On Monday, August 23, the following video was shared with students regarding the upcoming return to campus and the need to certify their COVID-19 vaccination. September 13 is the final day for students to self-certify their vaccination in order for them to return to campus. As the semester begins and we correspond and communicate with students, it is important that we continue to encourage them to get vaccinated and certify their status.
For more information on the self-certification requirement and process, please review the August 23, student email below.
| |
Click to submit a question or comment for next month's Ed Talk.
| |
Encourage Students To Self-Certify by September 13
As we approach the start of the fall semester and prepare for our return to campus, students are being asked to self-certify their COVID-19 vaccination status. Students must complete their self-certification and all supplemental To-Do List items by Monday, September 13, in order to be able to access in-person classes and on-campus activities.
Since August 9, a To-Do List item has been placed on all students’ Student Centers, reminding them of this important step for returning to campus.
Self-Certification declares one of the following:
- That students have received an approved COVID-19 vaccination, with the final dose at least 14 days before self-certification.
- That they qualify for a medical exemption.
- That they qualify for a religious exemption.
- That they do not plan to access campus this fall (including field placements, internships, and/or athletics).
Depending upon the student's self-certification, additional To-Do List items will be placed on the student’s account, requiring supporting information for their declaration.
If a student declares that they are vaccinated, they must upload a copy of their Vaccination Card to their Student Health Patient Portal. Declarations for a Medical or Religious Exemption will also require additional documentation.
| |
All Medical and Religious Exemption Declarations will be reviewed in the order in which they are received, and students may expect several weeks of processing.
It is important to note that all affirmed Medical and Religious Exemptions will be subject to twice-weekly COVID-19 testing as well as additional safety measures including, but not limited to, physical distancing, wearing face coverings, or other personal protective equipment, and isolation or quarantine when warranted. Students who do not comply with mandatory testing may be denied access to campus.
| |
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.
| |
Staff Talent Appreciation & Retention (STAR) Awards
The Division of Student Affairs would like to congratulate Nancy Lopez, Operation's Manager at the ASI Children's Center for being June'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 of Student Affairs. The program provides an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the extraordinary performance of staff throughout the division.
The Shining STAR of the Month Award is presented monthly to an individual in the division whose actions or work performance stands out as an exceptional reflection of our divisional values.
• Integrity • Wellness • Innovation • Inclusivity • Collaboration • Service •
If you would like to nominate your peers, colleagues, and staff to recognize their amazing work, please click the link below.
| |
Jackie Venegas '22 (Journalism)
Going back to school means the end of a season’s break and back to the reality of deadlines, due dates, and now, COVID-19 safety protocols. This is especially true for journalism major and first-semester senior, Jackie Venegas.
Planning to graduate in Spring 2022, Venegas has been a declared journalism major throughout her time at Sac State and traditionally awaits the new experiences that each year brings her. Although, after a year and a half of strictly virtual classes, Jackie shares that she’s ready for a return to campus.
“I’m glad that we can come back to campus even though it’s a little different. I’m a senior, so I'm grateful to have that opportunity for my last year, even if it's only for a couple of in-person classes,” she says.
With new COVID-19 protocols in place, such as mask mandates and vaccine requirements, Jackie is optimistic about her own safety as well as the health of those around her.
“If going back means being safe, then so be it. I feel like last year took so much away from us, so if I have to wear a mask to protect people and to take my classes, I’m happy to do it.”
Jackie’s goal after graduation is to become a reporter for a news media company in Northern California. She hopes that her degree from Sac State will open new doors for her on her new career path.
| |
New How To Videos
The Division of Student Affairs has completed two new How To Videos in the month of August.
- How To Update Your Preferred Name & Pronouns - ABOVE
- How To Apply for Scholarships - RELEASING SOON
These new How To Videos have been added to the growing library of videos on the Student Affairs YouTube channel and further demonstrate the division’s commitment to enhancing the student experience and providing easier access to administrative services.
The How To Video Series was created in partnership with the Registrar, the Student Service Center, Orientation, Financial Aid, SA-IT, and Student Affairs Marketing & Communications. It was created to provide a comprehensive guide to navigating the newly relaunched Student Center.
| |
University Housing Services
As we approach Move-In Days, we are reminded of the importance of welcoming our students to a thriving campus community. As we continue to operate amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Move-In Days will be slightly modified from previous years. Move-in Days will be held over two days and will take place without the traditional marching band performances and President’s Welcome BBQ. Although we will not have our traditional celebrations, Move-In Days will still include tabling in the quad by various campus partners, accompanied by members of our Spirit Team.
University Housing Services (UHS) is excited to be a part of our students' return to campus by helping create everlasting memories for those living on campus. Executive Director, Samuel N. Jones encourages staff to sign up and participate in this year’s Fall Move-in Days. We understand that our students and families may experience different emotions about returning to campus during the COVID-19 pandemic, but as we welcome students back into our residence halls, we move closer towards getting our students engaged and connected to the Hornet family. The UHS team remains committed to honoring tradition and creating a memorable college experience while maintaining a safe environment for all Hornets!
Here are a few things to know about Housing during the Fall Semester:
- Move-In Days are scheduled for Thursday, August 26 and Friday, August 27. Thursday is for First-Year Students in North Village and all students at the Upper Eastside Lofts and Friday is for returning and transfer students at North Village and Hornet Commons. Students are permitted to request early and late arrivals using their housing portal via HornetHousing.
- 75 Resident Advisors will reside in North Village, Hornet Commons, and the Upper Eastside Lofts this upcoming semester, greeting more than 2,700 students that will be living in Sacramento State's housing communities.
- Students will return to shared living accommodations throughout North Village, Hornet Commons and the Upper Eastside Lofts.
- Students will be welcomed back into the Servery at the Dining Commons to dine indoors. The Courtyard Market will be available for residents as well.
- At North Village, all residents will be required to enter residence halls through the main front doors, and swipe their student ID. This will help limit the number of people freely entering the building. Students are permitted in-room visitations amongst residents living in North Village only. Outside guests are not permitted at this time, this includes Sacramento State students who do not reside in North Village.
- Students will have open access to all of their community amenities including study rooms, computer labs, laundry rooms, kitchens, as well as the fitness and cardio center in Riverview Hall. Students will need to plan and reserve a key to access the fitness room before use.
- The Alumni Center will serve as the official check-in location for our Sacramento State students residing at North Village, Hornet Commons, and the Upper Eastside Lofts (UEL) on either August 26 or 27.
For questions about University Housing Services and options for students, contact UHS at housing@csus.edu.
| |
Senior Bridge: Connecting Campus and Community
The Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) is actively working to elevate the university’s goals to support the community. To give back to the region in preparing EOP Seniors for success in college and life, the program has developed its final strand of summer experiences entitled “Senior Bridge.”
EOP students in the program are paired with other EOP students to provide peer support in existing Bridge Programming as well as actively taking on community-based projects to elevate their educational environment. The goal of the program is to instill life-long learning through giving back both on campus and beyond. The cohort of Senior Bridge students this summer received training in areas such as program mentorship, socio-cultural engagement, and curricular support through an equity and diversity lens. The opportunity to leverage a Senior Program experience is the first of its kind and builds on the ground-breaking work of the EOP’s Summer Bridge Academy led by Berenice Espitia, Racquel Reber, Ruth Williams, and Dr. Marcellene Watson-Derbigny.
All of these efforts have led to highly successful retention and persistence rates for students served by these signature programs. Under the leadership of Dr. Marcellene Watson-Derbigny and in conjunction with the EOP’s Senior Success component coordinated by Sai Xiong, Senior Bridge is excited to be a new addition to the learning community.
| |
Become a Certified Dreamer Ally and Encourage Student Staff and Interns to Participate
The Dreamer Resource Center will host multiple Dreamer Ally Trainings during the fall semester. The training is designed for staff, faculty, and student employees who work with students who may be undocumented, mixed-status, or from immigrant backgrounds. It provides an overview of federal and state policies that affect these students daily, and knowledge of the conditions they experience.
The Dreamer Ally Training also includes activities to reach a greater understanding of how to address the needs of students impacted by undocumented status, and tools to become allies and advocates during their college journey and beyond. It has also been revised to reflect recent DACA updates. Allies who have not completed the training in the last three years are also encouraged to participate. To register, visit the web address for the desired date. For questions or to request reasonable accommodations, contact DRC Coordinator Erik Ramirez at erikramirez@csus.edu.
Upcoming Dreamer Ally Training Dates
| |
Thursday, September 23, 2021
2:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
| |
Wednesday, October 20, 2021
1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
| |
Social Justice Leadership Seminar for Students, Student Employees, and Interns
The Multi-Cultural Center will offer the Social Justice Leadership Seminar (SJLS) this fall, a seven-week certificate program designed for all students, including student employees, interns, and students at large. The seminar builds cultural competency, enhances critical thinking related to societal structures, and builds skills to promote positive social change. Supervisors and managers are encouraged to promote the seminar as a professional development opportunity for their student staff and interns. The SJLS will analyze various social justice concepts through virtual community discussions, activities, and exercises. Topics will include identity, intersectionality, privilege, oppression, power, allyship, wellness, and leadership.
The seminar will meet from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Fridays from September 24 to November 5. Space is limited and registration will be determined on a first-come, first-served basis. The deadline to apply is Friday, September 3.
| |
For additional information, contact Multi-Cultural Center Program Coordinator, Patsy Jimenez at pvj25@csus.edu.
| |
The Carlsen Center's 2021 Masterminds Cohort
The Carlsen Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship offers various programs and services to meet the needs of entrepreneurs wherever they may be on their journeys. They envision three main components of the entrepreneurial journey: discover, build, and launch. With this in mind, the Carlsen Center has created the Virtual Masterminds Cohort Program. This program is a 12-week long, spring virtual incubator for students and is a crucial part of the Carlsen Center’s build phase of the entrepreneurial journey. This program will ultimately work with students and their nascent businesses to give individualized support that is most applicable to the stage of their venture and address their biggest challenges.
The program offers a combination of brainstorming, education, peer accountability, community support, and mentorship in a group setting to sharpen business and personal skills. Its pillars include Milestone Creation, Content Sessions, Peer Mastermind Discussions, Assignment of Lead Consultants, and One-on-One Mentor Matching. Ultimately, these members challenge each other to set strong goals through these workshops and to accomplish them.
The success and usefulness of the program relies on all of its members to be active participants. Participants are expected to be focused on assisting their peers in progressing through their milestones, as well as being committed to advancing their own skills with minds open to constructive criticism and new ideas.
The Carlsen Center’s 2021 Mastermind Cohort
Cohort members had a prior engagement with the Carlsen Center as part of the College Pitch Competitions, the Virtual Entrepreneurship Toolkit Series, and virtual Office Hours.
Here are some of the startup ventures for the cohort members:
Ethicli – Ethical shopping browser extension.
- Founder: Billy T. Hernandez leads a team that sources ethical products; studying Computer Science at Sac State.
- Status: Won $1,000 in UC Davis’ Little Bang competition.
Sunexis (Formerly Ko’A Care) – Environmentally responsible sunscreen, enabling customers to be at peace with the sun.
- Founder: Deepak Vijay, student research at UC Davis
- Status: Won two prizes at UC Davis and was accepted into the UC Davis Venture Catalyst.
Traditional Glow – Handcrafted, organic skincare that addresses aging, acne, psoriasis, and other troublesome skin conditions.
- Founder: Angelia Lee, Business major at Sac State
- Status: In discussions with Trader Joe’s and Sac Co-op
Entrance into the program is determined by an application process. After acceptance into the program, motivated individuals and companies will be reviewed and vetted by the program organizers.
| |
Student Affairs staff and administrators are encouraged to consider active job opportunities within the division for their next career step.
The webpage linked below highlights some of the opportunities currently posted in the division, with more on the way. Also available via this link are resources for staff interested in applying, which include resume building, interview tips, and trainings.
If you have any questions about current or upcoming postings, please reach out to Steven Colson via email at stevencolson@csus.edu.
| |
Positions posting soon or still within their priority review dates include:
| |
SSP IB – Enrollment Advisor
Job Summary Highlight: Reviews academic transcripts and other documents to determine admission eligibility and transfer credit status.
| |
ITC-Career – System Analyst
Job Summary Highlight: Responsible for providing overall support for the assigned PeopleSoft Module(s).
| |
Back to Campus: Coping with Pandemic-Induced Social Anxiety
As we make a return to gather once again on campus, COVID-19 protocols are now in place, aiming to ensure the safety of all staff, students, and faculty. With this big step in increasing our socialization after a year of quarantine, also comes the possibility of social anxiety and worry for some.
Licensed clinical psychologist and writer for MindBodyGreen.com, Chloe Carmichael explains anxiety surrounding gatherings and a return to normalcy is valid: “First of all, these feelings are normal! It’s been a long time since many of us have socialized, so it’s totally understandable that you might feel awkward starting it up again. Even the most mundane of activities, like grocery shopping and trips to the mall, can be anxiety-inducing for some.”
In order to ease a sense of anxiety, Carmichael suggests three activities to calm your nerves when walking into an office or entering a small gathering.
Activity 1: Scan your setting for signs of social acceptance. “Signs of social acceptance could be anything from eye contact to open body language to a simple wave hello...This will give your brain something to do besides focus on your anxious inner monologue,” states Carmichael.
Activity 2: Listen to podcasts or audiobooks. Tuning into your favorite novel, crime podcast, or news briefing can create a comfortable environment to reduce anxiety and increase comfort. “This will give you a sense of familiarity and control while also providing a sort of ‘buffer’ between you and the space around you,” says Carmichael.
Activity 3: Start slow, and give yourself time to process. If you’re still introducing yourself back to socialization and gatherings, you’re not alone. “To mitigate some of the stress, try keeping your initial outings short. In other words, ease into your revived social life: Go into the office for just an hour, and pick up just one thing from the store to limit the time spent in there. Try to practice slow, deep breaths when you're out and about to help your body stay relaxed,” says Carmichael.
As Sacramento State makes an effort in ensuring the safety of all campus personnel through mask mandates and vaccination requirements, anticipatory excitement and anxiety are normal to experience. Take your time and be kind to yourself during this new transition of returning to campus.
| |
Technology Needs for Hybrid Work (On-campus and Remote)
Hello Student Affairs Partners,
Welcome back to campus! We would like to take this time to provide some information on the technology needs you may have as you transition to work on-campus.
Here is some information to help with the transition.
- Mobile Devices: If you use a mobile device, you will experience some flexibility to work from the same device while on-campus and remotely from home.
- Webcam: If you have a webcam already checked out, please bring it with you on the days you’ll need it on campus. Please Note: Your mobile device will have an integrated camera that works just as well as a standalone one. Place the mobile device in a creative way for optimal video capture.
- Headset: If you have a headset already checked out, please bring it with you on the days that you’ll be needing it on campus.
- Keyboard & Mouse: If you need a keyboard and/or mouse, one will be provided to you by our team for your campus setup. If you prefer to continue using the mouse and keyboard you have at home, feel free to swap them out.
- Monitors: We understand the need for dual monitors for many of our areas. Unfortunately, we do not have enough to provide four per staff member (two for home & two for on-campus). We will be doing our best (with available devices on hand) to accommodate your needs.
Comments, Questions, Concerns?
Please contact us with any further questions or concerns about the IT equipment. Our goal is to provide an efficient and smooth transition during our return to campus.
Don’t hesitate and reach out via any of the following ways:
- Email: sa-it@csus.edu
- Phone: (916) 278-2745
- Microsoft Teams: Student Affairs IT
| |
To Submit a Story to The Buzz, Click Below!
| |
|
|