Cal Poly welcomed over 5,100 first-year students for the 2022-23 academic year, one of the largest cohorts in recent history. At the same time, the world emerged from the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and campus faced a year of transition as it settled into the new reality of hybrid work and learning. Administration and Finance (A&F) staff took major strides to propel the university forward during this period of transition through cross-campus collaborations, increased sustainability efforts, enhanced program efficiencies and more.
Units throughout A&F developed diversity action plans to guide their areas in creating more welcoming and equitable campus. Along with planning for tomorrow, many steps were taken to better serve underrepresented communities today.
Strategic Business Services modified its supplier language to create a more open, fair and inclusive procurement environment, encouraging responses from small businesses, Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise, LGBT Business Enterprise, Disadvantaged Business Enterprise, Minority Business Enterprise and Women Business Enterprise vendors. To address on-campus basic needs, Feed Cal Poly allows all students, faculty, staff and supporters to donate to the Cal Poly Basic Needs Initiative and further assist Mustangs in need. And Performing Arts Center programming is the most diverse yet. Through changes and programs like these, the work of A&F is contributing to a more diverse, inclusive and equitable university.
Cal Poly seeks to beautify campus and encourage people to engage with their surroundings by turning blank walls and utility infrastructure such as utility boxes into works of public art. The Utility Box Art Project showcases local artistic talent and spreads creative touches throughout campus, while the new mural at Via Carta – created by Grover Beach artist Oscar Pearson – helps transform the Campus Market outdoor area into a more welcoming place for all to enjoy.
Cal Poly's partnership with SLO Safe Ride expanded from the successful Mustang Shuttle program to charter buses. Now the primary vendor for chartered bus services, SLO Safe Ride brings a robust fleet of vehicles to meet campus needs.
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.
From saving goodbye to single-use plastic water bottles to introducing The RightCycle Program in collaboration with Kimberly-Clark Professional and the Bailey College of Science and Mathematics, Cal Poly made major strides toward zero-waste. And since 2003, campus water usage has remained nearly flat despite a 60% growth in building square footage and 100% growth of on-campus residency!
Distribution Services and the Surplus office partnered with the Campus Reuse team to connect students to unused university property, which keeps items from unnecessarily entering landfills.
Graduates and alumni are now welcome to donate used Cal Poly graduation attire to the new Grad Gown Reuse Program. The recycling program exists to divert graduation regalia from landfill, as the vast majority of gowns are only utilized once in a lifetime.
While the Sustainability team is driving campus forward with a larger fleet of Electric Utility Vans and more electric carts, Cal Poly is also on its way to achieving a growing number of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) designations. The Justin and J. Lohr Center for Wine and Viticulture applied for LEED Certification, and 13 Cal Poly Staff Members recently earn their LEED Green Associate Accreditation.
Cal Poly is fortunate to have many team members who spend their careers committed to the advancement of the university and the Administration and Finance division. In 2022-23, A&F celebrated the career-long achievements Lead Plumber Jason Thomson, who reached over 25 years of service, and Executive Director of Energy and Infrastructure Planning Dennis Elliot, who was presented with the Sustainable Facilities Award to honor over four decades of service.
