Celebrating the State of the University

Dear Staff and Faculty,

With the start of Women’s History Month yesterday, Employee Appreciation Day tomorrow, and our Kingsmen Basketball team playing in the March Madness tournament tomorrow afternoon, there is much to celebrate at California Lutheran University. 

Yesterday morning, I shared much of this good news at a State of the University Address that welcomed about 70 community leaders, elected-officials, and friends of the University. The Address was organized around the Strategic Plan themes — Student Experience, Fulfilling Work Environment, and Distinctive Impact — and the Campus Plan. I was proud to recognize a good number of staff, faculty, and administrators who accompanied some of our guests. 

During the Campus Plan section of yesterday’s presentation, I announced that the Board ofRegents just approved (at their meeting last weekend) five short-term priorities that we have been discussing for some time now. They include:

1. The acceleration of the Ahmanson Science Center remodel
2. The construction of a new outdoor classroom/pavilion in Kingsmen Park
3. The completion of Phase 1 of the softball stadium 
4. Re-turf William Rolland Stadium
5. Design phase for a practice and competition track

I am planning to speak about each of these at the upcoming Town Hall that is scheduled for March 14 at 8:30 a.m.

There are other items on that Town Hall agenda that are likely to garner your interest. First, we expect to receive the WASC Commission letter on or before March 13th (hence thereason we pushed back the date until mid-March). Second, we will share the vendor that a faculty- and staff-research group recommended Cal Lutheran use as part of our Campus Climate Survey project that will unfold during Fall 2023. We will also talk about May Commencement ceremonies and related activities — you will hear more about these in a note from the Commencement Planning Committee tomorrow. 

I hope to see you at the Town Hall or maybe even tomorrow at the game watch partycheering on our Kingsmen.

Until then, enjoy the sunshine. It makes the watered hills look even more green and thesnow dusted mountains look even more majestic.