By Cynthia Hubert

August 22, 2024

President Luke Wood’s first year on campus featured daunting challenges and joyful triumphs, many of which he highlighted in his second Fall Address.

As a new academic semester begins, Wood on Aug. 22 outlined some of the University’s accomplishments during the past year, including the establishment of the nation’s first Black Honors College, an uptick in enrollment, improving graduation rates and an alliance with the California Tribal College to bring more Native American scholars to campus.

The numbers back up the success of those and other initiatives. Sac State received 4,000 more student applications this year compared to last year, the president noted. Overall, enrollment increased slightly this fall, even as other universities across the country have seen their numbers slip.

Four-year graduation rates, which stood at about 9% when Sac State launched its Finish in Four initiative in 2016, could surpass 30% this year, Wood added.

The upcoming semester, which begins Aug. 26, will also see exciting additions to the campus footprint. They include a new Art building, newly completed faculty housing and larger spaces for the PRIDE Center and Basic Needs Center.

• More photos from the Fall Address

Wood opened his remarks by addressing the challenges he faced during his inaugural year as president, including a looming budget deficit, a financial crisis at Capital Public Radio and the presence of student encampments protesting the war in Gaza.

Sac State continues to address each of those issues, he said.

CapRadio, which is licensed by the University, is “here to stay,” he said, adding that a new board of directors is in place, and membership and donations are up.

The University is addressing state budget shortfalls by increasing student fees, merging some campus divisions and using money that has been held in reserve, said Wood.

“We’re trying to be as careful and cautious as possible,” guided by an emphasis on student success, he said.

Wood revealed that a new CSU policy will bar encampments for overnight protests and offers “no amnesty” for students who violate its guidelines. Students are expected to receive details of the policy this week.

Following his remarks, Wood turned the stage over to a panel of students, who shared their Sac State experience with the large crowd gathered in the University Union Ballroom.

Vice President for Student Affairs Aniesha Mitchell introduced five scholars she said reflected the University’s diversity and inclusive practices, including a student parent, an international student, a formerly incarcerated student and two military veterans.

“There is no student like a Sac State student,” Mitchell said.

One of the panelists, Michael Love, was in state prison when he began taking college courses through Sac State programs. He has since earned a degree in Communication Studies and is now pursuing a graduate degree while working for the University’s Project Rebound program, which supports former inmates.

“I got out of prison because of Sac State,” Love said. “I found out that through higher education, anything is possible.”

As a father of young children working toward his degree at Sac State, Edmar Cimatu struggled to balance parenthood and the demands of studying and taking classes. Sac State’s Parents and Families and CARES programs helped him succeed.

He and other panelists offered advice to faculty and staff members about their daily interactions with students.

“You never know what someone is going through,” one of the students said.

“Be mindful of individual struggles,” said another.

“Offer empathy and kindness,” said a third panelist.

Student body president Nataly Andrade-Dominguez and Carolyn Gibbs, chair of the Faculty Senate, introduced Wood and praised him for his hard work during his first year leading the Hornet Family.

Gibbs said Wood “celebrates progress, then immediately rolls up his sleeves” to take on the next task.

“He truly puts the needs of students first,” said Andrade-Dominguez.