An inside look at living, studying and working at Cal Poly.

Inside Cal Poly

At Cal Poly, we emphasize open, fair and inclusive procurement – ensuring that the best goods and services are purchased to meet campus needs. We actively partner with Small Businesses (SB) and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises (DVBE), as well as promote opportunities with other diverse businesses, including LGBTQ, minority and women owned.



Our Procurement Services team – a department within Strategic Business Services – carefully manages every purchase to support the university’s goals for quality, efficiency and sustainability.



Covering everything from facilities to housing and commencement to Swanton Pacific Ranch, the procurement team helps to support the university’s mission.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="480" src="https://insidecp.calpolypartners.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/974e0b3b45bbcf314a5c942100b7f5b97d7873b0-4000x1875-1-1024x480.jpg" alt="A green and gold graphic with the words PROCUREMENT SERVICES SPENT $27 million with local business AND ACHIEVED $24 million in cost savings" class="wp-image-3032" srcset="https://insidecp.calpolypartners.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/974e0b3b45bbcf314a5c942100b7f5b97d7873b0-4000x1875-1-1024x480.jpg 1024w, https://insidecp.calpolypartners.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/974e0b3b45bbcf314a5c942100b7f5b97d7873b0-4000x1875-1-300x141.jpg 300w, https://insidecp.calpolypartners.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/974e0b3b45bbcf314a5c942100b7f5b97d7873b0-4000x1875-1-768x360.jpg 768w, https://insidecp.calpolypartners.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/974e0b3b45bbcf314a5c942100b7f5b97d7873b0-4000x1875-1-1536x720.jpg 1536w, https://insidecp.calpolypartners.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/974e0b3b45bbcf314a5c942100b7f5b97d7873b0-4000x1875-1-2048x960.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Over the past year the procurement team managed $208 million in total spending, with $27 million of that spent with local SLO County businesses. And through it all, they achieved $24 million in cost savings.



To help give a better picture of the breadth of purchases that they make on an annual basis, the team put together a very short list of some of the supplies, equipment and odds and ends that they purchase and rent throughout the year.



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>475,200 rolls of bathroom tissue, made from 100% recycled paper.</li>



<li>12,960 rolls of hand towels, made from 100% recycled paper.</li>



<li>1,275 foam mattresses tested for both comfort and sustainability.</li>



<li>90,000 linear feet – roughly the length of 300 football fields – of fencing, between Cal Poly and Swanton Pacific Ranch.</li>



<li>325 portable toilets rented to support events like WOW and Commencement.</li>
</ul>



These numbers not only align with Cal Poly’s goals, but they also highlight the essential efforts that keep the university running smoothly. By aligning our procurement choices with our values, we ensure that every dollar spent contributes to the well-being of students, the campus and the surrounding community. For more information about our procurement system and partnership opportunities, visit the <a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/procure-to-pay/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Procurement Services webpage</a>.

By the Numbers: Doing Business with Cal Poly

The much-anticipated transition of Information Technology Services (ITS) into Administration and Finance (A&#038;F) is nearing the final stages of this journey.
With this shift, A&#038;F and ITS look forward to joining efforts in the pursuit of becoming a more service-oriented unit, with increased offerings and exceptional administrative support to the campus community.
Service was smooth throughout the transition and faculty and staff should continue to use their current ITS contact for support.
With the move also came a change in leadership as Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer Bill Britton was promoted to special assistant to the president. In his new role he will support campuswide efforts to expand corporate engagement, leveraging recent changes to the CSU policy on Commercial Endorsements.
A national search for a new chief information officer is underway. In the meantime, Alison Robinson will be serving as interim chief information officer. Alison will serve as a member of the A&#038;F Senior Leadership Team and will also be a member of the President&#8217;s Cabinet.

ITS Joins Administration and Finance

Cal Poly Corporation recently closed on the purchase of a new off-campus building and has partnered with Gensler, a global architecture, design, and planning firm, to research the best use of the space.
The facility will enable the campus community to expand over the next decade in alignment with the 2035 Master Plan and will create the opportunity to increase classroom spaces in the university core.
Cal Poly Mustang Business Park at 4800 Morabito Place, offers 46,000 square feet of workspace over two stories as well as a 3,800 square foot video production studio that features a two-story tall green screen.
Originally built in 2013 as the home of Rosetta Marketing Group, the facility will offer staff several upgrades and benefits, including: free parking, technology upgrades, more flexibility with hoteling space and the ability to come and go, easy access to San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport, a full kitchen alongside large meeting and collaboration spaces.
Planning and programing work for the facility has been underway since last spring. A project working group has been formed and is tasked with creating a plan and pathway forward for the building to ensure that a thoughtful approach is taken, and every available avenue is researched.
Results of the 14-week study will be announced soon. The project completion date is estimated for early 2024.

State of the Art Off-Campus Workspace Coming

In the ever-evolving landscape of higher education, universities like Cal Poly must manage a multitude of assets.
Risk Management protects assets such as physical infrastructure, people and our institution&#8217;s reputation. They also play a pivotal role in identifying, assessing and mitigating the risks that threaten these assets. They examine various aspects of university operations, identifying potential threats and vulnerabilities.
Whether assessing risks related to campus activities, safety protocols, or financial matters, their aim is to create a safer and more secure environment for everyone associated with Cal Poly. 
One of the key responsibilities of Risk Management is securing insurance coverage to protect the university and its community members.
Risk Management plays an active role in various events and programs such as the design village and logging competition, ensuring safety. They manage a wide range of insurance policies, including specialized ones such as aviation and rodeo policies, which are tailored to the unique risks faced by Cal Poly. Certain events or programs can require evidence of insurance from Cal Poly or the California State University (CSU) when organizing events or services. Risk Management ensures that these requirements are met.
Risk Management also oversees driver safety, an essential aspect of campus operations. They identify individuals driving for university business and in university vehicles, and provide training and additional safety measures.
Accident and incident reporting is another crucial function, not to be confused with workers&#8217; compensation, which falls under the purview of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS). Risk Management and EHS have a close partnership to collectively strategize and ensure the safety of all individuals on campus. Transparency and collaboration between these two entities are crucial for managing risks effectively.
A strategic initiative within Cal Poly&#8217;s Risk Management is to create the Youth Protection Program.
The CSU is in collaboration with the organization Praesidium, this program specializes in the protection of vulnerable populations with a focus on individuals under the age of 18 who come to the campus. The Risk Management team is taking proactive steps by building a Youth Protection Committee, comprising members from across the campus community. This committee will bring diverse perspectives to create solutions applicable to the entire university, especially in the context of youth-serving programs.
Risk Management at Cal Poly is more than just ensuring financial stability; it&#8217;s about protecting the university&#8217;s future, its reputation and the safety of all those connected to this vibrant academic community. Their proactive approach to risk assessment, insurance management and innovative programs like the Youth Protection Initiative demonstrates their commitment to creating a safer, more secure Cal Poly for all.

Safeguarding Excellence: The Role of Risk Management at Cal Poly

Cal Poly Department of Emergency Management (DEM) shot to prominence in early 2020 as it quickly activated the campus Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and for more than two years helped guide the university through the COVID-19 Pandemic.



Under DEM’s leadership and guidance, Cal Poly developed over 170 COVID-19 Safety Plans, including for distributing face masks, implementing and coordinating isolation, providing vaccinations, maintaining surveillance testing sites and processing over 210,000 saliva surveillance tests with systems that were developed by Cal Poly faculty and staff.



Now, two years removed, the department continues its “All Hazards, All Phases” brand of Emergency Management by coordinating the university’s preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation efforts, with respect to disasters and other catastrophic events.



A department within Cal Poly Public Safety, DEM is led by Anthony Knight, the executive director of Public Safety and Emergency Management, and Emergency Services Managers Megan Harrington, Jennifer Marsano, and Dave Lee. Amongst their many responsibilities is working with campus divisions and units to develop and maintain Business Continuity Plans (BCPs) that ensure functions, systems and operations will resume following a catastrophic event.



As with any of DEM’s planning products, these BCPs are based on the university’s campus Hazards and Vulnerability Assessment and Business Impact Analysis and will integrate with exercise and improvement cycles, communication strategies, and training guidelines for campus.



In everyday terms the purpose for continuity planning is to develop a framework and strategies for coping with incidents, including how core critical functions could be maintained so operations and services can continue even while services may be disrupted.



This helps when a disaster does happen. The planning has already been done and processes are put into place so staff know what to do to mitigate disruptions and don’t have to create solutions in high-stress situations. This allows Cal Poly divisions and units to respond with a degree of autonomy and allows for another layer of emergency response and resiliency before the Cal Poly EOC is activated.



These plans consist of a directory of essential personnel and business contacts, a prioritized list of critical functions together with the essential staff, equipment and support activities identified for each function, lines of succession and delegations of authority, alternate operating facilities, procedures for safeguarding vital records, and testing and training exercises.



Under the second iteration of the university’s Business Continuity Planning campaign, DEM hopes to assist all Cal Poly divisions and units in building their respective plans. Ultimately, Cal Poly will have over 50 BCPs to serve all Community Members, making Cal Poly the safest campus within the California State University system.

Ensuring Cal Poly Continues to Run During an Emergency

Justin Vastine has been a part of the Cal Poly community for more than seven years and has recently taken on the position of director of Operations for Administration and Finance.
Previously, he served as the director of Student Financial Services where he managed the Student Accounts office and University Cashier’s office. Vastine also worked in the retail management sector after receiving his bachelor’s degree from California State University, Long Beach and his MBA from California State University, Fullerton.
“Due to this, I often like to think of myself as a product of the CSU,” Vastine said.
With his connection to the CSU system, Vastine made a goal when he joined Cal Poly to visit all 23 CSUs. Currently, he has visited 17 of them.
During his time with SFS, Vastine said he enjoyed working with students by helping them understand and pay for their education. Now as the director of Operations, he is excited to get started.
“I am extremely excited to become the director of Operations to hopefully make a larger impact on Administration and Finance as a whole, and share with our Cal Poly community the great work that our division does on a daily basis,” Vastine said.
A goal of Vastine’s is to ensure that the community notices the reach of A&#038;F and that the division&#8217;s individual units understand how they impact student success. He is also excited to work on operational effectiveness throughout the division by assisting individual units to enhance their efficiency in serving the Cal Poly community.

Tag: Administration and Finance

By the Numbers: Doing Business with Cal Poly

ITS Joins Administration and Finance

State of the Art Off-Campus Workspace Coming

Safeguarding Excellence: The Role of Risk Management at Cal Poly

Ensuring Cal Poly Continues to Run During an Emergency

Meet the New Director of Operations