The 2023 – 2024 academic year was one of change as the university made major strides towards fulfilling strategic goals and advancing the campus for future generations. The shift in what the workplace looks like continued to evolve with the opening of Mustang Business Park, the launching of a new procurement system, a decrease in our environmental footprint and an increase in campus equity. Over the past 12 months, Administration and Finance staff have led the way on a number of initiatives that have helped change the campus and Cal Poly, for all of our students, faculty and staff.
In the summer of 2024 more than 150 Cal Poly staff members were among the first to move into Mustang Business Park, a state-of-the-art off-campus workspace. This relocation of staff has provided more available space in the campus core and increased student-serving facilities.
The Audit and Consulting Services team participated in the AI/Data Analytics Week that focused on expanding their knowledge, abilities and use of artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics to improve their work where possible and to enhance and expand the campus’ continuous auditing projects.
Work continued throughout the 2023-24 academic year as A&F units made strides towards creating a more welcoming and equitable campus.
All units launched their individual diversity action plans in 2023 that were developed to help better serve under-represented communities. Audit and Consulting Services completed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) audit to determine work that is needed to ensure campus is accessible to all. In an ongoing commitment to ensure the Performing Arts Center is accessible for everyone, they partnered with KultureCity to make the venue Sensory Inclusive. The KultureCity certification ensures PAC staff are trained annually on how to recognize those guests with sensory needs such as autism, dementia and PTSD, as well as how to handle a sensory overload situation. In a continued effort to address food insecurity on campus Cal Poly Partners provided 50,000 meals to students in need, a 4x increase over the previous year.
Environmental Health and Safety and Facilities Planning and Capital Projects introduced a new method to measure construction safety effectiveness on campus projects. Instead of measuring injury and illness data annually, which is the industry standard, EHS now requires contractors to submit this data monthly. This approach provides Facilities Management and Development with a more immediate understanding of the effectiveness of the contractors’ safety programs. People are our most valuable resource and protecting them is of the utmost importance.
Cal Poly Public Safety, in partnership with the California Office of Traffic Safety, launched a “Go Safely” campaign to help inform faculty, students and staff how to get around campus safely. With the growing popularity of electric scooters, skateboards, one wheels and other micro mobility devices on campus has come increased safety concerns from Cal Poly community members. Through this campaign, Public Safety will promote a “Safety Culture” where students, faculty and staff make informed choices about how to get around safely.
Strong cross-campus partnerships are critical to the university's success. A&F staff successfully collaborated with a variety of partners throughout the university in preparation for the upcoming Quarter to Semester transition and worked closely with ASI on the Mustang Shuttle expansion. And following years of collaboration between the university, Cal Poly Corporation and Follet Higher Education, the Mustang Shop renovation was completed with more exciting additions coming in the next academic year.
The Facilities Energy, Utilities and Sustainability team launched the Journey to Zero campaign to share their continued work and progress made in the campus’s collective effort towards reaching a significant sustainability milestone, achieving net neutrality by 2045.
Transportation and Parking Services partnered with the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments, City of San Luis Obispo and Bike Link to bring 12 short-term bike lockers to the core of campus. Bike commuters can rent the stainless-steel lockers for just five cents an hour and are accessible through the company’s smartphone app that shows real-time availability.
Mike Morgan and Emily Rutherford earned Guardian Certification, a recognized program for managing risks of sexual abuse through prevention.
Cal Poly Partners’ Marketing and Communications Department won 12 international MarCom awards for promoting outstanding collaborations and initiatives performed by the Digital Transformation Hub, Kennedy Library Transformation, Administration and Finance, Transportation and Parking Services, Talent Acquisition, Campus Dining and Cal Poly Partners.
The Distribution Services team received the University Logistics and Supply Chain Association Sustainability Award. The team hosted the ULSCA Annual Conference at Cal Poly and were named the recipients of the award during the event. This award is presented to a member organization for a project or initiative that demonstrates a sincere commitment to applied sustainability best practices on campus or in the community.
Strategic Business Services earned the 2023/24 Benefits Award from the CSU Chancellor’s Office. Cal Poly was the top campus in documented cost savings, cost avoidance, revenue and financial incentives.
Dan DiPaola was selected as a member of the planning team for the 2024 CSU Campus Audit Liaisons Roundtables, where Alexia Acosta, Stephanie DaRosa and DiPaola participated as panelists.
Cal Poly Partners was recognized as a SLO Family-Friendly Workplace for implementing strong and inclusive workplace policies. Cal Poly Partners was recognized as a Blue Diamond employer for offering a number of family-friendly policies to employees and their dependents such as 100% employer-sponsored health care coverage, a Flexible Work Policy, workplace wellness programs, dependent care flexible spending, tuition reimbursement, Employee Assistance Programs and many more.
