Division of Student Affairs Report

The Division of Student Affairs supports the holistic development of students to enter, progress through, and graduate from CSULB by providing programs and services and utilizing high- impact practices that encourage access and retention, health and wellness, and engagement for all students. Through these core efforts, the Division promotes inclusive excellence to remove barriers, cultivate the well-being of students, and provide co-curricular learning opportunities for student engagement. The following is a report of the substantive work completed within and in partnership with the Division of Student Affairs to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion at the Beach. This summary includes work already concluded and ongoing efforts toward building a more inclusive community.

Notable Division Highlights & Accomplishments

  • Received a NASPA Excellence Award - Silver for the Anti-Racism Series focused on the experiences of Black, Native American, Latinx, Asian American, and Pacific Islander students.
  • CSULB will be the first in the CSU to have a Mobile Crisis Unit with two full-time social workers to respond to campus mental health crises in the place of uniformed officers (through a SAMHSA grant).
  • Further diversified our MPP staff by hiring, promoting, and offering interim manager positions to 17 new and current division professionals of color and women:
    • 3 New Hires: 2 Latino males, 1 AAPI woman
    • 10 Promoted: 2 Black women, 2 Black males, 2 Middle Eastern males, 1 Latina
      woman, 1 Latino male, and 2 White women
    • 4 Offered Interim Roles: 2 Black women, 1 Latino male, and 1 White woman
  • Student Health Services expanded Transgender Health Services to now include initiation of hormonal treatment for transgender students, one of only three CSU campuses.
  • Counseling and Psychological Services has the most diverse counseling staff ever employed at CSULB with 5 AAPI, 5 Latinx, and 2 Black counselors.
  • Launched Healthy Living at The Beach, a comprehensive and equity-driven student mental health strategy with a number one objective focused on using culturally- informed practices and developing strategies to promote inclusive excellence in services.
  • The Office of Multicultural Affairs & Inclusion hired a Director and two Assistant Directors for the La Raza Resource Center and LGBTQ Resource Center with plans to employ similar positions for an Asian American/Pacific Islander and an Interfaith Center.
  • The Dream Success Center partnered with Study Abroad and legal providers from CARECEN to achieve the highest number of advance parole DACA recipients among other CSUs in the area. Advance Parole allows our student immigrants the ability to study abroad outside the United States and return lawfully.
  • Liliana Mora, Student Affairs Graduate Student, received the Outstanding Graduate Student Award from.
  • Liliana Mora Liliana Mora, Student Affairs Graduate Student, received the Outstanding Graduate Student Award from California Division of ACPA for her work with President’s Commission on the Status of Women and the Women’s and Gender Equity Center.
  • The Isabel Patterson Child Development Center received a $552,000 U.S. Department of Education grant to provide early childhood education to low-income CSULB parenting students through 2024.
  • DSA received a $1,240,400 7-year GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) grant to increase readiness for under-served pre-college students in the local area.

Cross-Divisional Collaborations

  • Worked with Academic Affairs to review 4,220 student applications and create a process for equitable distribution of the $2,411,000 in CA Emergency Assistance Grants.
  • Partnered with Academic Affairs and DAF in Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 to distribute $59,147,455 in funding through HEERF Phase III for direct aid payments to enrolled students. Additionally, $7,577,517 was allocated to CSULB as part of the Minority- Serving Institution portion of the HEERF funding.
  • Developed a 2021-2022 Data Fellows Team in conjunction with Academic Affairs to examine student health inequities across CSULB mental health services.
  • Collaborating with DoIT on the CSUCCESS program to distribute 86 laptops, 151 iPads, and 156 hotspots to first-time, first-year, transfer, and graduate students.
  • Collaborating with DAF and engaging in consultative conversations with students regarding the long-term facility needs of the student cultural resource centers.
  • Sustaining the tradition of honoring cultural celebration months in 2021/2022 in collaboration with Academic Affairs partners, including: Latinx Heritage Month, LGBTQ OUTober, Native American Heritage Month, Black History Month, and Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Over 50 events hosted annually.
  • The Women’s & Gender Equity Center partnered with Academic Affairs to celebrate Women’s History Month.
  • Partnered with Academic Affairs to organize the first #IamFirstGen program series to celebrate the successes of our first-generation college students, expand services to first-gen students, and foster community for first-gen students, staff, and faculty.

Division-Wide Efforts & Achievements

  • Continued supporting the work of the Division’s Equity Task Force. Completed and ongoing Task Force projects include:
    • Distributed results and recommendations of internal equity audits for DSA departments and programs.
    • Published a website to engage and inform the campus community on divisional efforts.
    • Compiled a SharePoint site of best practice activities for DSA departments in the areas of vision/mission statement, employee hiring, communication, anti- bias policies, and programming. Expected launch Spring 2022.
    • Compiled a SharePoint site of best practice activities for DSA departments in the areas of vision/mission statement, employee hiring, communication, anti- bias policies, and programming. Expected launch Spring 2022.Developing a comprehensive DEI expert speakers/facilitators list of campus community members to provide workshops, trainings, and on-campus education. Collected over 50 recommendations for campus experts.
    • Developed a proposal to implement a DSA Equity Advocate Program (currently under review)
  • Established the inaugural Student Affairs Recognition Event, which includes recognizing both individuals and departments in Equity, Diversity & Inclusion achievements.
  • Incorporated DEI topics in every DSA manager meeting and all-staff meeting by inviting people to present on various topics including but not limited to mitigating hiring bias, what Black history really means and the complexities of Black History Month, the current wave of anti-Semitism and its relationship to white supremacy on college campuses, etc.
  • The ASI Beach Pantry, Basic Needs Office, and CalFresh Outreach have been relocated to a larger, more visible space within the University Student Union to ensure ease of student access. Pantry hours were extended to Saturdays with curbside pickup to better assist students in need.

Division-Wide Programming

  • Brought Spring 2022 Cultural Welcomes back to campus, offering students, staff, and faculty an opportunity to connect with others from shared identity groups.
  • Planned nine virtual 2021 Cultural Graduation Celebrations and will be bringing the 2022 Cultural Graduation Celebrations back on-campus honoring the cultural identities of student graduates.
  • Coordinated a week-long virtual 2021 Beach Bound event for potential applicants to learn about admissions and deadlines and meet CSULB students, faculty, and staff.
  • Hosted the 2nd and 3rd Annual Wings of Hope virtual events raising $15,000 in 2021 and $11,000 in 2022 in support of undocumented students.
  • Raised $120,000 in support of Black student academic achievement at the inaugural Black Alumni Scholarship Gala, 2nd Annual planned for April 2022.
  • Organized a unique multi-part Bang4Change social justice program series and film screening about the protests after George Floyd’s murder and the overall impact of violence against African Americans from police in America.
  • Coordinated a two-part workshop series on the history of African American influences on American cuisine with Entertainment Chef Seth Brundle. The workshop series focused on the role of slavery in influencing African American cuisines and its impact on the black culture and structure of the Black family.

Division Department Achievements

  • Associated Students, Inc.
    • The ASI Beach Kitchen (expected to open April 2022) will provide CSULB students with essential life skills like preparing nutritional meals for their overall well-being. The kitchen focuses on educational programs utilizing standard pantry supplies to ensure accessibility for all students.
    • ASI hosted the first USU and campus sun walk to identify ADA concerns within the University Student Union and campus community.
    • ASI Senate policy objectives include supporting Black, LGBTQ, Undocumented, and APPI populations and increasing mental health resources. ASI Government hosted a 2021 Advocacy Series on gender-based violence, immigration, and gender pronouns, a 2021/2022 Know Your Rights campaign for voters, undocumented/immigrant students, and LGBTQIA+ students, the 2021 and 2022 Students of Color Conference, and the 2022 UndocuConference.
    • Beach Pride Events planned over 25 events with approximately 1370 student attendees focused on diversity and inclusion, allowing students to reflect on historical injustices, advocate for change, and appreciate various identities and cultures. Examples include Dia de los Muertos, Pre-Kwanzaa celebration, Queer Speed Friending, and The Day I Told the World I’m Autistic.
    • The Student Recreation and Wellness Center hosted inclusive fitness classes and programs, including Womxn & Ally Night, Inclusive Sports Expo, Dark Climb, and Sit Down Volleyball.
  • The Basic Needs Program completed 5,003 Cal Fresh pre-screens and approved 1,152 Cal Fresh applications in 2020-2021, the most of any CSU campus.
  • The Career Development Center continues a focus on racial/social identity in all Career Insights Series in partnership with all five Cultural Heritage Months. The department hosted 99 students at the 2022 Latina Connection Conference and 93 students at the Women & Career Symposium. Professional staff continue internal professional development with in-service trainings such as managing microaggressions.
  • The Dean of Students Office coordinated a trauma-informed care presentation with the Long Beach Trauma Recovery Center, and debriefs for the campus community after the verdicts of the Rittenhouse and Ahmaud Abery trials.
  • The Dream Success Center established the first UndocuAlly Training raising awareness and allyship for our undocumented students and their families, which was presented at the NASPA Annual Conference in March 2022. The DSC also led the first I Stand with Immigrants Day of Action.
  • The Educational Opportunity Program provided two college access workshops for the United Cambodian Community and celebrated EOP Month with a screening of The Storm at Valley State.
  • Guardian Scholars coordinated a 10-week summer residential program with housing, meals, and summer academic enrichment opportunities for current/former foster youth CSULB students.
  • Housing and Residential Life welcomed students to the Black/African American Scholars Community and First-Generation Scholars Communities in Fall 2021.
  • The Men’s Success Initiative continued partnerships with LBUSD, Long Beach Promise, and LBCC to coordinate the Long Beach Male Summit, supporting access for males of color in March 2021.
  • Student Health Services led the 2021 and 2022 Peer Health Summits focused on self- care and included 316 students from 10 CSU campuses.
  • University Outreach & School Relations continues prioritizing yield for specialized communities and targeted groups through intentional outreach to Beach Pathways students/schools, 8th-grade college readiness assemblies, and community college Umoja programs. The department also coordinates the CSULB Black Transfer Summit, Long Beach College Promise Nights, and ongoing phone-a-thons with admitted students to increase enrollment.