Reminder: final two provost open forums are this week

October 21, 2024 - Today and Thursday, Oct. 24, the last two finalists for the position of provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs will visit campus. All members of the campus community are encouraged to attend the candidate open forums in person or via Zoom.

A link to the open forum Zoom is included below for each session. Click on the name of each candidate to review their resumes/CV. Live captioning will be provided through Zoom. To request additional accommodations, please email Rheena Muñoz at rmunoz@csus.edu.

Monday, Oct. 21, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Dr. Carmen Bustos-Works
Associate Vice President for Academic Programs and Dean of Undergraduate and Graduate Studies, Cal Poly Humboldt
University Union, Cottonwood Suite
Forum link: https://csus.zoom.us/j/89539799229

Thursday, Oct. 24, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Dr. Michelle Gonzalez Maldanado
Provost, University of Scranton
University Union, Cottonwood Suite
Forum link: https://csus.zoom.us/j/89539799229

Thank you to everyone who has attended previous interviews and the open forum for the three candidates who already visited campus. Their visit details are below.

Wednesday, Oct. 9
Dr. Corey Cook
Executive Vice President and Provost, Saint Mary’s College of California

Thursday, Oct. 10
Dr. Erika Cameron
Provost and Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, Palo Alto University

Friday, Oct. 11
Dr. Georita Frierson
Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, Chief Academic Officer, University of Southern Maine, Portland, Gorham, and Lewistown-Auburn, Maine

Please provide feedback about each candidate by completing the feedback survey no later than 5 p.m. Friday, Oct 25. If you have questions about the survey, please contact Rheena Muñoz, presidential operations analyst, at rmunoz@csus.edu.

Celebrate Homecoming Week!

October 15, 2024 - It’s Homecoming Week at Sacramento State, a time for alumni, students, faculty, staff and our community to celebrate Sac State and show our Hornet pride. With numerous events on and off campus this week, we hope that everyone will find a way to have fun and become involved. Here are just a few events we want to highlight:

Every day this week at noon you can participate in lunchtime pep rallies, each hosted by a different campus group.

Sac State’s men’s soccer team plays CSUN at 3 p.m. Wednesday on Hornet Field, and the women’s team faces Montana at 2 p.m. Friday. Tickets are available here.

Bay Area rapper P-lo will be live in concert 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. Thursday in the University Union Ballroom. This concert is open to the public with special pricing for Sac State students.

Visit the interactive exhibit “Why We Vote,” 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday in the University Union Exhibit Lounge. The exhibit offers visual representations of why we vote, participate in politics, and engage in our communities. The exhibit runs until Nov. 7.

Our remarkable student Concert Band will perform 7 - 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at Capistrano Concert Hall. Under the direction of Dr. Matthew Morse, the band will perform Claude T. Smith's "Emperata Overture," selections from "Wicked" by Stephen Schwartz, Robert Jager's "Third Suite," and Rossano Galante's "Mischievous Behavior." Tickets are available here.

We’ll cap off the week Saturday, Oct. 19, with our Homecoming Festival and football game. Come out to enjoy music, performances, games, a Kidz Zone, and the annual golf cart parade beginning at 3 p.m. in Parking Lot 8. At 6 p.m., head into Hornet Stadium to cheer on our Hornets as they take on the Weber State Wildcats.

Faculty and staff may claim four free tickets to the game online. They may receive a free Hornets baseball cap at the University Advancement booth in front of the Alumni Center. Be sure to bring your One Card to get your cap. To claim your tickets, follow the link and steps below:

• Log in with your single sign on, here.
• Click “buy tickets.”
• Select “Sac State Student/Faculty/Staff Tickets.”
• Select “Athletic Events.”
• Select “Football”
• Select “Sac State Football vs. Weber State.”

Please contact hornettickets@csus.edu if you have questions about how to claim your tickets. Full season schedules for football and other fall sports are on the Hornet Athletics web page.

For a full slate of Homecoming Week events, visit the Homecoming web page. We look forward to seeing you around campus and at the big game this weekend.

Stingers Up!

Dr. Luke Wood
President, Sacramento State

Aniesha Mitchell
Vice President for Student Affairs

Today is Indigenous Peoples Day

October 14, 2024 - Today is Indigenous Peoples Day, a day to uplift and celebrate the Native people of this nation and the original stewards – the Nisenan, Puhtwin, Miwok, Wintun, and Maidu – of the land on which Sacramento State stands, as well as our Native American staff, faculty, and students, and all Indigenous people in our state. Indigenous Peoples Day is a time to celebrate the positive impact that Native Americans have had and continue to have on American society. It is also an opportunity to recognize the lived experiences of the Native people of the Americas while acknowledging past and present injustices.

At Sacramento State, we are committed to acknowledging that the land our campus is on continues to be the homelands of the Indigenous people of this area and to creating an environment of success for Native students, faculty, staff, and nations. Our draft Land Acknowledgement reflects these values and beliefs.

On this Indigenous Peoples Day, and every day, we ask the Hornet Family to reflect on and celebrate the knowledge, history, and diverse cultures of Indigenous peoples.

Please join us for the Outstanding Staff Awards Reception

October 9, 2024 - I'm thrilled to invite you to a special celebration honoring the dedication, innovation, and passion that our staff brings to Our Sacramento State every day. Please mark your calendar and RSVP to join us 2-4 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 29, in the University Union Ballroom for the 2024 Outstanding Staff Awards Reception as we celebrate these remarkable individuals:

Gabrielle Hoskins, coordinator, NSM Advising Center
Outstanding Contribution to Student Success

Jessica Gollaher, operations coordinator, Population Research Center
Outstanding Contribution to Teaching, Scholarship, and/or Creative Activity

Carol Nicknig, marketing and communication specialist, University Communications
Outstanding Contribution to Justice, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging

Karen Dively, collections manager, Department of Anthropology
Outstanding Contribution to Philanthropy and Sustainability

Christine Kellerman, administrative analyst/specialist, HHS Dean's Office
Outstanding Contribution to Community Engagement

Tony Chen, information technology consultant, Athletics
Behind-the-Scenes Champion

Michelle Dungca, director of Classification and Compensation, Human Resources
MPP MVP

Dr. Boatamo "Ati" Mosupyoe, dean of students, Black Honors College
Patricia Holmes Outstanding Mentor Award

Richard Aguirre, services coordinator, Science Education Equity Program, NSM
Jody Nelsen MVP Award

ASL interpretation will be provided. For additional accommodations, contact events@csus.edu by Oct. 18.

I again thank the Outstanding Staff Awards Steering Committee, Selection Committee, and everyone who took time to submit a nomination. We look forward to celebrating these remarkable members of the Hornet Family later this month.

Stingers Up!

Claim your four free tickets to the next football game

October 8, 2024 - Hornet football returns from the road for its next game at 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, taking on Eastern Washington at Hornet Stadium. We are pleased to offer all University faculty and staff up to four free tickets to the game. To claim your tickets, follow the link and steps below:

• Log in with your single sign on, here.
• Click “buy tickets.”
• Select “Sac State Student/Faculty/Staff Tickets.”
• Select “Athletic Events.”
• Select “Football”
• Select “Sac State vs. Eastern Washington.”
• Claim four free tickets with “Faculty/Staff Day.”

Please contact hornettickets@csus.edu if you have questions about how to claim your tickets.Be sure to save the date for our Homecoming game, Saturday, Oct. 19, where the Hornets will take on the Weber State Wildcats. Visit the Homecoming webpage for information about Homecoming week activities and instructions for claiming your four free tickets for the game. The full season schedules for football and other fall sports are available on the Hornet Athletics webpage.

Let’s show our Hornet pride and pack Hornet Stadium to cheer our team to victory together!

Stingers Up!

Details for provost candidate open forums

October 7, 2024 - We are pleased to welcome several finalists to campus to interview for the position of provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs. Three of the candidates will be on campus this week, with two additional candidates visiting the week of Oct. 21. There is no candidate open forum tomorrow, Tuesday, Oct. 8.

All members of the campus community are encouraged to attend these open forums, either in person or via Zoom. A link to the open forum Zoom is included below for each session. Click on the name of each candidate to review their resumes/CV.

Live captioning will be provided through Zoom. To request additional accommodations, please email Rheena Muñoz at rmunoz@csus.edu.

Wednesday, Oct. 9, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Dr. Corey Cook
Executive Vice President and Provost, Saint Mary’s College of California
University Union, Cottonwood Suite
Forum link: https://csus.zoom.us/j/89539799229

Thursday, Oct. 10, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Dr. Erika Cameron
Provost and Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, Palo Alto University
University Union, Cottonwood Suite
Forum link: https://csus.zoom.us/j/89539799229

Friday, Oct. 11, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Dr. Georita Frierson
Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, Chief Academic Officer, University of Southern Maine, Portland, Gorham, and Lewistown-Auburn, ME
University Union, Cottonwood Suite
Forum link: https://csus.zoom.us/j/89539799229

Monday, Oct. 21, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Dr. Carmen Bustos-Works
Associate Vice President for Academic Programs and Dean of Undergraduate and Graduate Studies, Cal Poly Humboldt
University Union, Cottonwood Suite
Forum link: https://csus.zoom.us/j/89539799229

Thursday, Oct. 24, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Dr. Michelle Gonzalez Maldanado
Provost, University of Scranton
University Union, Cottonwood Suite
Forum link: https://csus.zoom.us/j/89539799229

Given the impact of the provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs, it is important that we get feedback about each candidate from the campus community. Please complete the feedback survey for each candidate no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct 25. If you have any questions about the survey, please contact Rheena Muñoz, presidential operations analyst, at rmunoz@csus.edu.

National Voter Education Week information (Updated)

October 7, 2024 - This year’s National Voter Education Week (NVEW), Oct. 7-11, is about empowering voters with the information needed to help them confidently participate in the election process. Sacramento State aims to provide guidance to help citizens find polling locations and make a voting plan, and to encourage people to inspire others to vote. Details can be found on our Civic Engagement Events page about NVEW activities and other campus events leading up to the general election, including:

• Oct. 8 – Civic Engagement Resource Fair, Community Engagement Fair
  Oct. 8 – Voter Connection: Where Voting Meets the Culture, California Legislative Black Staff Association
  Oct. 16 – Initiative Explainer, The Project for an Informed Electorate
  Oct. 23 – A Guide to Election Week: How to Prepare, How It All Works, What to Watch, The Project for an Informed Electorate

California’s general election is Nov. 5, 2024, when we will vote for president, federal and state legislators, and local officeholders, and decide 10 statewide ballot measures. State law requires ballots to be mailed to all California registered voters, and polling places will be open for in-person voting. The deadline to register to vote in the upcoming election is Oct. 21, 2024, but eligible voters are encouraged to register well before the deadline. You can register to vote and check your registration status on the Secretary of State’s website.

To vote in California, you must be:

• A United States citizen and California resident
• At least 18 years old on Election Day
• Not currently serving a state or federal prison term for the conviction of a felony (Visit the Secretary of State's website for more details.)
• Not currently found mentally incompetent to vote by a court

Voters can return their ballots by mail or use a ballot drop box. A drop box in the front lobby of the Welcome Center is accessible during normal business hours Oct. 7 through Election Day. Welcome Center business hours are 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Sacramento State again will host a Vote Center at Modoc Hall, Willow Suites 1-3. The Vote Center, operated by the Sacramento County Department of Voter Registration and Elections, replaces traditional Election Day-only polling places. It will be open for the three days before the election and on Election Day. All registered voters in Sacramento County can vote in person or drop off their completed ballots at the Vote Center.

Vote Center schedule:

• 6:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 2
• 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sunday-Monday, Nov. 3-4
• 6 a.m. – 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5 (Election Day)

Sacramento County residents can do same-day registration and voting at the Vote Center. However, those ballots will not be counted until after the county elections office has verified registration, so it’s best to register before Oct. 21. Sacramento County voters also can pick up replacement ballots, update voter registration information (e.g., change of address), and obtain voting materials in multiple languages at the Vote Center.

I sincerely hope that each eligible member of the Hornet Family will register to vote and participate in this year’s election. For more information, please visit Sacramento State’s voting website.

Stingers Up!

Note: This post was updated Oct. 9, 2024, to correct some of the information.

Save the dates for provost candidate open forums

October 3, 2024 - After a highly competitive nationwide search, we are pleased to welcome four finalists to campus to interview for the position of provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs. The interviews are scheduled to begin Tuesday, Oct. 8. Please save the dates below and plan to participate in the open forums for each finalist.

All members of the campus community are invited to attend in person or via Zoom. A link to the open forum Zoom is included below for each session. The names and resumes/CVs for each candidate will be provided before the forums. Live captioning will be provided through Zoom. To request additional accommodations please email Rheena Muñoz at rmunoz@csus.edu.

Candidate A: Tuesday, Oct. 8, 10:30-11:30 a.m.

In-Person: Cottonwood Suite

Zoom link: https://csus.zoom.us/j/89539799229

Meeting ID: 895 3979 9229

Candidate B: Wednesday, Oct. 9, 10:30-11:30 a.m.

In-Person: Cottonwood Suite

Zoom link: https://csus.zoom.us/j/89539799229

Meeting ID: 895 3979 9229

Candidate C: Thursday, Oct. 10, 10:30-11:30 a.m.

In-Person: Cottonwood Suite

Zoom link: https://csus.zoom.us/j/89539799229

Meeting ID: 895 3979 9229

Candidate D: Friday, Oct. 11, 10:30-11:30 a.m.

In-Person: Cottonwood Suite

Zoom link: https://csus.zoom.us/j/89539799229

Meeting ID: 895 3979 9229

Thank you to the search committee for identifying high-quality candidates for this critical position. We had an impressive pool and an outstanding initial round of interviews.

Updates on athletic facilities

October 2, 2024 - I am pleased to provide updates on new developments related to our plans for new athletics facilities. Tomorrow, we will release conceptual renderings of the stadium design. As I shared in a message last week, the new stadium will be home to football, men's and women's soccer, and rugby, as well as a variety of campus and community events. Sac State has secured funding for the stadium that will not have an impact on the overall budget for the University, as we seek to both protect our core mission of teaching while also creating opportunities to generate revenue for the campus and its programs. These dollars are restricted and cannot be directed to other critical needs such as academic facilities.

Today, a group of local business leaders not directly affiliated with Sacramento State, known as the "Sac-12," shared that the Sacramento Kings have offered to host our men's and women's basketball teams at Golden 1 Center. This offer is pending availability of the venue and will prioritize conference home games. I consulted with a number of Faculty Senate Executive Committee members regarding both of these developments yesterday.

After receiving feedback from that committee, we are forming several temporary advisory groups, one of which will focus on athletic facilities and conferences. The groups will include faculty, staff, and students. Given the fast-moving nature of conversations and decisions surrounding these issues, this advisory group will help ensure we make well-informed choices that align with our University's values and long-term goals.

I will continue to keep the campus community informed of new developments.

Stingers Up!

Announcement about plans to replace Hornet Stadium

September 26, 2024 - This morning, Sacramento State will announce plans to build a new stadium to replace the current facility at Hornet Stadium.

The stadium will accommodate at least 25,000 attendees. It will also feature improved student and visitor seating sections, premium seating and boxes, and improved restroom and concession facilities. Populous, a leading architecture firm, will create the conceptual designs for the facility that will support multiple sports, including football, men’s and women’s soccer, and men’s and women’s rugby. Renderings will be released in the coming weeks.

The plan to rebuild the stadium was originally conceived by President Nelsen, but we have expanded it to support the needs of multiple sports and to serve as a site for community events, concerts, Convocation, Commencement, and potentially semi-professional and professional tenants. The existing stands, originally intended to be temporary, were built several decades ago and have required significant ongoing maintenance to ensure that the temporary facility could continue to support campus needs.

Last year, I held 92 listening sessions with over 1,500 students, faculty, staff, and alumni to hear about what makes Sacramento State distinctive and what they wanted to see from the University over the next five years and beyond. Several very clear messages emerged from these sessions regarding our student-athletes, but a desire to have better facilities was top of mind for the students. This resulted in strategic plan action item #15, which reads, “Pave the road to transition all Sacramento State NCAA D-I sports to one athletic conference to reduce travel for student-athletes by renovating the UnionWELL basketball gym and replacing temporary football stands with stadium seating by Fall 2028.” Renovation of The WELL basketball gym was announced last year and phase 1 of the renovation is planned for completion in early December.

Sac State has secured funding for the stadium that will not have an impact on the overall budget for the University, as we seek to both protect our core mission of teaching while also creating opportunities to generate revenue for the campus and its programs. There will be many announcements about the stadium in the coming months, including naming partners, co-tenants, entertainment partners, and other sources of funds associated with this capital project.

The stadium has multiple funding sources, including dollars earmarked only for student athletics, donor funds, sponsorships, and planned co-tenants. We will share more on this in the coming months as we publicly unveil our partners. More exciting news to come.

Update on campus processes to comply with NAGPRA and CalNAGPRA

September 20, 2024 - As part of our legal obligations under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA, please see addendum) and the California Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (CalNAGPRA, please see addendum on attached PDF) and our ethical duty to resolve an ongoing harm to Native American nations and communities, Sacramento State is committed to a collaborative, campus-wide process to ensure that we are achieving timely and respectful consultations to repatriate the Native American ancestors and cultural items that we have held in our institution for far too long. We continue to make great progress toward our repatriation goals. Today, I ask for your help in support of this effort.

To ensure that we are fully apprised of all the Native American ancestors and cultural items on our campus, I ask that you report any human remains and potential Native American cultural items held by you, your unit, or department; or if you have encountered any Native American ancestors and cultural items during your work or studies at Sacramento State.

To achieve a more holistic understanding of campus holdings that may be subject to NAGPRA and CalNAGPRA, we are instituting a three-stage campus survey process:

Stage 1: Later this month, an online Qualtrics survey will be sent to all staff, students, administrators, and faculty, allowing you to report any human remains or Native American cultural objects you either hold or have encountered during your work or studies at Sacramento State. All responses will be kept confidential. A process will be set up through the NAGPRA website to allow anonymous reporting of suspected human remains or Native American cultural items.

Stage 2: In early October, a self-assessment survey will be sent to directors, department heads, chairs, administrators, and faculty to guide campus personnel as they perform physical inspections of their department/unit spaces.

Stage 3: On the basis of data secured in Stages 1 and 2, authorized campus personnel will perform a prioritized physical search of all campus spaces during the Fall 2024 semester.

If Native American human remains or cultural items are present in your department, please do not handle or move them. If the human remains, Native American cultural items, and/or Native American collections are improperly stored, such as being exposed to harmful elements or environments, or unsecured, please contact Dr. Mark R. Wheeler at mark.wheeler@csus.edu immediately. Further, federal and state laws prohibit the use of Native American ancestral remains and cultural items in teaching and research without the free and prior consent of descendant communities. Therefore, access to Native American ancestral remains and cultural items must be restricted to the department/unit director until further notice.

I appreciate your time and attention to this request. If you have questions, please contact Sarah Eckhardt, the campus NAGPRA coordinator (sarah.eckhardt@csus.edu) or visit our campus NAGPRA website.

Winter Commencement will be Dec. 14 at Golden 1 Center

September 19, 2024 - I know that many of you have been eagerly awaiting the release of the Winter 2024 Commencement schedule, so it is with great excitement that I announce that the event will be Dec. 14 at Golden 1 Center. I am grateful that we succeeded in securing Golden 1 Center for our Commencement, especially during the busy NBA season.

As a part of this year’s Winter Commencement, we are hosting a Graduation Rewind ceremony for students who graduated during the COVID-19 pandemic and were unable to participate in a traditional Commencement. We wanted to host this very special and long-awaited celebration at Golden 1 Center, as students who graduated in 2020 or Spring 2021 will finally cross the stage and celebrate their momentous accomplishment in front of their loved ones. Winter Commencement will move to our spectacular new Event Center next year.

Sacramento State’s Commencement website has been updated with the detailed schedule and other important information about the Dec. 14 ceremonies. Winter graduates should read the “Graduate Information and FAQ” page for answers to common Commencement-related questions.

Students must register to participate in Commencement. On Monday, Oct. 21, eligible students will receive an email to indicate that the link in their Student Center is active so they can register and claim guest tickets. Each eligible graduate will be allotted nine tickets to their specific ceremony. A step-by-step guide to claiming tickets soon will be available on the Commencement website. Only Fall 2024 graduates are invited to participate in Winter 2024 Commencement. We are unable to accommodate requests for exceptions.

I look forward to celebrating this significant occasion with the Hornet Family.

Stingers Up!

Nominations for Honorary Doctorates are now being accepted

September 17, 2024 - Sacramento State’s honorary degrees selection committee invites nominations for honorary doctorates to be conferred during 2025 Commencement. The California State University awards honorary doctorates to individuals who have demonstrated excellence in areas that benefit humanity, CSU campuses, the state, the nation, and/or the world. Recipients serve as examples to be recognized and honored for their exemplary contributions. More information about honorary doctorates, including past recipients, can be found on our Honorary Degrees page.

To learn more about the criteria and to submit a nomination, please review the nomination form. The submission deadline is noon on Oct. 18. If you have questions about the nomination process, please contact Renee Siden at 916-278-2783 or renee.siden@csus.edu.

Student fees to increase, along with services and support

September 16, 2024 - As you may know, the Student Fee Advisory Committee (SFAC) recently provided oversight for an alternative consultation process to consider adjusting existing Category II mandatory student fees. These fees, many of which have not been increased in decades, are directly correlated to enhancing several key student services and programming on campus.

During the alternative consultation process, a series of open forums were held to discuss the proposed fee increases and provide students with the opportunity to ask questions and share their points of view. Information was also shared with students via email, a web page, digital signage across campus, and social media. Following the collection of student feedback, SFAC met to deliberate on the proposed fees, and the committee recently provided me with its recommendations, which were based on the robust feedback from students and analysis provided by the sponsoring divisions.

After careful consideration of student feedback, SFAC recommendations, and the analysis of the fee proposals, today I informed the committee of my final determinations on the four proposed fee increases and the proposed new nonresident fee. In concurrence with the recommendations of the SFAC, I approved the implementation of increases to the Student Health Services fee, the Intercollegiate Athletics fee, the Recreational Sports fee, and the Instructionally Related Activities fee, to be phased in over three years starting in fall 2025.

I am pleased that these fees will support a number of programs and services, such as enhanced staff and operational resources for cultural and identity centers including the APIDA Center, PRIDE Center, Multicultural Center, Dreamer Resource Center, Serna Center, MLK Center, Esak’timá Center, Jewish Life Center, Women’s Resource Center, Improve Your Tomorrow, and the SWANA Center. Read the memo I sent to SFAC today for details about each fee increase.

The new nonresident fee proposal asked for a $500 per semester mandatory fee for international and out-of-state students. Sacramento State currently has no nonresident fee, though there was briefly a similar Category IV fee that was suspended, then eliminated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Academic Affairs requested this new fee to enhance support programs for nonresidents, events, and scholarships. The scholarships are especially crucial, as international students are not eligible for most financial aid options. Nonresident fees are normal within the California State University system, and the proposed fee was substantially lower than the nonresident fee at other campuses. Unlike California residents, families of nonresident students have not contributed to state taxes that help subsidize the education provided at a state institution.

SFAC recommended not adopting the proposed new nonresident fee, noting a clear lack of student support. Though I disagree with this recommendation, based on feedback from the open forums, town halls, and the vote of SFAC, the University will not implement the proposed nonresident fee.

I did not make the decision to increase these fees lightly. The increased revenues they generate will enable us to provide the services and programming students have demanded. As we shared during the alternative consultation process, most students will have the fees covered by financial aid. The fees include a 3% return-to-aid component which creates a fund that can be redistributed to students having difficulty paying the fees. Finally, I am committed to not bringing forth any new alternative consultation processes that focus on students on our main campus for at least the next three years.

I am grateful to the many students who shared their feedback by attending one of the open forums or by completing a survey. I was impressed by the thoughtfulness and deep care that each of you put into sharing your voice during this process. I also would like to thank the members of the SFAC for their diligence and carefully thought-out recommendations.

I look forward to the enhancements to student life at Sacramento State that will include expanded supports, services, and programming, which will foster a vibrant campus environment rich with opportunities for engagement, personal growth, and community building.

APIDA Pop-Up today, and other events coming to Acorn Amphitheatre

September 11, 2024 - As you settle into the rhythms of the fall semester, I am pleased to share some exciting news about a new effort to foster a sense of community through diverse programming that promotes wellness, cultural celebration, and educational engagement. Located between Sacramento Hall and River Front Center, the outdoor, park-like space that is currently called the Main Quad is now a vibrant, central campus hub, dedicated to bringing together individuals from all backgrounds to connect, learn, and thrive in an environment that supports holistic well-being and cultural inclusivity.

The Main Quad is now home to Acorn Amphitheater, which includes a temporary stage (soon to be home to a permanent stage). Programming in Acorn Amphitheatre can occur with the stage but doesn’t have to — the whole park-like area of the Main Quad will be up for grabs. Several events are already scheduled in the Acorn Amphitheatre, including today's APIDA Pop-Up Welcome Back event from 5-6:30 p.m. There are also tai chi and kung fu classes every Tuesday and Thursday from 12-1 p.m., open to all students, faculty, and staff, taught by philosophy professor and my senior advisor Mark Wheeler.

Watch for more information about future events, which will include a Latine Pop-Up, a kickoff celebration for Filipino American Appreciation Month, and yoga and hula classes open to the campus community. Contact the Office for Cultural Transformation at oct@csus.edu for details about upcoming events, to book space, or with any other questions.

Check out the video and story about this year’s Hornet Nest Fest to get a look at some of the early semester action at Acorn Amphitheatre.

I wish everyone a productive, engaging, and fun fall semester, and I look forward to seeing you around campus. In case you missed it, enjoy this 2024 Fall Welcome Message from Student Affairs.

Stingers Up!

Claim your two free tickets to Hornets football home opener

September 9, 2024 - The new football season is underway, and I hope you'll join us for the first home game at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14, as the Hornets take on Nicholls State University at Hornet Stadium. To celebrate our home opener, all University faculty and staff can claim up to two free tickets to the game.

To claim your tickets, follow the link and steps below.

• Click on this link.
• Click on “Sac State Student/Faculty/Staff” login.
• Click on “Athletics.”
• Click on “Football.”
• Click on “Sac State Football vs. Nicholls."
• Claim two (2) free tickets with “Faculty/Staff Day.”

Please contact hornettickets@csus.edu if you have questions about how to claim your tickets. The full season schedule for football and other fall sports is available on the Hornet Athletics webpage.I hope to see you at Hornet Stadium this Saturday as we cheer our Hornets to victory!

Stingers Up!

Launch of the Department of Nutrition, Food and Dietetics

September 6, 2024 - We are pleased to announce the launch of the new Department of Nutrition, Food and Dietetics (NUFD) in the College of Social Sciences and Interdisciplinary Studies. The NUFD program was previously housed within the Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) department.

The decision to establish NUFD as a separate department while retaining the existing FACS department within the same college reflects a unanimous consensus among faculty and was approved by former President Robert Nelsen on Oct. 13, 2022. The creation of this new department followed a thorough consultation process that engaged current and former FACS students, faculty, staff, advisory committees, and stakeholders. Informed by comprehensive data collection, including student surveys from 2019 and 2022, input from academic leadership, and evaluations of CSU system programs, this restructuring aims to enhance the accessibility of the Nutrition and Food program, as well as its clarity, visibility, and identity. This transition aligns with our commitment to advancing educational excellence and meeting accreditation standards. We are confident that this strategic reorganization will foster a student-centered environment conducive to academic growth and professional development within the fields of nutrition, food, and dietetics.

Please join us in thanking Dr. Seunghee Wie for her service as the inaugural chair of this new department. We look forward to the continued success and impact of our expanded departmental offerings and remain committed to supporting our students' journey toward achieving their academic and career aspirations.

Stingers Up!

Luke Wood, President

Carlos Nevarez, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Please share your feedback about what to include in my Fall Address

August 16, 2024 - As we approach the start of a new academic year, I'm reaching out to remind you about the upcoming Fall Address, scheduled for 9 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 22, in the University Union Ballroom.

We are preparing for an exciting academic year, and I am eager to share information about new programs and initiatives. But we also face ongoing challenges, including all-too-familiar fiscal constraints. To ensure my remarks address what matters most to you, I'd like your input. Please take a moment to complete this brief survey, where you can share the issues or questions you want included in the address. Your feedback will ensure that we focus on the topics that are most important to our faculty and staff.

After my remarks, we’ll hear directly from our students, who will share their experiences and provide insights on how we all can better support them.

To ensure the event is accessible to all, we will provide ASL-to-English interpretation and captioning and will livestream the event here.

I look forward to seeing many of you there as we kick off what promises to be an exciting and productive academic year.

Stingers Up!

Archive of Presidential Communications

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• 2023 - Fall
• 2023 - Summer