Provost's Message - February 2022

February 2022

NEWS AND UPDATES

As we celebrate Black History Month, I wanted to take a moment and reflect on the many CSULB Black alumni and campus contributors who represented this commemorative month in the list below. All paved the way through uncharted territories when the road ahead was filled with painful sacrifices and obstacles. These pioneers achieved remarkable success.  

 

These Black alumni heroes have inspired my own mission as I serve as the first female Black Provost at CSULB. Many of them said ‘yes’ when the world told them ‘no.’ This list is by no means complete, but each is noteworthy and deserving of the honor. Their resolve and fortitude spur us to continue the mission of educating the next set of amazing alumni. I want to thank the Black Faulty and Staff Association for creating this comprehensive notable alumni and campus contributor list, especially the Sistahs-on-Campus for providing the content for this page.  

 

These qualities are similar to the potential I see at ‘The Beach.’ Many of you are making brave and selfless choices to try to make the world a better place, and I applaud you. Thank you for your dedication and perseverance. What I do know is that the work is not done, and we need to expand access.  

 

According to an issue raised from our WASC 10-year accreditation letter, we need to ‘explore difficult issues around systematic racism and unconscious bias and devise an action plan to support its aspiration to serve as a model for inclusion and equity.’ I hope during my tenure that this action plan is not only created but fully implemented in every aspect of academic affairs and the broader campus.  

 

This is why Beach 2030 continues to bridge this possibility of hope into practical reality. One of the University Action Plans called Build an Equitable and Empowering Culture states to ‘confront patterns of systemic inequity that affect students, faculty, and staff.’   

 

My Beach family, we have issues to confront, center our attention on, and focus on as our critical mission. Black History Month gives a moment of reflection and assessment but reminds us how far we will need to go this month and beyond. All our future alumni, faculty, and staff need to know we are creating a safe place for all at CSULB.    

 

If you are interested in learning more, I encourage you to participate in many of the Black History Month celebrations on campus. I know you will be inspired. 

 

Go Beach! 

 

Provost Karyn Scissum Gunn 

 

Black History Month Flag Representation

  • Colors of the African flag - The three colors of the flag were chosen to represent the blood (red), the soil (green), and the prosperity (black) of Africa and its people. 

  • The creation of the Pan-African flag was a step for black people around the world to claim an identity in their own right.  '

Notable CSULB Black Alumni and Campus Contributors

 

Dr. Pamela Ashe

SisterFriends, founded in 1994 by Pamela Ashe, is a supportive networking group for Black women at Long Beach State (LBSU). This group offers a confidential environment for Black women to share their experiences and address issues faced by Black and African women.

 

Phillip Boutte, Jr.

CSULB Alumna Boutté has designed costume concepts for blockbuster films such as “Black Panther,” “A Wrinkle in Time,” “Captain Marvel,” “Star Trek Beyond,” “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” “Captain America” and “Justice League.”

 

June Cooper

June Cooper was the first black female acting president for Cal State Long Beach in 1988.

 

Rashida Crutchfield

Alumna & Assistant Professor, School of Social Work. Her continued dedication to solving the housing and food insecurity crisis in California colleges recently was rewarded by state legislators, who gave the entire CSU system a recurring $15 million for the Basic Needs Initiative.

 

Amber Johnson 

Dr. Johnson, Health Science Assistant Professor in CHHS, uncovers how racism and stress correlate to cardiovascular disease disparities among Black populations, especially Black women. She leads the City of Long Beach’s Black Health Equity Team, which is tasked with addressing health disparities among Black community members.

 

Dr. Maulana Karenga

Dr. Maulana Karenga is professor and chair of Africana Studies at CSULB. He is internationally known as the creator of Kwanzaa, an African American and Pan-African holiday celebrated throughout the world African community.'

 

Kagba Suaray

Suaray, Mathematics professor at CSULB, founded the Hesabu Circle, a virtual program designed to help Black students of all ages from around the world connect with Black math professionals and educators.

 

Dr. Joseph White

Dr. Joseph White was the second African-American professor at CSULB. He acquired funding from the Dean of Students along with 75 special admissions slots to outreach to minority students in 1967, creating the EOP program His pioneering conceptual work earned him the title of “the Godfather of Black psychology."

 

For the full list, click here.

 

On January 21, 2022, Academic Affairs hosted a Think Tank on Student Success. Keynote speaker was Dr. Estela Bensimon on Decentering Whiteness to Make the Classroom a Radical Space of Possibility. Click here to watch the keynote session.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Academic Affairs FAQ

For up-to-date updates and information on Academic Continuity during COVID, visit here. Utilize SSO to access the Repopulation FAQ for Academic Affair's Spring Repopulation.

 

For more campus wide information, visit the

university's COVID-19 website.

 

  • Seats are still available in our stipend-based, faculty professional development program, HyFlex Instructional Techniques beginning on February 21. Outcomes include:  

  • Developing student learning objectives using Hyflex design principles. 

  • Identifying effective student assessment strategies. 

  • Learning techniques for engaging students in different modalities (in-person & remote). 

  • Learn how to use MS Teams in the classroom! ATS is hosting trainers from Microsoft for custom, CSULB faculty workshops. TA’s and staff are also welcome to attend. Visit the ATS workshop page for details and registration:  Microsoft Teams for Education. 

  • Need support with equipment during your in-person classes? Through our HyFlex Student Assistants program, ATS student assistants can help you learn how to operate equipment in your classroom or set it up and run it for you while you teach, as you wish. Visit HyFlex Student Assistant Program to request a student assistant for your classroom. 

  • To get all the latest updates, events, and resources related to academic technology at CSULB, follow our new Twitter account! @CSULBATS 

The Division of Academic Affairs and the Office of Undergraduate Studies are sponsoring three webinars by specialists in academic services that you may want to consider for improving student outcomes.

  • Supplemental Instruction and Academic Coaching - February 25 from 3:00 to 4:00 pm. Register here.

  • Midterm Grades and Progress Reports -March 25 from 3:00 to 4:00 pm. Register here.

  • Tutoring—April 29 from 3:00 to 4:00 pm Register here.

 
Love Data Week (LDW) aspires to raise awareness and build a community to engage on topics related to research data management, sharing, preservation, reuse, and library-based research data services. Join us for Love Data Week 2022 from February 14 – 18, 2022.
 
For more information, click here.
 

CSULB Vaccine Clinic

 
CSULB faculty can receive the booster through Long Beach Health and Human Services on Monday / Wednesday 11a-3p adjacent to the USU bookstore or at a multitude of places off-campus.
 
For more information on off campus vaccination centers, visit here.
 

Interim CSU COVID-19 Policy

 

The CSU announced that all individuals who access campus/programs must be fully vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus, as defined by the interim policy.
 
The university will soon require third shots, or booster shots, as part of its immunization policy. All students and non-represented staff will be required to receive a booster shot by Feb. 28 or five months after their final dose to be considered fully vaccinated.
 
For more information, log into to Single Sign-On to view an instructional video on how to upload booster verification.
 
 To find an off-campus vaccination site near you, search here.
 
To view the Winter 2022 Testing Site Weekly Schedule, click here
 
 
 Non-compliant students will be given an automatic red x for the All-Student and Lab-Student prescreen forms. The only way to get past this red x is to call PRC and ensure compliance. 
 
For more campus wide information, visit the university's COVID-19 website.
 
 
New first-year, transfer, and graduate students are eligible for technology resources to support your success. These devices are yours to use, for free, through the completion of your degree.

Refer to our CSUCCESS website for the link to request a device and FAQs.
 
 

34th Annual CSULB Student Research Competition

 

The purpose of the Annual Student Research Competition is to showcase excellence in scholarly research, and highlight creative activity conducted by CSULB undergraduate and graduate students. The Student Research Competition will feature oral presentations to an audience of fellow students, university community members, and a jury of distinguished faculty. The 34th Annual Student Research Competition will take place

Friday, March 11, 2022.

 

For more information, click here.

 

 
Carolyn Campagna Kleefeld Contemporary Art Museum (the Museum) reopens its expanded and renovated site on February 12.
 
During the Museum’s soft launch over the next several months, it welcomes guests to visit during limited hours on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays from noon–5:00 p.m.; Fridays via reservation from noon–5:00 p.m.; or Second Saturdays: 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m
 

President's Awards

Nominations are open for the President’s Awards for Staff Employees of the Year and Team Achievement. These Awards provide the opportunity for state-side staff employees to be recognized for outstanding service and significant contributions to the campus community in the categories of Student Success, Inclusive Excellence, Leadership, Innovation, and Team Achievement.

Nomination Submission Deadline: Friday, March 18, 2022, at 5:00 p.m.

Detailed Award descriptions, eligibility requirements, and nomination webforms are all available on the President’s Awards webpage.

Email SHR-Recognition@csulb.edu with any questions or if any assistance is needed with the nomination webform process.

 

The Grunion Gazette:



Looking back and forward

 

ACADEMIC AFFAIRS ACCOLADES AND IN THE NEWS

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

GRANTS AND GIFTS

 

  • Marcus, Richard. California Global Education Project at CSU Long Beach. International Studies Program. CLA. UCOP. $40,000. (July 2021 – June 2022)

  • Grintsevich, Elena. CAREER: Isoform-Dependent Redox Regulation of Actin. Chemistry & Biochemistry. CNSM. NSF. $848,223. (January 2022 – December 2026)

  • Maiorca, Catherine. STEAM Ecosystem Expansion Demonstration Project (SEED Project). Teacher Education. CED. Dramatic Results via US. Dept of Education. $32,723. (October 2021 – September 2026)

  • O'Brien, Thomas. Metrofreight: The Local/Global Challenge of Urban Freight. Center for International Trade & Transportation. CPIE. University of Southern California via Volvo $12,500. (March 2013          - January 2022)

  • Tian, Fangyuan. CAREER: Surface Chemistry of Crystalline Coordination Networks Chemistry & Biochemistry. CNSM. NSF. $588,085. (April 2022 – March 2027)

  • Pickett, Galen. Departmental Admissions Practices that Maintain Excellence and Diversity in the Face of Covid19. Physics and Astronomy. CNSM. Florida International University via American Physical Society. $8,907. (November 2020 – June 2022)

  • Huang, Chang (Claudia). An Wang Fellowship. Human Development. CLA. Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies at Harvard. $60,000. (January 2022 - December 2022)

  • Eriksen, Shelley. Campus Sexual Assault Program. Human Development. CLA. California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES). $204,500. (January 2022 – December 2022)

  • Garcia-Vega, Melawhy. Rural Food Insecurity Research Project Needs Assessment. Center for Latino Community Health. CHHS. Unidos US. $40,156. (November 2021 – July 2022)

  • Benken, Babette. Noyce: Developing and Strengthening Partnerships to Support Teacher Recruitment and Retention. Mathematics & Statistics. CNSM. NSF. $74,999. (February 2022 – January 2023)

  • O'Brien, Thomas. GO-Biz Supply Chain Success Initiative. Center for International Trade & Transportation. CPIE. GO-Biz. $15,000. (December 2022 – February 2022)

  • Rahai, Hamid. CSUTC: Transportation Research and Transportation-Related Workforce. Education, Training and Development - (Renewal: Year 1 of 3). COE Administration. COE. SJSU Research Foundation via State of California. $275,000. (January 2022 – December 2022)

  • Mark, Ron. POST Executive Development Course. Center for Criminal Justice Research & Training. CHHS. Commission on POST. $55,175. (July 2021 – June 2022)

 

In Memorium

Professor Anthony “Tony” Giovannitti has sadly passed away. He was known for his love for math and teaching. He will be greatly missed.