Cal Poly Innovation Capabilities Expanded with New 5G Innovation Lab
The Cal Poly Digital Transformation Hub (DxHub) is expanding its innovation capabilities with the Cal Poly 5G Innovation Lab powered by Amazon Web Services, Federated Wireless and T-Mobile. Using established DxHub innovation methodology, students and faculty will use 4G-LTE and Cal Poly private 5G technologies to identify new and improved networking solutions to real-world challenges. Cal Poly’s private wireless network, which runs on AWS combined with T-Mobile service, enhances connectivity on campus and provides a leading-edge platform for innovation. The first major use case will be at the William and Linda Frost Center for Research and Innovation, where the technologies will help advance cutting-edge projects and research. The Cal Poly 5G private wireless network has also extended public cell coverage and emergency services in the Poly Canyon area of campus. Introducing Cal Poly private wireless technology will not only improve university connectivity and operations, it will also unlock new opportunities for global impact. To celebrate the announcement, a ribbon-cutting was held on May 25.
Read more about the 5G Innovation Lab
New Temporary Study Locations Added During Kennedy Library Transformation Project
Cal Poly has added additional temporary locations for its library services and study spaces while the Kennedy Library building closes for a planned two-year transformation project. The building is scheduled to close for renovation in summer 2023, with the opening of the renovated building slated for fall 2025. While the library building is closed, the services and programs provided by the library will continue in other locations on campus. The temporary student study structures will have heating, electricity, charging stations, artificial grass carpeting, furniture and Wi-Fi.
Find more information and a map of the temporary locations
Cal Poly Inclusive Restroom Program Expanding
Cal Poly’s Inclusive Restroom Committee is pleased to announce increased access to All Gender restrooms on campus. After hearing feedback from students who called for additional All Gender restrooms on campus, a university committee was convened to identify the best strategies for providing increased accessibility. This effort aimed to center the needs and experiences of our transgender, nonbinary, and/or gender non-conforming community as well as those who require assistance from caregivers or family members. The 18-member committee — which includes students, faculty and staff from a variety of university programs — met regularly earlier this year to identify the additional 15 restrooms that will be converted to All Gender, multi-stall restrooms. Changing of signage on these restrooms is expected to begin June 1. The webpage, below, currently includes background on the university’s efforts, information about the committee members and additional educational resources. More information about the program, including a map of All Gender restrooms on campus, will be added at a later date.
Learn more about the university’s inclusive restroom program
Reimagine Swanton Pacific Ranch
The campus community is invited to help dream what the new Cal Poly Swanton Pacific Ranch (SPR) Education Center in Santa Cruz County will look like from 1-4:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 6 at the JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture (No. 156). The College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences’ is working to rebuild the ranch following 2020’s CZU Lightning Complex fires. A key component of the reimagined SPR is a new Education Center. The facility will enable SPR to create actionable climate-smart solutions critically needed by the state and beyond by: facilitating regular access by students participating in field trips, weekend enterprise classes, senior projects, undergraduate research, and residential internships; Cal Poly or visiting faculty conducting research; and participants in seminars and short courses. Siegel & Strain Architects have been working on the initial design, and the project is. at a point where additional stakeholder input is needed to better shape the programming needs of the facility. Snacks will be provided. Attendees can stay for all of or a portion of the session.
Students Recognized at CSU Student Research Competition
Four students were awarded first- or second-place prizes at the CSU Student Research Competition. Students from across the CSU competed in 10 divisions at San Diego State University from April 28-29, where students presented their work in person for the first time since 2019. In 2024, Cal Poly will host the 38th annual competition. The winners included:
- Jordan Richards, a second-year graduate student in the food science program, and Jack Madden, a third-year food science major, won first place in the Biological and Agricultural Sciences category.
- Robin Bedard, a graduate student in the biological sciences program, and alumna Megan Rottenborn (Biological Sciences, ’22), both in the Physiological Ecology of Reptiles Lab (PERL) lab with Professor Emily Taylor, won first place in the Behavioral, Social Sciences, and Public Administration category.
- Madeleine Goertz, a second-year mathematics major and Frost Research Scholar from Kirkland, Washington, won first place in the Physical and Mathematical Sciences category.
- Ethan Gutterman, a third-year history major with a minor in ethics, public policy, science and technology, won second place in the Humanities and Letters category.
Student Speaks on Experience with Supplemental Instruction at National Conference
Eduardo Gutierrez, a mechanical engineering senior and Supplemental Instruction workshop leader, was selected as one of two student keynote speakers at the 48th annual Association of Colleges for Tutoring and Learning Assistance conference on April 21. Gutierrez responded to the conference theme, “No Turning Back: Collaborating to Disrupt and Transform Tutoring and Learning for Social Justice,” by sharing about his experience as a first-generation student who initially struggled at Cal Poly and who found a sense of belonging and success through supplemental workshops in science and math. Gutierrez later thrived as a workshop leader and program mentor, giving back to peers by encouraging their educational and professional achievements. Lydia Keema, who serves as the Supplemental Instruction coordinator under the Office of Writing and Learning, nominated Gutierrez for this honor. Keema described Gutierrez as a student with an "unwavering belief in peer learning support." After graduation in June, Gutierrez will begin the University of Southern California's dual master's program in mechanical engineering and engineering management.
Join an Open Dialogue on Cultural Code-Switching May 31
A psychology senior project group will host an open dialogue titled "Open Dialogue: Cultural Code-Switching,” at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 31, in the UU’s Multicultural Center, (No. 65), Room 111F. A group of Psychology and Child Development Department students — Eloisa Costa, Nanoha Kamiya, Michelle Vu and Sophia Velasquez — has been working on a senior project on the topic of cultural code-switching under the advisement of Assistant Professor Susana A. López. Cultural code-switching refers to the ways individuals temporarily adapt their language, behavior and actions to conform to a different — more dominant — cultural norm. The students’ senior project investigates the origin of this cultural code-switching, its impacts — including impacts on community belongingness, identity and psychological state — and the therapeutic approaches to help remedy the impacts of participating in this behavior. The students hope that this open dialogue will be a space to increase education about cultural code-switching and validate and affirm the experiences of students on campus who have culturally code-switched. The event is sponsored by the Office of University Diversity and Inclusion (OUDI).
Learn more about the open dialogue
U-Rise Program Offers Paid Research Opportunities for Underrepresented Students
The U-Rise program at Cal Poly is offering research opportunities to students from underrepresented groups who are planning to go into a biomedical field. The program aims to inspire students and prepare them for success in graduate school. The program, funded by the National Institutes of Health, includes tuition assistance and compensation. U-RISE consists of four key components over a two-year training program: a mentoring team and individual development planning; mentored research experiences at Cal Poly and at another, research-intensive university; formal coursework to support students' development as scientists; and events outside the classroom (research seminars, professional development, team building and peer mentoring). Participants will receive tuition assistance ($7,500 per year for two years), an annual stipend ($14,000 per year) for completing 10 to 15 hours’ research per week and a paid 10-week summer research experience. Learn more about the program.
Ryan Gruss Named PAC Managing Director
After serving in an interim role since October, Ryan Gruss has officially been named the managing director of the Performing Arts Center. Gruss most recently served as the director of Patron Services and Campus Ticketing at the PAC and took on the interim title following Chris Miller’s retirement. Gruss started at Cal Poly as the box office manager for the Performing Arts Center in 2013 before leading the unification process and creation of the Cal Poly Ticket Office in 2014. Before Cal Poly, he worked for four years at Azusa Pacific University as a ticket manager and assistant manager of the on-campus Event Center. Gruss graduated from Azusa Pacific in 2008 with a degree in communication studies and earned his master's degree in business management.
CH&W Expanding Communications and Marketing Team
Campus Health and Wellbeing is expanding its communications and marketing team to ensure the campus community is aware of the many ways it supports students. Diego Abeloos, communications specialist in the Office of the Vice President, will start June 1 as CH&W’s inaugural senior associate director of strategic communications and customer experience. This position will provide increased awareness about outreach, programs, and comprehensive services provided by Campus Health and Wellbeing. Abeloos, who came to Cal Poly in 2015, was instrumental in facilitating CH&W’s communications efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
CTLT Offers Summer Workshops for Educators
The summer professional development offerings for campus educators (faculty and staff) from the Center for Teaching, Learning and Technology is available to explore. Workshop titles include: Examining Whiteness, Writing in the Disciplines, Blended/hybrid Course Design and Assignment Design for Academic Integrity. There are also opportunities for academic writing support and on-demand resources for academic success. Additional workshops and events will be added soon.
Learn more and register for CTLT workshops and on-demand resources
Buy Summer Parking Permits Starting June 12
Employee summer parking permits go on sale Monday, June 12. Finding a parking permit option that best fits your commute is easy using your parking account. Daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual parking permits are available online for purchase any time of day at your union rate. Permits sold in parking lots at pay stations, parking meters or by ParkMobile do not offer staff rates. Summer quarter permits are valid June 19 to Sept. 11. Spring quarter parking permits will expire June 18. Purchase permits online and update your vehicle information using your parking account.
Learn more on the Transportation and Parking Services staff page
Sign Up to Support Mustang Move-in September
University Housing is seeking volunteer support to welcome more than 8,800 Mustangs to their campus homes in University Housing next fall. New first-year and transfer students move-in Thursday-Friday, Sept. 14-15. Continuing students move in Monday-Tuesday, Sept. 18-19. Volunteers greet student residents and their supporters, direct traffic, support check-in functions and collect green moving bins. Participants receive a $50 gift card to the University Store for each shift worked and a rewarding experience meeting and welcoming new students as they start their journey at Cal Poly. For more information, contact Michelle Castillo at [email protected] or ext. 6-1567.
Sign up to volunteer at Mustang Move-in
Submit a Dear Mustang Graduate Letter to the Class of 2023
Faculty and staff are encouraged to showcase how Cal Poly Proud they are of spring 2023 graduates by writing a Dear Mustang Graduate letter. The Dear Mustang Graduate campaign offers a unique way to congratulate graduates, highlight their accomplishments, give thanks, share memories and offer words of wisdom. Through these letters, the Commencement Office hopes to surprise the Class of 2023 with personal notes from the people who supported them throughout their Cal Poly journey. For optimal impact, keep the letter a secret. Once submitted, the Commencement Office will begin preparations to deliver letters to graduates on your behalf. The deadline to submit Dear Mustang Graduate letters is June 9. Questions? Contact the Commencement Office at [email protected] or ext. 6-1600.
Learn more and submit a letter today
Volunteers Needed for CP Thrift store June 12-22
Volunteers are needed June 12-22 to collect, sort and clean donations for two pop-up CP Thrift stores that will open to the Cal Poly community during Mustang Move-in in September. Items will be collected from University Housing residents as they move out of campus residences at the end of spring quarter. CP Thrift is a popular place for students, faculty and staff to shop for gently used household items and décor in exchange for a donation. Located near campus housing (exact locations to be announced), the shops are stocked with clean and ready-to-use items: dishes, cookware, utensils, mirrors, fans, shoe racks, picture frames, plants and more. By preventing the disposal of items used for just nine months, Cal Poly keeps more than 6,000 pounds of waste out of the local landfill every year. Proceeds support campus sustainability efforts. For more information, contact Suzanne Aguirre at [email protected] or ext. 6-9323.
Sign up to volunteer for CP Thrift
Seats Available in Santa Maria/Arroyo Grande Vanpool
There are seats available on the Santa Maria/Arroyo Grande vanpool. This van runs Monday through Friday and accommodates a 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. work or school schedule. For specific information on the Santa Maria/Arroyo Grande vanpool, contact Sustainable Transportation Coordinator Colin Pollington at ext. 6-6680 or [email protected]. Transportation and Parking Services subsidizes employee vanpools to make them an extremely affordable option to commute to and from campus.
Spots Available for Summer Program at Cal Poly Preschool Learning Lab
The Preschool Learning Lab will offer a new summer program from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. June 26–Aug. 31, Monday through Friday. Faculty and staff will receive first priority and will be automatically enrolled into the regular fall 2023 academic year program if their children are continuing in preschool (i.e., not going to transitional kindergarten or kindergarten). To be eligible, children must be 3 years old by June 26 and fully potty-trained. A few spaces are still available. Fill out the application form or contact Director Patty Clarkson at [email protected] for tuition rates and more information.
Summer Off-Duty Staff/Faculty Permits Available Until June 2
Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS) is kicking off its annual off-duty permit program. Off-duty permits allow faculty and staff to park on campus briefly during their unpaid leave. The eligibility requirements for off-duty permits include: faculty who will not receive an appointment during summer 2023, faculty and staff on leave without pay, faculty on sabbatical or Difference in Pay Leave, or faculty and staff off duty pursuant to the 10/12 or 11/12 pay plan. Departments need to submit an “Off-Duty Permit Request” form for eligible faculty and staff to TAPS through AdobeSign by Friday, June 2. Off-duty permits will only be issued to faculty and staff who request through this process.
Liberal Studies Department Chair Lola Berber-Jimenez is retiring at the end of the 2022-23 academic year after 28 years of service to Cal Poly. Berber grew up in Mexico City and earned her teaching credential and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. She came to the United States in the 1980s and earned a doctorate in organic chemistry at UC Davis in 1990. She then worked as an assistant professor at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. At Cal Poly, she served as a faculty member in chemistry and biochemistry from 1995-09 before taking over as chair of Liberal Studies. Berber has served as the co-director of the Central Coast Science Project since 1996, a collaborative network of educators and scientists committed to finding ways to improve K-16 science education in California. She has positively influenced countless educators and will be greatly missed.
Kate Riley is retiring after a 20-year tenure as a professor in the Mathematics Department. While at Cal Poly over the past two decades, Riley’s primary interest was in mathematics education. In 2016, she was named by the Society of Women’s Engineers as the Most Supportive Professor. In addition to teaching, Riley was a co-director of the California Mathematics Project (Cal Poly SLO/CSU Bakersfield region) since 2004 and was the director of the Mathematics Diagnostic Testing Project for the Central Coast region for the past 11 years. Riley secured approximately $4.2 million in grant funding primarily to work with local area teachers in presenting workshops. She conducted approximately 900 hours of teacher’s workshops during her time at Cal Poly. Her service to the department and students has been greatly appreciated and she’ll be missed. Her aspirations include buying an RV and travel to Yellowstone National Park.
Faculty and staff are invited to celebrate the remarkable career and retirement of Dennis Elliot, executive director of energy and infrastructure planning on Wednesday, June 14. A dedicated member of the Cal Poly community for more than 40 years, Elliot has throughout his career demonstrated unwavering commitment to sustainability and leading the university toward a smaller environmental footprint, ultimately making a lasting impact on campus. Colleagues and friends are invited to join in sharing gratitude for his outstanding achievements and decades of service. This special occasion will be held at 3:30 in the JUSTIN and J. Lohr Center for Wine and Viticulture. Save the date and use the official RSVP form to confirm attendance by Thursday, June 8. For those unfamiliar with the JUSTIN and J. Lohr Center (No. 156), it is located on Mt. Bishop Road, off Highland Drive.
Career Services Unveils 2023-24 Career Fair Schedule
Career Services recently released its career fair schedule for the 2023-24 academic year. The lineup boasts eight in-person fairs and two virtual fairs, plus a new virtual graduate and professional school fair. The largest career fairs — the fall, winter and spring career fairs — attract representatives from up to 200 companies and organizations who visit campus to recruit students from all fields of study for internship, co-op and full-time positions. To ensure the best possible experience for students and employers, academic departments and student clubs are encouraged to avoid hosting career fairs and networking events on the same day as Career Services’ fairs. Contact [email protected] with career fair-specific questions.
Learn more about Career Services
Corporation Board of Directors to Meet June 2
The Cal Poly Corporation board of directors will meet at noon Friday, June 2, in Vista Grande (No. 112), Room 350. Public comments must be submitted by 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 31, via email to [email protected]. The meeting will be held in person; a Zoom webinar will be available for the public to view only. If the number of attendees exceeds the capacity of the Vista Grande Conference Room, attendees will be directed to another room to view the meeting. Public comments will begin at noon. Those planning to comment should arrive at 11:45 a.m. More information will be made available on the Corporation website along with the agenda five days in advance of the meeting. Discussion topics can be added to the agenda at the discretion of the board. Call Holly Clark at ext. 6-1131 with any questions.
Learn more on the Cal Poly Corporation website
Advancing Inclusive Mentoring Program to Launch in Summer
Faculty, staff, postdoc and graduate students who mentor students participating in research, scholarly and creative activities are invited to participate in a free training program this summer. The Advancing Inclusive Mentoring (AIM) Program is co-led by the Office of Student Research; the Center for Teaching, Learning and Technology (CTLT); the College of Engineering and College of Liberal Arts’ Summer Undergraduate Research/Creative Activity programs (SURPs); and the Empowering Autistic Scholars Program. Information on eligibility is provided on the RSVP form and in the CTLT Stipend Eligibility Policies document. A $300 stipend is available from the CTLT. The program runs in the first summer session, June 26-July 14, via a mix of asynchronous learning and Zoom-based discussions. (If not available during the first three weeks of the summer but interested in future offerings, RSVP to indicate interest). Contact [email protected] with any questions.
RSVP by Friday, June 16 to learn more and indicate interest
Join a Release Party for Literary and Arts Journal ‘Intertidal’ on June 3
Celebrate the return of the literary and arts journal tradition at Cal Poly with art and refreshments on Saturday, June 3, from 6-9 p.m. at the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, 1010 Broad St. “Intertidal” is a literary and arts journal created by English students in Assistant Professor Shanae Aurora Martinez’s three-quarter course sequence on editing and publishing. The word intertidal refers to areas between land and sea, where biodiversity flourishes. In the same spirit, the English students proudly published a diverse range of written and printable art created by an interdisciplinary blend of students, staff and faculty from all six colleges. This event is free and open to the public. Free issues of the journal will be available at the event. Send any inquires to [email protected], and follow @cp.intertidal on Instagram.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
During the month of May, University Personnel — Employee Wellbeing acknowledges the struggle, fights stigma and provides support, education and advocacy for people impacted by mental illness. Online screening may be the quickest way to determine whether individuals are experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition. The Employee Assistance Program, MyLifeMatters.com (sign in: calpoly), is a resource featuring mental health screeners and webinars on boosting mental health, balance, meditation, resilience and finding help. LIfeMatters can also be reached at 800-367-7474. Services provided directly by LifeMatters are free. Anyone referred to outside resources will be advised of additional costs, if applicable. Contact Lisa Gray at [email protected] for more information.
Art and Design BFA Exhibition ‘Yours Truly’ Opens June 2
The ”Yours Truly” exhibit opens on June 2 in the University Art Gallery in the Dexter Building (No. 34) with a reception and awards ceremony from 5-7 p.m. for department faculty, friends and family. Refreshments will be provided. A curated showcase of artworks created by 31 student artists from the Art and Design Department’s graduating class will be on display from June 2-17.
Learn more and view the full list of featured artists
‘RSVP: Soundings’ to Feature Percussion Trio line upon line June 1-2
Music Department music technology and composition students will present “RSVP: Soundings” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, June 1-2, in the Pavilion of the Performing Arts Center. The shows will be a collaboration with guest ensemble line upon line to premiere original interdisciplinary work for percussion, electronics and dance. “In preparation for the shows, the students have been investigating the role of artificial intelligence in the creation of music, including its implications on culture, automation and what it means to be sentient,” said Julie Herndon, the faculty director. Theatre and Dance Department student and alumni dancers will perform original choreography. Evan Ricaurté, lead choreographer, is a Cal Poly graduate (Architecture, ’20). line upon line is a percussion trio from Austin, Texas, that has been active since 2009. The group champions the work of living composers and pursues the musically unfamiliar. The trio — Adam Bedell, Cullen Faulk and Matthew Teodori — has premiered nearly 100 new works for percussion. Tickets are sold at the Cal Poly Ticket Office, ext. 6-4849. For more information, visit the Music Department calendar website or call ext. 6-2406.
Met Opera Soprano Karen Slack, Organist Alan Morrison to Perform June 2
Cal Poly Arts presents “An Evening with Karen Slack and Alan Morrison” as part of the Forbes Pipe Organ Series at 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 2, in Harold Miossi Hall. Rising Metropolitan Opera star and world-renowned soprano Karen Slack will join one of America’s premier concert organists, Alan Morrison. Slack is known for her dynamic and passionate performances in both lead operatic roles and on the concert stage. Opera Today states, “Karen Slack captured the audience with a spinning, thrilling top voice that soared above the staff. She is an artist we will definitely want to hear again (and again).” Featuring the mesmerizing Forbes Pipe Organ, the concert promises to be a moving performance of dynamic musical synergy rarely seen on the Central Coast. A 20% staff and faculty discount is available for this event.
Get tickets to “An Evening with Karen Slack and Alan Morrison”
Cal Poly Symphony to Perform Guest Artist Bahram Osqueezadeh’s Music June 3
The symphony will perform works by Bahram Osqueezadeh and “Scheherazade” by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 3, in Harold J. Miossi Hall in the Performing Arts Center. Works by guest artist Osqueezadeh will be performed for the first half of the concert. The multi-instrumentalist, scholar and composer will join the ensemble to perform his “Concerto for Santur and Orchestra.” Guest vocalist Alireza Shahmohammadi will the sing “Rational Insanity.” Both works combine Persian and Western musical traditions. Osqueezadeh will also give a free lecture-demonstration of his music and compositional process at 11:10 a.m. Thursday, June 1, in Room 218 of the Davidson Music Center. After intermission, the symphony will present Russian composer Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Scheherazade,” an orchestral tour de force based on “One Thousand and One Nights,” a collection of Middle Eastern folk tales. Music Professor David Arrivée will conduct the symphony. Tickets to the concert are sold at the Cal Poly Ticket Office, ext. 6-4849. For more information, visit the Music Department calendar website or call ext. 6-2406.
Get tickets to the symphony concert
Cal Poly Choirs to Present ‘In Her Words’ on June 4 with the Tucson Girls Chorus
Compositions by female composers, poetry by female poets and works about historically important female figures will be featured during the Cal Poly Choirs concert, “In Her Words,” at 3 p.m. Sunday, June 4, in Harold J. Miossi Hall of the Performing Arts Center. The four Cal Poly choirs — plus special guest ensemble, the Tucson Girls Chorus (TGC) from Arizona — will perform. There will be familiar favorites such as Benjamin Britten’s “Hymn to St. Cecilia” performed by the Chamber Choir, and modern masterpieces like Cecilia McDowall’s “Magnificat” performed by PolyPhonics and University Singers. The concert will also include some rarely performed gems such as several selections from Maddalena Casulana’s “Il primo libro di madrigali a quattro voci” (First Book of Madrigals for Four Voices) from 1568, which will be performed by the Chamber Choir and accompanied by Matthew Xie on lute. More information about the concert program and TGC is on the Music Department’s calendar website. Tickets are sold at the Cal Poly Ticket Office, ext. 6-4849. For more information, call ext. 6-2406.
Get tickets to the Cal Poly Choirs concert
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 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 includes 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.
Note that a minimum three-day lead time is required to process a request for use of space through the Office of the Registrar.
Visit Cal Poly Now for Student Affairs events, learning opportunities and more
Find the latest student-focused campus events from your favorite Student Affairs programs and services by visiting the new Cal Poly Now.