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News from the Office of the Provost
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Dear Faculty and Staff Colleagues,
As you have heard by now, President Nelsen is retiring at the end of this academic year. It will be a great loss for the Sacramento region and the end of an era. As a member of his hiring committee eight years ago, I was immediately impressed by him as a candidate to lead our university. His passion for academic excellence, commitment to inclusion, and focus on student success and wellness were evident then and have remained so throughout his time here as president. We have been fortunate to have his steady leadership, especially during these past few tumultuous years. President Nelsen will be remembered for many positive initiatives and achievements as he retires, most notably the stunning rise in graduation rates that Sacramento State has accomplished over the past six years.
Change is in the air at Sacramento State, and with change comes possibility. Soon, CSU Interim Chancellor Jolene Koester will begin a nationwide search for our next president. Throughout the process, candidates will be asked multiple times in multiple ways what they see for the future of Sacramento State. I propose that this is a good opportunity for all of us to do the same. Ask yourself “Where would I like Sacramento State to be in five years? In ten? How can I contribute to making that possible?”
Answering those questions for myself, I would like to see graduation rates continue to rise, our research and innovation profile grow nationally, and our reputation become that of a “university of choice”. I’m committed to making that future possible by ensuring faculty and staff have the tools they need to help students succeed and build knowledge. What commitments can you make to shape the future of this university? And how can the Office of the Academic Affairs help you meet them? Please let us know.
It's sad to say goodbye to a trusted leader who has always spoken from the heart. But I intend to honor his legacy by continuing to find new and innovative ways to serve our students and our region. I look forward to working with you on that endeavor.
Carlos Nevarez
Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
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It's Time to End Bullying in the AcademyThe problem is not unique to Sacramento State, but still unacceptable
Have you ever had a colleague disparage your work in front of others? Or imply that you are unqualified for your position and only have it due to favoritism or your identity? If so, then you know how destructive academic bullying can be to your sense of self and belonging. But ask yourself honestly: Have you ever been on the opposite side of the bullying equation? We all have the potential to go too far sometimes—teasing a coworker about a subject to which they are sensitive, spreading hurtful rumors, unloading unpleasant tasks on those who report to us—but, hopefully, we listen to our better angels and remember to treat our coworkers as we would like to be treated ourselves.
Last week, Provost Nevarez and Vice Provosts Souza and Zeigler sent a SacSend about the rise in reports of bullying. The goal of the email was to begin a constructive conversation about the work that needs to be done to raise the standard of professional conduct in our division. But to affect real culture change, we must understand that academic bullying is bigger than just our campus. Bullying is not unique to Sacramento State; studies continue to find that those of us in the academy experience bullying at a higher rate than other professions. The stories researchers uncover can be heartbreakingly familiar to many of us.
But just because a certain amount of unprofessional conduct has long been the norm doesn’t mean we need to accept it as inevitable. Colleges and universities nationwide are beginning to look for real, lasting solutions to academic bullying. The Office of Academic Affairs is also committed to doing the work that is necessary to being a campus free of bias and intimidation.
“Going forward, we will partner with faculty and staff along with their bargaining unit representatives to find new ways to approach this problem,” says Provost Nevarez. “Working together, we can ensure that everyone in our Sacramento State family is free to work in an atmosphere of respect and belonging.”
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Changes to Pell Grant Impact TOPSSInnovative program for incarcerated students could grow under new regulations
The U.S. Department of Education recently released new regulations for determining Pell Grant eligibility for incarcerated people. These new regulations include changes such as a data collection requirement for colleges as well as safeguards to prevent colleges from taking advantage of students interested in programs that support the incarcerated. These changes will impact Sacramento State’s Transforming Outcomes Project, also known as (TOPSS). TOPSS, as you may recall from our September Newsletter, is a four-year degree completion program serving people incarcerated at Folsom and Mule Creek State Prisons. Sacramento State Academic Affairs runs the TOPSS program under the guidance of the Dean of Undergraduate Studies.
“These new rules will allow us to expand the size of our program beyond the small number we were allocated by the US Department of Education,” says David Zuckerman, Professor of International and Intercultural Communication and Acting Director of the TOPSS program. Zuckerman says the changes removed two barriers--denial of Pell to people who did not register for Selective Service and denial of Pell to people with loan defaults—that impacted many incarcerated applicants. With the new rules also comes a streamlined FAFSA, which is necessary since incarcerated people cannot do their FAFSAs online. He also noted that the new regulations allow our TOPSS program to grow.
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Highlights and Announcements
Division of Criminal Justice Convocation - The Division of Criminal Justice will be holding its 9th Annual Division of Criminal Justice Convocation Tuesday, Nov. 15, from 1:30 to 4 p.m. in the University Ballroom. This year’s theme is “The Future of Justice IX: The Impact of COVID-19 on the Criminal Justice System. The keynote lecture will be from Magnus Lofstrom, Policy Director of Criminal Justice, and a senior fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California.
Dreamer Resource Center to host Dreamer Ally Training - The Dreamer Resource Center will host a Dreamer Ally Training from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16. This training is designed for staff, faculty, administrators, student employees, and student leaders and provides an overview of federal and state policies that affect undocumented and mixed-status students and knowledge of the conditions they experience. It will also include tools to become allies and advocates during undocumented students’ college journeys and beyond. Register here or call 916-278-7734 for more information.
Student-led discussion of sexual assaults on campus - In response to recent sexual assaults on campus, and in an effort to provide a platform for students to voice their concerns, give suggestions, and share resources, Sacramento State student Michael Lee-Chang and the Department of Women's and Gender Studies, with the support of the Office of the President; Division of Inclusive Excellence; ASI; and the Center on Race, Immigration and Social Justice; will host a student-led discussion on campus sexual assault, from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17, in the Redwood Room of the University Union and via Zoom. For more information, please contact the event organizer, Michael Lee-Chang at michaellee-chang@csus.edu. Click here to submit questions or concerns you want to be discussed.
QIC chat about academic internships with the CEC - Are you teaching or otherwise involved with an academic internship course this year and seeking support from the Community Engagement Center? If so, you are invited to attend a virtual Questions, Ideas, and Collaborations (QIC) chat Thursday, Nov. 17 from 3 to 4 p.m. Please email Casey Knifsend at casey.knifsend@csus.edu to receive a Zoom link for this meeting and/or to request ADA reasonable accommodations.
Women in the Humanities discussion series - Sponsored by the Humanities and Religious Studies and Women's and Gender Studies departments, this series celebrates women’s contributions to the humanities both as scholars and as subjects of scholarship. In the second event of the semester, Dr. Alyson Buckman presents her talk “Children Are Parasites — Parenting on Star Trek: Discovery" from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17, in Mendocino Hall 1020 or via Zoom.
International Education Week November 14-18 - International Education Week (IEW) is a joint initiative of the Department of State and Department of Education to celebrate the importance of global education and student exchange programs. As part of IEW, the Office of International Programs and Global Engagement will host a number of events to showcase the study abroad opportunities and experiences available at Sacramento State. All events will take place at the Global Lounge in Library 1001, next to Grumpy Mule. These will include in-person scholarship and alumni panels, a country showcase tabling day, and virtual panels with Sacramento State students who are currently overseas in Asia and Europe. Complete list of events here.
Global Entrepreneurship Week November 14-18 - Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) is a week-long celebration of innovation and entrepreneurship that takes place in ecosystems around the globe. Sacramento State’s Carlsen Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship has partnered with Western Health Advantage to bring a full week of events, activities, competitions, and networking focused on innovation and entrepreneurship with the themes of Ecosystems, Education, Inclusion and Policy. Complete list of events here.
Ethics Center Fall Symposium - The Sacramento State Center for Practical and Professional Ethics presents its 17th annual Fall Ethics Symposium. This year's theme is "The Ethics of Providing Healthcare" and includes four presentations from scholars representing the fields of economics and law diagnosing deficiencies in the just and efficient delivery of health care services in the United States. Sessions run from 9 a.m. to 4:20 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, in the University Union Redwood Room. Schedule is available here. For more information, contact the center’s director Kyle Swan at kyle.swan@csus.edu.
New MS in Finance program - The Finance, Insurance and Real Estate (FIRE) Department helped the College of Business launch an MS in Finance (MSF) program in August 2022. MSF is an accelerated one-year cohort-based program that admits one cohort per year in the Fall semester. Incorporating significant portions of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) curriculum, which is widely accepted as the industry standard for investment professionals, the MSF program prepares students with a rigorous training in finance and practical knowledge needed in today’s financial and investment industry. Applications for the Fall 2023 cohort is now open on the program website (https://www.csus.edu/cob/msf) and ends on May 16, 2023.
College of Business film festival - Dr. Hakan Ozcelik will be holding the 12th Annual COB Film Festival, which will be organized virtually on Thursday, Dec. 1 at 3 p.m. via Zoom. This year’s film projects will focus on leading with emotional intelligence during organizational crisis. Those who are interested can send a message to: cba.film.festival@gmail.com to register. Visit the web page at: https://www.csus.edu/college/business-administration/centers-programs/film-festival.html
Nominate an outstanding student for the Newman Civic Fellowship - Nominate a student for the Newman Civic Fellowship, a nation-wide program that recognizes a community-committed student who takes action to address issues of inequality and political polarization, engages in collaborative action with others to create long-term social changes, and demonstrates the motivation and potential for effective, long-term civic engagement. The 2023-24 fellowship includes opportunities for learning and networking virtually and in person which are designed to help students learn to collaborate effectively across disciplines. The nominee cannot be a graduating senior. Nominations must be received by 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 12. Learn more and submit a nomination here: https://surveys.csus.edu/jfe/form/SV_3jYmhHtPjsGqGRE
Faculty members encouraged to recruit McNair Scholars - The McNair Scholars program still has a few openings for students this term. This program targets low-income, first-generation, and underrepresented upper division students who would like to earn a Ph.D. Selected students work on a research project under the guidance of their mentor, leading to McNair conference presentations and a publication in the McNair Scholars Journal. Students receive a stipend upon completion of their research article and mentors are also eligible for a $1,000 stipend when their mentees complete this work. Typically, faculty members identify students who may be eligible for McNair and encourage them to apply. Students often select the faculty member that referred them to the program to be their mentor. Find out more at the McNair website.
Race, gender, and U.S. immigration: A discussion of new books – The Center on Race, Immigration and Social Justice (CRISJ), the Department of Women’s and Gender Studies, and the Division of Social Work invite the campus community to a faculty author book talk featuring new books by Dr. Tristan Josephson, Women’s and Gender Studies, and Dr. Serge Lee, Social Work. The event is from noon-1:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 28, in the University Union Pacific Suite, third floor. Josephson’s book, On Transits and Transitions, explores what the increased visibility of trans people in the public sphere means for trans migrants. From Earth to Elite, Dr. Lee’s book, is a memoir chronicling his life journeys through war, migration, and resettlement, from Laos to the United States. Register here. Copies of On Transits and Transitions and From Earth to Elite will be available for purchase at the Hornet Bookstore. For more information contact Melissa Cardenas-Dow at cardenas-dow@csus.edu.
Master in Education, Gender Equity Studies Information Session - Staff and faculty are encouraged to consider being a change agent and making a difference in schools and our society by applying for the Master in Education, Gender Equity Studies. Students can study topics ranging from policy to education to workplace issues. Antiracism, social justice, and inclusion strategies are woven into all courses. Information sessions will be 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17; 2 to 3 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1; and 6 to 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 12. Only 10 classes, 30 units. No GRE required. Applications are due Wednesday, March 1. Join via Zoom (Meeting ID: 844 3057 2215; Passcode: 430132).
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Faculty in the News
Alma Itzé Flores, Assistant Professor, Undergraduate Studies, College of Education, featured in ABC 10 report on the lack of Latinx faculty at Sacramento State and how Sacramento State can improve hiring of diverse faculty.
Timothy P. Fong, Professor in Ethnic Studies/Director and principal investigator, Full Circle Project, named “AAPI Change Maker” and interviewed by Sacramento Bee about Sacramento State program for students of low-income and first-generation AAPI students.
Sanjay Varshney, Professor, Finance, Insurance and Real Estate, College of Business, featured in CBS Sacramento report about concern that California’s high cost of living will impact economic growth.
Manuel Barajas, Director, Center on Race, Immigration and Social Justice, wrote an article for the People’s Tribune about how recent racist conversation by Los Angeles City Council members was uncovered on the week of Indigenous Day and how Sacramento State helps build the foundational framework of intersectional social justice.
Danielle Slakoff, Assistant Professor, Division of Criminal Justice, College of Health & Human Services, talked to Texas Public Radio about society’s true crime obsession which raises ethical questions about the genre’s exploitative nature and biases.
Kim Nalder, Professor, Political Science, Director, Project for an Informed Electorate, College of Social Sciences & Interdisciplinary Studies:
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