Provost's Message - June 2022

June 2022

Celebrating Summer with Juneteenth and Pride

Dear Colleagues,

Summer is here and off to a running start! Although things never really slow down at the BEACH, I sincerely hope each of you can find time for personal renewal and rejuvenation in the coming weeks. It is essential to take time for ourselves so we can come back feeling rested and recharged to serve our eager students.

The month of June brings us both Juneteenth and LGBTQIA+ Pride - each of these commemorating important historical dates in the ongoing fight against prejudice and discrimination in this country. With festivities here in Long Beach and beyond, we gather to remember and commemorate the emancipation of enslaved people and the Stonewall Uprising.

Both of these annual celebrations offer us opportunities to come together as a community to highlight positivity, inclusion and respect for humanity. While it is meaningful to celebrate the progress we have made, we must also look to the future. Let’s ask ourselves what each of us can do to keep fighting for a just and equitable America.

Simply by acknowledging past wrongs, we can educate one another and bring awareness to others. I encourage you all to find ways to engage with each other on and around our vibrant and inclusive campus.

In the words of Coretta Scott King, “the greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.”

GO BEACH!

For Juneteenth celebrations in Long Beach, visit here.

For Pride celebrations in Long Beach, visit here.

Annoucements

After a national search process, Dr. Deborah Thien has been selected as the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts. Dr. Thien has deep roots in the College of Liberal Arts, and she brings extensive knowledge of campus practices, an interdisciplinary background that spans the social sciences and the humanities, and a wide network of CSULB colleagues and partnerships. Dr. Thien has been Associate Dean of Enrollment Management and Student Success in the CLA since 2019. In this role, Dr. Thien oversees the college’s more than 2,000 course sections per semester schedule; she works closely with department chairs on enrollment and mode strategies; and she champions innovation and equity initiatives in leadership development, graduate studies, and internships. Previously, Dr. Thien was Chair of the Department of Human Development (2017-2019) and Interim Director of the University Honors Program (2015-2019). Dr. Thien is also a Professor in the Department of Geography where she has been a faculty member since 2006. Dr. Thien earned her BA in English and Women’s Studies at the University of Victoria, Canada; her MA in Gender Studies from the University of Northern British Columbia, Canada; and her Ph.D. in Human Geography from the University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom. It is a great pleasure to welcome Dr. Thien to this leadership role.

Following a national search, Dr. Christopher Swarat has been appointed as Dean of the College of Professional and Continuing Education. Dr. Swarat started his CSU career at Cal State Fullerton in 2014, taking on various roles with progressive responsibilities. Most recently, he served as Associate Dean, Centers of Excellence and External Relations for the College of Business and Economics. Prior to his Associate Dean role, Dr. Swarat served as Interim Associate Vice President for Extension and International Programs at CSUF. In these and earlier roles, he provided leadership for initiatives that led to innovative program development, deepened college and university global engagement, enhanced self-support financial viability, bolstered student success through reducing barriers to summer session enrollment, increased philanthropic giving and grant awards, and strengthened relationships with alumni, local communities and beyond. Prior to joining the CSU, Dr. Swarat worked in research and administrative capacities for non-profit organizations in the area of international business and global engagement. Dr. Swarat received his Ph.D. in Political Science from Northwestern University, and holds a Master’s degree from Yale University and a Bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. We look forward to welcoming Dr. Swarat to the BEACH.

2022 University Achievement Awards

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2022 University Achievement Awards. Their remarkable efforts are outstanding examples of the exceptional faculty at The Beach! For a full list of winners, click here.

News and Updates

COVID-19 Protocols

As of March 14, 2022, wearing masks will be optional in most campus settings for individuals who are fully vaccinated. Exceptions to these indoor mask-optional policy include:

Regardless of vaccination status, masks are required in classrooms and labs, the Student Health Center, childcare centers, public transit, small offices, and conference rooms.
Individuals who are not fully vaccinated.
Masks will continue to be required when receiving one-on-one, in-person, close-contact services.

Students who have tested positive for COVID-19, or believe they may be positive but have not yet been tested, can fill out this form to notify Student Health Services.

Faculty and staff should immediately report an illness to their administrative services manager (ASM). Employees who test positive for the virus and are either asymptomatic or experience only mild symptoms may be able to work remotely.

PRC, our campus partner that is managing the daily health screening and contact tracing for the university, will contact you to determine your isolation period based on public health guidelines. Generally speaking, these guidelines state that you should isolate for 10 days from the day you first experience symptoms. If you never experience symptoms, you must isolate for 10 days from the date of your positive test. PRC will be evaluating the isolation period for each employee on a case-by-case basis. If you have questions, please call PRC at 562-985-8722.

It is vital that confirmed or suspected positive cases of COVID-19 are reported as quickly as possible to support health officials in their response.

For the most up to date COVID-19 information, click here.

Summer Workshop Series

Developing Content with the iPad
Discover practical uses for the iPad to develop instructional content. iPads are included in Mobile Teaching Kits available for reservation.

Visit ATS Events and Workshops for the full lineup!

For information on CSULB On-Campus COVID-19 Testing & Vaccine Services, click here.

For more information on vaccines and where to get them, click here.

Research @ the Beach

Each semester, this online publication is produced to recognize faculty and students for their work. Our Spring 2022 issue of Research @ the Beach highlights ongoing faculty research, recognizes new external grant funding, and highlights 2022 faculty internal multidisciplinary grant recipients. To read more, click here.

Ukleja Center Awards 17 Faculty Stipends for Teaching and Researching Ethics at CSULB

Inside Cal State Long Beach by President Jane Close Conoley

The Grunion Gazette:

Graduating for the future