| News from the Office of the Provost
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Dear Faculty and Staff Colleagues,
The end of the year is a time of endings, but also of renewal. As we look back at what we’ve accomplished and what remains yet to do, we also look forward to the possibilities contained in the year ahead. This December, I am writing to you with mixed emotions as we navigate transitions within the Provost's office. On one hand, I am sad to lose the counsel of valued colleagues. On the other, I am very happy to welcome new faces to my team who bring with them a wealth of experience and innovative ideas that will greatly benefit Academic Affairs.
First and foremost, I want to express my deep gratitude for the dedication and contributions of two key members of my team who will be departing to take other roles on campus. They have each contributed greatly to both our long-term strategic goals and our day-to-day operations as a large university community.
Friday marks the last day of Angel Thayer-Smith’s service as Director of Academic Affairs Resources, a position she has held with distinction for eight years. Angel’s financial acumen and cool-headedness as the guardian of our finances has been invaluable as we have weathered daunting budget and enrollment challenges. Luckily for us, she is not going far; she is taking on the role of Director of Administration for Facilities Management. They are fortunate to have her. I wish her all the best in her new position and offer her my most heartfelt thanks for all she has done to assist me in my time as Interim Provost.
Also leaving the provost’s office is Tasha Souza, who has been Vice Provost for Faculty Success since July 2022 and is transitioning back to faculty. A full professor of Communication Studies, Tasha’s thoughtful and principled leadership is informed by her deep knowledge and scholarship of intercultural communication, conflict management, and equity-based hiring initiatives. A champion of wellness and caring in the workplace, Tasha is being her own best advocate in stepping back from the very demanding role she has gracefully navigated for the past year and a half. I’m happy to report that Tasha will be staying with Academic Affairs by helping with a variety of special projects for us and the College of Arts & Letters this spring.
Both Angel and Tasha have played critical roles in advancing our academic mission. Their leadership, insight, and commitment have left an indelible mark on our institution, and we wish them every success in their future endeavors.
There will be more changes in the year ahead with new leaders, new initiatives, and, of course, new challenges. In the weeks ahead, we will be sharing more details with you on the new faces in Angel and Tasha's positions as well as other transitions and new hires. Through it all, let us always maintain our focus on what matters most – teaching and learning. The core mission of our university is, and always will be, supporting our faculty as they guide our students’ success.
Thanks to each and every one of you for your unwavering dedication and contributions to our vibrant academic community.
Happy Holidays!
Carlos Nevarez
Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
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College of Education
Centering Black Women Educators fellowship - COE Girl Power Researchers, in collaboration with the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), are recruiting 25 fellows for the Centering Black Women Educators fellowship for Black History Month 2024. Fellows will learn about the contributions of Black women educators to STEM education through a combination of biographical research, interviews, readings, and discussions. They will present their learnings at the CTL culminating event and a Juneteenth Celebration Virtual Conference in 2024. Each Fellow will earn a $1000 fellowship for their participation. Learn more and complete the application by Dec. 22 here.
Teacher residency grants - Sac State’s teacher resident grants are doing excellent work addressing the shortage of educators in our region. Sac City Bridge Residency is recruiting, supporting and retaining BIPOC teachers. Sacramento Metro Special Education Registry (SMSTR) is working to recruit, support and retain special ed teachers. Read more about COE’s innovative efforts to address teaching shortages here.
Spring Multicultural Education Conference - Mark your calendars for the annual College of Education Multicultural Education (MCE) Conference, happening Friday April 5 (on campus) and Saturday April 6 (via Zoom). The theme for the 30th anniversary of this conference is “Living Legacies and Freedom Dreaming of Critical Multicultural Education”. Please consider applying to present a poster on your emergent research or dissertation. Proposals are now due Jan. 31, 2024. Additional information available here in the “Call for Proposals” section.
COE serves community mental health needs - The Center for Counseling and Diagnostic Services (CCDS) continues to provide accessible mental health and educational resources to the University, as well as the Sacramento Community. The CCDS established new partnerships this semester with the Health Advisory Council which includes the opportunity to work with the Mexican Consulate, Midtown Church, and the Iranian/Afghan Cultural Center, creating opportunities for bilingual and culturally appropriate counseling and psychotherapeutic interventions in the Sacramento community.
University Library
Extended Library Hours - For Dead Week and Finals Week, the University Library will extend our weekend hours. This weekend, the Main Library will be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Special Collections and StingerStudio Makerspace will be closed. Current library building hours are always available on our website.
End of Semester Stress-Relief for Students - From Monday, Dec. 4 through Friday, Dec. 15, the University Library will provide a stress-relief space for students studying for finals. Library room 2022 will be set up with games, puzzles, and snacks for our students to take time to relax. The room will be open from 9 a.m. to closing. There will also be large posters for coloring throughout the building. Everyone is invited to take a moment, grab a marker, and color one of these posters. More information and online activities are available on our website.
College of Continuing Education
Public Health Students to Study Abroad in Costa Rica and Guatemala - An upcoming faculty-led study abroad program offered by the College of Continuing Education (CCE) is an opportunity for students interested in public health to spend time in Costa Rica and Guatemala. The program is designed to allow students to experience a unique culture first-hand and view a different society through the lens of health, risk prevention, and wellbeing. Through their immersive co-curricular work, students who enroll in the course (PUBH 196A: Public Health International Study Abroad) will develop the knowledge and tools to be a more effective public health practitioner who views the world through a more comprehensive and culturally aware lens. The course begins on June 10 and runs through Aug. 18, with dates in Costa Rica scheduled for July 8 to 18. Students who successfully complete the course will earn 3 units. Included in the agenda for the Costa Rica portion of the course is a tour of San Jose and a Mayan cultural experience. Read more about the Public Health study abroad here.
College of Arts & Letters
New art building beam signing - The new art building came closer to being a reality on Nov. 28 when faculty, students, and administrators came together to sign and decorate its foundational beams, leaving this era’s blessing on the bones of the structure that will house the new art sculpture lab. The new building will need large kilns, foundry, and woodshop equipment, easels, furniture, storage shelves and cabinets and much more. Arts & Letters has established an endowment to help meet those and other costs and invites everyone in the campus community who is able to consider contributing. You can learn more about the new building and make a gift here.
Comms studies prof welcomed at White House - Andrea Terry, Communication Studies, was part of the Religious Communication Association’s Nov. 13 delegation to the White House that met with the director of the White House Office of Engagement and Council on Faith-based Initiatives. The goal of the meeting was to discuss the role of scholarship in communication and religion on the White House’s approach to engaging with communities of faith.
Symposium on transitional space design - Emily Potts, Design, is holding a one-day interactive symposium Dec. 12 at Sacramento State dedicated to exploring innovative ways of designing safe and supportive transitional spaces (e.g., interim housing communities) for individuals experiencing homelessness in Sacramento County. The symposium will feature faculty and student research as well as professionals working to support our unhoused neighbors. Find out more and RSVP here.
Spanish faculty member contributes to Mexican literary journal - Brenda Romero, World Languages & Literature, had her translation of Ana Castillo's poem "La amazonía se está quemando" published in the new issue of Irradiación, a literary and cultural magazine from Mexico.
Guest expert lectures on ancient Egyptian art - On Nov. 13, Nikolaos Lazaridis, History, and Marwa Ahmed, History, successfully organized a guest lecture by Dr. Tara Prakash, an expert on ancient Egyptian art who is currently teaching Art History at the College of Charleston. Dr. Prakash's well-attended lecture was on the depiction of pain and foreigners in Pharaonic Egypt.
College of Engineering & Computer Science
Successful Fall internship and career fairs - The Fall 2023 ECS Internship and Career Fairs were attended by over 130 employers and 1,300 students! We continue to attract a diverse group of employers to meet our students’ needs. If there is an employer who wants to hire our students, please connect them with Voun Sa at sa@csus.edu.
ECS student showcase at auto show - The Sac State Hornet Racing Team advised by Christopher Savarino, Mechanical Engineering, was invited to showcase their vehicle at the Sacramento International Auto Show Oct. 27 to 29.
Civil Engineering holds “Evening with Industry” - The Civil Engineering (CE) “Evening with Industry” was hosted on Nov. 14 at the Alumni Center. The keynote speaker was Louay Owaidat, P.E., President and CEO of Odin Environmental Solutions. There was also a student Q & A with an industry panel and booths with industry representatives. This event was co-organized by the CE Program Industrial Advisory Committee.
ECS contributes to zero emission panel - The Carlsen Center also hosted a panel discussion, titled “The Future of the Zero Emission Vehicle Industry” with panelists from ECS, along with SMUD, Lion Electric, and the California Mobility Center, on Nov. 16th as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week.
College of Health and Human Services
State senator visits RPTA classroom - Chris Shannon, a lecturer in the Recreation, Parks, & Tourism Administration (RPTA) department, welcomed Sen. Angelique Ashby on Oct. 25 to give an inspiring talk to an RPTA 21: First Year Experience class about “…following your heart, showing up and being open to all the possibilities.” Check out her Facebook post: “Goodness knows as a young, poor, single Mom AND freshman in college - I did not even dream I would get to be a California State Senator!”
Inclusive teaching workshop held - Aishah Patterson, Communication Sciences & Disorders & HHS Faculty Fellow, facilitated a critical workshop on Oct. 20: “Inclusive Teaching Practices in a Post-COVID Climate.” The workshop covered practices that can encourage and promote student voices in the classroom, increase self-advocacy, and encourage students to re-engage in their success. Using small and large group discussions and sample case studies, participants identified various opportunities to practice increasing student engagement, inclusion, and success, while better managing their own risks for burnout.
Criminal Justice profs honored - Danielle Slakoff & Nicole Fox, Criminal Justice, were acknowledged at the American Society of Criminology’s 2023 Conference. Danielle Slakoff received an honorable mention at the Division on Queer Criminology Award Ceremony for Outstanding Scholarly Contribution and Nicole Fox was presented awards for the ASC Teaching Award and the Division of Feminist Criminology's Book of the Year.
Save the date for CHPPR conference: The Center for Health Practice Policy & Research (CHPPR) has set the date for their upcoming conference: “Spotlight on Mental Wellness: The Art and Application of Resilience and Growth”. It will be held April 20, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Harper Alumni Center. Registration will be available through CHPPR closer to the event.
HHS faculty member publishes new textbook - Edidiong Mendie, Criminal Justice, has a new textbook publication: Gender-Based Violence, Law, and African Society, co-authored with Abiodun Raufu and Omolade Olomola. The textbook addresses different dimensions of gender-based violence in Africa, such as the challenges of patriarchy, the limits of the law, and the cultural acceptance of violence against women in the private sphere.
Natural Sciences & Mathematics
Noted STEM scholar visits campus - On Nov. 30, NSM welcomed visiting STEM scholar Bryan Dewsbury from Florida International University for an all-day event with four different sessions. After a keynote speech titled, “Beyond Inclusion: Education for civic engagement and participation”, Dewsbury led faculty workshops on equity-minded strategies and equity-minded classrooms, and participated in a student meet-and-greet. Learn more about Bryan Dewsbury here.
Chemistry prof interviewed about balancing research, teaching, and family - Katherine McReynolds, chemistry professor and current NSM Faculty Fellow of Research & Engagement, sat for an interview recently to talk about her long and distinguished career in teaching and research. Dr. McReynolds discussed her important research on minimizing the length and severity of Covid infections, how her mother’s example showed her how to balance family and career, and how staying in the lab and engaging with students is the key to her successful career. You can watch the interview here.
OREID
Principal Investigator reception event held - This year’s Principal Investigator (PI) reception took place on Tuesday, Nov. 14th from 5 to 7 p.m. at The WELL Terrace Suite. Hosted by OREID, the event garnered over 80 attendees, including PI's, Co-PI's, RCA, deans, President Wood and the Provost Nevarez. ORIED Research and Proposal Development Director, Shannon Rexin and Interim OREID AVP Mariappan "Jawa" Jawaharlal thanked their staff for the continued and unwavering work behind the scenes that makes faculty research possible. President Wood followed, expressing strong support for research and thanking "those who are dedicated to supporting the research enterprise, and enriching the lives of the students that we serve."
Social Sciences & Interdisciplinary Studies
ISR poll examines prevalence, inequities of remote work - Sac State’s Institute for Social Research (ISR) partnered with Valley Vision to conduct the 2023 Livability Poll, a survey tracking residents’ experiences with issues such as affordability of necessities, access to services, job and career satisfaction, safety and belonging, as well as residents’ perspectives of the Sacramento Region. The poll found that, more than three years after the COVID pandemic disrupted work patterns, 43% of the Sacramento region’s workforce are doing their jobs remotely full time. It also found notable income and racial differences among remote workers. White and Asian workers as well as higher earners are more likely to work remotely than people of color and those with lower incomes, the research shows. People of color are “overrepresented” in jobs that require employees to show up in person, such as cooks and gardeners, and have fewer opportunities to work remotely, ISR Director Shannon Williams said. The research indicates that those workers also have more trouble with food and housing insecurity. Read more about the Livability Poll here.
Sac State fashion students helping to revitalize Old Sacramento - Esther Amato, Fashion Merchandising and Management, started a fashion entrepreneurship class in 2021 to teach students the business side of the industry. Last year, she introduced a service-learning component, requiring students to complete 45 hours of fieldwork with a Sacramento-area business owner. Old Sacramento businesses Threadeco, Warehouse Creative, and LiBush International Connection, Inc., joined the list of community partners working with Amato’s students this fall. The partnerships are providing a much-needed boost for local retailers as well as hands-on small business training for our students. Says Sac State senior Allegra Polendo: “It’s really helped build my confidence and shown me that I can run my own business. I see the struggles, but I also see the rewards.” Read more about Amato’s work connecting Sac State students and Old Sac businesses here.
Community Engagement Center
Jumpstart hiring for Spring - Jumpstart, a national early education organization dedicated to serving preschool children in underserved communities, has 30 Federal Work Study positions available.The Jumpstart program provides extensive training and then sends university students out in small teams to provide support for pre-school literacy and social-emotional development at local SETA Head Start locations throughout Sacramento.
Applications are now open as new students are being brought on for the Spring Semester. There are also 3 additional spots for students who do not qualify for Federal Work Study. Position details can be found, and applications submitted at the Community Engagement Center's Jumpstart page. This opportunity is open to students in all majors. Please post and share with your students.
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