President's Messages

December 5, 2024

Dear colleagues,

As most have likely heard, our enrollment and budget challenges have deepened. As detailed at recent University Budget Committee (UBC) meetings, SF State is planning for significant reductions in the 2025-26 budget. We currently have a $13.9M structural deficit that we must account for and are anticipating a 5% reduction for 2025-26 as part of CSU reallocation plan. This requires that we reduce our budget by approximately $25M. 

We are also facing the likely prospect of a state budget cut. Last June, the state budget included plans for a 7.95% cut to the CSU budget. For SFSU, this would result in a $20.7M reduction if enacted. While it is likely that we will receive some mitigation in the state or CSU reallocation reductions, we will not know until the Governor’s budget proposal in January the possible extent of the cut or any actual reduction in CSU funding until May 2025. It is clear, however, that we will receive less funding than we were planning for in our multi-year budget planning, and that we will experience a scenario of financial urgency that requires additional planning and focus in the coming years. Every unit across the university will be making hard reductions for 2025-26. I urge folks to attend UBC meetings or review the posted PowerPoints for detailed information.  

Current plans include a $17.2M reduction for Academic Affairs (please see UBC presentations from September and October). It is clear we need to add additional urgency to our planning while also relying on shared governance to guide decision making. Academic Senate Policy #S24-177 outlines a process for a faculty-driven review of programs to attend to these fiscal situations which will require reductions in all areas. In order to trigger the review, the policy requires that the president declare a situation of financial emergency/financial exigency if a consideration of programmatic discontinuance is needed as part of a strategic budget approach. To that end, I am declaring this specific designation of financial emergency, based on the figures above, to allow the Senate to form an institutional review committee and conduct the review. Please also note that the policy allows for multiple outcomes including programs be reduced, phased out, reorganized or discontinued.  

We know there is concern about the impact program changes may have on the employment of T/TT faculty. Our hope is that working collaboratively departments will find teaching assignments for any T/TT faculty member whose teaching assignment is impacted. Faculty Affairs is working on a collaborative process to facilitate this, and it will be important that all departments support the process to ensure the best possible outcome for our impacted colleagues. I remain confident that with continued hard work and some altruism and flexibility, we can make the curricular and staffing changes necessary to serve students well and ensure a financially sustainable future for SF State.

Please note that this declaration does not change any of our ongoing budget processes or plans nor does it imply layoffs. Until we learn of the extent of the state budget reduction, we continue to work on our multi-year plan to dramatically reduce expenses in alignment with enrollment.  As I said at a recent Senate meeting, I know this has been hard and that it is getting harder, particularly for lecturer-faculty. I also want to recognize the hard work of department chairs during this difficult moment.

As we face a significant state cut, we will make clear to the state the cost of that reduction to the institutions that serve as the state’s greatest engines of social mobility. For now, I ask, that amidst the pain of resizing we work equally hard to assure our students of the quality of a San Francisco State degree.  Shaking their confidence in us will only make our enrollment and budget challenges worse. Students have expressed concern about access to classes, but as I write this there are more than 35,000 open seats in classes for spring. Please, please urge your students to register and let’s work together to get this done.

Best,

Lynn Mahoney, Ph.D.

President

November 6, 2024

Dear campus community,
 
I write today both with respect for the different political choices individuals in our community make—the right to make those choices is a hallmark of the democratic process—and knowing that the outcomes of yesterday’s elections have left many in our community deeply anxious or worse. Many at SF State will be worried about their reproductive rights, the rights of our LGBTQ+ communities, and the future of DACA and our undocumented students and their families. In California, the governor and legislature have repeatedly made their commitments to the rights of all in our community very clear. But, today and likely ongoing, our students, friends and colleagues will need reassuring and support.
 
SF State and the CSU are deeply committed to supporting our students and employees. I am particularly proud of the centers that Equity and Community Inclusion and Associated Students support, including the Black Unity Center, the Latinx Student Center, the Dream Resource Center, and the Queer & Trans Resource Center. Drop by today or anytime in the coming weeks and months.
 
There are many other student-focused resources across the University. Students may also visit Counseling and Psychological Services, and employees may also avail themselves of the Employee Assistance Program.
 
Special programs for students this week

Staff from Counseling & Psychological Services, with support from Dean of Students, Equity & Community Inclusion, and other Student Affairs & Enrollment Management departments, will be hosting support and processing space for students and employees to discuss feelings related to the election cycle and results thus far.

• Wednesday, 11/6, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. in Cesar Chavez (T-153)
• Wednesday, 11/6, 1-2 p.m., Latinx Student Center (Village C, 140)
• Thursday, 11/7, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Undergraduate Advising Center (Room 203 Front desk)
• Thursday, 11/7, 1-2 p.m., Latinx Student Center (Village C, 140)

The Dream Resource Center is hosting Post-Election Community Care Gathering Spaces:

• Wednesday, 11/6 and Thursday, 11/7, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. University Club, 2nd floor, Cesar Chavez Student Center

A virtual support space called “Nuestras Resistencias,” presented by Counseling & Psychological Services will explore coping skills and ways to process the election results.

• The event will take place virtually on Wednesday, 11/6/24, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Register here for the virtual Nuestras Resistencias support space.

The Dean of Students / Dean on Call office, Student Services Building, Room 403, is open 9-5, Monday-Friday, for students seeking support related to the election or any other concerns on campus. Students can also contact the Dean on Call.
 
Support for Employees
 
The Employee Assistance Program is free for SF State employees to seek counseling, educational information, and referrals.
 
The University Ombuds is a neutral and independent space to consult on all matters of concern or conflict among SF State employees.
 
The Student Health Center will be hosting a space for employees to process the election Wednesday, 11/6, 9-10 a.m. and 3-4 p.m. Visit the front desk of the Student Health Center and you’ll be guided to the space.

I know there is little I can say as we face an uncertain future. Please know that SF State will continue to embrace its mission as an engine of educational equity. We will continue to have record numbers of students studying ethnic studies. We will continue to support diversity, equity and inclusion centers and studies. We will continue to support activism and the work to create a more just society. And we will support one another as we do our best to make SF State a model of inclusiveness for others to emulate.
 
The coming weeks will be hard. As I have written before, universities tend to be the tableau upon which political strife gets played, and it may be harder to remember that our legal and educational obligations to free speech remain. I urge all to show compassion and support one another.
 
Our mission, our courses, our history of and continued commitment to activism are designed to drive change. Our goal of being the preeminent engine of educational equity in California and the country remains unchanged and is now even more important. 
 
As always, I write this with deep appreciation for you all.
 
Best,

Lynn Mahoney, Ph.D.

President

October 29, 2024

Dear colleagues,
 
As we pass the halfway mark on fall semester, I write to touch base about the CSU and SF State budgets. First, as always, I thank you for the work all do every day to serve our students and our mission. This fall I have had opportunities to meet with alumni from myriad backgrounds spanning from the Class of ‘63 to our most recent 2024 grads. All have the same story—SF State transformed their lives, and all remember well the faculty and staff who supported their academic journeys. Just as we have through earlier budget crises the CSU faced, we will find ways to thrive as we work through the next couple of years.
 
At last week’s UBC meeting, we shared emerging details about the 2025-26 CSU budget. I start first, though, with our ongoing work to align our costs with revenues as we become a smaller campus. While we continue to work to increase enrollments and improve retention (the most important way to increase enrollment!), we have acknowledged that due to demographic changes locally and across the state, SF State will be smaller than it once was. But we remain far from small, serving more than 22,000 students. 
 
I repeatedly hear confusion about why we are offering fewer courses than we did two to three years ago. The answer is simple but painful. We are offering fewer classes and hiring fewer people because we have almost 8,000 fewer students than we had in Fall of 2015. Students also ask why they are paying more tuition while we are offering fewer classes. The two issues are oddly unrelated. We are offering fewer courses because we have fewer students.  The CSU Board of Trustees raised tuition because state funding has not kept up with the costs of operating the CSU. With only two sources of revenue to run core operations—state funding and tuition—the Board faced no alternative but to raise tuition in the face of declining state support.
 
Work remains to be done, but thanks to the hard work of many on campus, we made significant progress in aligning our budget to reflect that we are a smaller university while continuing to deliver the education and services our students expect and deserve.
 
I urge everyone to reaffirm to our students that the resizing process will not compromise the quality of their education or the support they receive. While adjustments present challenges, we are committed to carefully planning and making necessary changes to ensure continued access to essential courses and services. Please reinforce this commitment with our students. Any erosion of confidence in the value of an SF State degree or experience risks deepening our retention issues and amplifying enrollment challenges, making it crucial that we support and uphold our students' trust.
 
Now I turn to the different and scarier news looming about the CSU budget. At this time, the state’s 2025-26 budget for the CSU includes a 7.95% budget cut. We received word last week that this will mean a $21 million cut for SF State on top of the CSU reallocation reduction of $11M. Let me be clear. The 7.95% budget reduction is not about fewer dollars to serve fewer students. This would be a cut in the amount of funding we receive per student. A cut of this magnitude will impact our ability to serve students. It would likely mean reduced course offerings and reduced services. We must do all we can to advocate against a cut of this magnitude.
 
I now ask what may feel impossible. Embrace the work we must do to resize – hard though it is. We can do this and also continue to serve our students. And then direct your advocacy toward the state as the governor prepares his January budget. I will continue to urge the Chancellor’s Office to amend their reallocation plan (you may recall that last year we were successful at having our reallocation amount reduced by 2%). I will also work with my presidential colleagues and the Board to demonstrate that a 7.95% cut will undermine the ability of the CSU to deliver on its mission of academic excellence, educational equity and social mobility. Reducing our already lean budgets will come at great costs to our state.
 
In addition to working with your unions and with statewide organizations like the Academic Senate of the CSU, in a recent email, the chair of the Academic Senate shared a multitude of ways you can advocate for the CSU, including calling, emailing or sending a letter to your representatives in the State Assembly and State Senate. We need to make it clear how important it is to fund the CSU and SF State. Cuts will inevitably have negative impacts on our students and the state’s workforce.
 
I conclude by assuring you that we will continue to work through local and state budget challenges in the same spirit of shared governance that has informed our work to date. I encourage all to participate in monthly UBC meetings and attend divisional or departmental budget and enrollment meetings as they are made available.
 
Best,

Lynn Mahoney, Ph.D.

President

October 1, 2024

Dear campus community,
 
With a deep sense of pride and gratitude, I write today to share that San Francisco State University has earned the prestigious Seal of Excelencia – a recognition granted by Excelencia in Education – the nation’s premier authority on efforts to accelerate Latinx student success in higher education. This national certification acknowledges universities like ours for their work to more intentionally serve Latinx students.
 
Between 2010 and 2022, Latinx student enrollment at SF State doubled. More than 39% of our students now identify as Latinx, making them the largest ethnic group among our undergraduates. 
 
This change reflects more than the demographics of our region, where 23% of our service area identifies as Latinx. Our campus has become a destination for Latinx students across the state. This requires that we be far more intentional in how we serve Latinx students. Retention, graduation and postcollege outcomes are our priorities.
 
Two years ago, we formed a team to focus work across campus in support of Latinx students – a group that includes leaders in Latinx student success – administrators, faculty, staff and students from all across campus. The work of this group has benefitted all students of SF State, and I am deeply grateful.
 
We are one of only 24 colleges and universities to receive this recognition – representing less than 1% of all higher education institutions. We should be deeply proud of this, even while we strive to do better. 
 
I want to thank all the members of the Seal of Excelencia team: Alex Ulises Gomez, student assistant at the Latinx Student Center; Alex Sanchez, executive director of development; Aaron Sachowitz, community advisor and former ACE Fellow; Bibiana Arriola, director of advisor development and college advisors in DUEAP; Carleen Mandolfo, associate vice president of Faculty Affairs and Professional Development; Christian Lozano, director of Diversity, Student Equity and Interfaith Programs; Daniel Lopez, data and visualization analyst in the Office of Institutional Research; Emmanuel Padilla, director of the Latinx Student Center; Eurania Lopez, assistant director of Undergraduate Admissions and Recruitment; Frederick Smith, associate vice president of the Division of Equity and Community Inclusion; Guiselle Nunez, associate vice president of Strategic Marketing and Communications; Karina Zamora, assistant governanace specialist for Associated Students; Katynka Martinez, professor of Latina/Latino Studies; Luis De Paz Fernandez, interim chief of staff; Margo Landy, university registrar; Oscar Gardea, director of Educational Opportunity Programs; Susanna Jones, faculty director for First-Year Experience; Teaster Baird, associate dean of the College of Science and Engineering; and Victor De La Rosa, director of the School of Art . Their leadership of this initiative brought critically needed intentionality and collaboration to our Latinx student success work. I am deeply grateful to all on campus who work to support our students and one another.
 
Congratulations, SF State!

Best,

Lynn Mahoney, Ph.D.

President

September 23, 2024

Dear campus community,

After spending the first few weeks of the semester meeting hundreds of students who are working hard to achieve their academic goals, I spent last week meeting with alumni, hearing their stories about SF State and celebrating their post-collegiate successes. I have met alumni with decades of professional success in entertainment, business, public service, education, biotech, and so many other fields. And I also met with recent alums who are just starting their careers, enthusiastic about what they learned at SF State and wondering where it will lead them. To a person, they expressed gratitude to our faculty and staff, extolled our academic programs and expressed nostalgia for so many things about SF State.

I was struck, though, by a significant difference between different generations of graduates. Recent graduates expressed much more uncertainty about their economic futures, driven almost entirely by the high cost of living in California. Newer graduates also spoke more about the key role of internships and mentorships and of the importance of networks and connections. SF State is recognized for its commitment to and success at facilitating upward mobility for our students and communities. We have long been proud of the access we provide to world-class academic degrees and programs—in fact, Money Magazine recently recognized us as one of the “Best Colleges with a High Acceptance Rate.” But my conversations with students and alumni have made more apparent than ever the need to be more intentional about linking students’ experiences here with postcollegiate outcomes as we graduate students into a world marked by economic uncertainty and rapid change.

Many of our programs are very intentional about building in the skills and experiences that lead to postcollegiate success: internships, mentorships, skills-based learning, community-engaged learning and leadership development, to name a few. I am excited to announce a new philanthropically-funded program that embeds career and leadership development into the curriculum and provides students with mentorship and networks. Just last week, we launched this exciting new partnership with Braven to empower students and propel them on their path to economic success after graduation.

San Francisco State University and Braven share a common vision of a college degree and career preparation as critical to educational equity and upward mobility. Adopting a key innovation, SF State now offers the SFSU and Braven Accelerator course to provide undergraduates with the additional and foundational career readiness support and networks to ensure they land quality economic opportunities after graduation.  This complements our existing programs and services in the Division of Graduate Studies and Career Development.

As I noted, Money Magazine recognized us for the access we provide students. I share as well that we earned spots in “Best Public Colleges,” “Best Colleges in the West,” and were rated 4.5 out of 5 in their new rating system. Only 50 institutions out of 745 on the Best Colleges in America list ranked higher than SF State. I am deeply proud of our role in driving economic mobility and providing the state with thousands of highly skilled citizens. Congratulations and thank you to all who make this a special place to learn and work.

Best,

Lynn Mahoney, Ph.D.

President

August 27, 2024

Dear campus community,

Welcome to Fall 2024! There is much to be excited about as we welcome 6,000 new students to campus. I start first, though, with a thank you to all who ensured that last year was a successful one. I am sure many of us watched with great anxiety as universities across the country found their spring semesters disrupted or even worse experienced violence. I am regularly proud of SF State but never more so than when students, staff, faculty and administrators worked together last spring to support student activism and keep our campus safe. Spring classes concluded well, and Commencement was a resounding success as we congratulated nearly 7,000 graduating students and their families. Thank you!

As I noted in last week’s Convocation, I could spend hours expressing my gratitude to my colleagues in Academic Affairs, Finance & Administration, Student Affairs & Enrollment Management, and Advancement who work tirelessly and produce incredible results for our students. Please know how much I appreciate each and every one of you. I call special attention, though, to the small but mighty team in Financial Aid who, under extraordinary circumstances, worked tirelessly to meet the unintended challenges created by changes in the federal financial aid process. I thank, as well, students, families, and others for their patience as we worked through this. Last week, we were able to successfully disburse more than $54 million to students. To Denise Pena and her team, I offer a very heartfelt thank you!

I offer a particularly warm welcome to 29 new tenure-line faculty, 86% of whom are BIPOC and far better reflect the students and communities we serve. Perhaps most exciting of all this fall, we open two new buildings. I invite you to spend some time exploring our new Science and Engineering Innovation Center (SEIC)—our students will finally have learning space they need and deserve. This new Center provides an incredible upgrade to labs and classrooms allowing for interactive and innovative learning. SEIC will also be home to the College of Professional and Global Education and an exciting new food vendor—please be on the lookout for details!

I encourage you all to check out, as well, the Grove, our newest first-year residence hall. This hall is unique as it is the first constructed with state dollars (65% of the cost was supported by the state). This allowed the University to implement the first reduced-rate student housing program in the CSU. This fall, almost a quarter of our first-year students, those with the greatest financial need, received a 25% reduction in housing fees. As the CSU and the state come to better understand how the total cost of attendance presents barriers to access and student success, I hope that we will be able to grow this program and offer more financial relief to students.

Finally, I ask your help. With continued tragedies abroad and a likely active election season looming, Fall 2024 will be no less eventful than the semesters preceding it. I remind all that democracy is messy and that university campuses are typically the tableaus upon which political and cultural conflict play out. We can expect rallies, we can expect protests, and we can expect controversial speakers. As you confront ideas with which you disagree or that are unsettling at best and deeply wounding at worst, please remember that at SF State we support the rights of all to speak. I have made the protection of freedom of expression and academic freedom a foundational value of my leadership. We need not be silent—we should not be silent—but we must allow others to speak and ensure student learning is not disrupted. We meet speech with more speech and with supportive services. So, as we embark on a messy semester, join me in embracing the messiness that is core to our mission and work together again to make sure this all happens peacefully.

It’s going to be a great year. Please stop me and say hello if you see me around campus. With great gratitude, I wish all a great semester!

Best,

Lynn Mahoney, Ph.D.

President

June 18, 2024

Dear campus community,

As we prepare to enjoy the Juneteenth holiday this week, I encourage all to pause and think about what this day means and the promise it holds. Last week, I attended – along with hundreds of CSU colleagues and students – the CSU second biennial Juneteenth Symposium. Thousands more joined us virtually. We experienced two incredible days full of celebrations, guest speakers and performers. But the symposium was also full of the echo of unmet promises and calls to better realize the CSU’s role as an engine of equity. The theme of the conference, Let Freedom Ring: Breaking Chains and Elevating to New Heights, challenges us all to commit to actions that will get us to those new heights.

Two days of listening affirmed that we must remain actively committed to efforts to improve student success and close equity gaps. We must continue our work to ensure our faculty, staff, and administrators better reflect the demographics of our students. Representation matters. We must maintain our commitment to identity-based student spaces and student organizations. Inclusive spaces matter. We must double down on our efforts to ensure classrooms are welcoming places where students from diverse backgrounds can learn and thrive. Inclusive classrooms matter. And we have to continue our work to meet the 13 promises we made as part of the CSU’s commitments to Advancing Black Student Success and Elevating Black Excellence.

One point of pride last week was the leadership presence of SF State at the symposium. Dr. Fred Smith, associate vice president for Equity & Community Inclusion, was recognized for his work on the Chancellor’s Strategic Workgroup on Black Student Success. He also facilitated a breakout session using creative expression to explore Black Queer Identities and best practices for seeing and supporting Black Queer students. Dr. Jamillah Moore, vice president for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, shared her research on the history and importance of Affirmative Action and future challenges in the wake of the 2023 Supreme Court ruling ending it. Jamillah, Fred, and many of our colleagues are leaders in equity and support for Black Excellence.

I saved the most important point of pride for last. With funds raised by the Advancement team in the Chancellor’s Office, the CSU created the Black Student Success Scholarship for students who have demonstrated an exceptional commitment and significant achievements in supporting Black student success. I am deeply proud to announce that SF State’s Olympia Joy Pereira, an Africana Studies major, was one of six students from across the entire CSU to be so honored for her work helping the Black Unity Center welcome transfer students to campus, serving as a College of Ethnic Studies peer mentor, and engaging in community service in San Francisco and Oakland. Congratulations, Olympia!

Attending the Juneteenth Symposium with colleagues and students was an incredibly powerful experience. It reinforced the significance of our collective efforts at SF State and reminded us of our commitment to continually improve for our students. As always, I remain grateful to work alongside such dedicated colleagues in service to our exceptional students. Thank you for all you do to make SF State special.

Wishing all a good Juneteenth holiday and summer.

Best,

Lynn Mahoney, Ph.D.

President

July 18, 2024

Dear colleagues,
 
I write today to mark the loss of long-time San Francisco State University President Robert Corrigan. He passed away on July 5, 2024 and is survived by his wife, Joyce, and his children, stepchildren and grandchildren.
 
President Corrigan served SF State from 1988 until 2012 and was a national leader in promoting the cause of civic engagement in higher education and reimagining the modern, urban university. He served on numerous boards and local organizations, demonstrating personally his vision for the University as a vital and active contributor to the civic, economic and cultural life of a community. By the time of his retirement, SF State offered more than 500 service-learning courses and dozens of University initiatives linking the classroom and the community.  
 
President Corrigan was long a champion of diversity and inclusion, and he was recognized nationally for work in those areas. He also chaired a national steering committee of college and university presidents, organized by President Clinton, which oversaw the placement of college tutors in K-12 classrooms across the country. Throughout his presidency, he worked to create pathways to college for all students, regardless of their backgrounds.  
 
During his tenure as president, SF State earned designations as both a Princeton Review “College with a Conscience” and a Carnegie Foundation classification for Community Engagement. The University also earned the highest federal recognition possible for its commitment to community service, a Presidential Award in President Obama’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. 
 
In addition to his nearly quarter of a century on our campus, President Corrigan also served nine years as chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Boston.
 
Please join me in expressing gratitude for President Corrigan's lasting and impactful contributions to our incredible university and students past, present and future. I offer, as well, my personal condolences to those who knew and worked with him.
 
Best,

Lynn Mahoney, Ph.D.

President

*A previous version of this message gave 1989 as Robert Corrigan's first year at SF State. He was inaugurated in 1989, but he started at the University in 1988.

May 29, 2024

Dear campus community,

Friday’s spectacular Commencement at Oracle Park brought our academic year to a close. As I said to our graduates and their loved ones, this has been an extraordinary year in higher education as students across the country rose up and demanded more from their universities and their society. The SF State community protested for the rights of labor, demanded a just world, and advocated for their communities. Over the course of the year, 23,700 students explored new areas, attended classes, and successfully completed internships, civic engagement projects, and many, many exams and papers. SF State proved that higher education is thriving amidst many challenges.

On Friday, we celebrated almost 7,000 students who successfully completed their degrees this year. Today, I celebrate the Class of 2024 with you. As has been my tradition, I share their successes and words with you.
 
We celebrated students like Sergio Lopez and Olivia Clarke. Sergio graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. in Physics and devoted hundreds of hours to connecting the community to SF State as the principal organizer of the successful Noche de Estrellas program.  Olivia Clarke graduated with a B.A. in Political Science. Olivia and fellow student Mayuu Kashimura were named the 2024 National Moot Court Champions in the Respondent’s Brief category, prevailing over 200 other teams.

We celebrated students like Michelle Monterrosa and James Kreiss. Michelle is a Latina/o Studies major who is a leader in the movement to end police and gun violence. James graduated magna cum laude with a double major in Labor Studies and English and played a key role in labor union campaigns of the Starbucks Workers United.

And we celebrated the twelve hood recipients selected by their colleges. These students succeeded academically and made significant contributions to their disciplines, to their communities, and to SF State. Hood recipients Eddison Jintalan Contreras and Genesis Sorrick were chosen to represent their peers and share their journey and words of advice with the Class of 2024. I conclude with their words.

Eddison earned his B.A. in Social Work and spoke of his journey to overcome discrimination and confront the U.S.’s discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. As he begins his graduate studies, Eddison shared that he “…will no longer be defined by others...rather by...constant pursuit of knowledge, curiosity, and open-mindedness.” 

Genesis earned her M.A. in Philosophy and shared a similar message, stressing a “commitment to knowledge”:

"Of course, commitment to our education extends far beyond the campus and classroom. It is a commitment to critical thinking, to questioning the status quo, and to seeking truth and justice in a world filled with uncertainty, injustice, and oppression. It is empathy and understanding the perspectives of others."

As we conclude the academic year, let’s stand together with the Class of 2024 in celebration of our shared commitments to education, to students, and to one another.

Wishing all a good summer!

Best,

Lynn Mahoney, Ph.D.

President

May 13, 2024

Over its history, there have been many instances in which student activism at SF State has resulted in positive institutional change. We are at such a moment. I share the commitment of our students and our community in supporting human rights–the ability for all to live a life of dignity and well-being, free from violence and discrimination.

Just as earlier groups of student activists caused us to reflect on how our investments aligned with climate action and, more recently, with social and racial justice, Students for Gaza has pushed us to reflect on and commit to working with the SF State Foundation to review and draft a revision to our existing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investment policy statement. With support from the chairs of the Foundation and its Investment Committee, we will support the addition of a human rights-based investment strategy, including divesting from direct investments in weapons manufacturers and limiting other such indirect investments to no more than de minimis in nature.

I commit to immediately forming a work group to create a disclosure website that makes the investment strategies of the Foundation and UCorp more transparent and to draft revisions to the investment policy. The work group would include representatives from the student encampment leaders, their faculty advisor(s), the president, the vice president of University Advancement, a representative from the Foundation’s Investment Committee, a representative from the UCorp Board, and representatives from Cambridge Associates, the Foundation’s investment advisor. If we can identify immediate opportunities to improve disclosure that align with disclosure practices already implemented by the CSU, we will do so immediately. All policy changes and compliance with them will be subject to regular review.

I commit, as I always do, to protecting academic freedom, freedom of expression, and peaceful student activism. I affirm these values again today. To that end, I will submit to the CSU Office of the Chancellor a public letter outlining my concerns about any and all legislative actions that may inhibit these freedoms, including SB-1287. I will make very clear in words, as I have with my actions, my ardent belief that these freedoms form the foundation of higher education and must be protected.

I commit to an ambitious timeline that includes the following.

• Form the work group by 5/31/24.
• Call emergency meetings of the Investment Committee as needed to have a draft policy by 8/31/24.
• Submit Investment Committee approved revisions to the full SF State Foundation Board for discussion at its September Board Meeting and for approval by December 2024.
• Launch Disclosure Website, including making immediate changes to align with current CSU practice and subsequent changes needed to comply with revised Investment Policy.

This is an ambitious timeline that can be achieved by working together.

I acknowledge again the work that Students for Gaza has done to push SF State to reflect on its commitments to ESG and commit to changes in investment strategies and disclosure. The proposal outlined above is not just rhetoric or an empty promise but will lead to real change in our investment strategies. I remain appreciative of the peaceful protests that have allowed all of our students to complete their semesters without interruption, and of this work to better align our investment strategies with our values.

Lynn Mahoney, Ph.D.

President

April 17, 2024

Dear campus community,

As a historian, I’m typically drawn to stories about change over time, how our world is different from what it once was and why. Recently, though, I was struck by a distinct moment of clarity about something that has not changed—the mission and value of SF State. I feel that perhaps this is something about which I speak too often, but it never loses its power to inspire me.
 
Last week, I had the privilege of traveling to Washington, D.C. with students to advocate for federal policy changes to increase Pell Grant awards and to create a path to citizenship for California’s undocumented students. We also used the opportunity to connect with alumni in D.C. and in New York. 
 
At one event in D.C., I was speaking to two alumni: one from the class of 2021, the other from the class of 1978; one at the beginning of a promising career and the other decades into a highly distinguished career. Graduating 43 years apart, their stories were so very similar. The first generation in their families to attend college, their experiences at SF State were transformative and pivotal in launching successful careers. They were different in so many ways, but in one key way they were not. They shared the distinguishing hallmarks of a SF State degree. 
 
A few days later I was in New York City with another group of alumni. Like the folks I met in D.C., these alumni had been profoundly altered by their studies at SF State—often recalling in great detail a faculty or staff member who had changed their lives. From work in finance to education to environmental conservation to broadcast journalism, these alumni were enjoying the tangible benefits of a transformative college degree and were deeply engaged in rewarding professions. They are the reason SF State is ranked number eight in upward mobility nationally. Their experiences at SF State – like those of U.S. Ambassador Caryn R. McClelland (M.A. ’90), cultural preservationist Patrick Makuakāne (B.S. ‘89) and science podcaster Alie Ward (B.A. ’99) affirm that what we do matters deeply and is of critical value to California and the U.S. We need to continuously celebrate this fact and remind others. By advocating for and celebrating SF State, we are advocating for our future students and alumni.
 
While I feel deeply that our mission hasn’t veered, the world in which we live and work continues to change, often at a frightening speed. While we celebrate what we do so uniquely well, we also need to be mindful of the changes which are happening now and those that are looming which will require a critical look at how we deliver our mission. Dramatic declines in population will require most universities to continue to evolve, prioritizing the key things which enable students and alumni to succeed. We are currently doing just that. 
 
Artificial Intelligence will likely have an even more dramatic impact on higher education, transforming everything from accounting to learning and research. It is imperative that we not shy from these changes but actively lean into their implications to determine what they will mean for us. Navigating and finding ways to derive benefit from the changes which are coming will ensure that future graduating classes can similarly bear testament to the value of an SF State degree.
 
As always, I conclude with gratitude to the students who bring joy to my job and to the colleagues who make working here an honor and a pleasure.

Best,

Lynn Mahoney, Ph.D.

President

March 21, 2024

Dear campus community,

Mindful of the challenges facing us, I have been struck by the number of initiatives and programs emerging to address them – all built on top of the decades of good work that makes SF State an exceptional place to study. From the national successes of our students and alumni to new initiatives to address affordability and retention, I am in awe of the work that all are doing to support our students and one another.

We’re focusing on helping our students manage the total cost of attendance. This month saw the launch of additional programs to address affordability and to attract and retain students. SF State has launched the Reduced Rate Housing Program, a program that will enable hundreds of students with financial need to live in one of our residence halls at a reduced rate—we are the first CSU to offer such a program! Thank you to the teams in Capital Planning, Housing, Dining, and Conference Services, and all others who made this happen. 

We’re working hard to develop private funds for scholarships, offered through the SF State Foundation or by external organizations. Recently, the San Francisco Foundation, a private philanthropic organization, announced a new scholarship program for Black SF State students who demonstrate financial need – The San Francisco Foundation Black Excellence Scholarship for SF State. This will help dozens of Black SF State students achieve their educational goals. Thank you to Vice President for University Advancement Jeff Jackanicz, Associate Vice President Anjali Billa, the entire Advancement team and the folks from the SF Foundation.

We’re broadening our work to meet students’ basic needs. Thank you to the team from Food+Shelter+Success who just launched a partnership with the United Way Bay Area to bring the SparkPointprogram to campus to provide financial coaching and skills development to SF State students. SF State is the first four-year university to host this program—another first for SFSU!

We’re doubling down on efforts to recruit and retain students. The University recently hosted seven statewide receptions to share with recently admitted students the myriad reasons they should enroll at SF State in the fall. Staff from Housing and Residential Life met with almost 1000 students from San Diego to Sacramento. This is a critical part of our recruitment strategy which will be followed by Explore SF on April 20– a unique opportunity for us to share with admitted students what makes SF State a special place to study. Sign up here if you would like to help. I look forward to seeing some of you there.

Our enrollment and budget challenges persist. I remind all that this is part of a national phenomenon which will ultimately see many universities become smaller and will sadly see some small institutions close. Eight CSUs are feeling the impact of changing demographics. As has been shared at the University Budget Committee (UBC), our enrollment is down roughly 21%. We need to align our expenses with our current enrollment and are actively engaged in a multi-year plan to reduce expenses. For details, I encourage you to attend the monthly UBC Zoom meetings or share comments during UBC office hours. All materials presented can be found on the UBC website. 

Becoming smaller is not without its pains. But as the initiatives above affirm, we can become both smaller and stronger. Yes, we will have fewer sections of classes, but that is because we have fewer students. While some expressed concern about reductions in the spring schedule, we concluded that enrollment period with more than 15,000 seats still available, 12,000 of those in undergraduate classes. There was clearly plenty of capacity. Thank you to the department chairs and faculty who are working diligently to ensure that the schedule of classes meets student demand and allows students to graduate in a timely fashion, even as we reduce the number of sections offered to reflect current enrollment.

There will be moments of confusion and differences in opinion as we continue to meet the changing landscape of higher education. There will be failed experiments at innovation and a need for patience. But the initiatives I described here demonstrate that when we start from a shared understanding of the issues and mount a collective response to them, we will be successful. While we will be smaller, we have an opportunity to be better by supporting our students in more targeted ways.

Whether your Spring Break plans include catching up on work or sleep or traveling to see friends and family, I wish you all a good week.

Best,

Lynn Mahoney, Ph.D.

President

February 7, 2024

Dear students,
 
As I welcome you back for the spring semester, I’d like to share some of the highlights from the past year and make you aware of the people and resources available to support your success at San Francisco State University. Looking forward to seeing you this semester!

Best,

Lynn Mahoney, Ph.D.

President

January 30, 2024

Dear colleagues,
 
As I write to you welcoming the beginning of the spring term, I am keenly aware that there continues to be pain and turmoil resulting from labor negotiations, global tragedies, and the challenges facing many universities, including SF State. Much of this rests elsewhere but deeply affects many of our community. And our local challenges as we work our way through the demographic realities of becoming a smaller university are at best unsettling and at worst deeply painful. Yes, 2023 was hard and 2024 is looking challenging. I assure you we will meet those challenges as they come, as we have for a good number of years now. But as we launch the spring semester, it’s crucial for our – and especially students’ – morale to look at how much we are nonetheless accomplishing—in the classroom, in services provided by staff, in faculty research, and in almost every space on our beautiful, dynamic campus.
 
Just as we left for break, I received word that a member of our faculty had received one of the most significant recognitions offered by the CSU. I am thrilled to announce that Dr. Allyson Tintiangco-Cubales, professor of Asian American Studies, was chosen as the 2024 recipient of the prestigious Wang Family Excellence Award for Outstanding Faculty Teaching. Only one faculty member from across all 23 CSU campuses is chosen annually for this award. Please join me in congratulating Dr. Tintiangco-Cubales for this well-deserved recognition.
 
We launched new academic initiatives in much-needed areas that will also help increase enrollment, including a degree completion program in Psychology, certificate and credential programs in Data Science and Machine Learning for Biotechnology Professionals and School Nurse Services, and a new School of the Environment.  We are in the midst of an ambitious effort to hire 15 faculty with focused expertise in Black and Latinx/e student success, and the applicants show great promise in helping us advance our student success mission. 
 
Faculty teaching and research continue to fuel change locally and globally. Based in large part on the research and teaching of Dr. Trevor Getz, professor of History, the New York City Board of Education launched Hidden Voices: Stories of the Global African Diaspora, an innovative curriculum giving voice to African and diasporic literature. And SF State continues to be a leader in teaching and research related to climate change. Climate HQ hosted its first CSU-wide meeting on climate change. Faculty from 15 CSU campuses discussed collaborations in teaching, research, and outreach. 
 
Right here on campus, I encourage all to find a time to visit the Hager Planetarium when its renovations are complete. Thanks to Dr. Adrienne Cool and Dr. John Brewer of the Department of Physics and Astronomy, the University received a $1.5M grant to renovate the planetarium.  After a visit to the planetarium, consider attending one of the many events hosted by the College of Liberal and Creative Arts which highlight the talents of our faculty, staff, and students. 
 
Our staff work tirelessly to support our students. To highlight but one example, staff members in the College of Health and Social Sciences redesigned several spaces to increase capacity. Sam Ward, Denzel Vaovasa, and Dominic Sciucchetti, working with support from across the college, increased capacity in instructional spaces, allowing greater access for students. Our staff also work hard to support one another. In its inaugural year, the Staff Council has created a strong role for itself in shared governance and community building. It is hosting events to bring folks together and providing opportunities for staff to step into leadership roles in its various subcommittees. Please be sure to keep an eye out for their events!
 
We have made reducing opportunity gaps one of our highest priorities. University-wide collaborations like the work being done to achieve the Seal of Excelencia or to Elevate Black Excellence have received grant funding from the CSU to build on the good work being done by many, including CEETL and the College of Ethnic Studies. I also encourage all to drop by one of the centers coordinated by the division of Equity & Community Inclusion—or follow them on social media to find out more about events happening all over campus.
 
And, as always, our students shine. The Auxiliary Organization Association, a statewide organization representing over 90 organizations, awarded Iese Esera, a graduate student in Public Administration and alumnus of the School of Music, its distinguished AOA Scholarship of Excellence for academic excellence and exemplary service. Congratulations, Iese!
 
Two student organizations collaborated with the library to create outreach and engagement displays on the first floor of the Main Library. The Iranian Diaspora Student Association created a Norooz/Nowruz display last spring, and the Student Kouncil of Intertribal Nations (SKINS) and Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) created an Indigenous Peoples display in October. I encourage all to visit the library to see these rotating exhibits.
 
And SF State continues to be lauded for its work. We were awarded a 4.5 out of 5-star rating by Money magazine in its Best Colleges in America 2023 list. Money based its rating on SF State’s quality of education, affordability, and outcomes compared to other universities.  U.S. News & World Report ranked SF State eighth in the nation for social mobility in its 2024 Best Colleges list—a critical testament to the value of an SF State degree and a step forward in our battle against the prestige bias which sadly informs too much of the discourse surrounding higher education.
 
I conclude as I started. Yes, it is a tough moment for higher ed and for us, but our common commitment to students and their success remains the shining feature of the SF State student experience. Highlighting that and sharing loudly and proudly the accomplishments of our faculty, staff, administrators and students will help us recruit and retain students and will go a long way to helping address our local enrollment challenge. We need to assure our students that we will continue to offer the classes they need to graduate and that their progress remains our priority.
 
As we start 2024 and begin our spring semester, I look forward to a year in which we work together to weather whatever comes our way and continue to provide the best experience we can for our students.
 
As always, please know that I deeply appreciate all you do to make SF State the unique and vibrant community it is.

Best,

Lynn Mahoney, Ph.D.

President