VPAA Written Communications Academic Year 2025-2026

Dear Colleagues,

I am writing to share an important leadership update for the College of Agriculture.

Following three strong years of Dr. Dave Hassenzahl’s service as interim dean, and conversations with faculty, staff, and external constituents, I am pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Kevin Patton as Interim Dean of the College of Agriculture, effective July 1. Kevin brings deep institutional knowledge, steady leadership, and a strong commitment to the college’s mission that will ensure continuity and continued progress during this transition period.

Kevin has been a member of the Chico State faculty since 2008 and currently serves as Associate Dean in the College of Natural Sciences. Over the past three years, he has also supported the College of Agriculture as Interim Associate Dean, providing leadership in operations, academic programs, assessment, research, and student success. In 2024, he was appointed Interim Director of the University Farm, where he oversees operations of the 800-acre facility, supports hands-on student learning, and advances collaborations with industry and community partners. He has also helped guide major capital projects supported by $18.75 million in one-time state funding to build and renovate experiential learning facilities, including the new Agricultural Education Center and Jay Gilbert Farm Store, Meats Lab renovation, and irrigation efficiency upgrades.

He previously served as Chair and Graduate Coordinator of the Department of Kinesiology and remains active in scholarship focused on teacher education and leadership in higher education. His work includes over 50 publications and more than 100 national and international presentations. He has received multiple awards, including the Chico State Professional Achievement Honors, recognition as a SHAPE America Research Fellow, and selection as a Fulbright Specialist Scholar. He has also completed leadership programs through the American Kinesiology Association and Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education. Kevin shared, “I’m honored to support the College of Agriculture and University Farm during this transition and remain committed to advancing our programs, supporting our faculty, staff, and students, and sustaining the strong momentum already underway.”

I also want to extend my sincere gratitude to Dr. Hassenzahl for his dedicated service and leadership over the past three years. Under his guidance, the college has strengthened its academic programs, deepened community partnerships, and enhanced its regional impact. Reflecting on his time leading the college, Dave noted, “I have been grateful for the welcome and support I have gotten from the College of Agriculture and the North State ag community. I have learned a lot, and I hope that my three years with the college have been helpful. Having worked so closely with Kevin in the last few years, I know he will continue to bring visionary, caring, accomplished, and committed leadership to the college.”

During this transition, Kevin will continue to serve as interim farm director as we launch a national search for a full-time farm director, and an internal search for an interim associate dean for the college. We will launch a national search for a full-time dean in the fall. More details on these searches will be forthcoming.

Please join me in thanking Dave for his contributions and in supporting Kevin as he steps into this interim role.

To recognize the exceptional service and workload that faculty undertake to support student success, the Provost Office and the Exceptional Service Assigned Time (ESAT) Committee are pleased to invite applications for the Exceptional Service Assigned Time (ESAT) award.

Applications should be submitted via the secure shared folder by Thursday, March 5, 2026. Please see the attached memorandum (PDF) for additional details about eligibility, required materials, and the review process.

We appreciate the many ways you support our students and look forward to reviewing your applications.

Please join us for the Spring Academic Affairs Town Hall hosted by the Office of the Provost. Provost Leslie Cornick will share updates and reflections related to Academic Affairs and the semester ahead. This Town Hall provides an opportunity for colleagues across Academic Affairs to come together, hear what is happening, and stay connected.

The Spring Academic Affairs Town Hall will take place on Tuesday, February 17 from 2:00 to 3:30 in Colusa 100A. A Zoom option will be available for those unable to attend in person, though in-person participation is strongly encouraged. A calendar invitation for the Town Hall has been sent.

Following the Town Hall, those who are interested are welcome to remain for a focus group beginning shortly after the Town Hall concludes (approximately 3:40 p.m.). The focus group will center on the proposed new Office of Research and Innovation at Chico State and is intended to gather broad input and perspectives. Depending on group size and interest, topics may include needs, priorities, concerns, potential structure, and future opportunities related to research and innovation.

No additional calendar invitation will be sent for the focus group. Attendees are welcome to participate in the Town Hall only, or to stay for the discussion as their schedule allows.

We hope you will be able to join us for this important conversation.

Dear Campus Community,

The Provost has proposed the creation of a new Office of Research and Innovation. The goal of this proposed office is to "combine internal funding, proposal development, innovation support, and shared research resources to better support faculty success."

As part of the exploration and development of this new office, we are seeking broad, preliminary input on its potential need, desirability, functions, structure, and services. Your feedback will help inform early planning and decision-making. This survey represents the first formal opportunity to share your thoughts about the proposed office.

We encourage everyone to take this survey. Your responses are anonymous. Depending on your role on campus and feedback, the survey will take 5-15 minutes. 

The survey will close on Friday, February 6 at 5pm.

If you have questions, comments, or concerns, please contact me.

Sincerely,

Ben Seipel

bseipel@csuchico.edu

On behalf of the Accessibility Resource Center, I am sharing the message below and ask that you please review it. 

Dear Academic Affairs Colleagues,

The Accessibility Resource Center (ARC) is implementing a new process for how we facilitate accommodations for Attendance Flexibility and Assignment Extensions. These accommodations are low incidence, but we want to ensure they are applied consistently and clearly across courses.

What’s Changing:

• When a student is approved for either accommodation and requests it for your course, instructors will receive an automated email prompt.
• The email will include a link to a short questionnaire, asking the instructor to provide information based on their course syllabus (e.g., attendance policies and assignment timelines).
• The link will take instructors directly to ARC’s case management system – Accessible Information Management (AIM) – where an instructor profile has already been created. No additional setup is required. This is a secure link to AIM, which has been vetted by ISEC and utilizes Chico State’s Shibboleth single sign-on and Duo prompts.

Why This Matters:

• This approach supports transparency, allows for accommodation planning in the context of course structure, and helps ARC uphold the integrity of academic programs.

We wanted to share this information with Academic Affairs, so everyone is aware of the updated process. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at the Accessibility Resource Center. Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting student access. 

Holly L Hunt

I am pleased to share the recipients of the 2025–2026 Strategic Investment for Innovation in Academic Affairs awards. This year’s call generated a strong and competitive pool of proposals that reflects the creativity, dedication, and commitment of our campus community.

After careful review, the following projects were selected for funding:

• Rural Reproductive Justice Alliance (RRJA): Advancing Student Success and Health Equity in the North State - Holly Kralj, Amy Magnus, & Celeste Bailey
• Proposing a Health College - Holly Nevarez, Fay Mitchell-Brown, David McCoy, Melissa Mache, Jessika Lawrence, Shelley Hart, Joan Giampaoli, Molly Calhoun, & Lindsay Briggs
• Wildcat Future Pathways: Strengthening College Readiness and Recruitment in the North State - Kelsey Dixon, Jeff Logsdon, Jennifer McKee, Brandi Aranguren, Mariam Yousif
• Community Health Assessment Program (CHAP) - Ryan Perkins
• Engage North State: Where Ideas Meet Action - Sue Peterson
• AI Curriculum Challenge - Zach Justus, Cassidy Hall

These projects represent a range of innovative efforts that support students, colleagues, the University, and our region. Thank you to everyone who submitted a proposal for the time, care, and thoughtfulness reflected in their work.

Please join me in congratulating our award recipients. We look forward to seeing the impact of these projects in the year ahead.

Greetings Colleagues,

I’m delighted to announce that School of Education Professor Ben Seipel has been appointed the Chico State Faculty Fellow for Research and Innovation for spring 2026. Dr. Seipel brings extensive experience as a principal investigator, program evaluator, and research leader, with over a decade of externally funded work at the local, state, and federal levels. His scholarship focuses on learning, cognition, assessment, and educational innovation, including the development of nationally recognized diagnostic assessment tools.

In addition to his research portfolio, Dr. Seipel has served in key campus leadership roles, including chair of the Institutional Review Board, Academic Senate member, and board member of Chico State Enterprises. As Faculty Fellow, he will support Academic Affairs in advancing a coordinated, faculty-centered vision for research and innovation at Chico State. He will engage with multiple constituencies across campus, CSE, and our external partners. Please join me in welcoming Dr. Seipel to this critical role for Chico State and our region.

The Office of the Provost invites applications for a full-time faculty fellow for spring 2026 to work with the Provost and Academic Affairs leadership on planning and designing a potential future Office of Research and Innovation at Chico State.

About the Fellowship

This Academic Affairs leadership opportunity will help chart a clear path for a possible future Office of Research and Innovation. The faculty fellow will draw on national models of research and innovation offices that combine internal funding, proposal development, innovation support, and shared research resources to support faculty success. Primary deliverables, due by the end of the spring 2026 semester, will include:

• Office of Research and Innovation Analysis: Provide a written report comparing structures at peer and CSU campuses (staffing, budget, services, etc.) and present two to three viable Chico State scenarios with pros/cons, first-year milestones and programming, and resource implications.
• Director Position Description: Draft a complete position description for a Director of Research and Innovation plus an implementation memo aligning the role with the priorities and structure of Academic Affairs.
• Innovation Incubator Plan: Propose a written campus incubator model to accelerate faculty-led ideas and strategic investing funding (e.g., proposal intake and review, mentoring, IP and compliance touchpoints, assessment).
• Stakeholder Engagement and Communications: Develop a structured consultation and communication plan (faculty, PAC+, department chairs, campus leadership, etc.) regarding a potential future Office of Research and Innovation.
• Final Report and 12-Month Roadmap: Synthesize findings into a final report and possible plan for AY 2026-27.

Appointment and Eligibility

• Term and Time Base: Spring 2026 semester. Full-time (1.0). The faculty fellow will not carry any instructional or departmental service assignments during spring 2026.
• Who May Apply: Tenured faculty with prior experience in research, grants and sponsored programs, internal funding programs, innovation/entrepreneurship, or other funding experiences are welcome to apply.

Selection Criteria

• Record of effective and collaborative campus service or leadership.
• Experience with externally funded research/creative activity, internal grant programs, centers/institutes, or innovation/entrepreneurship.
• Evidence of strong analysis and project management skills.

How to Apply

Please send the following to Provost Cornick (lcornick@csuchico.edu) by end of day December 29, 2025:

• Cover letter (up to 2 pages) describing motivation, relevant experience, and your brief approach to the deliverables listed above.
• Current CV.
• Chair or Dean acknowledgement confirming feasibility of a full-time reassignment in spring 2026 (brief email is fine).

The selected fellow will be announced by December 31, 2025.

I look forward to moving this initiative forward into 2026.

Dear Campus Community, 

We hope your semester is going well and that you are looking forward to a restful and enjoyable holiday season. We are writing to share an update on two important leadership searches that will launch this academic year and to invite your participation as we begin this work together. 

In the coming weeks, we will begin the searches for Chico State’s next Dean of the College of Business and Dean of the Meriam Library. The University is partnering with EQU Advisors to support these efforts. 

Our priority is to create a robust, inclusive, and transparent search process, and we invite all members of the Chico State community to participate. To get started, we invite you to help shape the search profiles for these positions. You are encouraged to share your input through the online survey available at http://www.equadvisors.com/csuc-start-up-survey. 

You are also invited to participate in virtual open forums for each search. The questions posed in the forums will mirror those in the survey. The forums are scheduled as follows: 

Dean of the College of Business Search: 
Date: Friday, December 12, 2025 
Time: 1:00 – 1:50pm 
Zoom Link: 

Meeting ID: 341 240 9368

Passcode: 977450

Dean of the Meriam Library Search: 
Date: Friday, December 12, 2025
Time: 2:00 – 2:50pm
Zoom Link:

Meeting ID: 245 785 8095 

Passcode: 588742

We look forward to gathering your feedback as we move forward with both searches. Your insights play a valuable role in helping us recruit strong, forward-thinking leaders for Chico State. 

Sent on behalf of the Emeritus and Retired Faculty and Staff Association (ERFSA)

The Emeritus and Retired Faculty and Staff Association (ERFSA) is pleased to invite nominations for the 2026 Hall of Honor. This cherished tradition celebrates Chico State’s emeritus and retired faculty and staff whose careers reflect exceptional dedication, service, and lasting contributions to the University and our community. Nominations are open through January 16, 2025.

We welcome nominations from all members of the Chico State community, including current employees, emeriti, and retirees. Inductees into the Hall of Honor exemplify the spirit of Chico State through their leadership, scholarship, and continued engagement with the campus and beyond.

For more information about the Hall of Honor and past inductees, please visit the Emeritus and Retired Faculty and Staff Association page. To submit a nomination, complete the 2026 Hall of Honor Nomination Form and email it to erfsa@csuchico.edu or you can drop it off in Kendall Hall 106 by January 16, 2025.

Help us celebrate the remarkable individuals who have shaped Chico State’s past and continue to inspire its future.

For questions, please contact the Provost Office or ERFSA at erfsa@csuchico.edu.

We are pleased to share that the application deadline for the Interim Associate Dean of Meriam Library has been extended to 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 19, 2025.

This interim, one-year appointment offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to the leadership of Meriam Library while also growing professionally in a key academic role. As the operational lead for the library, the interim associate dean will help guide its services, staff, and strategic initiatives, ensuring the library continues to be a cornerstone of teaching, learning, and scholarship at Chico State.

This position is ideal for someone ready to broaden their leadership experience, collaborate across campus, and make a lasting impact on how the library supports our students, faculty, and the broader academic community. It is also a chance to develop and apply new skills in organizational management, communication, and team building, all within a supportive and mission-driven environment.

If this opportunity aligns with your professional goals, or if you know someone who would be a great fit, please consider applying or submitting a nomination.

Applications (letter of interest and current CV) should be sent to Holly Ferguson (hferguson@csuchico.edu) by Wednesday, November 19, 2025. Interviews will take place Friday, November 21.

Thank you for considering this meaningful opportunity to lead, learn, and contribute to the continued success of Meriam Library and our campus community.

Dear Faculty,

Thank you for your participation in last year’s NAGPRA Inventory Survey. Your engagement made it a great success and helped Chico State further its compliance with state and federal law.

As part of our ongoing commitment to the respectful repatriation of Native American cultural items and ancestors, we are once again asking for your support in completing this year’s NAGPRA Inventory Survey.

If your survey responses indicate that your department may have, or does have, human remains, cultural items, or collections, our Campus Cultural Artifacts Specialist, Michelle Hansen, will follow up with you. In accordance with CalNAGPRA guidelines, please avoid handling these materials. Use existing records and visual inspections only—do not move or touch any human remains, cultural items, or collections. Additionally, if you have any questions about the survey or this process, please contact Michelle Hansen – mcampbell19@csuchico.edu.

Your thoughtful participation helps ensure this important work continues with the care, respect, and intentionality it deserves.

Please take a few moments to complete the NAGPRA Inventory Survey by Monday, December 1, 2025. Your involvement is invaluable to this meaningful work.

Thank you for your continued support and dedication.

Greetings Academic Affairs colleagues,

 As Cabinet shared with campus last week, the California State University has unveiled its new Vision for Student Success, which builds upon the achievements of Graduation Initiative 2025 and charts the next decade of progress across the CSU. We are embracing this new framework as a systemwide call to action — one that deeply resonates with the work already happening here at Chico State and across Academic Affairs.

 This new shared goal broadens our understanding of student success beyond graduation, committing that every CSU student will complete their degree with a clear career path or entry into further study. It also centers five key priorities: access, affordability, belonging, engagement, and learning. In doing so, it challenges us to strengthen our identity as a student-ready university — one that is student-centered, equity-driven, data-informed, collaborative, and transparent.

 At Chico State, we’re excited by the framework and encouraged that it aligns so well with strategies already underway and that are reflected within the Chico State Playbook. Some examples within Academic Affairs include expanding critical success courses, strong industry partnerships, applied and experiential learning, and undergraduate research.

I encourage each of you to take a few minutes to review the CSU’s Vision for Student Success and consider how your work connects to it. You can learn more about the framework and its guiding principles on the CSU website.

 Over the coming months, we will continue to engage in conversations about how this vision intersects with our goals and responsibilities. Students are the heart of what we do here at Chico State, and I’m proud of the ways everyone in Academic Affairs continues to innovate, collaborate, and prioritize their success.

Thank you for your dedication to Chico State and to our students’ futures – you all make me proud every single day.

I am pleased to announce the call for applications for the position of interim associate dean of Meriam Library. This is an interim, one-year, full-time appointment beginning in January 2026, with the possibility of renewal. The interim associate dean will serve as the operational lead for Meriam Library, providing essential leadership in support of our academic mission and the success of our students, faculty, and staff. This position is a 12-month full-time MPPIII with a salary range between $140 – 149k annually depending on experience.

 About Meriam Library

Meriam Library functions as a distinct academic unit integrating service, instruction, and collections management to support the university’s mission. It provides essential academic services and learning spaces, including the development and stewardship of collections and instruction in information literacy and bibliographic research.

 About the Role

The interim associate dean will serve as the operational lead for Meriam Library, playing a pivotal role in supporting its mission to enhance the academic experience for students, faculty, and the campus community. Working closely with the provost until a new dean of the library is hired, the interim associate dean will provide day-to-day leadership for the library’s services, staff, faculty, and operations.

 Key Responsibilities Include

• Supervise and support library staff to ensure smooth daily operations.
• Serve as the primary library administrator, in the absence of the dean.
• Serve as the dean’s designee on various committees and at university functions as requested by the dean.
• Collaborate with library faculty, staff, and campus partners to meet user needs and support academic initiatives.
• Oversee library workflows and coordinate the delivery of services.
• Manage and oversee all library operations, including facilities, budget, and acquisitions.
• Support and promote library programming that advances student learning and faculty engagement.
• Ensure effective personnel coverage for all library services and functions.
• Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and supportive work environment.
• Oversee personnel processes consistent with all university policies and collective bargaining agreements under the direction of and in collaboration with the dean.
• Communicate library policies and procedures effectively to the campus community.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated success in department/unit leadership or management, including budget management.
• Demonstrated effectiveness with conflict management and resolution, equity and diversity, and ethical issues involving students and faculty.
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively across academic disciplines and university departments and divisions.
• Strong leadership, organizational, and communication skills.

How to Apply

Interested applicants should submit a letter of interest and current CV to Holly Ferguson (hferguson@csuchico.edu) by 5:00 pm Monday November 17, 2025. Interviews will be conducted Friday November 21st. Nominations are also welcomed.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to serve in a key leadership role that supports our library’s essential contributions to teaching, learning, and scholarship at Chico State.

Academic Affairs invites proposals for the 2025–2026 Strategic Investment for Innovation in Academic Affairs initiative. This strategic investment opportunity supports projects that center student success within the broad categories of serving our region, investing in our people and improving processes, and future focused growth and innovation.

We welcome creative, mission-aligned proposals that advance Chico State’s priorities as outlined in the Chico State Playbook, the new CSU Student Success Framework, and the CSU Forward Strategic Plan.

Key Details

• Proposal deadline: November 19, 2025
• Award notifications: December 12, 2025
• Funding range: $5,000–$30,000, with a total of $100,000 available

Full submission guidelines, funding details, and evaluation criteria are included in the attached RFP (PDF). Please upload proposals to the 2025-26 Strategic Investment Proposals folder.

For questions about this opportunity or the submission process, please contact Holly Ferguson at hferguson@csuchico.edu.

Dear Campus Community,

Campus Sustainability Day is Thursday, and we’re encouraging all to engage in simple acts to reduce waste and increase resiliency. From turning off lights when you leave a room, to joining the student-run Green Campus program, do your part on a daily basis to keep our University verdant, our community stronger, and our region a more hospitable place to live.

Here are simple ways you can help: 

Save Energy
Green energy from solar and other renewable sources takes resources to produce and deliver. Using less energy saves money and valuable resources.

• Turn off electronics when not in use
• Unplug chargers and devices when you’re away for hours or overnight
• In winter, open your blinds or curtains during the day to let in sunlight, but close at night to trap in heat

Conserve Water
Most of Chico’s water comes from the aquifer under our feet. If we use it faster than it can replenish, it leaves less for the future.

• Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth or soaping up in the shower
• Wash clothes less often using cold water, especially water-hogging jeans
• Report leaks to Facilities Management Services—submit a service request ASAP

Recycle Right
Dirty recyclables don’t get recycled. Worse, they ruin clean items so they can’t be recycled either. 

• Only recycle items accepted on campus; check Recology’s flyer (PDF) for the list
• Keep recyclables clean—no food, grease, liquid, or ice
• Don’t wish cycle. When you put something in a bin that you hope (but don’t know) is recyclable, you end up contaminating the entire bin and sending everything to the landfill

Reuse
Reusing saves resources, cuts waste, and your wallet is happier too.

• Fill your reusable bottle at hydration stations instead of buying single-use drinks
• Carry a tote bag for books, groceries, and random campus finds—skip the plastic
• Shop secondhand at thrift stores or clothing swaps—it’s cheaper and keeps items out of landfills

Choose Sustainable Transportation
Getting around is one of the biggest ways we create greenhouse gases. Walking, biking, riding the bus, or carpooling cuts pollution, saves cash, and keeps our campus air fresh.

• Walk, bike, skate, or scooter to class when you can
• Your Wildcat ID card is a free bus pass on B-Line
• Carpool with classmates or colleagues when driving is necessary

Support Social Sustainability
Strong communities lift everyone up. Building connections, supporting fairness, and valuing diversity strengthens our community and makes campus a place where everyone belongs.

• Lend a hand—help a classmate, hold the door, or share resources
• Include others—invite someone new to join your study group or event
• Get involved—join clubs, volunteer, or participate in campus projects or events that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion

Chico State has long been a sustainability trailblazer. It was a founding signatory of the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (PDF), and consistently achieves STARS Gold ratings from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). For more information, visit Sustainability at Chico State.

Small actions add up to big change. Thank you for helping keep our campus and community healthy, resilient, and thriving for generations to come.

Applications are now being accepted for the 2026 Lantis University Professorships (Lantis Awards), generously endowed by David and Helen Lantis to recognize exceptional faculty and support their scholarly and creative pursuits.

Awards ranging from $20,000–$40,000 may be used for release time, travel, equipment, summer salary, or student stipends for projects lasting 12–36 months starting July 1, 2026. Tenured and tenure-track faculty are eligible, with particular encouragement for mid-career faculty advancing the next phase of their work.

Applications are due by Wednesday, November 19, 2025.

Award details and application requirements can be found on the Meriam Library website.

Dear Campus Community,

Academic advising is one of the most important ways we help students succeed. Advisors help students make timely progress toward their degrees, connect them with resources, and foster a sense of belonging. When advising is strong, students are more likely to stay, thrive, and graduate.

Over the past couple of months, we have been considering a plan to strengthen advising for both students and advisors. Guided by recommendations from the NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising and a data-driven examination of existing practices, we are moving toward a new advising structure for Chico State designed to improve consistency, equity, and support across the University. To date, recommendations have been presented to Provost Cornick and VP Brundage, Cabinet, the Provost’s Advisory Council, and academic advising staff and supervisors. Updates were also provided at the recent Academic Affairs Town Hall and the Academic Senate.

At this stage we are moving forward with the following:

• Beginning on or about October 15, University Advising and Academic Advising will be housed in Academic Affairs, rather than Student Affairs. Both units will continue to function as they currently do.
• Over the remainder of this academic year, consultations will be ongoing with the college deans, Provost’s Advisory Council, current faculty and staff advisors, and the newly launched Academic Advising Council to consider advising data and other recommendations, including transitioning AAP advisors to college-based advising units, examining equitable distribution of advising staff and advising duties, and providing common training for all advisors.
• The goal is for any recommendations and ideas that are well supported to be implemented effective July 1, 2026.
• No jobs are being eliminated. All current advising positions remain in place. Furthermore, we will be evaluating our capacity to hire additional advisors in the next 1–3 years.

Our primary goal is to improve the student advising experience—we're listening to our students’ feedback. Our expert professional advising staff are leading this data-informed initiative rooted in the belief that we can do better for our students and for those who support them.

The evidence is clear: students who meet with an advisor are significantly more likely to persist and graduate. At Chico State, one-year retention rates are 17% higher for First-Time-in-College (FTIC) students with advising, and 8% higher for transfer students. Four-year graduation rates are 18% higher for FTIC students with advising, and two-year graduation rates are 4% higher for transfer students. Imagine how we can build on that momentum by further strengthening our advising model.

Equally important, this project will better support those who are doing the work every day. These changes will create greater equity in advisor-to-student ratios, provide better support and training, and strengthen coordination and use of advising technologies. We know that advisor burnout is rising, and these improvements will enhance our ability to serve students effectively while aiding our Great Colleges to Work For goals.

Thank you to all who have worked to bring this vision forward, especially Kylee Sharp, who will serve as the Executive Director of Academic Advising, and Pablo Soto, who will be the Director of Academic Advising Procedures and Programs. We are excited for the conversations ahead and sharing more details with campus as we continue shaping a model of advising that matches the needs of our students and our University.

Dear Campus Community,  
  
I want to share an important update about North State Public Radio (NSPR). As you may know, management of the station is transitioning from CapRadio back to Chico State Enterprises (CSE) over the next few months. As NSPR’s license holder, Chico State is proud to bring the station home and ensure it remains a trusted and independent source of journalism for the more than 20,000 listeners it serves weekly.  

This transition will allow us to stabilize operations, improve compliance and financial oversight, and support long-term sustainability while staying true to NSPR’s mission.  

As required by the transition of operations, CapRadio gave notice to all current NSPR employees on Tuesday, September 30, that they will be separated from employment with the Sacramento-based station on November 30.  Chico State Enterprises has posted new job opportunities, and all current employees have been encouraged to apply. While some roles have been adjusted to reflect operational needs, programming will remain unchanged and we intend to preserve as much continuity as possible.  

With NSPR returning to the University, we are looking forward to hands-on opportunities for students—especially those in journalism, media, public relations, and recording arts—to contribute to live reporting, multimedia storytelling, and behind-the-scenes production.  

We know many of you are longtime NSPR listeners and donors. As part of the transition, all donations will need to be reprocessed through the University Foundation at Chico State. In November, we will provide instructions about how donors can continue their support.  

Chico State plans to assume full operational responsibility for NSPR by year’s end. We are committed to continuing NSPR’s legacy of independent news and storytelling, and we thank our employees, listeners, and supporters for their understanding during this important transition.

Dear Colleagues,

Welcome back! As we begin a new academic year, we’re excited for the opportunities ahead and grateful for the energy, creativity, and commitment you bring to our division. Your work makes a difference, and we’re looking forward to all that we’ll accomplish together this year.

To help kick off the semester, we invite you to join Provost Cornick for the Academic Affairs Fall Town Hall on Wednesday, September 24, from 1:30–3:00 p.m. in Colusa Hall.

This gathering is a chance to connect with the Provost, hear updates, and add your voice to the conversation. We encourage you to attend in person and engage with colleagues across the division. For those unable to join in person, a webinar option is also available.

Event Details
📅 Wednesday, September 24
⏰ 1:30–3:00 p.m.
📍 Colusa Hall
💻 Webinar option available

A calendar invite with full details is attached for your convenience.

We look forward to seeing you there and to starting the year with an open, collaborative conversation.