View in browser

Thank You TWOW Partners, Upcoming Community Events, and more

October 4, 2024

Dear Student Affairs and Campus Life Colleagues and Friends,

As we wrap up TWOW 2024, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to our incredible team and campus partners. Once again, you’ve raised the bar in welcoming, activating, and engaging our newest Tritons and welcoming back our returning students. Whether you coordinated move-in, led events, provided support, or simply offered directions with a smile, your student-centered contributions continue to foster a lasting sense of belonging within our community.

Below, you’ll find important info and save-the-dates, including the inaugural Student Centered Award recipients; a Tritons Belong Portraits of Us event on Oct. 7; our agenda-free All-Staff Community Breakfast and Crafting session on Oct. 29; a Tritons Belong participatory art project hosted from Oct. 24-26 in collaboration with the Stuart Collection entitled ‘Breathe with Me’ and more.

Finally, many campus partners continue to come together to ensure that all of our students feel supported and engaged. You’ll find in this Student-Centered Resource List an overview of several programs and services that will be available to all of our students next week.

On Oct. 7, students, faculty, and staff are invited to build community with fellow Tritons while creating symbolic self-portraits that will contribute to a collaborative UC San Diego art project.

Supplies and sweet treats from around the world will be provided. Just bring yourself and your creativity!

Triton Like Me: Portraits of Us

Monday, October 7, 2024 | 3:30 – 6:30 p.m. | Town Square

There will be tables set up, food provided, and conversation starters that are connected to the themes in our Common Read selection for 2024-25, American Like Me.

Portraits of Us is free for students, faculty, and staff.

Launched last spring, the Student Centeredness Award is a recognition initiative designed to celebrate individuals who exemplify unwavering dedication to our students.

2023-24 Recipients
It is my pleasure to announce the following recipients of the inaugural Student Centeredness Award. Please extend a warm congratulations to:

Recipients will be formally recognized at the Student Affairs and Campus Life Awards Ceremony on Dec. 17, 2024.

Please join us for this year’s Student Affairs and Campus Life Fall All-Staff Community Breakfast, a special social event designed to offer a well-earned break, and an opportunity to connect with peers while enjoying a delicious breakfast. This gathering provides the perfect chance to be in community, recharge, and celebrate the start of the new academic year with colleagues through food and crafting activities.

SACL All-Staff Community Breakfast and Crafting

Tuesday, October 29, 2024 | 8 – 10 a.m. | Price Center West Ballroom

RSVP: All-Staff Community Breakfast Google Form

We are deeply grateful for the dedication and hard work of our staff throughout last year and over the summer. Stop by, enjoy breakfast, and reconnect with your colleagues as we kick off a new chapter together!

Please note: The annual Student Affairs and Campus Life Staff Awards, traditionally held during the Fall All-Staff Meeting, will take place on December 17. This will allow us to fully recognize both the SACL Staff Awards and the inaugural campus-wide Student Centeredness Award recipients (above) during a dedicated celebration. 

The Stuart Collection will host “Breathe with Me,” a multi-day participatory public art project focusing on mental health, mindfulness and community, from October 24 through October 26, 2024. Held at the Epstein Family Amphitheater, attendees will participate in a collective breathing and painting exercise: adding parallel blue lines with a paintbrush to a canvas while meditatively focusing on their breathing. This project, envisioned by world-renowned artist Jeppe Hein, is free of charge and is presented in partnership with the Campus Performances and Events Office and in collaboration with the Tritons Belong initiative.

A tool for promoting understanding and compassion, "Breathe with Me" provides a space for individuals to develop a deeper understanding of themselves and others. By connecting breathwork with artistic expression, participants are encouraged to be more present, reflective and empathetic. Register for the event, sign up as a volunteer, and learn more on the Stuart Collection website.

Developed for UC San Diego students by UC San Diego students, Willo uses artificial intelligence to integrate the university's well-being services into a highly personalized, user-friendly platform that guides Tritons toward on-campus services – all free of charge.

Willo is the result of more than two years of collaboration between UC San Diego students, Student Health and Well-Being, and the Jacobs Center for Health Innovation. Learn more about the app’s story and unique, student-centered design at willo.ucsd.edu.

Addressing the world’s complex and multidimensional problems requires thoughtful approaches, interdisciplinary collaboration and open dialogue. UC San Diego’s position at the forefront of these efforts was prominent at “Combating Antisemitism and Islamophobia: Best Practices in Challenging Times,” a two-day conference presented by the Applied Research Center for Civility, a partnership between UC San Diego and the National Conflict Resolution Center.

Held at UC San Diego Park and Market Sept. 22-23, the conference brought together thought leaders from around the country to discuss best practices for addressing religious intolerance, specifically antisemitism and Islamophobia. Experts shared insights, multi-layered strategies and real-world experiences on working toward a better future. Learn more via UC San Diego Today.

What if you could take just seven minutes to release yourself from work to relax and recharge?

Employee Wellness invites faculty and staff to do just that with the launch of Bright Breaks, a new online program that offers hundreds of live and on-demand seven-minute sessions to support our faculty and staff throughout their work week.

Bright Breaks is free for all UC San Diego faculty and career employees through single sign-on; sign up now to be among the first to gain access to this new source of support.

There are Bright Breaks for every interest—from face yoga to high intensity training—where faculty and staff can take a break to move, breathe, stretch and learn how to eat better. 

The majority of sessions are live and during the work week, Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. There is also a full library of hundreds of on-demand sessions available.

Are you interested in helping to ensure that free expressive activity may continue safely on campus? 

You’re invited to join AVC Piya Bose, AVC Patty Mahaffey, and UCPD Lt. John Smart for the next comprehensive and revamped SAFE (Supporting Advocacy and Free Expression) Staff Training (formerly SAMS Monitor) session.

Registration
To secure your spot, please register at tinyurl.com/UCSDSAMSF24. Food will be provided for in-person attendees.

Note: This training is required for all staff members who wish to serve on the SAFE Team during expressive campus activities. We look forward to your participation!

SAFE Staff Training

Tuesday, October 29, 2024 | 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. | ERC Room - Price Center

Register: tinyurl.com/UCSDSAMSF24

Case Management Services will again facilitate training sessions for “Creating a Culture of Care: Supporting Students in Distress” this Fall – on October 17 (in-person), November 14 (virtual) and December 12, 2024 (virtual).

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 complete the training, individuals only need to attend one of the scheduled dates. To register for any of these sessions, visit this link on UC Learning (login required). For more information, please contact Chrystian Smith at cas014@ucsd.edu.

The 2023-24 Student Affairs and Campus Life Impact Report showcases the creative, equity-driven work of the talented and dedicated Student Affairs and Campus Life professionals and many of our partners in advancing student centeredness at UC San Diego.

Please take a moment to peruse this report and join me in celebrating the collective student-centered efforts and accomplishments of our colleagues and close campus partners.

October 10, 2024

The Student Services and Academic Support Fair is designed to help students discover the many academic departments, student services and special activities available at UC San Diego, while providing an opportunity for departments to reach and connect with many new and returning undergraduate and graduate students.

Held October 10 at Warren Mall from 10 a.m. to noon, the fair will host more than 90 student services, academic support resources, and campus departments.

October 17, 2024

First Gen Speaks is a new event at UC San Diego celebrating and recognizing first-generation college students and supporters. The inaugural event on October 17 features the bestselling author and advocate Alejandra Campoverdi, author of First-Gen: A Memoir.

The event will include a book talk moderated by Dean Lisa Ordóñez of the Rady School of Management, an audience Q&A, and a book signing. For more information and to register, visit First Gen Speaks on Eventbrite.

October 21-25, 2024

The Triton Transfer Hub is excited to celebrate our Triton Transfers during this year’s National Transfer Student Week (NTSW) at UC San Diego from Oct. 21-25, 2024.

Information on specific events throughout the week is forthcoming, but in the meantime, teams/departments are invited to participate in the second annual NTSW Resource Fair on October 22.

The event will once again feature tabling from a variety of offices and departments, with the intention of creating a one-stop shop for all transfers to get connected with involvement opportunities and see the offerings our campus has for our transfer students. To table at the NTSW Resource fair, please complete this form by October 4.

November 8-10, 2024

Tritons of UC San Diego, answer the call! Homecoming 2024 is set to be a weekend full of discovery and excitement.

From DI Athletics to groundbreaking research, the event lineup celebrates the curious and courageous spirit of UC San Diego. Witness the growth of our campus, cheer on our DI scholar-athletes, reconnect with old friends and celebrate your UC San Diego pride. Together. Tritons. Always.

Thank you for all that you do to advance student centeredness at UC San Diego. 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
---
Alysson M. Satterlund
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Campus Life