A Year End Message
When I think of 2017 the phrase that comes to mind is, "what a year!" So much happened, both good and bad, at The Beach. As the year comes to a close I'd like to share my thoughts and my gratitude with all of you.
Our faculty continues to excel in the classroom, research and community engagement. They brought in record grant dollars and earned impressive awards even as they were faced with new challenges to improve our general and developmental education offerings. I appreciate the hard work happening across the colleges, especially because all the research points to the importance of reforms in these areas to promote student success.
Students in every college are recognized both nationally and internationally in categories so numerous that I dare not start listing them. ASI has remained focused on student welfare and inclusion—the ASI Beach Pantry is just one example of this.
And our dedicated staff continues to inspire me. They make unbelievable contributions every day, even during tense labor negotiations. This unwavering commitment to students and to each other is the hallmark of a great university.
Speaking of which, our university rankings are high along an array of vital metrics—from best value to reducing opportunity gaps. My favorite rankings are the ones that calculate how attending Cal State Long Beach accelerates social mobility for graduates. We are ranked fifth in the nation on the CollegeNET 2017 Social Mobility Index.
Campus physical infrastructure is slowly improving. We'll welcome the new CCPE building in the fall of 2018 and the Student Success Center in the spring of 2019. Flood controls have been strengthened, air conditioning is coming, and bike and skateboard paths are being planned. And that's just a few of our campus improvement plans.
We have miles to go before we can declare victory on creating a national model of inclusive excellence, but we are on the way.
Sadness did not leave us untouched. Losing our student Estephan Hernandez to an apparently random drive-by shooting, with no justice in sight, was a low point. The critical wounds suffered by Brandi Thomas in that same incident were a terrible worry. She is recovering.
Death threats to our La Raza Student Association leadership was another blow, although with the alleged perpetrator in jail, I'm confident we've sent a message to haters that our University Police are relentless in their efforts to protect everyone.
We also suffered from the posting of toxic posters, social media, and graffiti targeting Muslim, Jewish, Undocumented, Black, and LGBTQI+ students. All this happened in a national context of anti-immigration rhetoric and action that keeps many individuals and families on edge.
I'm grateful to every student, faculty member, and staff member for taking on these and other daunting challenges with grit and good will. Thank you for putting our community first.
The coming year is likely to be eventful. As I write this our ongoing advocacy in Washington D.C. with national leaders of all political stripes focuses on what's best for our students and their families—including getting DACA reinstated. Our campus has retained its leadership in slowing and mitigating climate change by staying "all in" to the Paris Climate Accord.
Flat state funding for the CSU threatens affordability and quality at all campuses. We are working hard to find alternatives that safeguard the progress we've made on our campus. Stay tuned, however, to help with advocacy in Sacramento.
This is the time of year to be grateful for family, friends, and colleagues. I am certainly grateful to be at The Beach with all of you as we finish a challenging year strong! Enjoy all the meaningful holidays that are upon us with the people you love.
We Are One Beach,
