Employees Can Now Use On-Campus Saliva-Based COVID-19 Testing Program
All campus community members, including state, ASI and CPC employees, can now access Cal Poly’s saliva-based COVID-19 surveillance test at the Performing Arts Center and Poly Canyon Village testing sites. The university transitioned its ongoing testing program to saliva-based testing to because it is faster, more efficient and easier than nasal swab testing and will allow the university to administer significantly more asymptomatic tests — strengthening efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 on campus and in local communities. Employees should continue to visit the Employee Testing webpage to make appointments. Follow the steps on the webpage to also obtain a six-digit Registration ID at least an hour before each appointment. Bring your Registration ID number, a photo ID and a water bottle (if you have one) to each appointment. The saliva samples will be taken to the Cal Poly SARS-CoV-2 Testing Lab to be analyzed. The university’s saliva-based surveillance test is not a diagnostic test, so results cannot be provided at this time. However, if a diagnostic follow-up test is recommended following the saliva test, employees will be contacted by a medical provider with information on how to obtain a diagnostic test in the community — for example, at free testing locations across the county. Visit the Employee Testing webpage to make appointments, register and learn more.
Cal Poly Employees Eligible for COVID-19 Vaccines, Second-Dose Appointments Available
All current employees, including student employees, who want to be vaccinated are eligible for COVID-19 vaccines in San Luis Obispo County. The county’s eligibility also includes a list of specific employment sectors, residents who are 50 and older, and residents with specific medical conditions or disabilities. Those eligible can look for first-dose appointments at several local pharmacies or through San Luis Obispo County’s Vaccine Appointment Registry for appointments at one of three local vaccine clinics. Employees can sign up for the county’s registry online or by calling the County Phone Assistance Center at 805-543-2444 or 805-781-4280 (seven days a week, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.). University employees who live outside the county are still eligible for a vaccine at a county site based on their employment at Cal Poly. Review these frequently asked questions on Cal Poly’s vaccine page to help prepare for your appointment and prepare the right documents to verify employment. SLO County Public Health advises everyone to plan to receive their second dose, if necessary, wherever they received their first dose. Second-dose appointments through a county-run vaccine clinic can be scheduled on the recoverslo.org website and should follow the timeline given to you at your first-dose appointment. Employees are highly encouraged to receive the vaccine when eligible but are not currently required to be vaccinated. Learn more about the vaccines and the vaccination process on county public health’s frequently asked questions page and the Cal Poly coronavirus website’s vaccine page.
COVID-19 Vaccine Fact Check: Will Vaccines Cause Me to Test Positive for COVID-19?
Welcome to the COVID-19 Vaccine Fact Check, weekly insights on the COVID-19 vaccines presented by Campus Health and Wellbeing. This week’s fact check answers this question: Will the vaccine cause me to test positive for COVID-19? The CDC says no. Neither the recently authorized and recommended vaccines nor the other COVID-19 vaccines currently in clinical trials in the United States can cause you to test positive on viral tests, which are used to see if you have a current infection. If your body develops an immune response — the goal of vaccination — there is a possibility you may test positive on some antibody tests. To learn more about vaccines available in SLO County, visit the RecoverSLO.org website’s frequently asked questions page. Look for more COVID Vaccine Fact Check posts in future editions of the Cal Poly Report.
CSU To Host Systemwide Vaccine Webinar on March 30
CSU Systemwide Human Resources invites all employees to join a live webinar from 11 a.m. to noon Tuesday, March 30, on “COVID Vaccinations: An Overview of the Various Vaccinations and Their Benefits.” With COVID-19 vaccine rollout now underway, there has never been a more important time to learn about the vaccinations and speak to common questions and concerns. Dr. John Rott, regional assistant medical director at Kaiser Permanente, will speak about updates to our nation’s COVID-19 strategy and address several of the most frequently asked questions they’ve received related to the vaccine. Submit questions by emailing them now to [email protected]. No registration is required. Use this link to join the live broadcast on March 30. Closed captioning will be provided. The webinar will be recorded and available to view until April 15.
April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month
Safer will host Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month in April with the theme “Connected in our Collective Power.” Throughout the month, topics will be centered on raising marginalized voices, identifying paths to healing, and developing strategies for collective care. Ignacio Rivera, founder and director of the Heal Project, will lead a workshop titled “Sexual Liberation at the Intersections” from 4-5 p.m. Tuesday, April 13. Take Back the Night, an international movement to end sexual violence and one of Safer’s cornerstone events, will take place on Thursday, April 29. The event is being adapted to a virtual format and will feature programming throughout the day, including healing workshops and a survivor “speak out.” Safer encourages the campus community to get involved on social media for continued education and opportunities to win some great prizes. Follow Safer on Instagram at @safercalpoly. To learn more, visit Safer’s website for a full list of events and registration information.
Help A&F ‘Focus Forward’ and Win Prizes
After a challenging year, it's time to “Focus Forward.” But first we need to look back. On Wednesday, April 7, Administration and Finance will launch the next iteration of its annual customer satisfaction survey. Renamed Focus Forward, the survey will reach out to A&F constituents for feedback on the division’s services over the past year. Responses will provide the division with valuable feedback needed for continuous improvement. Open to all faculty, staff and students, Focus Forward will remain open through April 30. While the survey covers every unit and department within A&F, campus community members are being asked to complete the sections relevant to them. For every section that participants complete, they will be entered into a drawing for an IPad Mini and more than 60 other prizes. More information on the survey, prizes and a link to participate are available at afd.calpoly.edu/survey.
Cal Poly Study Finds Light Pollution Drives Increased Risk of West Nile Virus
A new study from Cal Poly and the University of South Florida (USF) is the first to provide direct evidence that light pollution is driving infectious disease patterns in nature. The research team previously determined mosquitoes and birds are attracted to artificial light at night, greatly enhancing the likelihood that the insects will spread the West Nile virus to animals and humans. Their new findings, published this week in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, are in contrast to previous studies that have blamed urbanization due to its human population density and breeding hot spots, such as drainage systems. “Research from our team members at USF had shown in lab-based studies that light pollution could potentially influence West Nile virus risk,” said Clinton Francis, a Cal Poly biology professor and corresponding study author, “but our study is the first to show how light pollution can affect risk of West Nile virus in the real world and better explains patterns of risk than environmental variables previously thought important.” Read more on Cal Poly News.
PolyCultural Weekend Reaches Future Students Virtually April 2 and 3
For more than 15 years, PolyCultural Weekend has helped future students feel more at home on Cal Poly’s campus months before they start their first quarter. The student-led event gives prospective Mustangs from underrepresented backgrounds — which include factors such as race and ethnicity, gender and socioeconomic status — a chance to spend three days on campus and have a 360-degree experience of what it’s like to be part of Cal Poly. “It's about centering diversity, equity and inclusion together so that a diverse student population can see themselves here, living here and thriving here,” says Beya Makekau, director of Student Diversity and Belonging. On April 2 and 3, PolyCultural Weekend organizers are preparing to meet students and supporters in a moment unlike any other. The weekend will feature live Zoom events, chat apps, a virtual club showcase, a Central Coast culinary tour through video blogs, and music and dance performances from culturally rooted organizations throughout campus. For more information on this year's event and the student team making it happen, read the article on the Cal Poly News website.
In the Chemistry Lab, the Fight Against Other Deadly Diseases Continues
As the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the world, student researchers worked with Professor Scott Eagon to conduct research to find potential treatments for two terrifying diseases that aren’t new — Ebola and anthrax. These diseases continue to cause severe infections and fatalities in developing countries, particularly in young children. Eighteen student researchers in Eagon’s undergraduate research lab are currently working with an older anti-malarial medication called amodiaquine that was recently discovered to also help fight the two diseases. Their day-to-day work consists of making slight changes to the molecules in the drug to see if it makes the medicine more effective at reducing the severity of the symptoms. "What we’re trying to create is called a library of drug candidates,” said Eagon, an associate professor in the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department. That means they try to build drugs that are similar to amodiaquine, but not exactly the same, and see if there are any that look particularly promising. Read the full article on the Cal Poly News website.
Do-It-Yourself Video Captioning Training Available to Campus Community
The Disability Resource Center (DRC) offers monthly DIY video captioning trainings via Zoom for faculty, staff and/or their student assistants. The next training will be held from 3-4:30 p.m. Monday, April 12. Attendees will learn how to use various automated transcription tools to create accurate closed captions for videos uploaded to YouTube. Visit accessibility.calpoly.edu to register for this training and to request accommodations as needed. Once registered, participants will automatically receive a Zoom link for the training. Questions? Email John Lee at [email protected]. This training session will have live captions and transcripts available.
Cross-campus Collaboration Courses Allow Professional Development with CSU Colleagues
Many professional development workshops provided by Employee and Organization Development and the CSU campuses that were formerly in person are now offered online. This provides a unique opportunity to extend learning beyond campus borders and offer a new way to share professional development across the CSU. Employee and Organization Development has recently added new courses and additional dates for employees to view and register for the Upcoming Opportunities webpage. Topics include self-care strategies, hidden bias, organizational culture, SMART goals, career development, crucial conversations and many more. Registration opens Wednesday, March 31. Registration is limited and on a first-come basis, so don’t delay. Click here to view and register.
Faculty Invited to Submit Proposals for Virtual Exchange
The Cal Poly International Center seeks proposals from full-time faculty members to integrate virtual exchange activities into their course curriculum for courses taught fall 2021 to summer 2022. Faculty whose proposals are accepted for funding will receive one grant of up to $1,000 toward professional development funds that can be used for equipment, educational materials, student assistants and/or other approved purchases. The deadline to apply has been extended to May 3. Click here for more information.
SSO Upgrade and Migration to Occur April 3
Information Technology Services (ITS) will upgrade Cal Poly’s single sign-on (SSO) service and migrate it to the cloud at 7 a.m. Saturday, April 3. No service interruptions are anticipated. If you are logged in to My Cal Poly Portal, Canvas or any other services tied to SSO at the time of the migration, you may be asked to log in again after the transition is complete. The ITS Service Desk is available to help anyone with questions. Request support online via Support Center, email [email protected], or call ext. 6-7000.
New Self-Service Software Center Available for Windows Users
By the end of April, all campus-managed PCs running Windows will be upgraded to an administration platform that enables automatic security updates and self-service software downloads. The roll-out of the Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) is well underway and is happening in phases. Any users with a PC running Windows will either be notified by their local tech support personnel about the upgrade, or their computer will automatically upgrade in the background. After the upgrade, campus Windows users will be able to open the Software Center application and download enterprise-licensed software from Microsoft, Adobe, Autodesk and more. The ITS Service Desk is available to help anyone with questions. Request support online via Support Center, email [email protected], or call ext. 6-7000.
Career Education Canvas Modules Available to Embed in Courses
As faculty plan for spring quarter, Career Services reminds them that its office offers career curriculum, available in Canvas modules that faculty can embed in their courses. The modules were developed by a team of professional career counselors in consultation with the Center for Teaching and Learning, Career Services Advisory Council, faculty and students. The following modules are:
- Networking.
- Interviewing.
- Discovering Career Possibilities.
- Navigating Your Job/Internship Search.
- Resume and Cover Letter.
Each module is designed to be delivered asynchronously and includes several customizable components, such as readings, videos and activities. Faculty are encouraged to complement the material in modules by having a career counselor visit the class synchronously as well. Learn more or gain access to curriculum modules.
Big Sur Upgrade For Mac Users
The Big Sur operating system was pushed out to campus-managed Mac computers on Monday, March 22. The compatibility issues between macOS Big Sur, GlobalProtect virtual private network(VPN), and Sophos Home antivirus that we notified campus about in November have been resolved with the latest version of Big Sur. If you have a Mac, you may have already seen a notification about Big Sur pop up on your screen. Employees who are away from their computers during spring break can expect to see the notification the next time they log on. Downloading and installing Big Sur can take upwards of one hour, depending on the speed of your internet connection, and it will require your computer to restart. For your convenience, you can defer the upgrade up to five times before it’s automatically installed. Anyone with questions can contact the ITS Service Desk online via Support Center, via email at [email protected], or by calling ext. 6-7000.
Faculty Advisor Training Series to be Held in Spring
University Advising is offering a Faculty Advisor Training Series that introduces undergraduate faculty advisors to academic advising core competencies. The series includes:
- FA 101: Nuts and Bolts of Faculty Advising: April 16.
- FA 102: Assemble Your Faculty Advising Toolkit: April 30.
- FA 103: Building Student Success through Faculty Advising: May 7.
Learn more about the Faculty Advisor Training series. Anyone with questions can contact Christina Wolfe-Chandler, advisor training coordinator, at [email protected] or ext. 6-5735.
Campus Community Can Access WJS.com
Cal Poly and The Wall Street Journal have partnered to provide free school-sponsored WSJ subscriptions to all students, faculty and staff. Through the partnership, members have full digital access to WSJ.com and the app — including curated career content at students.wsj.com and The Journal podcast. The Wall Street Journal also offers students focused insight into politics, college rankings, technology and more, including content created by a dedicated Young Audiences team, which is creating additional media for and by students. Meanwhile, its editors are working to help integrate content into courses and curricula with custom professor tools and resources, such as WSJ Context. Click the link to sign up.
Balance Café Receives Allergen-Free Certification
Following a thorough inspection and audit, Campus Dining was recently notified that Balance Café, a dining venue in Vista Grande, will receive allergen-free certification from Kitchens with Confidence for its efforts and commitment to providing food and facilities safe for customers with dietary restrictions. Kitchens with Confidence is an independent accreditation/certification entity founded to help dining facilities become safer for diners with food allergies and to imbue those facilities with credibility through trusted certification. Balance Café is receiving its “Certified Free From” seal, confirming it is free from the “Big 8 Allergens,” including peanuts, wheat, milk, soy, shellfish, fish, eggs, and tree nuts plus gluten. Balance Café prepares meals that are free of the top eight allergens — foods that account for 90% of food allergic reactions — plus gluten and sesame. The cafe is completely self-contained, with a dedicated kitchen, cold storage, cook and serve ware, dishwasher and team of chefs. This certification recognizes Campus Dining’s commitment to serving food that is safe for customers with dietary restrictions and food allergies and is dedicated to meeting the community’s evolving dietary needs.
Own a Home Within Walking Distance of Campus
A beautifully appointed home is available for purchase at Bella Montana. The unit, at 555-B Paseo Bella Montaña (La Cumbre) is 1,029 square feet with two bedrooms, 2.5 baths, convenient indoor laundry, a spacious one-car garage, a beautiful deck for outdoor living, attractive baths and energy-saving appliances. Surrounded by beautiful coastal foothills, Bella Montana offers an opportunity to own a home in San Luis Obispo, one of the most livable cities in California. The nearby location offers an enhanced lifestyle as homeowners enjoy more time for the things they love, a hike after work, lunch at home, or more time with family. The home is ideally located in a 5.3-acre planned housing community that was designed and crafted with Cal Poly employees and their families in mind. Located within walking distance of campus, shops and restaurants, Bella Montana encompasses 69 individually owned homes on Highland Drive near iconic Highway 1.
‘Mysterious Seas’ to Air on March 31
For the past two years, Cal Poly Arts, in partnership with the Performing Arts Center, has presented a wildly popular series of evocative speakers from National Geographic Live. During this pandemic closure, Cal Poly Arts is continuing that tradition with a four-part virtual speaker series. Each 60-minute event will include stories and visuals; live, moderated conversation; and audience Q&A. Tickets are $16.50 per device, per event. The third event in the series, "Mysterious Seas," airs via the Cal Poly Arts website at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 31. Get a glimpse into the ocean’s greatest depths — and the fascinating creatures that live there — with two leading marine biologists and National Geographic Emerging Explorers. David Gruber searches the oceans for bioluminescent and biofluorescent marine species and designs delicate and noninvasive tools for studying and interacting with deep-sea life. Diva Amon participates in expeditions around the world to study the unusual animals living in a variety of deep-sea habitats and how humans impact them. Through stories and conversation, they’ll shine a light on this dark, cold and mysterious world.
Cal Poly Virtual Open House Recital Set for April 10
The Music Department will present a virtual Open House Recital at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 10. The recital, featuring both instrumentalists and vocalists, is part of Cal Poly’s 28th annual Open House, which will be completely virtual this year. The presentation will begin with a compilation of performances recorded from 2019-21. The department’s large, premier ensembles will be featured, including Cal Poly’s Arab Music Ensemble, Choirs, Symphony, University Jazz Bands, Wind Orchestra and Wind Ensemble. Some chamber ensembles will be included as well. Members of these groups are from a variety of majors. A live Q&A session with students and faculty members will follow. The presentation is free and open to the public and will be available from the Music Department calendar website.
Cal Poly Student Opera Theatre to Present ‘Musical Theater Duets’ on April 10
Student Opera Theatre (CPSOT) will present a collection of musical theater duets at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 10, during Cal Poly’s 28th annual Open House. The duets, from some of the most classic and beloved American musicals, will be performed by 17 music majors who have collaborated remotely through extensive virtual rehearsals, recordings and online workshops. The students produced a series of well-known \ ensemble numbers, including “Anything You Can Do” from “Annie Get Your Gun,” “The Rain in Spain” from “My Fair Lady,” “If I Loved You” from “Carousel,” and “All ‘er Nuthin’” from “Oklahoma!” “Viewers will see two students perform on screen at once, masterfully gesturing and interacting with one another while miles apart,” said Amy Goymerac, CPSOT producer and director. Music Department faculty and staff member Paul Woodring provided piano accompaniment for the performances. Music Department faculty member Dave Becker mixed and mastered the recorded performances. Tickets are sold at the Performing Arts Center ext. 6-4849. For more information, visit the Music Department calendar website.
Event Postings
Events.calpoly.edu is a new platform that shines a spotlight on high-profile special events at
Cal Poly and throughout our community, focusing on the wide and diverse range of activities on and around our campus. This site is designed to help our colleges, programs, departments and facilities promote exciting events that can be seen by a selected audience. It will update regularly and include events happening in the next 30-45 days. It is not a calendar of all events, and it does not include student club events. Here are some links to help you navigate:
Submitting an Event to Events.calpoly.edu
To submit your event for consideration, please send the event title, date, time, duration, ticket information, intended audience(s) and image (1600 bpi wide) to [email protected].
University Events Calendar
To find a listing of all events — such as performances, lectures, workshops and more — visit our Master Calendar.
Scheduling/Booking Venues
25Live: Space and Event Scheduling can help you schedule or book a venue for an upcoming on-campus event.