Provost Message - October 19, 2016
Upcoming Budget Opportunities, Challenges Outlined
As we look to the future, it’s important for the campus community to understand the many factors affecting the CSU and campus budgets. Vice President Mary Stephens and I will be outlining the budget opportunities and challenges that lie ahead during a budget "road show" Thursday, October 20, from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. in the Anatol Center (AS-119).
The presentation is open to all faculty and staff and will provide preliminary information based on what we know now. If you are unable to attend, the presentation will be posted on the campus Budget Central web page. You’ll find the CSULB Budget Status and Outlook 2017-18 under Links & Downloads on the left side of the page. If you would like to have us speak to your organization, please contact the provost’s office at extension 5-4129 or provost@csulb.edu.
CSULB Awarded $5.8 Million HSI STEM Grant
The U.S. Department of Education has awarded CSULB its second five-year, $5.8 million Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI)-STEM and Articulation Programs grant, Sí Puedo, to close the achievement gap in science, technology, engineering and mathematics for Hispanic and low-income students.
Sí Puedo will be implemented as a collaboration between CSULB’s colleges of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (CNSM) and Engineering (COE) with Dr. Eric Marinez, Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, serving as the project director, and Dr. Krzysztof Slowinski, Associate Dean for Academic Programs, Evaluation, and Advising, and Dr. Tracy Maples, Acting Associate Dean for Academic Programs, serving as co-program directors for the grant.
CSULB has had significant success in improving freshman and transfer graduation rates. However, graduation rates for under-represented minority (URM) students have trailed behind non-URM students in STEM majors. Sí Puedo programming specifically targets first year students by equipping them with the tools and resources to be successful.
Key project activities include:
- A summer program for mathematics preparation and placement
- Freshman and transfer learning communities
- Peer mentoring and tutoring
- Supplemental instruction
- A summer bridge research experience for transfers
- A transfer orientation program
- Orientation for students and families
- Faculty development workshops on culturally engaged pedagogy.
Learn more about HSI-STEM at CSULB.
Achievements and Accolades
CSULB has been listed among the Best Engineering Schools for 2017 by U.S. News and World Report. Thanks go to the faculty and staff in the College of Engineering for their continued efforts to ensure students receive a quality education.
About 1,500 people attended the Craft Beer Festival last weekend in support of the Hospitality Program within the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences. The event included 53 brewers, two food trucks and restaurants including Naples, Legends and the Boathouse. Congratulations to the 49er Shops and everyone who worked to make this a successful event.
A total of 690 students from the U.S., Canada, Australia and Mexico competed in CSULB’s 24 HOURS Animation Contest for Students. Led by Professor Aubry Mintz (Art), the competition required students to create a 30-second film that included a wall, in one form or another, metaphorical or physical. Films were judged by a panel of industry artists including directors, animators and artists from various studios like Blue Sky, DreamWorks, Rough Draft, Shadow Machine, Monolith Productions and Blizzard Entertainment. Congratulations to Mr. Mintz, the winners and all of the CSULB students who participated.
Upcoming Academic Technology Services Workshops
Academic Technology Services is offering the following workshops to help faculty get more use out of BeachBoard and learn Kanopy Streaming Video.
| Date | Workshop |
|---|---|
| October 26 | Streaming Media Alternatives - Using Kanopy Streaming Video from the University Library – Part 2 - You will learn how to find videos that are content specific to courses, create a playlist for students and link or embed videos in BeachBoard. |
| November 1 | Minimize Cheating in BeachBoard Quizzes - Use the Quizzes tool to create, manage and grade online quizzes with minimal cheating |
| November 1,3 and 4 | Track Students' Progress with BeachBoard Grades - Use the Grades tool to set up grade books, grade systems, grade schemes and grade calculations |
| November 2 | BeachBoard Statistics to Improve Learning - Use the statistics available in BeachBoard that can help you know more about student involvement in your classes, and how to improve conditions for improved learning. |
For more workshops, please visit the Academic Technology Services website.
Designing and Assessing Multiple Choice Exams
Risto Moisio (Marketing) and the Faculty Center for Professional Development have organized a workshop to help faculty design multiple choice exams. Features of successful questions and associated alternatives will be discussed. The workshop will also cover statistical assessment of multiple choice questions, providing tools for faculty to distinguish good questions from bad questions. In so doing, we will examine how to interpret PARSCORE reports and what actions faculty should take based on the reports.
The workshop will be held twice:
- October 25, 12-1 p.m., CBA-204
- November 2, 11.30 a.m.-12.30 p.m., CBA-204
No RSVP is necessary.
Chancellor’s Doctoral Incentive Loan – Call for Applications
Please share the following opportunity with upper division and graduate students:
The California State University is seeking applications for the 2017-18 Chancellor’s Doctoral Incentive Program (CDIP). The program aims to increase the number of individuals who demonstrate potential as doctoral students and who may be interested in applying for future CSU instructional faculty positions.
The Chancellor's Doctoral Incentive loan is $10,000 per year for three years and forgivable for those with full- or half-time teaching appointments at a CSU campus. The program is open to applicants who will be new or continuing full-time students in doctoral programs at regionally accredited universities anywhere within the United States.
Applicants are not required to have attended the CSU or to have been accepted in a doctoral program at the time of their application.
The campus deadline for application submission to Brotman Hall is Friday, February 10, 2017. Additional information is available online.
Recommendations for Honorary Doctorates
Members of the CSULB community are encouraged to make recommendations of persons to receive honorary doctorates. As a reminder, honorary degrees may be conferred for the following purposes:
- To recognize excellence and extraordinary achievement in significant areas of human endeavor, within which are embodied the objectives and ideals of the California State University.
- To honor meritorious and outstanding service to the California State University, collectively, or to its campuses, individually; to the State of California; to the United States; or to humanity at large.
- To recognize men and women whose lives and significant achievements should serve as examples of the California State University’s aspirations for its diverse student body.
Please forward any recommendations to the Academic Senate, care of Aracely Montes (Aracely.Montes@csulb.edu), by Thursday, November 10. Also, please note that this process is completely confidential; the possibility of a nomination should not be discussed with any individual whose name is being submitted for consideration.
Additional Campus News
Do you own a classic car? If you own a classic car, 1970 or older, and are interested in showing it at the Staff & Faculty Classic Car Display during Homecoming on November 5, please contact Christina Salvador at extension 5-4371 or Christina.Salvador@csulb.edu for a registration form. Registration forms are due October 28.
Parking and Transportation Services is relaunching the CSULB Vanpool Program with even more incentives to join.
