Ed Talk is taking a month off but will return in November 2021.
Be sure to add the next division-wide meeting to your calendars. The meeting will be held on Thursday, October 28 at 9 a.m.
Webinar ID: 861 2815 7918 Webinar password: SA-DWM2021
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If you have a question about what is happening in the division or on campus, be sure to leave a note through the link below.
Click to submit a question or comment for next month's Ed Talk.
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COVID-19 Protocol Updates
As we continue into the fall semester, it is important that we stay aware and up to date on Sacramento State’s COVID-19 protocols.
Where do Students and Staff go for on-campus testing?
Beginning Monday, October 25th, students and employees who are required to complete campus Mandatory Testing (required to test 2x a week) will report to the Terrace Suite, 2nd floor of the WELL.
What if a student is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms?
Student Health and Counseling prefers that students experiencing symptoms, do NOT go to class and instead call Student Health and Counseling at 916-278-6461 for a testing appointment. Students that are symptomatic can test at the campus testing site. If the test is positive, a telehealth appointment will be made before leaving.
What to do if a student has received a message about possible exposure.
Students should follow the message instructions which direct the student to the testing site. If fully vaccinated, they should monitor symptoms for 14 days, if the student experiences any COVID-19 symptoms (fever, chills, runny nose, new loss of taste or smell, dry cough, shortness of breath, loss of appetite, muscle aches, fatigue), it is advised to call Student Health and Counseling at 916-278-6461 to schedule a telehealth visit. If the student has not been fully vaccinated, it is recommended that they get tested for COVID-19.
What is a breakthrough case?
Breakthrough cases are expected with all vaccines, including the influenza (flu) vaccine. COVID-19 vaccines are safe, effective, and a crucial tool to support increased immunity against COVID-19. No vaccines are 100% effective and breakthrough cases do happen. Typically, the illness is less severe, and the risk of infection, hospitalization, and death is significantly lower in vaccinated individuals. It is important to continue to mask, even if fully vaccinated, assess your own personal risk, and monitor symptoms.
Is Sac State offering COVID-19 Booster Vaccines?
Beginning October 21st, Sacramento State will offer COVID-19 booster vaccines on campus to CURRENT students, staff, faculty, and auxiliary employees of the university who meet the CDC eligibility requirements for a booster vaccine. Vaccinations will be by APPOINTMENT ONLY at 916-278-2618. Appointments are available on THURSDAYS ONLY at The WELL, no walk-in appointments are available.
The CDC has outlined requirements for COVID-19 vaccine boosters which are only available to individuals who meet the following eligibility requirements and have already received the second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months ago.
Those who SHOULD receive a booster include:
- Age 65 years or older
- Age 50-64 with underlying medical conditions
Those who MAY receive a booster include
- Age 18-64 with an underlying medical condition, OR
- Age 18-64 who are at increased risk for COVID transmission because of occupational or institutional settings such as healthcare or essential worker, including staff & faculty in education settings.
Please contact a medical provider regarding eligibility. The booster is readily available at medical facilities and local pharmacies for those who do not qualify to receive it on campus, such as alumni, retirees, and community members. For additional questions or concerns, please contact covidquestions@csus.edu.
Rapid Tests are now available for purchase! BinaxNOW tests are available to purchase over the counter in the Student Health Pharmacy. Please note these tests are not approved tests for travel testing or to provide proof for attendance at many events.
Answers to the most frequently asked questions related to COVID-19 exposure can be found linked below.
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If you have questions regarding COVID-19 testing and vaccinations at Sacramento State, you can ask Joy Stewart-James, Associate Vice President for Student Health and Counseling Services.
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The Division of Student Affairs is excited to congratulate Noelle McCurley (right), Senior Student Support Counselor, and Eric Espejo (below), Compliance & Training Coordinator with the Student Service Center for being July and August's STAR of the Month.
The Staff Talent Appreciation & Retention (STAR) Awards Program acknowledges the exemplary performance and contributions of staff members within the division.
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The Shining STAR of the Month Award is presented to an individual whose actions or work performance stands out as an exceptional reflection of our divisional values: Integrity, Wellness,
Innovation, Inclusivity, Collaboration, and Service.
If you would like to nominate your peers, colleagues, and staff to recognize their amazing work, please click the link below.
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Crisis Assistance & Resource Education Support (CARES)
Beginning in 2015, starting with a single case manager, The CARES office has grown to serve more than 600 students a year, helping them meet their basic needs, manage periods of crisis, and stay on track in their higher education journey.
Two different basic needs studies by the CSU system reflect that as many as 12% of Hornets experience homelessness at least once during their school year and 46% experience food insecurity. For a campus the size of Sac State, that can be around 3,000 and 15,000 students per year, respectively.
To meet the growing student need, the CARES office will begin a process of restructuring in fall 2021, allowing them to hire more staff and provide more support to meet the campus demand. Central to this restructure is naming Case Manager, Danielle Munoz, as the new Interim Director.
“As referrals continue to grow, our focus is reliability and timeliness,” says Munoz. “Each semester, as more and more students, faculty and staff learn about available resources it becomes clearer that basic needs services are relevant to students and a helpful resource for faculty and staff.”
This fall, the CARES Office is excited to focus new energy on the Rapid Rehousing program addressing student homelessness, as well as launching a new Wellness Ambassador certificate program for faculty and staff. In addition, CARES will continue to partner with Student Health and Counseling Services to screen students for food insecurity; Financial Wellness to provide financial literacy grants to students who are repairing their credit; the ASI Food Pantry, and Student Affairs Marketing & Communications to develop a comprehensive Basic Needs marketing campaign to break stigmas held by students regarding asking for help, #BreakTheStigma.
Danielle says, “One of the reasons I accepted this role is because I have a lot of colleagues that I respect and admire for their work to help students. This is a caring campus and we have the right folks in place to really create a supportive path to graduation for students in need. I truly love this work and I love this campus, so it was an honor to be a part of the CARES restructure and I am looking forward to partnering with different areas on campus to support our students.”
How to make an appointment with CARES
The CARES office has transitioned to virtual services during the COVID-19 pandemic; students can either make an appointment in EAB under Dean of Students and CARES or any staff can send them an alert in EAB if a student needs to be seen by a case manager.
Students can also follow CARES on Instagram @caresatsacstate and @cfosacstate or visit Zoom drop-in hours Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
About Rapid Rehousing
Rapid Rehousing supports students facing homelessness, and is a product of two community partnerships, with a youth homelessness agency and an agency that serves older adults or those with legal history or poor credit. Through this program, CARES can immediately house students who are living in their cars, couch surfing, or on the streets and waive deposits and the first month of rent. The program is nine months long to match the school year and offers intensive wrap-around case management. CARES is currently going into year two of their three-year Rapid Rehousing Pilot program.
About The Wellness Ambassador Program
The Wellness Ambassador Program is an 8-hour certificate training that will prepare participants in basic needs support and wellness crisis response. Participants who complete the course will receive a graphic to share via email, a sticker, and other items in their office indicating they are allies and trained in basic needs response. The Wellness Ambassador Program will launch in October 2021.
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The Scholarship Applications Are Now Open for Students!
Students can now apply for the 2022 awards cycle. Applications will be open until March 2nd, 2022. Dates may vary for some departmental or program-specific scholarships.
Applying is easy. Students can apply through their Student Center and the Sac State scholarship website. By completing one general application, students will be automatically matched to scholarships that they are eligible for.
For the 2021-2022 application season, Financial Aid & Scholarships partnered with Student Affairs Marketing & Communications to create a comprehensive communications campaign. As part of this campaign, they are calling on all campus partners to help encourage students to apply. To make it easy to help promote, Student Affairs Marketing & Communications created marketing materials for you to share in your office and on your social media pages.
Available Marketing Materials
- General Purpose Scholarship Graphics, including social media graphics for all channels and 11"x17" printed posters to display around your office.
- Customizable templates are available, allowing you to create graphics unique to your department or program. Customizable templates are available through Adobe InDesign Templates.
- A How-To video, linked above, walking through the application process
- A 30-second Scholarships video PSA which can be used on social media.
If you or your student require any further assistance, contact scholarshipfaqs@csus.edu or contact the scholarship office at 916-278-6179.
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We need your assistance as an “Application Reader”!
Eligible Financial Aid Scholarship Applications are independently read and scored by a team of three individuals to ensure a fair and objective review and selection process. With more than 80 scholarships opportunities available, we need your help!
The review period will take place from March 7, 2022 through April 30, 2022.
Volunteering to serve as an “Application Reader” or committee reviewer is an incredible display of your commitment to our students. We are especially thankful to the many members of our Student Affairs staff who have participated in past semesters!
If you are interested – please contact Financial Aid & Scholarships before February 18, 2022 by sending an email to Jennifer White, Scholarship Assistant Director at Jennifer.White@csus.edu with the subject line "Scholarship Volunteer".
Thank you for helping our students this spring!
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Live Theatre Returns to Sac State with the Rocky Horror Picture Show
Kicking off the re-opening of Live Theatre at Sacramento State, the iconic Rocky Horror Show is appearing in Shasta Hall’s University Theatre from October 20 through October 31!
Richard O’Brien’s, The Rocky Horror Show, is a hilarious, brash, campy, and unapologetically wild tribute to B-Sci-fi film and horror movies, with an irresistible rock’n’roll score.
General tickets will be priced at $20, Senior tickets are $18, and Sacramento State Student tickets are just $15!
Support our student actors and actresses and join them for a night of musical fun and excitement!
Attendees are required proof of vaccine (the QR code generated from the cdph.ca.gov) or proof of medical exemption and a negative test within the last 72 hours.
Current theatre policy is to require those over the age of two (2) who attend an indoor event on campus to wear a suitable face-covering (mask) while indoors. Please bring an appropriate face-covering and be aware that you will be asked to wear it upon entering a campus building.
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Carlsen Center Brings College Pitch Competitions to Campus
The Carlsen Center is excited to partner with a number of colleges on-campus to run their own idea and innovation pitch competitions in this year’s College Pitch Competition, beginning the week of November 1! This activity is a creative outlet for students to explore their ideas and begin their entrepreneurial pursuits.
Hosted in the fall of each academic year, the College Pitch Competition allows students to share product ideas, innovative services, or a startup plan at any stage in the entrepreneurial process.
All participants will receive a certificate of participation and the top award winners can win cash prizes ranging from $300 to $1,000! Finalists will be selected on October 27.
Applications are now closed. If you would like to attend the Student Pitch Competition and support our students, a full schedule of competition events can be found linked below.
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Peer Counselors are Back on Campus this Fall!
Student Health & Counseling Services is excited to invite students back into our health center with our newly expanded building. Due to the continued pandemic, health services all over the country are still experiencing immense strain in mental health and medical services. Student Health & Counseling Services is continuing to respond to the pandemic with COVID-19 testing, expanding services to include telehealth and in-person visits, and COVID-19 and flu vaccine distribution. Additionally, Peer Counseling is now available! Students are experiencing a great need for mental and emotional health services with the continued pandemic and returning to the “new normal” of the start of the semester. Please encourage students, and yourselves, to be kind, gentle, and have grace as we settle into the new semester that is underway.
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Peer Counseling is now available for 30-minute appointments at Sac State and is a great resource for students seeking mental and emotional support. Please review the link to "Meet the Peer Counselors" or make an appointment. Peer Counseling is a non-judgmental space to provide peer support for students to speak confidentially about what's on their minds or to check in on their mental health. Peer Counselors are helpful listeners and trained to support peers through their mental health concerns.
Please note, Peer Counselors are not licensed professionals. If in need of professional support or assistance for student mental health, contact Student Health & Counseling Services at 916-278-6461.
Please visit the Student Health and Counseling website for continued updates and information regarding our services. Students can visit the Patient Portal for updates on available services or contact us at 916-278-6461.
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Flu Clinics Are Available
Flu vaccines are here! Free vaccines will be available on Tuesdays through November 30th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Student Health & Counseling Services at the WELL.
The flu vaccine this year is FREE to Sac State students, staff, and faculty. Flu vaccines are vital to keeping up our immunity, preventing the spread of influenza (flu), and protecting ourselves and others from serious illness and complications from influenza.
Please visit the Student Health and Counseling website for continued updates and information regarding our services. Students can visit the Patient Portal for updates on services available or contact us at 916-278-6461.
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Serna Center Presents the Chicanx/Latinx Recognition Ceremony
Join the Serna Center for the Fall 2021 Chicanx/Latinx Virtual Recognition Ceremony!
The Serna Center at Sacramento State is committed to honoring Sac State's Chicanx/Latinx graduates at the Chicanx/Latinx Recognition Ceremony on Sunday, December 5, 2021, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. through a virtual ceremony.
The recognition ceremony positively portrays the accomplishment of Chicanx/Latinx students as they complete their degree and become Hechos en Sac State or Made at Sac State. Additionally, the ceremony offers family members a culturally inclusive experience, as it is hosted both in Spanish and English. This virtual environment will also celebrate Chicanx/Latinx history, tradition, and culture.
The ceremony will consist of a virtual welcome on behalf of Sacramento State’s President Robert S. Nelsen and will include a faculty or staff speaker, student speaker, entertainment, and individual pre-recorded acknowledgments by each graduate. We expect to virtually engage with approximately 2,000 people, which includes graduating students, their families, friends, and loved ones.
Traditionally, faculty and staff lead the student procession into the ballroom at the beginning of the ceremony. To accomplish a similar experience virtually, we kindly request that you register to participate by Friday, October 29, 2021, at
5 p.m. using the following form below.
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ABOVE: Sample Staff/Faculty slide.
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Celebrate Dia Day Los Muertos
The Serna Center, in collaboration with the Multi-Cultural Center, the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP), and the Department of Art will celebrate Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) on November 1 and 2. This cultural holiday, celebrated in Mexico and other Spanish-speaking countries, honors loved ones who have died. Over two days, mourning is exchanged for celebration and families create ofrendas (offerings) in the form of altares (altars) decorated with flowers, photos, and the favorite foods of those being honored.
The Multi-Cultural Center will host a sugar skull making workshop for students on Monday, November 1. Attendees will learn about the sugar skull making process and the representation of departed souls. Staff are encouraged to share this opportunity with students.
Space is limited and registration is for 30-minute sessions due to COVID-19 safety compliance. A limited number of skull-making to-go kits will be available and a video walkthrough will be provided for those who prefer to participate virtually.
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The Serna Center and partners will also host an altar exhibit from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, November 2, in the Orchard Suite of the University Union. Altares will be created by students, and each will represent a unique theme. The University community is invited to attend the exhibit and faculty and staff are encouraged to share this opportunity with students and others.
Campus programs, departments, and student clubs and organizations are invited to build altares for the exhibit. Setup will be on the morning of November 2.
To register to build an altar for display, contact noelmora@csus.edu by 5 p.m. Friday, October 22.
Registration is required. Attendees will select a 30-minute window in which to view the exhibit. COVID-19 indoor protocols will be followed.
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Parents and Families
It’s known that Sacramento State is home to many diverse groups and backgrounds that make up the campus community, but there is one population that is often marginalized and overlooked; students with children. The Parents and Families Program was established in 2012, serving parents of students and expanding to focus on the dire needs of students with children in 2015. Under the direction of Haley Myers-Dillon, the program’s core mission is to serve two communities: the families of students who wish to connect with the campus experiences and students who have their own children while working towards completing their degree. Each group is diligently served by being provided information with communications such as newsletters and engagement opportunities both on and off-campus. To date, the program serves roughly 12,000 parents and 2,000 student-parents.
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Update Your Apple Devices ASAP
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If you haven't already, be sure to update all your Apple devices to the latest patches right away!
Security researchers uncovered a flaw that allows highly invasive spyware to infect anyone’s iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, or Mac computer with a single click.
Do not fall victim and please update immediately.
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Online Resources for Updating your Apple Devices
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Comments, Questions, Concerns?
Don’t hesitate and reach out via any of the following ways:
- Email: sa-it@csus.edu
- Phone: (916) 278-2745
- Microsoft Teams or Zoom chat: sa-it | stdaf-01
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