SDSU Researcher Makes National Ranking of Impactful Scholars

Michael Klitzing — Mon, 15 Jan 2024 12:00:00 -0800

College of Education professor Frank Harris III, an expert on education equity matters, is named on 2024 Edu-Scholar Public Influence list.

To San Diego State University education researcher Frank Harris III, breaking out of the academic silo is essential to driving change. For his efforts in leading transformation, being named among the nation’s most influential education scholars underscores his ever-expanding reach.

Harris is No. 105 in the 2024 Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings — a list of 200 university-based scholars who shape educational practice and policy released on Jan. 4 by American Enterprise Institute director of education policy studies and Education Week blogger Rick Hess.

The Department of Administration, Rehabilitation and Postsecondary Education professor, who climbed from his No. 163 spot in the 2023 rankings, was among only two California State University faculty members recognized.

“I do not want to do research for the sake of doing research,” Harris said. “I want to do research that solves real problems and that impacts society. So I want to make sure that my work is getting in the hands of decision makers — the people that are making laws and making policies that impact education and access to resources that are critical for success in education.

“That's who I do my work for.”

The co-director of SDSU’s Community College Equity Assessment Lab (CCEAL), Harris studies equity in higher education for racially and otherwise minoritized populations. Recently, he has taken part in projects examining the effectiveness of culturally relevant curriculum and instructional practices. He also explores issues relating equity of access to digital course modalities, which have expanded since the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There's no shortage of important questions to answer and problems to solve as it relates to equity,” Harris said. “I've just tried to contribute to advancing understanding about how inequity hurts not only students, but our communities and our country at large — both economically and socially.

“But, more importantly, I’ve tried to offer real world strategies and solutions to help solve the problem.”

Harris said his research trajectory would not have been possible without his longtime collaborator J. Luke Wood, who left SDSU in 2023 to become president of California State University, Sacramento.

He also credited the rising reputation of SDSU and the College of Education, which U.S. News & World Report ranked No. 49 in the nation among education schools.

“I don't think it's any secret that my profile has ascended along the same lines and around the same time as both the college and the university,” Harris said. “I think being here has made a difference in what I've been able to do and the career that I've been able to have. And for that I'm grateful.”

Water Polo Ranked No. 23 in Preseason Poll

GoAztecs — Mon, 15 Jan 2024 12:00:00 -0800

San Diego State opens its 2024 season at Cal State Fullerton's Titan Invitational from Friday to Saturday, Jan. 19-20 in Fullerton.

The San Diego State water polo team has garnered a No. 23 ranking in the Collegiate Water Polo Association's 2024 preseason poll, which was released from the organization's offices in Bridgeport, Pa.

The Aztecs, who finished last season with a No. 22 ranking, are one of four Golden Coast Conference (GCC) programs to appear in the preseason poll. The other three GCC programs which are ranked going into the upcoming season are Fresno State (No. 9), Pacific (No. 16) and LMU (No. 18).

Among the 11 ranked opponents on the Aztecs current schedule are No. 1 Stanford (March 9), No. 7 Long Beach State (Feb.10), No. 8 Princeton (Feb. 18), No. 9 Fresno State (March 16), No. 10 UC San Diego (April 21), No. 15 Indiana (March 9), No. 16 Pacific (March 23), No. 17 Harvard (March 10), No. 18 LMU (April 6), No. 20 Wagner (Feb. 18) & No. 21 CSUN (March 8).

San Diego State completed head coach Dana Ochsner's inaugural season 12-19, including 4-3 in GCC play, and competed in the third-place game in the conference's season ending tournament. SDSU returns GCC All-Freshman Team honoree Claudia Valdes who last season led the Aztecs in shots (112), goals (49), points (81) and steals (40). Her 32 assists ranked second on the team and 21 exclusions drawn were the third most among SDSU players.

The Madrid, Spain native was tied for the leading scorer among freshmen in the GCC and ranked No. 10 overall, while leading the entire league in steals. Her 2.9 points per game, were again tops among the league's freshman, and No. 9-ranked among all players in the conference. Valdes' 1.4 steals per contest were the second most in the league and tops for all freshmen. In league games only, she led the conference freshman in goals (15), assists (11) and points (26) and was ranked No. 7, No. 3 and No. 5, respectively, among all GCC performers in those categories.

Valdes recorded nine games with at least three goals, including a single-game high five versus Concordia, and nine games of multiple assists, of which she twice had a season-best three assists. In 13 contests she recorded multiple steals, with three games of four steals each.

San Diego State opens its 2024 season at Cal State Fullerton's Titan Invitational from Friday to Saturday, Jan. 19-20 in Fullerton, Calif. SDSU plays Westcliff (12:30 p.m. PT) and host Cal State Fullerton (7 p.m. PT) on Friday and then face La Verne (9 a.m. PT) and Cal State Monterey (2:30 p.m. PT) on Saturday.

2024 Collegiate Water Polo Association Preseason Poll
1. (T) Stanford
1. (T) Southern California
3. UCLA
4. California
5. (T) UC Irvine
5. (T) Hawai'i
7. Long Beach State
8. Princeton
9. Fresno State
10. UC San Diego
11. UC Davis
12. UC Santa Barbara
13. Michigan
14. Arizona State
15. Indiana
16. Pacific
17. Harvard
18. (T) LMU
18. (T) San Jose State
20. Wagner
21. (T) LIU
21. (T) CSUN
23. San Diego State
24. Brown
25. (T) Marist
25. (T) Ponona-Pitzer
25. (T) Biola

SDSU Team Leads National Effort to Advance Equity in Vocational Rehabilitation

Michael Klitzing — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 11:00:00 -0800

Rehabilitation counseling faculty members Mark Tucker and Mari Guillermo received a $4.5 million federal grant to work with agencies in 10 states.

During the 1990s, San Diego State University professor emeritus Bobbie Atkins led the Rehabilitation Cultural Diversity Initiative, a nationwide effort to address inequities in services and outcomes experienced by diverse populations in vocational rehabilitation — a field devoted to connecting disabled individuals with employment and educational opportunities.

Now, two of Atkins’ former graduate students are carrying that work forward.

Associate professor Mark Tucker (’99) and assistant professor Mari Guillermo (’91) from SDSU’s Department of Administration, Rehabilitation and Postsecondary Education have been awarded $4.5 million from the U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) to fund project RISE-UP, which stands for Rehabilitation Improvements in Services and Employment for Underserved Populations.

“Dr. Atkins’ research was some of the first to demonstrate disparities in rehab services outcomes for African American clients,” said Tucker. “Then folks started kind of peeling back the onion and examining outcomes for other groups. She set the ball rolling and she faced a lot of opposition to her research.”

“This project feels like picking up a thread that she helped get started.”

Reversing patterns of inequity

When Congress passed the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1992, emphasizing employment as the primary goal of rehabilitation, the law stated “Patterns of inequitable treatment of minorities have been documented in all major junctures of the vocational rehabilitation process.”

Three decades later, those patterns persist.

One way inequities have historically manifested themselves is via gatekeeping: agencies knowingly or unknowingly keeping certain services from certain populations.

As part of the RISE-UP project, Tucker and Guillermo will work with vocational rehabilitation agencies in 10 states over the next five years, providing training and technical assistance to help them produce better outcomes for diverse clients. The SDSU team is expanding that definition to include not only clients from racially-minoritized communities, but LGBTQIA+ clients and other identities.

“Especially when we think about the intersectionality of identities, you cannot help but include other populations in this,” Guillermo said.

Participating agencies will also learn to leverage the data they already collect to monitor their own progress and identify where they might be falling short.

“We want to get these agencies to eventually pay attention to this on their own,” Tucker said. “We have some experts associated with this project that are going to be key to helping the agencies to figure out how to monitor, what to do in order to move the needle on improving services and — farther out — how to track outcomes of the people they serve in terms of employment and educational attainment.”

Partners on the project include George Washington University and the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation.

The 10 participating vocational rehabilitation counseling agencies have not been officially selected, but Tucker said they received strong nationwide interest, including from some of the nation’s most populous states. That includes agencies from some states that have introduced bills restricting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives — laws that the SDSU team is prepared to navigate delicately.

“This can’t be one-size fits all,” Guillermo said. "That’s why self-assessment is really important. Everybody is going to have a different starting point.”

Far-reaching benefits

Ultimately, Tucker and Guillermo intend for RISE-UP to impact far more than the 10 agencies they’re working with initially. They hope the materials and interventions they develop will ultimately spread to the more than 80 vocational rehabilitation agencies that serve clients across the U.S.

“Really, our goal is system-wide change so that we no longer see those patterns of inequitable treatment,” Guillermo said. “I think now we have the terminology and the courage to lean into those difficult discussions around where we are falling short when it comes to marginalized populations, more so than we were able to in 1992."

Tucker and Guillermo are both graduates of SDSU’s rehabilitation counseling master’s program, which is ranked No. 3 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. It’s a legacy of excellence forged by trailblazers their mentor Atkins, whose seminal research served as the foundation for the Rehabilitation Act of 1992 mandate to build capacity in the public rehabilitation system to better serve historically marginalized populations.

"It's every professor's dream that their legacy is continued,” Atkins said. “And I am delighted because these graduates are doing work that they will be successful in. I know that because they were my students. The two of them in combination are truly dynamite.

“I think RISE-UP is an excellent opportunity to continue and expand services to individuals from underserved populations with disabilities.”

SDSU Honored as Fulbright HSI Leader for Third Consecutive Year

SDSU News Team — Mon, 30 Oct 2023 12:30:00 -0700

SDSU is among 46 colleges and universities on the 2023 list, announced at the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) annual meeting in Chicago.

For a third consecutive year, the U.S. State Department today designated San Diego State University a Fulbright HSI Leader, recognizing its strong engagement with the international exchange program as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI).

SDSU is among 46 colleges and universities on the 2023 list, announced at the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) annual meeting in Chicago.

In a letter to SDSU President Adela de la Torre, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said SDSU “exemplifies a deep commitment to international exchange and to building lasting connections between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.”

“As a diplomat, I love the Fulbright Program because it supports changemakers and fosters global cooperation,” Blinken wrote. “Fulbrighters make the world a better place in classrooms and countries worldwide.”

Operated by the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the Fulbright Student program provides grants for international study/research projects and for work as English teaching assistants abroad. SDSU has earned the Fulbright HSI Leader designation in each of the three years since it was created in 2021.

“SDSU embraces our role as a binational university and knows education offers a powerful pathway to diplomacy and human connection,” said de la Torre. “We share the ideals of the Fulbright Program and are honored for the organization’s continued recognition of SDSU as an HSI leader.”

Since 2005-06, 102 SDSU students have been awarded student Fulbright grants with the two most recent recipients traveling to South Africa and Colombia for study and community service.

A separate program sends faculty scholars across the world to teach and do research. In the past year:

Biology professor Jeremy Long received a Fulbright grant to study the possible use of seaweed for coral reef restoration. He will travel to Jamaica for a total of four months next year, and for the teaching portion of his award, he plans to use dancehall music and choreography in science outreach initiatives with children, members of the fishing industry and the public.

Jose Castillo, director of the Computational Science Research Center, was selected as a Fulbright Specialist to teach a short course in computational physics simulations and assist with curriculum development at Universidad Nacional de Rosario in Argentina.

“Our faculty and students benefit greatly from the bidirectional exchange of expertise and cultural customs offered by the Fulbright programs,” said SDSU Vice President for Research and Innovation Hala Madanat. “These international collaborations strengthen the innovative and community-engaged problem-solving that SDSU is known for.”

The Fulbright HSI Leader honor reflects the goals of one of SDSU's five strategic priorities that calls on leveraging the university's unique stature as a community-engaged, border-connected HSI to forge a path to becoming an R1 Doctoral University.

“As a transborder university, SDSU possesses a unique and profound appreciation for the significance of global education,” stated Provost William Tong. “With campuses and partnerships across the world, we are guided by our unwavering mission and a commitment to making a positive impact. Our dedicated faculty and students are driven to collaborate with our partner universities. Our commitment to adding value wherever SDSU has a footprint aligns perfectly with Fulbright's mission, and we take great pride in being continually recognized as an HSI Leader among doctoral institutions.”

SDSU was designated an HSI by the U.S. Department of Education in 2012. HSIs must have at least a 25% enrollment of Hispanic undergraduate students and meet variable percentages of Pell Grant-eligible students. In fall 2022, Hispanic/Latinx students accounted for more than 33% of the combined enrollment at SDSU’s San Diego and Imperial Valley campuses.

“To be recognized as a Fulbright HSI Leader is a reaffirmation of the broad and comprehensive approaches SDSU leverages to serve our students in our commitment to becoming a thriving and intentional Hispanic-serving institution,” said Emilio Ulloa, associate chief diversity officer for HSI and regional affairs. “The work of our faculty staff and administrators who have contributed to this recognition must be acknowledged, and its importance cannot be understated,” Ullua added. “As an HSI, we are grateful for how the Fulbright programs align with our goals as an HSI of creating global leaders who have developed global perspectives, world languages and cultures, and ideas.”

Yoshiko Higurashi, SDSU professor emerita of Japanese, who serves as advisor of the Fulbright Student Program, said:

“Many of our students are bilingual and bicultural at SDSU. Most of the students who were monolingual and monocultural before coming to SDSU become bilingual and bicultural and enhance their global awareness, thanks to the university’s commitment to global education. Needless to say, we are very fortunate to have numerous brilliant Spanish-speaking students who will be the leaders of our society in this competitive global era.”

NSF Project Aims to Remove Roadblocks to Driving for Autism Community

Michael Klitzing — Mon, 23 Oct 2023 06:00:00 -0700

ARPE's Mary Baker-Ericz�n teams with Vanderbilt University professors on an AI-based system to increase skills and confidence behind the wheel.

One of the biggest keys to independence for autistic and neurodiverse individuals is finding and sustaining employment. And here in Southern California, where the automobile is king, there’s no bigger key to holding down a job than the one that starts the ignition.

“It became really clear in working with our community that a huge barrier to employment is just being able to get to the employment location,” said Mary Baker-Ericzén, a San Diego State University research professor who focuses on improving opportunities and outcomes for autistic transition-age teens and adults.

“Driving ability tends to be highly connected to somebody's ability to be successfully employed.”

Baker-Ericzén is teaming with Vanderbilt University faculty on a National Science Foundation (NSF) funded artificial intelligence-based system that will make learning to drive more accessible to the autism and neurodiverse communities.

The project combines a driving simulator developed at Vanderbilt with a behavioral strategy-based intervention created by Baker-Ericzén, an investigator affiliate with the Department of Administration, Rehabilitation and Postsecondary Education; Interwork Institute and Child and Adolescent Services Research Center.

In August, the team — led by professors Nilanjan Sarkar and Keivan Stassun from Vanderbilt’s Frist Center for Autism and Innovation — was approved for an NSF Civic Innovation Challenge (CIVIC) Stage 2 Award, which will support bringing the product to fruition in just one year. The project was one of only nine nationwide to advance to Stage 2 of CIVIC, a research and action competition that transitions emerging technologies from research to practice.

“This is a perfect marriage because they need both direct skill development and a place to practice,” said Baker-Ericzén. “This driving simulator system is exactly that.”

Building on Past Work

About five years ago, Baker-Ericzén — in close collaboration with members of the autism community — began to study what keeps autistic individuals from getting behind the wheel. She learned that while many people possessed driving capabilities, they often shied away because of what she calls “pervasive uncertainty.”

“There was no real encouragement of it in the system,” she said. “And there were no types of initial assessments to allow people to see what their capabilities are.”

Baker-Ericzén went on to develop a curriculum to address concerns and build executive functioning and emotion regulation skills needed in driving scenarios. Lessons focused on essential skills such as sustaining attention, avoiding distractions, remaining flexible and maintaining emotional composure in challenging situations.

Pilot testing and research showed the intervention worked as intended, and 40% of people who went through the program successfully attained a driver’s permit or license — with even more being on track to do so in the future.

Leveraging Technology

While attending a virtual meeting in 2020, Baker-Ericzén learned about the Vanderbilt team’s driving simulator — and they learned about the success of her behavioral intervention.

It seemed like a natural fit.

“As soon as our two groups got together and had a conversation, we realized these projects needed to go together,” Baker-Ericzén said.

The simulator uses artificial intelligence software to tailor the experience to the individual user, allowing people to go at their own pace. Tracking errors, the system repeats simulations on driving mechanics fundamentals for those struggling initially, while allowing those picking it up faster to move on to more advanced simulations, such as merging onto a freeway or dealing with adverse weather conditions.

“Having these really meaningful automated feedback systems in real time is critical for their confidence building,” Baker-Ericzén said. ”It’s also important for the assessment piece — seeing if someone is ready to drive or if this is even the right avenue for somebody to pursue.”

Looking Ahead

Baker-Ericzén and her Vanderbilt colleagues are now working to bring the simulator and curriculum to the community through a group of partner organizations in California, Tennessee and Virginia. They include school districts (including San Diego Unified) looking to improve postsecondary transitional outcomes, vocational training programs, community service providers, businesses and advocacy organizations for autistic people and their families.

The team is also working to build flexibility into the simulator and curriculum in hopes that it can be adapted to be utilized more broadly across the disability community.

“We've already heard from populations like people with traumatic brain injuries and as well as other mental health conditions,” Baker-Ericzén. “We know there are plenty of folks who experience anxiety or apprehension of driving. We’re really optimistic about what kind of reach this will have.”

SDSU Rates High in Educating Latinx Students

Jeff Ristine — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 09:30:00 -0700

The university is No. 15 in the U.S. for the number of bachelor's degrees awarded to Hispanic/Latinx students in 2021-22, figures show.

Amy Gonzalez got her very first look at San Diego State University on an elementary school trip from Feaster Charter in Chula Vista. It was a valuable experience for first-gen students from immigrant families, like herself, with no prior experience in higher education, and additional visits later in her K-12 experience solidified an idea.

“Out of all of the colleges I had attended from these field trips, I always felt the most at home when I was at SDSU because I would see others like me around campus,” said Gonzalez, now a junior transfer from San Diego City College working on an electrical engineering degree.

“I knew from a young age that I wanted to attend SDSU no matter what because I knew I would be welcomed with open arms and be given support throughout my journey.”

It’s a story borne out by the numbers.

SDSU stands out in the annual “Top 100 Colleges and Universities for Hispanics” issue just out from Hispanic Outlook on Education, placing in the top 15 in three different measures of degree activity, and in the top 40 on two others.

SDSU is first in the nation for the total number of degrees granted to Hispanic/Latinx students in foreign languages, literature and linguistics, one of several individual majors tallied in the organization’s report. It’s No. 10 for natural resources and conservation majors.

SDSU is No. 15 in the nation for the total number of bachelor’s degrees awarded to Hispanic/Latinx students in 2021-22, the academic year used for all of the organization’s rankings. Hispanic Outlook crunched numbers obtained from a federal database for its annual report.

In addition, SDSU is:

No. 36 for the total number of master's degrees awarded to Hispanic/Latinx students; and
No. 40 for the total number of Hispanic/Latinx students enrolled, about 13,000.

Gonzalez, whose family is Mexican American, said programs such as STEM Pathways, which targets Latinx students at City and Southwestern colleges, and MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement), which supports underserved students, have helped her “fit right in” and overcome stress.

“Whenever I have a question they always look for an answer and if they don't have one they look for someone else who does,” she said. “They have also given me the opportunity to create a community here at SDSU by having events for us students throughout the year. I am always reminded that I am not alone in this journey, and support is readily available.”

Rocio Lopez, a senior who serves as the College of Engineering representative to Associated Students, also credited the MESA program for its support and said extracurricular activities and student organizations have “broadened my horizons, expanded my skill set, and provided me with a platform to make a meaningful impact.”

Lopez applauded SDSU’s growing presence in Imperial Valley, where his mother grew up and more than nine out of every 10 students are Hispanic/Latinx.

“The access to a quality secondary education right in their own community is a testament to SDSU's commitment to making education accessible to all,” Lopez said.

SDSU was designated a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) by the U.S. Department of Education in 2012, providing additional access to grants and scholarships.

“We continue to search for good indicators and metrics of success on our journey to becoming a true HSI that are tangible forms of evidence that we are on track,” said Emilio Ulloa, associate chief diversity officer for HSI and regional affairs.

“This recognition is a testament to the intentionality that our faculty, staff, administration, and students leverage to support our Hispanic/Latinx students’ educational and vocational paths, by centering their experiences and removing barriers in ways that all students can benefit and be proud of.”

Ulloa said SDSU initiatives such as the Progresando en Salud program for aspiring health career professionals, the university's Title V and Title III HSI grants, and the programs of the Latinx Resource Center “are contributing to our commitment to academic excellence, diversity, equity and inclusiveness, and our dedication to students’ success.”

Hispanic/Latinx students accounted for more than 33% of the combined enrollment at SDSU’s San Diego and Imperial Valley campuses in fall 2022.

Like SDSU, most of the institutions in Hispanic Outlook’s top 100 four-year institutions for Hispanic/Latinx enrollment — 84 of them — are public.

Rodney Manford and Paulina Castellanos Wade contributed to this article.

Medical Tech Innovator Returns to SDSU for President's Lecture Series

Jeff Ristine — Thu, 12 Oct 2023 16:45:00 -0700

Joe Kiani revolutionized pulse oximetry with insights gained in an electrical engineering classroom. Now he has revolutionized technology across hospitals.

When Joe Kiani first enrolled at San Diego State University he was typically the youngest (15) kid in the room. That was rarely a hindrance for the student who immigrated from Iran, now CEO of a medical technology company and a presidential adviser, but the same can’t be said for his original plan for his education.

“I wanted to be a doctor but I realized quickly I wasn’t good at chemistry,” Kiani said in remarks Thursday morning at the President’s Lecture Series at Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union. “Fortunately I was good at physics, it came naturally to me.”

Kiani pivoted to electrical engineering and, after earning a B.S. (‘84) and M.S. (‘88), founded Masimo Corp. when the company he had been working for told him they weren’t interested in his ideas to improve their products.

Now based in Orange County, Masimo has grown into a global medical technology company known for breakthroughs in patient monitoring devices, particularly the use of adaptive signal processing in pulse oximetry to measure blood oxygen levels.

Kiani chatted with SDSU President Adela de la Torre and answered questions from students and faculty in the one-hour lecture, which drew an audience of around 150 to the second-floor Theatre.

“Do good things, why not try to push things in a positive way,” Kiani said, addressing prospective student entrepreneurs from his personal experiences. “You may have your own unintended consequences that are bigger than even what you’re trying to do.”

From Iran to San Diego

Kiani, whose father was pursuing an engineering degree, immigrated to the U.S. from Iran with his family in 1974 at age 9. The family of five settled originally in Albertville, Alabama, a city of barely 10,000 population at the time.

The Iranian Revolution of 1979 upended plans to return home; the family ultimately wound up in El Cajon and then La Mesa. At about the same time, Kiani entered SDSU, where having skipped three grades in his earlier education he was able to enroll at age 15.

Medical issues with his older sister — which led to a continual series of hospital visits and time in waiting rooms — and his mother’s career as a nurse were powerful influences on Kiani as a child and that original plan to go into medicine, he told de la Torre.

At SDSU, engineering professor fred harris became a highly influential mentor who “helped relate very complex mathematics to things you could do to help people,” Kiani said. “That really inspired me to want to finish, want to get started, want to do something constructive with it.”

harris, who taught at SDSU for 50 years and is now a professor emeritus, joined Kiani on stage at the end of the lecture for an embrace and some additional questions.

Masimo survived the challenges of obtaining venture capital funding — as a kick-start, Kiani said he drew equity out of his condominium — and anti-competitive tactics from a more established company in the same field. Today, its pulse oximetry equipment is used on more than 200 million patients annually around the world, according to a company biography.

New technologies

One new device, inspired by a conversation Kiani said he had with former President Bill Clinton, aims to reduce opioid overdose deaths by users at home. It’s a pulse oximeter worn as a wristwatch (which Kiani had on and displayed to his SDSU audience) and capable of sending a message by phone to emergency responders when it detects respiratory failure.

The device has just been approved for production by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, Kiani said. “We can hopefully save tens of thousands of lives.”

In 2012, he founded the Patient Safety Movement Foundation, dedicated to reducing patient harm through evidence-based practices in health care by eliminating human error. The organization’s goal is zero preventable patient deaths by 2030, and “I hope we get close to it,” he told de la Torre. “We’ve made a lot of progress,” and over 5,000 hospitals have committed to implementing practices toward the goal.

In September 2021, President Biden appointed Kiani to his Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), which two weeks ago in San Francisco presented the results of a two-year report on patient safety.

“Finding and implementing solutions to reduce medical errors and other problems for patients’ experiences when hospitalized is going to improve health outcomes and protect our loved ones as well,” Biden said in his public remarks before meeting with the council. “And Joe Kiani knows a lot about that — been working with it a long, long time.”

In an interview prior to the lecture series, Kiani said the report’s major recommendations to Biden include:

Make the Secretary of Health and Human Services responsible for patient safety, and ask the department to identify the biggest causes of preventable patient deaths.

As effective patient-based practices are identified, use financial incentives to make sure hospitals implement them.

For transparency, require hospitals to issue quarterly reports on the number of patients who have been harmed

Kiani was awarded an honorary doctorate from SDSU in 2021 and serves on the College of Engineering advisory board. His name reportedly appears on more than 500 patents and patent applications.

SDSU Again Honored as 'Diversity Champion' in Higher Education

Jeff Ristine — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 05:00:00 -0700

The university's commitment to equity and inclusion was recognized by INSIGHT Into Diversity.

San Diego State University was again named a “Diversity Champion” for its commitment and success in supporting students, faculty, administrators and staff from diverse backgrounds.

INSIGHT Into Diversity, a leading website and magazine in higher education, also selected SDSU for its HEED (Higher Education Excellence in Diversity) Award for the seventh time since 2013.

SDSU is among 109 institutions of higher education receiving the 2023 HEED award, which included California State University campuses in San Marcos, Los Angeles and Fresno and is based on information submitted in an application for the award.

The 2023 Diversity Champion designation is more selective. It is SDSU’s second straight year for this additional distinction, which HEED said goes to colleges and universities that show “an unyielding commitment to diversity and inclusion throughout their campus communities, across academic programs, and at the highest administrative levels.”

SDSU’s mission statement and its current strategic plan both identify diversity, equity and inclusion as a core value.

"This award is a wonderful recognition of the hard work of so many in our community to create an equitable and inclusive campus, not only for every student but for all faculty and staff as well,’ said Christy Samarkos, interim vice president and chief diversity officer for Student Affairs and Campus Diversity. “San Diego State continues to be a leader in ensuring that we are not just playing lip service to our values but truly integrating equity and inclusion in everything we do."

Over the past several years SDSU has greatly narrowed equity gaps between underrepresented minorities and other students in graduation rates, a central goal of the California State University system’s Graduation Initiative 2025. With multiple tutoring and academic support programs, campus resources aimed at helping students navigate from registration to graduation, and intervention programs connecting students in need to assistance, SDSU already has surpassed all of the systemwide graduation rate goals, set in 2016.

For spring 2022, SDSU’s six-year graduation rates were reported as 81.1% for students who are white, 80.4% for Asian Americans and 76.9% for Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders. Among traditionally underrepresented groups, the graduation rates were 73.6% for students who are Hispanic/Latinx, 73.6% for Black students, and 70.6% (combined) for Native American and Alaskan Native students.

SDSU recruits students from historically underrepresented groups and first-generation students through multiple programs as well. They include community-college bridge programs, pre-college early outreach, and a variety of need-based scholarships for financial aid.

Ten cultural centers — all with academic support and retention programs — serve historically underrepresented groups, including the Black Resource Center, the Pride Center, the Native Resource Center and the Women’s Resource Center. The Joan and Art Barron Veterans Center serves veterans, military spouses and dependent children. Eighteen Employee Resource Groups include a Latina Network, Men of Color Alliance, and Pride, Muslim and Disability ERGs.

In August, SDSU was selected by Campus Pride Index as one of the “Best of the Best” for LGBTQ students for a third straight year. In 2021, SDSU was among 10 universities to receive national certification from Excelencia in Education for its commitment to serving Latinx students.

SDSU Launches Bachelor's Degree in Leadership Studies

Michael Klitzing — Mon, 09 Oct 2023 12:00:00 -0700

Building on a popular minor, interdisciplinary program is designed for students interested in cultivating leadership traits.

One of San Diego State University’s most popular cross-disciplinary minors will now be offered as a major.

Students interested in developing themselves into self-aware, culturally competent, transformational leaders are now able to pursue a new degree in the College of Education: a Bachelor of Science in leadership studies. The program builds on the success of the leadership minor that has been offered by the college, in partnership with the SDSU Division of Student Affairs and Campus Diversity, for the past eight years.

“In many ways, there's never been a more important time to study leadership,” said Lisa Gates, director of the new major, as well as the leadership minor. “We really care about ethics. We care about framing leadership from a lens of inclusivity, equity and diversity. And so this is a moment for us to ask the good questions, and try to answer them as best we can, about what constitutes ethical and results-driven leadership.”

Expanding Past a Minor

Established in 2008 and re-launched in 2015 as a joint program between SDSU’s Department of Administration, Rehabilitation, and Postsecondary Education and the Division of Student Affairs and Campus Diversity, more than 100 students per year go through the minor, which entails 15 units of interdisciplinary coursework, fieldwork and a capstone project in collaboration with an employee learning organization within Microsoft, Inc.

The major will expand on that foundation. Taking an applied approach to leadership centered around active learning, students will also engage in research-oriented courses to learn analytical approaches. An internship in a professional setting is also a requirement.

“I think this major has been a long time coming,” said Randy Timm, associate vice president for campus life and dean of students. “There is a connection between the head and the heart in this program that makes it a fulfilling experience. Students learn to form connections with other people, gain an understanding of acceptance and empathy.

“I think that students are really looking for that.”

With the understanding that no one discipline owns leadership, the new major will require courses from across campus in subjects such as psychology, communication, business administration, public administration, sociology, ethnic studies, journalism and more. The program will also leverage key community partnerships to allow students to learn from and network with high-level leaders from outside of SDSU.

“The College of Education prides itself on producing the next generation of change agents and difference makers and, for nearly a decade, the leadership minor has succeeded in empowering students from across SDSU to positively impact others,” said Y. Barry Chung, dean of the College of Education. “I'm thrilled to see this fruitful interdisciplinary venture expanded into a full-fledged major, broadening the future impact our alumni will make on all sectors of society.”

Multidisciplinary Approach

Now with university approval, students interested in declaring the leadership studies major can begin taking prerequisite and core courses immediately.

Among the major’s goals, Gates said, is to help students cultivate self-awareness, work effectively with others, hone project management and analytical skills, and develop a purpose-driven, results-oriented outlook. She added that the major is geared toward students interested in pursuing careers in a diverse array of fields, including project management, human resources, training and development, nonprofit administration, sales, higher education — even the military.

“The leadership major is a response to what employers say they want from graduates,” Gates said. “We have designed this major with those things in mind. That includes leadership-related competencies such having and articulating a compelling vision, motivating people, managing change, providing coaching and guidance, fostering collaboration and teamwork, and others.

“I think our graduates will be able to tell a pretty impactful story to future employers about what they have accomplished during their years at San Diego State University.”

Take the Pledge for Clean Air

SDSU News Team — Thu, 28 Sep 2023 15:00:00 -0700

SDSU students, faculty and staff are pledging to reduce emissions in coordination with Clean Air Day and in alignment with the university's sustainability priorities.

Clean Air Day, to be held Wednesday, Oct. 4, coincides with San Diego State University’s efforts to bolster community action around steps to help improve air quality.

Transportation is the major contributor to pollution in the state, accounting for about 50% of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions, nearly 80% of nitrogen oxide pollution and 90% of diesel particulate matter pollution.

“Clean Air Day is a great way to collectively celebrate the value of cleaning the air that we all need for our wellbeing. We encourage all of our affiliates and guests to utilize transit, carpooling, active transportation and other sustainable modes of transportation whenever possible,” said JD Weidman, SDSU’s transportation director.

To coincide with Clean Air Day activities, SDSU transportation analyst Silvia Croft, will be tabling on Wednesday, Oct. 4, on the upper level of the SDSU transit station from 8 to 10:30 a.m. Faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to participate in the call to action, the regional Clean Air Pledge, which can be as minimal as making one small change.

Transitioning the transportation sector to low-carbon fuels and zero and near-zero emission technologies is critical to achieving climate change goals and clean air standards. As part of Free Ride Day on October 4, transit will be provided for free on any fixed route service. This includes transit services such as MTS Trolley, MTS buses and the NCTD Coaster train.

At SDSU, the university has committed to operational carbon neutrality by 2040 and full carbon neutrality by 2050 as part of its Climate Action Plan. For those regularly commuting to campus, rethinking your ride can help to reduce such an impact, Weidman said. Choosing to walk or bike, even for only a few trips, can significantly reduce the carbon footprint of an average household.

More information about alternate transportation options is on the SDSU Parking & Transportation website.

Also, later in the month, the SDSU Sustainability Hub will open. Faculty, staff and students are invited to celebrate the creation of the hub during an event to be held from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20, in the courtyard at the Arts and Letters building. The event will include a dedication, a vine-cutting ceremony, and the opportunity to tour the new Office of Energy & Sustainability space (AL 538-544).

Ronnee Schreiber, interim dean of the College of Arts and Letters, and campus sustainability staff, faculty, students, alumni, and local partners will join the event. Representatives from the A.S. Green Love Commission, BrightSide Produce, the Center for Regional Sustainability, Sustainability major/minor, and the Center for Better Food Futures will be present.

In March 2023, the Office of Energy & Sustainability moved to the Arts and Letters building. The Sustainability Hub houses operations, education and community research projects that promote collaboration and support sustainable efforts for the entire university.

HSI Leader Selected for Hispanic Colleges' Leadership Academy

Jeff Ristine — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 12:00:00 -0700

Emilio Ulloa is among 50 fellows in the fifth cohort of the training program, offered through the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities.

All too often in higher education, Emilio Ulloa has observed, learning how to function effectively in a leadership role winds up coming on-the-job.

Ulloa, San Diego State University’s associate chief diversity officer for HSI and regional affairs, said the typical path to a top administrative slot starts in academia itself. A leader may be very well-grounded in English literature, economics — or in Ulloa’s case, psychology — but not so much in the nuts and bolts of the upper echelons of higher learning.

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) aims to play a role in changing that pattern at Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) like SDSU.

Last week, the San Antonio-based organization selected Ulloa as one of 50 fellows for the fifth cohort of its Leadership Academy/La Academia de Liderazgo, designed to increase diverse representation in top administrative positions at U.S. colleges and universities. Ulloa is SDSU’s first fellow selected for the academy.

“What’s very appealing about this to me is that there are very few (programs) that are centered on developing your leadership skills but with a particular frame of reference to the Hispanic student population,” Ulloa said. “I like that as a focus.”

SDSU was designated an HSI by the U.S. Department of Education in 2012. HSIs must have at least a 25% enrollment of Hispanic undergraduate students — the actual figure in fall 2022 was 33% at SDSU and over 90% at SDSU Imperial Valley — and meet certain standards for the number of Pell Grant-eligible students.

In the one-year program, Ulloa will attend seminars in Chicago, Washington, D.C. and Salamanca, Spain, and work with HACU mentors.

It’s “a really great, exciting opportunity to connect with, and to get mentoring from someone who is at the highest level of administration for a HSI,” said Ulloa, a 1997 alumnus who began teaching at SDSU in 2003.

“Programs like these recognize that training, experience and mentoring are really efficient and appropriate ways to prepare people for (leadership) jobs,” Ulloa said. “And to be effective and not to have to learn by making mistakes … but rather by fast-tracking and providing structured training in the work of being an administrator in higher education.”

In his current position, part of SDSU’s Division of Student Affairs and Campus Diversity, Ulloa is in charge of governance that helps steward SDSU’s HSI designation, and directs a committee of more than 40 faculty, staff and students who make recommendations tied to the federal designation.

Ulloa noted the benefits of the leadership academy go well beyond his professional interests.

“A program like this in particular reminds you of what the ultimate goal is,” he said. “You’re learning skills that will help you to serve students better.”

Four additional California State University campuses — Bakersfield, Fresno, Long Beach and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo — have fellows in the 2023-24 cohort of the HACU Leadership Academy. Adela de la Torre, SDSU’s first Latinx president, serves on the HACU governing board.

In the image at top of page, the staff of the SDSU HSI and Regional Affairs office (clockwise from top center): Fernando Suarez (student), Melissa Gonzalez (assistant director), Valentina Rodriguez (student), Emilio Ulloa, (associate chief diversity officer), Wendy Mejia (program coordinator), Sophia Mendez (student).

New Interactive Map Rolled Out

SDSU News Team — Mon, 04 Sep 2023 12:00:00 -0700

San Diego State University rolls out an interactive map to ease campus navigation.

Updated Sept. 12, 2023

Getting around campus has never been easier thanks to the latest updates to a digital, interactive map of San Diego State University. The customizable navigation tool for the SDSU community and visitors gets some 500,000 hits a year, with nearly 100,000 during the first five days of the fall 2023 semester.

MORE: Check out the SDSU Interactive Map

Improvements introduced over the past several years include a Wayfinding function to find the best route between any two spots on campus, and an estimate of how long it takes to traverse. Got back-to-back classes in Lamden Hall and Storm Hall? It’s a nine-minute walk.

(Coming soon: Step-by-step written instructions to help navigate from Point A to Point B.)

SDSU Mission Valley has joined SDSU Imperial Valley with its own separate map.

First rolled out in 2016, the bird’s-eye view has an updated look, making building names easier to read. The Wayfinding feature is among many functions that have become more mobile-friendly. Also added are the locations of gender-inclusive restrooms and locations with free menstrual products.

Through a sidebar, users can switch on different menu items including parking, locations of Bird scooters, shuttle stops and ride-hailing services and housing. Icons for campus dining facilities provide links to the restaurants’ hours and information.

The ADA Accessibility feature highlights all roadways and campus pathways that are accessible by wheelchair. It also lists ADA restrooms and building access points.

Grace Francisco, lead graphic designer for SDSU Facilities Graphics and the architect of several improvements since 2020, said the map remains a constant work-in-progress, with continual improvement. Questions or feedback may be directed to facilitiesgraphics@sdsu.edu.

(This article has been revised and updated to include new features of the SDSU interactive map.)

A Formerly Shy Student Takes Center Stage Among San Diego County Educators

Michael Klitzing — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 11:30:00 -0700

Alumna Amanda Ford, who teaches theater in the Cajon Valley Union School District, was named a 2023-24 San Diego County Teacher of the Year.

Amanda Ford came to San Diego State University as a self-described shy kid from Valhalla High School in nearby El Cajon.

“Nobody knew me,” recalls Ford (’05, ’06). “I didn't talk to anyone.”

Two decades later, Ford is well known — both by the hundreds of students she has impacted as an educator in the Cajon Valley Union School District, and now as a 2023-24 San Diego County Teacher of the Year. She is one of five recipients of the award, selected from a pool of 23,000 teachers countywide. The honor now puts her in the running for the California Teacher of the Year award.

So how did the shy kid who once wouldn’t talk end up on stage during last week’s “Cox Presents: Salute to Teachers” reception?

It all started with a course she took in SDSU’s liberal studies program, an interdisciplinary major that prepares future educators.

“It was called Creative Drama for Children and it changed my life,” Ford said. “I remember doing a monologue which was ‘The Life of a Chair,’ or something goofy like that. There was a girl I had gone to high school with in my class, and after my monologue, she came up and asked if I was Amanda from Valhalla. I answered yes and she says, ‘Never in a million years would I have thought you would be doing something so outgoing and amazing.’

“I was really able to come out of my shell just from that one class.”

For the better part of the past two decades, Ford has been passionate about helping other shy students discover their voices through the power of theater.

Ford has taught in Cajon Valley for the past 18 years, starting as a 22-year-old fresh out of SDSU’s teaching credential program. She also did her student teaching in the district under a pair of guide teachers who would later become her colleagues.

For the past 10 years, Ford taught fifth grade and led plays at Rancho San Diego Elementary School, her own alma mater. This fall, she began a new position teaching seventh grade at nearby Flying Hills School of the Arts, where she is currently leading a production of Disney’s “Moana.”

“When I was shy, drama helped because I could transform into someone else and the lines were there on the script,” she said. “I think it’s important to have a teacher who makes you feel like you're safe and that it's OK to take that risk — to be another character who might be weird or silly.

“All three of my kids at home are in theater at their schools and I’ve seen the positive impact it has had on them, as well.”

Known for creating a positive classroom culture, Ford espouses a student-focused philosophy that allows children to take ownership of what they want to learn and discover, with the teacher serving as their guide.

Ford also passes on her wisdom and enthusiasm to the next generation of educators, frequently serving as a guide teacher for SDSU teaching credential students.

“I’m in my 18th year of teaching and I still feel like a new teacher — I'm not exhausted and I still have the passion and excitement to try new things and be innovative,” Ford said. “I just hope that new educators can think about the positives in education and keep their minds set on what's important, which is making sure that each child is seen as truly special and valued.”

SDSU Again Among "Best of the Best" for LGBTQ Students

Jeff Ristine — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 09:30:00 -0700

The five-star rating from Campus Pride reflects an ongoing and campuswide effort to create a welcoming environment for all.

An LGBTQ Studies program, LGBTQ living space, a campus resource center and 42 other criteria all get checked off for San Diego State University in the annual Campus Pride report card, the “Best of the Best” list.

SDSU received the five-star rating for 2023, announced on Thursday. But insiders attentive to the list of the nation’s most LGBTQ-friendly colleges and universities say there’s at least one additional attribute outside of policy and staff that makes SDSU a welcoming place for any sexual identity or expression — one hard to measure by the numbers.

“The students,” said Kay Wong, director of the Pride Center. “They really are part of what makes SDSU the best of the best.”

“They are part of who are creating this campus culture and the campus environment that people feel like they can be themselves, that they can be out,” Wong said. And it contributes, they said, to the comfort SDSU’s LGBTQ+ students feel in the classroom, at Aztec Recreation Center or just walking across campus.

Thirty colleges and universities across the U.S. made this year’s Best of the Best list; SDSU is the only one in California and one of just two on the West Coast (shoutout to Southern Oregon University, Ashland). It’s SDSU’s third straight year on the roster.

SDSU as a Top Choice

Wong said SDSU can be an especially attractive destination for out-of-state 2SLGBTQIA+ students (the Pride Center and the SDSU Native Resource Center use a longer acronym that includes Two-Spirit, or 2S, people). The same goes for parents looking for a supportive place to send a child to college.

Marisol Lomeli, a third-year student, was living in Oregon and looking for a university with a good criminal justice program after graduating from high school. “All of my friends were going to Oregon State and the University of Oregon,” they said. “I kind of wanted to be more independent and branch out.”

In their first year, Lomeli hadn’t yet come out but wound up participating in the Pride House mentoring program. “Having that available allowed me to learn more about myself … and meet new people in the same environment.”

At SDSU, Lomeli discovered “People are very open to you finding yourself even if you don’t know specifically what you identify as, or you just don’t want to say it,” they said.

“A campus presenting these opportunities allows you to figure out whatever you need to,” said Lomeli, who identifies as pansexual.

Creating a Safe, Welcoming Environment

Campus Pride said the “Best of the Best” recognition gives recognition to universities that make an effort “to create a safe and welcoming campus for their LGBTQ+ students faculty and staff.”

“In the current climate, in which LGBTQ+ identities have become political talking points and laws are being weaponized against LGBTQ+ people, the commitment to creating campuses that welcome and protect LGBTQ+ students cannot be taken for granted,” Campus Pride CEO and Executive Director Shane Mendez Windmeyer said in Thursday’s announcement.

Jessica Nare, SDSU assistant vice president for community & belonging, said the university prioritizes support for LQBTQ+ students across campus, not just with a single program or initiative.

“The fact that we’ve been recognized year after year really demonstrates to me a sustained commitment to LGBTQ+ students,” Nare said, “and that’s really what it takes to change the climate on a campus.”

She said SDSU has a “super-vibrant” LGBT Studies department in the College of Arts and Letters, the Pride Employee Resource Group is one of the largest ERGs on campus, and campus leaders “who are really championing these efforts.”

“It’s all those interventions together that have made us really successful,” Nare said. Room for improvement? Yes; Nare said SDSU has not yet fully streamlined processes for allowing students to swap their preferred name for their legal name across all SDSU platforms, an issue Campus Pride looks at as a matter of policy inclusion.

The Pride Center, located on Campanile Drive, celebrates its 10th anniversary in January, Wong said. Earlier this year, the center received an award from organizers of San Diego’s annual Pride Parade for Best Youth/Student Contingent, they said, and received recognition from San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chair Nora Vargas.

According to figures submitted by SDSU last year to the website and magazine INSIGHT Into Diversity, about 8% of SDSU students identify as LGBTQ+.

SDSU Celebrates Progress, Shared Values at All-University Convocation

Jeff Ristine — Thu, 17 Aug 2023 15:45:00 -0700

Faculty and staff gathered to recognize academic triumphs, campus unity and reaffirm goals during the official fall welcome event ahead of the first day of classes.

San Diego State University President Adela de la Torre opened the 2023-24 academic year with a recognition of the campus community’s recent achievements in student success, research and academics, and the shared values it can draw upon in a time of nationwide polarization.

More than 850 faculty and staff attended the annual All-University Convocation, held Aug. 17 in Montezuma Hall at the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union. The event marked the beginning of the university’s 126th academic year and continued an annual tradition of honoring exceptional faculty and staff.

In her sixth convocation as SDSU president, de la Torre outlined noteworthy institutional accomplishments as well as “the progress we have made together.”

Among them: SDSU already has surpassed California State University’s systemwide graduation rate goals for 2025, set in 2016 in a plan for all 23 campuses called Graduation Initiative 2025.

For first-time students, it set a six-year graduation goal of 70%, de la Torre noted, and “SDSU is already at 78%.” In addition, she said, a majority of first-time students graduate in four years. Among Black students, first-year equity gaps have been eliminated altogether.

Student success also has been enhanced by a concerted effort to award more scholarships. Partly due to a new unified portal for all scholarship searches and applications, SDSU last year awarded 99.6% of available funds compared with 71% five years ago.

“I can't tell you how important this goal is to me. And I know this is a goal shared by our students,” de la Torre said.

More than halfway through a five-year strategic plan entitled “We Rise We Defy,” SDSU has achieved nearly 75% of the milestones identified among its individual goals, the president said. For the research priority, about 77% of all goals have already been accomplished.

In the year ending June 30, SDSU received more than $192 million in research grants and contracts, an increase of more than 40% over the past five years.

In Imperial Valley, she noted, SDSU has expanded degree programs and student services, and will construct a STEM building with an $80 million investment from the state.

De la Torre said she hopes to see the 2023-24 academic year characterized by “harmony, purpose and depth.”

Amid political and economic uncertainty, de la Torre said the SDSU community “must reach into our shared values and goals and recognize the depth of our purpose at this institution.

“I share this theme to challenge us to continue to rise above the chaos of dissent that undermines civility, respect, and our ability to listen with intent and purpose,” de la Torre said.

Also during convocation, Interim Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs William Tong and Samuel Brown, president of the SDSU Alumni Board of Advisors, presented the annual Alumni Distinguished Faculty Awards.

“SDSU is an extraordinary university, in large part because of our extraordinary faculty,” Tong said. “Among them are masterful, inspirational teachers; phenomenal researchers; committed and engaged citizens of our university community; passionate leaders of their scholarly disciplines both nationally and internationally; compassionate servants of our SDSU communities and many who excel in all these areas of professional endeavor.

“Additionally, we have outstanding librarians who are committed to student success and who assist faculty in their professional endeavors,” Tong said.

The faculty awards include an honorarium from the SDSU Alumni Association. This year’s honorees are:

Pascale Joassart-Marcelli, geography, College of Arts and Letters
Michelle Dean, management, Fowler College of Business
James Marshall, educational leadership, College of Education
Mahasweta Sarkar, electrical and computer engineering, College of Engineering
Eunha Hoh, environmental health, College of Health and Human Services
Peter Cirino, theater, College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts
Tom Huxford, biochemistry, College of Sciences
Jeanette Shumaker, English, SDSU Imperial Valley

Also recognized were the Presidential Staff Excellence Award recipients for 2023:

Lindsay Vance
Roseanne Pasenelli
Rosie Villafana-Hatcher
Aaron Brown
Magaly Corro Flores
Bridget Frattalone
Alfredo (Jun) Dandan
Team: Claudia Gavaldon, Sarah Hershberger, Leviticus Johnson, Zuzanna Lever and Juno Paláu (College of Engineering undergraduate advising team).

The university’s third annual Lifetime Achievement award recipient was Maureen Dotson, facility coordinator for the University Library.

University Senate Chair Nola Butler Byrd and Associated Students President Tarek Morsy also spoke at convocation.

Several events planned for welcome week were canceled in the interest of public safety given potential regional weather-related impacts, including Sunday's New Student and Family Convocation. De la Torre and other leaders shared a message of thanks following Tropical Storm readiness and response in a recent welcome back message to the campus community.

"The actions of many across our campus locations helped to minimize challenges while our state worked to respond to regional weather impacts, some of which have resulted in devastating impacts to communities in Southern California, Baja California and other parts of Mexico," de la Torre wrote in her message.

Editor's Note: This article has been updated since the original release to report on the weather-related cancelations of SDSU's Welcome Week events due to Tropical Storm Hilary.