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Advancing Activation, Black History Month, AVC Area Updates, and more

February 9, 2024

Dear Student Affairs and Campus Life Friends,

There is SO much to celebrate this month, including Black History Month and the start of Lunar New Year. Our colleagues and students have been working to create thoughtful and engaging programs in honor of both, and I encourage you to participate by celebrating and learning more about the experiences, traditions and excellence at the heart of our vibrant and diverse UC San Diego community.

I would like to express my gratitude to the 2024 Student Well Fest Committee (Erin Bartelma, Edgar Beas, Summer Bennett, Alexia Cervantes, Samantha Champi, Breana Clark, Karen Dobkins, Megan Fox, Christine Glissmann, Andy Hattala, Jasmine Henderson, Andrew Hua, Kelley Kozlowski, Rich Mylin, Tiffany O'Meara, Elizabeth Popko, Chrystian Smith, Nicolette Solarez, and Lisa Swid) for putting together another outstanding program that highlighted our many student health and well-being resources, examples of healthy eating on a budget, and how to build healthier habits in the new year. You’ll see that it serves as a great example of student-centered collaboration at UC San Diego. 

I also want to shout out our incredible Facilities and Maintenance colleagues across UC San Diego who have responded to all manner of rain-related issues throughout campus for the last few weeks. Your work is seen and appreciated.

Please continue reading below for updates from our AVC colleagues, an introduction to the Campus Activation initiative, and information on the next steps in our Student Affairs and Campus Life 2024-29 strategic planning process.

During the month of February, students, faculty and staff are invited to participate in a series of events in observance and celebration of Black History Month, united by this year’s theme: “Celebrating Black Culture Through Artistic Expression.”

Please visit blackhistorymonth.ucsd.edu for a complete listing of events, including The Greatest Love Of All, an ArtPower-produced musical tribute to Whitney Houston at UC San Diego’s Epstein Family Amphitheater on Feb. 22.

If you haven’t yet had a chance to visit our new NPHC Plaza, I highly encourage you to check out this space that honors the history and contributions made by the Divine Nine Black fraternities and sororities.

In recognition of this annual event, two hours of administrative leave with pay have been approved for employees to attend UC San Diego Black History Month activities. Supervisors, upon request, may approve the use of such leave when the absence does not infringe upon the performance of required job duties or patient care.

In last month’s Jan. 26 Campus Notice, it was announced that the Division of Student Affairs has expanded to include campus life-focused areas and initiatives dedicated to enhancing the Triton experience.

Campus Strategic Plan Refresh
In alignment with the university’s Strategic Plan Refresh for the Next Decade, these additions embody an era of institutional commitments to campus arts and creative engagement at UC San Diego.

On behalf of the newly named Division of Student Affairs and Campus Life, please join me in extending a warm welcome to these student-centered colleagues:

Welcome, Stuart Collection team!
Along with Director/Curator Jessica Berlanga Taylor, the Stuart Collection team includes Assistant Director Jane Zwerneman and Community Engagement Manager Megan Theriault. 

Visit stuartcollection.ucsd.edu to learn more about them, as well as the collection’s indelible contributions to art and culture at UC San Diego and in the community since 1981.

Welcome, Craft Center team!
UC San Diego Craft Center Manager Annika Nelson’s full-time team consists of Marina Bogdanova, Amy Walsh, and Suzanne Lussier, as well as more than 30 part-time instructors.

Visit craftcenter.ucsd.edu to learn more about the 11,000 square foot center where students, staff, faculty, and the community can work with a variety of mediums, from ceramics and jewelry/glass art to woodworking, mixed-media, surfboard shaping and more.

Provided by Bob Neuhard, Executive Director for Campus Activation

Over the past decade, UC San Diego has undergone a remarkable transformation, redefining the essence of a contemporary public research university. This transformation encompasses a continuous evolution in our physical, intellectual, and cultural landscapes, driving our commitment to excellence in healthcare, teaching, and research. Our campus has become a hub for thousands of events annually, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors. With this success, the expectations for our community have reached even greater heights.

Defining “Activation”
The Campus Activation initiative aims to meet these elevated expectations by delivering a vibrant, engaging, and welcoming environment where everyone has a sense of belonging, connection, and community. Our campus will serve as a destination and be first in thought for our academic and research excellence, world-class healthcare, and rich opportunities for cultural and experiential engagement – providing an inclusive place to learn, heal, meet, relax, solve, collaborate, celebrate, and play.

To achieve this vision, we are examining the policies, processes, programs, places, people, and technologies that shape the way we interact on and with campus both formally and informally.

Progress to Date
With that in mind, here are some updates on our current efforts:

What’s Next
Looking ahead, a second Student Experience Charrette is planned for February 22, 2024; stay tuned for further details, shareable links, and collateral in the days to come.

We are also planning to expand University Centers’ successful "Park in a Box” initiative and investigating additional collaborative Activation opportunities spanning arts, culture, and wellness.

For those interested in staying informed about the latest developments across our Activation workstreams – including policy updates, new technologies, and the Shared Spaces initiative – we will be launching monthly Campus Activation Group meetings starting in April. During these sessions, teams spearheading various Activation workstreams will provide updates and address any questions regarding ongoing and upcoming activities.

To learn more or to get involved, please reach out to Bob Neuhard via email at rneuhard@ucsd.edu.

As a reminder, the Student Affairs Professional Development Committee offers weekly Triton Time programming on Thursdays from 10 - 11 a.m.

Triton Time is designed to support staff in both their personal and professional growth, with upcoming topics including: TritonGPT and AI; De-escalation Training; Making the Most of your Benefits; Sustainable Purchasing; and more.

To view this quarter’s full schedule of sessions, visit tritontime.ucsd.edu.

There is one session remaining this quarter – on 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).

As part of our monthly communications to the division of Student Affairs and Campus Life, we are excited to share quarterly updates and relevant information from our Assistant Vice Chancellors.

AVC Piya Bose

Spring Break 2024
Spring Break is coming soon! For the fourth year running, we’re programming a week’s-worth of unique, in-person opportunities for students to connect, grow, learn, and engage on and around campus. Activities will include access to Mission Bay Aquatic Center (including transportation), shows at UC San Diego’s Epstein Family Amphitheater, research opportunities, a Padres game, and more to come! Stay tuned for the full schedule.

Center for Student Accountability, Growth and Education (SAGE)
In the SAGE world, student trends are shifting – reflecting current societal challenges. Thefts are on the rise at the Bookstore and Sunshine Market, and alcohol-related cases have increased in comparison to the previous year. As you and your colleagues are hosting events, programs, community gatherings – please keep these challenges in mind as topics to engage with students.

Strategic Planning Efforts Continue
Work toward the Division’s new five-year Strategic Plan continues to move briskly along!

The Jan. 23 Unit Heads meeting was dedicated to strategic planning, as Committee Chair Kirby Knipp facilitated an exercise around the unit-submitted Plan Goals, and how they relate to our Plan’s foundational draft Pillars.

Next up is an opportunity for students to provide feedback on the in-progress plan, which will take place on Monday, Feb. 12 from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. in Price Center West’s Red Shoe Room.

A Successful Student Well Fest
On behalf of the Student Well Fest Committee, Student Affairs Case Management Services is proud to share that the 2024 Student Well Fest was an amazing success. Hundreds of students participated in the activities, enjoyed the HDH produce pop-up, attended tabling events, and more.

More than 400 students pre-registered for the Jan. 24 Well Fest, and at the time of publication, nearly 300 have completed a post-assessment survey sharing their positive feedback.

Residential Experience
Our Residential Experience team is preparing for the opening of Pepper Canyon West in Fall 2024 – if you have any questions about the community, please contact Megan Fox at m4fox@ucsd.edu.

AVC Patty Mahaffey

Get Registered to Vote, Tritons.
Student Governments, Auxiliaries, and Services (SGAS) is proud to announce the launch of the Tritons Vote initiative, aimed at ensuring that the UC San Diego community is registered to vote. Visit them on February 20 from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Library Walk, where Tritons Vote will help those who still need to register.

DID YOU KNOW? UC San Diego now proudly hosts a permanent ballot box for eligible voters located in the Price Center North East Entrance (outside of Burger King).

Finally, from Feb. 23 through March 5, 2024, the San Diego County Registrar of Voters will host an in-person Vote Center in the Price Center’s Bear and Red Shoe Rooms.

Student Organization Activity Reaches New Heights
The Center for Student Involvement (CSI) has seen a record-breaking surge in student organization activity, with both the quantity of registered groups and the frequency of their events hitting unprecedented levels.

As of Week 5, CSI has registered 638 student organizations (and counting), while the frequency of student organization-hosted events continues to rise at rates never seen before:

The remarkable growth in student organization activity not only reflects the dedication and passion of our student body but also underscores CSI's commitment to fostering a vibrant campus community.

Student Legal Services' Program Thrives in 2024
With more than 340 students enrolled thus far, this year's annual Discover the Law workshop series is in full swing.

Attendees will earn Co-Curricular Record acknowledgment by participating in eight or more of the 40 one-hour workshops offered this quarter. Exciting workshops on "Patent Law," "Employee Rights," and "Criminal Court: Behind the Scenes" (featuring guest speakers from the deputy District Attorney's office) are still to come.

Exciting Events at UC San Diego’s Epstein Family Amphitheater (EFA)
The EFA recently partnered with the Theatre and Dance department to host its inaugural Dance Share event, providing an opportunity for students enrolled in dance classes to showcase their talents to their peers. The success of this event has paved the way for future Dance Share events, with the next one scheduled to take place at the amphitheater on March 8.

As a reminder, the Campus Performance and Events Office continues to offer the ongoing weekly Farmer’s Market at the EFA every Tuesday.

Impact of the Basic Needs Hub
Utilization of the Hub Basic Needs Center’s services is strong again this year, showcasing the impactful support it provides to our student community. The Triton Food Pantry has addressed the needs of over 3,700 students through a total of 12,388 visits, while the Food Recovery Network has recovered an impressive 25,151 pounds of food.

Additionally, our dedicated CalFresh team has been actively engaged in promoting San Diego County’s CalFresh program, resulting in 636 applications submitted by our students. These statistics underscore the vital role of the Basic Needs Hub in addressing food insecurity and supporting the well-being of our student body.

AVC Maruth Figueroa

Chancellor’s Associates Scholarship Program (CASP)
Earlier this year, CASP held its first drop-in advising hours in partnership with the Undergraduate College academic advising offices as an opportunity for scholars to complete their advising requirement, connect with CASP liaison advisors regarding their upcoming class registration, and undergo transcript reviews. This event was a major success and will be held in academic quarters to come!

Office of Academic Support and Instructional Services (OASIS)
OASIS hosted an engaging and fun Open House event during Fall Quarter Week 0, which was attended by more than 320 students. Attendees enjoyed an immersive experience, engaging with staff from each of the OASIS programs as well as activities including karaoke, arts and crafts, food, cold brew bar, video games, and a photo booth. This event not only showcased the pro-staff and student team, but also provided the UC San Diego student community with insights into OASIS services.

Online Student Experience (OSE)
At the start of the academic year, the Online Student Experience department launched their inaugural funding initiative, the Mentoring for All Mini-Grant. This initiative awarded seven diverse programs dedicated to highlighting the significance of mentorship, while fostering awareness of available mentorship opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students at UC San Diego.

Student Success Programs (SSP)
Student Success Programs (re)engaged students with ongoing and new programming, and saw an increase in student involvement across all areas:

Undergraduate Research Hub (URH)
The URH has seen a notable increase in student engagement, owing to the expansion of OASIS Academic Support, satellite tutoring in community resource centers, drop-in study tables, and strategic collaborations with Global Initiatives.

AVC Tamara Cunningham

The International Services and Engagement Office (ISEO) is pleased to announce that their Dec. 2023 infographic snapshots for students and faculty/scholars are now available.

International Student Snapshot
View the Fall Quarter 2023 infographic and Tableau dashboard for easy-to-digest data on international students, such as: the total number of international undergraduate, graduate, and non-degree students; top five undergraduate majors, top five graduate field of studies, top ten countries of origin, and number of international students by undergraduate college and division/school.

International Faculty and Scholar Snapshot
The 2022-23 Faculty/Scholar infographic is also available, with data on the total number of international faculty and scholars, top ten countries of origin, and number of international faculty and scholars by division and academic department.

iTable: So All May Flourish
The ISEO iTable program meets the basic needs of international students by providing grocery gift cards to address food security concerns. Since Fall Quarter 2024, the program has already supported more than 150 undergraduate and graduate students.

The Alumni Association Board of Directors continues to demonstrate their commitment to supporting student success, and has allocated $25,000 to fund basic needs for international students for the next academic year.

Chancellor’s Study Abroad Scholarship
Study Abroad UC San Diego is pleased to announce the Chancellor’s Study Abroad Scholarship program, offering $5,000 scholarships to up to 100 students. Deadlines are coming soon – students must apply by March 1.

Strategic Global Initiatives
Strategic Global Initiatives has been busy activating the UC San Diego campus by welcoming delegations from India, Taiwan, Europe, Australia, and more, including hosting the EU Ambassador to the UN last quarter.

The team partnered with many groups throughout Student Affairs and Campus Life and Academic Affairs to welcome 34 faculty from 14 institutions across Taiwan – in partnership with the Fulbright Taiwan Foundation for Scholarly Exchange – for a two-week English Medium Instruction Workshop.

AVC John Hughes

Recreation
On Jan. 9, UC San Diego Recreation opened multiple inclusive bathroom and shower spaces for use on RIMAC’s 3rd floor.

These new spaces were created to ensure that all Tritons feel safe and welcomed at RIMAC while working out, taking a class, or just hanging out. Recreation partnered with the LGBT Resource Center to celebrate the space opening, as well as the completion of an incredible mural painted by student artist Gabby Escobar.

I am pleased to announce that Annie Lin has been named Assistant Director of Student Affairs Case Management Services (SACM). In this role, Annie will lead operations management and professional staff training in SACM, as well as expand outreach and training efforts related to creating a more student-centered, equity-driven, and trauma-informed culture of care at UC San Diego.

A UC San Diego alumna, Annie worked with transitional-aged foster youth as a case manager and therapist before returning to UC San Diego as a Student Affairs Case Manager in March of 2022.

Tonia Pizer, Global Seminars Coordinator in the Study Abroad office, was recently selected as a grantee for the 2024 Fulbright International Education Administrators Award in Taiwan for the March 2024 program.

During her time in Taiwan, Tonia will engage in high-level cultural diplomacy through briefings, campus visits, meetings with university and government officials, and networking and cultural activities.

The Student Affairs Case Management Services (SACM) team was recently featured in a Campus Safety magazine article, titled "How UC San Diego Quintupled Its Case Management Team to Meet Growing Student Needs."

The article highlights SACM as the winner of the Clery Center’s 2023 Campus Safety Impact Award, recognizing higher education programs or initiatives that demonstrate innovation, collaboration, and equity in improving campus safety.

Caitlin Frank, Assistant Director in the Center for Student Accountability, Growth and Education, recently presented twice at the 2024 Association for Student Conduct Administration’s (ASCA) Annual Conference held in Portland, Oregon.

Caitlin’s TWO presentations were titled "Mediation Mindset: Facilitating Resolution During Difficult Conversations" and "Conflict and Communication,” respectively.

April 4, 2024

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.

Award nominations are now open through Feb. 16.

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. Also, be sure to participate in 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! Sign up to have a table at an information fair, host an open house, or offer an information session.

Website: blink.ucsd.edu/sponsor/triton-days

Registration: beatriton.ucsd.edu/register/TritonDays24

Deadline: Today, February 9

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 vcsa@ucsd.edu.

Happy Valentines Day,

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