Cal Poly Report — June 3, 2020
News
Resources Available for Faculty, Staff, Students to Support Mental Health and Well-Being
The university hopes campus community members are taking care of themselves during this time and not hesitating to reach out for support. There are numerous resources available for faculty, staff and students to take care of their mental health and well-being. Human Resources and Campus Health and Wellbeing have compiled a list of resources:
— Employee Assistance Program confidential counseling services is available to employees and their families at 800-367-7474 or https://afd.calpoly.edu/hr/employee-resources/work-life.
— Working Remotely Toolkit: https://afd.calpoly.edu/learn-and-grow/employee-development/toolkits/working-remotely.
— Mindfulness Resources: https://afd.calpoly.edu/learn-and-grow/employee-development/toolkits/mindfulness.
— Ergonomics tips for working from home: https://afd.calpoly.edu/learn-and-grow/docs/ergonomic_tips_for_working_at_home.pdf.
— Text START to 741-741 or call 1-800-273-TALK (8253) for a confidential conversation anytime (Jed Foundation).
— Text STEVE to 741-741 to access a culturally trained Crisis Text Line counselor (The Steve Fund).
— Read these tips from the Jed Foundation for taking care of ourselves and others during difficult times.
— Faculty and staff can remind students of key resources including the Counseling Center, Cross Cultural Centers, and the Dean of Students Office. Students can call Counseling Services at 805-756-2511 for 24/7 psychological support.
In addition, employees should try to get sufficient sleep, exercise and proper nutrition. Try to take breaks from work and develop separation or boundaries from your workspace or transition to and from work. Human Resources notes that a decline in productivity is normal during a challenging time, and encourages all campus community members to practice compassion with themselves and each other.
Campus COVID-19 Updates: University Housing Move Out Continues Through June 14
University Housing continues to ask faculty and staff to help move students out of campus residence halls and apartments. Currently active employees, including student assistants who are currently working on campus, can sign up for two-hour shifts from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. through June 14. Volunteers are especially needed on June 12-14. Employees must get approval from their supervisor first. Click here to sign up for a shift. Helpers must wear face coverings and gloves; University Housing will provide these items if needed. Visit the University Housing website for more information; contact Zach Zimmerman at zzimme01@calpoly.edu with questions. For updates and information about the university’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, continue to visit coronavirus.calpoly.edu.
Cal Poly Corporation Board of Directors to Meet June 12
The board of directors of the Cal Poly Corporation will hold a regular meeting virtually via Zoom webinar at 8:30 a.m. Friday, June 12. This is a public meeting. To join the meeting use the following Zoom webinar link and call-in information: https://calpoly.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-s2RIN8RSw2whLt24iKU0A. Public comments for this meeting must be submitted no later than 5 p.m. Thursday, June 11, via email to cpcadmin@calpoly.edu. Request a copy of the agenda on June 5, by emailing cpcadmin@calpoly.edu or visit the Cal Poly Corporation website at https://www.calpolycorporation.org/organization-profile/governance/meeting-agendas-minutes/.
Student Success
Need New Lab or Teaching Equipment? Mechanical Engineering Students May Be Able to Help
For their senior project, mechanical engineering students work in small teams to design, build and test a mechanical system to meet a sponsor’s needs. Project results include a final report and tested prototype. The department waives the course fee for on-campus sponsors, so the only expense is the cost to build/test the final prototype. Projects starting in the fall will finish in June 2021. Learn more at https://me.calpoly.edu/senior-project/sponsor. This fall, the department is looking for over 40 new design challenges for its teams. Anyone with an idea that they'd like to discuss can contact Peter Schuster at pschuste@calpoly.edu.
Faculty & Staff
Professor Beverly Bass to Lead Landscape Architecture Department
Professor Beverly Bass has been appointed department head of the Landscape Architecture Department beginning July 1. Bass has served as a faculty member in the Landscape Architecture Department since 2008, and as a full professor since 2019. Her leadership role will include guiding the continued success of the No. 1 landscape architecture undergraduate program in the nation, as ranked in the most recent DesignIntelligence survey. Bass is a licensed landscape architect in California and worked for several years as a landscape planner before serving as principal of EcoMagine Landscape Architecture in San Luis Obispo. She earned a Master of Landscape Architecture degree from the University of Arizona in 2003. Bass’ scholarly interests include rural and small-town development, walkability and sustainability. She has served on the Cal Poly Academic Senate, the Campus Planning Committee and as a member of the Resilient Communities Research Institute. The College of Architecture and Environmental Design expresses its appreciation to Professor Omar Faruque for his contributions as department head during the past five years. He will continue teaching in the Landscape Architecture Department. Read the full story here.
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.
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.
Changes to Academic Advising Coming Summer 2020
To streamline advising services for students, Cal Poly’s undergraduate academic advising structure will be reconfigured effective summer 2020. The Mustang Success Center will transition to a first year advising center, specifically serving freshman of all majors. The College Advising Centers will advise students in their second year and beyond, including transfer students. The faculty advising model will remain the same. Anyone who would like to have an advisor attend a department meeting to discuss the changes can contact Shannon Stephens at sgstephe@calpoly.edu. The Mustang Success Center website will be updated on June 5 with additional information.
DocuSign to Be Discontinued This Summer
DocuSign send functionality for Cal Poly users will be discontinued on Friday, June 11. This is the final phase of the campus transition from DocuSign to Adobe Sign, which began in 2019. Documents that are currently out for signature or are in progress on June 11 will not be impacted. If you are a sender and you're still using templates or workflows in DocuSign, reach out to your area's division or document unit coordinator as soon as possible to get help moving to Adobe Sign. Cal Poly's DocuSign account will be discontinued after Aug. 1, 2020. Instructions for downloading documents from DocuSign, are available in the DocuSign Support Center. Links to Adobe Sign support and training are available in the ITS Knowledge Base. Adobe Sign is currently available under My Apps in the My Cal Poly Portal.
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Retirements
Agricultural Education and Communication Department Head Robert Flores is retiring after 37 years at Cal Poly. Flores taught introductory and graduate level courses and supervised student teachers in agricultural education, chairing several committees for students completing their master’s degree. He led the Agricultural Education and Communication Department for 11 years. In addition, he has been the advisor to the Latinos in Agriculture student organization since 1993 and a core faculty member of the California Agricultural Leadership Program (CALP) for the past 20 years. He was awarded the Ocean Mist Outstanding Faculty Member award for 2010 by the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences at Cal Poly. In September 2017, he was recognized as with the Hispanic Heritage Award at Cal Poly. Flores earned his bachelors and master’s degrees at Cal Poly, and completed his doctorate at Texas A&M University. Flores, his wife, Sheryl, and their three sons are all graduates of Cal Poly.
After 15 years with Cal Poly, Debra Sherburne, head of Administrative Services for the Office of the Provost, is calling it a day. During her time on campus, Sherburne exemplified the ability to remain calm under pressure. She credits this superpower to her time as a police and fire dispatcher, first for the Atascadero Police Department and then the Cal Poly Police Department. In 2006, Sherburne switched gears and accepted a position in the Office of the Provost. She amusingly recalls she did not know what a provost was prior to her interview. After serving five provosts, some would say she is a subject matter expert. In her current role, she is grateful that she was able to experience the complete change in executive leadership, which included a new president, provost, vice presidents and deans. When asked what she will miss the most about Cal Poly, she responded: “The people, those who shared their humor and support with me over the years. I was privileged to work with some amazing campus leaders, administrative colleagues and police officers.” Life after Cal Poly will include travel with her husband, Creig, and time with her three grown children, their spouses, and six grandchildren. Until it is safe to travel, she is planning a “year of creativity” to landscape her yard. Sherburne's last day is June 30. In lieu of a party, please celebrate Sherburne with well wishes via email at dsherbur@calpoly.edu.
Longtime Horticulture and Crop Science Professor Wyatt Brown will retire at the end of spring quarter while continuing to teach under the Faculty Early Retirement Program through spring 2021. His distinguished career as a vegetable scientist/postharvest physiologist began in 1990 in the then Crop Science Department. He has served as the Horticulture and Crop Science assistant department head since 2008. During his nearly three decades at Cal Poly, he taught or helped to teach 14 courses and supervised 11 graduate students. During his tenure, Brown also helped to bring in over $2 million in grant funding. He was awarded two patents; one in 2015 and one in 2019, and was awarded the university’s Distinguished Scholarship Award in 2015, among other accolades. Brown plans to return to campus one quarter a year to teach his signature Postharvest Technology class and to assist with the course California Vegetable Production. He looks forward to having more time to pursue gourmet cooking, traveling, spending time with friends, increasing his overall fitness and his proficiency in Spanish and Japanese.
Sherrill Flohaug, administrative support coordinator for Information Technology Services (ITS), retired June 2 after 20 years at Cal Poly. Flohaug began her career at Cal Poly in the Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering Department before moving to ITS. Prior to her current role on the ITS finance team, Flohaug worked in PolyCard Services where she helped grow the part-time, fledgling program into one of the highest volume identification card offices in the CSU system. Always patient with students, parents and employees, her customer service and teamwork defined PolyCard Services. In retirement, Flohaug looks forward to playing golf and spending time with her husband in their new home in the Las Vegas area.
In Memoriam
Rhoda M. DeSomer, a staff member in Cal Poly’s College of Architecture and Environmental Design in the 1980s, died April 28 in Atascadero at the age of 96. DeSomer provided secretarial support to the dean as well as to professors in the Architecture Department from 1983-87. She also assisted with the administration of the graduate student admissions process. DeSomer saved some letters of recommendation, one of which noted that she was essential to the smooth operation of the department, which was then in the midst of some transitions. “Rhoda bravely and calmly passed every test with high marks, evidencing the fact of her professional awareness and experience,” the letter stated. “Her delightful personality was an important balancing ingredient in the bargain.” DeSomer and her husband, Bob, lived in Morro Bay since 1974 and owned and operated DeSomer Home Appliance (now Morro Bay Appliance) until they retired in the 1990s. In later years, DeSomer learned to play the organ, and served as an organist for churches in San Luis Obispo County, including the Christian Science church, where she was a member. Read DeSomer’s full obituary at https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/sanluisobispo/obituary.aspx?n=rhoda-m-desomer&pid=196142826.
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Campus Announcements
Campus Dining Venues to Close for the Summer
Starting June 15 all Campus Dining venues will close for summer quarter. With summer session being held virtually, most summer in-person groups canceled, few resident students on campus, and many members of the Cal Poly community continuing to telework, the demand for Campus Dining services has decreased substantially. The Avenue has closed for the summer and the remaining Campus Dining venues that are currently open will have limited hours through June 14. Visit calpolydining.com/hours/ to see currently open venues and hours.
Events
Screening of 'Black Skin, White Masks: Racism, Vulnerability, and Refuting Black Pathology' and Discussion Set for June 4
The Teach ON Committee invites the campus community to hear from keynote speaker Ruha Benjamin, Ph.D., in “Race to the Future? Reimagining the Default Settings of Technology and Society” from 10:10 a.m. to noon Thursday, June 4. Register at ctlt.calpoly.edu/teach-on-keynote-registration. Benjamin, associate professor in the Department of African American Studies at Princeton University, studies the social dimensions of science, technology and medicine, race and citizenship, knowledge and power. She is the author of "People’s Science: Bodies and Rights on the Stem Cell Frontier and Race After Technology: Abolitionist Tools for the New Jim Code." At 10:10 a.m., there will be a community viewing of “Black Skin, White Masks: Racism, Vulnerability, and Refuting Black Pathology,” followed by Benjamin’s talk and a Q&A session at 11 a.m. For more information about Teach ON! and resources devoted to issues of equity and justice surrounding COVID-19, visit the Teach-ON! website.
‘RSVP XXV: Call and Response’ to be Presented in Virtual Episodes June 4-6
The Music Department’s student production ensemble RSVP will present “RSVP XXV: Call and Response” in three video episodes starting at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, June 4-6. This year marks not only the 25th anniversary of RSVP but also the departure of its founder and artistic director, Antonio G. Barata, who is retiring from full-time teaching at Cal Poly after 35 years. This year the transmedia series picks up where last year’s left off: in a combination of music, costume, dance and video editing. The composition, performance, soundscape and costuming combine the creativity of students in Barata’s Sound Design classes with choreography by Cal Poly students Evan Ricaurté, Lindsay Eklund and Justine Teoh, plus several dancers from past productions. The students have been especially creative this year due to the COVID-19 shelter-in-place orders. Links to the YouTube videos will be posted to the RSVP calendar page. Donations can be made to support future RSVP productions. The performances are sponsored by the Music Department, College of Liberal Arts and Instructionally Related Activities program. For more information, visit the department’s calendar website or email music@calpoly.edu.
Cal Poly Choirs to Present Virtual Concert on June 8
The choirs will present a virtual concert that will include a special set to recognize graduating seniors at 7 p.m. Monday, June 8. The choirs will perform selections they have been working on through online rehearsals this quarter and works they were going to perform at the Winter Concert, which was canceled due to the shelter-at-home order. There will also be a post-concert talk. PolyPhonics and the University Singers will present three works as a combined virtual choir: “If Ye Love Me” by Thomas Tallis; the infamous “Confutatis” and “Lacrimosa” from Mozart’s “Requiem in D Minor,” K.626; and “Sleep” by the famous modern composer Eric Whitacre. Choir members will have an opportunity to interact virtually with Whitacre in the coming weeks. The video recordings of PolyPhonics from last quarter are the thrilling “Lamentations of Jeremiah” by Argentinian composer Alberto Ginastera, and “My God is a Rock” by Stacey Gibbs. The Women’s Chorus will sing a movement from “Winter Cantata” by Vincent Persichetti and a portion of “Songs of Sanctuary” by Karl Jenkins. Those who attend the concert are also invited to a post-concert talk and will be able to interact with students and faculty members. The session will include interviews with a student panel, a talk by faculty member Laura Kramer on the process of rehearsing and putting together a virtual choir, and notes from Glysson. Paul Woodring is the accompanist for the choirs. Tickets to the concert are $5. A $10 backstage pass ticket includes both the concert and the post-concert session. Tickets are sold through FeelitLive.
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.
#496841 — Tenure-Track, Assistant/Associate Professor Agriculture Communication, College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences. Open until filled.
#496752 — Full-Time Lecturer, Livestock Production, College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences. Open until filled.
#496626 — Full-Time Lecturer, Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences. Open until filled.
#496312 — Full-Time Lecturer, Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering. Open until filled.
#496545 — Full-Time Lecturer, Psychology/Sociology of Exercise and Sport, College of Science and Mathematics. Open until filled.
#496657 — Full-Time Lecturer, Political Science, College of Liberal Arts. Open until filled.
#496700 — Full-Time Lecturer, Visiting Professor Political Science, College of Liberal Arts. 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.