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Inside Cal Poly

Getting around campus just got easier. This fall, Cal Poly Public Safety launched a second Mustang Shuttle with a new route to improve convenience and reach more areas of campus.



The <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DPhMkn0ElMZ/" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.instagram.com/p/DPhMkn0ElMZ/">new shuttle</a> operates on the same reliable schedule: the daytime shuttle runs from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and the evening shuttle runs from 7 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. every day. The expansion doubles the number of shuttles running, with two during the day and two at night. It also introduces opposite-direction routes, with one shuttle traveling clockwise and the other counterclockwise. This change increases pickup frequency, adds new stops and helps riders get to their destinations more quickly.



The Mustang Shuttle is a free, ADA-accessible transportation option that connects Mustangs to key destinations across campus. Current daytime stops include the Kennedy Library, Dairy Science and Poultry units, Rose Float/Wine and Viticulture units, Poly Canyon Village at Vista Caballo, and the Performing Arts Center loop. The evening route expands to nine stops, adding popular locations such as the Recreation Center, Cerro Vista, University Union and multiple Poly Canyon Village stops.



To make catching a ride even easier, riders can now download the Mustang Shuttle app, available in the App Store and Google Play. The app allows users to track shuttle locations, view estimated arrival times and enjoy onboard Wi-Fi.



Since launching in 2021, Mustang Shuttle has become a key part of the campus transportation network, providing more than 121,000 rides. With this expansion, Public Safety aims to make campus travel faster, safer and more sustainable, one ride at a time.



For those traveling late or seeking added safety, Mustang Patrol continues to provide on-campus walking escorts Thursday through Saturday nights.

Person with a white backpack walking toward a green Mustang Shuttle bus on a sunny day.

More Routes, More Rides: Mustang Shuttle Expands This Fall

Original Source: Mustang News 



Reporter: Madeline Kuhns and Samantha Roach



Date: October 24, 2025



Link: <a href="https://mustangnews.net/cal-poly-kennedy-library-new-mural/">https://mustangnews.net/cal-poly-kennedy-library-new-mural/</a>



On June 16, 2023, the Kennedy Library shut down for renovations leaving students on campus without a go-to study place.&nbsp;



To celebrate the Sept. 15 re-opening, a ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on Thursday, allowing guests to take self-guided tours and participate in a Q&amp;A session with the artists of the new mural featured in the lobby.&nbsp;



The ribbon-cutting highlighted the new “Grounds for Growth” mural created by local artists, Joshua Lawyer and MJ Lindo-Lawyer. The ceremony, taking place a month after the start of the school year, avoided the large beginning-of-year crowds flooding into the new building.

Large indoor mural featuring a woman’s face surrounded by vibrant flowers, leaves, and butterflies painted in bright colors across a blue background.

Kennedy Library Unveils New Mural in Official Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony

Original Source: edhat 



Reporter: Kathakali Nandi



Date: October 23, 2025



Link: <a href="https://www.edhat.com/news/cal-poly-launches-first-major-modular-housing-project-amid-housing-crunch/">https://www.edhat.com/news/cal-poly-launches-first-major-modular-housing-project-amid-housing-crunch/</a>



California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) is set to add new student housing. Construction of the first major modular housing project started on October 22, 2025, <a href="https://www.calpoly.edu/newsletters/cal-poly-report/2025/10/22-cal-poly-report-october-22-2025" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the university said on its website</a>. 



The $1.2 billion housing program, part of a multi-phase housing plan, is expected to add more than 3,000 new beds in a suite-style design.



The residential units will be organized in three-bedroom suites, with each bedroom having double occupancy. Each suite will have two bathrooms and a shared living space. All buildings will include community spaces, study lounges, and kitchens.&nbsp;



The residence hall room and common spaces will be fabricated in an off-site factory and assembled on the campus. This modular construction plan reduces time and makes the project affordable and efficient,&nbsp;<a href="https://housing.calpoly.edu/future-housing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cal Poly said on its website</a>.&nbsp;

Color-coded site plan map showing proposed campus housing buildings labeled A through I, with roads, walkways, and landscaped areas around Klamath Road, Grand Avenue, and Mustang Way.

Cal Poly Launches First Major Modular Housing Project Amid Housing Crunch  

Original Source: Mustang News



Reporter: Sam Fickett



Date: October 13, 2025



Link: <a href="https://mustangnews.net/mustang-safe-replaces-rave-guardian/">https://mustangnews.net/mustang-safe-replaces-rave-guardian/</a>



Cal Poly launched Mustang Safe, on Sept. 19, to replace the existing campus safety app, Rave Guardian. This change comes after Cal Poly introduced Rave Guardian two years ago in January 2022.&nbsp;



According to&nbsp;<a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/police/services/safety-app">the Cal Poly Police Department website</a>, the app provides “a more holistic approach to campus safety and wellbeing.” The website’s report also states Cal Poly students, faculty and staff will need to remove the Rave Guardian app before they can download the Mustang Safe app.



Mustang Safe offers similar features to Rave Guardian, with additional campus-specific integrations. It includes the core safety features that Rave Guardian offered, such as directories to call 911 or the Cal Poly Police Department (CPPD), links to student resources and has location sharing options.&nbsp;

Nighttime photo of an outdoor campus plaza with stairs and overhead lights, showing a faint, ghost-like blur of a person walking due to long-exposure motion.

Cal Poly Launches New Campus Safety App ‘Mustang Safe’ to Replace ‘Rave Guardian’

Original Source: Mustang News Reporter: Katy Clark Date: September 27, 2025 Link: <a href="https://mustangnews.net/new-mustang-shuttle-route/">https://mustangnews.net/new-mustang-shuttle-route/</a> 



Cal Poly added a second Mustang Shuttle route during the day that goes in the opposite direction of the other daytime shuttle.&nbsp;



This addition means that two shuttles will run during the day and two will run in the evening. During both times, the two shuttles will run in the opposite direction, differing from last year when the two evening shuttles ran in the same direction.&nbsp;



“We had feedback that sometimes people didn’t want to get on the shuttle because the stop they were going to would be at the “end” of the route, so now you can go on the shuttle that’s going in the opposite direction to make it more efficient,” University Spokesperson Keegan Koberl wrote in an email to Mustang News.

Cal Poly Mustang Shuttle parked in front of the University Union, with the modern glass-and-metal building and palm trees in the background on a clear sunny day.

Cal Poly Adds New Mustang Shuttle Route Running in the Opposite Direction

Original Source: Mustang News



Reporter: RJ Pollock 



Date: September 12, 2025



Link: <a href="https://mustangnews.net/kennedy-library-reopens-2025/">https://mustangnews.net/kennedy-library-reopens-2025/</a>



Cal Poly’s Robert E. Kennedy Library is nearing the end of its two-year, $78 million transformation that will reopen the campus hub for fall quarter 2025.



When the library doors open on Sept. 15, students will find more seating options, new study zones and upgraded technology throughout the building. Expanded 24-hour hubs on the first and second floors will provide around-the-clock access, while new ground-floor classrooms and a Julian’s Cafe add both academic and social spaces.&nbsp;



The major renovations include all-gender restrooms, seismic upgrades and climate control improvements, along with new accessibility features such as updated elevator infrastructure, added ramps and a redesigned floor plan to make it easier to move through the building.

Entrance of Robert E. Kennedy Library with a colorful floral mural painted beside the sliding glass doors on the concrete exterior.

Cal Poly Kennedy Library returns after completion of two-year transformation

Original Source: Mustang News



Reporter: Alan Ko



Date: Aug. 5, 2025



Link: <a href="https://mustangnews.net/cal-poly-welcomes-new-police-chief/">https://mustangnews.net/cal-poly-welcomes-new-police-chief/</a>







Cal Poly officially welcomed its new chief of police, Robert Plastino, during a swearing-in ceremony on July 25.



Plastino brings over 27 years of experience with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, where he previously served as chief deputy of law enforcement operations. He covered a wide jurisdiction from Carpinteria to Cuyama and included oversight of both patrol and detective divisions. He also worked closely with the University of California, Santa Barbara and the Isla Vista communities.



His appointment follows the promotion of former Chief George Hughes last summer to associate vice president of public safety, a role that now oversees both Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and the new Solano campus.

Cal Poly Swears in New Police Chief

Original Source: BDC Network



Reporter: Novid Parsi



Date: July 1, 2025



Link: <a href="https://www.bdcnetwork.com/home/news/55300726/cal-poly-takes-a-modular-approach-to-deliver-4200-beds-in-nine-new-student-housing-buildings">https://www.bdcnetwork.com/home/news/55300726/cal-poly-takes-a-modular-approach-to-deliver-4200-beds-in-nine-new-student-housing-buildings</a>



In San Luis Obispo, Calif., California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) has commenced work on a student housing development that will provide 4,200 beds in nine new buildings, enabling all second-year students to live on campus.



With design by Steinberg Hart Architects, the $1 billion-plus project marks the first large-scale use of modular construction within the California State University system, according to FullStack Modular, which will manufacture the units offsite.



FullStack Modular’s volumetric modular system, which is all steel and fully integrated, will reduce costs, construction time, and environmental impact while maintaining superior quality, according to the company’s press statement. By taking a modular approach, Cal Poly aims to address the challenges of rising construction costs and the state’s lack of affordable housing.

Cal Poly Takes a Modular Approach to Deliver 4,200 Beds in Nine New Student Housing Buildings

Original Source: Rebusiness Online



Date: Feb. 13, 2025 



Link: <a href="https://rebusinessonline.com/california-polytechnic-state-university-to-begin-4200-bed-residence-hall-project/">https://rebusinessonline.com/california-polytechnic-state-university-to-begin-4200-bed-residence-hall-project/</a>



SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIF. — California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) is set to begin construction on a 4,200-bed residence hall project on the university’s campus in San Luis Obispo. The development will include nine buildings offering suite-style units for second-year students.



“Affordable housing is such a big problem — especially on the West Coast — and we need to think differently about how we approach housing and continue to improve the process,” says Mike McCormick, vice president of facilities management and development at Cal Poly. “We’ve assembled a team of professionals committed to rethinking how we deliver housing and FullStack Modular’s innovative approach is a huge part of that.”

Tag: Cal Poly