Cal Poly Report — May 13, 2020
News
Cal Poly Names Michigan State University Dean as New Provost
Cal Poly has appointed Michigan State University Dean and Professor Cynthia Jackson-Elmoore as its new provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs. Jackson-Elmoore will begin her new role on Aug. 1. Jackson-Elmoore is currently dean of the Honors College at MSU and a professor with affiliations in the School of Social Work and the Global Urban Studies Program. She also currently co-chairs a university level Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Steering Committee and is a presidential appointee to MSU's Strategic Planning Committee. At Cal Poly, Jackson-Elmoore will oversee the Academic Affairs division, which includes the university’s six colleges, along with the international and Extended Education programs, the Kennedy Library and the university’s Office of Equal Opportunity. In addition, she will share oversight of Research and Economic Development; Graduate Education; Financial Aid; the Registrar; Admissions; and Enrollment. “We are tremendously excited to bring an educator of Cynthia’s caliber into one of our key campus leadership roles,” President Armstrong said. “Her strong academic and administrative background will play an important role in the continual improvement of our already world class Learn by Doing education. And as we work to enhance our campus culture through diversity, equity and inclusion, her passion for and experience with these issues will be a valuable addition to Academic Affairs and the university as a whole.” Jackson-Elmoore will succeed Mary Pedersen, who has served as Cal Poly’s interim provost and executive vice president for academic affairs since summer of 2019. Pedersen, previously the university’s senior vice provost, has guided Academic Affairs with a particular focus on strategic planning, improvement of graduation rates, revision of General Education, expansion of the Cal Poly Scholars program, and increased diversity and inclusion programming within the academic curriculum. Read more here.
Orfalea College of Business Dean Candidates to Visit Campus Virtually
Interim Provost and Executive Vice President Mary Pedersen has accepted the recommendation of the Orfalea College of Business Dean Search Committee, co-chaired by Stern Neill and Eduardo Zambrano, to invite three finalists for the position to visit campus virtually. Biographies and curricula vitae are linked on the Academic Personnel website: https://academic-personnel.calpoly.edu/content/announcements. Faculty, staff, students and the campus community are invited to attend the Open Forum scheduled for each finalist. To join the forum, participants will need to use their Zoom account associated with their @calpoly.edu email address.
Cal Poly Corporation Board of Directors Annual Meeting Scheduled for June 12
The board of directors of the Cal Poly Corporation will hold its annual meeting virtually at 8:30 a.m. Friday, June 12. This is a public meeting. More information will be made available on the Cal Poly Corporation website along with the agenda packets on Friday, June 5. Discussion topics can be added to the agenda at the discretion of the board. Any action on such items requires public notice pursuant to open meeting law. Call Ann Roy at ext. 6-1131 with questions.
Poly Trekkers Program Canceled
Over the course of the past two months, ASI has been in constant communication with public health officials and is following all recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, San Luis Obispo County Department of Public Health, and California Department of Public Health as it relates to the situation surrounding COVID-19. The organization remains committed to prioritizing the safety and security of children, staff, community members and facilities. After thoughtful consideration and review of the ever-changing situation, the decision has been made to cancel the summer 2020 Poly Trekkers program. Poly Trekkers has been an integral part of ASI Children's Programs, and staff at the Orfalea Family and ASI Children's Center will miss connecting with families and center alumni this summer. Anyone with questions can contact asichildrenscenter@calpoly.edu.
Student Success
Outstanding Student Employee of the Year Announced
Due to the impacts of the COVID-19 situation, the Outstanding Student Employee of the Year (OSEY) Committee made the difficult decision to cancel the 2019-20 award ceremony originally scheduled in April. The awards committee has announced the winner and runners up for the 2019/2020 Outstanding Student Employee of the Year award:
— Winner: Josiah Lashley, California Cybersecurity Institute (CCI).
— First runner up: Fionna Fahey, Food Science and Nutrition.
— Second runner up: Anelise Wyandt, Career Services.
The winners were notified by mail and received a certificate and letter of recommendation from President Armstrong congratulating them on their achievement. Lashley’s name and year (19-20) will also be etched on the perpetual plaque that hangs in the UU, containing the names of all the student employees of the year since 1994. The campus community is invited to congratulate all of the nominees and thank student employees for the tremendous impact they have on our services, faculty, staff and university.
Graphic Communication Students Win First Place in Phoenix Challenge
The Graphic Communication Department’s Phoenix Challenge team won first place in the Phoenix Challenge competition, which took place virtually from May 2-3. The Phoenix Challenge is a yearlong project in which students help a local company rebrand and market its business with materials using the flexographic print process — a technique that uses a flexible plate to print on a variety of materials. This year, their project focused on rebranding and creating packaging solutions for the Tails Pet Boutique, which has been selling gourmet bakery pet treats and accessories in downtown San Luis Obispo since 1998. As the first-place winners, the team including Caitlin Royston, Morgan Wertz, Rita Yu, Julienne Chiang, Ashley Chen, Amber Huang, Trent Kammerer (shadow) and Hannah Krieg (shadow), got to present their project on May 6 for a national audience at the Flexographic Technical Association Virtual Forum.
Faculty & Staff
Nominations Open for Provost’s Leadership Award for Partnership in Philanthropy
Nominations are being accepted for the Provost’s Leadership Award for Partnership in Philanthropy. This award celebrates visionary leaders who have forged critical partnerships to advance the mission of Cal Poly. Nominees may be current or former faculty members who have been instrumental in comprehensive development and fundraising efforts. Award recipients receive campuswide recognition at the Fall Conference General Session. Faculty, staff and current students are encouraged to submit nominations. The nomination form and more information are available at provost.calpoly.edu/PLAPIP-Main. The deadline for submission is 5 p.m. Monday, June 1. Email nomination materials to Jeanne Scott, Office of the Provost, jscott29@calpoly.edu. Pictured is the 2019 awardee, Brian Granger, Ph.D., associate professor in the Physics Department.
New On-Demand Resources Available for Student Assistants and their Supervisors
The Employee and Organization Development Department provides many professional development support systems for student assistants and their supervisors. This includes newly released toolkits that provide on-demand courses, articles, videos and books addressing the unique professional development and mentoring needs of student employees. The newly released Student Assistant Toolkit is specifically designed for student employees to support their success in their new job, build their professional network, develop a growth mindset, master business skills and develop their professional image. A second, Managing Student Assistants Toolkit, provides supervisors with resources covering topics such as employee engagement, building cohesive teams and managing a multigenerational workforce. More resources to support student employees and their supervisors can be found at learnandgrow.calpoly.edu.
Free Captioning for Recorded Lectures Now Available
Project COVIDEO (Captioning Online VIDEO) is a new student-based video captioning service established to help faculty and staff make their videos accessible for asynchronous instruction. The Disability Resource Center has trained over 20 DRC student staff to generate and edit automated transcripts of videos using an AI-powered software called Otter. From these transcripts, the student staff create closed captions for videos hosted on various platforms (e.g., YouTube, Vimeo, Microsoft Stream). To request captioning services from the COVIDEO team, please complete the short application at Project COVIDEO Service Application. Anyone who would like to train student staff in their department to caption their videos can contact Project COVIDEO for training and guidance by emailing John Lee at JLee245@calpoly.edu. Videos will be captioned on a first-come first-served basis, as resources allow, and this service may not be available after spring term.
Live Transcripts Available for Free to Faculty, Register by May 31
Faculty who are providing synchronous instruction via Zoom can use Otter’s live transcription feature by signing up for a free two-month trial of Otter for Teams. Enter the coupon code OTTER_RELIEF to take advantage of this limited free offer. Video and PDF instructions for setting up and using Otter’s live transcription service with Zoom can be found on the Center for Teaching, Learning and Technology’s Captioning Live and Recorded Lectures page under the heading "ZOOM: Options for live (real-time) captioning." Contact John Lee, Disability Resource Center assistive technology specialist, at jlee245@calpoly.edu with any questions about Otter’s live transcription feature or Project COVIDEO.
Nominations Sought for 34th Annual Cal Poly Community Service Awards
The Center for Service in Action is hosting the 34th annual Cal Poly Community Service Awards, and nominations for this recognition are due at 5 p.m. Monday, May 18. Awards for the categories of individual faculty, staff and student contributions, along with student organizations and community partner of the year, will be bestowed on those making extraordinary impacts to address community needs. President Armstrong usually presents the awards and recognizes recipients for their efforts at an annual ceremony, but due to COVID-19 guidelines this year’s awards and written recognition from the president will be sent to recipients. More information about the history of the awards, details on each category, and a link to the nominations form can be found here. Anyone with questions about the nomination process can email the Center for Service in Action at serviceinaction@calpoly.edu.
CSUBUY is Coming to Cal Poly
Cal Poly and the CSU are working to transform the way they manage the Procure-to-Pay process. CSUBUY is replacing the existing ESM Campus Marketplace in preparation for future improvements. All current ESM users (both ProCard holders and transfer cart shoppers) will be moved to this new platform. Users will find most activities similar to the way they interact with the marketplace today. The targeted go-live date is June 1. Look for more information about training and access as the go-live date approaches, or visit https://afd.calpoly.edu/cprm/procurement/csubuy.
Support for Industry Partnerships and Research to be Provided Through New Corporate Engagement and Innovation Unit
A new unit within the Office of Research and Economic Development has been established to serve as a single point of contact for faculty in pursuit of for-profit sponsored engagement activities. Corporate Engagement and Innovation (CEI) will support faculty in industry-sponsored research, technology transfer, and applied innovation. CEI will assist faculty and researchers with proposal development and negotiating agreements with for-profit companies, assessment of potential inventions for patent/commercialization potential, and manage interactions with companies in the Cal Poly Technology Park. Visit www.cei.calpoly.edu or email cei@calpoly.edu for support in building long-term, productive and mutually beneficial relationships between Cal Poly and its industry collaborators.
Watch the Latest NINJIO Information Security Training Video About Email Attachment Scams
Watch this month’s information security video from NINJIO, “Scams Gone Viral,” to learn about malicious email attachments. In this episode, Mark is working from home and his wife alerts him that the family's bank account has been emptied. See how opening an email attachment from a seemingly trustworthy sender can wreak havoc. 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.
CTLT Support Available for Transition to Canvas
As Cal Poly transitions to Canvas, the Center for Teaching, Learning and Technology has several resources, including consultations, workshops and guides, available to best support faculty. These resources can all be found at canvassupport.calpoly.edu. Beginning in fall quarter 2020, Canvas will be the only learning management system (LMS) available. Fall course shells will be available in Canvas two weeks before the summer quarter begins. Every faculty member has one test course, named "username-sandbox," for trying out and learning Canvas tools. Faculty members who would like to start working on their fall courses now and need an additional test course can request a test course. Starting June 15, the CTLT will be offering Canvas webinars to help faculty learn how to migrate their PolyLearn courses and set up their Canvas courses for future teaching. This summer, the CTLT will also offer sessions on teaching online. In the meantime, faculty can self-enroll in the Launching a Course Online with Canvas to learn more about teaching online and see what an online course looks like. Questions? Email canvassupport@calpoly.edu.
Culturally Informed Early-Career Faculty Success Program Accepting Applications
Tenure-track faculty or full-time lecturers from historically underrepresented minority groups teaching in the STEM or STEM education fields, including social sciences, are invited to apply to the National Science Foundation-funded CSU Culturally Informed Strengths-Based Approach to Advance Early-Career Faculty Success program. Participants must have been hired during or after fall 2017. Participants will be supported through senior faculty coaching, peer coaching and networking, trainings about culturally informed strengths-based strategies for faculty success, and grant proposal writing support. The commitment includes the following:
— Kickoff weekend retreat (Aug. 28-30, 2020/potentially virtual).
— Six web-based zoom workshops (September 2020–May 2021).
— One hour one-on-one coaching call with senior STEM faculty strengths coach (every other month, September 2020–May 2021)/
— One hour one-on-one peer coaching call with another participant (every other month, September 2020–May 2021).
— Completion weekend retreat (June 2021).
Applications for this opportunity will be accepted until May 15. Email questions to csu.agep.alliance@gmail.com.
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 freshmen 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.
Onboarding Toolkits Available for Managers and Employees
It is estimated that 76% of new hires feel socialization is most important. Employees who participate in a structured onboarding program are 69% more likely to stay with an organization for three years. The Employee and Organization Department has on-demand toolkits available to support employees in making the best first impression and biggest long-lasting impact during the onboarding process. Whether it’s mapping out an entire onboarding process or just revamping what you already have in place, Employee and Organization Development's Onboarding Toolkit for Managers has the on-demand courses, books, checklists and videos to get you the tools they need. Additionally, the Onboarding Toolkit for Employees has helpful resources to get new employees set up for success in their first 90 days. View all of the learning and development toolkits on the Learn and Grow Website.
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Campus Announcements
'Teach ON!' Offers Lectures About Equity and Justice Surrounding COVID-19
In the spirit of the "Teach In" that was offered in the winter quarters of 2018, 2019 and 2020, the College of Liberal Arts will host a "Teach ON!" — a series of both synchronous and asynchronous lectures and resources devoted to issues of equity and justice surrounding COVID-19. People's collective responses to the COVID-19 pandemic magnifies structural inequities — as well as strengths — that exist in our diverse communities. These recorded and live lectures can be used by faculty across campus in courses to address important topics such as anti-Asian racism, health disparities in different populations with regard to treatment and testing, redeployment of survival strategies for marginalized communities, and more. Synchronous lectures will be held every Thursday starting May 7. A Canvas site was available starting April 30 for asynchronous lectures and recordings of synchronous lectures. Visit https://cla.calpoly.edu/teachon to see a "living" schedule as new topics are added. Anyone who would like to be invited to the Canvas site can email Grace Yeh (gyeh@calpoly.edu) or Jaime Ding (jpding@calpoly.edu). Questions about the Teach ON! can be directed to Heidi Velasco (hmvelasc@calpoly.edu).
Registration Open for Virtual Social Justice Education Conference
The third annual Social Justice Education Conference will be held virtually from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 16. The conference will focus on building community and engaging in social justice in this unprecedented time. The keynote speaker is Farima Pour-Khorshid, Ph.D., a Bay Area educator, community organizer, critical scholar and former elementary school teacher. A panel of K-12 educators and undocu-advocates from the Central Coast will also present. Pre-register to receive up-to-date information about the event. The event is organized and sponsored by the Central Coast Coalition for Undocumented Student Success, Santa Maria Joint Union High School District, Central Coast Coalition for Inclusive Schools and Cal Poly. For more information, visit the conference website or contact ccc.undocu@gmail.com.
Anti-Hate Working Group Launches #HateFreeCP Campaign
The Cal Poly Emergency Operation Center’s anti-hate working group recently launched a new social media campaign — #HateFreeCP — to educate the campus community on how to address coronavirus-related racism, bias and xenophobia. The campaign is posting tips and information on OUDI’s Instagram and Twitter (@CalPolyOUDI) and Facebook (facebook.com/calpoly.oudi) each weekday for the next four weeks.
Complete the 2020 Census for San Luis Obispo
ASI student government is encouraging the Cal Poly community to complete the 2020 U.S. census during spring quarter. One simple way that faculty and staff can help in this effort is by ensuring that they fill out the census themselves and also encourage their classes and student assistants to do the same. Regardless if students have remained in San Luis Obispo or are back home for spring quarter, the Census Bureau has confirmed that students should be counted at their San Luis Obispo address where they spent most of the year. For more information, see the Census Bureau's statement on counting college students. To complete the 2020 census, visit my2020census.gov.
Free Legal Advice Available for Faculty, Staff, and Students
Need legal advice? ASI has contracted with San Luis Obispo attorney Jeff Radding to provide free legal advice to the campus community. This service is available to currently enrolled students, as well as faculty and staff. Radding provides a free 15-minute phone consultation by scheduled appointment. No matter what the issue, advice and guidance are here for you. Legal consultation can give you the foundation to take the most effective steps necessary for your situation. Spring quarter appointments are now available from noon to 2 p.m. on May 15, May 29, and June 5. To schedule an appointment, email the ASI Business Office at asi@calpoly.edu.
Events
Virtual Talk on Positivity with Best-Selling Author Shola Richards Set for May 15
Employee and Organization Development will host a special session of CSU’s Got Talent with Shola Richards at 10 a.m. Friday, May 15. Richards is a best-selling author of "Go Together" and "Making Work Work." He has previously talked at Cal Poly and is a renowned keynote and TEDx speaker, as well as a workplace civility activist. Known for his fabulously inspiring and funny personality, he’ll be discussing how we can stay positive and mentally prepare for a return to “normal” work (whatever that looks like). A virtual Learning Circle will be hosted by the Employee and Organization Development department where you can join colleagues virtually to watch the talk and then participate in a facilitated group discussion. Attendance to the virtual Learning Circle is limited. Click here to register.
Campus Community Invited to Crip Camp Documentary Virtual Viewing and Discussion on May 19 and 21
The Disability Faculty Staff Association and Connections are hosting a virtual viewing and discussion of Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution. Crip Camp is a documentary film about a groundbreaking summer camp that galvanizes a group of teens with disabilities to help build a movement, forging a new path toward greater equality. The virtual viewing will take place at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 19. It will be accessible via Zoom at https://calpoly.zoom.us/j/98548006346. A virtual discussion will be held from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 21, on Zoom at https://calpoly.zoom.us/j/95181567183. Anyone with questions about accessibility information and needs can contact John Lee at jlee245@calpoly.edu or ext. 6-5972.
Theatre and Dance Department to Present Virtual Spring Dance Concert
The Theatre and Dance Department will present “Vitalis,” a virtual showing of the annual spring dance concert Wednesday through Friday, May 20-22. Vitalis is a Latin word meaning “of or manifesting life.” The student directors, Alyssa Gatan, Evan Ricaurté and Lindsay Eklund, wrote “Dance manifests life through culture, connections and creativity.” Typically, the spring concert is a live performance generated by the students for the stage in Spanos Theatre. This year students of varying majors, locations and dance experience will instead present 16 dances for the camera. Directed, choreographed, performed and edited by students, this show celebrates the chance to dance and explore different dance styles together through this time of social distancing. “Vitalis” embraces the values of inclusivity, accessibility, diversity and creation of art by connecting more than 100 students at different locations to create this unique performance. To join this online experience, register to reserve concert access here: bit.ly/cp2020sdc.
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.
#496437 — Temporary One-Year Environmental Health and Safety Specialist (Administrative Analyst/Specialist), Administration and Finance — Facilities Management and Development. $56,316-$101,868 per year. Anticipated hiring range: $74,400-$86,400 per year. Open until closed.
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 opened. Visit jobs.calpoly.edu for current openings, further information and how to apply. For assistance, call Academic Personnel at ext. 6-2844.
There are no new 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 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.