Provost's Message - February 19, 2020

Message From Provost Jersky

Dear Campus Community,

One characteristic of CSULB that I appreciate is shared governance on our campus. All entities represented have a voice with all deciding on the direction of our campus. This system, for the most part, is effective for problem-solving and collaborating on ideas. The system, however, does have its drawbacks such as where some thoughts may not be fully expressed. Understanding this, our campus is providing the opportunity for everyone to share honestly and openly. In order to do that, we have to be willing to examine what is working, and what is not.

Recently, faculty, staff, and students received an email from President Conoley detailing information about a campus-wide survey. According to her letter, ‘the initiative is a national survey to study the thoughts, feelings, and issues of our entire campus.’

Our hope is that the data provided by respondents will provide insight into areas we can improve on. The survey will be administered through Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) from UCLA. As with any survey, responses will be confidential. Most importantly, results will be transparently shared.

We want our campus to fully live out the CSULB mission of ‘enriches students' lives through globally informed, high impact educational experiences with superior teaching, research, creative activity, and action for the public good.’ Author and researcher Brene Brown defines integrity as ‘choosing courage over comfort. It's choosing what is right over what is fun, fast, or easy. It's choosing to practice your values rather than simply professing them.’

The more stakeholders who take the survey, the better the representation we will have to go on to make necessary changes.  Our value is to create an environment where, ‘compassion, creativity, and innovation characterize our culture, as well as diversity is our strength’ becomes the norm for everybody. Even with our best intentions, we know we need to do more to give an opportunity for all to share.

For more information about the Campus Climate survey, please visit the website.

I know we are headed in the right direction. Recently I received an email from the Office of Equity and Diversity expressing appreciation for faculty who stood in the gap for over 100 sensitive and urgent Title IX issues and accommodations. Based on each faculty’s support, guidance and care, more students were able to successfully stay in school. I am so grateful for our faculty and staff who go beyond the classroom to care for our students.

Thank you again for your commitment to our ‘Beach Family’,

Brian Jersky

Provost and Senior Vice President

 

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News

• Podcasts with the Provost - Why is Bond 13 so important in the upcoming March ballot? How can we more effectively engage with our local government?
  For this month's episode of 'Podcast with the Provost,' the provost meets with Christopher Reese, the Associate Vice President for University Relations to unpack these topics, and more. Also on Spotify. Join the conversation.

• Social Mobility A Reality: The Grunion Gazette with President Jane Close Conoley

Academic Affairs News

• Lily House-Peters and Seiji Steimetz - League Of Women Voters takes on climate change in Long Beach – Press Telegram

• Lily House-Peters - Aquarium of the Pacific’s climate panel urges action from state leaders – Los Angeles Daily News

• Nathan Gerard - Why millennials are the “death positive” generation – Vox

• William Jeynes - Trump administration updates public school prayer guidance on National Religious Freedom Day – CNN

• Closed Loop: Pushing The Recycling Boundaries – Long Beach Business Journal

• Jason Whitehead – CSULB Professor Breaks Down Impeachment Trial Process – KTLA

• Laura Gonzalez - 7 Ways to Ready Your Small Business for Anything in 2020 – East West Bank News Magazine

• Jason Whitehead - As impeachment trial resumes, key question is: Was a crime committed? – San Francisco Chronicle

• Jessica Asbell, Andreas Bill - Explore The Heavens At Cal State Long Beach's 'Nights At The Observatory' – Patch

• Jason Whitehead - Discusses Potential Witnesses For Senate Impeachment Trial – KTLA

• CSULB named the 2020 No. 6 nursing-school program in California – Signal Tribune

• Stefanie Pedigo - Balancing Family And Career: A Struggle For Working Parents – Long Beach Business Journal

• Here’s Where to Find Free Tax Prep Services – NBC Los Angeles

• Rashida Crutchfield - How can California colleges help homeless and hungry students? – Orange County Register

• Alex Washington, Professor of Social Work, receives the Ellen Ward Leadership Award from the LGBTQ Center of Long Beach

• CSULB Political Science Moot Court Teams Compete in National Tournament - one team places third

• Rashida Crutchfield - 'Still I Rise': 29 Stories of Excellence & Achievement – The CSU

• Sudha Krishnan - Cal State Long Beach accounting students will help folks file taxes this Saturday, Feb. 8 – Press-Telegram

• Lora Stevens - New study debunks myth of Cahokia's Native American lost civilization – ScienceDaily

• Laura Gonzalez - Experts’ Insights: California Real Estate Outlook 2020 – Point2Homes

• Ebony Utley - Podcast: Women and infidelity; Dr. Ebony Utley knows what you’re thinking – LBPost

• Shireen Pavri - Column: About to become teachers, they’re worried about affording the rent – Los Angeles Times

• Maulana Karenga - Black History: Its Meaning, Message and Forward Motion – Los Angeles Sentinel

• CSULB is a Top Three History Major Producing School – The Chronicle of Higher Education

• CSULB is a Top Ten English Major Producing School – The Chronicle of Higher Education 

• CSULB Industrial Design Department: 6 Students Finalists at the Toyota Logistics Design Competition

• Justin Levitt - L.A. is radically altering the way we vote. Get ready for big changes, possible problems – Los Angeles Times

• Jan Haldipur - Bloomberg’s Half-Hearted Stop-and-Frisk Apology Papers Over His Legacy as Mayor – GQ

• Oliver Wang – Sociology, Hip Hop, Music Criticism, & Collective Effervescence – 22 West Media

Grants and Gifts