News and Announcements
SFSU and UC Law San Francisco have reached an agreement that establishes a new downtown home for graduate business programs from SFSU’s Lam Family College of Business at UC Law SF’s Academic Village.
The agreement creates a new downtown campus location for SFSU, giving students direct access to San Francisco’s thriving business environment. Beginning in fall 2026, graduate business students will take classes at the UC Law SF building at 198 McAllister St., at the nexus of the Civic Center, Mid-Market and Tenderloin communities.
Under the agreement, SFSU will occupy 3,200 square feet of exclusive teaching and office space and will share additional classrooms with UC Law. The move positions students in close proximity to leading employers, industry partners and transit hubs, enhancing opportunities for internships, networking and career advancement.
“This partnership is an example of the growing strategic collaborations that expand opportunities for our students,” said SFSU President Lynn Mahoney. “By situating graduate business programs in the city’s urban core, we will help students build connections, gain experience and achieve their goals for meaningful careers and upward mobility.”
Students enrolled in select Lam Family College of Business graduate programs will have access to the Academic Village’s modern classrooms, conference facilities, library, study spaces and resident and event support services. The site also includes lounges, on-site dining and newly built, fully furnished, apartment-style housing for students and professionals. As institutional partners, Lam Family College of Business students and alumni are eligible for tuition discounts if they enroll in the UC Law SF Master of Legal Studies program, designed for professionals whose work intersects with the law.
“San Francisco State University is an excellent addition to our Academic Village, and we are excited to have the Lam Family College of Business join us in the fall,” said UC Law SF Chancellor and Dean David Faigman. “The partnership advances UC Law SF’s commitment to collaborate with California’s other great public schools and adds vibrancy and energy to the heart of the city. Our students and programs will benefit from the interdisciplinary opportunities that will arise.”
The UC Law SF Academic Village is a shared-campus model designed to foster collaboration among higher education institutions and contribute to San Francisco’s ongoing revitalization. The Lam Family College of Business will begin occupying its new space there in July 2026, with classes beginning in August. The move continues SFSU’s longstanding presence in downtown San Francisco and reflects a broader effort to align academic programs with the needs of both career-minded students and the region’s expanding and evolving workforce.
For more than 60 years, the Lam Family College of Business has delivered high-quality, AACSB-accredited business education across the San Francisco–Silicon Valley region. Its graduate programs — including the MBA and the STEM-designated Master of Science in Business Analytics and Master of Science in Accounting and Analytics — are designed to help students develop the skills they need to navigate the complex challenges of a global, data-driven economy.
Over 1,700 admitted high school and community college students got an early look on April 11 at “Explore SFSU: Admitted Student Day,” a campuswide preview of academics, student life and the opportunities waiting in San Francisco.
Throughout the free day-long event, students who have been admitted to SFSU and their families enjoyed campus tours, open houses at academic programs and student services and assistance with financial aid. The day concluded with a mixer for students to get to know each other.
Along the way, they also learned what sets SFSU apart: strong return on investment, national recognition for social mobility and a location in the heart of one of the country’s most innovative cities — a hub for industries like artificial intelligence and a leading job market for recent graduates.
“I have always been fascinated by the diverse culture, history and landmarks that make San Francisco such a unique and exciting place to live and learn,” said Himaank Dabra, a Finance and Economics major who leads campus tours. “My classes at SFSU have inspired me to start my own business after graduation.”
This year’s “Explore SFSU” event brought rain, but the University was prepared, modifying activities and providing raincoats to Gators working the event throughout the 144-acre campus.
“I watched hundreds of my colleagues and current students answer questions, give directions, describe what makes an SFSU education special and, most importantly, demonstrate that we are a caring and welcoming community,” President Lynn Mahoney said.
The Division of Graduate Studies and Career Development and the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs hosted the campus-level CSU Student Research Competition in February. Ten SFSU students advanced to the 40th annual CSU Student Research Competition, held April 24 – 26 at San José State University.
SFSU students earned five awards — the highest total among all campuses. They competed against hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students across the CSU, demonstrating innovation, academic excellence, creativity and a commitment to the values of social justice and public education.
- Marcello Garbo, M.S., Chemistry: First place, Physical and Mathematical Sciences. “Designing Safer Near-Infrared Quantum Dots: Controlled Redox Chemistry for High-Performance Nanomaterials.” Faculty mentor: Michael Enright.
- Anthony McBroom, M.S., Quantitative Economics: Second place, Business, Economics and Hospitality Management. “Pride in Property: How Sexual Orientation Affects Homeownership.” Faculty mentor: Venoo Kakar.
- Mary Antoinette Weigel, M.A., Philosophy: Second place, Humanities and Letters. “Three Features of Self-Conception.” Faculty mentor: Carlos Montemayor.
- Leonel Dujardin, M.S., Kinesiology: AI-Enabled Research Award, Health, Nutrition and Clinical Sciences. “The Effect of Attentional Focus on Countermovement Jumps.” Faculty mentor: Leia B. Bagesteiro.
- Leonel Dujardin, M.S., Kinesiology: Second place, Health, Nutrition and Clinical Sciences. “The Effect of Attentional Focus on Countermovement Jumps.” Faculty mentor: Bagesteiro.
The Gators of SFSU took over the home of the San Francisco Giants on April 7 for alumni night. Dozens of SFSU alumni and students gathered to attend the 10th annual San Francisco State University Night at a Major League Baseball game between the Giants and the Philadelphia Phillies at Oracle Park.
The crowd could feel the SFSU presence beyond the many fans dressed in their best Gator purple and gold. The pre-game festivities included 2025 SFSU Alumni Hall of Fame inductee Ghazi Shami throwing out the ceremonial first pitch and the daughter of fellow Alumni Hall of Famer Evan Kidera yelling out, “Play ball!” Gators volleyball star Kimberly DeBoer, a 2025 NCAA Women of the Year Top 30 Honoree, was interviewed on the field. SFSU’s mascot, Alli Gator, shimmied and danced alongside their Giants counterpart in costume, Lou Seal.
Fans coming for the SFSU Night purchased tickets at a 30% discount and received a special roped hat bearing logos of both the Giants and the Gators.
SFSU Night is not the only time the Gators take over Oracle Park. We also host our annual Commencement ceremony at the world-class ballpark, honoring all of our world-class Gator graduates. This year’s Commencement is scheduled for Thursday, May 21.
University Advancement requests campus comment and feedback for the proposed update to the Administration Management and Oversight Fundraising Event University Executive Directive No. 15-43. It establishes requirements for conducting fundraising events by San Francisco State and its auxiliary organizations.
For questions or clarification on any aspect of the updated directive, please email the Policies team at policies@sfsu.edu.
For the SFSU website redesign project, the Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications (SMC) has completed the first round of content imports to the production site. The office thanks all organizations that submitted content last fall.
Content review will take place Monday, May 4 – Monday, June 1. During this time, subject matter experts will be able to review their web pages and confirm they’re ready for launch. Be on the lookout for an email from your SMC representative regarding next steps.
Please note:
- Requests for new pages or changes to site structure or components are not being accepted at this time.
- Profiles, news and events have not yet been added and do not need to be reviewed. SMC will share a separate timeline for these items soon.
San Francisco Federal Credit Union, our campus credit union partner, is offering a limited-time 1% interest-rate discount on new home-equity loans through Sunday, May 31. It puts your home’s equity to work for renovations, debt consolidation or other major expenses. Terms and conditions apply.
To learn more, please visit the San Francisco Federal Credit Union website or email a mortgage loan officer at homelending@sanfranciscofcu.com.
The SFSU Academic Senate will meet on Tuesday, May 5, 2 – 5 p.m., via Zoom for its 12th meeting of the academic year.
- Informational items shared:
- Bachelor of Arts in Classics: suspension
- Recommendation from the Educational Policies Council in second reading:
- Master of Arts in Classics: discontinuation
- Recommendation from the Academic Policies Committee in second reading:
- Policy on Restructuring Academic Units, No. S25-290
- Recommendation from the Faculty Affairs Committee in second reading:
- Department Chair and Equivalent Unit Director Policy, No. F25-145
- Recommendation from the Student Affairs Committee in second reading:
- Policy on Student College Advisory Committee
- Recommendation from the Faculty Affairs Committee in first reading:
- Policy on Abrasive Behavior/Bullying
- Recommendation from the Student Affairs Committee in first reading:
- Grade Appeal Practices and Procedures, No. F24-230
- Recommendation from the Executive Committee in first reading:
- Resolution Condemning Attacks on Civilian Infrastructure and Affirming Commitment to International Humanitarian Law
- RSCA Accountability Resolution
Invest in your development this May with the following trainings:
- Monday, May 4, 11:30 a.m. – noon: “Learning Lab Series: Intro to AI”
- Wednesday, May 6, 10 – 11 a.m.: “Gender Identity and Pronoun Use”
- Thursday, May 7, 9 – 10 a.m.: “Adobe Captioning with Premiere Pro”
- Thursday, May 7, 10 – 11 a.m.: “CSU's Got Talent: Promoted into Incompetence Part Two: Why Good Workers Become Poor Leaders”
- Thursday, May 7, 3 – 3:30 p.m.: “Learning Lab: Emotional Intelligence in Action Part One”
- Friday, May 8, 11 a.m. – noon: “Nearing Retirement (within 5 yrs) with a 401(k) or 457(b)”
- Monday, May 11, 11:30 a.m. – noon: “Learning Lab Series: AI Unlocked”
- Wednesday, May 13, 11 a.m. – noon: “Campus Staff Forum”
- Thursday, May 14, 3 – 3:30 p.m.: “Learning Lab: Emotional Intelligence in Action Part Two”
- Monday, May 18, 11:30 a.m.–noon: “Learning Lab Series: AI Unlocked”
- Wednesday, May 20, 2 – 3 p.m.: “Generative AI: Getting Started and Saving Time”
- Thursday, May 21, 2 – 3 p.m.: “The Ethics of Care: Nurturing a Caring Campus Community Culture”
- Thursday, May 21, 3 – 3:30 p.m.: “Learning Lab: Emotional Intelligence in Action Part Three”
- Thursday, May 28, 10 – 11:30 a.m.: “Tech Essentials for the Modern Workplace: A CSU Introduction”
- May – August (multiple offerings): “AI Tools for Higher-Ed Professionals/Staff”
Please visit the Human Resources website for more information and to register.
The Digital Media Studio and MakerSpace hosts the Figma Logo Making Workshop, presented by Figma, on Monday, May 4, 4:30 – 5:15 p.m., in Library 260. This event is a hands-on logo design workshop where participants will create original logos using Figma’s vector design tools.
After designing, participants will use the MakerSpace Cricut machine to print their logos out as vinyl stickers or iron-on patches. RSVP is required.
The 2026 SFSU Student AI Awards celebrate original student projects that thoughtfully explore, apply, critique or innovate with artificial intelligence (AI). The ceremony is on Tuesday, May 5, at 11:30 a.m. in Library 121. All are welcome.
Join Professors Omar Zahzah and Will Clark in an event with Charlotte Karem Albrecht and Pauline Hosmi Vinson in a discussion of queer Arab literature and the practice of historical and archival methods. In conversation, we focus on axes of queer and Arab identities, “which are both individually and intersectionality threatened in new ways in addition to being weaponized to legitimize Palestinian genocide and anti-Arab erasure vis-a-vis imperial and homonationalist rhetorics.”
- Tuesday, May 5, 2 p.m., Humanities 587: Albrecht discusses historical grounded imagining of queer Arab spaces.
- Wednesday, May 6, 2 p.m., Humanities 485: Vinson discusses queer archives in Arab American Literature.
Through these events, students and colleagues are invited to join a larger conversation on queerness, Arabness and identity as they are mediated in literature and our society during a period of global crisis.
This program is hosted by the departments of English Language and Literature, Race and Resistance Studies, and the Arab and Muslim Ethnicities and Diasporas Studies programs.
Philosophy Lecturer Faculty Kimbrough Moore will present “AI in the Classroom: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” on Wednesday, May 6, 4 – 6 p.m., in Humanities 587. The talk will be followed by a Q&A and a reception. All are welcome.
Abstract: Artificial intelligence (AI) is a transformative technology in education, but this doesn’t mean the effects are all good. An earthquake can also be transformative. This talk will share preliminary lessons from ongoing SFSU projects on AI in the classroom. While there is no general use case in which AI is unequivocally helpful for teaching, faculty have been creative in finding ways of incorporating AI into their curriculum, both as a tool and as an object of critical analysis.
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 all that in the Charles F. Hagar Planetarium (Thornton Hall 422).
There are only four more chances to catch a planetarium show before undergoing renovation. The planetarium will reopen in 2027.
Schedule:
- Thursday, May 7: 11 – 11:45 a.m.
- Friday, May 8: noon – 12:45 p.m.
- Thursday, May 14: 11 – 11:45 a.m.
- Friday, May 15: noon – 12:45 p.m.
For questions, please email Jim Gibson at jimg@sfsu.edu.
The Digital Media Studio and MakerSpace will host an open house event on Thursday, May 7, 2 – 6 p.m., in Library 260. It is open to all SFSU students, faculty and staff.
Learn about 3D printing, virtual reality, podcasting, audio mixing, internet-of-things/micro-controllers/robotics and video/audio equipment checkout. The open house will also feature special presentations of student projects with edge computing, artificial intelligence and more.
The Apparel Design and Merchandising program presents its annual student runway show, “Unveiled Runway 2026,” on Thursday, May 7, at 7 p.m. in the Student Life Events Center (Annex I). The event is open to people of all ages.
Produced and managed by merchandising students, the event features original collections by junior- and senior-level designers, highlighting work developed through the full design process — from concept and research to patternmaking and final garment construction. The runway show showcases the innovative work of Apparel Design and Merchandising students, reflecting both creative vision and technical skill.
Doors open at 6 p.m. The show is approximately 90 minutes. Tickets will be available for purchase at the door for $40 on a first-come, first-served basis.
The English Language and Literature Department would like to invite you to the English Department Graduate Student Conference. It will be held Friday, May 8, 9:45 a.m. – 3 p.m., on the fourth floor of the Humanities building.
Each semester, the department hosts this event to showcase the work of our MA students, representing the disciplines in our graduate programs: the M.A. in English (Composition, Linguistics and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) and the M.A. in Literatures.
Faculty and staff are invited to help SF State Abroad in recognizing SFSU students who will be studying abroad starting in summer, fall and academic year 2026 – 2027. The Division of International education will hold a Study Abroad Ceremony on Friday, May 8, 3 – 5 p.m., in the Student Life Events Center (Annex I). Doors open at 2:30 p.m.
SF State Abroad is honored to have Provost Amy Sueyoshi as the keynote speaker. Representatives from consulates will also be present: Japan Consul General Otsuki and Education Consul Asami Chikae, Spain Deputy Consul General Laura Muniozguren and U.K. Deputy Consul General Peter Newman.
This is the final sendoff for students who will be participating in CSU International Programs or an SFSU Exchange Program.
You are invited to the graduating Master of Public Health students’ Culminating Experience presentations on Monday, May 11, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., in HSS 204. Please join in community for this celebration of their scholarship alongside faculty, students, family and friends.
For questions or a Zoom link, please emamil Supriya Misra at supriya@sfsu.edu.
The campus community is invited to “Miercoles de Movimiento (Movement Wednesday)” on Wednesday, May 13, noon – 2 p.m., on Malcom X Plaza. This event will feature a live DJ set and cumbia lesson by Michael De Anda Muñiz.
The goal of “Miercoles de Movimento” is to create a safe space that encourages the importance of music and moving our bodies as a form of cultural healing and resistance. Come build community and learn about our Latina/Latino Studies program.
The University Budget Committee (UBC) invites employees to its last meeting of the spring semester on Thursday, May 14, 10 a.m. – noon, via Zoom.
Agenda items include fall 2026 enrollment, Voluntary Separation Incentive Program savings and updates from UBC work groups.
UBC members host a drop-in office hour on Friday, May 14, 11 a.m. – noon., via Zoom, for faculty and staff for conversations about budget-related concerns.
UBC meetings will resume in the fall.
To RSVP for the UBC meeting, please email UBC at ubc@sfsu.edu.
Each spring semester the Health Equity Institute (HEI) pairs graduate students with faculty mentors to collaborate on health equity research projects. This semester six HEI student scholars will present their contributions in a research poster that highlights key insights from their experience and findings. The showcase will take place Thursday, May 14, 3:45 – 5 p.m., in Burk Hall 410. Refreshments will be provided.
Please RSVP via Google Forms for the Health Equity Student Scholar Research Showcase.
Students from the Apparel Design and Merchandising program present their semester-long research project in an exhibit titled “Uggs, Vans and Doc Martens.” The exhibition is in the J. Paul Leonard Library on the first floor by the circulation desk. It opened April 21 and will run through Monday, May 18.
To celebrate the end of a long and hard semester, The Center for Equity and Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CEETL) invites faculty and staff to its annual International Wine Tasting on Tuesday, May 19, 3:45 – 5 p.m., in the Vista Room (Burk Hall 401).
The host, Hospitality Management Professor Colin Johnson, will provide a presentation and tasting of wines from around the globe.
Space is limited. Please RSVP for the International Wine Tasting by Tuesday, May 12, via Qualtrics or the QR code on the flyer (Please visit the Cultivating Community section to register).
SFSU Spotlight
Professor of Chinese Charles Egan won the 2026 Spirit of Angel Island Award from the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation. The award honors his many years deciphering and researching carved inscriptions in the detainee’s barracks walls barracks, culminating with the publication of his book, “Voices of Angel Island: Inscriptions and Immigrant Poetry, 1910 – 1945” (Bloomsbury, 2020).
Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Professors Erik Peper and Richard Harvey, were interviewed on “The World of Health” on bTV Bulgarian National Television with Dr. Nedelya Shtonova. The video focuses on screen addiction and its impact on attention, perception, emotional development, mental health and the developing brain.
A new study in the journal Genetics provides evidence for how evolution of sperm-specific chromatin organizing proteins can optimize male fertility, development and reproductive fitness in C.elegans. The research team was led by Biology Professor Diana Chu and included Professor Scott Roy, 10 SFSU students and alums and UC Santa Cruz collaborators.
During spermiogenesis, some organisms replace standard histones with variants to regulate gene expression, improve sperm motility and act as epigenetic markers. Histones are proteins that combine with DNA and RNA to create a complex (chromatin) that compactly package DNA. The SFSU team wanted to better understand how HTAS-1 and HTZ-1 — variants of the standard H2A histone — influence gene expression before and after fertilization.
The team found that HTZ-1 is ubiquitously expressed and required for germ cell (sperm and egg) function while HTAS-1 is incorporated in late sperm formation to improve production and development after fertilization. In spermiogenesis, loss of HTAS-1 led to moderate gene expression changes — possibly influencing sperm production — but loss of HTZ-1 mainly led to changes in germline-expressed genes. In oogenesis, HTZ-1 loss upregulated sperm genes. After fertilization, HTZ-1 was removed from the embryo while sperm-supplied HTAS-1 remained. Lack of HTAS-1 contributed to developmental delays, the authors report. These findings show that histone H2A variants have differential roles in fertility and reproduction.
The team behind the project included SFSU students and alums Swadha Singh, Keiko Hokeness, Jesus Hinojosa Paiz, Allen Ramsey, Arnie Maravillas, Emma Harms, Elida Hernandez, Eric Tang, Aiza C. Go and Tammy F. Wu. Many have gone on to prestigious graduate programs, postbaccalaureate programs and more.
Jen Reck, associate professor of Sociology, and Gerard Koskovich wrote a new booklet titled “The Castro: The Story of San Francisco’s Best-Known LGBTQ+ Neighborhood.” They presented it at an event at the GLBT Historical Society Museum in San Francisco on April 9 and was covered on April 23 in the San Francisco Bay Times.
Journalism Professor Sachi Cunningham will be a featured speaker at “Surf Culture and Storytelling: Framing the Ocean Story” on Friday, May 8, at 5:30 p.m. at 650 West Tower Ave. in Alameda. This panel discussion is part of the Ocean Photographer of the Year series of events.