Provost's Message - December 16, 2021

December 16, 2021

A Year in Review - Looking Back at 2021

  • The 6-year rate of 75% is the third-highest in the CSU. The 4-year graduation rate is 38%, the 5th highest among the CSUs.

  • $561.7M economic impact on the city of Long Beach. 

  • $1.53B total economic impact in Los Angeles and Orange Counties.

  • $32M in grants awarded for 2020-2021 academic year.

  • 10,742 total degrees awarded from July 2020 to June 2021

  • 39,435 total enrolled students as of Fall 2021

 

Best of Colleges

This year we wanted to highlight the best of each college. Each college provided impactful resources, timely programming and key initiatives for their students, faculty and staff.

Here are some examples of their amazing work.

 

College of the Arts

  • The Bob Cole Conservatory of Music YouTube channel hosts hundreds of performance videos. The channel is 12 years old and boasts millions of views.
  • At the 2021 CSU Media Arts Festival CSULB Film and Electronic Arts student projects won three of the seven categories. CSULB Film and Electronic Arts students continue their tradition of dominating the CSU Media Arts Festival finals and award ceremonies. No other CSU had as many finalists or final category winners, once again. 
  • The Carpenter Performing Arts Center kicked off its delayed season of presented shows on November 6 with Branford Marsalis followed the next week by a Cabaret performance featuring song stylist Storm Large. In October, the Carpenter Center staff assisted with the reopening to full capacity as Musical Theatre West returned with their Broadway-style performances.
  • CSULB School of Art’s Lacey Lennon collaborated on a public art exhibition with Long Beach Transit, showcasing the work of CSULB students. The exhibition launched in mid-October at the First Street Transit Gallery.
  • Carolyn Campagna Kleefeld Contemporary Art Museum re-opens in February 2022 following a 4,000 sq. ft. expansion and renovation. The newly redesigned complex offers new attractions inside and out. Upgrades earn the Museum a LEED Silver building sustainability rating. The public re-opening event opening will launch the CSULB Arts Festival: Together—a semester-long celebration highlighting cultural events offered by the CSULB College of the Art.
  • After more than a year of dancing through screens, CSULB Dance returned to the stage in November as CSULB Dance celebrated 50 years as a department. The work was live-streamed - the first time that CSULB Dance performance was presented LIVE through a paid streaming service.
  • The Immersive Design Research Lab (IDRL) has moved to the University Library. Originally conceived as a lab that would have a permanent space, the lab operated as a mobile “pop-up”, which was not ideal. The move is an excellent example of cross-college collaboration, with staff and leadership from the College, the University Library, and the departments of Design and Engineering making it happen.
  • COTA Distinguished Alum and former Theatre Arts faculty member Alexandra Billings has announced her memoirs, This Time For Me, written in collaboration with her friend and mentor, Joanne Gordon, former Chair of the Theatre Arts Department. Alexandra is now on Broadway in Wicked and is on the faculty at the USC School of Dramatic Arts.

 

College of Business

  • COB is one of the largest nationally accredited business schools in the United States, with more than 4,700 undergraduate and over 500 graduate students. 
  • COB is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB). Only 910 business schools in 58 countries out of 16,500 worldwide institutions hold this prestigious accreditation. 
  • Money Magazine ranked COB in the top 50 best U.S. business schools in its list of “The Best Colleges for Business Majors 2020.”  
  • The Beach Investment Group (BIG - formerly the Student Managed Investment Fund), established in 1995, is a yearlong class through which CSULB students manage investment portfolios with real assets reached. This summer it reached $1 Million dollars in assets under management. This milestone underscores the hard work of Dr. Peter Ammerman and BIG/SMIF students over the years. Additionally, the students in BIG just won the 2021 CFAOC RFP Competition. 
  • The new Online MBA (OMBA) program has seen an increase in enrollment of 700% since its launch in 2019. The OMBA has become our fastest-growing graduate program, indicating that we are tapping into an important segment of graduate education in our region. 
  • The MS in Accountancy (MSA) has also seen a significant increase in enrollment. Since 2014, the number of students enrolled in the MSA has grown 500%. Students are recruited by the Big 4 firms and prominent companies. 
  • The Ukleja Center for Ethical Leadership engages students, faculty, and community leaders through programs and activities that embody our core values: Integrity, Servant Leadership, Excellence, and Empowerment. The center celebrated the 2021 Nell and John Wooden Ethics in Leadership Award event and honored Col. Eileen Collins, retired NASA astronaut and U.S. Air Force Colonel.  
  • The Student Center for Professional Development (SCPD) offers programs that develop students' leadership skills, aid in career planning and facilitate academic success and civic engagement. SCPD connects students to the community and the corporate world through meaningful learning experiences. 
  • The Apostle Incubator and Enterprise Lab provides interdisciplinary and inclusive entrepreneurial learning experiences. Students, regardless of major, are taught the fundamentals of entrepreneurship as they pursue and develop their own business ideas. 
 

College of Education

  • Credentials. This past year, the CED granted a record 1,103 credentials! 820 of these are initial teacher credentials. Our programs continue to grow with the Multiple Subject (Elementary Teaching) credential having the highest level of enrollment in the last 10 years, while our Single Subject (Secondary Teaching) program continues to be amongst the largest in the state. The CED will also be placing the most student teachers they’ve had in spring 2022.  
  • Admissions. The CED has introduced the Advancing Inclusive Graduate Admissions initiative to increase access and successful admission of talented students from historically underserved, underrepresented communities and marginalized backgrounds. 
  • Curricular Innovations. The CED is implementing a DEI Curricular Innovations Initiative which includes: 
    • Working with 
      • CED’s Equity and Diversity Committee to develop shared language to be used throughout the college’s work. 
      • the Endowment Committee on a special call for DEI Curricular Innovation awards. 
      • ATS to develop a professional development series that incorporates DEI into course design alongside technology and a program for enhancing online and hybrid courses that also incorporates DEI content and accessibility. 
  • Developing a new college syllabus template incorporating the new shared language, along with sharing resources for making syllabi equitable and inclusive. 
  • Incorporating the shared language into curriculum forms and developing sustainable resources for faculty to use when developing course or program curriculum proposals. 
  • Outreach, Recruitment and Retention of Educators of Color. For spring 2022, the CED is partnering with Paramount Unified School District’s Future Teachers’ Club to enroll a racially diverse group of high schoolers in the course, LST 100 - Intro to Teaching for Equity in Diverse Contexts. The students will also engage in future educator club events. Separately, the CED is an advisory board partner with the Community Partnerships for the Teacher Pipeline grant project, which focuses on diversifying the teacher pipeline. 
  • Black Lives Matter at School. Last spring, the CED hosted several events for students, faculty, staff, and the public focused on anti-racist teaching practices as part of the Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action. The same faculty planning team will plan BLM at School events this spring.

 

College of Engineering

  • The COE in July welcomed Dr. Jinny Rhee as the new Engineering Dean, replacing Dr. Tracy Maples, who served as Interim Dean through most of 2021.
  • COE’s mission to ease the computer science gender gap was helped by a $500,000 grant from the Center for Inclusive Computing at Northeastern University, which is linked to Melinda French Gates’ Pivotal Ventures.
  • COE's incoming freshman class was more diverse than in previous years. Of the 754 freshmen students in Fall 2021, 23.2 percent were female and 49 percent from underrepresented minorities. That compares with 19.2 percent female and 43.7 percent underrepresented minority students in 2020.
  • The College celebrated a new partnership with Keysight Technologies, which contributed $250,000 in new test and measurement equipment, and a strengthened partnership with the Aerospace Corp., which is contributing scholarships for the Aerospace Corp. Dean’s Leadership Academy.
    • Mechanical engineering alumni Dana Bolles ’93, a NASA Science Communications Manager, was part of the AstroAccess team that took part in a parabolic flight in October to explore space accessibility.
    • In its third endeavor in the NASA Lunabotics Competition, CSULB’s Lunabotics Team ranked first in the state and 13th nationwide among 52 teams. 
    • CSULB’s Long Beach Rocketry team took two top honors in this year’s NASA Student Launch Competition, beating out competitors from schools and universities across the country in the Project Review and Best-Looking Rocket categories.

College of Health and Human Services

 

The College engaged in robust Beach 2030 planning to advance student transformational learning, faculty and staff career trajectory, and collective community impact in Long Beach.  

  • By The Numbers: CHHS hired four tenure-track faculty, 17 staff, and awarded 2,028 bachelor’s degrees in the 2020-21 academic year (not including summer degrees). About 29% of those were to underrepresented minority students.  
  • Peterson Hall One Replacement:  A new 83,500 ASF/128,500 GSF interdisciplinary building for the College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) will replace the existing Peterson Hall 1 building (PH1) and the Faculty Office 4 (FO4) and Faculty Office 5 (FO5) temporary office buildings. Slated for completion in 2025, the Peterson Hall One Replacement project will consolidate CHHS clinical education and health and wellness programs currently located in multiple locations across campus. The new building will foster interdisciplinary collaboration and advance community partnerships that aim to prepare the health-related workforce and improve the quality of life for people in the communities we serve.  
  • Performance Eats @ The Beach: CHHS disciplines in nutrition, dietetics, food science, and hospitality management partnered with Long Beach State Athletics to conceptualize an evidence-based student-athlete meal/snack program - Performance Eats @ The Beach.  
  • Leader in Research: The CHHS faculty had a remarkable year for securing new external awards. Despite the reduction in research activities due to the pandemic, CHHS faculty had 37 proposals awarded a total of $16.2 million, which is triple the amount of the previous academic year. The uptick in grant activity is aligned with the college’s commitment to supporting research, innovation, and problem-solving in response to the grand challenges of our time. 
  • Japanese Garden Reopens: The Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden reopened in October to the public. During the COVID-19 closure, CHHS made important updates and reimagined the use of the living museum for members, the campus, and the greater community. There are no longer admissions fees and visitors can use an online portal or mobile app to make a reservation to visit the garden, feed the koi, or sign up for a program.  

 

College of Liberal Arts

  • Graduation Rates: 56.0% of students entering CLA majors in the Fall 2017 cohort graduated in four years. This is 18.3% above the university average. 57.6% of transfer students entering the Fall 2019 term graduated in 2 years—12.5% above the university average. 44 CLA students graduated in 3 years; the highest to date.
  • Internship Programs: 632 students completed academic internships at 300+ different organizations and agencies. Students report enhancing their knowledge, skills and personal development including solving complex, and real-world problems (87.1%); evaluating, interpreting and using information from a variety of sources (87.4%); synthesizing and organizing ideas or information into new interpretations (87.8%); understanding their role in their community and society (91%); and acquiring job- or work-related skills (94%). 
  • Ethnic Studies Requirement: In the Fall 2021 term, 2554 students enrolled in courses that meet the new Ethnic Studies requirement set out in AB 1460. 
  • Donato Center Gift: The Clorinda Donato Center for Global Romance Languages and Translation Studies received a gift of $5.25 million dollars—the largest philanthropic gift in the college’s history. 
  • Graduate Studies: In 2020-2021, The College of Liberal Arts launched a graduate recruitment initiative to encourage first-generation, historically underrepresented, and/or low-income students to embark upon graduate studies: The College of Liberal Arts Equity Scholars welcomed the inaugural cohort in Fall 2021. In 2020-2021, 596 graduate students were pursuing degrees in 20 CLA departments and/or programs. CLA graduate students completed 54 theses in the 2020-2021 year.

 

College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

  • The Thrive Event Series: A virtual event series that helps undergraduate and graduate students navigate the rigors of their coursework while offering opportunities for skill-building in academic, professional, and personal development. 
  • In 2021, a major oil spill in Orange County wreaked havoc on the environment and put local wildlife in danger. Drs. Christine Whitcraft and Gwen Goodmanlowe from CNSM were tapped for their expertise by various news stations (their interviews can be seen on KPCC, LA Times, CBSLA, KABC 7 and Spectrum News 1). Since the spill, Dr. Chris Lowe, Dr. Christine Whitcraft and their students have been assisting NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) with natural resource damage assessment and restoration efforts.  
  • For the first time ever, the majority of CNSM’s departments are headed by female chairs and directors. In addition to the majority, the departments of geological sciences and chemistry and biochemistry are chaired by women for the first time in history. 
  • Dr. Kagba Suaray, Department of Mathematics & Statistics, is at the helm of a national movement to “get black kids excited about math.”
  • Each year, Improbable Research awards Ig Nobel Prizes to researchers who conduct interesting research that is considered out of the ordinary. Dr. Chung-min Lee, a mathematics professor, was a part of the team that was awarded the 2021 Ig Nobel Prize for physics for conducting research on the walking patterns of pedestrians over a four-year span. 
  • CNSM has been working alongside the College of Education to credential and provide a pathway for existing teachers to add an authorization in physics to meet a growing need for physics teachers. 
  • Dr. Kagba Suaray, Professor of Mathematics & Statistics, and Xiyue Liao, Assistant Professor of Mathematics & Statistics, have been awarded funding for the President – Provost initiative for faculty research in equity, diversity, and inclusion. Their proposal seeks to lay the groundwork for cross-institutional pathways to empower students of color to uncover their love for Data Science and prepare them to harness their academic training for community impact, post-secondary degree completion, and employability. 

 

College of Professional and International Education

 

On November 15th, 2021, representatives from the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and the Institute of International Education released findings from the 2021 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange.

  • Among Masters comprehensive institutions, CSULB ranked 6th leading institution in the nation for international enrollment with 1480 students. For study-abroad, CSULB ranked 3rd for short-term (8 weeks or less), 14th for long-term (one-year length), and 15th for mid-length (one semester) and overall ranked 6th in the nation. International enrollment was down nationally and internationally due to the worldwide pandemic.
  •  The Center for International Trade and Transportation (CITT) partnered with the California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA), and the Port of Long Beach to develop the California Supply Chain SUCCESS Initiative, a collaboration designed to take a solutions-based approach to supply chain issues. CITT deployed several strategies to guide stakeholders’ approaches to discussing solutions, including a social media campaign and virtual workshop.A Biotech consortium was developed in response to the need for the CSU to develop programs that meet regional labor market needs and student demand in biotechnology and life sciences. The consortium includes three campuses (CSUF, CSULA, and CSULB/CPIE) and BIOCOM. The consortium’s mission is to develop an industry-informed, workforce training program for biomanufacturing technicians--a fast-growing entry to the mid-career level position that is in high demand.  CSULB is named one of the top 35 institutions as inaugural “Fulbright HSI Leader” by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Through this inaugural “Fulbright HSI Leader” designation, ECA recognizes 35 HSIs that have demonstrated noteworthy engagement with the Fulbright Program during the 2019-2021 academic years and have promoted Fulbright Program opportunities on campus.1500 Sound Academy, the music education institution founded by members of Grammy-winning ensemble 1500 or Nothin’, is partnering with the College of Professional and International Education to offer a new Music and Industry Fundamentals program that began in Fall 2021. The program is designed to prepare students for careers in the music industry with a variety of essential skills including songwriting, engineering, branding, and more. Classes will be available in either a live online format with a virtual classroom; or on campus at the 1500 Sound Academy Studio in Los Angeles, which features state-of-the-art recording and performing facilities.
  • CPIE’s Center for International Trade and Transportation (CITT) became the official home of California's Local Technical Assistance Program(LTAP). LTAP is a contract with Caltrans with funding from the Federal Highway Administration. The CSULB LTAP Center is a partnership of CITT and COE and we are charged with promoting and delivering transportation-related technical-based training to local agencies across the State.
  • The Intercultural Diplomats Program is running its fourth year of deploying international students to teach and share about their culture in the Long Beach Unified School District. Funding comes from the California Global Education Project, and the program is jointly administered by the College of Liberal Arts in partnership with the Center for International Education.

 

 

Announcements

This year Dr. Karyn Scissum Gunn joined California State University, Long Beach as Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. Dr. Scissum Gunn oversees the 8 academic colleges and the university library. She is responsible for directing nearly 4,000 faculty and staff members in the Division of Academic Affairs, the largest unit within the university. 

 

Her passion for EDI at the Beach led to the creation of the inaugural President-Provost 2021 Faculty Research Awards to promote Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (FRA-EDI).

We wanted to wish our Beach family Happy Holidays! May your time celebrating with family and friends be joyous and peaceful.

 

Thank you for all your hard work and dedication during the year.

We appreciate all you do!

 

Update to Academic Appeals Process 

There are certain circumstances where undergraduate students may need to appeal for an exception to academic policy (for example, GE Substitution and Waivers, Graduation Requirement Exceptions, Academic Renewals etc.). As of this month, students can submit appeals online using DocuSign. For instructions and requirements for each type of appeal visit the Academic Standing and Appeals page.

 

Use the Ask Elbee Chatbot for 24/7 Enrollment Services Support

 

Academic Technology Services

 

Faculty who are new to CSULB and/or online course design are invited to participate in the Winter Instructional Technology Foundations (ITF) program, January 10 – February 6. A stipend of $1,225 will be provided after program requirements are met. 

 

ATS is offering over 40 skill-enhancing workshops in January! Visit ATS Events and Workshops for the latest schedule.

 

Spring 2022 Faculty Professional Development programs are now open for registration. Join ATS and CSULB faculty peer reviewers to explore the application of established standards for online course design. This semester, we are offering Quality Essentials, Course Peer Review, and HyFlex Instructional Techniques. Stipends are provided upon completion of each program.

 

Read the latest edition of the Research @ the Beach newsletter

 

This online publication is produced each semester to recognize faculty and students for their ongoing work. The Fall 2021 issue of Research @ The Beach, focuses on the impact of institutional-level research and grants. To learn more about this newsletter, click here.

 

The Grunion Gazette:



Inside Long Beach State: Native American Heritage Month

 

Academic Affairs Accolades and In the News

 

Grants and Gifts

  • Meyer-Adams, Nancy. LA County DCFS & UCLA Academy of Workforce Excellence. Social Work. CHHS. The Regents of the University of California - UCLA via LADFAS via US DHHS. $1,093,121. (July 2021 – June 2022)
  • Locks, Angela. CSULB 2021 Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation (TRHT) Campus Center. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. AA. $25,000. (October 2021 – March 2023)
  • Mark, Ron. Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute. Center for Criminal Justice Research & Training. CHHS. Commission on POST. $2,432,672. (July 2021 – June 2022) 
  • Donato, Clorinda. Marie Sklodowska-Curie Global Fellowship. Clorinda Donato Center. CLA. Cardiff University. $19,090. (August 2021 – July 2022)
  • Garcia-Vega, Melawhy. Nutrition Education Socio-Ecological Framework Development for Latinos. Center for Latino Community Health. CHHS. Community Wealth Partners via Walmart Foundation. $7,045. (November 2021 – December 2021)
  • Booth-Caro, Erin. WorkAbility IV. Career Development Center. SA. California Dept. of Rehabilitation. $748,386. (July 2021- June 2041)
  • D'Anna, Laura. Investigating the potential for non-tobacco wraps to displace cigarillos for blunt smoking. Center for Health Equity Research. CHHS. The Regents of the University of California-Irvine. $24,426. (July 2021 – June 2022) 
  • D'Anna, Laura. City of Long Beach Tobacco Education (TEP) Evaluation Project. Center for Health Equity Research. CHHS. Long Beach Dept. of Health and Human Services. $62,000. (July 2019 – December 2021)
  • Crutchfield, Rashida. Evaluation of Innovative Rapid Re-Housing Supports Social Work. CHHS. California Community Foundation. $100,000. (November 2021 – November 2024) 
  • Whisler, Daniel. Role of defects and effects clusters in failure of additively-manufactured steels. Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. COE. The Regents of the University of California-San Diego via Livermore Labs. $27,500. (September 2021 – June 2022) 
  • Gonzalez, Araceli. Video-visit behavior therapy for anxiety and depression in youth: A randomized effectiveness-implementation study in low-resource primary care settings. Psychology. CLA. SDSU Research Foundation via NIH. $10,113. (September 2020 – July 2022)
  • Yohannes-Reda, Saba . PUSD MESA College Prep Program. College of Engineering. COE. Paramount Unified School District. $25,000. (November 2021 – October 2022)
  • Baker Prindle, Paul. 2020-2021 Education Program ACLB. Kleefeld Contemporary. COTA. Arts Council for Long Beach. $1,000. (October 2020 – September 2021)
  • Crutchfield, Rashida. Evaluation of Innovative Rapid Re-Housing Supports Social Work. CHHS. Kaiser Permanente. $100,000. (November 2021 – November 2024) 
  • Crutchfield, Rashida. Evaluation of Innovative Rapid Re-Housing Supports Social Work. CHHS. EastBay Community Foundation. $100,000. (October 2021 – November 2024)
  • Ji, Wenji. Improving Estimates of Vegetation Structure and Biomass in Global Savannas and Drylands with ICESat-2. Geography. CLA. Regents of New Mexico via NASA. $29,753. (August 2021 – March 2023)

 

COVID-19 Pre-Screen Questionnaire - All faculty and staff must complete this questionnaire before any and every visit to campus. The questionnaire is accessed via CSULB Single Sign On by clicking on the COVID-19 Pre-Screen chicklet.

 

 

In Memorium

 

Dr. William “Bill” Leiter, Emeriti Professor of Political Science, has passed away. He will be remembered for his passion for teaching, and love for his students.

 

The next Provost’s Message will be January 19.

Items for the upcoming message should be submitted by January 14 at 5:00pm to aa-communication@csulb.edu in order to be included.

 

All submissions must include a hyperlink with a title.