Update from the President Nov. 13, 2019

Nov. 13, 2019

Dear Campus Community,

As we near Thanksgiving, I’m especially thankful for the tenacity and the empathy our students, faculty and staff have shown throughout the fall. In addition to the Kincade fire, two distinct regional power outages and campus closures have challenged our Sonoma State community since the start of the academic year.

Earning a college degree, teaching, conducting research and undertaking the countless tasks that keep our campus running are complex jobs for students, faculty and staff even without the extra challenges of natural disasters and planned blackouts. I’m thankful for your perseverance and your ongoing dedication to your work at Sonoma State despite the difficulties we and our broader North Bay community members have faced.

If you are in need of extra support, I encourage you to access the campus resources that are here to help you via our NomaCares Center. I also encourage you to remember that resilience is a hallmark of our campus community. As we head into the end of the semester before final exams, I hope you will continue to support one another and draw strength from what we have achieved together already.

The poet Maya Angelou once wrote, “Each new hour holds new chances / For new beginnings.” Don’t ever forget that each new day at Sonoma State holds new chances to work together, new chances to overcome old obstacles and new chances to achieve new dreams.

Seawolves in science and sustainability

I’m thrilled to congratulate the Sonoma State student, faculty and volunteer members of the EdgeCube team, whose successful effort to build a satellite that will collect worldwide data on vegetation health earned NASA’s approval earlier this fall. The EdgeCube is now scheduled to be sent to the International Space Station from Cape Canaveral in December. Once the satellite is put in orbit in January, our Sonoma State EdgeCube team will be able to track and analyze its data through ground station antennae on the roof of our Student Center. I hope you will join me in congratulating our students, Physics and Astronomy Professor Lynn Cominsky and Geography, Environment & Planning Professor Matthew Clark as well as volunteer technical mentor Dr. J. Garrett Jernigan on their remarkable achievement.

I’m also delighted to announce that the first meeting of the President’s Sustainability Advisory Council took place on Oct. 25. Earlier this year I was honored to sign the President’s Climate Leadership Commitment, which elevated Sonoma State’s efforts in making our university a national model for sustainable practices. Sonoma State already has marked a number of sustainability milestones. But we have many more steps to take – both big and small – before we reach the goals laid out in the Climate Commitment, from achieving carbon neutrality for electricity-powered campus operations by 2045 – if not earlier -  to building significant campus resilience in the face of climate change. To learn more, I encourage you to visit our Sustainable SSU website, which includes a complete list of the council's membership.

Seawolf success on the soccer field

I’m so proud to share the news that the Sonoma State women’s soccer team completed an undefeated conference schedule and is now California Collegiate Athletic Association Conference champions! The team capped its undefeated season on Saturday, Nov. 9, with a win against Cal State San Bernardino. CCAA playoffs begin at UC San Diego this Friday. Congratulations to Head Coach Emiria Salzmann Dunn and the entire Sonoma State women’s soccer team – and good luck in the playoffs!

November events on campus

On Friday and Saturday of this week – Nov. 15 and 16 – our campus will host the 33rd Annual California Indian Conference. We are honored to join in the proud tradition of universities and colleges that have hosted this important forum. The California Indian Conference last took place at Sonoma State in 1991. I encourage you to make our conference attendees feel welcome, and to demonstrate the values of respect, integrity, excellence and responsibility that distinguish our campus community.

I’m also pleased to share the news that the Green Music Center is extending a special invitation to those community members who have been impacted by the Kincade fire: free tickets to one of two upcoming performances.

  • Nov. 14 – Kalani Pe’a
  • Nov. 21 – Harlem 100 featuring Mwenso & the Shakes

 To access your free ticket, please use the promo code “NomaCares”.

Joining our Seawolf community

Our fall 2020 application period is well underway. If you know a high school student, a community college student or another prospective Seawolf who has not yet applied, I hope you will encourage them to do so. One of my great privileges as Sonoma State president is to welcome new members to our campus and to watch them succeed as they pursue their dreams of a college education.

Thank you for all that you do to make Sonoma State such a vibrant university community. I wish you and your loved ones a festive and enjoyable Thanksgiving. We have much to be thankful for.

With Gratitude,

Judy K. Sakaki signature

Judy K. Sakaki
President