Message from the Provost: Year in Review

May 26, 2023

Dear Faculty and Staff Colleagues,

As our first full year back on campus ends, I want to thank each and every one of you for your work and commitment to our students and their futures. Time and time again, our faculty and staff have shown we share a common belief: What’s best for our students is what’s best for our university. Although there are many challenges ahead, keeping student success and wellness as our guiding star will always keep us on the right path.

As you know, on Wednesday we learned that Sacramento State’s new president will be Dr. J. Luke Wood. This is great news and an auspicious moment for our university. Dr. Wood is a nationally recognized equity-minded educator with a proven track record of innovative strategies for providing transformational education. As we say a goodbye to President Nelsen with great gratitude for his many student-centered victories, we welcome Dr. Wood who will build on those successes and take Sacramento State to even higher levels. It is a testament to the indelible imprint our campus has on students that Dr. Wood is coming home to lead us into our next chapter.

On a personal note, I am excited to work with Dr. Wood, my longtime colleague and collaborator, as president and provost. We have co-authored four books on educational leadership together and, as fellow first-generation college students, share a deep understanding of our student body—both the challenges they face and the rewards that await them if we give them the support they need to meet their educational goals.

Of the challenges that face our students and campus as a whole right now, the growing equity gap in student success is the most urgent. We started this academic year with the good news that Sacramento State’s graduation rates had increased for the sixth year in a row, keeping the university on track to exceed the CSU’s goals. The number of students who graduated in four years rose to 28.1% last year, compared to just 9% in 2016—the largest improvement in the CSU that puts the goal of 30% by 2025 clearly in our sights. That’s certainly a success worthy of celebration and you all contributed to it.

But as we come to the end of Spring Semester, a more complex story of how some students are struggling post-pandemic is becoming apparent. While our graduation rates remain on track, the percentage of first-time Black students with a first semester GPA below 2.0 has doubled since 2019, from 20% to 49%. For Hispanic students, it’s gone from 18% to 31%. By many critical metrics like these, the equity gaps in student outcomes are widening. Overall, we’re seeing higher course failure rates and lower retention for first-time students, and instructors are reporting lower attendance and fewer students completing coursework or seeking help.

As much as we’d all like to get past the COVID years, post-pandemic learning loss is real, and we will be dealing with it for a while. There’s no one program or initiative that can fully address a problem this systemic; the only way to finally eliminate racial equity gaps is to change the systems that perpetrate educational disparity. For that to happen, we will each need to play a part. If our challenge to lean harder into equitable student success seems daunting, it helps to remember how much we can accomplish on our campus in just one year. Below (and here in our year-end newsletter) you will find highlights from the past academic year that display the rich culture of teaching and scholarship at this university. I am confident that our new president will be a champion in the fight for equity; I am equally confident that our division is ready to join him in that fight.

Carlos Nevarez
Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

2022-2023 Academic Affairs Highlights

• Office of Academic Affairs launches ambitious program to improve DFW rates: The Critical Course Success Program is a student-centered approach that empowers faculty to share proven strategies for success.
• College of Business launches New MS in Finance program: The Finance, Insurance and Real Estate (FIRE) Department helped the College of Business launch an MS in Finance (MSF) program in August 2022 to provide rigorous training in finance and the practical knowledge needed in today’s financial and investment industry.
• New first responder scholarship opportunity: Future emergency medical technician and paramedic students at Sacramento State's College of Continuing Education (CCE) will now have the option of applying for a First Responder Scholarship, a first-ever opportunity for students in both programs to receive financial assistance. Sacramento State is the first and only California State University campus to offer a paramedic program, and we offer the most clinical and field provider agency contracts of any accredited paramedic program.
• Sacramento State faculty take on mass incarceration: On May 24 and 25, Sacramento State’s Transforming Outcomes Project (TOPSS), an Academic Affairs program that seeks to reduce recidivism by providing higher education to incarcerated Californians, held its first ever commencement ceremonies at Folsom and Mule Creek prisons. Newly released Pell Grant regulations will allow for growth of the program.

• Faculty and staff represent Sacramento State at All Africa Diaspora Summit: The conference promoted African-centered education worldwide and called for the global African family to be part of building Africa’s future.
• Faculty member secures $600,000 for anti-violence theater program: Michele Hillen-Noufer, who teaches Children’s Theater in the department of Theatre & Dance and is Executive Director of NorCal School of the Arts, helped that organization land a $600,000 grant from the Department of Homeland Security to implement programs designed to prevent terrorism and violence.
• CCE awarded CSU PaCE Accelerator Grant: The College of Continuing Education (CCE) was awarded the grant to support the development of a School Mental Wellness Certificate Program. As a collaborative partnership between CCE and the College of Education, the certificate program is designed for any personnel within the TK-12 system wanting to address the wellness needs of school-aged children.

• New Carlsen Center class moves real-world expertise to the classroom: The course, called Entrepreneurial Mindset and offered beginning Fall 2022 through the College of Social Science & Interdisciplinary Studies, enables students to develop an innovative and entrepreneurial mindset and experience in problem-solving.
• Report co-authored by Sac State faculty highlights need for equity-based education practices: “Equity in Motion”, by Dr. Vajra Watson, Dr. Ijeoma “IjO” Ononuju (Touro University), Shaun de Vera and Angelina Kier (current Ed.D. students at Sac State), aims to help inform the ways San Juan Unified School District will learn, move, and grow through intentional and strategic partnerships with community organizations.
• Sac State students win big at CSU Student Research Competition: The annual competition, held April 28-29 in San Diego, showcases research by students from all 23 campuses in the CSU system. Sac State students earned two first-place and four second-place awards, the most honors of any CSU campus.
• PARC re-accreditation: The Peer and Academic Resource Center (PARC) received notice in August that Sacramento State is internationally certified for Supplemental Instruction (SI) for the next 3 years, making us one of eight campuses in the CSU system that received this recognition.
• Faculty support students in crisis: After faculty and student support services reported a drop in student wellness including reports of intimate partner violence and sexual assault, Academic Affairs expanded its role in connecting students to resources.
• Project for Informed Electorate (PIE) releases election explainer videos for November 8 California Election: Hosted by Professor of Political Science and PIE Founder and Director Kim Nalder, the series was supported by the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) and the Sacramento Public Library.
• Library Stinger Studio Makerspace opens: The Stinger Studio is a shared workspace where students and others can explore a variety of hands-on endeavors such as machine embroidery and 3D printing. Opened in Fall 2022 on the first floor of the library in Room 1522, the Stinger Studio expanded to a much larger space across the hall in Spring 2023.
• Sac State faculty appointed to climate task force: In August, the Sacramento Board of Supervisors named 13 members to the task force, including three Sacramento State faculty members. Roslyn Roberts, Assistant Professor, College of Business, Ghazan Khan, Department Chair, Civil Engineering, and Ajay Singh, Assistant Professor, Environmental Studies.
• Carlsen Center hosts Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) events: Partnering with Western Health Advantage, Sacramento State’s Carlsen Center hosted a full slate of events November 14-18 representing the 2022 GEW themes of Education, Ecosystems, Inclusion, and Policy.

• Division of Criminal Justice Convocation: The Division of Criminal Justice held its 9^th Annual Division of Criminal Justice Convocation November 15 in the University Ballroom. This year’s theme was “The Future of Justice IX: The Impact of COVID-19 on the Criminal Justice System.
• Women in the Humanities discussion series: Sponsored by the Humanities and Religious Studies and Women's and Gender Studies departments, this series celebrated women’s contributions to the humanities both as scholars and as subjects of scholarship.
• IPGE hosts International Education Week November 14-18: International Education Week (IEW), a joint initiative of the Department of State and Department of Education, celebrates the importance of global education and student exchange programs. As part of IEW, the Office of International Programs and Global Engagement hosted a number of events to showcase the study abroad opportunities and experiences available at Sacramento State.
• Sacramento State Lands $3 Million Digital Equity Project: Working with Sacramento Congresswoman Doris Matsui, Sacramento State secured $2,997,092 in funding from the National Telecommunications Information Administration’s Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program.
• Center for Practical and Professional Ethics presents 17th annual Fall Ethics Symposium: This year's theme was "The Ethics of Providing Healthcare" and included four presentations from scholars representing the fields of economics and law diagnosing deficiencies in the just and efficient delivery of health care services in the United States.
• College of Business hosts 12th Annual COB Film Festival: This year’s film projects focused on leading with emotional intelligence during organizational crises.
• New faculty books focusing on race, gender, and U.S. immigration: The Center on Race, Immigration and Social Justice (CRISJ), the Department of Women’s Studies, and the Division of Social Work hosted a faculty author book talk featuring recent books by Dr. Tristan Josephson, Women’s and Gender Studies, and Dr. Serge Lee, Social Work.
• Jean-Francois Coget appointed Dean of College of Business (COB): Formerly the Dean of Sonoma State School of Business and Economics, the Paris native said he was drawn to Sacramento State for the opportunity to build on the COB’s success in providing social mobility for all Californians.
• Office of Water Programs (OWP) marks 50 years of service: A division of Academic Affairs, the OWP fulfills Sacramento State’s Anchor University imperative to educate and engage local communities by providing cost-effective solutions for protecting and enhancing water resources, public health, and the environment through training, scientific research, and public education.
• Student history journal named best in nation:Clio was named the nation’s top graduate student journal in the Nash History Journal Prize competition, sponsored annually by the Phi Alpha Theta National History Honor Society. The journal placed first in 2018 and second in 2019 and 2020.
• College of Education (COE) co-sponsors MLK event with Sacramento Kings: Co-sponsored by COE, Doctorate in Educational Leadership Program, Department of Inclusive Excellence, Academic Affairs, DELSA, Sacramento State Athletics, the Sacramento Kings, and SMUD, the event was designed to create strategic connections among leaders in the region focused on the power of transformative leadership.
• CCE launches new master’s programs: In partnership with the College of Education, the College of Continuing Education (CCE) launched the Master of Arts in Universal Design for eLearning, assisting educators to improve the design of online and hybrid learning spaces to reach every student. In partnership with the College of Business, the Master of Science in Finance was launched to prepare students with a rigorous training in finance and build a strong foundation of investment analysis and portfolio management skills.
• College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (NSM) hosts 2nd Annual NSM Fest: The interactive game event engaged NSM students, especially new and transfer, with the great opportunities, support, and services available from the college. The students had the opportunity to get to know their professors, explore the campus and win prizes.
• $20,000 Circular Economy Innovation Competition: The Carlsen Center partnered with the Western Placer Waste Management Authority to present the Circular Economy Innovation Competition. This was an opportunity for innovators and entrepreneurs to showcase their innovations, technologies, and businesses while receiving mentorship and the opportunity to win prize money.
• CCE joins grant-funded research-policy-practice partnership: Sac State’s College of Continuing Education (CCE) joined California Competes, Shasta College Attainment and Innovation Lab for Equity, and ProjectAttain! in a research-policy-practice partnership to study promising postsecondary practices that better engage comebackers and propel them to degree completion. Funded by the Kresge Foundation, the grant funds adult learners as co-creators in the research.
• New AVP of IPGE appointed: As the new assistant vice president of International Programs and Global Engagement (IPGE), Piram Prakasam plays a crucial role in promoting cross-cultural exchange and understanding, and in preparing students to succeed in a globalized world.
• New fellowship program for Japanese American Archival Collection Research: The University Library announced a new fellowship program, The Japanese American Archival Collection Research Fellows Program (JAAC RFP), that provides two fellowships of up to $3,000.00 for individuals or research teams who wish to use Sacramento State’s vast Japanese American Archival Collection (JAAC) for research or creative-end products relating to the Japanese American experience.
• College of Business launches accelerated, fully online iMBA program: To create the new “iMBA” program, the COB revamped an existing master’s degree program so students can earn their MBA in a year without ever setting foot on campus.
• Department of Psychology hosts first Sacramento State Happiness Day: The March event helped the campus community understand the benefits of happiness–and that those benefits are both essential and attainable. Participants also learned about well-established activities that promote happiness, such as taking a moment to text a loved one or writing a thank-you card to someone on campus.
• Outstanding Faculty Awards recognize academic excellence: Established by the Academic Senate in 1992, the Outstanding Faculty Awards recognize the important role faculty play in teaching, learning, student success, and accomplishing our universities strategic goals. This year’s awards were presented March 9 in a special event that allowed the honorees to be celebrated by their families, friends, and peers for the outstanding work.
• CCE joins degree completion initiative: Through the College of Continuing Education (CCE), Sacramento State was invited to participate in the Degrees When Due Community of Practice to Policy. This national community of practice is supporting efforts to amplify adult reengagement and address systemic changes in order to remove barriers for returning adult learners.
• ECS and NSM hosts annual D3 event: The College of Engineering & Computer Science (ECS) and the College of Natural Sciences & Mathematics (NSM) hosted their annual D3 “Discussion, Discovery, and Dissemination” for industry, alumni, and campus community partners. Attendees engaged with ECS and NSM faculty about academic research interests and creative activities, promoting new ideas and discovering cross-discipline collaboration opportunities.
• HHS holds Posttraumatic Growth Conference: The HHS Center for Health Practice, Policy and Research hosted “The Science & Practice of Posttraumatic Growth - Recognizing Personal and Community Strength and Growth in the Aftermath of Trauma” with Joyce Mikal-Flynn, professor in the School of Nursing, world-class athlete Charles Clark, and a panel of experts speaking on how we can acquire the tools to transform adversity and trauma into strength through the development of resilience, compassion, and posttraumatic growth.
• AACSB recognition for Organizational Wisdom Studio: The College of Business Organizational Wisdom Studio was featured in AACSB Insights, a thought leadership digital platform published by the AACSB to help shape and inform the societal impact leadership framework. The article demonstrated the societal impact of Sacramento State’s interdisciplinary efforts as a leading institution in co-creating wisdom to enhance well-being in our society.
• COE Counselor Education Symposium: The College of Education’s (COE) Counselor Education program held its 2023 symposium, Counselor Ed Fall Retreat & New Student Orientation, with the theme: Fostering Professional Identity in Counseling Through Advocacy, Leadership, and Collaboration.
• University-Wide Innovation & Entrepreneurship Pitch Competition: Sac State’s Carlsen Center hosted an opportunity for innovators and entrepreneurs to showcase their ideas, technologies, and/or businesses while receiving mentorship, and the opportunity to win prize money and a seat at a CSU-wide pitch competition.
• CCE joins Building Rural Community Learning Systems Pilot: As part of a cross-sector project aimed at creating clear and supported pathways between adult learners, higher education, and workforce investment boards, job centers, employers, and social service providers, Sac State’s College of Continuing Education (CCE) is one of seven entities in the Building Rural Community Learning Systems Pilot. Funded through Ascendium, the participating institutions are positioned to seek additional funding and design new interventions that improve educational opportunities for rural communities.
• Psych professor’s article most-read: Melissa Holland’s article, "Risk Assessment and Crisis Intervention for Youth in a Time of Telehealth" was the most-read article from Contemporary School Psychology for publications 2019–2022. The article has over 3700 requests. Holland, a Professor of School Psychology in the College of Education, is a regular editor of the Journal of Contemporary School Psychology, the official publication of CASP (California Association of School Psychologists).
• New Hornets Abroad Website: The Office of International Programs & Global Engagement (IPGE) and IRT launched a new Hornets Abroad website to serve as a centralized location where students can search available programs, submit applications, and upload documents to a secure site. The new TerraDotta platform was a significant upgrade over the existing application system.
• NSM Faculty wins Multicultural Center award: Kimberly Mulligan, associate professor of biology, was awarded the "Education Advocacy Award" by the Multicultural Center. It was awarded to one faculty member campus-wide "who advocates for change to enhance the educational experience by promoting equity and empowerment."
• ECS faculty secure $600K NSF grant: Faculty from the department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, Dr. Praveen Meduri, Dr. Milica Markovic, and Dr. Mohammed Eltayeb led a team that was awarded a $600,000 National Science Foundation grant for “Project ACE: Active-learning (A) based Engineering Curriculum-transformation (C) for Excellence in Equity (E).” The research project investigated the effectiveness of project-based learning and course-based undergraduate research experiences to fill an important knowledge gap in the field of engineering epistemologies.
• K-16 Collaborative: On behalf of the Provost, the College of Continuing Education (CCE) is serving as the hub for Sac State’s role in the Sacramento K-16 Collaborative. The multi-year grant is aimed at supporting innovation and systems change that improve data sharing across the region, expanding dual enrollment infrastructure, creating an ecosystem of supports for high priority student populations, expanding transfer pathways, and expanding pathways to and through education and into the Healthcare, Engineering, and Computing industry sectors.
• The Office of Graduate Studies hosts 3rd Annual Sac State Grad Slam Competition: Of the nine participants in Sac State’s March 28 competition, two top graduate students, Olivia Sinclair (MS in Biological Science) and Haley Myers Dillon (Ed.D. in Educational Leadership), represented Sac State in the CSU-wide Grad Slam hosted by San Diego State on May 5; Haley Myers Dillon successfully progressed to the final round of the CSU-wide event.
• NSM grad student awarded prestigious Scholarship: College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (NSM) MS graduate student Amanda Croteau was awarded the highly competitive Nancy Foster Scholarship. This is among the most competitive fellowships in the field of marine science and typically is awarded to Ph.D. students at research-intensive institutions.
• State Hornet Journalists win nine awards: The State Hornet, Sacramento State’s student newspaper, took home nine Best of Show awards at the Associated Collegiate Press convention held March 9-11. The awards included second-best student media website in America.
• NSM student researchers shine: Three students from the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (NSM) received graduate research fellowship awards from the National Science Foundation. These are Sac State’s first-ever NSF-GRFP awards, a testament to the high education quality at Sac State. The NSM college-wide research symposium this year had a total of 88 posters with over 120 student authors.
• ROTC Administrative Support Coordinator receives national recognition: Amber Griffith, an ASC II assigned to support ROTC and the Military Science department, was nationally recognized as a US Army Cadet Command Hero of the Battlefield for her work supporting students.
• Chemistry Assistant Professor secures NIH grant: Stefan Paula received a $142,000, two-year grant from the National Institute of Health (NIH) titled: Development of phenolic small molecule inhibitors of PfATP6, a Plasmodium calcium ATPase. The project is aimed at the discovery and characterization of novel compounds that interfere with the function of an essential enzyme present in malaria parasites, thereby generating information needed for the development of new antimalarial drugs.
• Sacramento State film professor’s documentary makes streaming debut: Associate Professor Kathy Kasic debuted her documentary Lake at the Bottom of the World. The film follows Kasic and her team as they embarked on an Arctic expedition to document a subglacial lake. This documentary is available for streaming.
• Sacramento State secures NSA designation: The National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) program, managed by NSA's National Cryptologic School, designated Sacramento State as NSA CAE institution for 2023-2028. This designation will enable many valued opportunities, such as scholarship funding for students, faculty, and the greater Sacramento community.
• NSM and COE faculty team up for physics teaching grant: Physics faculty, Eliza Morris (Principal Investigator), Mikkel Jensen (Co-Principal Investigator), Vera Margoniner (Co-Principal Investigator), and College of Education faculty Bita Rivas (Co-Principal Investigator), received funding from National Science Foundation with a total amount of $299,916, titled: “Comparing student success, team dynamics, and cost in three different active learning formats in undergraduate physics education”. This project aims to serve the national interest by promoting student success in an introductory college physics course.
• Construction Management Professor wins regional teachingaward: Assistant Professor Dr. Atefeh Mohammadpour, from the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS) Department of Construction Management, received the Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) Regional Teaching Award. This award recognizes contributions to construction education, excellence in teaching, service to the Associated Schools of Construction, and dedication to the construction profession.
• New Undergraduate Studies funding to support first-year-students: The Office of Undergraduate Studies (OGS) received funding from the Chancellor’s Office to create the Smart Start program funded by the CO as “Supportive Pathways”, formerly known as Early Start. It is designed to provide support for incoming first-year students in completing A2 and B4 GE Requirements. Smart Start will support qualified students in two distinct but overlapping programs: Smart Start Summer and Smart Start Academic Year.
• CCE DEIBJ Plan: In alignment with Sac State’s Antiracism and Inclusive Campus Plan, the College of Continuing Education (CCE) launched a 2023-2026 Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Plan that engages staff, instructors, and learners with actionable steps to foster appreciation, empathy, and respect.
• RCA Awards announced: Named for the 2022-2023 University Award for Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity for Early Career Faculty was Dr. Nicole Fox, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice in the College of Health and Human Services. Named for the 2022-2023 University Award for Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity for Senior Career Faculty Was Dr. Katherine McReynolds, Professor of Chemistry in the College of Natural Sciences & Mathematics.
• Engineering faculty awarded DHSIgrant: Rohollah (Roham) Moghadam (EEE) was awarded a Developing Hispanic Serving Institutions (DHSI) Career Mini-Grant for 2023 of $10,000 for a project titled, “Improving Students Knowledge in Robotics by Adopting Autonomous Ground Robot.” The mini-grant funding was sponsored by a larger university US Dept of Education DHSI Grant.
• Sacramento State named AANHPI Student Achievement Program Statewide Central Office: California Assembly Bill 190 created an annual appropriation of $8 million to be given to the CSU to fund this campus-based, statewide central office which will operate the systemwide Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Student Achievement Program.
• NSM faculty receive endangered species grant: Jamie Kneitel, chair of the Biological Sciences Department, and collaborators received a 2023 30x30 Grant through East Bay Regional Park District to conduct research and restoration of an endangered fairy shrimp species in rock pools.
• In Spring 2023, Protected Writing Time helped motivate 22 graduate students working towards the completion of their culminating experience (thesis, project, dissertation, or comprehensive exam) by providing dedicated virtual space on Saturdays throughout the semester to set time management goals in order to support them in achieving their degree completion.
• In the 2022-23 academic year, Graduate Preparation Academy (GPA) had a total of 599 undergraduate students registered to attend six virtual workshops that provided them with information and advice on the necessary skills and qualities when preparing for graduate education at Sac State

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Dr. Vajra Watson named Senior Associate Vice President for Placer Center

May 15, 2023

After an internal search and in concurrence with President Nelsen, it is my great pleasure to announce that Dr. Vajra Watson has been selected as the inaugural Senior Associate Vice President for the Sacramento State Center. The Placer Center, which broke ground last fall, will be the home of a 300-acre academic center which will allow Sacramento State to address higher education needs in Placer County while collaborating with Sierra College on a new model of higher education. Dr. Watson will begin the position in early July.

Since joining Sacramento State in the fall of 2020, Dr. Watson has demonstrated the kind of effective, innovative leadership that will be critical to the Placer Center’s success. She launched the Leading with Justice speaker series that drew thousands of participants from across the country, significantly increased applications to the doctoral program, and, along with our faculty, staff, and students, led our Doctorate in Education to #2 in the nation. She currently serves as Faculty Director for the Doctorate in Educational Leadership program. An announcement of Dr. Watson’s replacement at that position will be forthcoming.

This is part of a longer track-record of success. For twelve years, Dr. Watson served as the founding director of UC Davis Office of Research and Policy and created flagship programming that continues to thrive. Altogether, in her previous role, she secured over $7 million dollars in extramural funding to develop innovative models of community-university-school partnerships.

Dr. Watson is an astute leader and seasoned academic. She has published four books (her latest book is forthcoming with Cornell University Press) and dozens of peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. Her research focuses on educational equity and transformative schooling. She has received several awards including Sacramento’s 40 Under 40 Leadership Award, the California Educational Research Association’s Annual Award, the Congressional Woman of the Year Award, the NBA Sacramento King’s Woman of Inspiration Award, and the American Educational Research Association’s Social Impact Award as well as AERA’s Social Justice Leadership Award.

Dr. Watson was chosen from a strong pool of candidates for the position by a hiring committee comprised of a wide range of stakeholders including representatives from Sierra College, community leaders, and Sac State faculty and staff. The committee agreed she is a visionary leader who will connect theory to practice and help us actualize our collective goals. With Dr. Watson leading the way, Sacramento State Placer Center is positioned to grow a holistic model of interdisciplinary ingenuity and innovation for generations to come.

Please join me in congratulating Dr. Watson as she steps into this new and important role. To learn more about this work, please visit the Placer Center website.

Carlos Nevarez
Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

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Following the Academic Honesty Policy on suspected student plagiarism

May 11, 2023

ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence (AI) currently present us with the greatest challenge to protecting academic integrity that many of us have ever faced. AI’s ability to generate complex content is expanding on a week-to-week basis, and the abilities of plagiarism detection tools like Turnitin are struggling to keep up. We understand the strain this puts on faculty and support you as you navigate this difficult period for educators.

But, regardless of the heightened possibility that academic work has been influenced by AI, we must protect the rights of our students and continue to follow the Academic Honesty Policy There has been an uptick in reports that students have been accused of plagiarism without being provided with evidence. Students suspected of using AI in an academically dishonest manner must be provided with evidence and given a chance to respond to the allegation. Also, faculty that determine academic dishonesty occurred, regardless if an academic sanction is applied, must report it the Office of Student Conduct by submitting an Academic Misconduct Incident Action Form.

College students nationwide are reporting that their work is being improperly flagged as “machine-generated” on Turnitin. Of particular concern are the allegations that the rapid growth of AI is, unbeknownst to students, impacting the use of tools like Grammarly and Google Translate which have become indispensable to students with emerging English skills. While it is too early in the ChatGPT era to ascertain if those reports are legitimate, it would behoove us at this point to err on the side of our students’ integrity and carefully follow policy.

Going forward, the Center for Teaching and Learning is working with faculty to build best practices as we consider the growing part AI is playing in our roles as educators. You can expect further guidance from the Provost’s Office on AI and plagiarism before Fall Semester.

Sincerely,

Carlos Nevarez, Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Tasha Souza, Vice Provost for Faculty Success
David Zeigler, Interim Vice Provost for Student Academic Success

HVAC Upgrade in the University Library this Summer

May 11, 2023

Beginning Monday, May 22, crews will be working in the library to upgrade the building’s HVAC system. This project will require parts of the building to be closed this summer.

Most library services will be available through the Ask. Find. Use. desk on the 1st Floor, but access to the Lower Level and 3rd, 4th, and 5th floors will be restricted. The 2nd Floor will be open for study space and computer use, though air conditioning will be limited. StingerStudio Makerspace will remain open and Special Collections & University Archives will be open for research by appointment (lib-scua@csus.edu), both spaces will have air conditioning.

If you need to check-out library materials during this time, please use the Book Request process to have your items delivered to the pick-up lockers at the library entrance. We will learn more as the work progresses and post updates on the library website.

If you have specific questions, please contact the University Library via email (library@csus.edu) or by phone, (916) 278-5679.

April Message from the Provost and Academic Affairs Newsletter

April 28, 2023

From the April 2023 edition of News from the Office of the Provost:

Dear Faculty and Staff Colleagues,

Spring has finally come to our campus after a long winter, bringing with it all the usual activity of the semester and academic year winding down. This year, however, April’s usual frenetic energy seems to be at a fever pitch. Leadership changes, budget challenges, rising expectations for student success, and intentionally infusing equity into all our work means the Office of the Provost has been busier than ever. At times like these I’m especially grateful for the hard-working and dependable Academic Affairs team I have in place. As a leader, nothing is more reassuring than knowing you are surrounded by people you respect and trust.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and, in light of the difficult conversations we have been having on campus, Sacramento State has been providing programming throughout the month to protect and empower our students. While we often think of our campus sexual assault prevention efforts as being naturally housed in Student Affairs, I believe our division can play a greater role than Academic Affairs traditionally does. Academic Affairs has already completed our assigned action items contained in the Sacramento State 2022-2023 Sexual Violence Prevention, Safety, and Support Action Plan by providing faculty prevention and support resources and encouraging faculty to share those resources on syllabi, but we need to do more. At our forum addressing administration response to student’s concerns about sexual assault, the student’s voices were clear: They don’t just want resources for victims, they want intervention so there are no more victims. In short, they want an end to “rape culture”, the cultural environment where violating bodies is normalized and excused. Ending rape culture means shifting paradigms—something Academic Affairs is uniquely qualified to do. I believe we can drive change through the classroom, so we will be convening a cross-disciplinary working group of faculty to identify and support faculty currently engaged in anti-rape pedagogical work as well as build anti-rape curricula throughout our campus. If you would like to join in this work or you know of a colleague who is doing work in this space, please contact our Communications Strategist Cherie Parker at cherie.parker@csus.edu.

April is also when we celebrate Earth Day. While there have been many Earth Day events on campus this year to call attention to the urgent need to protect and restore our natural world, one of the most meaningful was the Carlsen Center’s Circular Economy Innovation Competition. Partnering with Western Placer Waste Management Authority, the competition was an opportunity for entrepreneurs to pitch innovative technologies for reducing the waste stream in our region. With the effects of climate change and other environmental issues increasingly impacting us in our daily lives, it is critical that we remain engaged in the work of finding real, tangible, solutions.

Finally, next month we will know who will be the ninth president of Sacramento State. Thanks to President Nelsen giving us sufficient notice to allow for a full presidential search, we can look forward to a stable transition. To prepare our new president, we on the cabinet are preparing comprehensive briefing materials to ensure they are ready to hit the ground running from day one. President Nelsen has transformed this campus during his tenure and will be a difficult act to follow, but I am confident that the work we have done under his leadership has set a standard for student-centered achievement to come.

Sincerely,

Carlos Nevarez
Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Click HERE to read more from the April newsletter from Academic Affairs.

If you have information you think should be included in a future newsletter, please contact Communications Strategist Cherie Ann Parker at cherie.parker@csus.edu.

Sr. Associate Vice President for Placer Center On-Campus Interviews

April 21, 2023

Open Forums: Senior Associate Vice President for Placer Center - Updated

The open forums for the following candidates for the position of Senior Associate Vice President for Placer Center will be on the dates/times/locations listed below. The links to the curriculum vitae for each candidate is provided, as well as the comment form.

Tuesday, May 2, 2023
9:30 – 10:30 a.m.
University Union – Folsom Room, 3rd Floor
Amy Wallace
Associate Vice President
Academic Excellence
California State University, Sacramento

Wednesday, May 3, 2023
11:00 – 12:00 p.m.
University Union – Folsom Room, 3rd Floor
Dr. Christine Miller
Director of Forensics
Professor of Communication Studies
College of Arts and Letters
California State University, Sacramento

Thursday, May 4, 2023
2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
University Union – Folsom Room, 3rd Floor
Dr. Vajra Watson
Faculty Director
Associate Professor
Doctorate in Educational Leadership
College of Education
California State University, Sacramento

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Budget Message from the Provost and March Academic Affairs Newsletter

March 21, 2023

From the March 2023 edition of News from the Office of the Provost:

Dear Faculty and Staff Colleagues, As our students pause this week for Spring Break, faculty and staff must now also pause and consider a new challenge before us: an unfavorable state budget outlook that will impact us deeply for the next year and beyond. This is certainly not welcome news, but I believe the work we have done leading up to this shortfall leaves us well-positioned to meet this challenge head-on and continue finding innovative practices as we provide transformational educational experiences to our students.

The Governor’s proposed 2023/24 budget includes a total ongoing increase of $227.3 million General Fund for base growth across the California State University system. Although this is a five percent increase in the General Fund appropriation, it represents an increase of only 2.85 percent to the CSU operating budget and is $286.4 million less than the amount requested by the CSU Board of Trustees—more than half of what the Trustees feel we need to fully operate. It's important to remember that the budget is not final; the CSU system will continue to work with state officials over the next three months to seek additional funding. But we must accept that our university is likely facing budget reductions which will affect all divisions and require very difficult decisions about what can and will be funded and what cannot.

We have weathered larger budget reductions in the past and managed to restore them. Moving forward, I will be working with deans, associate deans, directors, and chairs to solidify our operations and prepare for the expected changes. One thing that will not be changing, however, is our commitment to providing high-quality, equity-minded education to the students and families that depend on us.

The budget news is disappointing, of course. We have come so far in the past three years: coming out of the pandemic, drastically improving graduation rates, keeping enrollment steady as other campuses struggle. But it would be a mistake to approach this challenging budget outlook as an unbreachable barrier. Instead, we need to remember the innovative practices we undertook to get where we are today and move confidently forward in our pursuit of excellence—with student success always our guiding star.

Academic Affairs will be key to that excellence. President Nelsen wants student learning and enrollment to be the highest priority goals in a reduced-budget scenario and recognizes that we are mission critical to achieving those goals. The key to our fiscal health at this time is, and will continue to be, maintaining our enrollment—a daunting prospect at a time when college enrollment is dropping nationwide. It has never been more important to increase our status as a “university of choice”, something you do every day in your impact on students’ lives. When we come through this lean budget period as a stronger campus, it will be because every one of you did what we do best: engaging our students and guiding them on the transformative journey of higher education.

I appreciate each and every one of you and the hard work you have done to make us a stronger, more academically focused campus. Academic Affairs holds the core mission of this university, teaching and learning, and our achievements in improved outcomes are undeniable. I am fully confident this division is ready to face the hard choices ahead—and lead the way as Sacramento State moves boldly into our future.

Carlos Nevarez Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs


Click HERE to read more from the March newsletter from Academic Affairs. If you have information you think should be included in a future newsletter, please contact Communications Strategist Cherie Ann Parker at cherie.parker@csus.edu.

Provost advisory: Assignment deadline flexibility due to internet outage

February 27, 2023

Dear Faculty and Staff Colleagues,

As you may know, campus internet was down for several hours Sunday afternoon and early evening. The outage was widespread among higher education institutions across the region and was the result of equipment failure at another campus. The outage was first reported at 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon and internet was restored for our campus at approximately 7 p.m. Sunday night. Please be aware that the outage may have impacted your students’ ability to complete assignments on time and we ask that you adjust due dates accordingly. I appreciate your understanding on this matter.

Carlos Nevarez
Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

February 2023 Academic Affairs Newsletter

February 21, 2023

Dear Faculty and Staff Colleagues,

We in the academy have a special responsibility to engage with Black History Month. Colleges and universities are, after all, the place where most of the public’s understanding of history originates and where the next generation of historians is being formed. Considering the many ways in which Black history has been excluded from the American story, we owe it to our students and ourselves to reflect on how we can bring a fuller understanding of Black history and Black voices to all our scholarship. And we need to make this reflection an ongoing process throughout our lives—and act in ways that move us toward authentic equity and justice.

This February has provided many opportunities to reflect on Black history and how racial justice intersects with everything we are trying to accomplish as a university. On Feb. 7, I was privileged to meet with Dr. Shirley Weber, California’s Secretary of State, and hear her speak about reparations. Weber authored the bill that created California’s Reparations Task Force and has served as the moral compass as the state considers how to fairly compensate the millions of Californians whose lives continue to be negatively impacted by the legacy of slavery. It was inspiring to realize that meaningful action to address the harms inflicted on generations of African Americans by slavery is becoming reality—and that California is leading the way. Last week, I addressed the Men of Honor program, an annual event of the Male Empowerment Collaborative that supports and encourages our young male students, particularly men of color, to stay on their educational paths. As a first-generation college student who had to defy expectations as a Latinx man when I began my college career, I feel a special affinity for the struggles and triumphs of these young men and am gratified that Sacramento State is building the multi-layered support network to help them meet their goals.

In these and other events this month, I find hope in these troubled times that a more equitable future is, finally, just ahead. As Dr. King said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” I believe he was right, but it will not happen without all of our efforts. For us as educators, that means connecting our BIPOC students with the extra support they may need, while abandoning the deficit-based mindset that ignores their potential. It means regularly evaluating and reevaluating our own pedagogy and curricula to guard against anti-Blackness and other biases. And it means making every month, not just these 28 days, Black History Month.

Carlos Nevarez
Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Grade Appeal information for Fall 22 and Winter 23 classes

January 31, 2023

Sent on behalf of Dr. Emily Wickelgren, Grade Appeal Manager

Dear Sac State Students,

Please see the following information and the attached flyer about the university’s Grade Appeal Process for the Spring. Grade Appeals are for situations where a student feels their final grade in a course was assigned in violation (either arbitrary, capricious, due to discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation, and/or violating another university policy). Grade Appeals can only be submitted in the semester after the one in which the final grade was assigned. So, only Fall 22 and Winter 23 courses can be appealed.

If you believe this situation may apply to you for a Fall 22 or Winter 23 course, you need to follow these steps:

Step 1: Discuss your concerns about the final grade with the instructor by this Friday, February 3^rd (if your instructor doesn’t respond by this date, or discussing it with them doesn’t resolve the issue, then go to step 2)

Step 2: Contact the Chair of the Department for the class by Monday, February 6^th to let them know of your concerns. The Chair will reach out to the faculty member to see if a resolution can be worked out. If no resolution is reached, then go to step 3.

Step 3: The Chair signs your grade appeal form, and you begin preparing all your grade appeal documents to submit (see the checklist after the Grade Appeal Form on what documents are needed).

Step 4: Submit your completed grade appeal to Academic Affairs at scc@csus.edu or in Sacramento Hall room 230 by Friday, February 17^th at 5 pm.

If you miss any of these steps or deadlines, you will be ineligible to file an appeal for the class. This is the ONLY opportunity to submit an appeal for a Fall 22 or Winter 23 class. The policy and forms can be found on the Grade Appeal Website. https://www.csus.edu/academic-affairs/internal/grade-appeals.html Please reach out to the Grade Appeal Manager in Academic Affairs, Dr. Emily Wickelgren at scc@csus.edu with any questions about an appeal or the appeal process.

January 2023 Academic Affairs Newsletter

January 27, 2023

Dear Faculty and Staff Colleagues,

In December, I announced that Steve Perez was returning as provost and my time as interim provost would be coming to an end. As you may have heard, however, Steve has been asked to serve as interim provost at Chico State to guide our sister CSU through a challenging time. I will be staying on as interim. It’s an unexpected turn of events, but one that ensures that both campuses can stay focused on our common mission of academic excellence and student success.

With President Nelsen retiring this coming summer and a search committee forming to find his replacement, it is a time of great change at Sacramento State. But the challenges that we have faced over the past few years have galvanized us to face the natural ebb and flow of leadership changes. As we embark upon spring semester. I encourage everyone to attend the presidential search open forum on Friday, Feb. 3 from 12:30 – 2:30 p.m. in the University Union Ballroom. This is an opportunity for you to contribute to building the future of Sacramento State– don't miss it.

Last week, we observed Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, a time to reflect on Dr. King’s legacy and consider our own connection to the cause of justice. For some, this means celebrating the victories of the Civil Rights era. For others, including those of us who have chosen education as our tool to affect positive change in the world, it means recognizing and committing to the work yet to be done. Addressing the “Purpose of Education” in 1947, Dr. King wrote:

“We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only power of concentration, but worthy objectives upon which to concentrate.”

The key to our work as conscientious educators then, in King’s view, is to protect the academy from forces that would divorce critical thinking from morality. It is a noble position and one that guides me both as a professor and as an administrator. In the light of all the challenges facing higher education right now—enrollment declines, artificial intelligence and other digital plagiarism, political attacks on our pedagogy and curricula—it’s worth remembering that providing an education that is as rich in compassion and justice as it is in scholarly depth is the best gift we can gift to humanity’s future.

The best way to teach compassion is to model it. The pressures our students face outside of their educational lives—mass shootings, racist and anti-LGBTQ violence, rising homelessness and collapsing democratic norms—are taking a toll on mental health. If you see a student struggling, reach out and connect them to our counseling services. You can also refer them to this list of resources for those impacted and/or traumatized by the Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay shootings. The students have made it clear that they see their instructors as their most trusted advocates on campus. As we navigate these troubled times, let us always honor and protect that bond. To again quote Dr. King:

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

I look forward to sharing a productive and transformative 2023 at Sacramento State.

Carlos Nevarez
Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Spring 2023 Sample Title IX Syllabus Language

January 18, 2023

Dear Faculty and Staff Colleagues,

Last fall, ASI hosted a student-led forum on sexual violence that let administrators, faculty, and staff hear directly from students on this important and troubling subject. The students who shared their experiences and concerns clearly communicated that they see faculty as their most trusted source of information on campus. In response, the offices of the president and provost committed to strongly encouraging faculty to include language in their syllabi connecting students to the resources they need. As you finalize your syllabi for spring, please refer to this sample syllabus language document created by our Title IX Coordinator Skip Bishop. It covers steps to follow for sexual misconduct disclosures as well as guidance on maintaining a respectful learning environment. You may also wish to review this guidance on responding to disclosures from the Division of Inclusive Excellence.
I appreciate your attention to this critical issue and your continued efforts to make our classrooms and broader campus safe and inclusive for all our students.
Carlos Nevarez Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs