College of Behavioral and Social Sciences

College Initiatives

1. SCHOLARSHIPS FOR NEW STUDENTS. The two most critical components of a quality education are capable, motivated students and capable, motivated faculty members. Recruiting able students who are excited about learning and being part of a college community is, increasingly, a competitive business. CSU, Chico can certainly offer potential students a lovely campus, outstanding faculty members, and plenty of opportunities for a rewarding extracurricular life. But we can increase our chances of recruiting the best students dramatically if we can offer them scholarships to defray some or all of the cost of attending. The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences is one of the largest colleges on campus, yet we can offer only a handful of state-funded scholarships. There are a number of privately-funded scholarships for BSS students, but many of these are targeted for continuing students – and thus they do not help us to recruit new and transfer students. Our goal, then, is to raise funds to enable us to offer an additional ten $1,000 new student scholarships each year and to gradually build an endowment that would fund these offerings on an ongoing basis.
2. ACADEMIC TECHNOLOGY AND EQUIPMENT PURCHASE. Just as it has in virtually all other areas of our lives, technology has transformed teaching and learning at the college level. BSS students and faculty members use technology to locate the most current information in their disciplines; to conduct simulations and virtual experiments; to carry out powerful statistical analyses of large sets of data; to magnify infinitesimal objects and manipulate still others; and in many other ways learn from experiences that would otherwise be impossible. More generally, all disciplines must provide students with opportunities to learn using the specialized tools and equipment of the field so they will be prepared to enter the profession upon graduation.
   
   The College does not receive any state funds specifically targeted for equipment purchase, and only minimal state funds for purchasing or upgrading computer equipment. Thus, supporting our departments' equipment needs is at the expense of investments in other areas – hiring faculty and staff, or providing for program operating expenses, for example. Our long-term goal in this area is to establish an endowment to support these purchases for the College. In the short-term, we would like to secure approximately $10,000 annually for equipment and technology purchases.
3. SUPPORT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES PROGRAM. Among the most critical challenges facing us as a society is the thoughtful preservation of our natural environment. CSU, Chico has the capacity to provide leadership for this effort. Over the past several years, the CSU, Chico Research Foundation has purchased large parcels of land above Bidwell Park for preservation. These lands are used primarily for teaching and research, and are available for limited public access. Furthermore, the University is home to academic programs focused specifically on environmental preservation – including BSS' minor in Environmental Studies. This program, paired with a major of a student's choice, educates students in the economic, political, social, and public policy controversies that surround virtually all environmental issues. The program typically includes an internship or other experiential learning opportunity.
   
   The College is committed to supporting this program, like all of our academic programs, using state funds. However, private support would enable us to make more opportunities available for our students. We could, for example, fund field trips to ecosystems that are both more diverse and farther away than is now possible. We hope to raise approximately $5,000 annually for this purpose.
4. ANTHROPOLOGY MUSEUM RELOCATION AND EQUIPMENT. The Museum of Anthropology is one of the gems of the College and the campus. The Museum is both a laboratory for graduate and undergraduate students in Museum Studies – who conceptualize, design, and install all exhibits – as well as a major cultural resource for Chico. Over the past three years, the Museum has hosted exhibits on cross-cultural uses of drums, human-animal bonds in various times and places, and meso-American textiles (to name just a few). The Museum hosts a speaker series on world travel, and countless enrichment programs for K-12 students and teachers.
   
   Unfortunately, this gem is well-hidden on campus. It is currently housed on the third floor of Langdon Hall in approximately 2700 square feet for display, construction, storage, administration, and reception functions. Handicap access is available only via a freight elevator, and control of temperature and humidity are perennial challenges in caring for artifacts.
   
   Moving the Museum to another campus location, or a location near campus, would exponentially expand the learning opportunities for the students in Museum Studies and the professional opportunities for the Museum Studies faculty. Equally important, such a move would open the door to a plethora of new opportunities for outreach to the campus, our partners in K-12 education, and the community. Our goal for the next 5-7 years is to raise approximately $50,000 to move the museum to a nearby and accessible campus location and provide remodeling and equipment beyond what would be possible using state funds alone. In the longer term, we would like to build an endowment that would provide $3,000 - $5,000 annually for Museum operations.

Dean

Gayle Hutchinson

Advancement Director

Greg Van Dyke