Cameron Law Appointed Executive Director of the Carlsen Center

Cameron Law Appointed Executive Director of the Carlsen Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

December 22, 2020

Just over three years ago, Sacramento State was fortunate to receive a generous gift from alumnus Dale and Katy Carlsen to establish a Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship on campus. The Carlsen Center, as it has come to be known, is quickly becoming a jewel in the crown of Sacramento State’s Anchor University initiative, which merges “town” and “gown” in mutually beneficial ways. Because of its strategic importance, I’m excited to announce that a formal selection process has yielded the appointment of Mr. Cameron Law to the position of Executive Director of the Carlsen Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Mr. Law is a Sacramento native, and received his bachelor’s degree in managerial economics from the University of California, Davis. He then traveled to University of Queensland where he earned a Master of Business in Social Impact and Sustainability degree. Returning to Sacramento, he was a Sustainability Associate for CleanStart Sacramento as well as an Innovation Programs Associate for Impact Venture Capital. For two years he also served as Executive Director of Social Venture Partners of Sacramento. Mr. Law has taken on numerous leadership roles in the Greater Sacramento community as well, including committee member of City of Sacramento’s Inclusive Economic & Community Development Investment Committee, lead organizer of 1 Million Cups, and regional coordinator of Sacramento iHub.

In October 2019, Mr. Law was appointed Interim Executive Director of Sacramento State’s Carlsen Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. While growing the Center, he has truly modeled what any start-up enterprise has to do to succeed: “pivot” toward new operations when circumstances change. He has steered the Carlsen Center in new and exciting directions, with the promise of much more to come. His orientation is firmly rooted in Sacramento State’s student success mission, and I look forward to seeing the additional ways in which he will position the Carlsen Center to participate in the vision of the University as anchored in and by the community. Please join me in congratulating Mr. Law on this well-deserved appointment.

Robin Carter Appointed Dean, College of Health and Human Services

Robin Carter Appointed Dean, College of Health and Human Services

December 17, 2020

“Made At Sac State” is not just a slogan for our University, it is a declaration of excellence. We can be proud of our graduates, and even more proud when they come back to devote their career to serving those students who follow them. That’s why I’m especially pleased to announce that Dr. Robin Carter, who is “Made At Sac State” twice over, has accepted the permanent appointment as Dean of the College of Health and Human Services. Her appointment follows a competitive national search and is based on the advice of a selection committee acting in accordance with shared governance.

Dr. Carter earned both her baccalaureate and master’s degrees in social work at Sacramento State. After working in social services, she returned as a professor. She went on to earn both her master’s and doctoral degrees in public administration from the University of Southern California. Since returning to Sac State in the late 1980s she has progressed through the leadership ranks of her division as graduate program director, project director for a child welfare training grant, department chair, and associate dean. She also served as the inaugural Interim Executive Director of Diversity and Inclusion, Interim Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs, and has led her College as its interim dean since July 2019. Dr. Carter’s deep and abiding commitment to this University over multiple decades is evident in everything she has done, and I have every confidence the College will continue to flourish under her leadership. Please join me in congratulating Dr. Carter on this well-deserved appointment.

Sincerely,

Steve Perez
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Lisa Hammersley Appointed Dean, College of NSM

Lisa Hammersley Appointed Dean, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

December 17, 2020

After months of dealing with the global pandemic, it may seem like any message sent to the Hornet Family with the word “science” in it won’t be good news. In this case, I’m thrilled to share the news that after a sweeping national search, we have named a new Dean for the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Dr. Lisa Hammersley was recommended for appointment by a selection committee adhering to shared governance processes, and she has graciously accepted the offer.

Dr. Hammersley came to Sacramento State as an Assistant Professor by way of a geology baccalaureate degree from the University of Birmingham in England., followed by a Ph.D. in the same discipline from the University of California, Berkeley. Among her accomplishments is a decade-long association with CSU-LSAMP, an alliance of each of the CSU system’s 23 campuses in partnership with the National Science Foundation to increase the number of bachelor’s and graduate STEM degrees awarded to students from underrepresented populations. Sacramento State is the Lead Institution for the Alliance, and Dr. Hammersley now serves as the Project Director. In addition, she has served as a Faculty Fellow in her College, as well as Associate Dean for Student Success, and oversaw a massive health and safety audit by the state and overhauled the safety processes of the College. She took the helm of the College in August 2019, shortly before the opening of the new Ernest E. Tschannen Science Complex, which represents new horizons for Dr. Hammersley’s leadership vista. Now, more than ever, an accomplished leader is needed in Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and Sacramento State is lucky to have that leader in Dr. Hammersley. Please join me in congratulating her on this well-deserved appointment.

Sincerely,
Steve Perez
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Grading for Fall 2020

December 2, 2020

Good morning everyone,

We are very close to the end of the semester and I want to once again thank you for all you have done to help keep our Hornet family as safe and healthy as possible under very difficult circumstances. In November, we received permission from the Chancellor’s Office to determine if we wanted to institute a course grading policy that incorporated more use of credit/no credit (CR/NC) as we did in spring 2020.

Due to the lateness in the semester and that implementation of a full CR/NC options would necessitate putting other important processes (such as transcript and degree processing) that impact students on hold, we cannot implement a full CR/NC option this semester. Additionally, in our conversations over the last several months regarding CR/NC grading, many concerns have been brought up regarding whether it is in students’ best interest to have the option of changing a grade from A to C- to a CR or some type of D to a NC.

Last week, the Associated Students, Incorporated (ASI) Board passed a resolution calling for a CR/NC option for students this semester. In response to that resolution and after talking with the Faculty Senate Executive Committee, we have decided to implement a partial No Credit policy. In an effort to give support to our students who have been so significantly negatively impacted by our current circumstances, to partially address the concerns raised about CR/NC, and to implement something feasible given the very short time frame, we have decided to implement an ABC/NC for undergraduate students and AB/NC for graduate students.

Undergraduate Students:

• Undergraduates who earn an A to C- will receive that letter grade and not be able to petition for a CR.
• Undergraduate students who receive a D+ to F can petition after the semester to have it changed to a NC.
• It is the intent that undergraduates that receive any type of D and petition for a NC will have the petitions reviewed to ensure the student is not better off keeping the letter grade.

Graduate Students:

• Graduate students who receive an A to B- will receive that letter grade and not be able to petition for a CR.
• Graduate students who receive a C+ to F can petition after the semester to have it changed to a NC.

The timing of these petitions is still being determined, but the petition process won’t begin until late January. In an effort to act quickly, we are sharing this information now. Faculty will grade as they normally would and the change would be made by the Registrar’s Office if the petition is filed and processed.

To implement this, we need to identify any courses or programs that need to be exempted from this plan so that our Information Resources and Technology (IRT) team can exclude them from the process. Since it is so late in the semester, we need that information by midnight on Sunday, Dec. 6 in order for IRT to get their work completed before grade rosters are available on Friday, Dec.11 (a hard deadline). I have asked the Deans to work with departments to get that information.

I know this decision is late in the semester and feels rushed. However, given the circumstances and timing of the receipt of information, it is what we must do to address the needs of our students.

Thank you again for all you continue to do to support our students, each other, and our region. You are truly making a difference.

Take care,
Steve Perez
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

End of Fall 2020 Semester and Realistic Expectations

November 13, 2020

Hi everyone,

As we head into the end of the semester, I want to take a minute and reach out to you all. We have almost made it through a very different semester thanks to the work you all have done to keep our students’ success at the forefront of all we do. Thanks to that work and support, our students have been able to be successful in their classes, retention rates are at a high, and we’ve been able to do it in a relatively safe and healthy environment. We continue to have obstacles ahead of us that will challenge our abilities. With the same type of commitment and care, we will overcome them. Thank you to you all.

At the same time, we need to guard against stretching ourselves so thin to the point of over stress or illness and/or being unable to support our students and each other. We rightfully hold ourselves to very high standards both personally and in our ARTP processes. We should have high standards, because we can do great things. But, we must not forget that our current environment presents challenges to everyone and these challenges are experienced differently by each individual and may impact an individual’s ability to reach their own high expectations and those in our ARTP policies. So, while we should not change our long-term standards for success, we should also be flexible in our expectations during these difficult times.

As we are into the season for ARTP review, I want to remind you of the message that I sent on July 28. In that message, I addressed what I know are concerns for many of our probationary faculty, the challenges that they may encounter in meeting the traditional standards for evaluation. Again, these are very difficult times; certainly, the most difficult times that our campus has faced in its history. The criteria that departments have developed for tenure and promotion serve as a pathway for your career. However, the criteria were developed for a different time and what we would normally like to do or want to do may not be possible.

If you are reviewing files, please remember that the last nine months are unlike anything that we have seen as a campus and realize that many of us are working in a space and time that are exceedingly challenging. This is a time to support each other.

While those reviewing files are likely already aware of the challenges, if you are still in the process of preparing your files, I hope that you will take the time to explain how COVID has affected your work. If you have already submitted your file, please take advantage of the opportunities afforded to you in our policies that allow you to respond to evaluations if you feel that the impact of COVID was not sufficiently explained in your file. As you plan for the next months and years, I ask you to discuss with your Chair and Dean and develop an understanding of what you can expect to accomplish and what you may need to adjust accordingly. It is very important to have honest and open discussions. In these discussions, talk about expectations and try to identify areas where you are continuing to progress and where COVID will hinder your progress.

Those involved in these discussions with your colleagues, continue to be cognizant of the differential impact that the global pandemic has on different people. Some of our colleagues may not be as productive in their scholarship or service areas as they might have hoped prior to the pandemic. That being said, we want to continue to support our evergreen priorities of student success, inclusion and antiracism, and anchor institution activities.

To all of our faculty, it is the time of year to reflect on our shared experiences. You have moved mountains and done what we would have previously thought to be impossible. Please share the pride that I have in what we have been able to provide our students, each other, and our region; finish the semester strong; and take time to interact with people you love.

As always, thank you for the support you show our students and each other, Steve.

Steve Perez
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Global Entrepreneurship Week 2020-Week of Innovation & Entrepreneurship

November 9, 2020

Greetings Hornet Family,

We hope that this email finds you well and gearing up for a great week.

We at the Carlsen Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship are excited about the jam-packed week of virtual programming we have put together for this year's Global Entrepreneurship Week. Global Entrepreneurship Week takes place from November 16th through 20th and is a week-long celebration of innovation and entrepreneurship, which takes place in communities around the globe. At Sacramento State, we are excited to have partnered with Western Health Advantage to bring a full week of events, activities, competitions, and networking focused on innovation & entrepreneurship.

This year we are proud to have partnered with all the Colleges on campus as well as community partners to bring 22 virtual events and activities your way. Be sure to learn more about your College's event below as well as the host of regional events we have taking place.

We hope to see you for this virtual celebration. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the Carlsen Center at carlsen.center@csus.edu.

Thank you,
Steve Perez
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Register for GEW Events.

Covid Self-reporting

November 2, 2020

Hi everyone,

I hope you are all doing well. During these challenging times, it is sometimes hard to know what to do when facing an unfamiliar situation. As faculty and staff in Academic Affairs, we are often the first to come into contact with students, and a student may tell you they think they have COVID or have been exposed. A natural reaction is to tell others about this information in an effort to take care of others. However, in so doing, you may inadvertently share private medical information and/or make contact tracing more difficult.

Please do not share COVID information about students or anyone with other people. If someone tells you they have COVID or suspect they have been exposed, refer the person to this link (https://sacstateshcs.wufoo.com/forms/covid19-illnessexposure-report/) so they can self-report to Student Health and Counseling Services. Student Health and Counseling Services will reach out to the person and determine the appropriate next steps as well as who else should be contacted. If other students in a class need to be notified, SHCS will notify the other students.

Thank you for all you do to support our students and each other,

Steve

Take Care of Ourselves and Each Other

October 15, 2020

Hi everyone:

I hope this email finds you doing well. We are almost through the first half of the semester and I want to take a moment to reach out to you all with this video. You are all doing incredible things to help our students and each other be successful. But, more importantly we are here to support each other. In these very difficult times, please be sure to recognize in yourself, as I have, that you may need support from others. And please recognize when others may need support from you. We will get through the multiple crises we are facing, and we will do it together.

Thank you for all you do to support each other, Steve.

Steve Perez
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Anti-Racism Planning

October 6, 2020

Dear Colleagues,

Sacramento State has committed to a collective process for the creation of an Antiracism and Inclusive Campus plan. As part of this process, seven Action Planning Groups will be established based on the framework. Please follow this link to learn more about the Antiracism and Inclusive Campus Plan framework. In order to make sure campus-wide representation, we are now extending an additional invitation to staff (i.e., non-MPP) to apply to serve on several Action Planning Groups that still need additional members. Applications are due by Sunday, October 11th.

In particular, we are looking for additional staff representatives to serve on the following six Action Planning Groups with the number of additional members needed indicated in the parenthetical:

• Mattering and Affirming (3)
• Cross-Racial and Inclusive Engagement (2)
• Antiracism Learning and Literacy (4)
• Encounters with Racial Stress and Bias (3)
• Institutional Commitment (2)
• Impact on and of the Sacramento Region (4)

Staff members serving on an Action Planning Group are asked to attend the following orientation and planning sessions:

Planning Sessions
Fri., Oct. 23, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Orientation/Planning Session
Fri., Nov. 6, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Planning Session
Fri., Dec. 4, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Planning Session
Fri., Jan. 22, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Planning Session
Fri., Feb. 19, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Planning Session
Fri., Mar. 19, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Planning Session
Fri., Apr. 23, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Planning Session

The Cabinet will ensure that selected candidates will be supported and allowed the required time for participation by their supervisors. Please use this link to access and complete the application.

Please consider applying to serve in this important role on campus.

Thank you.

Steve Perez
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Convocation Reminder

September 23, 2020

Dear Colleagues,

Thank you for all you have done to help get us through the first three weeks of the semester and set us up for success. I want to remind you again that the Fall Virtual Convocation is scheduled for Tuesday, September 29, 2020 from 1:00 to 5:30. The theme for the Convocation is Advancing our Commitment to Antiracism. While we face numerous challenges from all directions, the Convocation gives us the opportunity to come together to listen, learn, and grow.

As you know, we have the opportunity to learn from two keynote presentations from Dr. Ibram X. Kendi and Dr. Shaun Harper. Additionally, there several great breakout sessions that will be lead by our colleagues. Please take the opportunity to join me at the Convocation and share this information with your students.

It is important to know that if you are interested in attending, you will need to register and that the deadline for registration has been extended to September 27^th. Please visit the Convocation website for more information.

In accordance with University policy, students should not be penalized for attending the Convocation if their classes are not dismissed. It is my sincere hope, however, that we will all be focused on the Convocation and collectively commit to advancing antiracism at Sacramento State.

Again, thank you for all you do to support our students, each other, and our region. The Convocation represents a crucial opportunity for us to come together and continue to build the campus community we all want.

Steve Perez
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Feedback Regarding Interim Policies and Procedures

September 14, 2020

Hi Colleagues:

We’ve made it through the first two weeks, and I want to thank you for all you’ve done to provide a great education in these unbelievably difficult times. What you are doing is truly amazing and I can’t say how much I appreciate it.

I received feedback from my email regarding the interim syllabus policy and procedures put in place due to the pandemic. This feedback came in two themes: the timing of the message right before the semester began and the desire to require the use of WebCams to facilitate exam proctoring. If you would prefer to watch a video with this information, here is a link. In that video, I refer to an article in the Chronicle of Higher Education that you can access here.

I’m sorry I couldn’t share the information sooner. It would have been much better to have gotten it to you earlier. Unfortunately, under the circumstances, I got the information to you as soon as possible. Again, I’m sorry it wasn’t sooner.

I also wish I had shared more context regarding the reasoning for the restriction against requiring WebCam usage to help you understand that decision along with the interim syllabus policy. Under normal circumstances we could have had widespread discussion regarding the impact of the policies. So, let me provide more context and initiate that widespread discussion.

In short, requiring WebCams is an equity issue exacerbated by our students’ needs and the challenges they face during the pandemic. We should explore all alternatives for our students including looking into the logistics of operating a testing center on campus. We want all of our students to have the opportunity for success in our classes. It may not be possible for some students to be in front of a computer with access to high band width internet and ensure there are no technical or personal interruptions. In order to treat all students equitably, a solution is to not require WebCams and to assess our student learning through a lower bandwidth methodology where possible.

Having said that, we need to balance meeting students’ needs and ensuring they are learning the course objectives. I am very sympathetic to the difficulties you are facing due to the pandemic and changes in how we interact with our students (among what seem like infinite other challenges). In some instances, it may be impossible to adequately assess our students’ learning without actively observing them. As such, we have allowed waivers for WebCam use to be granted by the department chair and college dean.

I understand there remains consternation regarding proctoring of exams using Zoom when students don’t enable WebCams and when internet connections are unreliable. As such, I believe it is worth considering what possibilities should be allowed, and this discussion is properly situated in the Faculty Senate (as the elected body of the faculty) with input from Associated Students, Inc. (as the elected body of the students). While we have these conversations, I will ask that all possible solutions include a viable alternative to students who do not have reliable high-speed internet connections and/or decline to use WebCams.

I’d like the discussions described above to occur very soon and we will explore the logistics of opening a testing center to allow students to reserve a time to take a proctored exam in person on campus. In the interim, if a faculty member cannot transition the assessment for a given course to one that does not require all students to have reliable internet and to use a WebCam, the faculty member can submit a request through the normal University process for campus access to proctor the exam for those students in a computer lab.

These types of discussions represent what makes Sacramento State such a great place. They include the perspectives of everyone with the aim to find the best solution while taking into consideration everyone’s needs and exhibiting care for each other.

Thank you again for all you to do support our students, each other, and our region.

Steve Perez
Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs

2019-2020 Faculty Equity Program

September 4, 2020

Dear Faculty Colleagues:

On September 17, 2019, President Nelsen announced that Cabinet approved a $500,000 equity program for faculty. The Office of Faculty Advancement (OFA) and the Capitol Chapter of the California Faculty Association (CFA) began working on a program to address equity concerns immediately. The COVID-19 situation did require these discussions to be placed on the back burner for a few months. This summer, upon returning to the discussions, OFA and CFA were able to develop the 2019-20 Faculty Equity Program as described below. The program was submitted to and approved by Provost Perez and President Nelsen.

There are two components to the program, one addressing lecturers and the other tenured faculty and are retroactive to the beginning of the 2019-20 academic year. Please see below for details of the components.

The estimated total cost from the components is $358,500/yr. The remainder of the $500,000 commitment goes toward projected benefits costs associated with the increases (as in past equity programs).

The Office of Faculty Advancement has posted some FAQs about the 2019-20 Equity Program on their website.

I would like to thank our colleagues from the Capitol Chapter of the California Faculty Association and the team in the Office of Faculty Advancement for working so carefully and collegially on this program.

Sincerely,

Steve Perez

Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs

********************

Lecturers

The program will address faculty who have been teaching at Sacramento State for a long time and have not yet reached the SSI maximum. The goal is to move them toward eligibility for a Range Elevation.

Eligibility:

As of Spring 2019, lecturers need to have been in the same rank for 12 or more semesters. Those who were reviewed for range elevation in 2019-20 are excluded from eligibility; if not granted range elevation, they will then be eligible for this program.

Program:

Lecturers meeting the requirement will have their base salary adjusted up toward the SSI Maximum, capped at a) the amount needed to bring them to the SSI Max or b) a base salary increase of $2650/year, whichever is lower.

Faculty at less than a 1.0 timebase will have their salary adjusted proportionally to their work assignment.

Impact:

Estimated annual cost: $234,000 (based on projection of their 2019-20 workload in subsequent years).

Tenured Faculty

The program will address tenured faculty who have an inversion of salary within their department, or a potential inversion upon promotion of a colleague of lower rank. Prior equity programs have left few actual inversions within a rank, but there remain potential inversions (i.e. a 9% raise of an associate professor will lead to an inversion for an existing full professor).

Eligibility:

Actual Inversion - A faculty member who is an associate or full professor that has a colleague in the same department with a base salary (academic year) higher than theirs.

Potential Inversion - A faculty member who is an associate or full professor with a department colleague of a lower rank (who has been in that rank for less than 8 years) who projects to have a base salary (academic year) inversion upon factoring in the impact of a 9% promotion raise to the lower-ranked faculty member.

Program:

Tenured faculty meeting the requirements will have their base salary adjusted by a) the amount required to eliminate the inversion (or potential inversion) or b) a base salary increase of $2650/year, whichever is lower. For those individuals with actual and potential inversions, the program will address the potential inversion as in all cases it is the larger of the two.

Impact:

Estimated annual cost: $121,500 to base salaries. There is an additional ~$3000 of costs due to the way base salary factors into the appointments of department chairs.

***************************

Advancing Our Commitment to Antiracism Convocation

August 26, 2020

Dear Faculty Colleagues,

I hope you, your loved ones, and friends are safe and healthy during this chaotic time. As you develop your course schedule and assignments for your Fall 2020 classes, I want to remind you that the Fall Virtual Convocation is scheduled for Tuesday, September 29, 2020 from 1:00 to 5:30. The theme for the Convocation is Advancing our Commitment to Antiracism. As President Nelsen articulated in his May 30th message to campus, “we must all commit to this work and commit to holding one another accountable for our actions (and inactions) that perpetuate racism, hate, bias, and violence in our communities and our country.” I encourage you to see the upcoming Convocation as relevant and valuable for your professional development and important to our students, no matter the course or area of study. I recommend that you attend the Convocation and not just suspend classes on that day, but also integrate the event into your curriculum.

In addition to several helpful breakout sessions, many of which are being facilitated by your faculty colleagues, the Convocation will include two keynote presentations from Dr. Ibram X. Kendi and Dr. Shaun Harper. Additional information about the keynotes is provided below. If you are in need of equity, inclusion, and/or antiracism resources as you develop course content or assignments related to the Convocation some materials that may be useful have been compiled here.

Ibram X. Kendi is the National Book Award-winning, New York Times bestselling author, and Director of the Boston University Center for Antiracist Research. Professor Kendi is the author of several books including Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America and How to be an Antiracist. Additional information about Professor Kendi can be found here.

Shaun Harper is the Provost Professor of Management and Organization and the Executive Director of the Race & Equity Center at the University of Southern California. Dr. Harper is a prolific scholar who studies racial, gender, and LGBT issues in a range of institutional environments and is the current President of the American Educational Research Association. Dr. Harper’s scholarship includes serving as the principal researcher for the National Assessment of Collegiate Campus Climates (NACCC), a survey specifically designed to understand the racial climate on college campuses. Additional information about Dr. Harper can be found here.

In accordance with University policy, students should not be penalized for attending the Convocation if their classes are not dismissed. It is my sincere hope, however, that we will all be focused on the Convocation on Tuesday, September 29th and collectively commit to advancing antiracism at Sacramento State.

Steve Perez
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Emergency Policies and Procedures

August 26, 2020

Dear faculty colleagues,

Under normal circumstances I would be sending you a welcome message for the new semester with the hope that you all had a restful and productive summer. As you know, these are not normal circumstances. The smoke is covering our region, the COVID-19 global pandemic has changed how we operate, and ongoing acts of racism and violence have once again highlighted the differences in the lived experiences of our students, our colleagues, and our friends on our campus. We have a lot of work to do and I have every confidence that we can continue to provide our students with access to a high-quality education while working to build Sacramento State into an antiracist campus.

We have developed a one-stop information site to answer all COVID related questions. Please look through it for answers to commonly asked questions and let us know if there is something that is not covered.

We have transitioned approximately 95% of our course sections to a fully virtual learning experience for the fall semester. Approximately 800 of you participated in Summer Camp to enhance your skills in this new virtual teaching environment, and I am sure that almost everyone has had to rethink how you will deliver your courses this fall. We have worked hard over the summer to prepare for the fall semester. As you make final preparations for classes to begin, I want to make you aware of some interim policies made necessary by our current circumstances. Over the past month, Academic Affairs has worked with the Faculty Senate Executive Committee to develop an interim Syllabus Policy and some additional emergency procedures to follow while we continue to navigate the impact of COVID-19.

There are two main goals of both this policy and these procedures: to maximize the amount of communication to our students in a consistent way and to minimize the impacts COVID-19 can have on our students, often in differential ways.

The interim syllabus policy can be found here. As you can see, there are several pieces of information that will need to be added to all syllabi to ensure that our students have consistent information about how you will manage your course(s). There are also some additional expectations for courses that offer some face-to-face content or experience.

The policy suggests language regarding resources available to students in need and/or in crisis along with expectations regarding health safety measures and suggestions of how to respond to students who do not follow these measures.

As faculty, you are often the first line of response for students in need and you are often the first to know when a student is unwell. Please review this information and familiarize yourself with what resources are available to help our students. Additionally, it is worth reinforcing how you should respond if a student (or anyone else on campus) reports to you that they have tested positive for COVID-19. For many of us, me included, our natural reaction will be to notify as many people as possible to be sure that everyone has this information. However, in doing so, you would violate the privacy of your student by sharing private medical information. Instead, please immediately report the information to Student Health and Counseling Services using this form. Student Health and Counseling Services will follow up with the student and determine what needs to be done and who needs to be notified. This chart provides directives for employees who are experiencing symptoms, have been exposed, or who have tested positive for COVID-19.

We also developed emergency procedures (detailed at the end of this message) to:

• Significantly limit the requirement of live access to our students’ webcams to protect privacy and equity for our students;
• Control how students add courses after the beginning of the semester to limit the number of people in a face-to-face component of a course and allow faculty to communicate how to access virtual components of a course; and
• Establish Canvas as the central place for students to go for course information and materials to minimize confusion in the event that a course or the campus must change strategies during the semester.

Normally, we would not develop policy and procedures related to instruction in the summer before the semester begins. However, given that these policies and procedures are necessary for the start of the semester we determined it was critical in order to have this information available as you make the final adjustments to your courses. I want to thank the Faculty Senate Executive Committee for their work. This type of collaboration and commitment shows what we can do when we unite in support of our mission. Given the timing of the release of this policy, I know that some items may not be as easy to implement into the work that you’ve already put into your class syllabus as others. Those items that do not naturally fit into your syllabus can be distributed as a supplement or attachment to the syllabus so that this important information gets to the students. If it’s helpful to have something to work from, here is a template that includes possible language.

We have also worked collaboratively with the California Faculty Association and entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding return to work protocols. The MOU provides additional guidance on how to address COVID-19 related concerns you may face following your return to campus.

As I said at the beginning, we have a lot of work to do. If we keep our mission and values in mind as we do this work, we can continue to provide our students access to a high-quality higher education and work towards building Sacramento State into an antiracist University.

Thank you for all you do to support our students, each other, and our community,

Steve Perez
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

******************************

Emergency Procedures for the Length of the Current COVID-19 Pandemic-Related Complications

I. To support student privacy and for equity reasons, students shall not be required by faculty to allow live access to a webcam. This includes proctoring, discussion, class sessions, office hours, or other consultation. Courses (or departments) that must require live access to a webcam for course pedagogy (e.g. American Sign Language courses, theater and dance courses) must obtain an exception from the Department Chair and College Dean before the start of the semester.

II. Adding Courses: Students who want to add a specific course (either virtually or face to face) and are not currently enrolled in that specific course cannot “crash” courses without instructor permission. Students wishing to add that course must contact the faculty member (or department) to request permission from the instructor.

III. Canvas Course Requirements: Sacramento State requires that all courses be published and available to enrolled students via Canvas at the start of the semester. It is required that faculty email their students once the Canvas course is published and available to them in an effort to encourage students to visit the Canvas course.

A. Within the Canvas course, the following must be made available to students:

1. Course syllabus with required components (see Interim Course Syllabus policy),

2. The instructor’s name, CSUS contact information (email address and/or phone number), regularly scheduled office hours and other ways the student may interact with the instructor outside of class,

3. Course materials (e.g. course readings, assignments)

B. Within the Canvas course, it is strongly encouraged that faculty

1. Establish a complete and regularly updated gradebook to ensure that if the instructor or other course staff become ill or are under quarantine, an accurate record of all assignment scores will be accessible

2. Ensure that assignments can be reliably collected and graded, and course grades computed and submitted, even if the instructor or other course staff become ill or are quarantined.

Archive of Provost Communications

• Fall 2021
• Summer 2021
• Spring 2021
• Fall 2020
• Summer 2020
• Spring 2020
• Fall 2019
• Summer 2019
• Spring 2019