October 2024 A&F Times
October Column
As the leaves begin to turn and pumpkin spice lattes are ready to order, it's clear that fall is upon us. This season brings not only cooler weather and shorter days but also the grape harvest – a cherished tradition in our local community. The vineyards are buzzing with activity, where collaboration is key to a successful harvest. Just as it takes many hands to bring in the grapes and create the perfect vintage, our IT department relies on teamwork and partnership to achieve our goals.
Like the harvest, fall is a time of reflection and preparation for us. So far in 2024, IT has completed 22 projects in support of our mission to serve students, faculty, and staff. Some of these projects have a direct, visible impact on the student experience, such as the FAFSA Simplification project, which updated the financial aid process. Other critical projects included upgrading our MFA Duo prompt to ensure our safety infrastructure is up to date. Additionally, our WSS Team has been hard at work behind the scenes, resolving over 2,500 tickets since January, ensuring that daily operations continue smoothly.
Looking ahead, we’re excited about the projects currently underway, which rely heavily on collaboration with our campus partners. You can see a list of our current IT Projects on our website here. Whether it's applying system upgrades, implementing new security measures, or rolling out tools to support teaching and learning, we recognize that none of this can be done in isolation. It’s through the collective efforts of the entire Seawolf community that we’re able to make meaningful progress. Together, we’re building a more resilient, efficient, and innovative IT environment that will serve us all.
We’re all in this together, and your continued partnership will help ensure that our work truly makes a difference. Stay tuned for updates as we move forward on these exciting initiatives!
What's Happening on Campus
Grab Coffee with a Cop!
Coffee with a cop is back! Stop by Toast on Monday, October 14th between 8am-10am to enjoy a free cup of coffee and get to know your campus police officers.
An Exciting New AdobeSign Update
Information Technology has flipped the switch on a brand-new Adobe Sign feature: Repeat Recipients. Now, you can add the same person twice on a single document. Imagine this: a student signs their application, a faculty member reviews and approves it, and then—voilà!—it goes right back to the student for a final acknowledgement. Easy peasy!
This was a highly requested feature, and the IT team is thrilled to finally make it a reality. Got questions? Just reach out to Sadie Pettit at sadie.pettit@sonoma.edu, she’s your go-to for all things Adobe Sign!
Campus Town Hall
Mark your calendars for the Campus Town Hall, with Interim President Cutrer, taking place Thursday, October 24th from 9am-11am in Ballroom A. This is an opportunity for all members of campus to engage with the president and participate in an open dialogue.
Fellow CSU's Visit Campus for P2P Training
At the beginning of the month, staff from the Chancellor's Office, Cal Poly Humboldt, and CSU San Marcos joined the SSU team on campus for User Acceptance Training. This multi-day training brought together these procurement teams from across the CSU to train together on the new P2P system - launching on campus this fall!
Check Out the Cabernet Village Open House!
The Cabernet Village Apartments is now renting units in Merlot. This is the latest building to transition under the Cabernet Village Apartments management, and the team is excited to show off the new floorplans! Stop by the Cabernet Village anytime between 11am-1pm on Tuesday, October 22nd for a tour or to ask questions. No appointment necessary! Just look for the Cabernet Village table outside the Merlot buidling.
For more information on the apartments and rental information, visit the Cabernet Village Apartments website.
Shoutouts!
Celebrating Student Success
On Saturday, September 28th, members of the University Police Department attended the US Air Force Civil Air Patrol awards dinner in Santa Rosa where our very own Police Student Ambassador Aaron Estrada received four awards including the Emergency Services Officer of the Year. Aaron is studying electrical engineering and is a 2nd Lt. with the Civil Air Patrol. Lt. Joe Engler, Records Analyst Aimee Studer, Volunteer Pamela Cruz, and Chief Oweis were all in attendance to represent Sonoma State Police and support Aaron as he received the awards.
Bringing the Seawolf Spirit to Petaluma Hill Road
The Spirit Fence along Petaluma Hill Road continues to expand! Over the last few weeks, members of the Facilities Management team added new slats to the fence, to expand the full message to "Welcome to Sonoma State University, home of the Seawolves". The upgrades to the fence over the last few months have provided a much needed transformation to a previously underutilized section of the campus.
Safety Stars Recognition
On September 20th, Risk Management & Safety Services held a reception to honor Safety Stars as the conclusion of the inaugural Campus Safety Week. This reception was a celebration in honor of a select number of campus safety champions and their outstanding efforts in promoting safety on and around campus! Safety Star Recipients were Ketih Tucker, Facilities Management; Michael Enyon, Disability Services for Students; and Louis Wurz-Wilfong and Todd Wright, Information Technology. The Safety Legacy Award was given to Julie Barnes with the College of Science, Technology and Business to recognize her career-long commitment to safety.
Anniversaries & New Hires!
Welcomed to SSU in September
| Name | Department |
|---|---|
| Kelsey Coffman | Financial Aid |
| Alder Jakovac | Kitchens |
| Lucy Reyes | Receipts Receivables |
Celebrated Anniversaries in September
| Name | Department |
|---|---|
| Nicole Hill | Accounting/Financial Reporting |
| Corey Chattey | Campus Prints |
| Patricia Couret | Capital Planning, Design & Construction |
| Louis Wurz-Wilfong | Enterprise Infrastructure Services |
| Dustin Mollo | Enterprise Infrastructure Services |
| Bernardo Herrera Arguelles | Housekeeping |
| Kenneth Njonge | Housekeeping |
| Chelsea Cox | Housekeeping |
| Douangdeaune Phongphouvanh | Housekeeping |
| David Alves | Housekeeping |
| Lori Palmer | Housekeeping |
| Victoria Chavez | IT Project Management Office |
| Michael Kinton | Kitchens |
| Ruth Salazar | Kitchens |
| Juan Bernabe | Kitchens |
| Bryan Carter | Landscaping |
| Scott Derum | Operations & Engineering |
| William Fulton | Operations & Engineering |
| Kurt Parks | Operations & Engineering |
| Shawn Potts | Operations & Engineering |
| Celestino Martinez | Operations & Engineering |
| Rosie Schramm | Workstation Security & Services |