News and Announcements
The University has received notice, consistent with the governor’s policy, that CSU employees will receive a half day of informal time off with pay on Wednesday, Dec. 24. In addition, President Mahoney has decided to close the SFSU campus and to provide SFSU employees with an additional half day of informal time off with pay on Dec. 24. Accordingly, SFSU employees (exempt and non-exempt) will receive their regular pay for Dec. 24 and do not need to use any accrued leave. Part-time employees will be provided with paid informal time off, pro-rated according to their time base.
Employees required to work on Dec. 24, or who would be scheduled to work but are on vacation, sick leave or CTO, may be granted the equivalent informal time off prior to June 30, 2026. This time may not be considered CTO and is not compensable in cash.
Please note: Employees on alternate or compressed work schedules whose regular day off falls on the day the campus observes the governor’s informal time off or the additional time off authorized by the campus president will receive equivalent informal time off, which they must use by June 30, 2026. This informal time off shall not be considered as CTO and is not compensable in cash.
More information about scheduling informal time off, upcoming campus closures and important accounting/reporting dates can be found on the Human Resources website.
For questions and clarification, please contact Agnes Cheng, associate director, Payroll at acheng@sfsu.edu or (415) 405-4359.
HR wishes everyone a safe and happy holiday season!
The University Police Department (UPD) hosts two donation drives aimed at helping those in need this winter.
UPD’s annual toy drive benefits the San Francisco Fire Department Toy Program. Those wishing to pitch in can bring in a new, unwrapped toy from now through Wednesday, Dec. 17. Drop-off locations can be found at the UPD office on North State Drive (near Lake Merced Boulevard).
UPD is also collecting coats and other winter apparel to benefit the One Warm Coat organization. Bring in new or gently used winter coats, hats and gloves from now through Dec. 18. Donations can be dropped off in the lobby of the UPD office and the Office of Human Resources in Administration 252.
The 2026 University Retreat will be held on Jan. 22, 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., at the J Paul Leonard Library. This year’s theme, “Caring for Ourselves, Caring for Each Other in Troubling Times,” grows out of a shared reality. We are all living through difficult, uncertain and often overwhelming times. In the midst of budget challenges, exhaustion, national unrest and the emotional weight that so many of us carry, care is not just an individual act. It is a collective practice of resilience, one that holds our community together. Drawing on relational and community-based traditions that understand well-being as collective, this retreat highlights community building, mindfulness, embodied presence and deep listening as tools for sustaining ourselves and our students. Through workshops and conversations that showcase resources across campus, we will explore how caring for ourselves and for one another strengthens our community and supports courageous, compassionate and hopeful work at SFSU. RSVP by Dec. 19.
Executive Director of Risk and Safety Services Mike Beatty has announced that Marc Majewski, director of Environment, Health and Safety, will be retiring from SFSU after 11 years of dedicated service. His last day will be Dec. 30.
Since joining SFSU in 2014 Majewski has played a central role in building and strengthening Environmental, Health and Safety programs. Under his leadership, the department has:
- Advanced campus-wide safety practices and training
- Supported compliance with evolving regulatory requirements
- Partnered with departments across the University to promote a culture of safety, sustainability and preparedness
His steady leadership, deep expertise and calm presence have been invaluable to our campus community. He has been a trusted partner to faculty, staff and students alike, and his contributions will continue to shape our work long after his retirement.
Please join Beatty in thanking Majewski for his many years of service and wishing him all the best in this next chapter.
Today’s CampusMemo is the last edition for 2025. It will go on winter hiatus and resume publication on Tuesday, Jan. 21. Please submit items via Qualtrics for the Jan. 21 edition by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14. For questions, please email the Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications at marcomm@sfsu.edu.
The SFSU Academic Senate met on Tuesday, Dec. 9, via Zoom.
The Senate:
- Adopted by general consent the following items:
- M.S. Electrical and Computer Engineering (change in CIP code and small program revision)
- B.A. Dance (reduction in units)
- Passed the following items:
- Revision to Department Chairs and Equivalent Unit Directors, #S25-145
- Academic Calendar for summer 2026 and fall 2026 – spring 2027
- Bachelor of Science in Physics: Concentration in Physics for Teaching [discontinuance]
- Master of Science in Nursing: Neonatal Clinical Nurse Specialist (Entry Level) [discontinuance]
- Master of Science in Nursing: Neonatal Clinical Nurse Specialist [discontinuance]
- Bachelor of Arts in Comparative and World Literature [discontinuance]
- Master of Arts in Geography [discontinuance]
- GCT Trauma-Informed Social Work (new program)
- Heard in first reading:
- Senate Bylaws Update
- B.A. Chinese: ITEP (name change, revision of suspended program)
- CT in Multilingual and Psychology Competencies (new program)
- CT in Multilingual and Public Health (new program)
- Academic Calendar fall 2028 and fall 2028- spring 2029
- Heard presentations from:
- Elaine Musselman and Alexander Dursin, Legislative Updates
- Rob Collins and Dipendra Sinha, ASCSU Update
The Office of Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) has been compiling holiday safety tips for the SFSU community for the last decade. Now all that safety guidance has been gathered together in one downloadable PDF. Topics include tree safety, car travel, cooking, gift wrapping, dangerous gifts, choking hazards, fireplaces, electrical hazards and more.
View or download “Ten Years of Holiday Safety Tips” from EHS.
Take a break and unwind. Drop by the MakerSpace for snacks, chill vibes and creative fun. Wrap holiday gifts with festive supplies or create custom vinyl designs using the Cricut machine. Enjoy VR and retro games, make buttons and relax with music, crafts and puzzles. Unwind, play or make something special — this is a space to chill and get into the holiday spirit. Visit Dec. 15 – 19 during open hours, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Human Resources will offer the next Staff Forum on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 11 a.m. – noon, via Zoom. Campus staff (who are not MPP or faculty) are encouraged to attend. This Staff Forum will include an update on the move to AdobeSign and Title IX information. Staff Forums are offered monthly during the academic semester. Don’t have the Zoom link? Opt-in to all monthly Staff Forums with one RSVP.
Get creative for the holiday season. Join Academic Technology for a fun and creative workshop designing and decorating your own mug using their Cricut cutting machine, Friday, Dec. 19, 1 – 2 p.m., in Library 260.
Bring a mug to personalize or use one provided. (Limited supply available on a first-come, first-served basis.) Perfect for cozy winter vibes or a thoughtful handmade gift! RSVP to reserve a spot.
Academic Technology winter support hours begin on Monday, Dec. 22, and will be Monday – Friday (excluding campus holidays), 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Regular hours resume on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, the first day of instruction for the spring 2026 semester.
The Digital Media Studio & MakerSpace winter hours begin on Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, and will be Monday – Friday (excluding campus holidays), 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Regular semester hours (Monday – Thursday, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.) will resume Monday, Jan. 26, 2026.
Please join American Indian Studies (AIS) alumni Denny Bruno (’05) and Cathleen Manuel (B.A., ’20; M.A., ’22) as they discuss Emeritus Professor Elizabeth “Betty” Parent’s impact on AIS as a department. The event is Friday, Jan. 9, noon – 2 p.m. in Library 121. This event will be moderated by Professor and Chair of Journalism Cristina Azocar. Seating is limited so register to attend. Light refreshments will be served.
Nominations for the 2026 distinguished faculty and staff awards have been extended by the Faculty and Staff Award Committee. These awards are an opportunity for the campus to recognize and honor outstanding tenured faculty, full-time lecturer faculty and staff who have demonstrated significant, long-term contributions to the University and to their disciplines.
Recipients receive:
- Recognition in multiple settings, including the University Convocation
- Plaque honoring their achievement
- Portrait posted in Administration building
- $4,000 award sponsored by the San Francisco State University Foundation
Please submit applications via Qualtrics by 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. For questions, please contact members of the committee at senate@sfsu.edu.
SFSU Spotlight
The Department of Africana Studies Visiting Professor Shanice Robinson-Blacknell authored a new children’s book, “Seeds of a Dream: The Magic Inside Me.” With profound generosity and a deep commitment to educational equity, Robinson-Blacknell has pledged 100% of the book’s proceeds to support the West Contra Costa Unified School District Freedom School Summer Literacy Program, ensuring that local youth have expanded access to culturally affirming literacy resources.
Seeds of a Dream offers a vibrant and heartfelt narrative rooted in the community of Richmond, California. Centered on a young girl named Shanice, the story illuminates the transformative role of family, education, cultural pride and community love. Through vivid storytelling and accessible language, the book introduces children to themes of resilience, self-awareness and the power of imagination. It honors the legacies of loved ones, community leaders and ancestors whose lives shaped Shanice’s journey, offering young readers models of courage, empathy and purpose.
The story also highlights Black excellence and historical consciousness, drawing inspiration from figures such as Harriet Tubman, Langston Hughes, the Black Panther Party and Tupac Shakur. By weaving together personal narrative, cultural heritage and educational empowerment, Robinson-Blacknell offers children — especially Black youth — an affirming vision of belonging and possibility.
The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) congratulates faculty members and others for their recent grant awards.
Katharyn Boyer, director, Estuary and Ocean Science Center: $75,000 from Maxwell Hanrahan Foundation for “Scientific Illustration Internship 2025–2027.” This funding supports scientific illustration internships for undergraduate or graduate students at the Estuary and Ocean Science Center.
Jeff Duncan-Andrade, professor, Latina/Latino Studies and Race and Resistance Studies: $400,000 from Google for “Repurposing Public Schools: Toward a Model of Community Responsiveness and Wellness.” The project focuses on a deep and comprehensive examination of what it takes for a school to center and measure the mental, physical and emotional wellness of youth, families and educators.
Sharon Bliss, director, Fine Arts Gallery: $150,000 from San Francisco Foundation for “Artist Residency 2025 – 2027.” The project supports an artist in residence in the School of Art. This individual will be integrated into course curricula across disciplines and interact with students and the broader campus and regional communities through public programs.
For more information about ORSP and grant-related news, sign up for its monthly newsletter by logging in to the mailing list manager with SFSU credentials and searching for “ORSP Memo.”