Student Advisory Board
Student Advisory Board on Campus Climate
California State University, Chico Division of Student Affairs
Preamble
California State University, Chico strives to provide an atmosphere that allows students to engage in learning inside and outside of the classroom. We aim to create collaborative living and learning experiences to encourage students’ appreciation of and engagement in diverse local, regional, and global communities of which we are all a part.
The University is committed to ensuring a broad and inclusive community that values diversity and fosters inclusivity and mutual respect, in which all members embrace core values of academic excellence, open inquiry, free expression, and diversity. We embrace and encourage our community differences in age, ability, race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity/expression, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, citizenship, military status, and other unique characteristics that allow our community to prosper.
CSU, Chico is committed to addressing concerns with regard to campus climate and community engagement. In navigating these challenges, we believe students provide the best insight and are the greatest sounding board on the needs of their peers. The Student Advisory Board on Campus Climate is designed to provide a platform for discussion and solutions on the challenges and issues related to campus climate.
Campus Climate is defined broadly as “The current attitudes, behaviors and standards of faculty, staff, administrators and students concerning the level of respect for individual needs, abilities and potential" (Susan Rankin, 2014(opens in new window)). The Division of Student Affairs at CSU, Chico defines campus climate as, “The atmosphere of the university that reflects whether all students feel valued, validated, and treated with fairness and respect”.
Mission
The Student Advisory Board on Campus Climate serves at the behest of the Vice President for Student Affairs (VPSA), to address issues that impact student retention, safety, and wellness in an effort to create a more enriching and inclusive environment for all members of our campus community. We work to bring voice to the experiences of underrepresented and underserved students and the impact of racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, islamophobia, antisemitism and all forms of oppression on our campus.
Purpose of Group
- To bring together CSU, Chico student leaders to discuss the issues that directly affect our communities.
- To communicate how local, national, and global news impacts CSU, Chico campus climate
- Articulate campus climate issues to campus administration.
- Propose strategies and/or solutions to address campus climate issues 2
- Share information with the campus community related to programs and events that address campus climate issues
- To strategize how campus programming can most effectively support CSU, Chico student communities in times of crisis
- Share impact of bias related incidents on students with the VPSA
- Provide feedback and ideas to administrators regarding crisis responses
- Based on incidences, board may invite students or specific communities to share their experience or insight
- Assist in creating spaces for support and healing as needed
This Board Is:
- A body to share personal stories that directly relate to the CSU, Chico student experience
- Reflect a cross-section of the CSU, Chico student population, without meeting a designated quota
- A body working directly to discover differences amongst Board members in order to find shared challenges and commonalities
- A body that directly discusses how racism, sexism, homophobia, and all other forms of bigotry and hatred manifest on the CSU, Chico campus
- A body that provides counsel to the VPSA
This Board Is Not:
- A representative of every identity
- A body that creates more programming on the CSU, Chico campus
- A body that allows individual members to act independent of the board and its Chair
Making Recommendations
The group will strive for consensus when making a recommendation. When a consensus cannot be reached, all recommendations will be shared with, evaluated, and assessed by the VPSA.
Applications for Fall 2020 board membership will be available April 1st
Staff Involvement
At the discretion of the VPSA, the following staff have been appointed and will provide support throughout training and board meetings:
- Malcolm J. McLemore
- Krystle Tonga
- Brianna Ellis
| Name | Major |
|---|---|
| Charlotte Torquato | Child Development |
| Juan Lombera | Exercise Physiology and Psychology |
| Adam Okikioposu | Marketing |
| Ilana Friedman | Child Development and Psychology |
| Kim Gomez | Psychology and Women's Studies |
| Rayanne Painter | MCGS and Journalism |
| Lupe Santana | Sociology |
| Bree Jones | Political Science and Psychology |
| Romelo Thornton | MCGS and Sociology |
| Alexis Rougely | Graphic Design |
| Trevor Guthrie | Political Science |