Diversity and Inclusion

We believe every person has the right to feel welcomed, respected and valued at Cal Poly.

Together with our campus partners, Student Affairs aims to create campus communities that reflects the diverse population of our state, and provide equity, access and opportunities for all students, faculty and staff.

As our work continues, we invite you to look at our current priorities, past achievements and let us know how we can make Cal Poly a more inclusive place for all.

Current Priorities

• Improve campus climate by building relationships of integrity and respect with students and helping them lift up their voices 
• Expand programming, services, gender-inclusive policies and education so that every member of the Cal Poly community is supported and respected 
• Enhance leadership training programs to foster greater awareness, knowledge and appreciation of cultural differences
• Increase professional development opportunities among Student Affairs staff to build greater knowledge of diversity, inclusion and social justice
• Implement the Cal Poly Opportunity Fee to create equitable opportunities to attend Cal Poly for qualified students from lower-income households

Past Priorities and Achievements

AY2017-18 Highlights:

• Fostered a partnership and collaboration with the yak titʸu titʸu yak tiłhini tribe, the Indigenous People of San Luis Obispo County, to advise on the community-wide education campaign of yakʔitʸutʸu residential community and building names.
• Implemented the Cross Cultural Experience (CCE), an orientation track for students who identify with underrepresented groups. The track offers alternative experiences such as workshops, discussions, fun activities and a multicultural resource fair to ensure that underrepresented students are connecting to communities that will help them be a successful Mustang.

• New Student and Transition Programs implemented a new cultural competency training series to better prepare all student orientation leaders.
• Student Academic Services partnered with Cal-SOAP, a local organization serving underrepresented students in San Luis Obispo County, to host the inaugural Black Male Spring Summit.  More than 60 male African-American students (ages 12-18) from the Lompoc School district attended the inaugural summit, which aims to inspire students to attend college.
• Created a secretary of diversity and inclusion student leadership position to work with the Cross Cultural Centers and ASI Student Diversity Advisory Council on topics of diversity and inclusion. The position is part of the ASI executive cabinet.
• Cal Poly’s Cross Cultural Centers (CCC) hosted the inaugural Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dinner to recognize individuals who continue to do transformative work on campus.
• Hosted the largest gathering of guests in the 20-year history of CultureFest in October 2017.
• Parent and Family Programs and Student Academic Services hosted the inaugural Somos Mustangs, a luncheon for 200 first-generation parents, supporters and students during Mustang Family Weekend.
• Broke ground on a new, larger Multicultural Center on the first floor of the University Union.

For more highlights and progress updates, please review our past divisional annual reports.