That fall, Proudfit taught a course called “Native American Communities.” It was a small class, featuring only about a dozen students. One of them stood out immediately.

Proudfit had known the family of Tommy Devers for years. They are both Luiseño Indians, and Tommy’s uncle is Chris Devers, the former chairman of the Pauma Band of Luiseño Indians, who has deep ties to CSUSM. But that didn’t prepare her for what she would encounter in Tommy.

“I noticed his commitment and curiosity right away, but what struck me more deeply was the way he carried himself in service to his community,” Proudfit said. “His hands were always in the work. He showed up for his people with a sincerity that you cannot teach.

“There is simply a light to him. My husband used to joke that Tommy should be the mayor of whatever town he happened to live in because he is just that kind of person: engaged, grounded, generous and easy to gravitate toward.”

After graduating from CSUSM with a degree in communication in 2009, Devers went on to complete a master’s program in sociological practice, bolstering his connection to the university. During that time, he further immersed himself in Native studies, and even helped Proudfit move into the new California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center (CICSC).

About a year ago, then, when a job as the first leader of a planned American Indian Student Center became available, Proudfit had the ideal candidate in mind.

“Tommy,” she said, “was exactly the person we needed.”

And Devers was exactly the person CSUSM got. Hired as assistant director in February, the double alumnus spent his first semester observing and developing relationships with American Indian and other students while working out of an office near Proudfit in the CICSC. By late August, he had moved into his new office in the student center, which occupies a suite in the University Student Union that formerly housed the Cross-Cultural Center.

This fall, he has overseen five student employees while the American Indian Student Center welcomes in an average of about 20 students per day. Greeting them as they enter is an enormous, wall-sized mural painted by American Indian studies professor Eric Tippeconnic. To make the center more inviting, Devers and his team rebranded it as “The Nest,” both a nod to the center's logo of a feather and a nickname that rolls off the tongue more easily.

“This is going to become the nest where students come, they get nurtured, they grow and then they move on in their journey,” Devers said. “So it took on a more symbolic meaning as well.

“There's a lot of excitement from the students, and I think they have a strong desire to make this space their own. This is the foundational year. This is when we start being mindful of how we want the center to be, the legacy we want it to have.”

The Nest represents the fulfillment of a desire Proudfit has held almost from the day she first stepped foot on campus to give CSUSM’s American Indian students a place they could call their own. Out of necessity, they have congregated over the years at the CICSC on the first floor of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Building.

A door opened a couple of years ago when Viridiana Diaz, CSUSM’s vice president for Student Affairs, formed an advisory committee led by lecturer John Tippeconnic, whose report affirmed the need for a dedicated center. The timing lined up perfectly with the availability of Devers, who had moved back to California after some time living out of state and was ready to return to higher education.

“He was raised for this kind of work,” Proudfit said. “He is thriving because the job aligns with his spirit, his community roots and his lived commitment to our students.”

Devers grew up on the Pauma reservation as the youngest of four children of a Luiseño father and Irish mother. He recalls an idyllic childhood marked not only by normal pursuits such as abundant outdoor play in the rural landscape but also by a stint as an actor.

As a fifth-grader, he attended a casting call, which led a trip to acting school, the hiring of an agent and, on his seventh audition, a role in the TV show “Power Rangers.” During middle school, he even moved to Los Angeles for a year with his mom to try acting full-time before concluding that the world of Hollywood was not for him.

The sense of adolescent adventure, however, didn’t come without some discomfort related to his identity.

“There's definitely some pain that came up because my mom is white and my dad is Indian,” Devers said. “Being half-white on the reservation, you're very aware of your situation at a young age.”

After being part of one of the first graduating classes at Valley Center High School, Devers went to Palomar College along with his brother and one of his two sisters. It was a rather aimless period for him. He explored being a photography major. He contemplated becoming an English teacher. He took a semester off to travel, and ultimately stayed at the college for almost four years.

“No one who I knew could explain to me what the next steps were,” he said.

Devers found direction when he transferred to CSUSM in 2007, and particularly the following year when Proudfit joined the faculty. The American Indian studies discipline hadn’t been created yet, but he took as many classes in that vein as he could. After he earned his bachelor’s degree, Proudfit helped him land a job with the U.S. Census Bureau, for which he leveraged his tribal relationships and cultural knowledge to help boost participation by Native peoples in the 2010 census.

The more Devers went down the path of connecting with his heritage, the farther he wanted to go. He began working for his tribe as a youth program coordinator. He came back to CSUSM to earn a master’s and resumed his leadership in the American Indian Student Alliance.

“I realized that education was changing my life in a way I never imagined,” Devers said. “The subjects I was learning about were changing the way I thought about things and approached ideas.”

Devers was in his second year of the master’s program when the CICSC opened in 2011. Proudfit remembers that it was Nov. 17, the same day she returned from maternity leave. While she was holding her 3-month-old daughter, Piper, Devers and an interior designer friend of Proudfit’s decorated the center in one day on a shoestring budget.

“We filled the space with photos of our students and tribal community members, and much of what they created that day still lives in the center now,” Proudfit said. “Tommy has been integral to the CICSC from day one. His labor, his vision, his spirit are all woven into the roots of that space, and I remain deeply grateful.”

Fourteen years later, now married with two young children, Devers is integral to a new space for American Indian students. Following a first year in the job aimed at establishing The Nest and making students feel at home, he plans to turn his focus to career pipelines and recruitment.

To that end, he’s the lead organizer for the 2026 edition of Dream the Impossible, a Native youth conference that has been held for nearly two decades and is returning to CSUSM in April. More than 500 Native middle and high school students will converge on campus for an event that will introduce them to Native professionals in various fields and tout the transformative power of higher education.

Devers knows a thing or two about that.

“I have such hope for what this university is becoming,” he said. “The knowledge and kinship that can be gained through American Indian studies, the CICSC, the American Indian Student Alliance and The Nest can have a massive impact in tribal communities. That's what excites me the most. We're developing students who will lead our tribal communities into a future rooted in sovereignty, accountability and cultural strength."

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

Developing an alias is standard for all counselors at Resident Oncology Camp. It offers privacy while counselors work with children who have had their lives upended by cancer.

Consunji picked Mushu as a nod to her Asian heritage, but the choice carries deeper significance.

“He is so bold, fierce and just really supportive,” Consunji said. “He knows when to come in and help Mulan out and is just an underdog. I chose the name because of all of that, but it really has taught me so much more. Each year, I'm able to set my personal life aside and just be there for the kids. Mushu has provided me so much grit, motivation, protection and strength.”

Resident Oncology Camp, part of the nonprofit Oncology and Kids, was developed for children affected by cancer to create memories, forge friendships and build the resiliency needed to heal. It’s a mission that resonates with Consunji. Not only is she a cancer survivor herself, she attended Resident Oncology Camp from the time she was 7 until she turned 18.

Giving back to the camp that did so much for her is why Consunji takes a week off every summer from her job as a marketing specialist in the University Communications office.

“It’s really special,” she said. “Many of the counselors were once campers, and they truly want to bring back the magic that they felt as campers.”

Consunji was diagnosed with cancer when she was just 2 years old. She wasn’t able to articulate the pain she was experiencing, but she was constantly crying and her stomach was hard as a rock. Doctors initially couldn’t find anything wrong, but when the pain persisted, her parents took her back to the hospital and doctors discovered a tumor on one of her ovaries.

Although Consunji’s cancer has a high survival rate, having one of her ovaries removed took an emotional toll on her family, and the repercussions are still felt more than two decades later.

“At a young age, the doctors were like, ‘Hey, she's not going to be able to have kids, she's going to have complications,’ ” Consunji said. “Now that I'm in my 30s, as I'm thinking about family and the future, it's not the normal options.”

Consunji had another cancer scare as an undergraduate student studying business administration at CSUSM (she’ll become a double alumna in December when she completes her MBA).

When she was 21, Consunji started experiencing severe stomach pain. Doctors thought it might be a virus, but the pain persisted and her stomach started hardening, exactly what she had experienced as a toddler. A trip to the emergency room uncovered a large cyst on Consunji’s remaining ovary. Though it was benign, it required removal of the ovary and caused Consunji to miss most of the semester.

“I kept my cancer and the cyst such a secret before I finally started to tell my close friends,” she said. “I had so many low moments during that time of just anxiety and depression going through another major surgery.”

Consunji confided in a friend she knew from Resident Oncology Camp about the emotional difficulties she was experiencing after having her second ovary removed. The friend told Consunji how she returned to the camp as a counselor and how helpful it had been, inspiring Consunji to give it a try.

Nearly 10 years after that conversation, Consunji continues to return to the camp each summer. It’s free for campers thanks to donor support and grants, and Consunji is grateful that it continues to give children affected by cancer the same joy that it brought her.

“Camp helped me navigate all of those feelings,” she said. “It helped me to feel OK in my own skin and celebrate that I have another chance at life. It also provided me a lot of humility and acceptance because you realize it’s not just you and that there are people who have it worse than you. It helps you appreciate life a little bit more.”

Oncology and Kids has provided free, year-round programs for people ages 4 to 25 affected by cancer since 1983. Visit the Oncology and Kids website to learn more about its programs and support of children and families affected by cancer.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

After all, years later she owns an MFA from San Diego State in filmmaking and is currently pursuing a second master’s degree in literature and writing studies from Cal State San Marcos. 

She’s earning the latter while also working full time as the administrative coordinator with the LTWR department. She’s also a wife and mom to three children. 

Creating art has always been inside Mendez, and her work reflects that. She will show her documentary “Bad Child” on March 4 in Arts 111 as part of CSUSM’s Arts & Lectures series.  

The 13-minute film will be shown at noon, followed by a brief discussion from Mendez. She’ll also lead a panel discussing the impacts of sexual assault, how trauma is expressed artistically and the many resources available to survivors. Staff from Student Health & Counseling Services and faculty and staff from the department of psychology and the School of Arts will sit on the interdisciplinary panel. 

As with most A&L events, CSUSM students, faculty, staff and alumni are free. Community members are $5. Tickets are available online. 

The topic is heavy. She wrote and produced it as a retelling of her personal sexual abuse as a child primarily at the hands of her step grandfather.  

“So the film is entirely my story,” Mendez said. “It goes through every kind of what I see as different stages of the outcomes. I was sexually abused as a child multiple times, so this is something that impacted me throughout my entire lifespan. The film goes through different developmental stages and how it affected me throughout that time.” 

The film also has interviews with psychologists who speak to the technical side of recovering and healing. Mendez included facts from her own research as well as statistics on recovery.  

Her own personal story is woven throughout the film. 

She sees the event as an opportunity to discuss a subject that still doesn’t get enough attention on college campuses, although she is quick to praise the work done by SHCS. 

“There’s a lack of people who talk to their children about sexual assault,” said Mendez, 42. “It's not discussed enough as kids are growing up. It's ignored. So I think a lot of young people get to college and they don't think about these risks, and they don't think that these things do happen. And then when they happen to someone they know, or they're aware that these things are occurring, they don't know what to do. They don't know how to help. They don't know how to positively contribute to such an important issue. And so those are all things I want to touch on.” 

Filled with expert interviews and personal narratives, the film touches on her experiences while also placing a hard emphasis on the importance of parental and caregiver support in the aftermath.  

Healing is an individual journey, one that could be made much longer and more difficult without the presence of support.  

That’s particularly important when the abuse happens to a child, according to Mendez. 

“How that event impacts you is greatly determined by the support you receive or don't receive when you disclose that event, it is so critical for someone who has had horrible things happen to them,” Mendez said. “After disclosure is supported appropriately, they (a victim/survivor) will likely have less severe outcomes compared to someone who might have had something happen and they tell someone, and the person doesn't believe them, or they tell them they're a liar. There's such a big impact.” 

The switch in pursuits to visual arts as an undergraduate student at a small liberal arts college in Portland wasn’t as much of a stretch as it seems because it aligned with Mendez’s interests. And when she took a film class in the SDSU MFA program in 2018, it sparked a passion for filmmaking, leading to a transition from fine art to film. 

While some people choose activities when they have free time, Mendez simply doesn’t have much. Instead, she makes time for her creative outlets partly by involving her family. 

Her first film — a short narrative about a girl and her grandma — was inspired by her childhood experiences – memories of making tamales with family and listening to music, which often sparked creative ideas. In the film, the girl goes into one of her grandma's rooms and starts using her sewing materials and tries to make herself a dress. At the end, the grandma comes in and offers to help her as a form of connection through action. 

Mendez finds inspiration from both real-life experiences and music, particularly non-lyrical film scores. Her art is personal, often reflecting childhood experiences and family dynamics as someone who grew up in Chula Vista but also lived in Florida, Connecticut and other parts of San Diego and L.A. 

In addition to making documentary films, she’s an accomplished painter. She painted her daughter for a decade in a series that explored themes of childhood innocence and the contrast between child and adult expressions. 

“That was obviously a very personal series,” Mendez said of her now 16-year-old daughter. “I was, in a sense, reexamining my own childhood through these pictures of her. And then when I went off and started making films, I did some animations, and all of those had to do with my childhood. And then the film about the dress. There were elements of my childhood that were put into that.” 

Her love for color and patterns is evident in all her work, from painting to filmmaking to her personal style. 

Mendez of course finds it challenging to balance full-time work, family responsibilities and creative pursuits. She has slowed down on creative work to focus more on family time, especially as her three children — one in high school and two in elementary school — have more activities. 

Mendez’s goal is to educate and inspire collective improvement in supporting victims and addressing sexual assault. Healing is a process, and it’s one that is different for every survivor. 

She reported her abuser during the making of the documentary, which took a long time to be processed. He was arrested the same week the film was completed in spring 2022, adding another level of emotional impact to the project.  

Just last month — three decades after the abuse began — he was sentenced to six years in prison. At age 87, he will most likely spend the rest of his life behind bars. 

The reporting process was challenging with delays and emotional tolls, but Mendez felt it was important to go through it at the pace it required. The documentary serves as a testament to her persistence. The long journey of reporting and seeking justice is over, but the healing continues. 

“I won't say there's a real resolution because I do feel like when someone experiences sexual assault of any sort, no matter how minor it is, it affects you forever,” Mendez said. “It'll affect you less if you handle it, you face it, you deal with it, you process it and process it and process it. I do believe it gets better, and some of that is shown in the film. It's not all just dark and negative. It’s more factual and just this is how it was and is. 

 “I want people to take something away from it as far as how can we be better? Just collectively, parents, teachers, mentors, people who are in those positions to receive that information, those disclosures. How can we as a community, as society, be more supportive and be better?” 

Mendez the chemist and/or mathematician never surfaced, and probably for good reason as her art has and will inspire others.  

But perhaps there’s something to order, problem solving and truth that chemistry and math provide that also speaks to who she is.  

Whatever she chooses to do with her career, it’s clear Mendez is one thing above all — resilient.  

“I want to focus on how to help people who have experienced that because when someone discloses sexual assault, the reactions that they receive to that disclosure impact the outcomes of that assault, sometimes more than the assault itself,” Mendez said. “It has such a profound impact on how someone heals or is able to cope that it is really critical that people have an idea of the language to use and how to address those situations.  

“And the reality is this does happen, or people have experienced it in their past. But it still affects them, of course.  To know how to interact with someone about those topics who has had those experiences, that’s really important.” 

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

CASC plans to work with faculty and staff to prepare students with practical solution-oriented approaches to climate crises and provide hands-on learning experiences within sustainability. One example is a student podcast being produced called “Climate to Action.”

Juliana Goodlaw-Morris, director of sustainability and climate justice and the administrative director of the CASC, is excited for the possibilities the center will provide for the campus community as is Dr. Kim Knowles-Yánez, professor in the Liberal Studies Department and faculty director of CASC. 

“The CASC is an opportunity to build upon the tremendous work that faculty, students and staff have already invested in climate, sustainability and justice over many years, and to build stronger relationships with our wider community,” Goodlaw-Morris said. “This center is also a perfect example of how we, as an institution, are putting into action the core value of sustainability and climate justice, which is a part of our CSUSM strategic plan.” 

Said Knowles-Yánez: “I welcome this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of establishing a new center charged with taking action and problem-solving for climate change. Please look forward to hearing more about our work on climate change curriculum and research, as well as the on- and off-campus collaborations we will facilitate to help our region meet the needs of climate change and climate justice mitigation, adaptation, and resilience.”

The center will engage campus community members and external stakeholders on climate change, climate justice and sustainability initiatives for the region. 

The mission of the CASC is to provide ”interconnectedness among societies, all living beings and ecosystems by ensuring socially just, ecologically sound, and resilient communities that value diversity, innovation, fiscal stewardship, health and well-being for all by creating a positive local to global impact for current and future generations."  The genesis of the center is the Climate Change Faculty Working Group, which faculty founded in 2020, and for which Knowles-Yánez was chair of the steering committee.

“The Climate Action and Sustainability Center provides recognition and structure for efforts that have been occurring across all disciplines and units,” said Dr. Charles De Leone, dean of Graduate Studies and Research, who is responsible for oversight of all centers and institutes on campus, had this to say about the new center. "And the new center could not be in better hands with Kim Knowles-Yánez and Juliana Goodlaw-Morris as its inaugural leaders."  

CASC will also serve as a resource for faculty seeking to develop research. The center is hoping to collaborate on fundraising opportunities to expand activities and sustainability efforts.

Biology professor Dr. Darcy Taniguchi drafted the proposal for the center and geography professor Dr. Elizabeth Ridder shepherded the proposal through the campus approval process.  

Taniguchi is hopeful the CASC will raise awareness toward climate issues.

“The CASC is an important establishment that will focus on some of the most pressing issues of our time,” Taniguchi said. “Its proposed efforts in the areas of climate change, climate justice and sustainability are important and timely for our campus community and beyond.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

President Ellen Neufeldt expressed excitement and optimism during her annual convocation address to faculty and staff last Thursday.

“Our collective achievements continue to grow, and what I cherish most is how all our efforts are deeply tied to student success and social mobility,” Neufeldt said.

Neufeldt also highlighted the importance of the university’s fundraising efforts, which brought in $26.6 million in the last fiscal year, more than double the previous year’s record.

“As a university, we are always committed to opening doors and creating new opportunities for our students,” she said. “Our record-breaking fundraising activity this year is a testament to that commitment. …

“This just shows the strength of our community and commitment to supporting our important mission of student success and advancing economic and social mobility in our region.”

A year of generosity

The university celebrated a milestone in its fundraising efforts with a record $26 million raised for fiscal year 2023-24 – more than double the previous record of $12.5 million set a year earlier. 

Generous donors contributed a total of 5,290 gifts, highlighting the community’s commitment to programs that promote social and economic mobility and ensuring student success across the university’s diverse student population. 

CSUSM named to best colleges list 

CSUSM was named to the “Best Colleges in America 2024” list by Money magazine. CSUSM received a rating of 4 stars out of 5 in the new system developed this year by Money.

Weeks of Welcome

The annual Weeks of Welcome, which started Aug. 23, includes dozens of events for students to meet new people and kick off the academic year.

Visit the Weeks of Welcome calendar for a complete schedule.

Arts & Lectures for fall

The university’s longstanding Arts & Lectures series recently released its fall lineup. This season boasts a diverse selection of five events.

Attendees can reserve tickets online via the Arts & Lectures website.

Summer highlights  

• CSUSM hosted its first REP4 summit, a two-day event to gather fresh ideas from young students to improve equity and remove some of the barriers to college.  
• CSUSM, together with the Cyber Center of Excellence, National University and San Diego State University, was selected to receive $1 million in grant funding and wraparound support from Google’s Cybersecurity Clinics Fund to establish a San Diego Cyber Clinic. 
• On July 1, CSUSM was awarded a new grant from the Office of Naval Research for 5 years and up to $12.5 million dollars to broaden the scope of the program and further grow partnerships with the Navy bases and personnel. 
• The Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving team won two Global CASE Awards, just the second time in campus history that Cal State San Marcos has been bestowed the honor.  
• Business student Tanner Vodraska became the first surfer in university history to win an individual national title. 

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

The woman encouraged Farley to branch out and expand her horizons in higher education.

“She coaxed me into trying career services – and I absolutely loved it,” said Farley, who earned a Ph.D. in higher education from Old Dominion University. “From there, I made sure that all of my experiences would be catered toward going into a career in career services.

“So I did a second internship at Old Dominion teaching a major and career exploration class on campus. I taught an academic recovery class. I was trying to just gain as much experience as possible with career services to make me a good job candidate once I finished up my degree.”

Farley has devoted her career to helping other students find their career path and prepare them for the job market. It’s what she has been doing since August for students at Cal State San Marcos as the director of the university’s Career Center.

Among the goals of CSUSM’s strategic plan is ensuring that every student has the opportunity to participate in hands-on, engaged learning and high-impact, career-activating practices, something Farley has taken to heart in her first year at the university.

A point of emphasis during Farley’s hiring was the need to prioritize academic internships, and the Career Center is in the process of hiring for two positions that will help. The interview process is underway to hire an associate director of internships and partnerships, a role that will focus on reshaping CSUSM’s internship program and aiding the campus employment process. Farley also will be hiring a career and internship support specialist to provide additional student support, advisement and guidance related to academic internships and career pathway planning.

“We want to make sure that we have those good partnerships across campus and really get some more external partnerships going to bring more internship opportunities to our students, and specifically paid opportunities that will tie into the social mobility aspect of our strategic planning and the institution in general,” Farley said.

Paid internships are important to Farley. As a first-generation college student herself, Farley knows the importance of showing low-income and underrepresented students how internships can boost their future success. It’s part of why she and her team have been working hard to get in front of students, whether at cultural centers, classrooms, campus housing or workshops.

“We want to help them understand how important it can be to get an internship and how much it can help them in their future career,” she said. “Because it's all well and good for you to have a job to meet the needs of today, but you're also in college to think about your future and being able to advance yourself and your family. And internships can help in that, which is also why we want to have that emphasis on paid internships because we understand that students may have financial needs and may not have the luxury of taking an unpaid opportunity just to gain experience.”

As Farley has been meeting with campus constituents, she has focused on three goals: strengthening relationships with collaborators, both internal and external; enhancing services; and elevating the identity of the Career Center.

“There were just some things that I was seeing pretty immediately when I got here that were simple changes to help people know more about what the Career Center is doing,” she said. “And I feel like that has been very helpful with increasing career counselor appointments and attendance at some of our workshops.”

That included record-breaking attendance at CSUSM’s fall job and internship fair last October, which drew more than 500 students to the USU Ballroom. Farley is hoping for a similar turnout at the upcoming spring job and internship fair, which is April 9 in the USU Ballroom.

“One of the things that I have charged my team with and that I really want to see us grow in with the Career Center is our partnerships across campus,” Farley said. “We are partnering with a lot of our identity centers, we have been going into the residence halls, partnering with RAs and really getting out of the office. We don’t always want to make students come to us, we really want to be able to meet students where they are so that they can get this information in a variety of ways and from myriad places.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Everyone is invited to participate in the following events:

Defining Diaspora: “Philippine Father” 

March 25, noon, Cross-Cultural Center (USU 3400)

Join APIDA Student Life as Michael Flores, the director of the documentary “Philippine Father,” discusses his experiences and his works centered around racism, class and imperialism. 

APIDA Cultural Festival

April 12, 5 p.m., USU Amphitheater 

The festival is an annual celebration of cultures that are a part of Asia, Southeast and South Asia. Similar to the night markets that are part of those communities, the festival recreates those spaces that are filled with food, festivities and entertainment. 

Defining Diaspora: Rolling Into Spring

April 17, 3 p.m., Cross-Cultural Center

Join APIDA Student Life to make spring rolls from scratch and learn the cultural significance of the ingredients. 

‘SEADRIFT’ Screening and Talk With the Associate Producer

April 17, 6 p.m., USU 2310B

Join APIDA Student Life for a screening of the documentary film “Seadrift.”

Defining Diaspora: Harvesting Hope-Empowering Filipino Farmworkers

April 25, noon, Cross-Cultural Center

Join APIDA Student Life as it highlights the contributions of Filipino organizations in the wider farmworkers movement. 

Ti Leaf Lei Workshop

May 1, noon, Forum Plaza

Learn how to make a traditional Hawaiian Ti leaf lei. All leis made will be given to the graduates participating in the APIDA Recognition Ceremony on May 8. 

APIDA Recognition Ceremony

May 8, 6 p.m., USU Ballroom 

This is the 18th annual APIDA recognition ceremony, celebrating the students who graduated in fall 2023 and applied to graduate in spring 2024 or summer 2024. Participants will receive a free APIDA stole.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

“I absolutely hated it,” Wyndham recalled. “I seriously thought about transferring to San Diego State or Long Beach State.”

Everything felt wrong. She was separated from her high school friends, her biology classes were rigorous, and her parents (who hadn’t gone to college) couldn’t relate to what she was going through. The overarching theme was disconnection.

The dark veil began to lift when Wyndham (who then went by Jocelyn Brown) joined Associated Students, Inc., as an undergraduate representative at the start of her sophomore year. As her courage and confidence grew, so did her standing in ASI – corporate secretary in her third year, followed by vice president of external relations and, finally, president for the 2002-03 school year.

Terrified of public speaking, Wyndham forced herself to go through the Toastmasters program in preparation for the ASI election process.

“I really found a passion for service,” she said. “The calling was greater than my fear and my shyness.”

The calling continues. Wyndham returned to her alma mater as an employee a decade after she graduated, and she has risen to become associate vice president of philanthropy. She leads CSUSM’s development team, which builds and cultivates relationships with donors, particularly people and organizations who have the capacity to give at a high level.

“I love that every day I feel like I'm making a difference to the campus,” Wyndham said. “I love being out in the community and meeting people and acting as that facilitator between people and their passions and what the campus is doing, bringing those two together to make change for the region. It's fulfilling work.”

During her year as ASI president, Wyndham also did fulfilling work as a facilitator, between the administration and student body of a still-young university. She remembers priorities that centered on increasing communication and connection at CSUSM. She accomplished the former by instituting the first “state of the campus” address by then-President Alexander Gonzalez to the students; the latter by creating a masquerade ball that she was pleased to see still existed when she came back as a staff member in 2013.

Wyndham also led advocacy around tuition and campus fees, which included a bus trip to Long Beach to take part in a demonstration in front of the CSU chancellor’s office.

Sticking it out at CSUSM had rewards she never could have imagined – as a student, she even met her future husband, fellow alumnus Pete Wyndham (the couple has two young daughters together).

“The environment that I ended up thriving in here and everything that I came to love about Cal State San Marcos,” she said, "that same feeling is what exists today.”

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

Allura Murray-Cruz and Ilianna Ramirez took very different paths to their current station. What they most share in common – besides both being 24 years old with gregarious personalities – is a love of their ethnic heritage and a strong desire to help students of that heritage thrive.

That’s why each was the ideal candidate for foundational positions at CSUSM. Murray-Cruz is the new Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) student success coordinator. Ramirez is the new American Indian student success coordinator. Both started in their roles just before the outset of the fall semester.

“This is a dream position for me,” Murray-Cruz said. “I’ve always wanted to work with my community, and having the opportunity to uplift and empower and build something that’s going to better my community in the long run is something that means so much to me.”

Said Ramirez: “Because I’m grateful for the transformation that I underwent on this campus and all the opportunities I was afforded, I want to do my part to give back to students and to the faculty and staff I’ve worked with.”

The new hires are the outgrowth of American Indian and APIDA work groups, which met regularly over the past year and engaged the campus community to develop recommendations to better support inclusion and academic success. The first step was the additions of Murray-Cruz and Ramirez to oversee programming for APIDA and American Indian students, respectively.

The second step will be the opening, estimated for fall 2024, of new centers for APIDA and American Indian students in the University Student Union. The centers will join the five existing Student Life Centers for Identity, Inclusion and Empowerment: the Black Student Center, Cross-Cultural Center, Latinx Center, Pride Center, and Women and Gender Equity Center.

To make room for the new centers, the Dean of Students office will move to the first floor of the Administrative Building, and the USU will undergo a reorganization of its space.

“I’m excited about the impact that these two centers will have on our campus, our students and their overall experience at CSUSM,” said Viridiana Diaz, the university’s vice president for Student Affairs.

Murray-Cruz and Ramirez were hired for a six-month term, but they are optimistic that they will be able to stay on and possibly direct the centers when they open next fall.

“These populations have a very strong presence on campus,” Ramirez said. “It may not have been seen in years past. But the university is listening by the introduction of our positions, saying this is a large group of students and we see that we need to be doing more to meet their needs.”

Murray-Cruz came to CSUSM from MiraCosta College, which she attended as a student before finishing her college career at Point Loma Nazarene in 2022. She worked at MiraCosta for 3½ years – first as a campus liaison for a program called Mana that offers support services for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) students, then as a manager of student clubs and organizations at the college.

She views her position at CSUSM as a melding of those two previous jobs. She’s working on behalf of a specialized population of students while also getting to be very hands-on in her interactions with those students.

“My main goal is to get my face out there as much as possible, letting our community know that someone is here for you,” Murray-Cruz said.

Murray-Cruz herself embodies different letters within the APIDA acronym. She describes herself as part Okinawan (referring to the island south of the Japanese mainland) and part Chamorro, an identity deriving from the indigenous people of Guam. Reared in a military family in North County, she says she always related more to her Chamorro side, but she began to rectify that imbalance over the summer via a three-week trip to Japan, with the majority of it spent among family members in Okinawa.  

“I started a club for Pacific Islanders in high school, and I remember being surrounded by Samoan football players and they were like, ‘Why is this little Asian girl the president?’ ” Murray-Cruz said. “I’ve always had to explain myself and overcompensate. But when I got to MiraCosta with the Mana program, they were accepting of the fact that I’m multiracial and don’t speak the language. It gave me so much more empowerment to advocate for both sides.”

Ramirez had a similar formative experience connected to her heritage. She grew up straddling three different cultural identities – American Indian, Guamanian and Mexican – which often had the effect of making her feel like she didn’t truly belong in any of them.

When Ramirez transferred to CSUSM from Grossmont College in 2021, her initial goal was to get her degree and get out. But at CSUSM, she rediscovered her roots and found community in multiple places. From not even knowing that the university offered an American Indian studies major, she eventually became president of the American Indian Student Alliance. She also joined Associated Students, Inc., as the representative for diversity and inclusion.

By the time she graduated last spring with a degree in psychological science, she had grown to appreciate her college journey so much that she welcomed the idea of remaining on campus as a Student Affairs employee.

“The more that I relaxed my own boundaries, the more that I let those walls come down in terms of not being on the four-year path, the more I was able to say, ‘Hey, I’m really good at doing this, and I should stay here and keep going,’ ” Ramirez said. “So my aspiration would be to see this through for as long as I can.”

As might be expected for two young women who hold similar jobs and work in the same building on campus (the USU), Murray-Cruz and Ramirez have become fast friends, bonding over not only their jobs but also a love of food and laughter. They hope to collaborate this semester on joint AI/APIDA programming.

“It's just nice to have someone understand what you're going through as they are going through the same thing,” Murray-Cruz said. “We're able to support each other and lean on one another if needed. I feel like the APIDA and AI communities are closely linked, so it would be great to have partnerships and ventures together to better unite and build our respective communities on campus.”

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

Fall enrollment is up 3% compared to last year, including a record 2,766 first-year students.

President Ellen Neufeldt expressed excitement and optimism during her annual convocation address to faculty and staff on Thursday.

“We’re not simply kicking off a new year; we’re building on the momentum we’ve set in motion with the launch of our strategic plan: the Power of CSUSM and the Power of Us,” Neufeldt said.

Neufeldt praised the efforts of employees and departments across campus for the work they put in regarding enrollment.

“For 34 years, we at CSUSM have stood as a beacon of opportunity, fostering success within our region and beyond,” she said. “Our success is measured by our 67,000 proud alumni – eight in 10 remaining in our region to live, work and give back.”

New affordable housing/dining complex 

Parking lots O, K and N are scheduled to close in late December or early January when construction begins on a new affordable housing and dining complex that is scheduled for grand opening in 2026.

The design schematics for the new housing complex were approved in May at the CSU Board of Trustees meeting, paving the way to move forward with the project.

Parking lots O, K and N will be closed after finals in December. Parking Structure 2, located across Barham Drive next to North Commons, will allow overnight student parking, and there will be an additional 84 parking spots available to students. 

Weeks of Welcome

The annual Weeks of Welcome, which started Aug. 27, includes dozens of events for students to meet new people and kick off the academic year.

Visit the Weeks of Welcome calendar for a complete schedule.

Arts & Lectures for fall

The university’s longstanding Arts & Lectures series recently released its fall lineup. This season boasts a diverse selection of six events.

Attendees can reserve tickets online via the Arts & Lectures website.

Record-breaking fundraising dinner 

The inaugural CSUSM Blue & Silver Fundraising Dinner held on June 9 was a resounding success, breaking previous university fundraising event records by raising over $1 million for social mobility and student success programs and initiatives.  

CSUSM named to best colleges list 

CSUSM was named to the “Best Colleges in America 2023” list by Money magazine. CSUSM received a rating of 4.5 stars out of 5 in the new system developed this year by Money. Out of more than 700 colleges and universities evaluated, only 34 received 5 stars and CSUSM was one of just 189 that were awarded 4.5 stars.

Summer snippets

• Political science professor Xiaoye She is part of a new online journal with a mission of creating a more global California by showcasing the scholarship and work of faculty, students and staff of the California State University system.
• CSUSM has received a grant from the National Institutes of Health to fund a novel project to offer mindfulness training to STEM students who are preparing for graduate school. The grant of about $80,000 covers a term of one year and started on Aug. 1.
• CSUSM’s College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) collaborated with the Migrant Education Program in Los Angeles to host the inaugural Migrant Scholars Summer Institute (MSSI) from July 6-14. Nearly 40 high school students who identify as Latinx and first generation attended the residential experience at CSUSM. 
• Neufeldt pledged to take the next step in climate action by signing the Second Nature Presidents' Climate Leadership Commitment on Aug. 17. The signing was followed by a tree-planting ceremony in front of the University Bookstore as a symbol of the university’s dedication to sustainability efforts on campus.  
• CSUSM has received a $300,000 grant from the largest private foundation in San Diego County to partner with a local health care provider to offer free services to underserved communities through a mobile health clinic.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Everyone is invited to participate in the following events:

Cross-Cultural Cinema: "A Thousand Cuts”

April 3, 9:30 a.m., Cross-Cultural Center (USU 3400)

“A Thousand Cuts” goes inside the escalating war between the Philippine government and the press. The documentary follows Maria Ressa, a renowned journalist and 2021 Nobel Peace Prize recipient, who has become the top target of President Rodrigo Duterte's crackdown on the news media.

Cross-Cultural Cinema: "Far East Deep South"

April 10, 9:30 a.m., Cross-Cultural Center (USU 3400)

When a Chinese-American family travels from California to Mississippi to visit the grave of its ancestors, it stumbles upon surprising revelations about the racially complex history of the early Chinese in the segregated South. 

Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Cultural Festival

April 14, 7 p.m., USU Amphitheater/Forum Plaza

The APIDA Cultural Festival is an annual celebration of cultures that are a part of Asia, Southeast and South Asia. Similar to the night markets that are part of those communities, the festival recreates those spaces that are filled with food, festivities and entertainment. Performances by student organizations, live music and the smooth sounds of DJ Rosé occur throughout the evening. There will be food from L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, Kona Ice and many more vendors for the first 100 CSUSM students in attendance. 

Cross-Cultural Cinema: "To Be Takei"

April 17, 9:30 a.m., Cross-Cultural Center (USU 3400)

“To Be Takai” chronicles the life of actor, author and advocate George Takei, best known for his role as Lt. Hikaru Sulu, the helmsman of the U.S.S. Enterprise on the original “Star Trek." The film features interviews with fellow “Star Trek” actors William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Nichelle Nichols and John Cho.

API Rise: Reimagining the Criminal Justice System

April 18, 6 p.m., Cross-Cultural Center (USU 3400)

The Asian Pacific Islander Reentry & Inclusion Through Support & Empowerment (API Rise) is a support group of peers who help heal wounds and generate solutions for the invisible and oppressed among APIs in California's prison-industrial complex. API Rise addresses complicated and nuanced conditions due in part to cultural stigma, silence and apathy in the API community regarding criminal justice issues through sharing narratives of those directly impacted. 

APIDA Faculty Staff Association Monthly Meeting

April 19, noon, Kellogg 3010/Zoom

Join Asian Pacific Islander and Desi American staff and faculty for their monthly association meeting. Bring a colleague to be a part of the gathering and expand your professional network. The meeting is in person and on Zoom.

“Pagkawala Ng Sarili (Lost Identities)”

April 21, 5 p.m., Arts 240

Three college students (Tyler, Gabriel and Annabelle) from different depths of cultural backgrounds are struggling and finding their way through college life. Along the journey, they meet, and a friendship grows. As they open up about their individual traumas, they begin to learn there is more to each other's stories than meets the eye. Join the annual Pilipino Cultural Showcase, presented by Kamalayan Alliance at CSUSM, and purchase tickets at Eventbrite.

Cross-Cultural Cinema: "Emergence: Out of the Shadows"

April 24, 9:30 a.m., Cross-Cultural Center (USU 3400)

This documentary shares the struggles of marginalized queer youth and their families.

National Poetry Month Reading by San Diego Poet Laureate

April 25, 11:45 a.m., Cross-Cultural Center (USU 3400)

Jason Magabo Perez blends poetry, prose, performance, film/video, ethnography and oral history to investigate Filipina/o/x American histories, state violence, colonization, migration, memory and intimacy. Perez serves as the program director of ethnic studies at CSUSM and began a two-year appointment as poet laureate for the city of San Diego in January.

Bystander Intervention to Stop Anti-Asian/American and Xenophobic Harassment

April 27, noon, Zoom - Register

Anti-Asian American and xenophobic harassment are on the rise across the United States. In this virtual workshop co-sponsored by Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC), we'll learn how you can intervene effectively as a bystander without ever compromising your safety. 

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

And, boy, did Diaz have a lot to reflect on.

On her decision to leave Sacramento State University, where she had spent all of her adult life, to become CSUSM’s vice president of Student Affairs.

On the serious foot fracture she suffered only a couple of days before she started at CSUSM, which forced her to navigate most of the spring semester in a walking boot, scooter and crutches.

And, as she gazed out from the commencement stage upon the sea of joyous faces, on her own improbable personal journey from immigrant child from Mexico who dreamed of little more than becoming fluent in English to higher education administrator who holds four degrees, including a doctorate.

“To be in a place where you have the privilege to be on stage and see thousands of graduates experience commencement, and see their families and know what it means to them, it was overwhelming,” Diaz said. “I just loved those two days. I didn’t really feel time. It was such an amazing experience for me to realize that I’m here and I have this incredible opportunity to have so much impact on the division of Student Affairs and in the lives of our students.”

Four months after that momentous occasion for Diaz, she feels fully at home in San Marcos, her foot has fully healed, and she is fully embedded – as her first complete academic year has begun – in the cause of leading a division that encompasses 32 departments organized into six different units by mission and service type, including Student Academic Support Services, Student Life and athletics. It’s a demanding job, to be sure, but one that she has been training for and working toward for more than two decades.   

“Dr. Diaz is so full of ideas and boundless energy,” said Carl Kemnitz, CSUSM’s provost. “She’s been a great partner for me on matters of student success and enrollment management, where the two divisions regularly work together. I’m excited to see the full impact of her contributions to CSUSM as she hits her stride.”

Diaz came to CSUSM from Sac State, where her roots ran so deep that they might as well have been from a sequoia. She entered the university as a freshman student in 1994, only about six years after arriving in the United States from Mexicali with her mother and two brothers.

Her mother, Guadalupe,  didn’t complete high school and did physical labor that included agriculture, canning and house-cleaning. She aspired for more for her three children in America and wanted them to have opportunities beyond what she could imagine for herself.   

Diaz earned a bachelor’s degree in communication studies in 2000, then earned a master’s in Spanish. Armed with two degrees, she began working at the university, first as an outreach counselor and a career coordinator and later as director of the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP).

Year after year, Diaz kept advancing in Student Affairs at Sac State. She served as director of the Serna Center for Latinx/Chicanx students, co-director for the DEGREES Project, special assistant to the president, and assistant vice president for Strategic Diversity Initiatives. Simultaneously, year after year she attained more education – a second master’s, in history, in 2009 and a doctorate in educational leadership and policy in 2012.

But because Diaz was the first person in her family to attend college, her mother and siblings had to go through that unfamiliar experience with her and discover what it takes to achieve the dream of higher education and transcend future generations. It wasn't always easy, for her or for them.

“I know firsthand that, for many of our first-generation students, there can be tension when the values necessary to thrive in college conflict with the values learned at home," she said. “Being ambitious is not always perceived as a positive thing. Getting a bachelor's degree is a great accomplishment, and people will be proud of you. But if you're pursuing more than that, sometimes your loyalty is questioned because you are advancing your education instead of providing for your family.”

Diaz ultimately rose to the position of associate vice president of Strategic Student Support Programs, and during her time in Student Affairs, she helped Sac State achieve Hispanic-Serving Institution status and the Seal of Excelencia certification, secured multiple grants and launched the university’s Dreamer Resource Center while expanding the Serna Center.

“I am extremely proud of Dr. Diaz and all she has accomplished,” said Ed Mills, Sac State’s vice president of Student Affairs. “I knew she would make an outstanding VP and worked to help her advance in her career. Of course, losing her was very difficult. Not only because of her amazing leadership, but because she is so well known and loved throughout our Hornet family.”

Because it was her only professional home and because she was constantly ascending to new challenges, Diaz never saw any reason to move on from Sac State. But during the pandemic, the form that her inevitable self-reflection took was that she wanted to be a vice president. Fortunately for Diaz, her decision to aim for the next career rung coincided with the retirement last fall of Lorena Checa, CSUSM’s longtime VP of Student Affairs. 

In only a matter of weeks, she accepted the CSUSM opening, wrapped up her tenure at Sac State, took her 12-year-old son out of school, and moved her family from the only city she really had ever known.

“It all happened so fast,” she said. “I was mentally ready. But I wasn't physically or emotionally ready. So the transition was rough. I was pretty homesick because I had never moved. I thought only kids got homesick. No, adults do, too.”

Diaz arrived in San Marcos during the second weekend of January. While moving into her new residence, she slipped down one of the stairs as she was carrying a box and broke her left foot. An X-ray revealed a Jones fracture, and Diaz underwent surgery in which a metal plate and screw were implanted.

When she was greeted on campus by CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt and other administrators a couple of days later, she was getting around on a knee scooter. The bad injury luck, though, came with an unexpected benefit.

Instead of rushing headlong into her new environment, Diaz eased in and took the time to learn the division inside and out. She met with the Student Affairs senior leadership team. She had lunch sessions with all the managers. She set up a briefing with all 32 departments and engaged across her division and campus.   

“I wouldn't feel as optimistic or as confident that Student Affairs is very well positioned for a great academic year if I had not had an opportunity to be a learner last semester,” Diaz said. “And now, in this first semi-normal post-pandemic fall semester, we will need to create the environment that we want our students to join, be part of and thrive in. It starts with us, and Student Affairs is going to play a very critical role.”

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

With protocols in place to ensure the health and safety of the campus community, President Ellen Neufeldt expressed excitement and optimism during her annual convocation address to faculty and staff on Thursday.

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, we’ve had to adapt and change – sometimes on a dime,” Neufeldt said. “And we’ve also been witness to inspiring moments of solidarity, generosity and care.

“When I look back on all that we have been through these last 2 1/2 years, a clear and compelling story emerges: a story of a university community bound by a deep sense of purpose, driven by an unyielding commitment to a shared mission of supporting and serving students and our region.”

Neufeldt also highlighted the university’s new strategic plan, The Power of CSUSM, which was launched in April.

“Together, we are doubling down on an ambitious mission to magnify opportunities even further for our amazing students,” she said. “And by doing so, we will further transform lives and communities across the region we call home.”

CSUSM is reinstating a temporary masking requirement in instructional spaces beginning with Monday’s first day of classes and continuing through Sept. 9. Instructional spaces include classrooms, lecture halls, instructional labs and library classrooms.

All students, faculty and staff are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 with both the original series of one to two shots, plus a booster, or have an approved exemption on file. Information on submitting proof of vaccination, including updating your booster record, or applying for an exemption is available on the CSUSM as One website.

New on-campus housing, dining

North Commons, the university’s new campus-affiliated living for students, welcomed its first residents on Aug. 26. The apartment-style community, located next to the new Extended Learning building, has capacity for 332 students.

CSUSM’s first on-campus dining hall, Campus Way Cafe, is expected to open in September on the first floor of The QUAD.

New appointments

• Ronald Ramirez began his tenure as the new dean of the College of Business Administration on July 1.
• Liora Gubkin began her tenure as the new dean of the College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences on July 11.
• Jackie Trischman was named the permanent dean of the College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.
• Viridiana Diaz began her appointment as the vice president of Student Affairs in January.

Weeks of Welcome

The annual Weeks of Welcome, which started Aug. 27, includes dozens of events for students to meet new people and kick off the academic year.

Visit the Weeks of Welcome calendar for a complete schedule.

Summer snippets

• Arts, media and design student Salma Rodriguez’s short film “Border Line Fears” won three student Emmy Awards.
• Diego Sustaita, a biological sciences professor, received an Early Career Development (CAREER) award from the National Science Foundation, an honor given to “early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization.”
• Steve Wagner, the president and co-founder of Stone Brewing, and his wife, Laura, have given $1 million to CSUSM to establish funding to support social mobility, one of the core tenets of the university’s new strategic plan.
• Senior Ashton Lawson, who is double majoring in sociology and women, gender and sexuality studies, received the PFLAG San Diego County Mary Wagner Memorial Scholarship.
• CSUSM has received a $110,250 grant from Hologic, a Massachusetts-based global medical technology company that has a major presence in San Diego, to launch the Hologic Pathway to Success in STEM.
• CSUSM, in partnership with Old Dominion, hosted the fifth annual National Social Mobility Symposium in July.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

To call it a military family would be an understatement.

However, to assume Smarr’s parents pressured her to follow in the footsteps of those military members before her would be incorrect.

Instead, her family instilled in her the importance of a life centered around one concept: service.

And Cal State San Marcos and the surrounding community are reaping the benefits.

Smarr, the university’s director of Service Learning and Civic Engagement, was recently honored with the 2022 Richard E. Cone Award for Emerging Leaders in Community Engagement. The award recognizes emerging leaders in the field of community engagement whose work has had a positive impact on campus and in the community.

“To have my immediate supervisor (Dawn Formo) and colleague (Carol Cujec) here recognize the hard work and my contributions to the field, it's just like, ‘Oh, I'm valued here,’ ” Smarr said. “I'm respected in this field. I'm on the right track. It was amazing to be recognized that I have something great to contribute to the field of community engagement and to apply learning and engaging students in a different way outside the classroom. I have an impact here, and the meaningful work is for the long-term race.”

Smarr feels she has always been called to serve. She loves volunteering, being active in the community and helping people see their own value.

She has been involved in community engagement for 16 years. A graduate of the CSU system (San Jose State ’08), she earned a master's degree in educational leadership politics and advocacy from NYU. She is currently in the joint doctorate program in educational leadership between CSUSM and UC San Diego with an expected graduation date of spring 2024.

Smarr’s role at CSUSM includes oversight and administration of all service learning partnerships and civic engagement programs. Smarr also implements the CSUSM Civic Action Plan while also developing new programs so students can discover their agency and influence.

Before joining CSUSM, Smarr had community organizing experience on the other side of the country in New York, Chicago and Philadelphia. She held community engagement leadership roles at the City College of New York, Cornell University and the University of Pennsylvania.

“I'm a matchmaker to an extent,” Smarr said. “I create relationships with community partners and then find them students that are interested in the volunteer experience that they're offering. I truly try to match students with partners who are doing meaningful work because students will do more than just tutor. That's what service learning is for me. What do you truly value? What matters? And how do you really want to spend your time?”

In addition to being a helper at heart, Smarr is a fighter. She doesn’t back down from challenges, and her next test is to turn CSUSM’s culture of care into a culture of service.

She hopes it will begin with hosting town halls focused on what it means to be engaged on campus. She wants a movement around service to be institutionalized from the top down.

Smarr would like to see first-year students involved in community engagement experiences tailored differently for each department on campus.

“I want there to be a unified effort for getting students to learn beyond the classroom and apply their learning," she said. "And, of course, you have to do an internship but in community service they have less hours to commit to and it seems a little more practical for them. It's a way to pique their interest to be involved in community affairs. I would love for there to be an institutionalization of service learning courses and community engagement participation all together.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

While Feil has worked in well-known destinations like Hawaii, San Francisco and Santa Barbara, he also has honed his craft in lesser-known places, from a remote fishing lodge near the Yentna River in Alaska to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, to Apalachicola, Florida, on the Gulf of Mexico.

But Feil is enjoying a homecoming of sorts after being hired as the executive chef for CSUSM Dining, which includes the Campus Way Cafe, Cal State San Marcos’ new 8,000-square-foot dining hall that will open on the first floor of The QUAD in time for the fall semester.

“I have an eclectic mix that deals with not only Pacific Rim food and food from the Americas but Indian and all different types of international food,” said Feil, who will also be developing catering menus and overseeing the catering operations for campus events. “So there will be quite a variety to choose from.”

Working with food was a natural for Feil, who gained an appreciation of it at an early age. His grandparents were bakers from Germany, and he was raised on a small farm in Alpine, about 50 miles southeast of CSUSM. His childhood included milking goats and helping his family produce farm-raised beef, pork and turkey.

Feil earned his bachelor’s in psychology from Chico State and worked in the food industry in San Francisco after graduating before deciding to attend culinary school. A mentor recommended New York, and Feil attended the Culinary Institute of America, which is widely recognized as one of the premier culinary schools in the world.

Feil used his passion for cooking to travel the country, including nearly a decade as a caterer in Maui, where he focused on plant-based foods. He also has experience on college campuses, including San Diego State and Point Loma Nazarene University.

CSUSM was a perfect fit for Feil, who loved his time working with college students, faculty and staff. He also was already familiar with Sodexo, which manages food services at both CSUSM and Point Loma Nazarene, where he worked as a production chef.

Now, Feil is busy preparing for the opening of Campus Way Cafe. He has been taking managerial classes that delve into creating menus and food costing while also working with Sodexo and CSUSM Corporation on details related to the café – everything from the configuration to plateware to the look of the space.

The cafe will have indoor and outdoor seating for about 300 people. Overseen by CSUSM Corporation and operated by Sodexo, the cafe will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner five days a week, brunch and dinner on the weekends, and will be open to students, faculty, staff, guests and the San Marcos community.

CSUSM also will be adding new eateries in the USU the fall: QDOBA will go in the current location of Caliente; Hilltop Bistro Grill will go in the current location of WOW; and the remodeled Market will have expanded offerings, including sushi.

Feil will bring a wide variety of food options to the cafe, which will be all-you-care-to-eat with a rotating menu and specials. There will also be opportunities to host events, gatherings and cooking classes within the facility.

While the cafe’s expanded food offerings will include a grill, a deli, and pasta, pizza and salad stations, Feil is especially excited about the plant-based options. He noted that tastes and priorities have changed for college students since he was at San Diego State a decade ago.

“The diet was different for college students then,” he said. “They didn't have quite the knowledge that they have now about food. So you're seeing these plant-based ideas becoming more mainstream. More people are understanding the benefit of eating certain foods.

“The idea of creating a menu that is configured to this atmosphere with these students and the newest kind of trends involving plant-based food, involving food that's healthy, that has a footprint that is smaller than normal, perhaps utilizing some local farmers in the area, it's exciting.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Two suspects broke into the Arts Building and University Hall in the early-morning hours of March 22, stealing about $20,000 in equipment and electronics.

Adrian Acevedo, Paula Ibarra De Vargas and Brandon Valdes, who are part of CSUSM’s third-shift custodial team that works from 9 p.m.-5:30 a.m., reported suspicious activity near the Arts Building to the University Police Department.

CSUSM police arrested one suspect after a short foot pursuit, and several of the stolen items were seen for sale on a social media website the next day. CSUSM detectives and officers, assisted by deputies from the San Diego Sheriff’s Department, served a search warrant at the home of the seller and recovered about $6,500 worth of stolen property. The primary suspect recently pleaded guilty to the burglary.

“Our third-shift custodial staff really did a tremendous job,” said Lamine Secka, CSUSM’s police chief. “Because of their actions, we were able to not only arrest some serious criminal offenders but recover thousands of dollars of university property. We were very pleased to acknowledge their willingness to get involved with citizen commendations.

“This is another great example of campus safety being a shared, community responsibility. As much as we’d like to be, the police department can’t be everywhere at the same time, and we really do rely on our community members to let us know when something looks out of place.”

Secka said the incident was also an important reminder both to secure valuable property and to report suspicious behavior.

“We really want to encourage our campus community that if you ‘see something, say something,’ ” he said. “It’s important not to assume that someone else is going to call the police. This is a good example of that philosophy.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Diaz is one of four recipients of the 2022 San Diego Art Prize, an annual award that honors exceptional artistic expression in the San Diego cross-border region from Fallbrook to Ensenada, Mexico.  

Diaz won the award as part of a collaboration, called Cog•nate  Collective, with Amy Sanchez Arteaga, a lecturer of art history at San Diego State. Cog•nate Collective is based in National City, and the artists work between Tijuana and Los Angeles.  

“It's an honor to be recognized by my colleagues in the San Diego arts community and this year's curatorial selection committee alongside such a wonderful cohort of fellow artists,” Diaz said. “I am excited to participate in the SD Art Prize exhibition in September and look forward to welcoming CSUSM students and colleagues to this celebration of our San Diego/Tijuana trans-border region.” 

The San Diego Art Prize winners were selected by a panel of four curators; three represent museums in the United States (the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum in New York and the Frost Art Museum in Florida), and the fourth is an independent curator from Mexico City and Vienna.  

Diaz’s artwork will be displayed alongside that of the other winners in an exhibition at the Central Library Art Gallery in downtown San Diego from Sept. 17 until Jan. 7. 

Cog•nate Collective was recognized for its “outstanding creativity, dedication to their work and contributions to our region.” Formed in 2010, the collective creates interdisciplinary projects that often address issues of citizenship, migration, informal economies and popular culture, arguing for understanding the Southern border as a region that expands and contracts with the movement of people and objects.  

Diaz has taught at CSUSM since 2019. He earned a bachelor’s degree in art history and Latin American studies and a master’s in Latin American studies, both from UCLA, as well as an MFA in visual arts from UC San Diego.   

Service Learning director honored 

Rochelle Smarr, CSUSM’s director of Service Learning and Civic Engagement, has received the 2022 Richard E. Cone Award for Emerging Leaders in Community Engagement.  

The award has been given out since 1999 by LEAD California (formerly California Campus Compact), a statewide nonprofit membership organization supporting half a million university and college students, administrators, faculty, staff and community members.  

Smarr, who has worked at CSUSM since 2019, was recognized for “her impact on service learning and community-campus partnerships throughout the San Marcos area.” 

Biology student receives African American Scholars honor 

Biology student Amanda Frank is one of 11 recipients of a scholarship from the Aquarium of the Pacific as part of its African American Scholars program. Award winners were announced during the Long Beach-based aquarium’s annual African American Festival in late February. 

Students were honored for demonstrating a commitment to studies related to careers in the aquarium field, including ocean education, animal husbandry, water quality, building maintenance or facilities, microbiology, and business management. Each scholarship recipient receives $10,000 and will be invited to the Aquarium of the Pacific to participate in conservation projects, meetings and other activities. 

Black leaders of influence 

Two administrators from CSUSM were included by the San Diego Business Journal in its annual issue celebrating “Top 50 Black Leaders of Influence.” 

Making the list from the university were Gail Cole-Avent, associate vice president of Student Life, and Leon Wyden, vice president of Finance and Administrative Services and chief financial officer.  

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

The event will be virtual on Tuesday, March 15 and in the USU Ballroom from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Wednesday, March 16. Free registration is available online.

The symposium provides an opportunity to increase social consciousness levels and skills by offering critical dialogues focusing on cultural, economic and political national climate issues. Conference participants will explore and challenge personal perceptions and social norms through experiential activities, individual reflections and group dialogues.

The symposium is hosted by the Cross-Cultural Center in collaboration with the Student Life Centers for Identity, Inclusion and Empowerment; the Office of Inclusive Excellence; and ASI.

What: Social Justice Symposium, a two-day hybrid event for CSUSM students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members to participate in workshops and roundtable discussions surrounding social justice topics

When: March 15-16

Where: Virtual on March 15; USU Ballroom on March 16

Cost: Free

Information: Visit the Social Justice Symposium webpage

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Despite the unexpected delay, the newly named Campus Way Cafe is back on track. Construction began Feb. 21 on the 8,000-square-foot facility located on the first floor of The QUAD, putting it right on schedule to open in time for the fall 2022 semester.

“For us at Cal State San Marcos, it has always been about serving our community,” CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt said. “This new dining cafe is an important part of a thriving campus. Not only will the cafe be vital for our first-year students as they get acclimated to college life and living on their own, but it will be another place on campus for our students, faculty and staff to gather and share a sense of community.”

The Campus Way Cafe will have indoor and outdoor seating for about 300 people. Overseen by CSUSM Corporation and operated by Sodexo, which manages food services on campus, the cafe will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner five days a week, brunch and dinner on the weekends, and will be open to students, faculty, staff, guests and the San Marcos community.

“We are very excited to be a part of the new Campus Way Cafe,” said Yanai Yanez, general manager of CSUSM Sodexo. “This really represents a chance for us to deliver a great dining experience to students, faculty, staff and the local community.”

The cafe will be all-you-care-to-eat with a wide variety of options that include rotating menus and specials. The expanded food offerings will include vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, to-go options, a grill, a deli, and pasta, pizza and salad stations. There will also be opportunities to host events, gatherings and cooking classes within the facility.

“Our specialty is bringing clean, fresh flavors and local foods to folks where they live and work, and we can’t wait to share that with everyone at CSUSM this fall,” Yanez said.

There are meal plan options to serve all needs, ranging in cost from $350-$2,368 per semester, with some plans as low as $7.19 per meal. Meal plans are optional for residents of The QUAD and University Village Apartments and will be mandatory for residents of the new North Commons building, also opening in fall 2022. Unlike The QUAD and UVA, North Commons won’t have kitchens within the units, so the new dining cafe will serve as the campus dining room for those students (a detailed list of dining FAQs is available at this webpage).

“I am so excited for the opening of the dining hall,” said Madeline Reagan, a CSUSM Housing resident advisor. “Having the option of accessing fresh, warm food is equally as exciting as being able to meet up with friends and chat over a nice meal or a quick snack.”

Students who live off campus are also eligible to purchase a meal plan, and walk-in purchases will be available to those who don’t have a meal plan (walk-in prices will vary based on meal time).

“Adding a dining hall to CSUSM will not only enhance the college experience, but it will also be a reliable place where students can go for food, socialize and even relax and do homework,” said Kelsey Forrester, a member of the women’s basketball team.

“I believe as student-athletes we are all excited and very grateful the university is providing us options to further support us on and off the field,” added Corbin Thaete, a men’s soccer player. “Throughout this process, they have listened to and exceeded our needs to be successful athletes.”

International students are also excited about Campus Way Cafe.

“A dining hall can save a lot of time for international students,” said Abdullah Ikram, who is part of the Global UGRAD Pakistan program. “It can be a great option for exchange students and freshman-year international students who aren’t too familiar with host community and eating options.”

Janelle Temnick, manager of Auxiliary Services for CSUSM Corporation, noted additional benefits of Campus Way Cafe. In addition to bringing more on-campus employment opportunities for students, it will provide students with a safe and comfortable extension of their home for healthy, affordable, well-balanced meals.

“Campus dining fosters community growth,” Temnick said. “It enhances the quality of campus life and contributes to the social components by providing additional space for meetings with faculty and other students.

Temnick said the CSUSM Corporation, an auxiliary organization of CSUSM, began having conversations with ASI leadership in 2016 regarding dining opportunities.

“We knew as the campus grew and the needs of students changed, our community would be looking for additional dining options,” Temnick said. “A project like this can be complex as we want to ensure that all voices are heard and that ultimately we are providing a service that serves all our students, faculty and staff. I’m really excited that we’re finally at the point of opening this new dining concept.”

A dining and housing survey was sent to a random sample of students on Feb. 28. All students, faculty and staff are also welcome to participate in the survey at this link.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

David McMartin, the director of Cal State San Marcos’ Office of Academic Advising, remembers when Harper expressed concern for a first-generation student in her advising session who was having trouble adjusting to being new on campus. Harper not only wanted to make sure the student had a warm welcome to CSUSM, she wanted the student to know that they had a support system ready to help. Harper knew that the student could benefit from speaking with someone from Student Health & Counseling Services, but she didn’t just refer the student there – she walked the student over to SHCS herself to ensure they knew they had someone by their side in a difficult time. 

Harper continued to have regular check-ins with that student. She went above and beyond in her role as an academic adviser to make sure the student continued to have the support they needed. Three years after their first meeting, Harper made sure she was in attendance at commencement to see that student graduate. 

Harper died on Aug. 8 following a long battle with cancer, and it's those types of stories that show what she meant to the Office of Academic Advising team and why they miss her so much.

“If you knew Cindy, you knew that she was enthusiastic about life and making people feel special,” McMartin said. 

The Office of Academic Advising is sponsoring a Cougar Crowdfunding project in Harper’s memory, aiming to raise $5,000 for a memorial bench to honor her 27 years on campus. The bench will be placed in Founders Plaza near the Campus Coffee cart, which was a special part of Harper’s daily routine.  

“Cindy was a regular customer who never missed a day getting her coffee drinks from us. She would bring her Campus Coffee mug for us to fill and tell us that it’s the best part of her day and called it love in a cup,” said Sandra Sabbatini, co-owner of the Campus Coffee cart. “It was not unusual to see her multiple times a day for more coffee or other food items, too. 

“She always had a smile on her face and kind words to say. She even had a special drink named after her called the ‘Cindy Special.’ She loved bringing other co-workers or students along with her.” 

Harper’s compassionate approach touched everyone she encountered. In her role as an academic adviser, she worked with numerous students from the College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences, but primarily students from the College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics and student-veterans, so it’s fitting that the bench will be located near Science Hall I and right around the corner from the Epstein Family Veterans Center. 

“It stands for so much,” McMartin said. “It stands for her starting her morning at the coffee cart. It stands for the students she worked with, mostly in CSTEM as well as with veterans. It's not simply about the coffee cart, but it's about all three of those, those truths about her and how she worked.”

Before working as an academic adviser, Harper worked in the Career Center, which is located in the same suite as Academic Advising. McMartin could see Harper's compassion for students and was able to bring her over to become a full-time adviser in 2015. 

“She referred to becoming an academic adviser later on in life as her dream job, because it was exactly what she wanted to do,” McMartin said. “And she couldn't have been happier, and we couldn't have been happier.”

Even when Harper was fighting her illness, she still wanted to take care of students’ concerns and questions.

McMartin and Harper shared many laughs, special memories and stories during their time working together.

“We used to call each other ‘cuz’ because her last name was Harper and my great grandmother was a Harper,” he said. 

“I always laughed about how prepared she was for students. She was prepared like no other person. I would walk into her office, and she'd have a stack of papers ready for her student appointments.”

The papers were Harper’s reminder to her students that their dreams were possible and tangible, even if it meant going the extra mile to print them out.

Harper was known for bringing enthusiasm to every situation and everything she did. She frequently shared her motto, “Do it all! Live it all! Find your passion and make it happen, because life is too short.”

McMartin said they hope to include that motto on the bench in Harper’s honor. 

“She walked around full of life with a lot of passion and energy, and she cared about the people that she interacted with,” McMartin said. “She would break down people who might be a little bit difficult, because she knew there was a person inside of there. You will meet few people in life that cared so deeply about others.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Ujamaa.  

It might not roll off the tongue, but that word has served as Rawlins’ guiding light for most of his adult life. It’s a term from the East African language of Kiswahili and one of the seven principles of Kwanzaa. Literally, it translates to “familyhood.” To Rawlins, it means the process of working together as an extended family to build and maintain a cohesive community.  

He was first exposed to the word in college; it was the name of the residence hall where he lived at Cornell University. It grew to be part of his DNA during his second year when he became a resident adviser, a role he held for the rest of his time at Cornell.  

“In that residence hall, it was about how we use the best of who we are to support one another and to foster this community,” Rawlins said. “That’s something that has always stuck with me, and it’s a lot of what I put into my work as I think about building community.” 

The spirit of Ujamaa has infused Rawlins’ work during his 15 years as a student affairs professional, and he has made it a core piece of his philosophy at CSUSM since being hired to direct the Black Student Center in July 2019. Later this month, the center will celebrate its five-year anniversary, and Rawlins will have been in charge for more than half of its existence.  

The dawn of the COVID-19 pandemic less than a year into his tenure delayed some of the initiatives he planned to institute through the BSC, but he has strived to make up for lost time. He and his staff started the Brotherhood Alliance for male Black students and the Circle of Sisters for female Black students. Fast on their heels came the Association of Black Athletes, the Black Psychology Student Association and the Melanated Art Collective, the last of which is an organization focused on art and creativity in the Black experience.    

“We keep growing, and it’s exciting to see,” Rawlins said. “We’ve always had a strong Black Student Union, but these groups are giving students the opportunity to say, ‘I want more out of my education that is attached to my identity.’ And even though these are things that I’ve developed, they’re really student-driven initiatives. We’ve put them in the hands of the students to be leaders.” 

Rawlins has proven to be just the BSC director that Dr. Gail Cole-Avent sought when the associate vice president of Student Life hired him from his position as director for leadership development and training at Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, the first intercollegiate Greek fraternity established for African American men. But in a sign of his capability, his duties have only expanded in the 2½ years since. 

For almost a year, he served as interim director of the Gender Equity Center, and in September 2020, President Ellen Neufeldt appointed him special assistant to the chief diversity officer (now Dr. Aswad Allen), tasking him with engaging students in CSUSM’s efforts around diversity and inclusion. He’s also vice president of the Black Faculty and Staff Association.  

“Since his arrival, his impact has far surpassed my vision and expectations,” Cole-Avent said. “Within his time here, he has not only elevated the collegiate experience for Black students, but he also has demonstrated his commitment to the larger population.  

“His work is vital and will continue to create pathways for our students that include understanding the multiple ways that they can take full advantage of their CSUSM experience, whether it is within the classroom, through leadership roles, engagement in the community (internal and external), and ultimately as alumni who will mentor the next generation.” 

When Rawlins, 37, accepted the CSUSM job, it marked his first time even visiting California since he was about 12 years old. He grew up in Washington, D.C., in a family that strongly emphasized education and faith. His mother attended Norfolk State, a historically Black university, and Ivy League schools were never on his radar, in part because he didn’t even know which schools compose the Ivy League. But he received a full tuition scholarship from Cornell and earned a master's from Johns Hopkins. Building on this legacy, his sister went to Dartmouth on scholarship and attained a master's from Columbia.  

It was at Cornell that Rawlins first began to grasp the ways in which education can broaden experiences and open doors. As a sophomore, he and some friends got together to create the Men of Color Conference, a series of workshops, seminars and speakers focused on character and professional development among minority men. The conference still takes place almost two decades later (now under the name Men of Color Council).  

As a human development major, Rawlins thought he wanted to become a high school teacher. Soon after he graduated, however, he was working for a summer program at Cornell when his supervisor suggested that he apply for a temporary job as interim director for multicultural affairs at Ithaca College, which is less than a mile away from Cornell in central New York. That 10-month appointment turned into eight years at Ithaca as he fell in love with the field of student affairs, especially for marginalized communities. 

“It helped me to see the importance of the work that we do, which is why I'm still in it today,” he said. “I'm always an advocate for, how do we make these voices heard? How do we make these communities visible? Not just from a marketing standpoint, but how do we infuse these specific cultures into the larger culture of the campus? I've had fun doing that for these many years.” 

The Rawlins family’s emphasis on education manifested itself in the academic and career path John has followed. Its emphasis on faith manifested itself in the other great passion of his life: gospel music. He sang in a church choir almost from the day he could walk, and he played in school bands and orchestras throughout his K-12 years. At Cornell, he didn’t truly feel comfortable on campus until he joined the university choir. When he moved to the San Diego area, one of the first things he did was find a church where he could sing in the choir (he’s now directing it).  

“Music has always been my safe place,” he said.  

Music also has opened doors. Through a childhood friend, Rawlins was invited in 2013 to be part of a choir that toured nationally with jazz legend Wynton Marsalis, and that same opportunity presented itself several other times in the ensuing decade. One of the conditions of him taking the CSUSM job in 2019 was that he be allowed to travel to New York City that November to perform some dates with Marsalis.  

In recent years, he has branched out to recording his own music, and his songs can be found on Spotify and all other major streaming services.  

“I used to keep my music separate from my career, but now I don't care anymore,” Rawlins said. “When I came for a campus visit after I accepted the position, one of my now-colleagues said they Googled me and listened to my music and loved it. That was a connecting point when I first got here that was nice to have.” 

A connecting point that’s another example of Ujamaa in practice.  

“Some of our students are still getting used to using the term itself. They’re still learning to be able to say it over and over,” he said. “But they know the principle in action. They know that this is how we do things in this community to bring out the best of who we are and help each other grow and succeed.” 

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

The article, titled “Examining Field Experiences of Teacher Candidates During COVID-19: Systemic Inequities Unveiled for Underserved English Learners in K-12 Grades,” was published on Nov. 18. The authors are School of Education professors Ana Hernandez and Annette Daoud, psychology research faculty Anna Woodcock, and Kyle Landin, an assessment specialist in student services for the College of Education, Health and Human Services.  

The article marks the first collaborative publication to emerge from Project ACCEPT (Aligning the Common Core with English learners, Parents and Teachers), a five-year U.S. Department of Education grant that provides professional development to improve the education of English learners.  

The study supporting the journal article confirmed that, in the wake of COVID-19, K-12 English learners lacked access to online learning, active engagement with peers/teachers and differentiated instruction due to rapid changes and uncertainties in their programs.  

Professors published in journal 

Communication professors Michelle Holling and Dreama Moon have written an article that was recently published in the Quarterly Journal of Speech.  

The article is titled “20/20 in 2020?: Refractive Vision, 45 and White Supremacy.” It’s part of a forum on the 2020 U.S. presidential campaign focused on division, discord and democracy. 

Founded in 1915, the Quarterly Journal of Speech is a peer-reviewed academic journal published by Taylor & Francis on behalf of the National Communication Association.  

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

Tontz comes from a Navy family. He joined the Navy himself after earning a biology degree from the University of San Diego before leaving early to pursue a career helping support collegiate athletes. Years later, upon completing a doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Denver, Tontz returned to the service as a lieutenant in the Navy Reserve from 2009-18.  

All that military experience is now CSUSM’s gain, as Tontz helps support a population of student veterans that is the highest per capita in the California State University system.   

As Veterans Day approaches, we talk with Tontz about the holiday, why he came to CSUSM, and his fascinating family background. 

Question: Why was this position at CSUSM appealing to you? 

Paul Tontz: This career opportunity was appealing to me because it has given me the chance to use my military and student affairs background, education, and research interests to support a population of students who I highly treasure. 

Q: What does Veterans Day mean to you personally? 

PT: Veterans Day to me means a celebration of service. I think it is vital to remember not just our student veterans, but our active-duty and military-dependent counterparts who continue to serve or have also served alongside our veterans. The day is a chance to recognize the talents, experiences and abilities that our veterans sacrificed on a daily basis. 

Q: What were your primary duties in the Navy Reserve and what was that experience like? 

PT: My primary duties were to provide weather and oceanographic forecasts to our Navy fleet to maintain the safety of our assets in the air, land and sea. However, what I enjoyed most about my role as a Navy Reserve officer was the opportunity to interact with active and reservists in helping them discover and find a path to higher education. Many times my AGs (aerographers) wanted to ask questions about how to get into college, degree planning and financial aid. It is not necessarily the weather. 

Q: What can you tell me about your family in terms of military connections? 

PT: I come from a long line of Navy personnel, mainly medical officers. My grandfather, Capt. Joseph McGinley, M.D., retired as a Navy pediatrician. My dad and Uncle John Leo were Navy dentists. My Uncle Bill was a Navy orthopedic surgeon. My brother broke the tradition and currently serves as an Air Force flight surgeon. But I would say my greatest inspiration comes from Navy history in our family. I am related to Joseph Hewes, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and one of the first Secretaries of the Navy. Also, my great uncle Leo McGinley was killed aboard the USS Bunker Hill when it was attacked by kamikazes on May 11, 1945. 

Q: You’re from a family of 10 children. What was that household like to grow up in? 

PT: In a couple words, chaotic and noisy. As one of the only introverts in my family, I was always scrambling for some private, quiet time. As the son of two amazing parents who taught me discipline, love and compassion, I have grown to appreciate my now-adult siblings and teach my students these same values. I can remember my first time living outside of the house on my own: I had to sleep with the TV on to match the level of ambient noise I had grown up with, which provided comfort.  

Q: Your dissertation was about the “coming out” experiences of Division I gay athletes. Why was that subject interesting to you? 

PT: As a lifelong athlete, sports provided me a safe space to build self-confidence, even in a world that wasn’t exactly friendly to being different. I struggled myself to come out in a climate of sport that wasn’t very supportive. It wasn’t until I began my first career working with student-athletes that I realized that many of my student-athletes were suffering and didn’t have a voice or the ability to truly be themselves. When I learned that many struggled with their mental health and suicide, I was inspired to do research to learn best practices for supporting these athletes in Division I athletics. Supported by an NCAA graduate research grant, my dissertation shared the stories of this marginalized population and helped create some of the positive change we now see in college athletics for LGBT student-athletes.  

Q: According to your bio, you have worked in various capacities at about a dozen colleges over the last two decades. What has that kind of nomadic existence been like and what are some of the lessons you’ve learned along the way? 

PT: I have been fortunate to have had opportunities to learn how to become a professional in this field by working at many different types of educational institutions. I gained additional skills as I changed military commands due to my relocations. The nomadic life was exciting, but I am glad to have settled down in San Diego due to being a native San Diegan who grew up in Point Loma/Ocean Beach. The biggest lesson I have learned is that you can never underestimate the power of a great team one works with and the supportive nature of your supervisor. I feel blessed to have found that at CSUSM and treasure the opportunity to get paid to do the work I love in supporting this population. 

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

An instructional support technician for the engineering program, Jacome was able to set up all of his equipment and have the new space ready for students returning to campus for the spring 2020 semester.

Jacome was in the new space for less than four months when the pandemic hit. And it wasn’t long before he was moving all of his equipment back out to make way for a county-operated COVID-19 testing center at the Viasat Engineering Pavilion.

But Jacome stayed busy during that time, and one of the projects he assisted with to help students work remotely proved so successful that it is becoming a staple of the electrical engineering program even as students return to campus.

“When the pandemic happened, in less than a month we changed our electrical engineering laboratories to remote offering,” electrical engineering professor Reza Kamali said. “To achieve the objectives and outcomes of our courses without any interruption, we put together a package of portable devices and components. Marco was a key person to help me pack the selected tools and components and deliver it to our students.”

Kamali said logistics were particularly difficult during the first month of the pandemic, and Jacome was integral in overcoming those challenges.

Jacome said he and Janine Smock, an instructional support technician for physics, helped package kits that included everything students needed to complete assignments from home while instruction was occurring virtually.

“We didn’t have any interruption of hands-on practices,” Kamali said.

The equipment students received included an Analog Discovery 2, which has an oscilloscope, a wave generator, a power supply and a voltmeter; an analog parts kit, which has all of the components needed to complete labs; a BNC adapter, which is used to connect oscilloscope probes and signal cables; and a multimeter.

“Even though students were on their own, they were still able to practice the mechanics of translating a schematic diagram to actual circuit boards and conducting basic measurements,” said Jacome, who graduated from San Diego State with a bachelor’s in engineering in 2017. “It’s like a full-on lab within a small little device.”

Jacome also created lab instruction videos, which were uploaded to YouTube, to help students better visualize lab practices, learn how to use the equipment remotely and successfully complete their assignments. It was a new experience for Jacome, who had never before produced an instructional video.

“I didn't write a script or anything,” Jacome said. “I was just going off the top of my head, but trying to speak clearly, pronounce my words well, just making sure I had good vocal skills. Once you're on camera, it's a little bit more difficult as opposed to just explaining it to someone in person.”

Although many students have returned to in-person learning this fall, the at-home kits proved so successful that they remain part of the engineering program. The kits are being used to help students taking “EE 100: Introduction to Electrical Engineering” get accustomed to the type of equipment they’ll eventually be using for more advanced courses.

Kamali, who was CSUSM’s lone electrical engineering faculty member at the peak of the pandemic, said Jacome’s work was essential in providing students technical instruction.

“With his help, we were able to improve our retention and enrollment even during the pandemic,” Kamali said.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

With protocols in place to ensure the health and safety of the campus community, President Ellen Neufeldt expressed excitement and optimism during her annual convocation address to faculty and staff on Thursday.

“When I look back on March 2020, I’m still amazed by all the ways we were able to pivot,” Neufeldt said. “And this semester, not only did we meet our enrollment goals with over 16,000 students, but about 11,000 of them will be on campus to take at least one in-person course.

“I know making all of this a reality was no small feat. Nor were we perfect every step of the way. But together we learned, we adjusted and we forged ahead on a path built on the Cougar spirit of care, collaboration and innovation.”

Among the changes this fall is a requirement that all students and employees who come to campus be vaccinated against COVID-19 or provide a medical or religious exemption. Proof of vaccination is required by Sept. 30. Before the deadline, anyone who is unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated must participate in a weekly testing program. After Sept. 30, unvaccinated individuals with an approved exemption will be required to continue weekly testing.

All students and employees who are accessing campus and have yet to verify their vaccination status also are required to participate in weekly COVID-19 testing on campus. On-campus COVID-19 testing is free of charge. Please visit the CSUSM app or the mandatory testing website to view testing locations and hours and make an appointment.

‘Fresh’ dining option

All on-campus eateries are open as of Aug. 30, including Get Fresh, which is offering more vegetarian and vegan options.

Get Fresh will offer seasonal specials using local produce. Customers will have the opportunity to customize their own creations with sauces, dressings, proteins and grains.

New appointments

• Aswad Allen was named the university’s new chief diversity officer, joining CSUSM after serving as the inaugural chief diversity officer at Emporia State University in Emporia, Kan.
• Jessica Berger began her role as the vice president of University Advancement and executive director of the CSUSM Foundation in July.
• Jennifer Ostergren began her tenure as the new dean of the College of Education, Health and Human Services on July 1.
• Professor Joely Proudfit was appointed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom to the Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, becoming the first Indigenous woman named to the organization.
• Leon Wyden began his appointment as vice president of Finance and Administrative Services on June 1.

Weeks of Welcome

The annual Weeks of Welcome started Aug. 27 and runs through Sept. 26. It includes dozens of in-person and virtual events for students to meet new people and kick off the new academic year.

Visit the Weeks of Welcome calendar for a complete schedule.

Summer snippets

• CSUSM is one of eight CSUs participating in the first phase of the new CSUCCESS program, which is providing an iPad Air, Apple Pencil and Apple Smart Keyboard Folio to all incoming first-year and new transfer students who register to participate.
• CSUSM was selected to receive the 2021 AASCU Excellence and Innovation Award for Student Success for the innovative student coaching program that it launched last year, partly in response to the pandemic.
• The public health program was approved to become a department within the College of Education, Health and Human Services, effective July 1.
• Social work professor Madeline Lee, ACE Scholars Services counselors Laurie Orr and Leigh Quijada, and ACE founding director Jim Mickelson had a paper published in the National Association of Social Workers Press journal “Social Work.”
• The electrical engineering program was among 17 teams from colleges and universities across the country selected to participate in the 2022 Marine Energy Collegiate Competition: Powering the Blue Economy.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

The County of San Diego is resuming free COVID testing at Cal State San Marcos beginning Tuesday, Aug. 3, from a new on-campus site in lower parking lot B off Craven Road. The walk-up testing site is open to the public and no appointment is needed.

The testing site is open from 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday-Thursday. Please be sure to check the county's website for any changes to operating days or hours.

The site is one of three county-operated walk-up testing sites in North County.

CSUSM places the highest priority on the health, safety and well-being of students, faculty, staff, and the surrounding community. In keeping with the university’s guiding principles, the following measures are in place to protect the campus community:

• COVID-19 symptom self-assessment is required, but employees, students, vendors and contractors no longer need to submit the screening form through the campus app or website. By coming to campus, all students, employees, vendors and contractors are confirming that they are not experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms.
• All CSUSM students, faculty, staff, independent contractors and vendors must stay home if they are unwell. Contact a supervisor or faculty member to notify them of an absence. Stay home, self-quarantine, monitor symptoms, and seek medical care if you are sick. If you receive a positive COVID-19 test, report it on our form.
• Following new federal guidance, San Diego County officials are now recommending the universal wearing of masks by both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals in indoor public settings. Thus, students and employees, regardless of vaccination status, are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings indoors.

For more information on the university's plans for returning to campus, please visit the CSUSM as One website.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

In concert with state and local public health officials, CSUSM Safety, Health and Sustainability leaders determined that, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, each elevator ride would be restricted to one person or one household.

Along the way, though, they began to think about the issue more deeply. What if reducing elevator use, and encouraging using the stairs, could become a permanent attitude, woven into the culture of campus?

That was the impetus for the Take the Stairs campaign, which has been in the works for almost a year and is being unveiled as CSUSM employees return to campus en masse in early August.

The primary visible manifestation of the campaign is 99 wrapped elevators that feature large, triangle-shaped banners – in Cougar blue, of course – positioned on the upper left and lower right of the doors. Installed in late July, the upper-left banners feature five slogans that vary depending on the elevator door you’re in front of:

• Small Steps Make a Difference

• The Destination Is the Same

• Reduce the Wait

• Save a Spot for Those Who Need It

• Stay in Motion

The text below the slogans is the same on all the banners: “Take the Stairs When Possible.”

The campaign has been led by Juliana Goodlaw-Morris, CSUSM sustainability manager, who received input and consultation from more than a dozen departments across campus, including Mary Stephens, who was interim vice president of Finance and Administrative Services at the time and with the approval of President Ellen Neufeldt and her team of administrative leaders. Funding came from money allotted to CSUSM through the CARES Act passed by Congress last year.

As the threat of COVID-19 has receded, especially locally given the high rate of vaccinations in San Diego County, the focus of the Take the Stairs campaign has shifted from safety to three different, but no less worthy, goals. The first is the conservation of energy.

“Elevators use a decent amount of energy. In fact, all of our elevators together use the same amount of energy as 25-30 homes in a year,” Goodlaw-Morris said. “Taking the stairs can help us reduce our energy usage on campus, assisting CSUSM in reaching our net zero energy goal. Even small behavior changes make a difference. If we’re all doing it daily, then we’re going to be conserving our resources. My belief is small steps make a difference. Taking the stairs, using a reusable water bottle, using alternative transportation, all of these small daily actions can help CSUSM reach our sustainability goals.”

The second goal is to save the elevator for when it’s needed.

“We want to make sure that the elevators are accessible for those who need it the most, those not able to take the stairs for one reason or another,” Goodlaw-Morris said. “Also, the more our elevators are used, the more likely they are to break. Out-of-service elevators can be an issue for folks who are unable to take the stairs. At the heart of this campaign is accessibility and inclusion.”

Notably, the Take the Stairs campaign was shaped in part by Disability Support Services at CSUSM.

“It is important to keep in mind the benefits this initiative will bring to those with mobility challenges,” said John Segoria, director of DSS. “From an accessibility perspective, as the number of people on campus using the stairs increases, there will be greater access to the elevators for those who need them.”

The campaign’s third goal is to promote the benefits of health and wellness. With the university’s well-earned reputation as Cal State Stair Master, small changes like eschewing the elevator for the steps can improve physical health.

“As a student, taking the stairs all the time can be a challenge, but I know that it’s important from a sustainability lens, which incorporates energy savings and health and wellness,” said Daniela Loera, president of the Environmental Stewards Association, a student organization. “I think this is a really cool idea and hope students begin to think about how they can conserve resources in other parts of their life as well.”

Leon Wyden said he’s excited for the Take the Stairs campaign, which is launching about two months after he started in his new job as vice president of Finance and Administrative Services.

“Although this campaign was being developed during the pandemic, it is applicable now and into the future,” Wyden said. “I think it’s a great initiative that combines inclusion and accessibility with wellness and resource conservation.”

Goodlaw-Morris said she strives to take the stairs as much as possible, but admits that she sometimes falls short of her best intentions.

“There are times that I personally don't take the stairs," she said. "It might be in the morning when I am carrying my bags and water and tea to my office, or if I am just super tired. My personal goal upon returning to campus is to try to take the stairs daily while on campus. In the beginning, it might just be one or two flights of stairs, but I plan on using the stairs as part of my exercise.

“I don't want this to be like, ‘Oh, I saw you taking the elevator.’ This is not a policing thing. This is not a body-shaming thing. This is really like, ‘Hey, we only have so many elevators and we have people who need to take them.’ ”

For assistance on how to move around campus, consult this interactive campus map that includes accessibility offerings. Any questions about the Take the Stairs campaign can be directed to shs@csusm.edu.

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

bhiro@csusm.edu

The group’s article, “Transforming Lives of Former Foster Youths: A Campus-Based Support Program Grounded in Social Work Values,” details ACE’s model.

“Support programs to improve higher education outcomes for former foster youths have emerged in the past 20 years, but literature to guide their development and implementation is limited,” the paper abstract states. “This conceptual article presents the program logic model for ACE (Achieving College Excellence) Scholars Services, the comprehensive, campus-based program supporting former foster youths grounded in social work values at California State University San Marcos.”

ACE Scholars Services has graduated more than 100 students since its founding in 2007.

Honors for School of Education alumni

Four alumni from the School of Education were honored with teacher of the year awards:

• Alex Buder, who works at Oak Valley Middle School, was named one of Poway Unified School District’s 2021 School Site Teachers of the Year.
• Sheen Garcia, who teaches at Del Dios Academy, was named a 2020-21 Teacher of the Year for Escondido Union School District.
• Joy Leichtfuss, a sixth-grade reading, language arts, and world history teacher at San Marcos Middle School, was named San Marcos Unified School District’s 2020-21 Teacher of the Year.
• Joe Prechtl, a teacher at Sullivan Middle School, was named a 2020-21 Teacher of the Year for Bonsall Union School District.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Elena Gonzales, lecturer, chemistry and biochemistry

Gonzales was nominated both for her ability to get organic chemistry labs into a teachable format and her work helping students overcome challenges during the pandemic.

“Dr. Gonzales has been so supportive, encouraging, and she genuinely cares about teaching my peers and me,” the student nominator wrote. “Dr. Gonzales goes above and beyond for her students, especially throughout this past year. She is a great chemistry professor, she allows the students to open up to her and gain experience, and she is willing to connect with her students in a special way. …

“Dr. Gonzales has made a difference in my college journey, and I know I'm not the only one.”

Scott Gross, associate vice president for industry partnerships, Planning and Academic Resources

Gross was lauded for his ongoing service to support the campus in myriad ways during the pandemic, including his critical roles in Graduates on Parade last year and serving as the liaison to San Diego County health officials.

“Due to Scott’s planning and investment in community partnership, CSUSM was able to serve the campus and community through a testing location, vaccine site and alternative space for the arts,” the nominator wrote. “Scott is a behind-the-scenes leader dedicated to the success of our students, faculty and staff. Through his attention to detail and fostering of community partnerships, CSUSM has been an active partner with San Diego County.”

Ericka Wells, case management specialist, Cougar Care Network

Wells, who has worked with the Dean of Students Office for two years, was highlighted for her work supporting students who were COVID-positive or had a family member who was ill or died as a result of COVID.

“Ericka was perfect for this role due to her past experience with palliative care and working with HIV-positive clients,” the nominator wrote. “Ericka has been instrumental in providing care to our students. She has assisted students with academic, financial and mental health during this difficult time. She networks students with resources, provides a listening ear and helps them get back on track to be successful.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

So when the Cal State San Marcos police officer got an email on March 19 informing him that he could now be vaccinated through the first clinic available exclusively to members of the campus community, he jumped at the opportunity.

At 9 a.m. last Wednesday, there was White at the front of the line that formed at the transit center off Campus View Drive as CSUSM kicked off its effort to inoculate staff, faculty and students who have not been able to secure vaccine appointments through their health care provider or San Diego County-run sites around the region.

“It’s a huge relief,” White, in his 15th year as an officer at CSUSM, said as he sat on a folding chair in the observation zone for 15 minutes after receiving his shot. “I believe the vaccine will allow me to do certain things as life begins to return to normal, like travel and go to concerts.”

The opening of the on-campus clinic Wednesday was the culmination of almost three months of work led by Erin Fullerton, director of Integrated Risk Management, in concert with a team from Safety, Health & Sustainability. CSUSM applied to host a vaccine station on Jan. 5, and the request was approved by the state about a month later. Since early February, the university has applied each week to receive a shipment of vaccine doses from the county, and each week it has been denied.

Until March 19, that is, when CSUSM learned that it would be receiving 100 doses of the Moderna vaccine, which would need to be administered within a week. The vials arrived last Tuesday at the campus loading dock, where Fullerton was on hand to accept them along with Zachary Nortz, a Master of Public Health student who has been hired as a temporary employee to assist with the logistics of the vaccine clinic. Fullerton then ushered the precious cargo – she even secured the box in her car with a seatbelt – to the Student Health and Counseling Services building, where it was stored in a special freezer before being brought out in a temperature-controlled cooler for use the next day.

During a break from overseeing the clinic operation Wednesday morning, Fullerton described the event as the most satisfying thing she has done in the year of the pandemic.

“It’s super exciting,” Fullerton said. “It’s not just getting the shots in arms. It’s the emotional and psychological aspect of this. I have felt a lightness around campus, like, ‘We’re really doing this; this is real. We’re not just hearing about other people getting vaccinations.’ This is the symbolic beginning of that light at the end of the tunnel. 

“Also, in risk management, our job is proving the negative. How many people didn’t die or get hurt today? How many times didn’t we get sued? We don’t often get to see the fruits of our labor. So to be able to do something like this and see a physical, tangible result is pretty cool.” 

Fullerton and her team knew only that the vaccines they’d be getting would be in lots of 100, so for the last six weeks they have been planning the nuts and bolts of running a clinic that could have been many multiples larger. For the three-hour session Wednesday, they prioritized employees at the highest risk of contracting COVID-19 – in this case, those working on campus and anyone 65 or older.  

Among the employees who qualified was Ali Ahmadinia, the chair of the computer science and information systems department. Ahmadinia works in a research lab on campus a few days a week. 

“I appreciate that they arranged this for us,” he said. “Besides allowing me to finally get the vaccine, it’s really convenient to have this on campus and just be able to walk over.” 

The shots were given by three CSUSM nursing students, supervised by two nurse practitioners from SHCS. President Ellen Neufeldt stopped by midway through to see the clinic in action and thank the organizers for their efforts. 

CSUSM applied for more doses and found out last Friday that they would be receiving 100 more this week, which means that a second vaccine clinic will be occurring this Friday. Appointments will continue to be offered first to employees working on campus; once all those employees have been given the opportunity to schedule, any remaining appointments will be offered to all employees and, starting in April, to students as well. Employees and students will receive notification once their group is eligible for the campus-run clinic.

“It’s been a wild ride over the last month, a series of crests and troughs, but this has gone better than I hoped it would. I think we really nailed it,” said Nortz, the MPH student. “This is a momentous occasion in the fight against COVID, and I’m so excited to be part of this group.” 

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

Elinne Becket, assistant professor, biology

Daun Everforest, pre-health faculty advisor, biology

Becket (pictured top) and Everforest were both nominated for their commitment to ensuring the well-being of their students during these challenging times while also working diligently to find new ways to help students continue to learn with less stress.

“They are two of the faculty who have had the most sleepless nights over how to reach their students since the pandemic began,” the nominator wrote. “They replaced high-stakes exams with guided worksheets, testing them out, revising, then trying them again and finding that they are working.”

The nominator praised Becket and Everforest for their collegiality and humble perspectives. It was noted that students said learning from Becket and Everforest was much deeper than what typically comes from studying for exams. Students said it was clear that Becket and Everforest have a deep devotion not only to learning but also about the students on a personal level.

Regina Frasca, director, Safety, Health and Sustainability

Frasca was nominated for leading efforts to help the university adapt to the pandemic environment while keeping campus community members as safe as possible. One nominator made special note of Frasca’s work to help the College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

“Regina listens to our needs and does her best to minimize disruption to campus operations while meeting all regulations and working safely,” the nominator wrote. “She works to understand the goals of any requests. If we cannot do what was requested, she ensures we can figure out a way to actually reach the goals in another way. She is a true partner in educating our students as well as keeping them safe.”

 Another nominator highlighted Frasca’s work with the biology department.

“She has also worked closely with us to identify safe strategies that have allowed us to teach some critical in-person laboratory courses, providing students with the hands-on experience that simply cannot be achieved virtually and/or via simulations,” the nominator wrote.

Debbie Blair, library services specialist

Sonia Jimenez, library services specialist

Natalya Serge Magazino, library services specialist

Blair, Jimenez (pictured bottom) and Magazino (pictured top) were nominated for their contributions to the resource sharing and interlibrary loan team, which helps students and faculty obtain materials that aren’t part of Kellogg Library’s inventory.

The nominator noted that the team has innovated extensively to adapt services to enable the library to mail books to users’ homes and route requests for digital resources to be acquired for users through the library’s Digital on Demand service.

“The resource sharing unit is completely user-centered and responsive, ensuring that questions about resources and requests are answered as soon as possible – and most requests for digital materials are handled within 1-2 days,” the nominator wrote. “So far this academic year, resource sharing has received over 5,000 requests for resources and is able to provide or fill more than 95% of requests by borrowing from other CSUs and through partnerships with universities around the world. We are extremely fortunate to have such an amazing team that supports faculty teaching and research and student learning!”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Chad Huggins, technical director, CHABSS School of Arts

Responsible for the Arts building, Huggins has been on campus numerous times during the pandemic to supervise upgrades and major repairs, including replacing the dance floor. The nominator noted that he also led and supported all on-campus efforts, including classes that met on campus during the fall and ones meeting on campus this spring.

“This has meant much work with health and safety to establish distancing guidelines, access to PPE, etc., in our classrooms and throughout the building,” the nominator wrote. “It has also meant planning and budgeting kits for students who pay lab fees for their classes. Chad has worked with shop technician Judy Ryan to budget, purchase and distribute these kits that include materials and supplies for students so they can benefit from their art studio classes. Chad has worked with technician Albert Rascon on the digital equipment, including check-out that gives access to photo and video equipment to our students.”

John Pili, library services specialist, Library User Services

Pili was lauded for continually seeking out new methods of connecting with students, including starting up Virtual Library Learn sessions and providing students with encouraging study spaces through Virtual Study Sessions.

“John has been so thoughtful and compassionate toward our students while we all attempt to navigate this virtual world,” the nominator wrote.

“John always puts our students first, and he has not let COVID-19 get in the way of that. He is using this unique opportunity to expand upon his skills in order to improve the experience of our users and ensure they are getting the most out of their experience at CSUSM.”

Blake Schilling, Inspiration Studios coordinator, IITS

Before the university moved to virtual learning last spring, Schilling contacted instructors to make arrangements for them to visit Inspiration Studios to record their lectures as quickly as possible. The nominator noted that when one instructor wanted to visit to record his lectures last fall, Schilling redesigned the learning glass technology so the instructor could record without needing Schilling’s assistance to ensure social distancing.

“Blake further revised the method of using the learning glass so the instructor could record the lectures to the cloud and have immediate access to post them for the class,” the nominator wrote. “The instructor was so pleased with the new functionality, he continued to come weekly and recorded lectures he had previously made because the quality had improved so much.”

Rosa Solorio, custodian, Facility Services

Solorio is assigned to Craven Hall, and her nominator noted her diligence in ensuring that all areas are clean and disinfected.

“I see her disinfecting all of the high-touch surfaces multiple times a day,” the nominator wrote. “There have been so many tasks and cleaning duties added to her already busy schedule, and she has taken them on with a smile and a great work ethic. I have never seen her sitting down or taking a break. I feel safe working in Craven Hall because I know Rosa is there doing her best to keep us safe.

“The work of our custodial team plays a key role in the university’s return-to-campus policies. Without their hard work and dedication, returning to campus would not have been possible. Rosa stands out in that essential department.”

Hugo Wong, library services specialist, Library User Services

Wong was nominated for his instrumental role in ensuring users continue to receive services from the library throughout the pandemic. The nominator noted that Wong’s impact extends beyond the library, as he also monitors the university’s CougarBot.

The nominator noted that during the transition to virtual hours, Wong has helped support numerous events, including the library’s virtual open house and other virtual services.

“With his constant drive to learn and help others learn, I am grateful to work with Hugo and have more opportunities to hear what new skills he has discovered and how we can use those skills to improve our services and workflows,” the nominator wrote. “Hugo has always gone above and beyond, and he continues to be an essential part of the University Library and of CSUSM.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Know someone who deserves special recognition for their efforts? Email details to publicity@csusm.edu and we’ll include them in an upcoming edition of this ongoing series.

Erin Fullerton, director, Integrated Risk Management

Fullerton was praised for her ongoing work and leadership in helping the university succeed despite the challenges of the pandemic.

“From the earliest developments in the pandemic, Erin has kept our campus informed, corralled resources, identified and filled necessary roles, and brought together key members from areas across campus in order to facilitate a coordinated and strategic operational response,” the nominator wrote. “Although most of her work takes place behind the scenes and may not be visible to many, her contributions continue to positively affect our ability to move forward with confidence.”

Vance Kekoa, environmental health & occupational safety specialist, Safety, Health and Sustainability

Kekoa has been responsible for numerous safety implementations, including training and fit testing front-line responders on the proper use of N-95 respirators, developing research reactivation health and safety COVID-19 plans for research faculty, and providing compliance guidance from public health officials, to name a few.

“Vance has been instrumental in developing the plans and procedures for the university’s COVID-19 response,” the nominator wrote. “He and Jennifer Ralph also developed most of the procedures for return to work/school. Their expertise and hard work made our campus safer and is allowing us to reopen in phases.”

Roxanne Ocampo, lecturer, First-Year Programs

Ocampo has made an indelible impact in her first semester teaching at CSUSM. The student nominator noted that Ocampo’s GEL course was the highlight of the week.

“She's been my hero this semester,” the nominator wrote. “She brings positive energy and a smile to class every day. She works to make sure students are interacting in class in a way that we also enjoy. She's so supportive and encouraging, and I never miss her class. My experience at San Marcos would be completely different had I not met her.”

Jennifer Ralph, environmental health & occupational safety specialist, Safety, Health and Sustainability

Ralph was lauded for her leadership throughout CSUSM’s pandemic safety response, which included countless hours in the Emergency Operation Center when on-campus instruction and activities were halted.

“She worked diligently on return-to-work protocols for the university,” the nominator wrote. “She helped with risk management issues related to COVID-19. Being the only registered environmental health and safety specialist on campus, Jennifer is on numerous committees and her knowledge is heavily relied upon for developing safety protocols. Jennifer has worked with many different departments on campus and government agencies, and she is the glue that holds the university’s COVID-19 safety response together.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

The award includes a $1,500 stipend.

In its decision letter, the award committee noted, among other accomplishments, Armenta’s efforts advising a large and diverse group of students and the large range of disciplines these students come from, including epidemiology, public health and kinesiology.

Gamma Phi Beta honors FSL coordinator

Megan Ceppi, coordinator of Fraternity & Sorority Life, was selected to receive Gamma Phi Beta’s Outstanding Campus Professional Award, which recognizes a campus professional who has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to the fraternity and sorority community where a Gamma Phi Beta chapter is present.

The award letter noted that recipients are “recognized for their high professional standards, work with Gamma Phi Beta to strengthen and/or foster change in our local collegiate chapter and/or the Greek community, and for their commitment to fraternities and sororities on their campus while promoting the interfraternal community.”

CSUSM’s Gamma Phi Beta chapter launched last spring.

Tribal liaison appointed to California Truth & Healing Council

Tribal Liaison Tishmall Turner has been appointed to the California Truth & Healing Council by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The council is charged with “bearing witness to, recording, examining existing documentation of, and receiving California Native American narratives regarding the historical relationship between the State of California and California Native Americans in order to clarify the historical record of such relationship in the spirit of truth and healing.”

The council is required to report annually and submit a final written report of findings to the Office of the Tribal Advisor by Jan. 1, 2025.

Among nation’s best

CSUSM was ranked 43^rd for total bachelor’s degrees awarded in Hispanic Outlook on Education Magazine’s list of “Top 100 Colleges and Universities for Hispanics 2020” and 64^th in total enrollment among four-year schools.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

But seeing how elders in her church shunned a teenager who had been the victim of sexual assault led Benjamin to look for another outlet for her faith.

Now, many years later, Benjamin is sharing how faith impacts her as part of Cal State San Marcos’ new Beyond the Stereotype campaign, which was unveiled during the All Peoples Luncheon on Oct. 29.

“I hope that people have the opportunity to try to explore different backgrounds and different religious faiths and try to understand where another person is coming from,” said Benjamin, a psychology major. “I want people to know that just because you're brought into a faith by your parents, it is OK for you to explore different things. I've explored Buddhism, and now I'm just more a spiritual base. I have no particular religious ties, but I'm always open to getting to understand and learn about other people's religion.”

The Office of Inclusive Excellence sponsors the Beyond the Stereotype campaign to help educate about the impact of microaggressions and stereotypes on marginalized communities. The first campaign, “There is History,” was launched in 2015 and focused on race/ethnicity and cultural appropriation. It was followed in 2017 by “There is Pride,” which focused on sexual orientation and gender diversity. The new campaign, “There is Belief,” challenges stereotypes around religions, faith, spirituality and/or life practices within a social justice framework.

The campaign launched during the All Peoples Luncheon with the unveiling of five posters, each featuring a student, staff or faculty member holding a board with a message combating a stereotype about their respective beliefs.

For Benjamin, that meant holding a board with the message, “My Faith Is Not Evil.”

Benjamin found her way to Southern California from South Carolina through her service in the Army National Guard, which she joined in 2012. She transferred to CSUSM after two years at Palomar College.

“Once I had the opportunity to tour campus and see that it’s very diverse and they try to include everyone, I thought, ‘I want to join in and be a part of this campus community,’ ” she said. “I've been searching for a sense of belonging since I came to California because I have no family here and all my friends are from my military branch, and Cal State has definitely made me feel at home.”

Benjamin has been active in myriad programs at CSUSM, including the Educational Opportunity Program, the Student Veterans Organization and the Tukwut Leadership Circle, in which she serves as a member of the Peer Leadership Team.

Benjamin still remembers the impact that seeing posters from a previous Beyond the Stereotype campaign had on her, and she hopes the new posters have a similar impact on others.

“I'm hoping that people will take an opportunity to look at the posters with an open mind and just be able to be more inclusive in their practices every day,” she said.

Ariel Stevenson, the OIE’s assistant director of programs and initiatives and director of the campaign, stressed that the release of the five posters signifies the beginning of the campaign.

“Each of the five posters represent the many diverse perspective of our CSUSM community,” Stevenson said, “but they do not represent all of our perspectives. The campaign launch showed a representation, but the campaign is open, and we welcome more participants.

“I think some people were hesitant to participate because they could not envision how religion or belief would be displayed on the posters. Now they have an opportunity to see how it’s beautifully represented.”

Stevenson praised the work of Marcus Torres, visual communications specialist in University Communications, for his efforts in designing the posters and Alan Brown, multimedia productions specialist, for his work creating an accompanying campaign video.

“I’m grateful to all of the participants who modeled and shared their beliefs with us,” Stevenson said. “And I really want to encourage others to participate as we continue to challenge and investigate the stereotypes surrounding belief, religion, spirituality, faith and life practices.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Know someone who deserves special recognition for their efforts? Email details to publicity@csusm.edu and we’ll include them in an upcoming edition of this ongoing series.

Tasos Lazarides, director, Academic Innovation & Strategic Solutions, IITS

Learning & Tutoring Services (LTS) Team

Lazarides and the LTS team were nominated together for their collective effort in moving all tutoring, supplemental instruction and academic support webinars to a virtual format.

LTS is a seven-person team (pictured above) that leads the Academic Success Center, STEM Success Center, Supplemental Instruction, and Writing Center in the Office of Undergraduate Studies. The team includes Jennifer Brich, director of the STEM Success Center; Alexa Diaz, Academic Success Center coordinator; Julia Garcia-Medina, STEM Success Center coordinator; Maricruz Macz, director of Supplemental Instruction; Trevor Ryback, Math Lab coordinator; Evan Smith, director of the Writing Center; and Amanda Tomanek, academic English language specialist for the Writing Center.

“This student-focused group supported more than 27,000 student visits to the learning centers this past year,” the nominator wrote. “More impressively, in response to COVID and the need to move to remote delivery, they worked alongside Dr. Tasos Lazarides in IITS to move all tutoring and supplemental instruction online within four days last spring. They had to come together in significant ways to test and modify digital platforms, develop training for tutors and SI leads, and more.

“Based on what they learned between March and May, this summer the LTS team tested several digital delivery platforms and then moved forward in building a model to provide fully remote tutoring and Supplemental Instruction via Microsoft Teams. This work also included the development and delivery of a multi-day online training for all of the student staff this summer with detailed plans for ongoing training throughout the academic year. Furthermore, the team had to determine how best to track student engagement in the remote learning centers. When the fall semester began, LTS launched their deeply revised approach to providing academic support.”

The nominator noted that their efforts caught the attention of Microsoft, which consults with Lazarides to address suggestions that emerge from their work with Teams.

Farideh Farheidar, instructional support technician, CSTEM chemistry and biochemistry

Farheidar received multiple nominations for her work preparing personal protective equipment (PPE) for different campus departments, particularly chemistry, biochemistry and biology.

“She’s an important part of why CSUSM is able to offer hybrid in-person lab classes this fall semester,” one nominator wrote. “Farideh is a registered nurse and very familiar with medical protocols with respect to PPE. Her experience, advice and insight are invaluable. She has an overriding heartfelt concern for staff, faculty and student safety.”

“When COVID hit, she kicked it into gear and put in place sterilization procedures that have kept our students, faculty and staff safe in both Science Hall 1 and Science Hall 2,” another nominator wrote. “Her major contribution to the campus at large, however, is that she secured thousands of masks for the campus through our membership in BIOCOM. This request resulted in masks being available for on-campus classes, for researchers, for campus staff, and for anyone else on campus who needs a mask.”

Andre Kundgen, mathematics professor

Kundgen was highlighted for his efforts to ensure his students’ success during the transition to virtual learning.

“Not only did he make himself available to all of us above and beyond the required scope, he also provided many resources and links for us to help facilitate our success in our education and overall well-being,” the student nominator wrote.

“He provided us with information regarding refunds, computer and electronic access, financial resources, educational tools, as well as emotional support. He was patient and encouraging when we were all struggling through our distance learning experience and was understanding when we felt confused and frustrated.”

Veronica Ohm, assistant to the associate vice president, Facilities Development and Management

In the early weeks of the pandemic, Ohm provided cloth, reusable and fashionable face coverings to employees in Facilities Development and Management, Safety, Health & Sustainability, Distribution Services, University Police, Parking and Commuter Services, and anyone who stopped by Distribution Services.

“She even took requests from our employees for their families in the early days,” the nominator wrote. “This assistance came at a time when you couldn’t find or order reusable face coverings from other venues. She made various sizes to accommodate everyone in her FDM family that was interested. In fact, when I asked her why she was doing this, she said that she wanted to do whatever she could to protect her FDM and campus family. She explicitly exudes our campus safety culture, and her degree of humanity was extraordinary during a very concerning time.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

In response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and in alignment with the California State University’s decision for all 23 campuses to have a unified approach, more than 90% of courses are occurring virtually this fall. Select labs and courses that use specialized equipment or have certain accreditation/licensure requirements will have in-person instruction.

Earlier this month, the university launched its “CSUSM as One” website, which provides information and resources for students, faculty and staff to navigate the fall semester.

While the semester may look different, President Ellen Neufeldt expressed excitement and optimism during her annual Convocation address on Thursday morning.

“Even though this will be unlike any other fall semester in history, I can’t but help feeling excitement for what’s before us,” she said in an address streamed virtually. “So much is in flux, but the fundamental parts of our university are unchanged. Our dedication to our students, our region and each other will move us through and past this moment and on to the next 30 years.”

Computer lab available for students

The University Student Union and IITS have partnered to establish a computer lab in the USU Ballroom and Meeting Rooms for students who need access to computers, printing services, power and/or Wi-Fi.

Beginning Aug. 31, the USU computer lab will be open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday on a first-come, first-served basis.

Students will use the campus app to check into the lab and receive an assigned station. The process is as easy as opening up the app and scanning their digital ID when they arrive. The app also has an “On Campus” button that will show available on-campus services, including the number of computers available in the USU so that students will know if there are open stations before arriving.

Visit this link for more information.

New appointments

• Carl Kemnitz began his tenure as the university’s new provost and vice president of Academic Affairs on July 1.
• Professor of chemistry and biochemistry Jackie Trischman began a one-year appointment as CSTEM’s interim dean on July 1, succeeding the college’s founding dean, Katherine Kantardjieff, who left for a position as provost at Cal State Monterey Bay.
• Biology professor Deborah Kristan began a one-year appointment as interim dean of the College of Education, Health and Human Services on July 1, succeeding Emiliano Ayala, who decided to take on a faculty position in the college as a special education professor.
• The California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center named Eric S. Trevan as a visiting scholar of innovation, business and economic policy for tribal nations.

COVID-19 testing site

CSUSM is hosting a San Diego County-operated, walk-up coronavirus testing site, expanding critical testing services to North County residents.

The testing center, which is free and open to the public seven days a week, operates independently of the university within the Viasat Engineering Pavilion on campus.

Weeks of Welcome

The annual Weeks of Welcome started Aug. 29 and runs through Oct. 10. It includes dozens of virtual events to meet new people and kick off the new academic year.

Visit the Weeks of Welcome calendar for a complete schedule.

Arts & Lectures for fall

The university’s longstanding Arts & Lectures series is presenting a virtual fall lineup, with all of the events taking place via Zoom. This season boasts a diverse selection of six events.

Attendees can reserve tickets online via the Arts & Lectures website.

Summer snippets

• Psychology professor Sharon Hamill was among 25 faculty and staff members recognized by the California State University system with Faculty Innovation and Leadership Awards for their commitment to student success, particularly in courses or areas with traditionally low success rates or persistent equity gaps.
• Robert Iafe, an associate professor of chemistry, and Paul Jasien, a professor of chemistry and biochemistry, received a grant of almost $1 million from the National Science Foundation that will support the retention and graduation of high-achieving, low-income students in chemistry and biochemistry.
• CSUSM received a best practice award for social equity and justice at the California Higher Education Sustainability Conference for the second straight year.
• TRIO Student Support Services will receive a federal grant of more than $1.7 million over five years, the U.S. Department of Education announced this month.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Individuals and teams interested in participating can create and submit an executive summary online through the competition website. The deadline to submit an application is Aug. 1, and the winning individual/team will receive $500 with two runners-up receiving $100 each.

The initial submission briefly outlines the problem, solution and implementation procedures being addressed. The purpose of the summary is to convince the judges that the problem is significant and has a viable solution.

This summer’s challenge focuses on helping K-12 organizations deal with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Summer Innovation Challenge competitors will focus on new problems that K-12 schools face after reopening and design a unique solution in the form of a product, technology, service or program that meets the identified organizational need.

On Aug. 5, judges will announce the 10 individuals/teams that have advanced to the second round. The 10 finalists will have an opportunity to participate in an online mentoring session with industry professionals and local high school students before presenting their ideas to a panel of judges on Aug. 15.

The Summer Innovation Challenge is also open to non-students. However, they will be judged in a separate category and ineligible for the cash prizes.

Complete contest terms and conditions are available in the Summer Innovation Challenge Overview. Visit the Summer Innovation Challenge website or email innovation@csusm.edu for more information.

The CSUSM Summer Innovation Challenge is part of the Innovation Challenge series, a quarterly ideation competition managed by the CSUSM Innovation Hub, whose mission is to bring the resources, education and support to develop collaborative student/faculty/community partnerships in order to meet societal needs through innovation and entrepreneurship.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Know someone who deserves special recognition for their efforts? Email details to publicity@csusm.edu and we’ll include them in an upcoming edition of this ongoing series.

Rosa Conrad, outreach staff, University Library

Among Conrad’s many contributions since the University Library’s move to a virtual environment are creating a video to introduce new and potential students to the library and coordinating its first virtual Pause for Paws event.

“Rosa’s ability to adapt and meet short deadlines, all while continuing to be innovative and maintain a positive attitude has been remarkable, and I am so glad I have the opportunity to work with her and that students have the opportunity to interact with her as they learn about the library,” the nominator wrote.

Marylou Gonzalez, retention counselor, Educational Opportunity Program (EOP)

Gonzalez has been instrumental in encouraging students to continue moving forward on their path to graduation.

“Marylou goes out of her way to make sure people reach all their academic goals as she role models solution-focused interventions that help students in the EOP department remain resilient,” the nominator wrote. “She has a great sense of humor and goes the extra mile even on days off to accommodate students’ needs prior to graduating.”

Danielle McMartin, associate director, Global Education

While the COVID-19 pandemic has led to challenges across campus, it has included unique ones for Global Programs and Services as it works to ensure the well-being of international students. McMartin (pictured with the Global Programs and Services team at last year’s International Fair) was highlighted for her ability to rapidly respond to an ever-evolving situation as she continued to provide valuable services and keep international students informed.

“At this time, it's really important to be responsive and dedicated, which she does with great efforts,” the nominator wrote. “Her work should be much appreciated.”

Rachel Miller, lecturer, psychology

Miller was highlighted for her compassion and her ongoing assistance for students during the transition to virtual learning in the spring. The nominator also praised Miller for her support of Disability Support Services.

“Dr. Miller pushes everyone to reach their fullest potential,” the nominator wrote. “She pays special attention to everyone’s schoolwork and provides feedback that is helpful. Dr. Miller will always be memorable to me. She is direct, funny and, most importantly, accountable.”

Toni Olivas, engagement and inclusion librarian, University Library

Olivas was praised for her ability to continually find and implement ways to engage with CSUSM students, faculty, staff and the community, all while implementing inclusive practices. Olivas’ accomplishments during the pandemic include launching the library’s first campus Common Read virtual book discussion, and she is currently working on the next context exhibit, which will be the library’s first all-virtual exhibit of the series.

“Toni’s passion and work ethic has been inspiring and extremely motivating as she continues to engage with the CSUSM community and library partners,” the nominator wrote.

Library Technology Initiatives and Development (LTID) team

The LTID team includes Ian Chan, head of library technology initiatives and development; Amanda Dalgleish, web development and user experience specialist; Roger Delgado, DevOps specialist; Steven R. Espinoza, systems operations analyst; and Khuong Vu, analyst/programmer.

“Ian and his team have been responsive, nimble and innovative in transitioning the library to virtual services – no easy task,” the nominator wrote. “They continually improve the library’s online tools and systems, enhance the user experience, and enable the library’s website to be utilized in new and exciting ways.

“They have also taken on a huge task this summer of testing and changing the process for logging in to library databases so only one login is required. This is especially crucial as students, staff and faculty continue to work virtually. The team has also played a key role in building the infrastructure for the Together/Apart COVID-19 Community Memory Archive.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

I write today to emphasize the seriousness of the California State University’s budget situation and, in broad strokes, outline a multiyear plan that will allow us to strategically navigate these uncertain and challenging times.

Our university’s core mission is supported financially by two main revenue streams in the operating budget: the base budget provided by the annual state appropriation, and student tuition and fees. The state appropriation is a recurring or ongoing commitment, which allows us to plan coherently to effectively execute our mission in service to our students, the state of California and our nation. Student tuition and fees are also collected every year, but vary depending on enrollment numbers, inclusive of international and non-resident students.

The CSU is also comprised of many support functions occurring in our self-funded and auxiliary enterprises, and these functions are not financed by the state appropriation or tuition. Rather, they are supported by revenues, such as residence hall fees, meal plans, parking and retail sales, grants and contracts, and the like. These operations have been severely impacted by the pandemic, and regrettably, these negative impacts will continue in the years ahead. Consequently, self-funded and auxiliary enterprises have been forced to lay off many employees, and campuses must find other resources to pay debt service and other obligatory costs.

Our annual fiscal year (FY) extends from July 1 through the following June. Today, we face a base budget from the state for FY 2020-21 that has been permanently decreased by $299 million – compared to the last fiscal year – because of COVID-19-imposed impacts to the state’s economy. I would like to emphasize here that while we didn’t escape a budget reduction, it is clear we have successfully and consistently demonstrated our value to the state. I thank you for your considerable efforts over the years to contribute to that value, and I am grateful to our legislative leaders and the Governor for continuing to prioritize the California State University as best they can under these trying circumstances.

The state appropriation might be temporarily increased come October 15 if the federal government provides additional COVID-19 relief funding to California. At this point, the possibility of this additional funding is nothing more than speculation, although we have our team in Washington, D.C. advocating strongly to help make it happen. And it is very important to recognize that these potential resources would be a one-time allocation, not permanent recurring funds, year-in and year-out. This one-time allocation, if it materializes, must therefore be viewed as a tool to help us carefully and deliberately manage the transition to a permanent budget reduction over the course of this year and next.

And, additionally, at this point in the summer, we do not know the final details about student enrollment in the fall. Today’s indicators are looking strong, with some variability across the 23 campuses. But it is the actual enrollment numbers in the fall and beyond that will also impact available resources.

As you would expect of campus and system leadership, we have planned for this moment. We came out early and boldly with the proper decision to conduct most of our instructional activities virtually, with on-campus instruction only when virtual modalities are infeasible and, then, only with all proper health and safety precautions in place. Announcing this decision in May has allowed our faculty and staff to pursue professional development over the summer months to facilitate a robust, engaging and effective – albeit different – fall term. It also has given our students and their families the time and clarity to plan appropriately.

Furthermore, during the recent FY (2019-20), the CSU earned an increased state appropriation, had strong enrollment and graduation rates, built up reserves, and received significant resources from the CARES Act in March 2020. For these reasons, this month we were able to begin FY 2020-21 reasonably prepared. However, all credible financial forecasts indicate that this pandemic will create, at a minimum, a three-year financial and operational challenge to the state and to the CSU.

And let me be clear: If our finances deteriorate in the coming months and years beyond what is known and forecast today, we will need to quickly re-evaluate this plan and revisit every option available to us to live within our means.

That said, here is how we plan to go forward:

We have already taken significant measures to reduce expenses. We have stopped most hiring, except for essential positions approved by the relevant campus president or vice chancellor. We have essentially stopped travel on state funds.

As for basic campus operational costs, the pandemic’s impacts have been mixed. Clearly, expenses such as energy use are down, but other costs have increased significantly, such as those associated with personal protective equipment, sanitation and facility modifications for physical distancing, and IT equipment, software and related services.

Our twin north stars continue to be the health and safety of our students, faculty, staff and communities where our campuses are imbedded, and sustaining Graduation Initiative 2025by doing everything within our power to enable students to make timely progress to a high-quality degree in a robust, engaging and effective learning and discovery environment.

I have led deep consultation among campus presidents, system leaders and other stakeholders. After considering a variety of approaches, we have decided to proceed cautiously and strategically, while remaining focused on our core mission. While, regrettably, there have been and may continue to be some layoffs of valued employees across the system, we believe it is possible to minimize the number of layoffs without seeking to negotiate a furlough program with our labor unions this fiscal year. Thus, with our current understanding of our budget from the state, we do not plan to negotiate a furlough program for this fiscal year, but it is most likely necessary in FY 2021-22. We will work with union leaders this fall and winter to discuss this matter.

To navigate this year prudently will require us to spend a portion of our discretionary reserves – with some variability across campuses and the Chancellor’s Office. Our strategic reserve management plan will be similar to the model used by the state of California with its reserves, whereby a portion of the reserve is used in this current FY 2020-21, allowing the use of additional portions in the two ensuing fiscal years (FY 2021-22 and 2022-23), knowing that we are facing at least a three-year fiscal challenge. We will not “zero out” our reserves – nor will we plan to redirect encumbered reserves that are intended for a specified campus need or priority.

In closing, I am saddened that our future includes layoffs necessitated by the economic challenges mentioned above and despite the actions we have implemented to mitigate these circumstances. However, I am proud and grateful that this approach is best for our students, our raison d’être. This path forward reflects our deep commitment to their success and to Graduation Initiative 2025. And whether you are working on campus or remotely, our students will need all the support we can provide as they navigate the academic year in an extraordinarily challenging moment academically, personally and financially. I thank you in advance for sustaining that commitment.

More than ever, please take care, be safe and stay healthy.

Sincerely, 

Timothy P. White

Chancellor

As a result of the 5-4 decision, almost 700,000 young people, known as “Dreamers,” can remain in the United States and avoid the prospect of being returned to countries of which many of them have no memories. The Supreme Court ruling was roundly celebrated in California, where more than a quarter of DACA recipients live, and particularly on University of California and California State University campuses, where thousands of DACA students are in the process of earning degrees.

Even as they rejoiced in the decision, however, most DACA advocates urged vigilance. DACA, they say, remains a temporary fix, and Dreamers will not be able to enjoy true piece of mind until Congress is finally able to tackle comprehensive immigration reform that writes their protection into law.

On Monday, June 22 at 6 p.m., the DREAMer Resource Office at Cal State San Marcos will be hosting a virtual town hall to discuss the Supreme Court ruling and the resources available to CSUSM students.

In this installment of Ask the Expert, CSUSM sociology professor Marisol Clark-Ibáñez and Josefina Espino, a DREAMer Resource Office program specialist, discuss DACA, the Supreme Court and what comes next.

Question: What is your main reaction to the Supreme Court ruling on DACA last week?

Marisol Clark-Ibáñez: My immediate reaction to the decision was elation. The SCOTUS ruling felt like a small ray of sunshine in the midst of intense weeks of social justice protests to support the Black Lives Matter movement and dealing with responses to anti-Black racism. The problems with law enforcement, racism and deadly use of force are very relevant to the ways that Spanish-speaking Latino communities here in North County experience immigration enforcement, detainment and deportation. At a time when we were feeling so much pain and trauma, it felt surreal to learn that the SCOTUS decision did not end the DACA program.

Josefina Espino: I feel a sense of relief knowing that some of our students and community members will now have something less to worry about, at least for the time being. 

Q: Did the decision surprise you?

MCI: Yes, I was surprised. I had learned from immigrant rights organizations and immigrant attorneys that the outcome was expected to be bad, very bad or incredibly bad. In fact, in talking to a colleague, I let her know that I had dreamt the decision was simply delayed to next year and she joked that this could be the only “good” option but very unlikely. Organizations and campuses such as CSUSM, SDSU and MiraCosta College were preparing for the worst. It’s understandable: There is a conservative majority on the bench. After the shock slowly faded, I began to understand that this decision was about a technicality. While it seems like DACA lives another day, its days are numbered under the Trump administration. However, I am an optimist! We all must be. Having more time allows for positive social action and advocacy. 

JE: I was surprised by the decision because the way things have been going during the current administration, I was expecting the worst-case scenario.

Q: In your conversations with Dreamers at CSUSM, had you been preparing them for a ruling against DACA? If so, how?

MCI: Through a regional listserv, Education Without Borders, I have been sharing resources, updates, analysis and grassroots efforts that were mostly preparing for negative outcomes. However, the major blow to our students and alumni was Trump’s initial rescission of DACA and the subsequent stress that this caused our students. Also, because new applicants were not being accepted, some of our students’ siblings and other younger family members would not be able to apply to DACA, which reduced their opportunity to work, pay for educational expenses and be afforded deportation protection. So, worry related to DACA was being acutely felt not only by our students, but their families and friends. It’s been a roller-coaster ride, and it’s not over yet. 

JE: Yes, I have had several conversations with students to discuss the uncertainty of their future and while I encouraged them to remain hopeful, I also advised them to seek legal services and to be prepared, as much as they could be, for a negative ruling. The DREAMer Resource Office offers free legal services, so my team has been promoting those services more heavily and we also increased the number of Know Your Rights workshops. On June 4 and 10, we had online emergency safety planning events in collaboration with UURISE in case the worst would happen. Our goal is to help our students and community members better prepare for challenges such as having a family member being detained or deported. 

Q: What is the immediate impact of this decision on Dreamers at CSUSM and beyond?

MCI: I think the immediate reaction is of relief that nothing has changed. Folks with DACA continue to have access to resources, work permits and other opportunities. No material or education benefits were lost by this decision. Reflecting on the CSUSM alumni who have DACA, this decision allows them to continue on their professional journeys and serve our region. Yet the emotional toll of waiting and worrying about the decision is alongside the everyday worries of immigration enforcement in North County San Diego experienced in our immigrant communities. We must remember: DACA is still a limited program, not an immigration status, and we still don’t have comprehensive, humane immigration reform. 

JE: The immediate impact is that they can focus on their studies and pursue their dreams without constantly worrying about DACA ending suddenly. The continuation of the DACA program also allows them to continue to work, which is great as they do not qualify for any federal funding.

Q: Do you think the widespread public support for the DACA program played a role in the Supreme Court’s decision?

MCI: Given how much the SCOTUS decisions have shaped social policy and opened up equality (or diminished rights), the interpretations and decisions are surely impacted by socio-historical events and developments. In the case of this decision, Chief Justice John Roberts did write, “We do not decide whether DACA or its rescission are sound policies.” Meaning, they did not rule on whether DACA was right or wrong. Where I think public support makes the stronger impact is on our elected officials who have the ability to make laws (stronger than executive orders) that reflect voters’ opinions. I have been heartened to read the recent polls, for example from Pew Research Center that three-fourths of adult Americans are in favor of granting legal status to immigrants who were brought to the United States as children. Even more interesting is a Politico poll that indicated 69 percent of those who voted for Trump in 2016 are in favor of protecting Dreamers. I hope to see the widespread support of DACA extend to the support of immigration reform that includes adults and others who cannot qualify for DACA. 

JE: I think the efforts of the younger generation marching in D.C. and standing up for their rights played the biggest role. Our students are resilient and they are standing up for themselves and we must hear them and stand with them. While there is some public support, I don’t think there is enough. We must continue to come together and work toward a permanent solution and pathway to citizenship for the millions of undocumented people here in the U.S. 

Q: The ruling was a narrow one, arguing that the administration’s justifications for ending DACA were insufficient. Do you expect Trump to make another attempt before the election?

MCI: Absolutely. President Trump made it clear during his campaign that he would be getting rid of DACA and making other strong efforts toward curtailing unauthorized immigration. He has shown his commitment to these promises with his attempt at a travel ban, trying to curtail visas for spouses of high-skilled immigrant workers, beginning wall construction at parts along the U.S.-Mexico border, deploying the National Guard to the border, and inhumane treatment of migrants (e.g., family, individuals and unaccompanied minors) seeking asylum at the border. With the recent SCOTUS decision, the Trump administration now has a clearer pathway to end DACA “correctly.” 

JE: We do have to keep in mind that the Supreme Court only blocked Trump's first attempt at ending DACA, but they did not indicate that it was unconstitutional for him to end it or that he cannot attempt to do it again in a different manner. So we can most likely expect him to try again. I would not be surprised if he attempts again to end DACA before the November election. 

Q: Does that reinforce the need to remain vigilant on this issue even after the victory in court? How will you do that?

MCI: Yes, those of us committed to the rights and safety of undocumented students and their loved ones need to focus on the road ahead. The SCOTUS decision was a moment to realize we have more time and we must work harder. Our region – both North County San Diego and San Diego County – has diverse opportunities to join advocacy efforts. We have many organizations focused on immigrant human rights, nonprofit immigrant legal services, regional partners who are working toward legislative solutions, and efforts within the State of California that are championing the dignity and opportunities for undocumented immigrants. Several national organizations have partnered with us over the years to develop leadership among undocumented immigrant youth and allies. Most importantly, we all must vote if we have the right and privilege to do so, join efforts to register voters, and engage in education and outreach with neighbors and community members about these important issues. This is the time to ignite civic engagement.

JE: Yes, definitely as a community we must continue to fight for the rights of our fellow peers. What we need is a clear pathway to citizenship and not these temporary fixes. Now is the time to pressure our government to work on a permanent solution. Many people I have spoken to think that DACA recipients don’t apply for citizenship by choice, which means they are misinformed, because DACA does not provide a pathway to citizenship. The DREAMer Resource Office will continue to provide ally training and education and to support those at CSUSM and our surrounding communities. Again, while I am grateful that the DACA program is continuing for now, there is still a need for comprehensive immigration reform that protects Dreamers and all undocumented people permanently. We still have a long way to go.

Q: What message did you send to the undocumented students you work with in the wake of this ruling?

MCI: I have shared the messages written by several organizations, including our very own DREAMer Resource Office. We have trusted partners and service providers who work directly with undocumented students and their loved ones; their messages should be amplified through social media and other networks. Ultimately, our efforts are toward establishing immigration reform that encompasses all members of our undocumented community, inclusive of age, gender, sexual orientation, language, date of arrival or length of time in country, and race. 

JE: I would like them to take this moment to celebrate this ruling; it may be only a small victory, but nonetheless it is something to celebrate. I would also like them to know that, as your advocates here at the DREAMer Resource Office, we know this is not the end of the fight. We all still have a long way to go, and now is the time to be vocal.

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

Chun was brought into the fold as coronavirus activity globally was increasing and it was apparent that it was only a matter of time before the U.S. was affected.

“I was very impressed as to how members of the CSUSM EOC team, along with key leaders in the campus community, worked so well collaboratively to create processes where the university could make the transition from in-class to virtual instruction run as smoothly as possible, while ensuring the health and safety of the students, faculty and staff,” said Chun, who was part of operations similar to CSUSM’s EOC during his career in Navy Medicine.

Modeled to be compliant with the Standardized Emergency Management System (state) and National Incident Management System (federal), the focus of the EOC team is to support faculty, staff and students to ensure that they are safe in the event of a wide range of emergencies, ranging from earthquakes to structure or wildfires to severe weather and even pandemics.

The EOC has a space designated in the University Police Department building where assigned emergency management personnel can report during an incident. Since mid-March, the EOC team has held virtual meetings to comply with social distancing and stay-at-home measures.

Chief of Police Lamine Secka serves as director of the EOC and is responsible for overall management of disaster response, while Robert Williams is CSUSM’s emergency manager and oversees university-wide emergency preparedness programs and initiatives.

The EOC can be activated for numerous reasons and has three levels of activation:

1. Monitoring, which covers a minor to moderate incident in which local resources are adequate and available.
2. Partial Activation, which covers a moderate to severe emergency/disaster where local resources are not adequate and mutual aid may be required on a regional or statewide basis.
3. Full Activation, which is a major local or regional disaster wherein resources in or near the impacted area are overwhelmed and extensive state and/or federal resources are required.

The EOC is currently activated at level 3.

For most emergencies, the EOC is structured in teams that oversee logistics, operations, planning and intelligence, and finance and administration (an EOC organizational chart is available at this link). Each team is charged with gathering information and recommending a plan of action.

The nature of the emergency determines which team in the EOC takes the lead. In the case of the COVID-19 pandemic, Integrated Risk Management and Safety, Health and Sustainability have been at the forefront of efforts along with Chun.

“The whole idea behind the EOC structure is that it is flexible,” Secka said. “We can activate the entire EOC if needed, or just smaller portions of it, depending on the nature of emergency.”

However, unlike most emergencies in the past, COVID-19 has presented a unique challenge given the global impact and extended timeline. This has meant that the EOC team has needed to be agile in dealing with long-term implications and ever-evolving information. For example, new team members with specific expertise from Academic Affairs and Student Affairs were added to help develop classroom and laboratory safety protocols, plans for providing limited in-person instruction this fall, plans for housing that included reduced resident density, and much more.

This work requires ongoing coordination with the county and the CSU Office of the Chancellor to support faculty, staff and student needs. Thanks to their hard work and efforts, CSUSM was one of the first campuses in the system to have its fall plan approved by the CSU.

This summer, their work will continue as they monitor available COVID-19 data, implement health and safety protocols and ensure that the campus is ready to welcome back a limited number of students, faculty and staff to support select in-person learning and research opportunities.

"The EOC team is comprised of talented professionals who strive to ensure concerns of the university are addressed as a whole, while also paying attention to emerging issues and creating plans to address those as well,” said Katy Rees, associate vice president of administration for Finance & Administrative Services who is in charge of the EOC planning group. “Ensuring safety, business continuity and providing an important support structure with care is paramount in everything we do.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Know someone who deserves special recognition for their efforts? Email details to publicity@csusm.edu and we’ll include them in an upcoming edition of this ongoing series.

Denise Garcia, professor, biology

Garcia quickly implemented changes in the transition to virtual learning to ensure that students would still be successful from home.

“Dr. Garcia has gone above and beyond for all of her students to make sure that we are safe and successful during the pandemic,” the nominator wrote. “She is spending her own time constantly checking in on us, making sure we're aware of campus resources and even giving us her own advice on how to remain calm. She has shared with us resources that include meditation, mindfulness, and is spending valuable time out of her day to cheer us up.”

Ashley Gragido, student success facilitator, Office of Undergraduate Studies

The nominator noted that in addition to Gragido’s tireless work as the student success facilitator, she has served as the faculty lead for First Year Programs’ academic recovery courses.

“Ashley led the team of instructors and taught two sections, including our first for transfer students on probation,” the nominator wrote. “Her passion and dedication for our students came through every day this semester as we reflected on how to best serve students in this crisis, and she used every opportunity to advocate for her students and ensure they were getting the support they needed to succeed, both on an individual level and collectively.”

Michelle Manriquez, student support services lead, IITS

Manriquez was lauded for exemplifying extreme efficiency and effective communication within her team. She made adjustments to employee schedules as needed and continues to support her team while working remotely.

“Michelle personally helps us on issues that we may not be able to handle and ensures that we possess the knowledge required to excel at the Student Technology Help Desk,” the nominator wrote. “On multiple occasions throughout the transition, she went out of her way to ensure all of her employees were able to work from home and that everyone was doing well in this unprecedented time.”

Valissa Middleton, lead, Distribution Services

Debbie Russo, mail clerk, Distribution Services

Middleton and Russo (pictured in a file photo taken before social distancing and face coverings were required) have gone above and beyond to assist IITS in mailing hotspots and webcams to faculty, staff and students.

“Without being asked, Valissa took it upon herself to create a spreadsheet to track and record the serial and IMEI numbers of the equipment being mailed and sends periodic inventory updates,” the nominator wrote. “This information has been extremely helpful to IITS for tracking purposes. She truly is a hero with her positive and helpful attitude.”

The nominator noted that, “even while wearing a mask, you can tell Russo is still smiling.” “When I go to Distribution Services to pick up mail and packages,” the nominator wrote, “her positive attitude and energy are something I look forward to.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Stymied by the inability to host traditional commencement ceremonies this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, CSUSM instead dreamed up a way to give the Class of 2020 the celebratory send-off it deserved while following the safety protocols dictated by San Diego County health officials. 

The result was a unique, spirited event called Graduates on Parade, which was planned and organized by multiple departments across campus in a matter of a couple of weeks. 

To orchestrate a parade amid a pandemic, the university worked closely with county health officials and city traffic engineers. An expansive cross-divisional team went straight to work under a tight timeline, focusing on safety and security protocols, communication, technology support and event logistics.

As the first car entered the parade route on the morning of May 15, following the celebratory sirens of University Police, it was clear – this event had heart.

Nearly 700 cars slowly paraded through a designated route on campus while faculty and staff lined the route, holding homemade signs and pom-poms. They stood 10 feet apart, and though their faces were covered by masks, their cheers filled the air as they congratulated the graduates.

The one-mile parade route started at the Craven Drive main entrance to campus, where vehicles drove beneath a giant inflatable arch. Cars then turned right on Palm Canyon Drive, circling through Parking Lot F and back down Palm Canyon before proceeding through Craven Circle – where they were greeted by President Ellen Neufeldt and other CSUSM academic leaders. Graduates received a diploma cover and a graduation sign through the window of their car, without coming into direct contact the distribution team, who were wearing face shields and gloves and using a tray to hand off items, each time disinfecting surfaces before the next graduate rolled through.

Many graduates wore their caps and gowns, and cars were packed with family members who had been waiting years to celebrate the proud graduate – though no one could have predicted it would be in this fashion. Still, there were joyful tears, huge smiles and lots of cheering.

Cars, too, were decorated in every way imaginable – markers, signs, streamers, balloons, giant mortarboards – and the blaring of car horns filled the air for the entirety of the 2-hour, 15-minute parade.

In recognition of an event that might have had no match nationwide, media coverage was extensive. Broadcast media stations dispatched reporters and camera people to campus as early as 4:30 a.m., and by the parade’s start, all five major TV networks in San Diego were reporting live from the parade route. A news helicopter circled above for about an hour, and a Reuters photographer was on hand shooting pictures that were sent to a global audience. “Good Morning America” highlighted the parade the next day in its Saturday broadcast, and this week, Buzzfeed shared the news as well.

The story has traveled the world, with the parade earning praise for its creativity and heart while still following strict safety measures. California Sen. Dianne Feinstein shared her appreciation for the university’s ingenuity in a tweet highlighting the novel approach to celebrating graduates during a pandemic.

Parade organizers were clear that Graduates on Parade does not replace commencement for the Class of 2020. CSUSM is committed to holding its traditional commencement ceremonies when it is finally safe to do so.

View the full album of photos from Graduates on Parade.

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist
bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

Know someone who deserves special recognition for their efforts? Email details to publicity@csusm.edu and we’ll include them in an upcoming edition of this ongoing series.

Heidi Breuer, associate professor, literature and writing studies

Breuer was nominated for her compassion for students, especially those working essential jobs during this challenging time, while providing continued support and flexibility.

“People like Dr. Breuer clearly care about their students as humans,” the nominator wrote. “This genuine care and appreciation for her students is undeniable during this difficult time. I do not think words can express my appreciation for Dr. Breuer.”

Dr. James Chun, interim medical director, Student Health and Counseling Services

Chun stepped into his role leading Student Health and Counseling Services in January, and it wasn’t long before he was guiding efforts to ensure the health and safety of the campus community during this unprecedented pandemic.

“Since the COVID-19 threat began, he has kept all of our staff informed and prepared,” the nominator wrote. “He is here every day with a smile on his face and a positive attitude. I am thankful to work with him.”

Nubia Junco-Williams, senior academic adviser, Office of Academic Advising

The student nominator noted that Junco-Williams has provided invaluable assistance, from changing a major to mapping out a detailed path to graduation to ensuring students get the necessary classes. The student said Junco-Williams even stepped in to help with technical issues related to registering for a class.

“She is the absolute sweetest and one of the most caring, helpful people I've met at CSUSM,” the student wrote.

Rachel Macasadia, commencement coordinator, Commencement Office

Macasadia coordinated the university’s first virtual Discover CSUSM Day – and did it all within a two-week timeframe.

“Rachel truly is a CSUSM hero during COVID-19,” the nominator wrote. “She designed, planned, coordinated and implemented a great Discover CSUSM open house with the help of our campus partners, including media production, communications, web services, faculty, staff, Disability Support Services, and many others.”

Maria Rasimas, resource and operations analyst, Planning and Academic Resources

Described as always providing a steady hand, Rasimas (pictured with other budget analysts) has outdone herself while juggling the added pressures of budget constraints while working remotely.

“She has been able to educate people from staff level to VP level in the construction of the budget process, which is critical at this moment in time,” the nominator wrote. “Maria works behind the scenes, but plays a vitally important and pivotal role at the university. There are so many of us who couldn’t do what we do without her.”

Lauren Schwartz, lecturer, anthropology

Schwartz has gone to great lengths to ensure her students’ well-being during this crisis, including constant email communications and ensuring that they have the resources they need to thrive.

“She is an excellent role model for how teachers should be,” the nominator wrote. “She is kind and cares about us, not only as students at a university but as individuals who are fighting each day to survive this world.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Know someone who deserves special recognition for their efforts? Email details to publicity@csusm.edu and we’ll include them in an upcoming edition of this ongoing series.

Damon Adamo, media services engineer, IITS

Students, faculty and staff have come to rely heavily on Zoom for real-time communications while studying and working remotely, and Adamo has been integral to making it a smooth process.

“Damon has worked tirelessly to get people trained on the various aspects of Zoom and has been a great contributor to the success of many campus virtual initiatives,” the nominator wrote.

Priscilla Arciniega, intake academic advisor, Office of Academic Advising

Arciniega took the lead in creating communication platforms and tracking platforms for students and advisers from a variety of campus units to meet virtually.

“She went outside her role in advising to really help out many other units on campus with a key process affecting thousands of students in a positive way to create and support a virtual community, while fulfilling the duties of her position,” the nominator wrote.

Bonnie Campbell, CARE manager, Dean of Students Office

In her role as CARE manager, Campbell has been coordinating prevention, intervention and support efforts to assist students during this challenging time.

“She is getting in touch with students who are overwhelmed and checked out, and generally helping to keep the university running in a student-centered way,” the nominator wrote.

Patty Diaz, SOAR coordinator, Dean of Students Office

Student Outreach and Referral (SOAR) is a centralized service for all members of the campus community seeking to assist students, and the nomination noted how Diaz’s work has been integral throughout the COVID-19 crisis

“The university would be a much bleaker place without her,” the nominator said.

Kim Quinney, assistant professor, history

The student nominator lauded Quinney for her efforts in transitioning to virtual instruction and providing the resources her students have needed to continue to thrive.

“She has made this period of transition a little less stressful,” the nominator wrote, “and I am truly appreciative of all her efforts.”

Perla Rivas, counselor, TRIO Student Support Services

Rivas developed “TRIO SSS happy hour,” a weekly event that gives students an opportunity to express concerns, ask questions and share helpful tips.

“A clear sign that the students have enjoyed it is by the fact that more and more are joining and asking when the next one will take place,” the nominator wrote. “It is clear that they look forward to seeing each other and taking an hour out of their uncertain lives to just relax and de-stress with one another.”

Peer Advisors, Office of Academic Advising

The team of eight student peer advisors has been working hard to continue serving their fellow students during this difficult time. The team created a virtual advising site, including a virtual front desk that allows students to quickly and easily connect to services.

“Every one of our peer advisors has been exceptional at operating our new virtual front desk,” the nominator wrote. “They know what it is to be students during a very confusing and anxious time. Their own experience with ‘the new normal’ helps them connect to their fellow students who are also trying to figure out both the here and now as well as the future.

“I can’t begin to tell you just how much impact they are having by putting students at ease, answering countless questions and making our students feel comfortable in this new virtual environment we find ourselves in.”

The team includes James Bertel, Varanee Chinnapong, Gladys Guzman Guizar, Berenice Hernandez, Susanne Nordstrom, Alissa-Nicole Penaranda, Lizbeth Urquiza Resendiz and Zohra Sahial.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Know someone who deserves special recognition for their efforts? Email details to publicity@csusm.edu and we’ll include them in an upcoming edition of this ongoing series.

Christopher Bickel, associate professor, sociology

Bickel has gone out of his way to ensure that students are aware of critical resources, showing them how to apply for unemployment, how to make a mask, even how to grow their own food.

“Professor Bickel has been extremely helpful, kind, understanding, and overall an amazing professor to have during this pandemic,” said the student nominator. “I can say with complete certainty that Professor Bickel is one of the most humane professors that I have had.”

Char Booth, associate dean, library

Booth was instrumental in ensuring a smooth departure from the library building for faculty and staff, even remaining on site to make sure library staff and faculty got everything needed to work remotely.

"They exemplify grace and courage under pressure," the nominator said. "They find ways to get the work done (and done well) in a timely manner, especially in these uncharted waters!"

Susan Eldridge, senior instructional developer, IITS

Eldridge has “been an absolute lifesaver” for faculty during the transition to virtual learning, responding promptly to all questions with detailed information so that faculty know exactly how to proceed.

“I know that Susan is there to support me, and as a result, I have very little anxiety about virtual teaching,” said the nominating faculty member. “I imagine that Susan and the rest of the IITS team are incredibly overwhelmed by emails and phone calls during this time of COVID-19, but you would never know it from Susan's prompt and patient responses.”

Holly Hampton, head of user services, library

Hampton has worked tirelessly to ensure that students and faculty have been able to continue to access the library materials they need despite not having access to the physical space in the library.

"I can say without a doubt that Holly puts students first ... always!" the nominator wrote. "For that, and so much more, I am proud to call her a colleague."

Lauren Magnuson, head of collections, delivery and access, library

Magnuson quickly led a major expansion of the library’s digital collections, making a huge amount of content accessible through free, open-access resources and by working with publishers and vendors.

"Through her tireless efforts and outstanding leadership, Lauren has provided access to online academic materials needed to support the campus’ successful transition to virtual instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic," said a nominating staff member.

Barbara Taylor, director, Academic Technology Services

Even before all the details related to virtual instruction were determined, Taylor was providing training and visiting departments in preparation. She continues to be available around the clock to address questions and concerns.

"She responds so quickly to questions," the nominating faculty member said. "She is super helpful and never seems frustrated when we have the most basic tech questions."

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

For hours on end, car after car pulled into the circle, many of them parking perpendicular to the curb, rather than the usual parallel style. But instead of being approached by a server on roller skates, the drivers were greeted by an employee from Cal State San Marcos’ Instructional & Information Technology Services (IITS) department.  

This was the first Monday after standard operations at CSUSM had ceased, when the coronavirus outbreak had forced the university to move classes to a virtual environment for the rest of the spring semester, and IITS had mobilized to deal with the resulting crush of requests for equipment – the laptops, monitors, keyboards, headsets and other devices that students, faculty and staff would need at home during this new normal.  

IITS originally planned for two days of distribution, but after Tuesday turned into a marathon 12-hour session, the department scheduled three more. By the end of the fifth day, covering almost 33 total hours, it had handed out more than 1,000 pieces of equipment to more than 400 members of the campus community. In all, over 30 IITS employees were directly involved in supporting the effort.  

“I’d say those were the five most rewarding days since I’ve been at Cal State San Marcos,” said Kevin Morningstar, the dean of IITS and chief information officer of CSUSM, who has worked at the university since 2015. “If you were there, you saw how much this meant to some of the students – they were so emotional and grateful. We do a lot of important things day in and day out, but when you see the almost desperate level of need in some people and you’re able to help them and be a calming influence, that feels good.” 

IITS has been going above and beyond to inspire widespread feelings of calm and gratitude since the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic struck CSUSM. From wiping laptops and distributing equipment to helping faculty make the transition to virtual instruction to ensuring that the underlying systems hum along, the department has been at the forefront of the effort to keep the university running as smoothly as possible during this unprecedented time. 

“IITS has always kind of been the wizard behind the curtain,” said Barbara Taylor, the director of Academic Technology Services. “But I think now people are really seeing that there are a lot of people involved who help the campus that they might not realize.”  

IITS snapped into action as the threat of the virus grew more serious in early March. Taylor’s ATS team began working on how to ramp up training for Cougar Courses, the university’s learning management system, scheduling workshops in anticipation of faculty requiring assistance. Over the next two weeks, ATS helped more than 300 campus employees – either in person or, later, virtually – with things like how best to use Cougar Courses in an online environment or how to take advantage of all the services offered by Zoom.  

The need for help is ongoing, and Taylor expects a surge in requests this week now that faculty members have returned from spring break and had time to reflect on their virtual teaching experience so far.  

“We’re seeing new faculty that we haven’t worked with in the past coming to us now, which is a good thing,” she said. “And we’re trying to help them figure out how to teach similar material as they’ve taught before, just in a different way. For example, we’ve had group meetings on how to use Zoom for students to give presentations live.” 

While Taylor’s group was preparing faculty for the shift to virtualized instruction, Nicholas Duarte’s team in Technology Support Services was scrambling to gather up equipment from classrooms across both the San Marcos and Temecula campuses that ended up being distributed at Craven Circle. TSS collected about 500 laptops that had been used in various classrooms and labs. But it wasn’t enough just to round them up. Duarte and team also had to wipe clean the hard drive of each computer and reload with a fresh operating system and programs so that each recipient would essentially be getting a brand-new machine.

“Hundreds of these are less than a year old, so it’s very nice equipment,” said Duarte, the director of TSS. “We provided it to faculty and staff and students to use however they need to, as if it were their own piece of property.”

IITS responded to the crisis in other ways that might be more under the radar. Bill Craig, a longtime CSUSM employee, was appointed director of operations on the very same day that the department initiated its emergency plan. He immediately went to work on readying the university in terms of telephone services and network operations. Along with bolstering the capabilities of the data center to handle the coming load on Cougar Courses, Craig and his team enabled other features to make the transition easier for the campus community, such as extending password expiration parameters and automatically sending employees’ office voicemail to their email accounts.

Last week, IITS also completed the setup for a new service that will allow CSUSM to re-establish phone services for selected departments. This system will forward main numbers to a virtual queue that will ring remotely on the computer of the staff members charged with answering the lines for Cougar Central and other offices frequently contacted by students.

“So for students and parents calling about their financial aid, for example, they’ll still call the same number they’re used to calling, the one that’s published, and this mechanism will get them in touch with the people who need to answer those calls but can’t be at their desks to do so,” Craig said.

COVID-19 has dictated, and IITS has helped facilitate, a work environment that would scarcely be recognizable to the campus community even a month or two ago. In the last week of March, the cumulative number of Zoom minutes at CSUSM increased by 3,200% over the week of Feb. 17. The use of Microsoft Teams is also changing the way CSUSM administrative and academic departments, committees and working groups communicate and collaborate with each other. The adoption has been huge, as more than half of Teams were created in March alone, and the number of private messages sent per day has nearly quadrupled.

“I think we’re not going to go back to the same university we had to walk away from a few weeks ago,” Craig said. “There’s too much new knowledge, too much we know about our technical and personnel capabilities to go back to that. I think we’re going to find a lot of transformation at a lot of different levels. That’ll be exciting and a little uncertain, but I’m looking forward to it.”

Whatever direction CSUSM goes from a technology standpoint, IITS will be leading the way.

“I am so proud of the work this incredible team has accomplished in such a short period of time,” Morningstar said. “You could see in how smoothly the campus has made the transition that technology was not the impediment to this change. And the fact that technology was not the impediment is a testament to what IITS has been doing.”

Visit the IITS For You webpage for resources available to students, faculty and staff.

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

During a four-day transitionary period, from Monday, March 16 through Thursday, March 19, there will be no in-person classes at CSUSM or CSUSM at Temecula, and courses that are currently offered online will continue as usual.  

Starting on Friday, March 20, classes will be conducted remotely for the remainder of the semester, including final exams. During this period, the campus will remain open, but students and faculty can expect reduced operations as departments and facilities implement flexible or rotating work schedules.  

As of the morning of Friday, March 13, no CSUSM employees or students are reported to have COVID-19, the disease associated with this coronavirus. But university leaders stressed that this step is being taken out of an abundance of caution because of the rapid spread of the virus.  

“We understand how difficult this time is for our campus community,” CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt. “This certainly is not how anyone could have imagined the spring semester unfolding. But in our meetings over the last couple of days with students, faculty and staff, it’s clear that we’re in this together and dealing with the situation with the positive spirit and compassion that I’ve come to expect from our campus. We deeply appreciate the work everyone is doing as we navigate this disruption together as best we can.” 

On Thursday, it was announced that there are now five confirmed cases of coronavirus in San Diego County. All colleges and universities in the county have made or are in the process of making the transition to virtual instruction. On Friday morning, San Diego Unified School District, one of the largest districts in California, said it will close all its schools effective Monday, March 16, with a goal of reopening on April 6 as conditions warrant. Several other districts in North County followed suit later in the day, including San Marcos Unified with a preliminary closure starting Monday. 

At CSUSM, all university-sponsored events through the end of April have been canceled, and events on May 1 or later will be evaluated at a later date. As of now, CSUSM still plans to hold commencement, which is scheduled for May 15-16.  

In response to the unprecedented challenge of shifting all instruction to a virtual model in the middle of a semester, the Faculty Center will be offering drop-in hours during the transition period next week for faculty to receive help from colleagues who are Quality Learning and Teaching (QLT) reviewers. QLT reviewers are CSUSM faculty who have successfully taught online and have been certified to review online courses. Additionally, Academic Technology Services is holding workshops on Cougar Courses and Microsoft Teams over the next few weeks.

“This is an unprecedented scenario for our university and others, and we know it poses tremendous challenges for our faculty,” said Ranjeeta Basu, interim provost and vice president for Academic Affairs. “We are committed to helping faculty during this transition and ensuring that they have the right tools to be successful.”

CSUSM students naturally are left with a host of questions during this difficult time. For students who live in University Village Apartments or The QUAD, both will remain open for those who would like to stay. For anyone who prefers to leave given the change to virtual instruction, they have the option to terminate their housing license with no fee. The deadline to indicate intent to stay or move is Friday, March 20 by filling out this form. Those who plan to move out should plan to do so between Saturday, March 21 and Sunday, April 5.

More answers to housing questions can be found here.

Students who paid for parking permits can request refunds on a prorated basis by filling out this form, but are reminded that the campus will remain open with available services and that the permit will no longer be valid once a refund is processed. Future visits to campus would require a day pass.

On Tuesday, March 17, it was announced that Kellogg Library will be closed until further notice and that the library will continue to serve students and faculty online. Visit http://biblio.csusm.edu/allvirtual for library and research needs.

Students who feel ill with a fever, cough and/or shortness of breath are urged to call their medical provider or Student Health and Counseling Services at 760-750-4915 and ask to speak to a nurse or medical provider for further guidance. Another valuable resource for students is the Cougar Care Network, which can be reached at ccn@csusm.edu or 760-750-7627.

For the latest updates on the coronavirus situation at CSUSM, visit the university’s COVID-19 website. Any additional questions can be emailed to covid@csusm.edu.

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

At Cal State San Marcos, they don’t need to.

The campus’ Business Continuity Program ensures critical business functions will operate during and after an emergency or disaster. And very soon, a new software program called Kuali Ready will be rolled out to even further advance CSUSM’s efforts to respond when disruptive situations occur.

“Any event that results in a disruption of business can affect the university’s ability to provide services,” said Robert Williams, who is CSUSM’s emergency and business recovery manager. “Continuity gives you a strategy on how to lessen those disruptions and get the campus back up and running as quickly as possible.”

The largely behind-the-scenes effort has been around for eight years at CSUSM. With more cyberattacks, planned and unplanned power outages, and the constant threat of devastating fires, regional businesses have identified an increased need for continuity during disasters.

What began on campus as an Excel spreadsheet that simply identified needs during and after a disaster has blossomed into an intricate system of communication and technology across all departments.

One of the people spearheading the rollout of the new software program is a familiar face around campus, Class of 2018 alumnus and former ASI President Louis Adamsel.

“We saw an opportunity to bring in a person with maturity, drive and a willingness to learn,” Williams said. “He has not disappointed. He’s still learning on a daily basis, but he has taken the lead on our Business Continuity efforts and is making great strides.”

While an undergraduate student at CSUSM, Adamsel majored in communication while working on campus, volunteering with several organizations and serving as a National Guard reservist. He was also instrumental in bringing historically black fraternity Omega Psi Phi to campus.

He uses all of that experience gained at CSUSM in his new role as Business Continuity Coordinator.

“My experience in leadership has allowed me to realize it is important to meet departments where they are and steadily work from there,” said Adamsel, who is also currently a graduate student in the Homeland Security program at San Diego State. “If I can research as much information about the departments before a meeting, our meetings are able to go smoothly. And even if we start from nothing, just the excitement of working through Business Continuity is enough. Many department members appreciate the initiative to figure out their own critical functions and have a better understanding of their role in an emergency situation.”

Adamsel’s day-to-day focus is on communicating with division and department leaders about the benefits of working together to identify critical tasks and functions that must be carried out and the time frame in which to do that. He also identifies the location, resources and IT needs of each department so they can be utilized in the case of an emergency.

When he’s not focused on business continuity efforts, he also conducts panic alarm testing, safety presentations and helps ensure the university remains in compliance with executive orders.

The new program will soon be steadily rolled out with information sessions through division and department leadership. BCP is set to begin the information process and help departments finish plans for their respective areas if departments wish to reach out now.

One of the main benefits of Kuali Ready is it allows for more information to be recorded from each department as well as stores key departmental documents that can be accessed on computer, tablet or mobile devices.

“This new software program will allow the Emergency Operations Center to quickly identify specific departmental needs that may be affected during an incident,” Adamsel said. “Inside every continuity plan is a contact list for departments, and the critical functions serve as guidelines for the department in the case of recovery. So in the case of campus recovery, most departments will see where they stand and know exact timelines on how they will be assisted by the university if they have a task that cannot be carried out inside the department.”

The BCP has made significant strides since it rolled out a program on paper just eight years ago. Combining the advancements in technology with some key minds who are dedicated to making CSUM as disaster prepared as possible has clearly been the right approach.

“Louis has been invaluable to me and the program,” Williams said. “Business Continuity is a full-time job – especially when moving from paper plans to automated system – and prior to Louis, too much work for one person. He jumped right in absorbing as much information as quickly as possible, picked up the Kuali software quickly, and is constantly researching and asking questions to improve the campus program and move it forward. At some point, he will literally work with just about every department on campus.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Public Affairs Specialist

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314