Empeño has held leadership roles across hospice, palliative care, dementia services and national health care advocacy organizations. Most recently, she served as national director of clinical engagement and education at Compassion & Choices, where she led strategic initiatives to educate health care professionals, advance policy and expand access to high‑quality end‑of‑life care.

Her career includes key leadership positions at LightBridge Hospice & Palliative Care, Alzheimer’s San Diego and the Alzheimer’s Association. She has secured and managed multimillion‑dollar federal grants, developed innovative care pathways and built strong partnerships across clinical, academic and community sectors.

“I am truly honored to join the CSU Shiley Haynes Institute for Palliative Care,” Empeño said. “The future of health care depends on a strong, well-prepared workforce that embraces whole-person care. I am excited to build on the strong foundation and help lead efforts that expand access and elevate how we care for our community.”

“I am thrilled to welcome Jessica as the next leader for the institute,” said Patricia Prado-Olmos, CSUSM’s chief community engagement officer. “Her vision and experience will strengthen our mission and advance palliative care education across the CSU.”

Empeño holds a Master of Social Work degree from San Diego State University and graduate certificates in population health management from UC San Francisco and health law and policy from the University of Arizona. She is also an advanced palliative hospice social worker (APHSW‑C).

Please join us in welcoming Empeño to the CSU Shiley Haynes Institute for Palliative Care community.

If you are interested, please contact kinesiology professor Todd A. Astorino at astorino@csusm.edu.

A memorial mass will be held on Friday, April 24 at 11 a.m. at St. Mark's Catholic Church, 1147 Discovery St. in San Marcos. An informal reception will follow at St. Mark’s Hall, and all are welcome.

Patty joined CSUSM back in 1990, becoming just the second faculty member of the university’s new History Department. She had earlier earned two BAs (one from Georgetown and the other from Oxford) and a Ph.D. in history from Stanford University. As an assistant professor, she immediately began shaping the History Department by adding new courses. She subsequently became chair of the department for more than a decade, mentoring faculty and staff and encouraging their professional growth. Her own scholarship ranged from research into the key role of Sean MacBain in the founding of Amnesty International to publications examining the experience of Irish women working as servants in eighteenth-century England. 

In 2020, Patty retired and became professor emerita. She taught part-time on campus in the Faculty Early Retirement Program until last year.

Patty was a dedicated teacher. She taught at all levels of the curriculum, in multiple modalities and at all hours, offering high-quality courses that inspired countless students. Patty successfully brought her broadly conceived, international perspective of history into the classroom and was consistently one of the highest-rated instructors in the college. Her recognition as the General Thomas S. Jones Distance Learning Instructor of the Year by the U.S. Marine Corps is one of many testaments to her impact as an educator.

Patty was always a tireless advocate for students and was instrumental in making CSUSM a student-centered campus. She secured an AAC&U grant for “Shared Futures: General Education for a Global Century,” and helped launch what is now the Global Studies Department. As program director of global studies, she developed a strategic plan to grow enrollments and hire new and diverse faculty. Patty later received a dual appointment in global studies and in history.

Patty was no less active in the college and the university as a whole. She served as CHABSS associate dean for budget and operations for three years. Her commitment to university service was reflected in her many leadership roles, including two terms as chair of the Academic Senate, multiple terms on the Promotion and Tenure Committee, and several leadership positions within the CFA, including CSUSM chapter president. Patty played a central role in the university's WASC reaccreditation as co-chair of the 1997–2000 Self-Study Steering Committee, even before she became a full professor. Patty received the 2009 President’s Award for Service in recognition of her extraordinary contributions to CSUSM.

Outside of CSUSM, Patty was often to be found at the beach walking Gus, her beloved and enormous Labrador, or visiting friends in the company of Emile, her equally boisterous but much smaller Coton de Tulear. A voracious reader of both fiction and nonfiction, a connoisseur of fine food and wine, a rose gardener, a transatlantic traveler and a passionate champion of intellectual freedom, Patty loved life and learning in equal measure.

Patty’s legacy at CSUSM — through her service, research and teaching — is profound and enduring. She was a source of new ideas, an enemy of complacency, and a catalyst for constant improvement and development. Moreover, Patty often quietly supported her staff, faculty and administrative colleagues in ways that did not bring attention to herself, but were deeply meaningful to those who received these kindnesses.  She helped build our campus, and her influence will continue to be felt by the many students, staff, and faculty whose lives she touched.

These open forums provide an important opportunity for all stakeholders to engage directly with the visiting team.

Open Forum Schedule

Thursday, March 19 | Kellogg Library 5400

• Student open forum: 1-1:45 p.m.
• Faculty open forum: 2-2:45 p.m.
• Staff open forum: 3-4 p.m.

We hope you can attend in person, but we’re providing a hybrid option for those who could not attend otherwise. Please see our WSCUC Reaffirmation website for links.

The only preparation needed is to review the WSCUC institutional report that was submitted to the WSCUC team.

What Is WSCUC?

WSCUC is our regional accrediting body. Accreditation is a peer‑review process that examines how well an institution supports student learning, academic quality and continuous improvement.

Your voice plays an important role in this visit, so we strongly encourage you to attend. Thank you for your continued engagement and for the many ways you contribute to our campus community.

For questions, contact Accreditation Liaison Officer Regina Eisenbach at regina@csusm.edu.

Sometimes we get lost in life between that blurry area of who we are as workers vs. who we are as humans.

We often are seen by others — even self-identify — by our career.

Dustin Calvillo didn’t subscribe to this philosophy.

Oh, to be clear he loved his job as professor of cognitive psychology in the psychology department at Cal State San Marcos. There are no doubts about this. He was dedicated to his research, unselfishly helpful to his colleagues and shared his love for the topics he found fascinating with his students.

But he was the type of person to keep his professional passions just slightly but clearly on a rung below his true loves — family and connecting with life.

Calvillo lost a battle with oral cancer in August. He was 49. After nearly 18 years at CSUSM, his loss has loomed heavy over one of the most populous departments on campus.

But his legacy lives on.

The psychology department will host a celebration of life for Calvillo on Friday, Jan. 16, at the Faculty Center Suite. The gathering runs 2-4 p.m. and will include coffee and light appetizers.

“I feel incredibly fortunate to have worked alongside Dustin in many roles during our years at CSUSM,” said Elisa Grant-Vallone, who worked with Calvillo as a faculty colleague as well as in a collaborative position in her role as the CHABSS associate dean of operations & budget. “He was one of the kindest, most compassionate and thoughtful colleagues I have ever known. We team-taught Introduction to Psychology for several years, and although he was earlier in his career than I was, I often found myself learning from him. Dustin was an exceptional instructor. He challenged his students to work hard while, as a cognitive psychologist, thoughtfully designing a framework that gave them the support they needed to succeed.”

Calvillo served as a professor of cognitive psychology who dedicated his work to advancing our understanding of memory, reasoning, decision-making and the ways biases and misinformation shape our thinking.

A product of the California State University system, he earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees from Cal State Bakersfield. He went on to earn a Ph.D. in psychology (cognitive and perceptual sciences) from the University of California, Santa Barbara. 

Michelle Vogel Trautt is a lecturer in psychology at CSUSM. She knew Calvillo not only as a colleague but also as a mentor during her time on campus in the master’s program.

“Dustin was kind and welcoming,” Trautt said. “He genuinely cared about others. Over time, as our relationship as colleagues evolved, Dustin became a trusted confidant that I could come to for advice, guidance and encouragement. He was dependable, steady and consistent. He was a great leader without ever having to speak of his own accolades. We just knew we were in good hands with him at the helm. His sense of humor and occasional ‘zingers’ made Dustin approachable and relatable.”

What Trautt remembers most as his student in the graduate seminar was how much he “lit up” when talking about cognitive psychology.

Calvillo was universally seen as being reserved outside of the classroom, a persona that changed when a class or seminar started.

“I found it magical to see him become animated and excited about topics we discussed in our course,” said Trautt, who shared what she referred to as “passing-by hellos” on campus. “Even more so, when he would tell a good cognitive psychology joke and see who would chuckle as a measure of who was understanding our very dense, detailed and rigorous content. If you could laugh at the contextualized joke, he knew you were following along and retaining content enough to appreciate it from a humorous lens. It was really special.”

His academic legacy included more than 50 peer-reviewed scientific journal articles-research that will continue to resonate in classrooms, conferences and public discussions about issues that include truth, trust and critical thinking.

Emeritus Professor of Psychology Nancy Caine was already in the department when Calvillo was hired here nearly two decades ago. Caine was coordinator of the graduate program at the same time Calvillo served as department chair so they had overlapping administrative roles, not always easy for a faculty member so dedicated to research and teaching.

Caine noted how his organization and instinct in handling difficult situations made her feel like she had a true friend and partner.

“Dustin epitomized what is, in my opinion, the ideal faculty member at a place like CSUSM,” Caine said. “I really mean that. He was committed to CSUSM as a community, which meant engaging with students, colleagues, and staff on a daily basis. He understood how lucky we all are to have a job that allows us to be part of an academic community where we can be scholars, teachers and contributors to the overall mission of the university — and he did all of those very well.

“He was devoted to the cause of providing opportunities to students from under-represented groups. He set a standard to which every faculty member at CSUSM should aspire.”

Although he was often described as quiet, even shy around campus, Calvillo had an infectious positive demeanor behind a warm smile.

Haylee DeLuca Bishop, the program director for child and adolescent development, interviewed for a faculty position at CSUSM in early 2018. She crossed paths with Calvillo during the search process as he served on the university’s Institutional Review Board.

She recalled that shyness as a first impression that didn’t stick once some time working together passed.

That quiet exterior melted to form a professional bond that eventually had DeLuca Bishop and her husband spending time playing bar trivia while also going to the movies and San Diego Padres and Waves games with Calvillo, his wife Angelica Rocha (a former research associate and assistant director for student support in CSUSM’s Office for Training, Research, and Education in the Sciences) and their daughter Vivian.

“He was the exact colleague I wanted to be,” DeLuca Bishop said. “He was around. He was present. He was available to his students, available to his colleagues. He was a hard worker, incredibly prolific, amazing scholar, but also a great teacher. Students loved him. He was just the whole package. So when I looked at Dustin, I was like, that's pretty much where I want to be if I can.”

Calvillo spent time as department chair, which took him away from some of his scholarly work to be replaced by leading a diverse group of faculty.

He was a natural leader, but both DeLuca Bishop and Caine made it clear it wasn’t his first choice for a career move.

“It was no secret,” DeLuca Bishop said. “He didn't really want to be a department chair. But he stepped into it because he knew he needed to. It was what the department needed at the time, and he was great at it. You couldn't tell him he was great at it. He couldn't hear that positive feedback very much. But he was great at it.”

Said Caine: “Dustin didn’t like being chair. He loved doing research and teaching, both of which had to take a back seat while he served his term.  But he recognized his obligation to take his turn ‘at the helm,’ and as is true of Dustin in every way, he did the job very well.”

He may not have loved his time as department chair, but there was no hiding his true passions. He enjoyed traveling, playing golf, sailing, camping and watching sports, especially soccer and baseball.

But his love for those activities increased tenfold when he could do them with loved ones.

Beyond his professional achievements, Calvillo was a devoted family man who was happiest when he was with his loved ones.

“One of my fondest memories of Dustin was seeing him as a dad,” Grant-Vallone said. “One time (Vivian) had an unexpected day off from preschool, so he brought her along to a search committee meeting. He set up her lunch box and toys, patiently answered her quiet questions, and the love between them lit up the room. Dustin will be deeply missed by everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.”

Now 7, Vivian no longer has her father around, but she has his academic work that hopefully will help her understand his career passions that went beyond showing up to an office 8-5.

“He accomplished a lot, and that's something I've been thinking about in general,” DeLuca Bishop said. “That's one thing I'm happy about. Viv, when she gets old enough, she can go read everything he's ever published. His legacy can live on in that work as well.”

And when she wants to learn about the legacy he left behind beyond campus, the family, friends and colleagues he left behind will have plenty of stories to share.

“It's just a huge loss,” DeLuca Bishop said. “And I feel it every day. I think about him every day still. He’s such a huge loss and he was my go-to person whenever something happened in the department or something I just wanted to vent about. He got it because he did the same job. And so he would know what I was feeling in a way that a lot of other people couldn't, including my partner. So, he was my go-to guy.”

Jennier Lozano is a psychological science graduate student at CSUSM who works in both the MBARC and Misinformation and Memory labs, led by Assistant Professor Lisa Graves and Calvillo, respectively.

As an undergraduate transfer student, she took Calvillo’s cognitive processes course. It was a transformative moment in her life to witness his enthusiasm with understanding human cognitive processes.

Being mentored by Calvillo, which included attending the Western Psychological Association Convention in Riverside in 2023 with his lab, helped her discover her own research interests while solidifying her desire to pursue graduate school.

“As his graduate student, his support, guidance and mentorship have had a profound and long-lasting impact on my life,” Lozano said. “I remember sitting in the back of the class thinking about how fortunate I would be to have an academic mentor like Dr. Calvillo, who was so caring and kind toward all his students. Three years later, I had the privilege to be co-mentored by him and Dr. Graves as a graduate student. I will forever be grateful for his unwavering and invaluable support, encouragement, guidance, and dedication.”

The ironic part of living a full and meaningful life is that we don’t get to pick what people remember about us.

So we build our legacy through showing up. Some days we show up and inspire with our work and through our relationships, while other days we’re simply lucky to show up at all.

Dustin Calvillo showed up.

He showed up for his colleagues and his students. He showed up for people he cared about.

And that’s enough.

“He was just the guy you wanted around,” DeLuca Bishop said. “He was considerate of other people. He would volunteer to make sure someone else didn't have to. He was careful with his words. He cared about his students. He cared about everyone. He was just a thoughtful individual but also a deep, intelligent, bright human being. He was really trying to address problems he saw in the world and trying to improve things, trying to make things better. He saw things going in a direction he fundamentally disagreed with, and he was trying to do research around that. He’s just one of the most thoughtful people I've ever met and in every sense of the word.”

This is a reminder that Injury & Illness Prevention Program training is required for all employees. If you already have completed IIPP training, you can disregard this email. You can verify your completion status by following the steps below:

1. Log in to Ability LMS using your CSUSM username and password.
2. Hover over the tile titled “My Requirements” and then click on “IIPP Training.”
3. Click on the course and check your status on the right.
4. If it says “Finished,” then no further action is required. Otherwise, you need to complete the training.

How to Complete IIPP Training

• Option 1 – Online course (30-45 minutes)
  1. Follow steps 1–3 above.
  2. Click “Launch” to begin the training (note: you may need to enable pop-ups in your browser).
• Option 2 – Instructor-led course (45-60 minutes), which also includes the required Emergency Action Plan (EAP-8CCR3220) training.
  1. Log in to Ability LMS using your CSUSM username and password.
  2. Click the “Calendar” tab at the top of the screen.
  3. Select the session you wish to attend and click “Enroll.”

Instructor-led sessions are offered both in person and via Zoom. Walk-ins are welcome, but you must manually sign in to receive credit. Sessions with fewer than five enrolled participants may be canceled.

Training dates and registration links also can be found on the SHS training page under Injury & Illness Prevention.

Additional information can be found on the IIPP webpage. While IIPP training is mandatory for all CSUSM faculty, staff and student assistants, completing it periodically as a refresher is encouraged to stay informed about updated safety protocols and procedures. This regulatory required training must be completed only once unless a change in jobs provides new hazards or exposures.

Resources

• CSUSM policy: Injury & Illness Prevention Program
• Injury & Illness Prevention Program
• Executive Order 1039: California State University Environmental Health and Safety Policy

This webinar is open to all CSUSM students, faculty and staff. No registration is required. For more about UPD policies, contact information and other campus services, visit www.csusm.edu/police.

What You Need to Know 

• Students and employees can continue to report concerns in the same way. 
   
• Confidentiality and support remain the office's top priorities. 
   
• Reports that you refer will be handled faster and more consistently. 
   
• The office can provide clearer updates and resources throughout the process. 

Why This Matters

• Case handling will be more efficient and less burdensome for staff. 
   
• Compliance and reporting are strengthened with automated workflows.
   
• Secure sharing improves collaboration across the right stakeholders. 
   
• Real-time insights help resolve cases more quickly. 

Reporting channels remain the same. If a student or colleague seeks guidance, please continue to refer them to https://www.csusm.edu/title9/.

Avalos joined CSUSM in 1991 and was active under the umbrella of emeritus professor as artistic mentor and union advocate until his passing. He was often the first person whom new faculty engaged with on campus, initiating conversations that drew out ideas and created connections with fellow faculty; and he held our campus memory, reminding newcomers of the university’s foundation on radical interdisciplinarity. Campuswide, Avalos was known for his strolls with colleagues, his signature synthesis of ruminating walks and talks while making salient connections across ideas and with passersby from all areas of campus. He introduced generations of faculty and students to the murals in Chicano Park and served as faculty adviser to the Danza Azteca and Ballet Folklorico student groups on campus. Avalos was a mentor and collaborator to his colleagues in the arts; he contributed last year with an oral history about the border for the artwork of Cognate Collective, the collective composed of Misael Diaz and Amy Sanchez Arteaga, and collaborated with Lucy HG Solomon and CSUSM students on a performative study of the equinox, presented at grade schools in 2017. 

Avalos gained a national and worldwide reputation for his multimedia and avant-garde art that focuses on border and labor-related issues, often advocating for the rights of Mexican immigrants, raising concerns over police brutality, and protesting a racist anti-immigration movement that burgeoned dramatically in the 1990s. Many of his works are in permanent collections, including those of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. He made a political statement with the artwork “Donkey Cart Altar” (1985) when he placed it in front of the San Diego federal courthouse to protest that immigrant laborers working to feed their families were being treated as criminals. Judge Gordon Thompson Jr. ordered the work, which he deemed a “security risk,” to be removed, with the ACLU rallying to defend Avalos’ freedom of expression in a court filing against the judge – a filing that was ultimately dismissed. Avalos petitioned to the Supreme Court in David Avalos and Sushi, INC. vs. Gordon Thomposn, Jr., et al. While the Supreme Court did not take up the case, it garnered national attention. 

Beginning in 1988, Avalos worked alongside artists Louis Hock and Elizabeth Sisco, and he also collaborated with Deborah Small (CSUSM professor emerita) and James Luna, developing artworks that addressed the complex issues of immigrant labor, border politics and multiculturalism in California. “Welcome to America’s Finest Tourist Plantation” (1988) – designed by Avalos, Hock and Sisco as a rear advertising panel and placed on nearly half of the city’s local buses – taunted San Diegans leading up to the Super Bowl, held in January that year. Publicizing the plight of undocumented workers, the artists turned the artwork into a major media event, asserting art’s right for free expression. Avalos became known for his conviction that artists have the responsibility to interact with their environment and community. “Art Rebate/Arte Reembolso” (1993) by Avalos, Hock and Sisco, a public art project that involved distributing $10 bills to undocumented workers in San Diego, aimed to challenge the perception that undocumented workers negatively impact the economy by highlighting their contributions and providing an art rebate in leu of the tax rebate that the workers could not claim, despite paying taxes and into Social Security. Commissioned by the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego and Centro Cultural de la Raza, the project sparked debate and criticism in local and national media and in Congress. 

A descendant of one of the oldest families in National City (his mother’s family arrived in the 1910s and his father’s family arrived in the '20s), Avalos was an instigator of creative ideas whose art and activism became a fixture within National City’s rich community of Chicano/a artists, activists, scholars and educators. He attributed his rise in political consciousness to his upbringing: “… I think that that consciousness came only with my involvement with the civil rights organization in my hometown, National City, the Committee on Chicano Rights” (Smithsonian oral history interview with Avalos, 1988). A Vietnam-era U.S. Army veteran stationed in West Germany in the late 1960s, he connected with veteran students and he valued the education that the G.I. Bill afforded him, at San Diego State and later at UC San Diego, where he contributed illustrations to a student newspaper called Voz Fronteriza. He worked at the Chicano Federation and in 1978 he began working at the Centro Cultural de la Raza and with the Committee on Chicano Rights. At the Centro Cultural de la Raza, he worked with multidisciplinary artists throughout the 1980s, and with Victor Ochoa and Michael Schnorr (plus the collaborative entities Cinewest Productions and Poyesis Genética), he co-founded the Border Art Workshop/Taller de Arte Fronterizo, which he described as “a collective focused on the dynamic balance of U.S.-Mexico absurdities.” Avalos’ art provocations and teachings will long be remembered by students and colleagues alike. 

An active member of the National Latino Research Center advisory board as well as a faculty associate of the center and longtime California Faculty Association chapter rights representative, Avalos stood in solidarity with the NRLC and CFA throughout his career and was a vital mentor and colleague, providing invaluable guidance and inspiration to generations of faculty, staff and students. The School of Arts, NLRC, CSUSM’s CFA chapter and Center ARTES collectively remain committed to continuing the legacy of Avalos both on campus and in the community. A committed thinker, he never stopped learning, always probing others about their understanding of the world. Prescient in his artmaking about contemporary politics, Avalos continues to move new generations of thinkers and creators with his percussive art and legacy of activism.  

Avalos is survived by his wife, Veronica Enrique Avalos, their four children (Xima, Tona, Graciano and Adrian) and grandson, Leon, and in the campus community, his cousin Fredi Avalos. In May of this academic year, the School of Arts will commemorate David Avalos as artist, thinker, professor and provocateur, with an opportunity to share reflections on his impact on the community and on the arts in the border region and beyond. Further communication about this opportunity to celebrate Avalos and his lasting impact at CSUSM will be shared across the campus community. 

To hear Avalos in his own words across the years, you are invited to follow the links below: 

Interviews in Califas: Chicano Art and Culture in California (1983)

David Avalos on his work Loteria Chicana “La Placa” (1983)

 Oral History with David Avalos, Smithsonian Archives of American Art (1988)

 David Avalos on Chicana/o Art (2007)

 Charla with the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (2021)  

David Avalos ¡Presente! 

• built-in charging ports so you can power your phone or other devices while you sit;
• lighted outdoor seating in the evenings – perfect for studying, relaxing or meeting with friends after dark.
   

These benches are part of FDM's ongoing efforts to create sustainable, student-friendly spaces that support comfort, safety and convenience.

Keep an eye out as you walk around campus – you might just find your new favorite spot to charge and chill.

Effective today, individuals who test positive for, have been exposed to or show symptoms of COVID-19 will no longer be required to submit a report.

If you feel unwell with flu- or cold-like symptoms, please stay home, take necessary precautions and seek guidance from a health care provider. Applicable policies and guidelines will be updated based on the latest public health recommendations to ensure the safety of our campus community.

We appreciate your continued cooperation and flexibility throughout this time and thank you for helping us prioritize the health and safety of everyone on campus.

Visit the Safety, Health and Sustainability website for health and safety reminders or contact us with questions at shs@csusm.edu.

Learning & Tutoring Services for Spring 2025

The learning centers are at the heart of the direct academic support the Office of Undergraduate Studies (OUGS) provides CSUSM students. Virtual and in-person academic support is available. For a list of specific courses supported, visit our website. We look forward to working with you to ensure students have access to available academic resources.   

• STEM Success Center supports courses in these disciplines: Biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics and physics
• Writing Center: Supports writing in all courses
• Supplemental Instruction supports courses in these disciplines: Biology, chemistry, economics, physics, psychology and speech-language pathology
• NetTutor supports courses in these disciplines: Business, economics, finance, history, psychology, political science, philosophy, Spanish, statistics for human development, and statistics for psychology

Language for your Syllabi/Cougar Course Container

Faculty are our most powerful partners in engaging students with academic support resources on our campus. To assist you in directing students to campus academic support resources, we have drafted language to include on your syllabi/Cougar Course Containers. We encourage you to share this link with your students.

When do we open to students?

• Students are welcome to visit Learning & Tutoring Services to see the space or study beginning Jan. 21.
• Tutoring begins Jan. 27 and is open Mondays through Thursdays from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Fridays from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Where? The second floor of the Extended Learning Building. The STEM Success Center is in ELB 250. The Writing Center is in ELB 201 for in-person tutoring (see our website for virtual support options).

Do students visit the academic learning centers? Yes. Supported by roughly 120 trained peer educators, the STEM Success Center, Writing Center, Supplemental Instruction (SI) program, and NetTutor supported more than 19,000 student visits during the 2023-24 academic year. This includes an 8.8% increase in unique visits from the 2022-23 academic year.  Nearly 7,000 students visited Learning & Tutoring Services in Fall 2024. Thank you, faculty and staff, for directing students to these learning centers and for your key role in recommending students to serve as peer educators in Learning & Tutoring Services. We can support many more students, so please continue to direct them to us.

To what effect? Data suggest that students who make at least five visits to a single learning center per semester in support of a specific course tend to earn higher grades. Visiting the learning centers early and often is sage advice. In the words of one of our peer educators, “The more you go, the more you know.”

 Friendly Suggestions:

1. Add this language to your syllabi and Canvas course containers.
2. Encourage students to stop by LTS during the first week of the semester to get acquainted. They can simply come by to look around.
3. Encourage students to make use of the free tutoring at least once during weeks 1-3.
4. Remind your students that LTS is a safe space to learn. Encourage them to bring a friend with them when they visit LTS.
5. Remind your students that with regular visits to LTS early and often throughout the semester, their learning will be deeper, and their GPA will likely be higher.

 Feel free to reach out to us with your questions and suggestions.

•  In his role as assistant dean, Adam Petersen supervises Learning & Tutoring Services. You can reach him at apetersen@csusm.edu.
• For Learning & Tutoring Services questions, contact Evan Smith (esmith@csusm.edu), Learning & Tutoring Services Director.
• For Writing Center questions, contact Allison Reyes (ajreyes@csusm.edu), Associate Director of LTS for Writing Support.
• For STEM Success Center questions, contact Paulina Coronado (pcoronado@csusm.edu),  Associate Director of LTS for STEM Support.
• For Supplemental Instruction (SI) questions, contact Alex Picasso (apicasso@csusm.edu), SI Coordinator. 

We know that the more students believe they belong, the better they do academically.  Thank you for all you do to enrich this vibrant learning community.

Best wishes for a wonderful spring semester.

Dawn M. Formo
Dean, Undergraduate Studies

Adam Petersen
Assistant Dean, Undergraduate Studies

The session is Thursday, Dec. 12 at noon via Zoom (link to be provided upon registration).

Learn about the resources and support available to undocumented, TPS and immigrant members of the CSUSM community. This session will provide information on campus and community resources, highlight available services, and discuss ways to foster a supportive and inclusive environment for all.

The event is open to students, staff and faculty interested in learning more about these important resources and how to support members of our campus immigrant community.

Click here to register.

For questions or accommodations, please contact the Office of Inclusive Excellence.

The campus visits for the finalists to be the next dean of the University Library continue this week. Please visit the University Library Dean Search page to find the candidates’ CVs, brief bios, campus visit dates, confidential feedback survey and open forum Zoom links.

Cinthya Ippoliti – Sept. 16-17
Meeting with students:  Sept.16, 3:30–4 p.m., KEL 5207
Campus open forum:  Sept. 17, 9–9:45 a.m., KEL 5400 and Zoom

The recordings of the open forums will be available on Sept. 17. The feedback link is currently open and will close on Sept. 20 at 8 a.m. The search committee values your input, so please attend the campus open forum and complete the feedback survey for each candidate.

Thank you,

Charles De Leone
Chair, Search Committee for University Library Dean
Dean, Graduate Studies and Research

Dr. Welch began his illustrious career after earning a Ph.D. from UCLA and completing a postdoctoral fellowship at the California Institute of Technology. In 1970, he joined the faculty of the University of Houston's Department of Chemistry, where he quickly established a pioneering research program. His work focused on the synthesis of complex natural products, many of which were previously only obtainable through laborious extraction from natural sources. His innovative research not only advanced the field but also attracted significant funding and talented students.

In 1990, Dr. Welch joined California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) as a professor and the founding faculty member of the Department of Chemistry. He played a pivotal role in designing the chemistry major and developing a curriculum that has endured and met the highest standards of the American Chemical Society. Dr. Welch’s foresight in integrating undergraduate research into the degree program enriched the educational experiences of countless students, ensuring they were well-prepared for both industry roles and graduate studies.

During his tenure at CSUSM, Dr. Welch served as the department chair for more than 12 years, where he was instrumental in hiring additional faculty and staff members, mentoring and supporting colleagues, and leading the design and outfitting of the Science Hall 1. His contributions to the department and the university community were vast, including serving as the first Academic Senate Chair and fostering strong relationships with colleagues at regional community colleges.

Beyond his academic and professional achievements, Dr. Welch was deeply committed to his students. Known for his high standards and compassionate support, he constantly sought to improve his teaching methods to enhance student success. His passion for organic chemistry and dedication to his students left an indelible mark on the university and the many lives he touched. He will be remembered for always planning thoughtfully and leading with kindness. Dr. Welch was an exceptional mentor to new faculty; providing advice but letting them find their own way. In addition, his soft spoken and kindly nature was essential to his promoting a sense of collegiality in the department. His foresight in designing microscale laboratory experiments resulted in a program that was both more affordable and more environmentally responsible than the vast majority of chemistry programs at the time.

Dr. Welch is survived by his loving wife, Elizabeth, and his daughter, Melody Welch Vander Straten and her husband, David, and their two daughters. He is also survived by his first wife, Elaine, and his brother, Dennis Welch. His legacy will continue through the countless students and colleagues he mentored, the research he inspired, and the programs he established. A memorial service will be held on Oct. 10 at 1:30 p.m. at Mission San Luis Rey in Oceanside. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Steven C. Welch Outstanding Graduate in Chemistry Award Fund at give.csusm.edu/stevencwelch .

Together, we honor Dr. Welch’s profound impact on both his field and the academic communities he served.

Sincerely,

Jackie Trischman

Dean of the College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

On Aug. 9 at 9 a.m., a message will be sent via the emergency notification system (ENS) to start the evacuation drill. Multiple modalities may be utilized, including desktop alerts, digital signage, library PA, Cougar Central PA and text messages. Your building’s fire alarm also may activate. The drill is expected to last 20-30 minutes. Please evacuate the building, report to the nearest evacuation zone and wait for the “all clear” before re-entering buildings.

The campus evacuation zones have changed. Please review the new assignments for your location.

Please contact Emergency Manager Jennifer Ralph at jralph@csusm.edu with any questions.

In addition to her OUGS roles, she brings a rich array of experiences to the associate director role. As an undergraduate, she served as a service learning student leader, a role in which she recruited, trained and supported service learning student volunteers. Her service learning experience continued with an AmeriCorps project in which she co-led the service learning student leadership program. For nearly three years, she served as a law student intern and then staff attorney for Immigrant Legal Services of the Central Coast. More recently, she served as a staff attorney for Disability Rights California’s Housing Stability Project. These experiences have made clear her passion: “helping college students engage with their studies and their communities.” She welcomes the opportunity to do just that. 

Rogers’ professional experience is complemented by her academic accomplishments. She holds a B.S. in environmental science, technology and policy from Cal State Monterey Bay. In addition to her bachelor’s degree, she holds a juris doctor from Santa Clara University School of Law.

As we welcome Rogers to her new role, I extend thanks to the search committee: Elizabeth Matthews (chair), Sinem Siyahhan, Bhumika Badri and Jazmine Hogan. I thank them for their thoughtful work.

I am confident that Rogers’ professional and educational experiences and strengths have prepared her for the associate director role. Thank you for welcoming her to her new role!

Cheers,
Dawn M. Formo, Ph.D.
Dean of Undergraduate Studies 
 

Hamill’s deep experience and knowledge of palliative care combined with her decades of service in the California State University system make her the perfect leader for the institute as it enters the next phase of its development and serves as a model in palliative care education across the nation. She is an active advocate at the federal, state and local level. The institute’s success includes more than 32,000 professionals trained, 49 countries served, 195 courses provided and over 51,000 students and future health care professionals reached.

Hamill begins her work as executive director after more than a year serving in an interim role. She brings a wealth of expertise in curriculum development, assessment, accreditation and research. She has been involved in the institute since it was founded at CSUSM in 2012 through her work as the inaugural faculty director of the campus partner institute. In that role, she implemented educational programs such as the “What Gives Your Life Meaning?” campaign on advance care directives that has developed into a trademarked campaign available for educational purposes across the nation.

Hamill assumed the role of interim executive director at a time of transition as the institute sought to elevate activities to support its academic mission and to attain the vision that was established by its founders: to leverage the depth and power of the CSU in becoming the national leader for integrating palliative care education in health care-based degrees across the system. 

If you have any questions, please contact the cashier's office at 760-750-4490 or cashiersbusinessoffice@csusm.edu.

We hope your semester is wrapping up smoothly. If you will be teaching this summer or directing students to academic learning resources over the summer, keep reading!

Learning & Tutoring is at the heart of the direct academic support that the Office of Undergraduate Studies (OUGS) provides CSUSM students. Virtual and in-person academic support is available. For a list of specific courses supported, visit our website. We look forward to working with you to ensure that students have access to available academic resources.   

• NetTutor supports courses in these disciplines: Business, economics, finance, history, psychology, political science, philosophy, Spanish, statistics for human development, and statistics for psychology
• STEM Success Center supports courses in these disciplines:  Biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics and physics
• Writing Center: Supports writing in all courses
• Supplemental Instruction supports courses in these disciplines: Biology, chemistry, economics, physics, psychology and speech-language pathology

Language for Your Syllabi/Cougar Course Container

Faculty are our most powerful partners in engaging students with academic support resources on our campus. To assist you in directing students to campus academic support resources, we have provided this information to include on your syllabi/Cougar Courses containers. You also might want to provide this link to your students.

 When do we open to students?

• Students are welcome to visit Learning & Tutoring Services to see the space or study beginning June 3.
• Tutoring begins June 3 and is open Mondays through Thursdays from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Where?  The second floor of the Extended Learning Building. The STEM Success Center is in ELB 250. The Writing Center is in ELB 273 for in-person tutoring (see our website for virtual support options).

Do students visit the academic learning centers? Yes. Supported by roughly 120 trained peer educators, the Academic Success Center, STEM Success Center and Writing Center supported nearly 21,000 student visits during the 2022-23 academic year. This represents a 48% increase from the previous academic year. In fall 2023, students made 11,218 visits. Thank you to faculty and staff for directing students to these learning centers and for your key role in recommending students to serve as peer educators in Learning & Tutoring Services. We can support many more students, so please continue to direct them to us.

To what effect? Data suggest that students who make at least five visits to a single learning center per semester in support of a specific course tend to earn higher grades. Visiting the learning centers early and often is sage advice. In the words of one of our peer educators, “The more you go, the more you know.”

Friendly Suggestions

1. Add the language in this link to your syllabi and Canvas course containers.
2. Encourage students to stop by LTS during the first week of the semester to get acquainted. They can simply come by to look around.
3. Encourage students to make use of the free tutoring at least once during weeks 1 and 2.
4. Remind your students that LTS is a safe space to learn. Encourage them to bring a friend with them when they visit LTS.
5. Remind your students that with regular visits to LTS early and often throughout the semester, their learning will be deeper and their GPA likely will be higher.

 Feel free to reach out to us with your questions and suggestions.

• In his role as assistant dean, Adam Petersen now supervises Learning & Tutoring Services. You can reach him at apetersen@csusm.edu.
• For Learning & Tutoring Services questions, contact Evan Smith (esmith@csusm.edu), LTS director.
• For Writing Center questions, contact Allison Reyes (ajreyes@csusm.edu), associate director of LTS for writing support.
• For STEM Success Center questions, contact Paulina Coronado (pcoronado@csusm.edu),  interim associate director of LTS for STEM support. 
• For Supplemental Instruction (SI) questions, contact Alex Picasso (apicasso@csusm.edu), SI coordinator. 

We know that the more students believe they belong, the better they do academically. Thank you for all you do to enrich this vibrant learning community.

Best wishes as you wrap up the spring and prepare for the summer session!

Dawn M. Formo
Dean, Undergraduate Studies

Adam Petersen
Assistant Dean, Undergraduate Studies

The California State University and CSU San Marcos are committed to the highest ethical standards and to creating an environment where fraudulent and other dishonest acts are not tolerated. CSUSM is dedicated to ensuring that all entrusted resources are utilized ethically, prudently, and for their designated purpose. 

CAMPUS REPORTING OF FISCAL IMPROPRIETIES 
Campus and auxiliary personnel must notify the Office of Internal Audit of all cases involving an actual or suspected fiscal impropriety. Once informed, the campus Internal Auditor, in consultation with the Associate VP of Administration, is responsible for determining whether notification to the CSU and other state officials is required under CSU Executive Order 1104 (EO 1104).  EO 1104 articulates systemwide requirements related to reporting actual or suspected fiscal improprieties affecting the CSU and its recognized auxiliary organizations to the Chancellor’s Office and other state officials. The reporting requirements apply to both state and non-state funds. 

For questions or to report a suspected fiscal impropriety, please contact the Office of Internal Audit at audit@csusm.edu.  

WHISTLEBLOWER AND WHISTLEBLOWER RETALIATION COMPLAINTS 
The Office of Human Resources has been designated by the campus president to receive complaints from employees, former employees, and applicants for CSU employment who wish to report alleged improper governmental activity.  

• CSU Executive Order 1115: Reporting Procedures for Protected Disclosure of Improper Governmental Activities and/or Significant Threats to Health or Safety 
• CSU Executive Order 1116: Complaint Procedure for Allegations of Retaliation for Having Made a Protected Disclosure under the California Whistleblower Protection Act

For whistleblower and whistleblower retaliation complaints, contact campus HR at hr@csusm.edu and refer to the following webpage https://www.csusm.edu/hr/lrer/compliance/whistleblower.html for additional information. 

As many of you know, our vice president for University Advancement, Jessica Berger, joined CSUSM in July 2021. Given that our campus policy requires that I conduct a periodic review of vice presidents in the third year of their initial appointment (and at intervals no greater than five years thereafter), I write to inform you that this process has begun and to invite your participation and feedback.

Not only is it California State University policy to inform our university community of this review and to allow members to submit comments that respond to the specific criteria, but your participation is also important to me. Your feedback will support CSUSM’s forward progress, particularly as it relates to the leadership of University Advancement.

The Periodic Review of the Provost and Vice Presidents policy provides details of the process and criteria. Your feedback and letters are invited on Vice President Berger’s approach to:

• Leadership and management
• Strategic planning
• University and community partnerships, and
• Functional oversight and management

Please note that I am unable to accept petitions and unsigned letters.

Please submit an email or letter no later than Tuesday, May 7, addressed as follows:

Email: Periodicreview@csusm.edu
Dr. Ellen Neufeldt, President
California State University San Marcos
Administration Building 5302
333 S. Twin Oaks Valley Road
San Marcos, CA 92096-0001

Following the deadline, the written responses will be summarized into a report that will be discussed with Vice President Berger. None of the commentators will be identified by name, and responses will be treated in confidence to the extent permitted by the law.

Please keep in mind that this is intended to be a constructive process that should benefit both our vice president and university. Thank you again for your participation in this important review process.

Sincerely,

Ellen J. Neufeldt, Ed.D.
President

• Web Accessibility Checker Software (coming May 2024) 
• Guidance for Websites Used for Student Instruction (updated March 2024) 
• Process for External Website Domain Request (March 2024) 
• Website Document Scanning (updated March 2024) 
• Training for Creating Accessible Documents (updated March 2024) 
• Guidance for Linking to External Websites (March 2024) 
• Notification Icon for External Websites (March 2024) 
• Instructional Materials Accessibility (updated March 2024) 
• Instructions for Deleting or Downloading Unused Files from Canvas (updated March 2024) 
• Website Accessibility Training (coming May 2024) 

If you have any questions or require assistance during the process, please reach out to the IITS support team at helpdesk@csusm.edu.

• Duo authentication 
• Microsoft Stream (Classic) to Microsoft SharePoint/OneDrive 
• Mediasite video storage 
• Outlook and Teams 
• Network Upgrades 

If you have any questions or concerns regarding these changes, please don't hesitate to contact our Help Desk at helpdesk@csusm.edu. Our team will be happy to assist you and address any inquiries you may have. 

We appreciate your cooperation and understanding as we work to enhance our technology infrastructure and services. 

Sincerely, 

Instructional and Information Technology Services (IITS) 

Danielle McMartin will assume the new role of senior director in the Office of Global Education. Danielle has contributed to the field of international education for over 30 years. She received an undergraduate degree in psychology from San Diego State and a master’s in education from Azusa Pacific University. She developed her understanding and love of supporting international students and stellar knowledge of immigration policy during her 12 years at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena. She joined CSUSM in 2000 under the leadership of Peter Zwick, founding director of Global Education. In 2020, she stepped into the role of director, which includes supervision and support of our comprehensive study abroad programming.

Danielle believes in the value of bringing diverse perspectives to the table and knows that learning from different cultures helps our students to become more insightful and compassionate global citizens. She has been intentional and effective in building an amazingly talented and skilled team in Global Education.

In addition to managing the Office of Global Education, Danielle provides direct supervision of study abroad programs, including students and faculty exchanges, and will be directly responsible for on-campus internationalization efforts. 

Grant Parsons has been appointed to the role of executive director for Global Programs and Services (GPS). Grant will provide leadership, management, administrative and marketing oversight for all international education activities and programs, including international student recruitment, study abroad, student and faculty exchange, and institutional links abroad, as well as oversight of the American Language and Culture Institute (ALCI), the campus’ English language program. As executive director, Grant will provide daily oversight of all international enrollment efforts for GPS, will manage all agency and partner university agreements, ensuring compliance with requirements from the Chancellor’s Office and Integrated Risk Management. 

Grant joined GPS in 2014 to manage international programs. He has worked in international education for more than 16 years. He previously worked as U.S. education administrator for programs abroad in South Korea and Japan, director of the English and Culture Program at Cal State Stanislaus, and most recently as director of international enrollment and partnerships at CSUSM.

Grant has a bachelor’s degree from UC Santa Barbara and a master’s degree from Cal State Stanislaus. He also holds a certificate in international student recruitment and an enrollment planning certificate from AIRC: The Association of International Enrollment Management.

Sincerely,

Godfrey Gibbison, Ph.D.
Dean of Extended Learning
Associate Vice President for International Programs

We are reaching out regarding academic support through Learning & Tutoring Services that will be available to students for the spring semester. We hope that the language in this link finds its way into your syllabi and course containers.

Learning & Tutoring Services for Spring

The learning centers are at the heart of the direct academic support that the Office of Undergraduate Studies (OUGS) provides CSUSM students. Virtual and in-person academic support is available. For a list of specific courses supported, visit our website. We look forward to working with you to ensure that students have access to available academic resources. 

• NetTutor supports courses in these disciplines: Business, economics, finance, history, psychology, political science, philosophy, Spanish, statistics for human development, and statistics for psychology
• STEM Success Center supports courses in these disciplines:  Biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics and physics
• Writing Center: Supports writing in all courses
• Supplemental Instruction supports courses in these disciplines: Biology, chemistry, economics, physics, psychology and speech-language pathology

Language for Your Syllabi/Cougar Course Container

Faculty are our most powerful partners in engaging students with academic support resources on our campus. To assist you in directing students to campus academic support resources, we have provided this information to include on your syllabi/Cougar Courses containers. You also might want to provide this link to your students.

 When do we open to students?

• Students are welcome to visit Learning & Tutoring Services to see the space or study beginning Jan. 22.
• Tutoring begins on Jan. 29 and is open Mondays through Thursdays from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Fridays from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Where?  The second floor of the Extended Learning Building. The STEM Success Center is in ELB 250. The Writing Center is in ELB 273 for in-person tutoring (see our website for virtual support options).

Do students visit the academic learning centers? Yes. Supported by roughly 120 trained peer educators, the Academic Success Center, STEM Success Center and Writing Center supported nearly 21,000 student visits during the 2022-23 academic year. This represents a 48% increase from the previous academic year. In fall 2023, students made 11,218 visits. Thank you to faculty and staff for directing students to these learning centers and for your key role in recommending students to serve as peer educators in Learning & Tutoring Services. We can support many more students, so please continue to direct them to us.

To what effect? Data suggest that students who make at least five visits to a single learning center per semester in support of a specific course tend to earn higher grades. Visiting the learning centers early and often is sage advice. In the words of one of our peer educators, “The more you go, the more you know.”

Friendly Suggestions

1. Add the language in this link to your syllabi and Canvas course containers.
2. Encourage students to stop by LTS during the first week of the semester to get acquainted. They can simply come by to look around.
3. Encourage students to make use of the free tutoring at least once during weeks 2-6.
4. Remind your students that LTS is a safe space to learn. Encourage them to bring a friend with them when they visit LTS.
5. Remind your students that with regular visits to LTS early and often throughout the semester, their learning will be deeper and their GPA likely will be higher.

 Feel free to reach out to us with your questions and suggestions.

• In his role as assistant dean, Adam Petersen now supervises Learning & Tutoring Services. You can reach him at apetersen@csusm.edu.
• For Learning & Tutoring Services questions, contact Evan Smith (esmith@csusm.edu), our new Learning & Tutoring Services director.
• For Writing Center questions, contact Evan Smith (esmith@csusm.edu).
• For STEM Success Center questions, contact Trevor Ryback (tryback@csusm.edu), STEM Success Center director. 
• For Supplemental Instruction (SI) questions, contact Alex Picasso (apicasso@csusm.edu), SI coordinator. 

We know that the more students believe they belong, the better they do academically. Thank you for all you do to enrich this vibrant learning community.

Best wishes as you continue preparations for the start of the spring semester!

Dawn M. Formo
Dean, Undergraduate Studies

Adam Petersen
Assistant Dean, Undergraduate Studies

• Jan. 2: Interruptions between the campus network and the internet.
• Jan. 4: Wi-Fi networks will be intermittently unavailable. Networking in Science Hall 2, Science Hall 1, Markstein Hall, Kellogg Library, University Services Building, Public Safety Building, Student Health & Counseling Services, Center for Children and Families, Parking Structure 1, Clarke Field House, Extended Learning Building and Parking Structure 2 will be down.
• Jan. 6: The campus data center will be offline, so most servers will be unavailable.
• Jan. 8: Networking in the Administrative Building, Academic Hall, Social and Behavioral Sciences Building, University Student Union, Sports Center, The QUAD, Arts Building, University Commons, Veterans Center, McMahan House, Viasat Engineering Pavilion and Central Plant will be down.
• Jan. 10: The campus data center and Arts Building will be down.

In addition, thorough testing will take place between 7 p.m. and 3 a.m. on Jan. 12, which may cause brief interruptions to connectivity.