
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.
#496866 — Full-Time Equine Lecturer, Animal Science, 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.