February 2024 A&F Times
February Column
Welcome to the spring semester! The Students for Sustainability team and Risk Management & Safety Services are gearing up for a busy spring semester, with our biggest sustainability event of the year coming up this April as part of Earth Week. The event will take place in Seawolf Plaza on April 23rd, and will feature a variety of sustainability focused activities, videos, and partnerships with both campus and community partners. Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks!
In addition to the event, we're encouraging all Seawolves to make conscientious choices everyday to minimize their impact on the environment. Did you know that 25% of the bottled plastic water you buy is from municipal/city tap water? Did you know the U.S. makes up only 5% of the world's population, but it throws away enough plastic bottles in a week to encircle the Earth five times over? Put those plastic bottles down and use a reusable bottle! The U.S. is the world's #1 trash-producing country, producing almost 1,600 pounds per person annually. This means that 5% of the world's people generate 40% of the world's waste! Did you know a plastic bag will remain in the environment for 1,000 years before decomposing? Please say no to plastic bags and challenge yourself to take small steps to become more conscious of how your habits positively and negatively affect the environment.
Sustainability and the choices we make are important because we don't have to engage in grand, heroic actions to participate in changing our world. When multiplied by millions of people, each small act we make can transform our current and future world.
- Tyson Hill, Associate Vice President for Risk Management & Safety Services
What's Happening on Campus
Seawolves Go Red!
On Friday, February 2nd members of the SSU Community showed support for the American Heart Association by wearing red. The AHA's "Go Red for Women" campaign brings awareness to heart disease in women, which claims the lives of half a million women annually. The initiative encourages women to take their cardiovascular health seriously by eating healthier, exercising regularly, and visiting their doctor for important tests.
For more information, visit Go Red for Women.
Looking Ahead
The North Bay Business Journal has partnered with SSU to host it's annual Economic Outlook Summit on Thursday, February 29th at 7:30am in the Student Center Ballroom. This annual event brings together guests from all over the North Bay to discuss the current trends and challenges affecting the region's businesses. One of the featured presenters is SSU's own Dr. Robert Eyler, presenting "Economic Forecasts as Artificial Intelligence? The Volatile Outlook for 2024 and Beyond".
Tickets for the event are available online.
Neves-Evans Social Justice Lecture Series
The annual Neves-Evans Social Justice Lecture is back! This year's event will take place on Tuesday, February 20th at 7:30pm at the Green Music Center, with featured speaker Julián Castro. A former Democratic candidate for President, Castro served as the 16th Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Barack Obama from 2014 to 2017, and as mayor of San Antonio from 2009 to 2014. Today, Castro serves on the board of directors of the LBJ Foundation and is a political analyst for NBC News and MSNBC.
While the event is available to SSU students, faculty & staff at no charge, tickets are required for entry. Please obtain your tickets in advance online or at the Student Center Info + Tickets desk to help to mitigate long lines at the GMC Box Office the evening of the lecture.
Fridays at Four are Back!
Culinary Services is excited to announce the Spring 2024 dates for Fridays at Four:
- February 9 at Overlook (on the third floor of the Student Center)
- March 22 at Overlook (on the third floor of the Student Center)
- April 12 at Overlook (on the third floor of the Student Center)
- May 10 at Stomping Grounds Patio (weather permitting)
Staff and faculty are invited to come start your weekend off right and join us from 4-5:30 p.m. to socialize and mix and mingle with fellow colleagues. Complimentary snacks and a cash bar will be available to purchase non-alcoholic beverages, as well as beer and wine. If you have further questions regarding this event, please contact Culinary Services at culinary.services@sonoma.edu.
Shoutouts!
A big thank you to the maintenance team at Facilities Management for all they do around campus. This team oversees maintenance operations for all Sonoma State University buildings and campus infrastructure, working with other trades in the Corporation Yard to complete complicated jobs that are high priorities for our campus needs. They coordinate work orders and projects alike, while addressing the needs of our 2 million square foot campus. They also address our off site properties, such as the Fairfield Osborn Preserve, that the University is responsible for. They provide a high level of expertise in their field maintaining an ever changing campus environment for regular items and emergencies as well.
"This team has a true commitment to all of our students, faculty and staff to provide a safe place to learn, live and prosper. I am honored to manage such a great group of Seawolves, please join me in thanking this hard working crew in their daily efforts to keep our SSU campus moving forward." - Mark Utarid, Housing Operations Manager
The Facilities team also gave a shoutout to Steve Bartnowski. During the heavy rains, he took a call for leaks at Semillon and got up on the roof to fix a bad active leak. He cleared clogged gutters, fixed the broken tile that was causing the leak, all while getting completely drenched. In addition to that, he responded to multiple leaks in the Art building - getting up on the roof again to provide fixes, and rigging up leak diverter systems in classrooms. "Steve always gets the job done no matter how difficult, whether it's his designated buildings or not, stays late if needed, without a complaint. I just want to give Steve some recognition for always showing up with 100% effort and being the backbone of the Carpenter Shop." - Kenny Russman, Supervising Carpenter
The movers team took advantage of a slight break in the winter rains to clean the third floor windows at the Schulz Library utilizing a boom lift. A big thanks to David Alves, Andres Zamudio, Dylan Ratto and their manager Talmadge Savage for making the building shine!
Anniversaries & New Hires!
Welcomed to SSU in January
| Name | Department |
|---|---|
| Alec Rich | Environmental Health & Safety |
| Jason Carrillo | Operations & Engineering |
| Tracie Schroeder | Purchasing |
| Brian Wichert | Conference & Event Services |
| Natalia Farias Maldonado | Conference & Event Services |
Celebrated Anniversaries in January
| Name | Department |
|---|---|
| Ann-lise Fitting | Financial Aid |
| Kristin Hillman | Accounting/Financial Reporting |
| Raymond Tantarelli | Operations & Engineering |
| Monir Ahmed | Administration & Finance |
| Nick Courter | Payables |
| Travis Vining | Housekeeping |
| Violeta Murillo Gonzalez | Housekeeping |
| Honami Jordan | Mail & Receiving |
| Ivonne Mejia Berzunza | IT Project Management Office |
| Jeffrey Floyd | University Police |
| Cristian Leon | Housekeeping |
| Eduardo Vasquez | Financial Aid |
| Maria Alves | Housekeeping |
| Edward Wandrey | Landscaping |
| John Rader III | Landscaping |
| Jestina Casas | Workstation & Security Services |
| Eanna McBrien | Operations & Engineering |
| James Doherty | Landscaping |
| Saul Razo Aguilar | Kitchens |
| Samantha Phillips | Housekeeping |
| Debbie Gordon | Talent Acquisition & Workforce Administration |
| Erin Taylor | Employee Relations & Compliance Services |
| Leslie Johnston | Receipts Receivables |
| Carmen Diaz Misa | Financial Aid |
| Frank Nides | Capital Planning Design Construction |
| Chris Hendry | Entrepreneurial Activities |
| Johna Beem | Accounting/Financial Reporting |