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

Inside Cal Poly

Four years ago Student Accounts felt like the office of “no”. Working with student finances, timely payments, avoiding registration holds, and often telling students “no” was a stressful environment for both students and employees. Student Accounts leadership realized that a change was needed.



Business Transformation Manager Lori Serna and University Controller Marc Benadiba enlisted Director of Student Financial Services Justin Vastine, and Solution Support Facilitator John Buerger, and the team began with some basic data collection. Questions such as who are our customers? How do they engage with us? And what questions are they asking? Were further investigated to help better understand the issues. Once the collected data had been studied, they went to work creating a plan.



Enter Solutions Support. Based on empathy, digging deeper and providing help, Solutions Support is Student Accounts’ innovative way of thinking about customer support.



Enacting Solutions Support required two main ingredients, consistency and culture.



As it does, consistency came over time. Every message had to have a templated response so all students can receive stable, reliable support. Each experience is rooted in empathy with the objective to give students a clear path. Lastly, the brand was based on none other than Cal Poly’s Learn by Doing motto, a hands-on experience that pairs nicely with Solutions Support.



Arguably more important than consistency was the change in culture. This culture specifically was, and still is, all about building relationships with partners while constantly trying to improve.



Each element of Solutions Support was so unique that the team was invited to the Western Association of College and University Business Officers (WACUBO) for 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the conference was cancelled but interest in Solutions Support was so high that the team was invited back in 2021. The goal of this conference was to allow university leaders around the world to share their success stories in hopes of inspiring others. At this conference, the Solutions Support presentation did just that.



“We were thrilled to share our story to other universities through WACUBO but we would be even more excited to share what we&#8217;ve learned with other parts of Cal Poly so they can benefit from our experiences,” Vastine said. “Solutions Support is an approach that can be applied to any problem-solving scenario, and truly elevates the Learn by Doing experience.”

Man wearing a face mask and green jacket using a corded phone at an office desk with a computer monitor.

Solutions Support – a New Way to Look at Customer Service

The Senior Project – a final capstone project that every Cal Poly senior must complete to receive their bachelor’s degree. This Cal Poly tradition perfectly aligns with the “Learn by Doing” philosophy as seniors bring together all of their knowledge and skills to create a final product. With hard work, self-determination and help from some great professors, what started as a senior project has turned into some successful ventures. You may not know it, but some of your favorite things started right here in a Cal Poly classroom as a senior project. Here’s a quick list.



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Giuseppe’s – The well-known restaurant near the corner of Monterey and Chorro streets is a San Luis Obispo classic, but did you know it was a senior project? In 1988 Joe DiFronzo had the idea to open an authentic Italian restaurant and sure enough it was approved to be a senior project. More than three decades later Giuseppe’s lives on as a local favorite to satisfy your pasta craving.</li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Guayakí Yerba Mate &#8211; If you’ve ever been on a college campus during finals week, these bright yellow cans are just about everywhere. What now fills grocery store fridges was once just an idea by two Cal Poly students named Alex Pryor and David Karr. Back in 1996 Guayakí was born as a way to preserve the rainforest by providing work for the indigenous population. Needless to say, this senior project is still a fan favorite on the campus whence it originated.</li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Jamba – One of the largest success stories when it comes to senior projects is the beloved Jamba. In fact, the first Jamba opened in San Luis Obispo as Juice Club before changing its name. We can thank Cal Poly alum, Kirk Perron for this smoothie joint that he created as his senior project back in 1990.</li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Punchd – In 2010 computer science seniors Reed Morse and Grantland Chew invented “Punchd”, a smart phone app where users can store their loyalty punch cards. While this app became increasingly popular on campus, in 2011 it was bought out by Google. Since 2013 this app has been retired and both founders have moved on with very successful careers.</li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Jada from Alydia Health – Although this project might not be as widely known, it is certainly one that has made a huge difference in people’s lives, especially mothers. In 2011 Davis Carlin and Alex Norred created the Jada, a thin silicone tube that is placed in the uterus to treat and prevent postpartum hemorrhaging. As postpartum hemorrhaging is a leading cause of maternal death in the world, the FDA cleared this device in 2020 and the Jada went on to be highly successful in clinical testing.</li>
</ul>



Whether it’s an idea to open a restaurant to foster community, or a medical device that saves lives, it is clear that Cal Poly senior projects have gone on to make real impacts in the world. Though Cal Poly is proud of the projects that have been created in the past, the university is more than excited to see the Senior Projects that lie in the future. Seniors, this is your sign, get brainstorming!

Yellow cans of Guayaki organic yerba mate in flavors: Enlighten Mint, Exuberance, and Revel Berry.

5 Ventures That You Didn’t Know Were Cal Poly Senior Projects

Welcome to the first edition of the Administration and Finance Update with information about news, construction projects, division initiatives and upcoming events.



In this issue, you will learn more about the summer construction projects, as well as the new innovative systems that are being rolled out to help A&amp;F streamline workflow.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vm929t16/production/c5125933c778c943253977d4aeaa8358c56c781f-800x533.jpg?w=675&amp;h=450&amp;fit=crop" alt="Customer Satisfaction Survey Graphic"/></figure>



Customer Satisfaction Survey



Our annual A&amp;F Customer Satisfaction Survey is open until June 19. This is your chance to share your feedback with us for an opportunity to win one of 75 great prizes. An email with a personalized link was sent to staff, faculty and students from (afd-cs-survey@calpoly.edu) on Tuesday, May 28.



Budget Update



For Fiscal Year 2019–20 the CSU put forth the biggest dollar request in the history of the system. Preliminary budget allocations from the governor, Senate and Assembly appear to be in favor of funding 100 percent of the requested mandatory costs, plus $239 million in one-time deferred maintenance funding for the entire CSU system. Additionally, there is support to fund at least 2.75 percent enrollment growth across the system. While this is good news, due to our more stable enrollments, this will not provide much in terms of discretionary funding where the campus can decide how to allocate the funds. To see a presentation provided to the Academic Senate on the topic, please go:&nbsp;<a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/budget/docs/budget-presentation-academic-senate-FY19-20-FINAL.pptx">https://afd.calpoly.edu/budget/docs/budget-presentation-academic-senate-FY19-20-FINAL.pptx</a>



Internal Audit



Dan DiPaola, executive director of Internal Audit, joined the team in February and has been tasked with creating the university’s internal audit function. Initially, Dan has drafted the department charter, worked on various special projects, and conducted meetings with, and given presentations to, a significant number of the university’s senior leadership. Currently, Internal Audit is working with Risk Management to perform the first university-wide risk assessment as a means to continuously monitor risk as well as to inform the university’s audit plan. Please feel free to reach out to Internal Audit for assistance with any concerns or questions you may have.



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Technology Enhancements



The Administration and Finance team is in the middle of various technology enhancements to support process changes that support the university’s continuous effort to improve efficiency and transparency to campus. These changes include streamlining the hiring and recruiting process, improved budget management tools, better management of&nbsp;<a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/parking/lpr.php">parking on campus</a>, and a simplified travel program, along with a number of other improvements. Visit the&nbsp;<a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/cal-poly-4">Cal Poly 4.0</a>&nbsp;webpage for more specific details about each program (<a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/cal-poly-4">https://afd.calpoly.edu/cal-poly-4</a>)



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vm929t16/production/3f6c0e1caf7b94dffb49abb2f91fc103831f656d-800x450.jpg?w=675&amp;h=380&amp;fit=crop" alt="New UU Construction Drawing"/></figure>



Construction&nbsp;Projects



Facilities Management and Development is hard at work on several construction projects that will elevate university facilities for students, faculty and staff. These changes include the construction of new buildings, updating current infrastructure as well as a major renovation of the University Union. The following are projects that will be under way this summer.



1.&nbsp;<a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/facilities/project_news_frost.asp">William and Linda Frost Center for Research and Innovation</a>



This new academic space will bring together three Cal Poly colleges in the center of campus, just north of Baker Center for Science.



2.&nbsp;<a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/facilities/project_news.asp#fermentation">JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture</a>



This fully operational winery, meeting hall, and viticulture/enology/sensory labs will include 16,000 square feet of instructional space with 10,000 square feet dedicated to fermentation. It will also be connected to a wastewater system capable of treating water for irrigation and sanitation uses.



3.&nbsp;<a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/facilities/project_news.asp#uu-neighborhood">University Union Neighborhood Update</a>



The University Union will soon be transformed into a cohesive “neighborhood” with a diverse downtown atmosphere.



4.&nbsp;<a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/facilities/project_news.asp#vg">Update on Vista Grande Dining Complex</a>



Structural issues that delayed construction on Vista Grande have been resolved and work activity has accelerated. The projected completion date is January 2020.



5. Traffic light installation at Grand Ave and Pacheco Way



A traffic light is being added to better manage traffic at peak times. Traffic-motion cameras will take into consideration not just vehicular traffic but also bicycles to ensure greater safety. This project is scheduled to be completed by the start of classes in Fall 2019.



6.&nbsp;Beach Volleyball Facility



Cal Poly’s nationally ranked beach volleyball team will soon have a state-of-the-art complex of their own, located behind Mott Athletics Center with five courts, an observation area for fans and a large video board. This project is donor funded and scheduled for completion in Fall 2019.

A&F Update

With the completion of several massive construction projects this past year, it seems as though campus is finally whole again.



However, these projects were only the first of many. New project plans are wrapping up and work is scheduled to get underway soon on a new wine and viticulture building as well as a research center in the heart of campus.



Throughout the 2017/18 academic year a number of projects came online that have supported many different groups around campus.&nbsp;Below is a rundown of projects that Facilities Management and Development has recently completed, is currently working on, or will be coming up.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Completed Projects</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Yakʔitʸutʸu <a href="http://www.housing.calpoly.edu/student-housing/residence-halls-and-apartments/ytt">This development has been a major success for Cal Poly</a>, as freshmen enjoy the contemporary student housing.</li>
</ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vm929t16/production/e7f66931e99171c86b15212a788915cb22d41c4f-800x533.jpg?w=675&amp;h=450&amp;fit=crop" alt="Yakʔitʸutʸu | Photo by Cal Poly Housing on Flickr"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Yakʔitʸutʸu | Photo by Cal Poly Housing on Flickr</figcaption></figure>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Doerr Family Field National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) athletes as well as intramural sports teams take advantage of <a href="https://www.gopoly.com/sports/fball/2017-18/releases/20180202r2rxkn">the extra training facility on campus</a>.</li>
</ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vm929t16/production/32677fa2b60bbea4b712c421623c153ab48417a6-800x485.jpg?w=675&amp;h=409&amp;fit=crop" alt="Doerr Family Field | Photo by Alex Paulsen / Cal Poly Corporation"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Doerr Family Field | Photo by Alex Paulsen / Cal Poly Corporation</figcaption></figure>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Oppenheimer Family Equine Center With its 60,000 square foot riding arena, stallion barn and foaling barn, <a href="https://cafes.calpoly.edu/cultivate-2017/oppenheimer-family-equine-center">this new equine center</a> was also recently completed.</li>
</ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vm929t16/production/6d9dd5dd8cd39e142a71b3c981370958913fb592-800x530.jpg?w=675&amp;h=447&amp;fit=crop" alt="Oppenheimer Family Equine Center | Photo Cal Poly Corporation"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Oppenheimer Family Equine Center | Photo Cal Poly Corporation</figcaption></figure>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Gold Tree Solar Farm Finished in January 2018, <a href="https://calpolynews.calpoly.edu/news_releases/2017/January/Solar">this farm meets 25 percent of Cal Poly’s energy demand</a>. Beyond environmental benefits, the solar farm will save the university approximately $10 million in utility bills over the next 20 years.</li>
</ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vm929t16/production/4ea5d4bd9be866b379f8f7b89ca302915ba6479e-800x600.jpg?w=675&amp;h=506&amp;fit=crop" alt="Gold Tree Solar Farm | Photo by Cal Poly News"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Gold Tree Solar Farm | Photo by Cal Poly News</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Projects Underway</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Vista Grande Dining Complex The highly anticipated, <a href="https://vistagrande.calpolycorporation.org/">$36 million state-of-the-art dining complex</a> will offer six varied food venues wrapped in a LEED Gold certified building.</li>
</ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vm929t16/production/c21c0542d736b5ec504ed6af4fda3e1b46f27d35-800x419.jpg?w=675&amp;h=354&amp;fit=crop" alt="Vista Grande Dining Complex | Photo by Cal Poly Campus Dining"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Vista Grande Dining Complex | Photo by Cal Poly Campus Dining</figcaption></figure>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Baggett Stadium Enhancement Project <a href="https://www.gopoly.com/sports/bsb/2015-16/releases/20160513kkbbm3">The upgrade to the baseball facilities</a> will not only bring an upgraded Dignity Health Baseball Clubhouse to campus but also increase the seating capacity to 3,500.</li>
</ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vm929t16/production/e020f8759ecc36e8050091d1460c598899394eaa-800x542.jpg?w=675&amp;h=457&amp;fit=crop" alt="Baggett Stadium Enhancement Project | Photo by Go Poly"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Baggett Stadium Enhancement Project | Photo by Go Poly</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Upcoming Projects</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture A complete winery with labs, meeting rooms, and faculty and student offices, <a href="https://calpolynews.calpoly.edu/news_releases/2018/july/wine_donors">the Wine and Viticulture Center construction</a> will begin in January with completion near June 2020.</li>
</ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vm929t16/production/35c8af6d5ecabe5afcdfd5c2a085d7fd38ed0479-800x368.jpg?w=675&amp;h=311&amp;fit=crop" alt="JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture | Photo by Cal Poly News"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture | Photo by Cal Poly News</figcaption></figure>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Science and Agriculture Teaching and Research Center (SATRC) <a href="https://cafes.calpoly.edu/giving/science-and-agriculture-teaching-and-research-complex">The Science and Agriculture Teaching and Research Center</a> will support educational priorities, including the latest learning pedagogies, state-of-the-art faculty/student research space, student collaboration spaces, faculty and staff offices, conference rooms and general classrooms. This project will increase available space for the College of Science and Mathematics, the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences (CAFES), the College of Liberal Arts as well as general university classrooms. Work on the SATRC is scheduled to begin June 2019.</li>
</ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vm929t16/production/e9a1bd18cfe99a5218638613997e0d460c4fcc1c-800x446.jpg?w=675&amp;h=376&amp;fit=crop" alt="Science and Agriculture Teaching and Research Center | Photo by CAFES"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Science and Agriculture Teaching and Research Center | Photo by CAFES</figcaption></figure>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Plant Sciences Complex <a href="https://cafes.calpoly.edu/giving/plant-sciences-complex">This anticipated project will consist of new greenhouses and support facilities</a>, a fruit and vegetable processing and research facility, a plant sciences teaching and research laboratory building, a storage facility for restricted products and equipment, and a farm store. This will replace a portion of the Crop Science Complex (building 17).</li>
</ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vm929t16/production/c5262fa0a5b286295953ca580b8bcbadc6cb0951-800x448.jpg?w=675&amp;h=378&amp;fit=crop" alt="Plant Sciences Complex | Photo by CAFES"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Plant Sciences Complex | Photo by CAFES</figcaption></figure>



Currently in the feasibility and fundraising phase, the Orfalea College of Business intends to expand in order to produce more flexible learning spaces. The current building has fairly rigid and defined classroom spaces that do not allow for maximum flexibility. A feasibility study was conducted in 2015/16 and the first project will focus on the area located at the southern corner where buildings 2 and 4 adjoin.



Also in early stages of development are plans to update space in the College of Engineering projects center. Wanting to morph into a more hands-on transportation and mobility-based facility, the college is looking to relocate the projects center from its current site on Via Carta to the parking lot behind Engineering 13.

Modern multi-story buildings with large windows under a clear blue sky and bright sunlight.

Sweet Noise of Improvement: The Latest on Cal Poly’s Construction Projects

Cal Poly’s Campus Dining team took a big win in the 2017 Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Best Practice Awards Competition. Campus Dining won the Best Practice Award for its food sustainability program to reduce Cal Poly’s overall ecological “foodprint.” The awards competition, hosted by the California Higher Education Sustainability Conference, celebrated our ongoing efforts to help the campus community make sustainable dining decisions.

White plate with text: Energy Efficiency & Sustainability Best Practice Award, Sustainable Food Systems Food Sustainability, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Campus Dining.

Campus Dining Wins Energy, Efficiency and Sustainability Best Practice Award.

The Cal Poly Corporation recently donated $750,000 to the Doerr Family Field, a new practice and intramural facility that will serve all students on campus. The site upgrade is set for completion this fall and will include a synthetic turf field, an advanced performance track, lighting, film towers, scoreboard and landscaping.

Five people, including a mascot in a horse costume, wearing hard hats, holding shovels, at a groundbreaking event.

Corporation donates $750,000 to Doerr Field Construction.

<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Congrats!</h1>



You’ve gotten good grades in high school, done well on your standardized tests and been accepted to Cal Poly. Now the real work begins. To help you get off to a good start, we created this handy checklist.



You’ll find the University Store has everything you need from affordable books, to savvy tech, to spirit-packed apparel to help check off freshman year.



Get oriented at SLO Days.



There is a reason SLO Days are mandatory. It’s your best introduction to success at Cal Poly.



Meet with your academic advisors.



Don’t wait until you’re over your head. Meet with your advisors — they are there to help.



Make friends with the Cal Poly portal.



Students spend more time in the “portal” than they do on Instagram (well almost). It’s Cal Poly’s online hub for everything.



Locate the “Money Matters” tab.



Budgeting is not top on students’ minds, but it’s essential for staying up-to-date on your finances. You’ll find it on the portal.



Check your Cal Poly email early and often.



It’s a new habit that pays off big, keeping you in the know.



Know the 25–35 rule.



That is, study two hours per week for every unit of coursework.



Order your books.



University Store has multiple affordable options. Speaking of books, do some pre-class reading. The quarter system flies by. Get a head start.



Know where your classes are.



Classes start 10 minutes after the hour. Make sure you give yourself enough time to get to class.



Get your tech in order.



Murphy’s Law says your computer will break down right before you have to upload an assignment. Luckily, the University Store has a fully certified service center.



Nail down time management.



There’s no getting around it. The best plan for academic success is to have a plan.



Get a study buddy.



When it comes to studying, two heads are better than one. A study buddy will keep you motivated and company on those late night cramfests.



Fill your closet with green and gold.



It will boost your mood and get you in the Mustang spirit. The University Store has the ultimate collection of fan gear including brands like adidas®, Under Armour® and Champion®.

Woman smiling wearing a green "CAL POLY San Luis Obispo" shirt, black jeans, and sneakers, with arms extended outward.

Tag: Higher Education