Pres. Soraya M. Coley Welcomes You to Fall Semester 2020

August 20, 2020

 
Hello Broncos, and welcome to fall semester 2020 at Cal Poly Pomona.

First and foremost, I hope you are staying safe. We are all eager to have our Cal Poly Pomona community here on campus again, so it is essential that we continue to wear our masks, wash our hands, practice social distancing, and keep to all the other measures necessary to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and our communities.

And while the semester may feel different because we’re not together physically, the Cal Poly Pomona vision remains the same — to be the model for an inclusive and diverse polytechnic university. Our commitment to creativity, discovery, and innovation is as strong as ever, and our faculty and staff have been hard at work over the summer to create a virtual learning experience that is engaging, relevant, and represents our inclusive, polytechnic approach. 

I want to send a special welcome to all our new students. I am so pleased to have you join our creative and innovative community. Cal Poly Pomona is a university focused on your success, so please be sure to take advantage of all the resources available to you. And to our entire Bronco community — faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends — thank you for making Cal Poly Pomona an institution defined by academic excellence and our commitment to expanding diversity and opportunity.

And as we start this new academic year, I ask that we continue to look out for one another and support each other, to commit to being more patient, and to reach out to those who might be struggling. The interaction we enjoy in our virtual classes and Zoom meetings is, of course, essential, but we also need to find ways to engage with each other outside of our regular routines and responsibilities. To help strengthen our Bronco community, I’d like to ask our departments, dorms, clubs, and units across campus to consider some new ways for us to connect virtually in less structured ways. There is a trove of examples online. Find something that works well for your classmates and colleagues. Above all, let’s commit to lifting each other up during these challenging times.

I also take this moment to remind you that the latest information on our response to the pandemic can be found on our Health Alert and Safer Return websites. The links for both sites can be found at the top of the Cal Poly Pomona homepage.

Again, thank you, and I wish you all the best for a safe, healthy, and successful semester.