HR News Campus Updates & Events | February 2021

In case you missed it, you can read the January 14th COVID-19 Employee Updates communication sent to the campus community here.

Some highlights include:

• All CSU campuses will remain in a primarily virtual environment through the spring semester to maximize health and safety. Should circumstances change, we will communicate further.
• This means all employees who can work from home will continue to work from home.
• As a reminder, every student, faculty, staff or visitor who comes to campus must complete the health screening survey through the CSUN app or CSUN as One site.
• Authorized to come to return to campus or not yet, all employees must complete the Return To Campus Training assigned via CSU Learn.
• Remember to check out CSUN as One for comprehensive information and the latest updates on current operations.

CSUN Names Its Administration Building Valera Hall in Recognition of Transformational Gift from Alumnus

On November 17th the CSU Board of Trustees voted to name the university’s administration building in honor of alumnus and notary pioneer Milt Valera and his wife, Debbie, who have committed more than $11 million for programs across the campus, particularly those that support students who have been part of the foster care system.

The Valeras’ gift creates an endowment and scholarship for CSUN’s EOP Resilient Scholars Program, which provides a safety net for college students who grew up in the foster care system, as well as scholarships and endowments in colleges across the campus, including an endowment for the Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts (The Soraya).

Read the full story in CSUN Today here.

Oviatt Library Renamed University Library

On December 18th, following concerns expressed by the Student of Color Coalition during Spring 2019, and a thorough year-long review by a working group that included students, faculty, administrators and alumni to study the role of Delmar Oviatt as a past member and leader within the university community, it was announced that the name of CSUN’s Delmar T. Oviatt Library was changed to the University Library and that the Oviatt name will be removed from the neighboring lawn.

You can read the Report of the Oviatt Library Advisory Working Group here.

Effective January 1, 2021, the California State University standard mileage rate for business travel occurring on or after January 1, 2021 decreased from 57.5 cents per mile to 56.0 cents per mile. Miles driven for moving purposes will be reimbursed at 16 cents per mile, a decrease from 17 cents per mile.

All Student, Faculty, and Staff Matadors are invited to welcome a brand new year and the new semester at CSUN during Swing Into Spring from the University Student Union, Associated Students and Matador Involvement Center! We’re working together to bring you an unprecedented month of fun events and activities as we say “Goodbye 2020” and “Hello 2021”.

Just for participating in any of the awesome and entertaining opportunities listed below from Friday, Jan. 1 to Friday, Feb. 5, you’ll be entered into a raffle each week featuring cool prizes including Swing Into Spring T-shirts and masks as well as gift cards worth up to $100 from Amazon, Chipotle, Netflix, GrubHub, the CSUN Campus Store and more. Then, for the grand finale, we’ll give away two $250 gift cards on Friday, Feb. 5! Don’t miss out on this exciting new way to Swing Into Spring with the University Student Union … Where Matadors Belong.

Select the image below to view all of the events and activities to help you say “Goodbye 2020” and “Hello 2021”.

Here are some events we have coming up that are all on our USU Calendar (https://www.csun.edu/usu/calendar):

• Computer Lab: Tech Tips
• SRC & Oasis: Live Virtual Classes (On MINDBODY)
• SRC & Oasis: On-Demand Classes and Workshops (On YouTube)
• SRC: Gaming and Sports Movie Trivia Night
• SRC: Start of Spring Semester Step Challenge
• SRC: Run It To Win It Challenge
• Games Room: Game On, Matadors - Gaming Party
• SRC: NFL Sports Trivia Night
• SRC: Rocket League Tournament 2
• Games Room: Game On, Matadors - Among Us Party
• USU: Music Mondays - Connect with Fellow Matadors Through Music
• USU: American Indian Welcome
• Pride Center: The Lavender Takeover - Black Queer and Trans Fashion (Open)
• VRC: The Blend (IG Live)
• USU: Latinx/a/o Cultural Welcome
• Pride Center: Queerations - Jewelry Making/DIY Clothing
• VRC: Virtual Game Night
• Pride Center: Virtual T-Time
• USU Advocacy Campaign
• DREAM Center: Know Your Rights for the Immigrant Community
• SRC: Learn The Basics - How To Build Stronger Glutes
• USU: AAPI Welcome
• USU: Welcome Black
• USU: Multicultural Welcome

Friday, February 5, 2021
Afro-Tradition, Environmental Racism, and Black Place-Making in Mexico
11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. via Zoom

Join the University Library for a screening and presentation of Ebony Bailey’s documentary “Jamaica and Tamarindo: Afro-Tradition in the Heart of Mexico,” followed by a Q&A with the filmmaker and the panel discussion, “Environmental Racism, Gender, and Black Place-Making in Mexico's Costa Chica,” with Ebony Bailey, historian Jayson Maurice Porter, and anthropologist Meztli Yoalli Rodríguez.

RSVP: Register for this event

Monday, February 8, 2021, 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Join Dr. Anne Eipe, Assistant Director/Clinical Coordinator of University Counseling Services (UCS) who will be providing QPR (Question, Persuade, and Refer) Suicide Prevention Training monthly throughout the Spring 2021 semester for both faculty and staff as well as students.  The first training for faculty and staff will take place on Monday, February 8^th, from 1-2:30 pm.  You can download/print a copy of the following flier here. 

RSVP: Register for this event

Tuesday, February 9, 2021
Cold War Controversy: The Capture and Release of Francis Gary Powers, U-2 Spy Pilot
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. via Zoom

The downing of the American U-2 spy plane piloted by Francis Gary Powers over the Soviet Union on May 1, 1960 is one of the most talked about events of the Cold War. The University Library invites the CSUN community to come meet the famed pilot’s son, Francis Gary Powers, Jr. in an intriguing presentation. Gary is the author of Letters from a Soviet Prison (2017) and Spy Pilot (2019).

RSVP: Register for this event

Join the Institute for Community Health and Wellbeing and celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Week, Monday February 15^th – Friday February 19^th. There will be many live events, workshops, and week-long activities for all of the CSUN community to participate. Please join us in spreading kindness to our community and to ourselves! More details to be announced in the coming days.

For more information about all of these events and more, stay tuned to our website https://www.csun.edu/wellbeing or follow us on Instagram @csunhealthandwellbeing. All details to be announced soon, Stay Tuned!

For any questions or to host a wellbeing workshop reach out to us at wellbeing@ csun.edu.

Save the Date: March 4, 2021

The Center for Teaching and Learning presents:
Education on the Edge: Strategies for Advancing Democracy, Equity, and Justice in and through Education

Speaker: Dr. Kevin Kumashiro
7:00 - 8:00 p.m. via Zoom

Description:

In an interview for the World Anti-Bullying Forum, Dr. Kumashiro stated that we need to “challenge the stories that often fuel discrimination, inequity & injustice.” In this one hour virtual presentation, former Dean of the University of San Francisco's School of Education, Dr. Kumashiro will provide a powerful framework for thinking about the problem of injustice in complex ways. By exploring five lenses or conceptual tools for advancing democracy, equity, and social justice in and through education, Dr. Kumashiro offers multiple strategies to tackle injustice and address resistance to change.

Bio:

Dr. Kevin Kumashiro (https://www.kevinkumashiro.com) is an internationally recognized expert on educational policy, school reform, teacher preparation, and educational equity and social justice, with a wide-ranging list of accomplishments and awards as a scholar, educator, leader, and advocate. He is the former Dean of the School of Education at the University of San Francisco, and is the award-winning author or editor of ten books, including Against Common Sense: Teaching and Learning toward Social Justice, and Bad Teacher!: How Blaming Teachers Distorts the Bigger Picture. His recent awards include the 2016 Social Justice in Education Award from the American Educational Research Association, and an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters.

Registration / Zoom Connection:

Go to https://www.csun.edu/center-teaching-learning/events/education-edge-kevin-kumashiro.

Sponsored by Schools First Federal Credit Union
PDF Flyer Available for Download Here.

The Institute for Community Health and Wellbeing will host virtual wellbeing programs all semester long! Join us for Mindfulness Monday, Wellbeing Wednesday, Thriving Thursday, and more hosted at noon weekly! See our website for the full schedule.

This semester we are launching the Wellbeing Warrior Program! Do you want to focus more on your wellbeing this year? Do you need some external motivation? Join the Wellbeing Warrior Program! Prizes and Incentives are available. The more you participate the more you win! More details to be announced in the coming days.

For more information about all of these events and more, see our website https://www.csun.edu/wellbeing or follow us on Instagram @csunhealthandwellbeing.

For any questions or to host a wellbeing workshop reach out to us at wellbeing@ csun.edu.

Check out these offering from Alumni Relations:

	Alumni Request Form If you, your department or your student club is in need of assistance in booking an alumni speaker, finding an alumni volunteer, or securing additional hospitality perks to make an alum's visit to CSUN spectacular, we'd love to help! Fill out the request form via the button to the left, and we'll get searching for the perfect connection! https://www.csun.edu/alumni/requestform
	Ask a Matador Students, help us connect you with the best CSUN alumni experts who can provide you with advice while expanding your professional network. Simply submit a career-related question and alumni will share their advice via email, zoom or phone. Faculty are invited to share the following ink on Canvas: https://www.csun.edu/alumni/introducing-ask-matador
	Cooking Series Join CSUN Alumni and the Marilyn Magaram Center's spring cooking series! We have 3 events with topics including: Pizza Night, Egg Basics, and Sushi and Knife Skills. Follow along with Chef Harold Avila as he teaches recipes and techniques! For more information visit us our events calendar

Governor Newsom unveiled his 2021-22 January budget proposal, which includes $144.5 million in recurring funding for the CSU including $30 million to support students' basic and essential needs. Additionally, the proposal includes $225 million in one-time funding for the CSU of which $175 million would support the university's efforts to address deferred maintenance of aging infrastructure projects across the 23 campuses.

View the current issue  of CSU Leader and the Chancellor's full statement here.