News and Announcements
Class of 2026, save the date for SFSU’s 125th Commencement, which will be held Thursday, May 21, 2026, at Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants. This is our 10th year celebrating graduates at the downtown ballpark, and we plan to welcome the more than 30,000 graduates, family members and friends for this unforgettable milestone.
“Commencement is the most important day of the year for our university, our graduates and their families,” said SFSU President Lynn Mahoney. “In addition to representing the culmination of years of work, Commencement is our opportunity as a community to celebrate students one more time as they embark on their next adventure.”
This year’s Commencement ceremony will start at 3 p.m., with doors opening at 1 p.m., a slight time difference from previous years.
More information about the May 21 ceremony will be shared throughout the year as it becomes available. Keep checking the SFSU Commencement website for updates! Follow SFSU on social media and tag your Commencement posts #SFSU2026.
Photo by Gino de Grandis
SFSU is finalizing a partnership agreement with the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) and City College of San Francisco (CCSF) to create a guaranteed admission pathway for local high school seniors and community college students who meet eligibility requirements. The agreement was announced at a special on-campus event Thursday, Oct. 23, with President Lynn Mahoney, CCSF Chancellor Kimberlee Messina (left), SFUSD Superintendent Maria Su (middle) and other special guests in attendance.
The new program eliminates the uncertainty of the application process and expands opportunities for students seeking an SFSU degree. The partnership represents a major expansion of the long-running SF Promise initiative, the University’s commitment to creating educational opportunities for families in the City and County of San Francisco.
“SFUSD, CCSF, and SFSU are deeply committed to providing S.F. residents with high-quality education and access to upward mobility. Together, we fuel the workforce, innovation and success of the city and the Bay Area,” said SFSU President Lynn Mahoney. “This agreement will strengthen our commitment to San Francisco students and families by guaranteeing that higher education — and the opportunities it creates — remains within the reach of all.”
“This partnership is an incredible opportunity for our students,” said SFUSD Superintendent Maria Su. “By knowing in advance that they have a guaranteed path to SFSU, our graduates can plan with confidence and focus on their academic success.”
“We are excited to offer our graduates a guaranteed pathway to SFSU,” said CCSF Chancellor Kimberlee Messina. “This agreement provides CCSF graduates with the certainty of admission, ensuring they can continue their educational journey seamlessly and achieve their goals.”
The new initiative is part of SFSU’s ongoing efforts to remove barriers for prospective students. The University already guarantees admission for eligible military veterans and foster youth via the Guardian Scholars Program.
“For San Francisco to be a world-class city, we need a world-class education system. Our residents and families deserve that,” said San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie. “I am proud to announce this initiative that will transform the path to higher education for thousands of San Francisco students. This program is the result of true collaboration, and I want to thank the leadership at SFUSD, City College of San Francisco and San Francisco State for coming together with one goal in mind: our students’ success.”
To qualify for guaranteed SFSU admission, SFUSD graduates will need to complete the required A – G high school courses with a grade of C or better and earn at least a 2.5 GPA in those courses taken in grades 10–12. Transfer students from CCSF will need to complete at least 60 transferable units with a minimum 2.0 GPA across all colleges attended and finish the “Golden Four” core courses — Oral Communication, Written Communication, Critical Thinking and Math/Quantitative Reasoning — with a grade of C- or better.
Please visit the SFSU Guaranteed Admissions page for more information.
Recent SFSU volleyball graduate Kimberly DeBoer was named a 2025 NCAA Women of the Year Top 30 Honoree. DeBoer is the first athlete in program history to earn the prestigious honor.
The State Controller’s Office will mail 2025 Form W-2 wage and tax statements no later than Saturday, Jan. 31. Employees who have registered for Cal Employee Connect (CEC) and selected paperless delivery will receive their W-2 electronically through the CEC portal.
To ensure timely and secure delivery, employees are encouraged to verify their mailing address or opt in for electronic W-2 delivery through CEC by Sunday, Nov. 30. Address changes can be updated directly via Human Resources Self-Service through Saturday, Dec. 13.
Human Resources would like to thank you for helping ensure a smooth and secure W-2 distribution process. For questions, please email Payroll Services at payroll@sfsu.edu.
Scammers know how to push your buttons. One of the biggest red flags in an email, text or phone call is sudden urgency, whether it’s excitement, fear or pressure to act fast. Messages like “You’ve won a prize,” “you owe back taxes” or “your boss needs your bank account info right now” are classic scam tactics.
These messages are designed to trigger strong emotions, so you’ll click or respond before thinking twice. When you see a message that is unexpected, emotional or asking for payment or sensitive information, pause and ask yourself: Does this feel off? If it does, do not click anything, not even the “unsubscribe” button, which could be part of the scam. Instead, report the message as phishing, delete it and block the sender.
Stay cautious, stay aware and protect yourself from phishing, smishing and other online scams.
Visit the Information Technology Services website for more cybersecurity tips.
On Oct. 15, staff, faculty and alumni joined for a special behind-the-scenes tour of the Science and Engineering Innovation Center, followed by a spread from Carmelina’s Café.
Professors Kwok Teh and Bruce Manning led the group through some of the hands-on learning spaces equipped with cutting-edge technology.
Alumni Relations would like to thank everyone who attended. They enjoyed “reconnecting and celebrating the spirit of innovation at SFSU!”
The SFSU Academic Senate will meet Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2 – 5 p.m., via Zoom for its fourth meeting of the academic year.
- The Campus Curriculum Committee presents the following consent item:
- B.A. in Humanities: Lowering or required units, change of electives
- Recommendation from the Campus Curriculum Committee in first reading:
- M.S. in Earth and Environmental Science: Name change and program revision
- M.A. in Geography, Resource Management and Environmental Planning: Elevation form concentration to stand-alone degree
- M.N. in Africa and Globalization: Name change and program revision
- M.N. in Accounting: Reactivation
- Recommendation from the Academic Policies Committee in first reading:
- Revision to Policy on Requirements for Graduate Students, $S25-295
- Recommendation from the Strategic Issues Committee in second reading:
- Resolution Recommending Enhancements to the University Budget Committee Charge and Implementation, No. RF25-XXX
- Recommendations from the Campus Curriculum Committee in second reading:
- M.A. in Secondary Education and Learning
- M.N. in Human Resource Management
- Graduate certificate in Generative Artificial Intelligence for Computer Scientists
- The Senate will hear presentations from the following:
- Serkan Hosten, Academic Freedom Committee: Statement on Charlie Kirk Assassination and its Aftermath (time certain: 3:45 – 4 p.m.)
- Katie Lynch, senior associate vice president of Enrollment Management: Strategic Enrollment (Time certain: 4 p.m.)
Have a question about the night sky? Want to see your favorite constellation, talk about black holes or witness the Milky Way in all its glory as it appears far from city lights? You can do that all right here on campus in the SFSU planetarium.
The 45-minute shows are free and open to the public. They’re held on Mondays and Fridays at 1 p.m. (last admittance: 1:10 p.m.) in the Charles F. Hagar Planetarium (Thornton Hall 422).
Schedule:
- Mondays: “Tracing Humanity Through the Stars,” presented by Gillis Lowry
- Fridays: “Exploring Tonight’s Night Sky and the Motions of Celestial Bodies,” presented by Jim Gibson
As the planetarium will be closed for renovation for most of 2026, this semester is your chance to see and learn about the beautiful night sky produced by the University’s vintage Spitz star projector.
For questions, please email Jim Gibson at jimg@sfsu.edu.
Curious about AI? Join Academic Technology for “AI Commons: ChatGPT 101,” an informal, interactive session to explore ChatGPT basics, share tips for smarter use and answer your questions. It will be held Tuesday, Oct. 28, 3:30 – 5 p.m., in the Digital Media Studio and MakerSpace (Library 260).
Afterward, stick around for the “AI Lounge,” an open space to chat, experiment and learn from each other. No experience is needed. Just bring your curiosity.
The Center for Equity and Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CEETL) hosts its Lecturer Faculty Teaching and Learning Community from Wednesday, Oct. 29, to Wednesday, Dec. 10. This learning community is designed to support new lecturer faculty in their pedagogy, provide a space for connection with peers and share resources to support student success.
In this community, participants will work through five modules that introduce the foundations of college teaching for lecturer faculty seeking more experience in evidence-based teaching. Explore each topic by engaging asynchronously at your own pace and/or joining CEETL’s weekly Zoom office hours for a total of 8 – 10 hours for the course.
Lecturer faculty who complete the community requirements by Dec. 10 will receive a $500 stipend.
New Lecturer faculty will be emailed an invitation. If you are interested and haven’t received the invitation, please email CEETL at ceetl@sfsu.edu.
The campus community is invited to the CSU Advancing and Expanding Ethnic Studies Awards Symposium on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., at Seven Hills Conference Center. This symposium, generously sponsored by the Mellon Foundation, is the first of two that will showcase some of the advancements by award recipients in Ethnic Studies pedagogy and research and intersections with Women’s Studies, Sexuality Studies and Trans Studies.
The “Image Creation with Generative AI” course explores image creation with generative artificial intelligence (AI). It will be held Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2 – 3:30 p.m., via Zoom.
Participants will gain a primer on generative AI tools for image creation, considerations for using generative AI and best practices for creating effective and accessible images for various use cases. Through hands-on activities, participants will develop skills in crafting descriptive prompts and selecting appropriate visual styles to generate unique images with ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot and Adobe Firefly.
This course is an elective that counts toward receiving a digital badge for the AI Literacy Education Program.
Join the Graduate College of Education (GCOE) for its Research Roundtable Presentation on Thursday, Oct. 30, 1 – 2 p.m., via Zoom. All are welcome to attend this monthly event that features GCOE and community scholars and authors.
This event will feature:
- Anusha Sundarrajan, associate professor of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences: “Vocal Health Among Group Fitness Instructors”
- Victor Lugo, assistant professor of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences: “Team Science in Education: Breaking Down Collaborative Barriers and Boosting Psychological Safety”
The Research Roundtable Presentations feature GCOE researchers delivering 25-minute presentations on a variety of education topics. These are more than just presentations — this series is a platform for the GCOE community to share ideas, network and learn.
The “AI Literacy Essentials: Introduction to Generative AI” course introduces generative artificial intelligence (AI) to those with little or no prior experience engaging with this emerging technology. It will be held Thursday, Oct. 30, 2 – 3:30 p.m., via Zoom.
Participants obtain a foundational understanding of generative AI, its associated opportunities and implications, and basic strategies for composing and iterating prompts. Participants will be expected to engage in hands-on interaction with the Microsoft Copilot chatbot to begin generating practical outputs for personal and professional use cases.
This course is an elective that counts toward receiving a digital badge for the AI Literacy Education Program.
The Chin-Plaisance Colloquia Committee and the Department of Philosophy are delighted to welcome UC Davis Professor Alejandro Naranjo Sandoval to SFSU. His talk, “Natural Destiny in Poulain’s Account of Gender Inequality,” will be held Thursday, Oct. 30, 4 – 6 p.m., in Humanities 587. A catered meet and greet with Sandoval will follow. All are welcome.
On Halloween, experience a virtual reality haunted house filled with eerie corridors, ghostly encounters and heart-pounding scares — dare to enter if you can. It will be held Friday, Oct. 31, from 12 to 3 p.m. in the Digital Media Studio and MakerSpace (Library 260).
The School of Social Work invites prospective students to join an information session to learn about the Master of Social Work program, admission requirements and the application process. The information session will be held Monday, Nov. 3, 6 – 7 p.m., via Zoom.
Please RSVP to receive the Zoom link for the Master of Social Work information sessions.
The International Relations Department is proud to host a graduate recruitment session with representatives from Georgetown University, Columbia University, Johns Hopkins University and Tufts University on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 9:30 – 11 a.m., in Humanities 281.
These are top universities for graduate study in international affairs. This is the first time that their recruiters will visit SFSU to meet with students. Join to learn more about graduate school applications, admission requirements and timelines and financial aid, as well as career opportunities in public policy and international affairs.
Stop by the inaugural Lam Family College of Business Research and Innovation Showcase on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., in Library 121. This event is open to everyone.
Students will present projects developed through internships, case competitions, entrepreneurial ventures and research. Some projects highlight how classroom learning is applied in the real world.
Faculty will showcase their latest high-impact research and major initiative activities, offering a close look at the work shaping the future of business and public policy, and enhancing SFSU students’ career readiness.
Light snacks and beverages will be provided.
Join Student Support Services-TRIO, Student Outreach, Academic Retention-TRIO and the Latinx Student Center for the 7th Annual First-Generation College Celebration on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., in Village Plaza (between SSB and Village C) and the Community Inclusion Space (SSB 206).
This campus-wide celebration honors the resilience and achievements of SFSU’s first-generation students, staff, faculty, alumni and supporters. The day includes:
- Campus partner tabling and resource bingo
- Food and refreshments
- Arts and crafts
- A First-Gen Community Slideshow
- A photo booth and wellness space
- First-Gen Voices Open Mic (1–1:30 p.m.), open to all first-gen community members who wish to share a brief reflection or story
All who identify as first-gen are encouraged to take part, whether by joining the celebration, submitting a photo or sharing your voice.
The Center for Equity and Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CEETL) hosts a pumpkin succulent workshop on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2 – 3 p.m., in Library 242.
Surrounded by the scent of fall you’ll create your own pumpkin succulent arrangement, a living piece of autumn to brighten your space. CEETL will provide everything you need — pumpkins, succulents, tea and tunes. You just bring your creativity and cozy fall spirit. Come craft, connect and let the healing energy of plants refresh your mind and heart.
SFSU Veterans Services will host two events on Thursday, Nov. 13, to honor veterans. There will be a special invitation community breakfast in the Seven Hills Conference Center, followed by a Veterans Day Fair from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Malcolm X Plaza. This campus-wide celebration will feature tabling, a color guard presentation and opportunities for the community to connect and show support.
The fall semester Latinx Speaker Series begins with Jazdil Poupart-Feliciano on Thursday, Nov. 13, 2 – 4 p.m., in Library 121. Poupart-Feliciano will discuss her doctoral research on abolition, decolonization and activism supporting incarcerated folks and their families in Puerto Rico. Light refreshments will be provided.
This event is hosted by the Latina/Latino Studies Department and the Latinx Student Center. For more information, please email Professor Carolina Prado at carolinaprado@sfsu.edu.
SFSU Spotlight
Nutrition and Dietetics Professor Gretchen George and colleagues have a new publication, “Food Insecurity and Personal Appearance Distress Among College Students: A Call for Help,” now available in Trends in Higher Education. The study examines the complex relationship between food insecurity, body dissatisfaction and compensatory behaviors among college students, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to support student well-being.
George thanks the article’s other authors: Marcela Radtke; Family, Interiors, Nutrition and Apparel Lecturer Faculty Rachel E. Scherr; graduate student Dana Alvarez Mendoza, Brittany Loofbourrow, Health Promotion and Wellness Director Karen Stradford Boyce and Emily Sklar.
Professor of Counseling Tiffany O’Shaughnessy presented with Jace Perry (M.S., ’25) and Mechila-Rae Hodge (M.S., ’25) at the 2025 Association for Counselor Education and Supervision conference held Oct. 9 – 12 in Philadelphia. They gave a 50-minute education session titled “Counselor Preparation in Integrated Behavioral Healthcare,” highlighting the results of focus groups with graduates of our Equity and Justice Focused Integrated Behavioral Health training project conducted under the leadership of Counseling Professor Julie Chronister.
On Oct. 10, Asian American Studies Professor Jonathan Lee received the Distinguished Service Award for his “outstanding dedication to the Rainbow Community Center and commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community” at the 30th Anniversary Celebration of the Rainbow Community Center of Contra Costa County.
Lee also served as chair of the 30th Anniversary Celebration Committee. In addition, he received a Certificate of Recognition from the city of Concord “in honor of his many contributions to the Rainbow and Concord communities.”
Labor and Employment Studies Director and Professor John Logan was a guest on “The Rick Smith Show” on Oct. 22. He discussed the “No Kings” demonstrations and the labor movement.
In an Oct. 22 article in On Labor, Logan commented on Amazon’s union-busting tactics.
On Oct. 6, Logan participated on a panel discussion on unions and social work, organized by the National Association of Social Workers.
Recreation, Parks, Tourism and Holistic Health Professor Erik Peper authored “This May Save Your Life! Bacteriophage Treatment for Bacterial Diseases – The Living Medicine” in Townsend Letter on Oct. 15.