By Daniel Wilson

August 28, 2026

Sacramento State is hitting the ground running for another historic year.

During his annual Fall Address on Thursday, Aug. 27, President Luke Wood provided an optimistic outlook for the 2026-27 academic year and made a major facilities funding announcement. Wood’s highlights included updates on enrollment, the state budget, and recent University achievements in academics, athletics, and diversity programs.

The finale of the address was the announcement of nearly $150 million in funding for a brand-new engineering building. Wood shared the news with a video package spotlighting engineering students before members of the College of Engineering and Computer Science wheeled out several student-built Hornet Racing vehicles.

“At long last, our students are getting a new engineering building,” said Wood to cheers and applause from the audience of Sac State faculty, staff, students, local leaders and dignitaries, and community supporters. "This new building represents the largest infrastructure investment in Sacramento State's history.”

The funding comes from the state of California, the California State University (CSU) system, and private funding. It includes a $15 million naming gift from local philanthropist and long-time Sac State supporter Ernest E. Tschannen. The University may now move forward with construction of the Ernest E. Tschannen Engineering Teaching and Research Building.

“Sacramento State is now … in a season of momentum. We will use our institutional momentum to power our priorities for the future.” — President Luke Wood

The next phase will be to dream, design, and plan for the new facility, a process that will include input from the campus community and the public, Wood said.

“It's going to be big; It's going to be visionary,” he said. “This building means that people are noticing what we're doing here at Sacramento State.”

The building is expected to include modern instructional, laboratory and collaborative spaces, as well as better promote hands-on learning, innovation, and industry partnerships for the college, which includes several engineering and computer science programs as well as construction management.

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Earlier in the address, Wood said many of California’s colleges and universities are facing difficult political, economic and other challenges as he celebrated Sac State’s ability to succeed despite projections of massive declines in high school graduates over the next decade. Recent data shows Sacramento is the only region in the state that is projected to increase in high school graduates in the next 10 years while rates in the rest of the state are expected to decrease.

Sac State also has seen historic graduation rates with the University reaching its highest ever in recent years.

Currently, Sac State has 30,438 students enrolled, including 4,262 transfer students, meaning the University is on track to meet or exceed targets set by the CSU Chancellor’s Office, Wood said.

“It suggests that not only are we well positioned right now because of the work that we have done, but the future looks bright,” Wood said.

Wood also discussed the recently signed state budget, where education was a priority for Governor Gavin Newsom, thanks in part to efforts by Sac State’s labor partners. The budget forecasts a stable future, but Wood emphasized that while it means cuts will cease, it also means the University doesn’t have funding for growth.

Despite budgetary challenges, Sac State has added 5,200 new course sections, which will help students complete the classes they need for graduation. The University Library will also receive $3 million for renovations and improvements.

Additionally, Wood celebrated recent athletics accomplishments, including the move to the Big West conference and the football team’s transition from FCS to FBS.

“We are the first university in 57 years on the West Coast to transition from FCS football to FBS football,” Wood said.

Wood also mentioned the addition of women’s flag football, Sac State’s 22^nd intercollegiate sport, upgrades to campus basketball facilities, and an upcoming replacement of the University’s track.

Among other updates was the announcement of 400 new Black Honors College (BHC) enrollees, bringing the total number of BHC students to over 900. Plus, the Wileety Native American College now has 40 enrollees, representing over 30 tribal nations.

Wood went on to applaud regional partnerships, such as the developing downtown campus on Capitol Mall, a new workforce initiative with Rancho Cordova AI and Robotics Ecosystem, and the Placer campus development, which soon welcomes a new forensic sciences bachelor’s degree program. As part of the partnership, the county has plans for a new forensics laboratory expected to open in late 2028.

During the Spring Address in January, Wood announced 2026 would be the year of the arts. He solidified that commitment by celebrating several performances and activities across campus. He also shouted out alum Ryan Coogler’s four Oscar wins and professor Kathy Kasic’s Emmy for her climate change documentary, The Memory of Darkness, Light and Ice, which included work from seven student filmmakers.

Other Fall Address speakers included Andrea Terry, faculty senate chair; Krystle Peay, acting president for the University Staff Assembly; and Associated Students, Inc. President Sergio Antonio Maciel Montoya.

Wood summarized the coming year at Sac State with a few simple words.

“It's a great time to be a Hornet,” Wood said. “Sacramento State is now … in a season of momentum. We will use our institutional momentum to power our priorities for the future.”

The Fall Address coincides with “Arrive to the Hive,” a week of student-centered welcome events.

Following the Fall Address, the University hosted two New Student & Family Convocation ceremonies, a rite of passage signifying the start of students’ academic careers.

Earlier in the week, new students moved into their campus housing, including the first students who will live in the newly built Mt. Whitney Hall. The week caps off with Hornet Nest Fest, the University’s official fall welcome celebration, on Friday night.