The 2021-22 Academic Year marked a much-anticipated return to campus: a return to serving our students face to face and interacting in-person with those with whom we serve. But at the start of the Spring 2022 semester, the campus decision was to resume virtual operations in response to the resurgence of COVID and the Omicron variant in the region. The Division of Student Affairs was able to quickly adapt to this shift, and this brief return to virtual operations ended in late February. With the return to in-person courses and campus engagement by many students, the Division of Student Affairs sought to provide both in-person and virtual programs and services.

We understood that many students became accustomed to engaging in their education virtually, so a hybrid model of program and service delivery was implemented. Our return to campus allowed us to celebrate the long-awaited grand opening of the SMSU North and bring back signature programs like Coyote Fest and the Student Affairs Road Show. Together, division staff and leaders met students where they were and continued to support student development, engagement, and success. We are proud to share these Portraits of Impact.

Go Yotes!

Sincerely,

Paz Maya Olivérez, Vice President of Student Affairs

Andrew Vargas is an Academic Mentor for the Department of Housing and Residential Education (DHRE) who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, initiative, and responsibility. As an Academic Mentor, Andrew made it a personal goal to discover new and unique ways to connect with residents and be visible in his community. From holding in-person office hours in the lobbies of his buildings to using new and innovative ways to connect virtually, Andrew did not let changes in COVID-19 procedures be a barrier to positively impacting his residents. Through programs such as "Study Smackdown" & "Find the Variants in Your Schedule" Andrew helped students identify a personal or academic challenge, then used an activity that would help students discover ways to overcome their challenges.

Andrew was also a strong leader on staff; he spent considerable time supporting and representing DHRE on multiple campus and housing committees, most notably being on the Area Coordinator search committee. Andrew's growth through the Academic Mentor position will provide him with critical transferrable skills and experiences well into his future; and his dedication, creativity, and leadership will continue to impact this department for years to come.

STUDENT EMPloyment in dsa

In 2021-2022, the Division of Student Affairs (DSA) employed 474 student employees. These student employment opportunities in Student Affairs are designed to support intended learning outcomes that promote sustainable skills and attitudes necessary for workplace success, both on and beyond campus.

SANTOS MANUEL STUDENT UNION (SMSU)

The Santos Manuel Student Union (SMSU) is the biggest student employer in the division. 88% of SMSU student employees surveyed reported that their work experience improved the value of their education and had a positive impact on their ability to value and respect people who are different than them.

CAREER CENTER

The Career Center integrates NACE Career Readiness Competencies into programs to facilitate students’ exploration and career preparation experience:

Exercise sound reasoning to analyze issues, make decisions, and overcome problems. The individual is able to obtain, interpret, and use knowledge, facts, and data in this process, and may demonstrate originality and inventiveness.

Articulate thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively in written and oral forms to persons inside and outside of the organization. The individual has public speaking skills; is able to express ideas to others; and can write/edit memos, letters, and complex technical reports clearly and effectively.

Build collaborative relationships with colleagues and customers representing diverse cultures, races, ages, genders, religions, lifestyles, and viewpoints. The individual is able to work within a team structure, and can negotiate and manage conflict.

Leverage existing digital technologies ethically and efficiently to solve problems, complete tasks, and accomplish goals. The individual demonstrates effective adaptability to new and emerging technologies.

Leverage the strengths of others to achieve common goals, and use interpersonal skills to coach and develop others. The individual is able to assess and manage his/her emotions and those of others; use empathetic skills to guide and motivate; and organize, prioritize, and delegate work.

Demonstrate personal accountability and effective work habits, e.g., punctuality, working productively with others, and time workload management, and understand the impact of non-verbal communication on professional work image. The individual demonstrates integrity and ethical behavior, acts responsibly with the interests of the larger community in mind, and is able to learn from his/her mistakes.

Identify and articulate one’s skills, strengths, knowledge, and experiences relevant to the position desired and career goals, and identify areas necessary for professional growth. The individual is able to navigate and explore job options, understands and can take the steps necessary to pursue opportunities, and understands how to self-advocate for opportunities in the workplace.

Value, respect, and learn from diverse cultures, races, ages, genders, sexual orientations, and religions. The individual demonstrates openness, inclusiveness, sensitivity, and the ability to interact respectfully with all people and understand individuals’ differences.

ATHLETICS

During the 2021-22 academic year, all 10 teams earned a GPA or 3.0 or higher with 50 student athletes graduating this year. Additionally, CSUSB was the only school in the West Region to host two NCAA Championships.

CHILDREN'S CENTER

The Children's Center reopened in June of 2021 at a capacity of 50% with two student assistants returning. Over the course of the academic year and through the hiring of 12 new student assistants, capacity grew to 75%.

STUDENT ASSISTANCE IN LEARNING (SAIL)

The Student Assistance in Learning Program (SAIL) provided 165 workshops to a total of 637 participants. Topical areas for these workshops ranged from academic, career, financial, graduate school, and personal success and provided SAIL students the opportunity to interact, learn, and complement SAIL’s counseling and advising services.

VETERANS SUCCESS CENTER (VSC)

The Veterans Success Center (VSC) continued its free creative writing program for service members called Written By Veterans (WBV). This program has over 50 published books under the WBV label, many becoming Amazon bestsellers. This year, the WBV group was able to return to the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books at USC.

Deshina Rajeswari Nanthakumar graduated in May 2022 with her MS in School Counseling and Pupil Personnel Services Credential. While attending CSUSB, she was very involved with WorkAbility IV (WA-IV) and in her community. She worked as a substitute teacher, special education teacher, and counselor trainee. Deshina learned how to administer K-12 lesson plans within common core standards for students, implemented classroom management, socio-emotional regulatory tactics, and practiced positive behavior intervention to maintain a positive classroom environment. Deshina always found time to participate with WA-IV, attending workshops, job placement circles, and practicing mock interviews with staff and faculty. WA-IV staff helped her prepare for a job interview with the San Bernardino City Unified School District, which resulted in Deshina receiving an offer of employment prior to graduation.

Deshina related, "Throughout the 2020-22 school years, WA-IV has offered me unforgettable moments of teaching, learning, support, and hands-on practice in my internships, job and career game. I will always be indebted to the wonderful people of this program!”

Basic Needs

During the 2021-22 Academic Year the Division of Student Affairs contributed to student success and addressing the equity gaps facing our students surrounding basic needs. Programs provided students with basic needs resources such as food, hygiene products, and funds to address unexpected emergencies to support their academic journey.

In July 2021, the Basic Needs program received $765,000 in recurring funds to support program services. The new recurring funds allowed the Basic Needs program to leverage and rethink how to scale program services and expand staffing resources. The Basic Needs team moved into their newly renovated home of the Obershaw DEN food pantry in the SMSU South building during Spring 2022 which has since expanded basic needs services, improving visibility for students, staff, and faculty.

*$1,330,088 Grant Breakdown: California Emergency grant: $1,106,471; COVID Emergency & Tech Grant: $15,100; Basic Needs Emergency Grant: $54,729; HEERF Grant: $110,529; Basic Needs Philanthropic Grant: $43,259

Educational Opportunity Program (EOP)

Since 1985, EOP has provided a six-week Summer Bridge program as a transitional experience at CSUSB to select incoming first year EOP students. The program’s goals are to enhance readiness, familiarization, and community building.

The 2021 Summer Bridge students achieved notable pass rates:

As a result of the Summer Bridge program, participants felt:

EOP’s Renaissance Scholars Program (RSP) is committed to providing comprehensive support services to current and former foster youth as they transition into the university and through to graduation.

Services to Students with Disabilities (SSD)

The four-year graduation rate for first-time freshmen starting in Fall 2018 and graduating in Spring 2022 was higher for SSD students than for non-SSD students at CSUSB:

Undocumented Student Success Center (USSC)

During Undocu Career Week, the Undocumented Student Success Center (USSC) invited undocumented professionals to share their experiences and resources around pressures connected with graduation, exploring the professional pathways available to undocumented students regardless of DACA, and practical strategies for initiating professional opportunities. The USSC also provided graduate school access information via the Undocu Grad Scholar Conference. The conference focused on financial aid resources, selecting a graduate program, and facilitated networking with current and former undocumented graduate students. Across these programs, the USSC served more than 150 participants.

STUDENT ASSISTANCE IN LEARNING (SAIL)

Student Assistance in Learning (SAIL) Counselors and Coaches had 1,670 one-on-one planning, education, and advising meetings with SAIL participants over the year.

Isabella Russell has been a model scholar since joining First Star CSUSB Academy in 2019. She has overcome many challenges in her life, but these experiences have shaped Isabella’s values of hard work and resilience. She was an exemplary student in high school. She achieved above average grades, participated in various extracurricular activities, and worked part-time to help her family keep up with bills. She was part of First Star CSUSB Academy's first graduating class in 2022. She received the Give Something Back Scholarship and is currently pursuing a degree in Biology at CSUSB.

Office of Pre-College Programs

The Office of Pre-College Programs at CSUSB includes federal and state funded projects designed to provide coordinated support, services, and opportunities for pre-college students. While each project has its own set of goals and regulations, all programs are driven by equity initiatives designed to create opportunities for students and families to gain access to and knowledge of opportunities available through higher education. Programs include Upward Bound, Upward Bound Math/Science, Educational Talent Search, Cal-SOAP, First Star Academy, and most recently Educational Opportunity Center. Combined, services were available to over 20,000 pre-college students across 16 school districts, and 50+ schools.

UPWARD BOUND

Upward Bound offers personal support services to more than 150 college students from San Bernardino and Rialto to increase high school graduation, college enrollment, and persistence rates.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM

CSUSB Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) continues partnerships to build the pipeline to Higher Education.

• EOP’s Renaissance Scholars Program continued its collaboration with the Give Something Back Foundation where 14 CSUSB Students received a total of $50,243 to pay for tuition, fees, housing, and meal plans.
• EOP continued its partnership with the Southern California Higher Education Foster Youth Consortium, a network that shares best practices to support campus representatives in serving foster youth on campus and in identifying and addressing systemic barriers for this population.
• EOP hosted an on-campus event at the CSUSB Leadership Challenge Center and invited all Inland Empire Community College foster youth students to attend. A total of 23 prospective foster youth students from local community colleges attended.

Benjamin Tafoya is a USMC reservist, a nursing student at PDC, and a student worker at the Veterans Success Center (VSC). Benjamin is a consummate student, focused on completing the nursing program while managing work obligations, service commitments, and his personal life. Having a support system at PDC for veterans has helped Benjamin balance his academics and his work life, allowing him to meet other service members and to provide them insight while feeling connected.

Benjamin explains, "The Veterans Success Center has left an undeniable positive impact on my time here at CSUSB ... The center has also served me beyond academics by providing me with a space to meet other veterans and military affiliated students. By and large, the resulting impact of the VSC is truly unquantifiable."

SMSU & ASI SUPPORT DEI

The Santos Manuel Student Union (SMSU) contributed to cultivating a climate of belonging by delivering over 70 programs focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion attended by over 2800 participants.

Indigenous People Education

Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) and the Santos Manuel Student Union (SMSU) adopted a joint resolution: indigenous people education. As part of the resolution, ASI and the SMSU committed to educating the CSUSB campus community and its local community about the history and impact of the indigenous community, and SMSU committed to establishing five displays that serve as educational pieces and acknowledge the indigenous homelands of the first nations within our region.

A Conversation with Judy Heumann

In collaboration with the College of Education, Student Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) hosted disability rights legend Judith Heumann. It was titled, "A Conversation with Judy Heumann: Students, Disability Rights, and Social Justice" and was attended by 422 individuals. Students at CSUSB participated in every step of the process for creating this event and have been outstanding in representing the university. After the event, students inspired by Heumann began organizing to get student signatures on the “Tell LACCD to Backoff the Americans with Disabilities Act.”

"We thought it very important at this crossroads in our country’s history that our students, most of whom were born after the ADA was enacted, understand the fight for disability rights and that it is possible for a small group of people to positively impact the lives of millions of individuals with disabilities," remarked Marci Daniels, Director of SSD and WorkAbility IV.

Heritage, HIstory, and affinity Months

As part of CSUSB's commitment to Diversity and Inclusion, a variety of campus departments and sponsors hosted programs and events in honor of six heritage, history, and affinity months. At the completion of programming for each history/heritage month, participants were asked to participate in a survey. Most participants agreed that participating in the programs had a positive impact on their perspective.

Hispanic Heritage Month (september - october 2021)

"I felt a close connection with my background and the presenters, and it inspired me to explore new areas within my culture."

- CSUSB Community Member

LGBTQ+ history month (october 2021)

"This event made me more aware diversity in writing and the fight for inclusivity."

- CSUSB Current Student

native american heritage month (november 2021)

black history month (february 2022)

"I now have a greater knowledge that I can share when I find myself in a conversation with people who are not convinced of the importance of equity."

- CSUSB Staff Member

women's history month (march 2022)

"I learned that the work starts with the individual! We can rebuild and pick apart systems yet before we do that need to ask, 'How do I contribute to this?'”

- CSUSB Staff Member

asian, pacific islander, desi american heritage month (april 2022)

"It was really nice and warming to know that CSUSB is being inclusive of all cultures and heritages. I really appreciate the events and effort put into APIDA month."

- CSUSB Current Student

The Division of Student Affairs is committed to getting students the support they need to prioritize their mental and physical well-being so that they can focus on their learning inside and outside of the classroom.

Counseling and Psychological Services (caps)

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) provided individual, group, and crisis counseling sessions critical to supporting the wellbeing and academic success of students. CAPS delivered workshops to nearly 1,800 students on topics such as study skills, time management, relationships, trauma, communication, and stress management. In addition to counseling sessions and programs, CAPS used grant funding to create safe spaces for students to focus on their wellness through a group therapy room and other wellness equipment.

Spring 2021 CAPS Outcomes

Confidential Advocate Services and Programming

The Confidential Advocate Services and Programming served 16 students (e.g., TIX and police accompaniments). The Advocate Program trained and utilized 5 VOICE peers who assisted in 7 educational and prevention programs and services.

Student Health Center (SHC)

The Student Health Center (SHC) began offering in-office rapid medical tests for the flu and mononucleosis, reducing the time for diagnosis, treatment, and costs to students. The SHC also began preparations for the implementation of Senate Bill 24 (Abortion by Medication) through systemwide training, security assessments, and care provider partnerships.

Over $78,000 in grants and funding during the 2021-2022 Academic Year helped the SHC continue to increase the well-being and educational success of students, including the purchase of medical equipment, ADA compliant check-in stations, and a donation to fund wellness and mental health services to the Palm Desert Campus.

Recreation and Wellness

The return to in-person instruction and activities in this academic year enabled our campus community to again utilize services and programs offered by the Recreation and Wellness Department, resulting in over 80,000 check-ins from students, staff, and faculty. Recreation and Wellness continued its collaboration in the Be Well Yotes initiative, partnering with such units as SAIL, Financial Aid, and Kinesiology, offering education and resources that enhance student well-being. Due to the success of this team, a new facility called The Retreat was opened. Here students can relax and re-energize themselves, as well as engage in mindful activities and educational workshops.

Associated Students, Inc. (ASI)

Associated Students Inc. (ASI) officially reopened the Coyote Garden in November 2021. In addition to providing a healthy space for the campus community, the garden serves as a sustainable compost location, collecting expired fruits and vegetables from the DEN.

Jacklyn Chanoucua was a highly involved student during her time at CSUSB. In addition to holding multiple roles in her sorority chapter, Kappa Delta Chi (KDX), she also served as the MultiCultural Greek Council President twice. She was also highly involved in the LatinX Center and various other campus departments.

Jacklyn recalls, “Getting involved was the best decision I have ever made. When I decided to join KDX I never would have seen myself becoming the leader that I am today. I developed skills such as communication, time management, and professionalism to name a few. OSE was my main source of support when I felt lost. They helped me develop new networks with folks who continued to strengthen my leadership skills. OSE always approached the challenges and concerns in my chapter and council in a non-biased way. Without OSE I don’t think I would have grown into the person and leader I am today. ”

Grand Opening of the Santos Manuel Student Union North

On March 17, 2022 the campus celebrated the Grand Opening of the Santos Manuel Student Union North, a celebration many years in the making. With over 2,000 guests in celebration with us, the program not only served to showcase the new building with exciting opportunities for student engagement embedded throughout the program, but also served as a powerful reminder of our commitment to sustaining the partnership we have created with the San Manual Band of Mission Indians. The expanded footprint of the SMSU serves as a focal point of the campus where students, faculty, staff, administration, alumni, and guests have the opportunity to make lasting connections to this university.

During the grand opening, students learned about opportunities for leadership and engagement through our “Meet the Boards” initiative with student representatives from both the SMSU Board of Directors and ASI Board of Directors present to share their experience and encourage students to apply to leadership positions. The Grand Opening served as a manifestation of the Santos Manuel Student Union’s continuous intention and dedication to putting our students first, expanding our services and further developing our leaders of the future.

On May 6, 2022 the Student Union Program Board and ASI hosted Coyote Fest. This traditional end-of-the-year celebration was brought back to in-person after two years of virtual instruction. Approximately 3,000 students attended this end-of-year event, where R&B headliner Tinashe performed.

Student Life On Campus

After implementing fully virtual student leader trainings and programming for residents in 2020-2021, the Department of Housing and Residential Education (DHRE) team had the opportunity to revisit ways to implement high-impact initiatives more effectively. After the campus decision to resume virtual operations for the start of the Spring 2022 semester, DHRE adjusted to implement a fully virtual Winter Student Leader training and fully virtual programming model until the campus determined it was safe to resume in-person classes and gatherings. With the hybrid programming model, 345 residents attended the DHRE Week of Welcome (WoW). Once in-person gatherings resumed, several DHRE traditional events were held in person for the first time in two years. Given the on-campus occupancy of 2021-2022, these events were successful and had high attendance rates.

The Office of Student Engagement (OSE) is dedicated to serving student leaders, organization members, and the CSUSB student body by providing innovative and intentional programming. Throughout this academic year, the department was able to host multiple large-scale programs that impacted students in various communities.

OSE hosted event during Womxn's History Month, featuring Dan Fail's discussion of how to create a new vision of masculinity and the importance of allyship with and advocacy for womxn identified humans

Delivered newly designed curriculum and workshop for new members of the Fraternity and Sorority community

Club Fair hosted by OSE that featured 28 student organizations

Hosted four community-wide events and four individual consultation meetings in partnership with Phired Up that focused on recruitment training and growth strategies

Annual Social Justice Summit featuring Nika King which focused on the intersection of mental health, addiction, and people of color through the lens of both her personal insight and her hit TV show Euphoria

Completions of the Leadership Practices Inventory during the SMSU North Grand Opening event, which helped students learn and understand their primary leadership strength and skill

Coyote Hour Kick-off and Wrap-up Events hosted in the Spring Term

Utilization of the Leadership Lab during Spring 2022 semester

Coyote Connection Usage as an Engagement Platform

Finding avenues to communicate with students and share opportunities for engagement was critical to maintaining a relationship with the student body as we came back to campus and needed to remain flexible due to the ongoing pandemic. Coyote Connection became an effective way to communicate both in-person and virtual programs, events, and engagement opportunities to all of our students. The platform grew in visibility and usage over the 2021-2022 Academic Year in various ways.

Coyote Connection also houses the Co-Curricular Transcript (CCT) for students which serves as a record of experiences and events students have engage in, as well as the organizations they have joined and positions they have held in them. OSE has been working on a pilot program with CCT Ambassadors to develop a robust and useful transcript for students to use post-graduation. So far, students have appreciated the ease of the CCT and its connection with event passes for marking attendance at different programs and activities.

Department of housing and residential education (dhre)

The 2021-2022 Academic Year saw the expansion of lower-density housing options while the COVID-19 pandemic continued. Coyote Village re-opened to first-year, continuing, and transfer students in double rooms as single occupancy assignments. Continuing and transfer students were also assigned to Arrowhead Village and University Village apartments with each resident assigned to their own bedroom and bathroom. Residents could opt in for a roommate in Coyote Village or additional apartment-mates in Arrowhead and University Villages. Over the course of the academic year over 700 students lived in on-campus housing with the continued emphasis on health and safety measures.

Feedback from DHRE’s Fall 2021 Survey shows that 84% of respondents were satisfied with their living experience on campus, and the impact their RA’s had on them.

services to students with disabilities (ssd) & Workability iv

Services to Students with Disabilities and WorkAbility IV director Marci Daniels was featured in the article “Access for All: Higher Ed Institutions Step Up to Address Needs of Disabled Students” in the March 31, 2022 edition of Diverse Issues in Higher Education.

The article focuses on best practices that colleges and universities used to support students with disabilities since the onset of the pandemic. “At CSUSB it took a combined effort from faculty, staff, and student assistants to create a comprehensive strategy that enabled operations to move to the new learning environments. We had to ensure that remote environments were accessible and were able to train students, faculty, sign language interpreters, and captionists on software platforms such as Zoom. Assistive technology was provided to students as needed. Faculty had to know how to work with the features essential to students with disabilities. The [training] efforts reduced resistance to change through open communication. Our deaf students’ GPA[s] actually increased.”

Every semester, DSA hosts a variety of division-level events and initiatives to promote connection throughout the staff, present the state of the division, and engage staff in discussion around timely issues.

Don’t Call it a Comeback Series

This series involved 4 sessions designed to prepare and support DSA staff to return to campus after working away from campus during the COVID-19 pandemic. These sessions were provided to support staff during “re-population” to ensure their personal transition as well as the transition of students.

DSA Town Halls

The Fall 2021 Town Hall was our first division-wide event in person in over two years. Dr. Olivérez presented the official launch of our DSA Strategic Plan 2021-2024 — SPARC: Student Success, Partnerships, Assessment, Resources, Communities. Roundtable discussions were facilitated that centered around our current division culture and our vision for the future. Our Spring 2022 town hall was held remotely and focused on the state of the division and preparing for the “Creating Sustainable Careers in Student Affairs” series.

Sustainable Career Series

Motivated by the book “Creating Sustainable Careers for Student Affairs” by Margaret Sallee, division leadership mapped out a long-term series (spanning 2 academic years) for the division that would go beyond a book club. This series is intended to create space for all staff, directors, and leadership to engage in dialogue around the hard conversations surrounding unsustainable work expectations and practices, and to collectively determine strategies to remedy them.

• 4/27/22 Keynote Address: “Dismantling Ideal Worker Norms and Imagining a New Future” by Dr. Margaret Sallee DSA members participated in a session where Dr. Sallee provided context for the book and subsequent workshops. Staff was encouraged to reflect on ideas and strategies to remedy ideal worker norms.
• 6/29/22 Workshop 1: “Dismantling Ideal Worker Norms” by Dr. Margaret Sallee and Dr. Rosemary Perez DSA members worked in department-specific breakouts to generate actionable strategies for shaping work norms that nourish their offices, work, selves, and students.

Assesstivus

Assesstivus for the Rest of Us was designed as a 3-part series in the Fall 2021 Semester for DSA staff to gather together and discuss the value of assessment in student affairs. The first session was a keynote on “Developing a Culture of Assessment in Student Affairs” by Dr. Kevin Grant from Cal Poly San Louis Obispo. The second session was a presentation from Institutional Research on what institutional data can tell us about our students. The third presentation was a training session on a refined concept and process for monthly reporting that includes the assessment of outcomes.

Staff Development Conference

Our 5th Annual Staff Development Conference provided attendees the opportunity to gain ideas, strategies, and tools to better serve students. The keynote presentation, “The Structure of Student Affairs Work” was offered by Dr. Lisa Wolf-Wendel from the University of Kansas. With over 200 staff and paraprofessionals in attendance, participants learned about the evolution of the field of student affairs, and practical insights on how to care for ourselves as we continue to care for our students in a continually changing environment.