News
Nearly 700 Graduate in Dec. 8 Commencement Ceremonies 
Nearly 700 students graduated in three ceremonies Dec. 8, each held in the ASI Recreation Center. The university awarded 652 bachelor’s and 30 master’s degrees to students from the Orfalea College of Business, College of Engineering, College of Architecture and Environmental Design, College of Liberal Arts, College of Science and Mathematics, and College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences.
George A. Bekey, Matt Kwan and Diana Barnhart gave keynote speeches.
Click here for details & photo slideshow on December Commencement
Commencement ceremonies in spring 2008 are set for two days on June 14 and 15 in Alex G. Spanos Stadium. For more information on the new two-day spring commencement ceremonies, visit
http://www.studentlife.calpoly.edu/com/june.asp?dept=com.
Cal Poly Receives Record Number of Applications for 14th Straight Year
For the fourteenth year in a row, Cal Poly has received a record number of undergraduate applications. For the 2008 fall quarter the university received a total of 37,760 applications. Cal Poly applications are up 10.5 percent from the 34,167 received in 2007.
Read more about the record number of applications
Annual Poinsettia Sale
Runs Through Saturday
Cal Poly's annual poinsettia sale, featuring more than 2,500 plants in 27 different varieties and colors, continues through Dec. 15. The plants are grown by students involved in the university's Poinsettia Agriculture Enterprise Project, which begins in the spring of every year. This year's poinsettia project offers an assortment of reds, whites, pinks, and other novelty varieties such as Jingle Bells and Marbles. Plant sizes range from a few inches to four feet tall. Offerings include traditional, centerpiece, and tree-shaped forms. Prices range from $6 to $60.
More on the annual poinsettia sale
Give 'The Gift of Veggies' from Cal Poly's Organic Farm
Need a fresh idea for a holiday gift? How about a certificate for a box of crisp, hand-picked winter vegetables from the Cal Poly Organic Farm. The farm is offering holiday-themed certificates for a “Gift of Veggies.” The certificates are $26.50 and entitle the bearer to one full harvest box of winter herbs and vegetables. Order by Dec. 21. The Organic Farm takes a two-week operations break from Dec. 24 to Jan. 7. Harvests and weekly deliveries resume Jan. 14. Fall/winter season crops include lettuce, leafy greens, onions, arugula, leeks, carrots, tomatoes, corn, bell peppers, broccoli, chard, kale and more.
More on Organic Farm gift certificates & subscriptions
Retired Faculty and Staff Club Welcomes Newest Members
At a recent meeting of the of the Cal Poly Retired Faculty and Staff Club, two new members were honored - Gail Simmons and Carolyn Jones. Simmons was employed at Cal Poly for nearly 35 years, retiring in Aug. 2006. Jones joined her colleague Simmons in retirement in Jan. 2007 after more than 33 years at Cal Poly. In the photo (left to right) are President of the Retired Faculty and Staff Club Don Morris, Orfalea College of Business Professor Jim Lau, Simmons, Jones, and Emeritus Dean of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences Lark Carter. For more information on the Cal Poly Retired Faculty and Staff Club, contact Don Morris at 805-773-1672.
Briefings
Next Cal Poly Report Scheduled for Jan. 9
The next Cal Poly Report will be published on Wednesday, Jan. 9. Email submissions to polynews@calpoly.edu by 4 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 4.
Faculty Reminder: Submit Course Reserve Materials for Winter Quarter
Faculty members should submit course reserve materials as soon as
possible to avoid delays in making the material available to students. Reserve materials and faculty submission forms should be brought to the
station located in the circulation area of Kennedy Library.
The course reserves unit processes requests in the order received. For more information, contact Donna Lister, coordinator for course reserves, at ext. 6-5760
or dlister@calpoly.edu. The library will close Dec. 26 through Jan. 1, re-opening at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 2. Consult the library Web site at www.library.calpoly.edu for a complete schedule of library hours.
Submit Nominations for Distinguished Scholarship Awards by Jan. 18
The nomination period for the Distinguished Scholarship Award runs through Friday, Jan. 18. Students, faculty, and alumni are encouraged to nominate Cal Poly faculty members for an award, which are intended to recognize the scholarship and creative activity of both junior and senior faculty across all disciplines represented on campus. More information and nomination forms are available at http://www.calpoly.edu/~acadsen/research_award.html.
Resident/Community Advisor Positions Available Beginning Summer 2008
Faculty and staff are urged to encourage highly-qualified students to apply for resident and community advisor positions for summer 2008 and the 2008-2009 academic year. Applications are available online at http://advisors.calpoly.edu. University housing strives to hire a diverse group of advisors who display leadership ability, dedication, maturity and responsibility. Compensation includes on-campus housing and meals. For more information or to nominate a student, email advisors@calpoly.edu. Applications are due Friday, Jan. 18, at 3 p.m.
Nominations Sought for Outstanding Staff Award
The deadline to submit nomination forms for the 2007-2008 Outstanding Staff Employee Award is Jan. 23, 2008. To be eligible, nominees must be full or part-time employees of the university, corporation, or ASI and in at least their third year of employment as of Dec. 31. Employees represented by bargaining unit 3 (faculty) and former recipients of the award are ineligible. Nomination and reference forms are at http://www.afd.calpoly.edu/HR/forms/index.html#OutstandingStaff.
Kudos
UPD Awarded for Participation in NOAA Weather Observation Program
The University Police Department has received the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration “Honored Institution Award” for 50 years of participation in the Weather Observation program. Officer John Edds and Communications/Records Coordinator Fred Mills accepted the award for the department.
Historically, UPD officers took daily rainfall and temperature readings from the NOAA weather station located near Building 4, known for decades as the "Aero Hangar". Police dispatchers recorded the information and forwarded monthly reports to NOAA and the National Weather Service.
UPD parking services also played a role, gathering and forwarding monthly reports regarding hourly precipitation. Approximately four years ago, UPD Officer John Edds integrated computer and wireless communication technologies to facilitate automated, real-time reporting of weather data. That data is accessible on the UPD web site at www.police.calpoly.edu and is used by a variety of people and organizations. Data gathered by weather observers like the UPD supports forecast, warning and other public service programs of the National Weather Service. This data helps define America’s climate and is used in agricultural planning and assessment, engineering, environmental-impact assessments, utilities planning, and litigation.
Coming Up
Professors to Sign Books at Cal Poly Downtown Store Thursday 
Two longtime Cal Poly professors will be signing copies of their book, "Quiet Journey," at the Cal Poly Downtown store during Farmer’s Market in San Luis Obispo Thursday, Dec. 13. Journalism Professor Emeritus Jim Hayes and Art Professor Emeritus Robert Reynolds will be signing books from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The full-color, glossy book features written reflections by Hayes, a mentor to hundreds of professional journalists in California and across the West, paired with paintings and drawings by Reynolds, a well known artist and mentor to many Cal Poly art graduates.
More on the book signing by professors Hayes and Reynolds
Printer Friendly Highlights
More Events & Entertainment Listings
Cal
Poly Report is a newsletter for University employees
and is prepared by the Cal
Poly Public Affairs Office. Employees wishing
to submit items for Cal Poly Report should e-mail
them to polynews@calpoly.edu
no later than 4 p.m. the Friday before desired publication.
Items should be 200 words or less. Brevity is appreciated.
Cal Poly Report is published every Wednesday during
the academic year, except for holidays and quarter
breaks.
