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Women's History Month, Campus Activation Initiative Updates, and more

March 5, 2024

Dear Student Affairs and Campus Life Friends,

Before we jump into the celebratory bulk of today’s Division Message, I ask that you join me in taking a moment to recognize that there may be a challenging week ahead for many in our Triton community. Make it a point to consider the well-being of your fellow peers, colleagues, and the students that we all support as you navigate potential disruptions over the coming days.

If you experience or hear of anything concerning, please contact the Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination (OPHD) for support.

I would also like to reiterate my sincere gratitude to all the dedicated team members within our campus community whose tireless commitment to serving as free expression event monitors – even during late evenings and weekends this quarter – does not go unnoticed. “Thank you” hardly seems sufficient to convey the depth of my appreciation for your contributions and sacrifices.

Today is Election Day. If you haven’t yet cast your vote, those who are eligible may still do so at the on-campus Vote Center (formerly polling place) thanks to the efforts of our Tritons Vote initiative. Stop by the Bear and Red Shoe Rooms in Price Center (Map) before 8 p.m.

Staff recognition activities. I would like to thank those who participated in UC San Diego’s Staff@Work survey, as the responses help us to develop opportunities and activities – including Student Affairs and Campus Life’s annual Staff Appreciation Week, which you may read more about below – in recognition of the student-centered work that you do throughout the year.

Kings of the court. As they have done for much of the season, our Triton Men’s Basketball team sits near the very top of the the Big West Conference standings. There are still two opportunities to catch them in action at LionTree Arena – this Thursday (3/7) and Saturday (3/10).

Directing Campus Activation. Please join me in welcoming University Centers’ Executive Director Sharon Van Bruggen to the Campus Activation initiative team. In addition to her role in University Centers, Sharon will serve as Director of Campus Activation alongside Executive Director of Campus Activation Bob Neuhard and the Activation Shared Leadership Team which includes Colleen Kollar Smith, Executive Director of CPEO; Patty Mahaffey, AVC for Student Life; and Rich Mylin, UC San Diego Recreation Director.

If you are interested in contributing to the Activation Initiative to amplify UC San Diego as a destination for arts, culture and engagement, please reach out to Bob Neuhard via email at rneuhard@ucsd.edu.

UC San Diego’s annual observance and celebration of diversity will feature a range of programs focused on the many contributions of women in history, culture and society. 

This year’s theme is “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion,” highlighting the local, regional and global impacts of women – particularly those who have worked tirelessly toward eliminating bias and discrimination. Events and activities are organized by the UC San Diego Women’s Center, a space in which people work collaboratively to foster the educational, professional and personal development of diverse groups of women.

Crafting HERstory - March 8
All are welcome to participate in a joyful event on International Women’s Day (March 8) from 2-4 p.m., co-piloted by the UC San Diego Craft Center and Women's Center. Choose from a wonderful variety of free, hands-on projects, including: traditional Hawaiian flower crown making, blind contour drawing, mixed media self-portraits, and felted wool artifacts.

Register in advance for the workshop of your choice, and reach out to craftcenter@ucsd.edu if you have any questions.

For a complete list of Women’s History Month programs, visit the Women’s Center website.

As the conflict and violence in Israel and Gaza continues, I urge you to stand with the Chancellor and the rest of the UC San Diego community in solidarity against antisemitism, Islamophobia, and all forms of hate, discrimination, and intolerance.

With this in mind, the Tritons Belong initiative was developed by our colleagues and friends in the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion to engage the UC San Diego community in conversation, dialogue, compassion, and connectedness during challenging times. Visit the Tritons Belong website to learn more about the opportunities, events, and resources developed as part of this important campus initiative.

For the fourth year running, we’re organizing a week’s-worth of unique, in-person opportunities for students to connect, grow, learn, and engage on and around campus via our Spring Break 2024 programming.

We’re currently finalizing the schedule of fun and educational offerings for students who choose to stay in San Diego during the March 23-31, 2024 Spring Break.

In the meantime, check out the Spring Break 2024 website for details about engaging activities that span multiple areas of interest, such as: trips to the Birch Aquarium or a Padres game, community engagement and research projects, water sports in Mission Bay, performances at UC San Diego’s Epstein Family Amphitheater, and more.

Global Initiatives invites all faculty, staff, lecturers, postdocs, researchers and students to UC San Diego’s seventh annual Fulbright Day on Thursday, March 14. Fulbright Day is an opportunity for the campus community to learn about the many awards available to teach, study, work or conduct research abroad through the prestigious Fulbright Program.

The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program session at 10 a.m. will provide an overview of the Catalog of Awards for academics, administrators, and higher education professionals. A Q&A session with former Fulbright scholar awardees will follow the presentation. All attendees are invited for a complimentary lunch and networking happy hour following the sessions.

Fulbright Day is free and open to anyone who is interested in learning more about Fulbright. With hundreds of awards open to all disciplines and placements in more than 100 countries, there is a Fulbright for everyone! Visit fulbright.ucsd.edu to learn more and register today for Fulbright Day!

Revive & Survive San Diego is an exciting new initiative with the goal of saving lives by training 1 million San Diegans in hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). This novel partnership between the UC San Diego Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science and the County of San Diego Emergency Medical Services creates an opportunity for partners across the county to build a coalition of lifesavers.

Hands-Only CPR
In recent years, CPR training has transitioned to a hands-only approach. Mouth-to-mouth breathing is no longer essential for saving a life.

Please join us in recognizing the 23rd Annual UC San Diego César E. Chávez Celebration month, commencing on Thursday, April 4 with a Kickoff and Awards Luncheon to honor individuals for furthering Chávez’s ideals in their communities.

Visit the César E. Chávez Celebration website for a full list of events that highlight this year's theme "Celebrando y Luchando por La Causa; Celebrating and Fighting for the Cause."

There is still one session remaining this quarter – next Thursday, March 14 – for the “Creating a Culture of Care: Supporting Students in Distress” training facilitated by Student Affairs Case Management Services.

These free, interactive trainings are designed to assist staff in recognizing and supporting students in distress – defined as: a student whose academic progress or functioning in the university environment is adversely affected due to a number of indicators that are impacting their well-being and/or the well-being of others.

To register for the March 14, 2024 session, visit this link on UC Learning (login required).

All UC San Diego employees are required to take online trainings via the UC Learning Center within 30 days of hire and renew them regularly, including the Cyber Security Awareness, Sexual Violence Prevention, Ethical Values and Conduct, and Abusive Conduct in the Workplace courses.

Based on individual requirements, you’ll receive automated assignment emails and reminders from the UC Learning Center with information about required courses and relevant due dates for training. If you supervise student employees, please ensure that they have also completed their mandatory trainings.

Your proactive completion of these trainings is critical in helping our division and UC San Diego achieve 100% participation, not only for the purpose of compliance and auditing, but more importantly to foster a healthy, positive, and supportive workplace. If you’d like to check your status on compliance courses, please login to UCLearning.ucsd.edu.

As a modest “thank you” for your diligence, resilience, and unwavering commitment to student centeredness throughout the year, the office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Campus Life is pleased to invite you to our third annual Spring Staff Appreciation Week from Monday, April 29 through Friday, May 3, 2024 – full of opportunities to gather on campus, enjoy some treats, and connect and engage with your teammates and fellow Student Affairs and Campus Life colleagues.

Spring All-Staff Meeting - 2024-29 Strategic Plan Debut
The Student Affairs and Campus Life Strategic Planning Committee will debut our 2024-29 Strategic Plan at the next Student Affairs and Campus Life All-Staff Meeting, which will also take place during Staff Appreciation Week – on Tuesday, April 30, 2024.

More details about all Staff Appreciation Week activities are forthcoming. Stay tuned!

Beginning in winter/spring 2024, the University of California will expand experiential learning opportunities for non-DACA, AB 540 undocumented students enrolled in state-supported degree programs. Eligible students will receive fellowships when they enroll in credit-bearing experiential learning courses, and campuses will have the ability to expand existing programs or develop new ones to support undocumented students in their professional growth.

The expansion of experiential learning activities is good news considering how difficult it can be for non-DACA, AB 540 undocumented students to access professional development and funding opportunities while earning their college degree. To support this effort, the UC Office of the President (UCOP) will provide a one-time funding package of $500,000 to be equitably distributed among UC campuses to support the implementation of expanded fellowships. Undocumented Student Services (USS) will use the funding boost to expand the PACE Fellowship Program and support participation in existing opportunities.

About the PACE Fellowship
A USS flagship program, the Professional and Career Experience (PACE) Fellowship provides eligible UC San Diego AB 540 and Dream Act students an opportunity to participate in a cohort-based on-campus experiential learning activity that incorporates mentorship, professional and scholastic development with financial aid support. Selected students receive up to $6,000 distributed over three quarters to support their professional goals and interests.

In the 2023-24 academic year, 19 students were selected to participate in the program. However, the one-time funding boost will allow the USS to offer an additional 13 fellowships this academic year. Eligible students can receive up to a $2,000 award to support their professional development in the Spring quarter. If you know a student who can benefit from participation in the PACE Fellowship Program, please have them contact USS Program Coordinator, Pricila Rodriquez for more information.

Additionally, participants of the PACE Fellowship Program learn under the guidance of a mentor associated with an on-campus host site. The mentorship provided is critical in helping students thrive and learn important skills needed to be successful, as they work with their mentor to design and implement an experiential learning opportunity aligned with their personal interests and professional needs.

How to Participate
If you would like to host and mentor a prospective participant in your department, please contact Pricila Rodriquez via email for more information.

For departments wishing to host a fellow for Spring Quarter 2024, please make an appointment with Pricila by March 20. By working together, we can help our undocumented students learn, thrive, and build a path toward their professional futures.

UC San Diego Recreation’s Competitive Sports Team continues to keep our students active, with a focus on community and fun, safe competition.

The team hosted an Ultimate Frisbee tournament over President’s Day weekend, which brought 28 participating universities to campus; on Feb. 23-24, they hosted their first pickleball tournament, in which 55 UC San Diego student teams took part; and at the United Spirit Association (USA) Collegiate Championships on Feb. 17-18, our competitive Dance Team (a Recreation Sports Club) took home second place – their best finish ever.

The Competitive Sports Team within UC San Diego Recreation – which oversees Intramurals, Sports Clubs, Esports, and Masters Swim  – comprises Director Dominic Ackerman; Assistant Directors Allison Lane and Jacob Woodhead; and Athletic Trainers Anthony De Hoyos, Haley Stone, Ashley Hans, and Sydney Helder.

April 1-5, 2024

Since 1993, the first week in April each year has been marked as national graduate and professional student appreciation week, sponsored by the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students (NAGPS). At UC San Diego, it is an opportunity for our university to celebrate the role that graduate and professional students play on campus.

Throughout the week, GPSA will host events, giveaways, and social outings. Stay tuned to the GPSA Week website for more details in the coming days.

April 13, 2024
May 3 and 17, 2024

Don't miss the chance to be part of the excitement at Triton Days on April 13 – tailored for admitted first-year students and transfer applicants – and at the Transfer Celebration events on May 3 and 17, exclusively for admitted transfer students.

These events provide an immersive experience with academic insights, interaction with student support services, campus tours, and more!

May 4, 2024

2024 marks the 40th annual Sun God Festival – UC San Diego’s student-curated, daytime music and arts festival.

Named as one of Live Nation's Top 5 College Concerts That Should Be Actual Festivals, the Sun God Festival is continuously reimagined to provide students with thrilling moments and life-long memories from live performances by national touring artists, diverse food vendors, vibrant art and décor, and interactive brand activations.

Thank you for all you do to advance student centeredness at UC San Diego, and please let me know if you would like to take a walk on campus, grab a cup of coffee together, or hop on a Zoom to connect – just send me an email at vcsacl@ucsd.edu.

Be Well,

Alysson
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Alysson M. Satterlund
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Campus Life