It’s an exciting time for Cal State Fullerton, as students, faculty and staff prepare for a new academic year. The university is anticipating close to 43,000 students in the fall, including approximately 7,000 first-time, first-year students and more than 4,500 new transfer students.
While most classes begin Monday, Aug. 26, many Titans have already made their home on campus, moving into the residence halls and participating in Titan Welcome Weekend.
This year, the campus moves forward with construction updates, new leadership, expanded student opportunities and more.
Leadership Changes and Faculty Promotions
CSUF President Ronald Rochon began his tenure as the university’s 10th president on July 22. A first-generation college graduate with more than 30 years of experience in higher education, Rochon is passionate about student success, academic excellence, access and equity. He looks forward to advancing CSUF’s mission through the Fullerton Forward 2024-29 strategic plan.
New campus leaders also include Celestina Barbosa-Leiker, dean of the College of Health and Human Development, and Jessica Yirush Stern, dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Thirty-five new tenure-track faculty members joined the university with research experiences that span a variety of diverse topics, including neuroscience, bilingual counselor education and artificial intelligence. The Office of Faculty Affairs and Records also announced the tenure and/or promotion of 69 current faculty members.
New Academic Programs
The new semester includes the launch of several new academic programs aimed at expanding student opportunities and preparing them for careers after graduation.
The College of Education launched its first undergraduate program in urban learning for students who are interested in teaching in elementary and special education classrooms. CSUF students in the program will complete observational fieldwork hours in an educational setting and have the opportunity to be involved in research experiences and summer activities.
The College of Humanities and Social Sciences added a SWANA minor, which provides students the opportunity to learn more about the diverse cultures, languages, religions and the historical influence of the Southwest Asia and North Africa region. The 15-unit program, housed in the Department of Religious Studies, offers such cross-discipline courses as Economies of the Middle East and American Immigrant Cultures.
To address the growing need for real estate education, the College of Business and Economics introduced a real estate concentration for business administration students to prepare them for careers in such areas as finance and investment, market analysis, development, and management.
Campus Construction Updates
Titans will notice significant progress with the renovation of the College of the Arts visual arts complex. The Visual Arts Modernization Project includes new buildings, renovated classrooms for digital art concentrations, a green screen room and more. Starting this fall, visual arts classes will be held in the new buildings and gallery spaces will open with exhibitions in November.
The university is expected to break ground this fall on a student housing project, which will include the construction of a 510-bed, apartment-style student complex, laundry and mail rooms, a market, campus-support functional spaces, six resident adviser apartments, and one staff member apartment.
Services for Students
The CAPS Mobile Crisis Team, launched earlier this year, dispatches a licensed mental health professional and campus safety specialist when students call Counseling and Psychological Services or the CSUF Police Department’s 24-hour dispatch center. Mobile crisis therapists help manage crisis interventions, provide case management and short-term therapeutic interventions, and connect students with on- and off-campus mental health partners.
Advancements in Technology
CSUF has upgraded all campus computers, including in classrooms and open labs. In addition, the university has introduced interactive digital displays in 24 general-use classrooms to support faculty and student collaboration through touchscreen technology.
The Data Visualization Center in Pollak Library, Room 216, now features a 200-inch 4K video wall for artificial intelligence workshops and large data modeling, and the Innovation Center, Room 215, includes virtual reality headsets, a 3D scanner and printer, and AI robotics for exploring new ideas.
Fall Civic Engagement Efforts
To mobilize voter participation and civic engagement ahead of the Nov. 5 general election, Cal State Fullerton will host several events to educate and encourage students, faculty, staff and community members to register to vote and cast a ballot.
This includes the California University and College Ballot Bowl, a competition in which higher education campuses compete to register the most people to vote and showcase civic engagement efforts. CSUF won the Ballet Bowl in 2020 and is working to reclaim the title this year. Learn more at the Titans Turn Out website.
Upcoming Events
- Discoverfest, Sept. 4-5
- CSUF Angels Night, Sept. 14
- National Voter Registration Day, Sept. 17
- Convocation and State of the University, Sept. 19
- Alumni and Family Weekend, Oct. 4-6