Kevan Shafizadeh Appointed Dean, College of Engr'ing & Computer Science

May 25, 2022

After a nationwide search and in concurrence with President Nelsen, it’s my great pleasure to announce that Dr. Kevan Shafizadeh has been selected as the Dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science. Dr. Shafizadeh joined the Hornet family in 2004 as an Assistant Professor in Civil Engineering. He chaired that department from 2012 through 2015, became Interim Associate Dean in 2016 and served as Associate Dean from 2016 to 2021. He has been acting as Interim Dean of the College since April 2021.

Dr. Shafizadeh holds a Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Washington, an M.S. and B.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from U.C. Davis. In the leadership development realm, he completed the Executive Leadership Academy at U.C. Berkeley.

Professionally, Dr. Shafizadeh remains a member of the regional and national engineering community. He is distinguished Fellow of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), and a member of the national Transportation Research Board (TRB) where he has served as a member of several national technical committees and external advisory boards. For over five years, he served as the Technical Director of California’s Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) Center, a Caltrans-funded program administered through Sacramento State, which provides training and technical assistance to local transportation agencies throughout the state. He continues to serve as a volunteer program evaluator for ABET, the accreditation body for university engineering and computer science programs.

As Interim Dean, Dr. Shafizadeh successfully led the college though a challenging period, including: a 6-year ABET accreditation review of six undergraduate programs, a migration of college computing systems with University Information Resources Technology (IRT) as mandated by a Chancellor’s Office audit to close potential security vulnerabilities, the development of a summer grant program for low-income students adversely impacted by the pandemic, the resurrection of its college Industrial Advisory Board (IAB), the formation of a College Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Task Force, and the launch of a College Corporate Sponsorship Program – all of which occurred during the pandemic.

As Associate Dean, Dr. Shafizadeh established a college Student Success Center with one-stop integrated advising, tutoring, counseling, internship/career services, and other student services. He advised for the student-led ECS Joint Council, which hosted its annual Exposition, a community and outreach event attended by thousands every year. Dr. Shafizadeh also established a college-wide Senior Design Project Showcase for all undergraduate and graduate programs – both in in-person and virtual formats. He established, developed, and taught a professional development seminar to help boost job placement rate after graduation.

Due to these impressive accomplishments, Dr. Shafizadeh is well prepared to continue leading the College of Engineering and Computer Science, with its five academic departments, six undergraduate programs, six graduate programs, three centers, serving nearly 5,000 students. Please join me in congratulating Dr. Kevan Shafizadeh as he leads the faculty, staff and students of the College of Engineering and Computer Science to even more remarkable successes!

Sincerely,
Carlos Nevarez
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs (interim)

Tasha Souza Appointed Vice Provost, Faculty Success

May 25, 2022

After a nationwide search, and in concurrence with President Nelsen, it is my great pleasure to announce that Dr. Tasha Souza has been selected as Vice Provost, Faculty Success. Dr. Souza is the Founder and Director of the BUILD Program (Boise State Uniting for Inclusion and Leadership in Diversity), which enables faculty and staff to gain specific knowledge and skills to contribute to a more welcoming, inclusive, and equitable environment at Boise State University. Dr. Souza will begin her position on July 15, 2022.

Dr. Souza’s other roles have included full Professor of Communication, Associate Director for Inclusive Excellence, Faculty Associate for Inclusive Classrooms, Co-Director of the Institute for the Study of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ISADR), Fulbright scholar at the University of the West Indies in Barbados, and Founder of the Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning at Humboldt State University where she was a faculty member for 15 years. She has taught, facilitated, and consulted in the broad areas of communication, inclusion, and pedagogy at dozens of universities and various organizations both domestically and abroad. Tasha has published in such areas as difficult dialogues, addressing microaggressions with micro resistance, and intercultural conflict.

Dr. Souza has received several awards for her teaching and inclusion work including the Inclusive Excellence Award for her campus DEI efforts, the Outstanding Faculty Award recognizing successful efforts serving students with disabilities, the Teaching Tolerance Recognition Award for her inclusive teaching efforts, and the In Her Footsteps Teaching Award for teaching that empowers women.

Dr. Souza holds a Ph.D. in Communication Studies with an emphasis in both Instructional Communication and Gender, Culture, and Communication from the University of Washington (1998). She also is a proud graduate of the CSU system, having earned an MA (1994) and BS (1992) in Communication Studies from San Jose State University.

Finally, please join me in thanking Dr. William DeGraffenreid for his service as interim Vice Provost for Faculty Success. Bill has led the Office of Faculty Advancement since July 2019, during the uncertainty of the pandemic and the rapidly changing conditions that faced our campus with instruction modalities and faculty activities. We are most appreciative of Bill's commitment to Sacramento State. Bill will serve as Special Assistant to the Provost through summer 2022.

Please join me in welcoming Dr. Tasha Souza to the Hornet Family.

Sincerely,
Carlos Nevarez
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs (interim)

Mary Maguire Appointed Dean, College of Health and Human Services

May 19, 2022

After a nationwide search and with the concurrence of President Nelsen, it’s my great pleasure to announce that Dr. Mary Maguire has been selected as the Dean of the College of Health and Human Services. Dr. Maguire joined the Hornet family in 2005 as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Criminal Justice. She chaired that Division for five years beginning in January of 2013, and became Associate Dean of the College in 2017. She has been acting as interim Dean of the College since February 2021.

Before coming to Sacramento State, Dr. Maguire earned her Master’s in Social Work and a Ph.D. in Social Work and Social Research from Portland State University. She also holds a Master of Arts degree in Psychology from Lindenwood University, and a Bachelor of Science degree in English from William Woods University. In the leadership development realm, she is a graduate of Harvard’s Management Development Program and the HERS Leadership Institute.

Professionally, Dr. Maguire has served as the past President of the Western Society of Criminology, and received the J.D. Lohman Award for Outstanding Service to that organization. She has several presentations and publications to her credit, and also received an Outstanding Teaching award from Sacramento State.

In building the Center for Health Practice, Policy, and Research, Dr. Maguire amplifies the life-changing work of the College in the region through annual conferences focused on critical issues of public health such as addiction and homelessness. In addition, she has led the charge to create new programs including a doctorate in Audiology, a Master’s in Public Health and a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality. To advance those aspiring to enter the College's highly competitive nursing program, Dr. Maguire created a pathway with the launch of the Health Science meta degree.

During her nearly 17 years at Sacramento State, Dr. Maguire has built unshakable alliances and served the entire campus and community. Most importantly, her focused efforts and extensive experience proves her commitment to true access to education for all and dedication to joining with the University to forge an anti-racist campus.

Due to these impressive accomplishments, Dr. Maguire is well prepared to lead the College of Health and Human Services, with its nine departments and approximately 7,500 majors. From the awarding of bachelor’s degrees to doctorates, the College is meeting the needs of the Sacramento region and transforming students’ lives through efforts such as new degree programs and dramatic improvements in graduation rates. Please join me in congratulating Dr. Mary Maguire as she leads the faculty, staff and students of the College of Health and Human Services to even more remarkable successes!


Sincerely,
Carlos Nevarez
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs (interim)

Academic Affairs Personnel Update

May 10, 2022

As we transition to the end of the semester, I want to let you know about some transitions in Academic Affairs.

First, I would like to thank Dr. Christine Miller for serving as Interim Vice Provost, Student Success. Dr. Miller has been helpful in the Office of the Provost over the past few years as we dealt with the uncertainty of the pandemic and other unforeseen situations. Going forward, Dr. Miller will serve as Special Assistant to the Provost through the summer, working on a project that aligns with our university imperatives.

Dr. David Zeigler, Department of Mathematics and Statistics and Director of Undergraduate Studies, will transition to Interim Vice Provost, Student Success, effective May 13, 2022.

As Director of Undergraduate Studies, Dr. Zeigler has been active with the Course Redesign Program and the campus conversion to the Civitas Student Planner. He helped to raise over $5 million in grants last year to help increase the number of Latinx and low-income students graduating with science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) degrees. Professor Zeigler is also active supporting the Math Tutoring Buddies Program, a partnership with teachers at regional high schools to promote a positive culture of mathematics through personalized tutoring and mentoring for students who may not have access to these resources.

Prior to the Directorship, Dr. Zeigler served as Chair of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics from 2015 - 2021. As Chair, David worked closely with faculty and programs across campus for a successful implementation of EO 1110, which called for the elimination of remedial English and Mathematics in the CSU. Results from this work were featured in an article in the Los Angeles Times. He worked with faculty in the Math and English Departments to launch a new Early Start model that has been adopted by several other CSU campuses.

David is a graduate of the Sacramento State University Inclusive Leadership Academy and the Executive Leadership Academy at the University of California, Berkeley. He has also earned a CSU Certificate in Student Success Analytics and is completing his inaugural year as a Community Development Fellow with the Advanced Computing for Social Change Institute. David has been active with the Middle Leadership Academy (MLA) since 2017, the inaugural year. He has led two teams on eliminating equity gaps in the CSU.

As always, I am grateful for all your hard work and for all that you do to further student success.

Sincerely,
Carlos Nevarez
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs (interim)

Dean William Cordeiro to Retire

May 10, 2022

After 34 years in the CSU system and 4 years at Sacramento State, Dr. William Cordeiro, Dean, College of Business, will retire as of July 1, 2022.

Prior to coming to Sac State, Dean Cordeiro was a professor at Cal State Los Angeles, a founding faculty member of CSU Channel Islands, and Dean of the Martin V. Smith School of Business & Economics at Channels Islands. Prior to Cal State LA, Bill studied with Peter Drucker – often called the “Father of Modern Management.” With Dean Cordeiro at the helm, the College of Business recently received its five-year reaccreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. The College also recently created two new degree programs, the Master of Science in Finance and the Master of Science in Business Analytics, and revitalized the Business Advisory Council. Dr. Cordeiro has positioned the College well for the future, as it plans to accept 800 new students in August and graduate about 900 students per year. The College has also increased its fundraising efforts, doubling the number of student scholarships it awards to over $250,000 annually. When Bill arrived at Sac State, it was the only business school among the 23 CSU campuses that didn’t have departments. It now has six departments. The College also placed all of its graduate programs, which were previously scattered across the COB, under one director and established two permanent associate dean positions. Ultimately, Bill led the efforts to create a framework for future success that will continue long after his departure.

Please join me in thanking Bill for his tremendous leadership and contributions to the system and this campus as he enjoys his well-deserved retirement. Congratulations and best wishes to Bill and his wife, Marie!

Dr. Jaydeep Balakrishnan, Associate Dean for Faculty Support, has been appointed Interim Dean for the College of Business. His appointment will be effective July 1, 2022.

Dr. Balakrishnan has been the Associate Dean for Faculty Support in the College of Business since September 2019. Previously, he was a faculty member for nearly three decades in the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary in Canada, where he also served as associate dean, area chair, and director of the Canadian Centre for Advanced Supply Chain Management and Logistics.

Dr. Balakrishnan has presented papers at various international conferences, co‐written two textbooks on operations and supply chain management, and has published nearly fifty articles on operations and supply chain management and other topics. Jaydeep has been recognized for his outstanding teaching, scholarship and research and has provided workshops to professionals and academics internationally.

Jaydeep has been a visiting teaching and research scholar in engineering management at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and a visiting associate professor at the National University of Singapore Business School. He also has taught courses at the Warsaw School of Economics in Poland, and at Sharif University in Iran.

Dr. Balakrishnan holds a Ph.D. in operations management from Indiana University-Bloomington, an M.B.A. from the University of Georgia and a B.E. in mechanical engineering from the Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, India. He is also certified in production and inventory management by ASCM.

Sincerely,
Carlos Nevarez
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs (interim)

Curriculum Redesign Grants: Achieving Equitable Outcomes

April 20, 2022

The Office of Undergraduate Studies is soliciting requests for funding to support efforts by academic programs to enhance student success and to achieve equitable outcomes. Faculty may request up to $40,000 for curricular redesign. Funds may be used for initiatives designed to reduce DFW rates, to build an anti-racist curriculum, to develop anti-racist pedagogy, to foster intercultural competency, or any other strategy that could to be shown as likely to promote significant improvement in academic outcomes for undergraduate students, especially those historically marginalized by race, ethnicity, class, gender, and gender identity. Monies could be used for assigned time, summer stipends, faculty development, outside consultants, and the like. Programs would be encouraged to draw from and develop disciplinary knowledge. Proposals may focus on a single course or on a series of courses in a program. They may come from individual faculty, or from teams of faculty in a discipline. As the grants are one-time, they will fund proposals that promise transformational change without continued expense.

Timetable:

• Proposals are due no later than 5:00 PM on May 9, 2022.
• Notification of awards will be made by May 19, 2022.
• Funds become available July 1, 2022 and, except for assessment, must be spent by August 30, 2023.
• Redesigned course(s) will be available for student enrollment no later than Fall semester 2023.
• Assessment report due to Undergraduate Studies during Spring semester 2024.

Selection Criteria: Proposals may be made

• To redesign a course or sequence of courses to reduce high DFW rates.
• To redesign a course or sequence of courses to reduce significant equity gaps in outcomes.

Both proposals and assessment reports must reference DFW rates and/or equity gaps as published by the Office of Institutional Research, Effectiveness, and Planning.

Application Materials: Applications must contain the following supporting documentation.

• Project Narrative (2 pages), including
  o A description of the problem to be solved
  o A discussion of the significance of the problem for student success
  o A proposed solution
  o A pathway for sustainable implementation
  o A plan for assessment and assessment reporting

• Budget (1 page), including an explanatory narrative. (Assessment and reporting must be included in the budget).
• Statement from the department chair (1 page) that assesses departmental buy-in and estimates impact of proposal, if implemented, on student success in an academic program or programs.

Proposal Submission Process: Find and complete the application here: https://www.csus.edu/undergraduate-studies/. Upload the Application Materials (PDF) and submit by 5:00 PM on Monday, May 9, 2022.

Award Selection: An Advisory Committee consisting of faculty from each of the colleges will review and rank the proposals in three categories--impact, feasibility, and potential for success—and recommend proposals to the Dean of Undergraduate Studies for funding.

Questions: Contact the Office of Undergraduate Studies, 8-5344 or james.german@csus.edu.

Information on Sacramento State’s Summer Reset 2022

April 15, 2022

Purpose of CO Funded Program: To help continuing students who enrolled in but did not complete a critical pathway course with a C- or better during AY 2021-22 get back on track to timely degree completion.

Funding: The Chancellor’s Office has provided significant one-time funding for summer financial aid to support campus student success initiatives that align with the goals of GI 2025.

• Funding is restricted to state-supported summer instruction.
• Funding is designed to provide financial aid to continuing students to supplement and/or expand existing summer financial assistance.
• Eligible students must have received either Cal Grant or a Middle-Class Scholarship during the regular academic year.

Sacramento State’s Project: Sacramento State will use the funds for a demonstration project called Summer Reset 2022. The project will support students who enrolled in critical pathway courses during the current academic year but did not achieve a grade of C- or higher. State-side sections of these courses will be directly marketed to students who qualify. CO funds will cover the costs of one course for approximately 150 students. Lottery funds may be used to cover roughly 150 more.

Courses: Three criteria came to the forefront:

1. courses with both high enrollments and high DFW rates were favored over those with merely one or the other,
2. Golden Four courses were prioritized over other GE required courses, and
3. courses that are integral to a sequence—i.e. pathway or bottleneck courses—were preferred to those that were one and done.

The final list includes BIO 10, BIOL 25, COMS 4, COMS 5, ENGL 5, MATH 1, MATH 12, and STAT 1. Students who participate in this program may be automatically co-enrolled in Supplemental Instruction.

Faculty Assignment and Compensation: State-side summer instructional appointment counts as “additional work,” so there is no order of assignment. Compensation is calculated the same as self-support: 1/30 of AY salary per WTU. Funds sufficient to cover instructional costs will be transferred to the participating colleges. The funding source is one-time Student Success money from the CO.

Questions: Contact the Office of Undergraduate Studies, 8-5344 or james.german@csus.edu.

Call for Applications - Provost’s Progress to Promotion (P3) Program

April 13, 2022

Dear Faculty,

I am pleased to announce a new program for the 2022-23 academic year to assist our Assistant and Associate Professors as they take on activities that support their path to promotion and advance our campus imperatives. Please see the details below for the Provost’s Progress to Promotion (P3) Program and the link to the application.

Carlos Nevarez
Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Provost’s Progress to Promotion (P3) Program

Goal: The goal of the P3 Program is to assist Assistant and Associate Professors on their path to promotion while also advancing one or more of our campus imperatives with an assigned time award to pursue a project that is otherwise unsupported. Projects may focus on any of the RTP areas: Teaching Effectiveness, Scholarly and Creative Activities, Service to Campus, and Service to Community. We expect to fund approximately 20 awards.

Award Amount:

• 3 WTU of assigned time; may be taken in either semester or split across two terms in the upcoming academic year
• May not be converted into additional employment or professional development funds

Program Conditions:

• Only Assistant and Associate Professors are eligible for this program
• Probationary faculty members in their first two years of appointment are ineligible (e.g. those who started in 2021-22)
• Those Assistant-level faculty members who received an “Invigorating Scholarly Activity” award in 2021-22 are ineligible
• Faculty receiving a sabbatical (e.g. those with an approved sabbatical in 2022-23) are ineligible

Application:

• Applications may be submitted at https://forms.office.com/r/mHmKaykJkB and are due by 5pm Sunday, May 1, 2022
• Application must describe the nature and potential impact of the project
• Applicant must certify that this project is otherwise unsupported (no release time, assigned time, or additional employment during time of award or in preparation for the award)
• Applicant must supply a letter of support from their department chair for the application

Selection:

• Provost Nevarez will convene an ad hoc committee, chaired by the Vice Provost for Faculty Success, to review applications and make award recommendations to the Provost

Criteria:

• How this project benefits the faculty member’s RTP process
• How this project supports our campus imperatives
• The feasibility of this project

Report:

• At the end of the semester when the award is completed, the faculty member must submit a report describing their accomplishments
• Reports will be reviewed and evaluated by the Vice Provost for Faculty Success
• Summary of program results and outcomes will be prepared by the Vice Provost and presented to the Provost for assessing future of the program
• We are considering having a showcase to allow award recipients to share their work with campus; stay tuned for more info
  

Call for Applications - Novel Projects for Professors (NPP) Program

April 13, 2022

Dear Faculty,

I am pleased to announce a new program for the 2022-23 academic year to support our Full Professors as they take on new and novel activities that support our campus imperatives. Please see the details below for the Novel Projects for Professors (NPP) Program and the link to the application.

Carlos Nevarez
Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Novel Projects for Professors (NPP) Program

Goal: The goal of the NPP Program is to assist Full Professors as they take on a new project that is otherwise unsupported which also aligns with one or more of our campus imperatives. Specifically, we are looking to support projects that are new and novel undertakings for the faculty member. Projects may focus on any one or more of the areas of faculty contribution: Teaching Effectiveness, Scholarly and Creative Activities, Service to Campus, and Service to Community. We expect to fund approximately 10 awards.

Award Amount:

• 3 WTU of assigned time; may be taken in either semester or split across two terms in the upcoming academic year.
• May not be converted into additional employment or professional development funds.

Program Conditions:

• Only Full Professors are eligible for this program
• Faculty receiving a sabbatical (e.g. those with approved sabbaticals in 2022-23) are ineligible
• FERP faculty members are not eligible

Application:

• Applications may be submitted at https://forms.office.com/r/fZjeFddnd2 and are due by 5pm on Sunday, May 1, 2022
• Application must describe the nature and potential impact of the project
• Applicant must certify that this project is otherwise unsupported (no release time, assigned time, or additional employment during time of award or in preparation for the award).
• Applicant must supply a letter of support from their department chair for the application.

Selection:

• Provost Nevarez will convene an ad hoc committee, chaired by the Vice Provost for Faculty Success, to review applications and make award recommendations to the Provost.

Criteria:

• How this program will support a novel project or program
• How this program supports our campus imperatives
• The feasibility of this project.

Report:

• At the end of the semester when the award is completed, the faculty member must submit a report describing their accomplishments.
• Reports will be reviewed and evaluated by Vice Provost for Faculty Success.
• Summary of program results and outcomes will be prepared by the Vice Provost and presented to the Provost for assessing future of the program.
• We are considering having a showcase to allow award recipients to share their work with campus; stay tuned for more info

Message from the Provost April 6, 2022

April 6, 2022

To the Academic Affairs Community

Dear Faculty and Academic Affairs Staff and MPPs,

The Hornet family has been affected by the senseless violence that occurred this past weekend in our community. Words cannot begin to express the feelings many of us are experiencing after hearing the news of this tragic event. Once again, our lives have been unsettled, and such disruptions have been exhausting. More than ever, we need to work toward becoming a healing university. Please continue to be sensitive to the ongoing social and emotional needs of your students and support them if they need it.

If appropriate, we can use this tragic incident to stress the importance of mutual respect, compassion, and emphasis on practicing the value of communication. Most importantly, leaving the environment quickly when confronted with an escalating situation should be emphasized.

In the wake of this tragedy, individuals who need support are encouraged to consider the services and resources offered by Sacramento State.

• Students should visit Student Health and Counseling Services online, or call 916-278-6461.
• Sacramento State has counselors ready to support faculty and staff through our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) online, or call 800-367-7474.

Let us send best wishes to our students, their families and all those affected by this terrible incidence of violence.

Carlos Nevarez
Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Sac State's Mask Requirement Will Expire March 18

March 10, 2022

Dear Faculty and Academic Affairs Staff and MPPs,

President Nelsen will be sending the following message to the entire campus community within the next hour, and I wanted to provide you with the opportunity to read the news first before the message is sent to all students and employees.

Carlos Nevarez
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs (interim)
**************************************************************************************

To All Members of the Campus Community:

I am pleased and relieved to report that Sacramento County continues to see a rapid decline in the number of COVID-19 cases, with a case rate of 7.1 (per 100,000), the lowest we have seen since June 2021. Our case rate on campus has steadily dropped, while the number of employees and students reporting that they have received their booster shot is on a very strong uptick. The University’s vaccination rate remains above 96%. The CDC, Cal/OSHA, and Sacramento County Health officials have lifted the face-covering mandate. We began this journey listening to science and to epidemiologists and healthcare officials. Doing so has worked, and we will continue to do so now. Accordingly, consistent with federal, state, and local guidance, face coverings no longer will be required in most places on Sacramento State’s campus and at the downtown facility after Friday, March 18.

I know that this decision will be welcomed with mixed emotions. Some students, faculty, and staff will look forward to coming to campus and being able to greet their colleagues without masks. Others will be concerned about exposure and possibly taking the disease to their homes where there may be small children or persons who are immunocompromised. This transition will not be easy. We must continue to take precautions, including testing weekly those individuals who are not fully vaccinated. COVID-19 has not disappeared. Many will feel the need to continue to wear face coverings, especially in classrooms, to protect themselves and their loved ones. Others simply have become comfortable wearing face coverings. Everyone should feel free to wear face coverings, and no one should be shamed for wearing them.

In accordance with health care official guidelines, face coverings will remain mandatory while riding campus public transportation, such as the Hornet Shuttle, and in the health care facilities, including the Student Health Center in the WELL. We will continue to base these important decisions on local, state, and federal public health guidelines and recommendations, as we have throughout the pandemic.

I am well aware that not everyone is ready to be in public settings without a face covering. Wearing a face covering, particularly a high-quality mask such as an N95, has shown to be one of the best ways to protect ourselves from infection when there are high infection rates. Employees and students can access free N95 masks at several campus locations, such as the Library checkout counter and the University Union information desk. I want to stress that the decision to wear or not to wear a face covering is personal – we will not tolerate disrespect of anyone for their choice.

Of course, COVID-19 has taught us that we must be prepared for things to change. If case rates rise and if health officials recommend a change, we will reinstate the face-covering requirement and other important, relevant precautions.

The best protection against COVID-19 remains being fully vaccinated. As you know, the Chancellor’s Office announced in December that students, staff, and faculty are required to receive booster shots to be fully immunized against COVID-19 and in compliance with the CSU Vaccination Policy. Students, staff, and faculty who are eligible must receive and report their booster by Feb. 28, or six months after receiving their final dose of the initial vaccination, whichever is later.

Currently, the booster policy applies to students, faculty, and all non-represented employees. Represented employees are not subject to the policy until the Chancellor’s Office and labor unions complete the meet-and-confer process. The CFA concluded the meet-and-confer process in January, and the result is that faculty, lecturers, librarians, counselors, and coaches now are subject to the policy. Visit MyTurn.ca.gov to find a clinic near you to schedule your booster. Information about booster eligibility can be found on the CDC website. All students, faculty, and staff should take immediate action to receive their booster as soon as they are eligible, and then promptly update their vaccination information in their Student Center or Employee Center.

I am grateful that we are back together on campus and that campus and local case rates have dropped so dramatically. I continue to be impressed with the care the Hornet Family has taken for one another as we have fought COVID-19 together. I ask that you continue to show the same care for one another as we enter this next phase. Stingers Up!

The Antiracism and Inclusive Convocation

February 11, 2022

The following message is being sent on behalf of the DIvision of Inclusive Excellence:

Esteemed Faculty-

In our effort to spread awareness and foster positive outcomes for this Monday's upcoming Antiracism and Inclusive Convocation, we seek to partner with you to encourage participation at the Convocation. The Convocation offers recommendations for addressing “mattering and affirmation,” curriculum development, faculty and staff retention, and transforming entrenched practices of racism and exclusion.

Our hope is to elevate and reinforce the importance of the classroom experience through this Convocation. We have encouraged students who have registered for the Convocation to print out their registration and share it with their professors, hopefully prior to the event. We believe those who attend will be able to bring back what they have learned and continue to engage in productive discussion and application on becoming an antiracist and inclusive campus.

Students who choose to participate have been encouraged to:

• Talk with your instructors about your plans to participate in the Antiracism & Inclusive Convocation
• Share your confirmation email
• Learn what expectations your professor may have of you regarding Convocation attendance
• Make arrangements to gather notes or other materials on the topics that may be covered in your class(es)

If at any time, the Division of Inclusive Excellence can support you in any way, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.

In partnership,

The Division of Inclusive Excellence

Return to Campus Webinar Panel - February 9, 4:00-5:00 PM

February 7, 2022

Dear Sac State Faculty,

I know that this week marks the first time many of you have been on campus since March of 2020. For others, this week may be the first time that you’ve ever been on campus. Welcome back! We know that there are many, many things on your mind as we enter this new stage. Excitement, nervousness, and uncertainty are all very reasonable emotions to be feeling. Many from Sacramento State have been back on campus for months; many have never left (so many thanks to our facilities and public safety teams). With many folks back after an extended absence, there may be many questions.

Last week, at the monthly Chairs and Directors Meeting, we had the chance to have a panel from Student Health and Counseling, Risk Management, and Academic Labor Relations share with chairs, directors, and deans where we are with our return to campus and to answer questions. It is worthwhile to give faculty the opportunity to participate similarly. So please join me as I welcome Dan Carsel (Director of Health Services, SHCS), Gary Rosenblum (AVP Risk Management), and VeRonica Dupree (Director Academic Labor Relations) on Wednesday, February 9, 4:00-5:00 PM for a panel presentation on Returning to Campus. We are sorry about the short notice, but we wanted to make sure we answered all of your inquiries relating to a safe return to campus.

This webinar will include ASL/English Interpreting and zoom auto transcription will be enabled. Should you require additional accommodations, please reach out to Bill DeGraffenreid, Vice Provost for Faculty Success, at degraff@csus.edu and we will do our best given the tight timeline. This event will be recorded and will posted to the Academic Affairs website on Thursday morning.

Stingers Up!

Carlos

*** Webinar Info ***

You are invited to a Zoom webinar.
When: Feb 9, 2022 04:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Topic: Returning to Campus

Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://csus.zoom.us/j/81727159268
Or One tap mobile :
US: +16699006833,,81727159268# or +12532158782,,81727159268#
Or Telephone:
Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 669 900 6833 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 646 876 9923 or +1 301 715 8592
Webinar ID: 817 2715 9268

Spring 2022 Welcome and Update

January 19, 2022

Dear Faculty and Academic Affairs Staff:

As we anticipate the start of the Spring 2022 semester, I want to acknowledge the resilience, sacrifices, and unwavering determination you have shown to further our academic mission as we navigate the ongoing pandemic. Beyond higher education, our lives have been disrupted in multiple ways. These disruptions can be exhausting, but we can energize each other, and most importantly, our students, by focusing on the ways we quite literally transform lives and families.

The safety and well-being of our campus community continues to be Sacramento State’s top priority. Out of caution and on the advice of our medical experts, most classes and labs will be delivered virtually from January 24 through February 6, and I encourage you to be flexible with students during this remote instruction time. On February 7, we will return to the published class schedule with the vast majority of classes meeting face-to-face.

If the Omicron surge plays out as it has in predicted patterns elsewhere, infections should begin to drop. A model from the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation predicts that new cases in California will crest by midweek. Already, wastewater samples in parts of the Bay Area, including Silicon Valley, Sacramento and San Francisco, show a decline in the presence of the coronavirus over the last 10 days.

This is all good news. Not only does it bode well for our regional and campus communities, but it will allow us to come together again on campus (albeit with face coverings and other safety measures in place). We are stronger when we are together, working in unison to help our students achieve their dreams by preparing them for leadership, service and success.

One way we will work together is to advance our goal of becoming an antiracist and inclusive campus and align with our system-wide and campus equity initiatives. I would like to encourage you to dismiss your classes and make allowance for students to participate in the virtual Convocation on February 14th. We are embarking on co-constructing a future that increases our faculty diversity in all aspects of the word, decreases cultural taxation, and offers an equity-centered academic experience to our students. I am confident we have the right people, the right values, and the right resolve to make diversity, equity, and inclusion a reality at Sac State.

I wish you a successful semester and look forward to reconvening on campus in February as we work together to change our students’ lives.

Carlos Nevarez
Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Happy New Year, Faculty Colleagues!

January 4, 2022

I had hoped my first message to you as Interim Provost wouldn’t bear news of challenges, but that was not to be. Below you will see a message President Nelsen will be sending to all members of the campus community within the hour. It addresses the campus response to expected surges in COVID-19 and its variants. In an effort to minimize the fear and potential danger as the daily rates spike, we have made the decision that most classes and labs will be delivered virtually from Jan. 24 through Feb. 6. On Feb. 7, we will return to the published class schedule with the vast majority of classes face-to-face. Since this campus response includes delaying the start of most in-person instruction, I’d like to provide some information about how to move forward.

First, I encourage you to take advantage of the information provided on the Academic Affairs Academic Continuity Planning webpage. It was developed specifically for circumstances such as this, when the President and Provost deem it appropriate to use an alternative format for teaching and learning for a certain period of time (in this case, the plan is for two weeks). One of the links on that page offers General FAQs for Academic Continuity, and another is specific to the situation we face now--it offers COVID-Related FAQs for Spring 2022. I encourage you to take a look at these resources, and email academicaffairs@csus.edu if you have a question that isn’t addressed.

Second, I want to make clear that some classes will not be switched to remote instruction during this two-week period, so our course offerings will not be 100% online. Those who want to teach in person need to make that request via their department chair, and the dean of the college will review the request. Requests for approval will be determined based on a set of check-in questions that have been provided to the college deans.

Finally, I’d like to emphasize, as President Nelsen does in his message below, that this change in instructional modality is intended to be temporary. You are welcome to come to campus, access your office, and use the classrooms to deliver instruction—IRT has done a fabulous job upgrading classroom technology, and is ready to assist you as needed. Once the two-week remote instruction period is over, all classes will return to the instruction mode published in the class schedule.

This New Year is already requiring us to be flexible and caring as a campus. For faculty, that includes potentially adjusting expectations and requirements in courses during the first two weeks so as to extend the grace and compassion to students that is the hallmark of the teaching profession. Thank you for everything you do to meet the needs of our students as you provide outstanding educational quality to enrich and transform their lives.

Carlos Nevarez
Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

To All Members of the Campus Community:

As we transition into a new era, moving from pandemic to endemic, Sacramento State remains dedicated to its mission of providing our students with an excellent education while maintaining the safety and health not only of our students but also of our faculty and staff. The COVID-19 numbers have been climbing in Sacramento County. We have been in close consultation with county health and other officials. We are confident that these numbers will level off and drop as the semester proceeds. Still, in an effort to minimize the fear and potential danger as the daily rates spike, we have decided that most classes and labs will be delivered virtually from Jan. 24 through Feb. 6. On Feb. 7, we will return to the published class schedule with the vast majority of classes face-to-face.

I want to be clear that the two-week shift to mostly virtual instruction is temporary and that campus will remain open even during the transition. We are committed to being a face-to-face University, but as I said above, we also are committed to keeping all members of the Hornet Family safe and healthy. Thankfully, our semester starts in late January. This temporary two-week period of virtual instruction will allow us to come back together after the projected spikes of the Omicron variant subside. Life truly has been hectic, and we all need time to take a deep breath before resuming our published schedule. We owe it to the students, who have come back to Sacramento or have rented apartments and sometimes left jobs, to be there for them. I am incredibly proud of Sac State’s high rate of vaccination – nearly 96% of our students, staff, and faculty – and individuals with exemptions are testing regularly. Our campus is a safe place to work and learn, thanks to your efforts.
Please take the time to review carefully the updates and clarifications about University operations and efforts underway as we move forward in a way that will ensure the safety of our students, staff, and faculty.

For students:

• Most classes and labs will meet virtually from Jan. 24 through Feb. 6. Students should monitor email and Canvas for messages from their professors with instructions for the first two weeks of class meetings. Classes whose professors determine that instruction should not be online and needs to be face-to-face will meet in-person.
• Residence halls will remain open and North Village check-in day is still scheduled for Jan. 21. The Servery will also open as scheduled on Jan. 21. Students will receive an email from University Housing Services about the check-in process.
• Our campus is open, and day-to-day services are available, including Information Resources and Technology, the Hornet Bookstore, Student Health and Counseling Services, and the Student Service Center.

For faculty:

• Interim Provost Carlos Nevarez will share additional information about the process to request that individual classes remain in-person for the first two weeks of instruction.
• Resources and advice about how to maintain academic continuity can be found on the Academic Continuity Planning webpage. We will update the FAQs on this page as we get more information.

For staff:

• Per my Dec. 31 message, implementation of the formal Telecommuting Agreement has been postponed until Feb. 7.
• Employees who want the option to work from home, including unrepresented employees such as MPPs, may work with their managers to create schedules that allow remote work and continuity of campus services.
• To support remote work during this period, the use of cellular hotspots has been extended through Feb. 12. Information Resources and Technology (IRT) is available to help you stay connected. IRT can be reached for assistance at servicedesk@csus.edu or 916-278-7337 during its open hours.

I wish we did not have to take this temporary precautionary action, delaying the start of face-to-face classes for two weeks. I know we are all tired of this pandemic and want to be back on campus. For members of the Hornet Family who need additional support, please consider the services and resources offered by Sacramento State. Students should visit Student Health and Counseling Services online, or call 916-278-6461. We have in-person and virtual counselors ready to help you through this difficult time. Faculty and staff should contact our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) online, or call 800-367-7474.

At this point, pivoting to remote teaching and learning is not a new experience, but it is highly troubling for most people and downright distasteful for others. Very thankfully, Sac State knows how do to the best for our students and for each other. Thank you for your resilience during these ongoing challenges, and for your patience as we pivot, yet again. I remain immensely grateful for your perseverance. Stingers Up!

Sincerely,
Robert S. Nelsen
President, Sacramento State
Follow @PrezNelsen on Twitter