MESSAGE FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT

Message from the Vice President

It is hard to believe that summer is coming to an end. Over the next few weeks, the campus community will begin to swell with activity as we kick off another academic year. With close to 8,000 incoming freshman and transfers expected this semester, there will be many new students out on the campus who will need our help. And I know I can depend on all of you to welcome and assist them.

The work that ABA has performed over the past few months is significant, and I want to thank you all for your contributions. Much has been accomplished, from landscape installations, facility improvements and emergency protocol drills to a successful financial close and allocation of the 2013 campus budget. Behind the scenes, many of you were involved in summer program arrangements and support. And more and more ABA units reached out to students this summer through the University’s orientation program.

I hope you will enjoy this edition of the newsletter. Inside you will find photos of new and departing ABA staff, and colleagues who have been awarded division, department or external awards; the latest ABA Thank-You Blog postings; a feature spotlighting Interim Director of Environmental Health & Safety Steve Leland; news about recent initiatives, and highlights about ABA’s informal activities, such as the summer bowling league, the ABA Cook-Off and much more. If you have not seen the ABA 2011-12 Annual Report of Accomplishments, I hope you will click on the link inside and take a look. It is focused on ABA staff professionals who were “Made at Sac State” as well as many of the year’s staff award recipients, and staff and students involved in the report's showcased programs.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to the upcoming ABA Speaker Series event, which will take place on Thursday, September 19, from 10 to 11:30 in the Alumni Center. The featured speakers are our Public Affairs colleagues, Associate Vice President Jeannie Wong and Director Jack Vaughn, who have built the University’s social media presence from the ground up in just over two years. A brief description is contained inside.

I realize that while our students and faculty have the advantage of a full summer break, most of you do not. However, I hope that you were able to balance your commitment to work with some well-deserved relaxation with family and friends. Thank you for your work over the summer! Please join me as we prepare to welcome students and faculty back to the campus for another exciting and productive year!