Ep. 8 - Meeting You Where You Are

Welcome to Episode 7 of the CSUSB Advising Podcast! What is Winter Intersession? What is Student Affairs and how are they helping students? Find out in this episode! 

In this episode, we have:

• Veronica Crossley - Winter Intersession
• Dr. Paz Olivérez - Vice President of Student Affairs 

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Transcript

Star Wildes  
Welcome to the CSUSB advising podcast. Join us as we bring you the latest advising updates at Cal State San Bernardino. Each episode is specifically made for you, the CSUSB student and parents. We provide you with advising tips, interviews with both CSUSB campus resources and those in academic advising, sit back and enjoy. Go Yoties.

Matt Markin  
Hey yodes, happy November and welcome to episode seven of the CSUSB advising Podcast. I'm Matt Markin, and with me is...

Star Wildes  
Star Wildes from advising and academic services.

Matt Markin  
And spring registration time is here. For some of you, it started last week on November 2. For others, your registration date might be November 12 or even November 17. Some of you have asked, Why is my registration date not on November 2? So there are five groups that get the absolute top registration period that student athletes, veterans, foster youth, students with disabilities and also note takers. Then it's actually done by class level. So you have your seniors that registered, then your juniors, your sophomores, and then your freshmen. But please make sure that you are checking your My coyote Student Center for any hold so you can clear those before registering. So that's spring registration. But star, we've been getting some questions about the winter intersession.

Star Wildes  
Yes, we have. And winter intersession is after fall and before spring 2021 and we have our amazing guests here, Veronica Crossley, who we will be interviewing and letting you know more about what's to come with winter intersession.

Star Wildes  
Everyone and we are excited to have Veronica Crossley here with us today from the College of Extended and Global Education here at CSUSB. Veronica has started in the College of Extended and global education since April of 2018 she comes from Cal State University San Marcos, where she managed summer and winter for 10 years. Veronica enjoys summer and winter because they're so unique, and every year is a different and new challenge. There are a vast array of people and departments that Veronica believes that she's lucky to work with and she truly believes that summer and winter intercession is beneficial to students. She's excited to see them meet their educational goals, and she takes pride in the fact that she's able to assist them with this. Veronica, welcome to our podcast.

Veronica Crossley  
Thank you for having me.

Matt Markin  
So, Veronica, we're well on our way right now in spring registration, and this is our first year with the semester system. So a lot of students know that we have fall semester and spring semester, but students have also been hearing about something called winter intercession. Can you give us a little bit of a background on what winter intersession is and when students can enroll?

Veronica Crossley  
So winter intersession. It's a short session between fall and spring. It's about a month long. It begins December 18 of 2020, and it ends, January 19 of 2021, most of the class takes place in 2021 so that's why we call it winter intersession 2021 registration does begin on Monday, November 9, at midnight. As a CSUSB student, you will enroll through your MyCoyote. Please note that it is an open enrollment, and so all students enroll at the same time. That is why you don't see your enrollment appointment in my Coyote, because all students, whether you're a CSUSB student or a visiting student, will enroll at the same time.

Star Wildes  
And thank you so much for stating that, because I know that students are they have an enrollment day and time for spring 2021 so with winter intercession, you just have one date that all students are able to enroll, and that is November 9. So thank you so much for for letting us know that Veronica, our next question as we are, you know, learning virtually, and students are taking their courses virtually here now for this term and going to the next term, will winter intercession continue to be virtual.

Veronica Crossley  
For this this year, I it will be virtual. I do not know what will happen after coronavirus is over, but I can tell you that this year it's virtual, and we'll have to see after that.

Matt Markin  
Yeah, we sure will, and hopefully we're on campus, we'll see what happens. But it's good to know that, at least for this academic year, we already know ahead of time that winter and even spring will be virtual. Now, one question that we'll get to is, especially for winter intersession, is, is there a max amount of units that students can enroll in for the winter intersession. And I guess a follow up to that would be depending on that answer, can students overload for the winter intercession?

Veronica Crossley  
So students can only take a maximum of four units. You can, however, you can get that four units. It doesn't have to be one class. So you may have a lab class. I know there's biology, 2240, I think that's being offered, and it's a lecture and a lab. So it equals four units. So you can take that other than that, there's all the other classes are three units. But if one year we have a two unit class or one unit class, you can mix them up and make your four units. There is no overload. There's not enough time at this there's not enough time in the day for you to take more than four units. A class meets, usually Monday through Friday, for four hours a day, if it's a Monday, Wednesday, Friday, it could meet six hours a day. And it's just not possible for a student to take more than one class. We can't expect them to be in a class. If they take a three unit class, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, we can't expect them to be in class 12 hours a day and then try and get all their homework done. Because even though you are having a session that's one month, you still have to meet your number of hours, and that's 15 hours per unit. So if you're meeting for a three unit class, you still have to meet 45 hours in that one month period. So that's why you you're limited to the four units, and there's no overload.

Star Wildes  
And thank you so much again, Veronica for providing that to us. So four units is a max unit. We've had this question. I know Matt probably have had this question, or advisors, as far as financial aid, can you talk about that and kind of let us know, will financial aid be available, and if not, the cost per unit for students?

Veronica Crossley  
Financial aid for winter intercession is not available. We recommend that you use your remaining financial aid from fall 2020 I do understand that this is late for students to start hearing this, but we have put the message out since about September, maybe the end of August, that to save your financial aid so that you can pay for your class. The per unit rate is 320 for undergrad and 340 per unit for graduate. However, there are no mandatory campus fees charged during winter intercession. So if you have a three unit class and it's 320 per unit, you will pay $960 also. However, there may be a miscellaneous class fee attached. So maybe you have a lab fee, and it's $35 or $45 if that class calls for a miscellaneous fee or lab fee, then you will need to pay that. But that's not a depending on the class that you take. Now also, I know that the tuition sounds high, the 320 especially if you were taking summer classes that were at 260 per unit. But you have to remember that we've moved over to the semester system. And so this has been calculated for a semester system. So the 320 is usually times three units, where the 260 was four units. So it works out to be around the same, and actually we're, we're comparable to other C issues, if not lower.

Matt Markin  
Definitely. Thank you so much for giving that information. Now, what would you where your reason be, as far as why a student should take a course during the winter intersession?

Veronica Crossley  
the reason would be to get ahead or graduate early. I know some students want to graduate in spring, so you could take the class and graduate in spring. I know some students want to graduate in spring, but they still have to take a class in summer. But this is one way to get out. It also saves so you don't have to take another year for financial aid or tuition or loans, so you can get out and you get one. I mean, it's one full class done in a month. So you have one of your classes done in one month.

Star Wildes  
That's amazing. And thank you so much, Veronica for sharing the information about winter intersession. I know students will be looking forward to this, because there have been a lot of questions. And let's say, if students would like to contact your office or have any winter intercession questions, I know you guys have the the handle the CSUSB winter intercession, and that's on the Instagram. But how else? May a student contact your office or you if they have any questions.

Veronica Crossley  
So we have our website, which is csusb.edu, forward slash, mentor, intersession. Make sure you say intercession. It's not just session. We have an email address which is inter intersession@csusb.edu and we have a phone number, which is 909-537-3978, we try and get your answers to you within a day. I can't promise that that always happens, but you don't have to worry about our about leaving a message or an email, we will reply to you.

Matt Markin  
Awesome. That's good to know. So Yoties, please take advantage of the winter intercession. You're able to register for up to four units, and if you have any questions, you're able to reach out to their office. But Veronica, thank you so much for joining us.

Veronica Crossley  
Thank you for having me. 

Matt Markin  
Thank you so much Veronica for joining us and answering those questions about winter intersession. Yodes, we have a special interview for you all. Next up, we have Dr. Paz Olivérez, who is the Vice President for Student Affairs here at Cal State, San Bernardino, Dr. Olivérez was excited to join us to let you know about what the student affairs division is doing to meet your needs, especially during this continued virtual environment. So let's take a listen.

Matt Markin  
Hey, Yoties, we're excited to introduce to you our guest Dr. Paz Olivérez, who is the Vice President for Student Affairs at CSUSB, she assumed her vice presidency in august 2019 in this role, she leads a team of more than 300 staff and nearly 1300 paraprofessionals in programs that support students an accomplished administrator and educator. Dr. Olivérez brings a wealth of higher education and CSU experience to CSUSB. Dr. Olivérez served as Interim Vice President for Student Affairs, as well as Senior Associate Vice President and Dean of Students at California State Stanislaus. Prior to that, she spent eight years at California State University Dominguez Hills, where she held several administrative positions, including Associate Vice President for Student Success. She holds a doctorate in educational policy from the University of Southern California, a master's degree in counseling from California State University Long Beach, and a bachelor's degree in sociology from the University of California Santa Cruz. Olivérez welcome to the podcast. 

Dr. Paz Olivérez  
Thank you. It's my pleasure to be here.

Star Wildes  
Thank you, Dr. Olivérez, for joining us. So going into our first question, what does your role as Vice President of Student Affairs entail?

Dr. Paz Olivérez  
Sure. So there's a lot to it. It's a very fun job, I would say. So really a couple different pieces, I guess I'll maybe start with kind of a larger picture role, which is to serve as part of the President's cabinet. So I think as part of that piece, as folks may or may not know, the President has five vice presidents within the cabinet for Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, IT admin and finance and advancement, which is the fundraising arm of the university. And so my piece is really about providing direct support and services to students to support the academic mission of the university. And so within our division, we have over 21 units that provide a whole range of programs and services to students. We focus on student development and engagement, health and wellness and student success and educational equity. So that is, again, a whole mix of things. I think the way I kind of try to look at that as a as a group, is really trying to provide a holistic support system for students, and to really try to address the needs of the whole student, so ensuring that our students have the pieces that they need to support their academic success. But also, I think we know that in order for students to be successful, they have to have their basic needs met. They have to feel like this is a place that they belong, that they feel connected to, that they find a sense of community and connection. So I think it really tries to encompass all of these different pieces and provide sort of that larger space for connection to the campus for students. I think the other beauty piece of the division is really being able to provide targeted services to our diverse student population. So within our division, we have specific units that serve the needs of undocumented students, veteran students, students with disabilities, first gen students, right? And so I think all those populations help to make up sort of the larger, larger CSUSB student group, but I think they also have their own unique needs. And so within those various spaces that serve those needs, you've got folks who really have expertise in how to really address and meet the needs of those particular students. And again, knowing that the needs of those students are not static, they change over time. And so those experts have to also make sure that they're learning and staying up to speed with sort of what the latest needs are for those students, so ensuring that they're able to kind of continue to meet those needs of the students. And I think beyond that, I think particularly right now with covid. I think when we think about the basic needs piece that's absolutely critical for our students, and that's certainly an area that we've seen really be largely impacted, I think, particularly in most recent months. And so I think really being able to ensure that that support system is also there for students, and again, that hits all students, right? There isn't one particular population that's more impacted by that than others, but I think really ensuring that that piece is is also available to students. So that's a lot of pieces that I think the division serves. But again, it really is trying to meet the students where they are and ensure that all their needs are met. I think the other piece, I would say, that's sort of embedded in that picture, particularly around the Student Success and Equity pieces, are really helping to support students through the pipeline, through the educational pipeline. So within that portfolio of programs, we have our pre college programs, which are those that actually work with our local high schools and middle schools to help ensure that we're helping to prepare local students to reach higher education. They come to CSUSB or go somewhere else in the community, and also, once they get to us, ensuring that they have those success programs that I just mentioned. And then we also have, sort of our career development, leadership development, a lot of those other pieces that are not only preparing students to be successful while they're with us in college, but also helping prepare students for what will come after college, right? So whether they go straight out into the workforce or whether they choose to go on to graduate school, we're really able to provide a lot of different support pieces for students all along the way. So like I said, lots of different pieces, but really trying to meet students in a lot of different places and provide different types of supports and developmental opportunities for students while they're with us.

Matt Markin  
Yeah, a lot of pieces, for sure, but it's all also looking at this holistic viewpoint of the student, I think, like with Student Affairs, it touches upon, like pretty much, all of that, which is wonderful now as your role as VP as vice president of student affairs, what do you like most about your role?

Dr. Paz Olivérez  
It's a great question. So I honestly feel like connecting with the students, of course, is probably my favorite part of the job. I think that interestingly, as as you move into a role like this, I think sometimes folks think, well, you know, you probably have less contact with students and so, and I think that can be true, but I think at the same time, the other beauty part is that you also have a little more autonomy, so you can kind of create those spaces for yourself. So I know, I think my directors know this, and even people outside of my division know this, is that I will look for every opportunity possible to insert myself into spaces where there are students. Because I think that, you know, some of the other administrators on campus may not have as many of those opportunities right to connect students just again because of the nature of the work that they do. And so I think for me, it's really critical to create those spaces so that when I am going back into all these various meetings, into cabinet, you know, other spaces where we're making decisions and having conversations about what's best for our students, that I'm having regular conversations with students, right, and really hearing from students on a consistent basis as to what their experiences on our campus is like, what we're doing well and what we could be doing better to ensure that that students are being served well. So I think for me, really just having those spaces to connect with students. I think that, you know, I think along with that, I think two pieces. One, I love mentoring students. I started off as an advisor when I started my career in higher education, so I feel like I'm still an advisor at heart, and I look for every opportunity possible to give students guidance and support, but I also learn from students, and I'm inspired by students. So I think it helps me in my day to day job to hear from students, because I'm always learning something new that I can either take back into, you know, my various leadership spaces, or that I can share with other students they hate, like I saw something some student was doing and that was such a great idea, or really helping to support their success. So you should think about doing that too, right? So, I mean, I feel like I learned new things from students all the time and and I think, you know, along with all what I just said, I think that what I, you know, one thing I always tell people is that no two days are the same. I learned something new every single day in my job. And I think as a kind of an earlier professional in my role, I think that I look forward to, you know, just continuing to grow in this position, because I have, I'm around so many colleagues who are very experienced and have been at this for decades, like our president and a lot of the other vice presidents. So I feel very fortunate to get to work with a group like that, because they've got so much knowledge, and I feel like I gained so much from being able to work with that team. So So yeah, I think all of those things are things that I really enjoy about my job.

Star Wildes  
Yes, and that's amazing. Thank you so much for sharing that. Shout out to you for being an advisor. That's awesome. We appreciate you again sharing this. That's so cool. So our next question is, how is Student Affairs Division helping students in this virtual environment?

Dr. Paz Olivérez  
Sure, so. So yeah, I think that, you know, just like the whole university, right, we've kind of had to pivot as soon as we kind of moved into the virtual space. And I think there's a few different things we did just, I think, on the front end, to make sure students knew where to find us. I think one thing that was really important to me and all the leadership within the division was to make sure that students knew that regardless of us moving online, that every unit in the division is still operating and it's still accessible to students virtually. And so one of the first things we did in the spring of last year was to do our what we called our one pain, which was really just to share with students that every service in our division is just one click away. It's at your fingertips, and it's just available to you online now. And so we did a social media campaign where we really tried to promote that information out to students, so they knew where to find us online and on social media, so that they would, you know, again, be able to find us in those virtual spaces. And did a lot of modifications to our websites, again, to make a lot of our information more accessible. So students knew where to find us online and give us a call if they need to give us a call, since they wouldn't be able to physically visit our offices anymore. Our offices anymore. And so I think those are some of the first pieces. But I think, you know, one of the other things that the division did, I think, in a very intentional way, was really be creative and innovative about continuing to provide programming. And so I think that that innovation, I think, has served students very well, because students have a lot of different ways to connect, whether it's through zoom, which, again, we know lots of us are doing through Instagram and lots of drop in sessions and things like that, so that students know that they can still find all of the same staff and support systems that they would find on campus online at the beginning of fall, we did our virtual student affairs Road Show. So we used to do this on campus as a tabling event, and we did it online as sort of a series of videos that we pushed out at the beginning of this semester, again, to just promote what we're doing to new and continued students, to make sure again, students knew a little bit who our staff were, little bit about each unit, as well as where to find this online and on social media again, because we want to make sure that students know that that we're here for them still, right? I think that's the biggest piece, particularly for newer students who might like you know again, they they don't have the opportunity to get come onto campus and get acclimated and find everything right the way that a student who maybe has already been on campus had had that experience. So we really wanted to kind of put ourselves out there to students and make sure students knew how to connect with us. But again, in terms of, like, direct services, you know, again, I think a lot of it is really just making sure that students know where to find us. Because again, the counseling services, the health center, you know, Career Center, all of this different centers, like the undocumented Success Center, Veteran Success Center, Services for Students with Disabilities, EOP, SAIL. You know, all these are TRIO programs. I mean, all these areas do a ton of programming. They continue to have continued to do a ton of programming. They've been very proactive about connect, reaching out to students, to make sure that students know where to find them and are getting those services and supports. So I think that it's really just been having a lot more intentionality about reaching out to students, not waiting for students to come in and find us, right, but really making sure, and I know that a lot of us on campus are doing this right. They were certainly not the only ones trying to just make sure that we are connecting with students, because we know that this is a very challenging time for everybody, right? And I think with the combination of virtual operations with COVID, with all the social unrest that's going on now with weather and power outages, I mean, it just kind of seems never ending. And so I think it does really call on all of us to to just be very thoughtful, right, about how we continue to provide that support and engagement to students and to also, I think, you know, one thing that I've talked about with not only my colleagues here on campus, but even just calling system wide, because our VPS, the VPs of Student Affairs across the system, meet on a weekly basis, and, you know, we share, you know, kind of what's going on on each campus. And one of the things we talked about is also trying not to over program, you know, not to kind of make it feel like you got to come to everything every week, because we know that students are just, you know, exhausted at this, right? They're trying to just survive through the semester and family life and working and all these other crazy things that people are dealing with. So I think it's really just trying to let folks know like we're here for you. You can always find us. There's always going to be something going on, but know that you can't come out to everything, it's okay, there's always going to be something else. And actually, the other piece that I think, I would say that that has been implemented this year, that I think is hopefully helping to show students that there's a lot out there and tap into it when you can, is really pushing out more with coyote connection and utilizing that platform, I think. That as we've gone through this course of this semester. I mean, there's hundreds of programs on there at any given time, right? And I think that that, to me, also helps students see that, look, there's so many different things you can get involved in, and it's really, you know, it's up to you find the thing that interests you try a couple different things out. That if you have the time, and there's things going on really, all throughout the day, some of them, or even on the weekends. So you know, if there's some time there, we've obviously got coyote hour that's happening. So that time is kind of carved out in the middle of the day to try to find some blocked out space for students on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 12 to one to engage with programming, but really just trying to provide a whole range of ways for students to connect. So I know that was a really long answer to that question, but there's just a lot of different things, I think, that we're trying to do and always trying to be creative, because, again, you know, we're learning as we go along too, right? This? Nobody participated any of this. So I think we've started off, we've learned some things that have worked, some things that maybe didn't work as well, and are always trying to kind of refine what we're doing and figure out how to reach students, because we know that, you know, things are the students experience is evolving as well, right? And so we've got to kind of meet them where they are in terms of the way that we also deliver our programs.

Matt Markin  
And I like how you said that the creativity part, because it's like, when this all first kind of happened in March, we had to adapt as best we could. I think we've done that, and now it's we have to be creative in this new environment and being able to engage with our students. And like you said, there's just, there's a lot of different things going on, whether it's a workshop, Zoom, meeting, things like that. So there's always something. So yeah, in case you missed something, it's like, well, there's gonna be, like, 100 other things that are gonna be offered for you to attend. Now, you've mentioned connection a few times, and one of the things that you've done as VP is you had something called and something that you do is tea with the VP. What was the inspiration behind that? And how are you doing those now that we are virtual?

Dr. Paz Olivérez  
Sure, yeah, great question. So, so, yeah, tea with the VP, honestly, was kind of goes back to what I said earlier, about just creating spaces that you know that was really my intention. I think when I first got here last fall, I said, Well, hey, I want to get to know students. I want students to get to know me. And so that was really my way to kind of just get around to different spaces on campus, to different communities of students. So I did one in housing, one in the Cross Cultural Center, one in the center for global innovation, just trying to get one at PDC, just trying to kind of get out and connect with different populations of students. Populations of students. So that was really kind of the original intention. But I think also those spaces led to giving students a space to say, like, what does the VP of Student Affairs do? Like, what does Student Affairs even mean? Like, what does that? What does that encompass? And so it gives me an opportunity, not only to meet students, but also to kind of educate them a little bit about who we are as a division, what my role is, right? I always say, I'm your advocate. I'm your you know, please come to me if you've got concerns, something that I do to support you better, or the university can do to support your success. So to me, it's really trying to create that space for students since we've moved to virtual what I did in the spring, I did a couple different things. I did one, but first one I did was on Instagram. I did an Instagram Live, and then the second one I did was zoom, and then I did a final one. Actually, I did two on Zoom one that was just kind of for everybody, and then PDC folks kind of wanted one specifically for PDC students. So I did one that was the last one I did at the end of the school year, and it was a zoom one just for PDC students. So I did a few on Zoom and one on Instagram this year. I started off with one on Zoom, and I'm actually doing one tomorrow, and it'll be an Instagram live again, because again, thinking about where students are, I think one thing I've realized with Zoom is that I get a lot of staff. A lot of the staff will come and listen or share information, but we don't get quite as many students, because I think they've got to come and we're got to come and, like, find zoom where, I think with Instagram, if you're following me on Instagram, and I have almost 500 followers now that they will just, you know, they get an alert, right? If I'm on they've got time, they can just pop in. So I feel like I'm going to try that this time around and see if I get a little bit more participation directly from students, because that's really who I'm trying to reach them and get trying to reach. And again, if staff want to come, that's great, but, but really the target audience for this is students. So yeah, so I'm trying different things, again, trying to just meet students where they are and see what works best. But again, I know that I do have a lot of students following me on Instagram, so that's really the way that I'm going to try to reach them this time around. And what we're going to do tomorrow, actually, is try a little bit of a different format, and this is probably what I'm going to try to do for the next few I'm trying to do them. Is it monthly? I think it's monthly that I'm trying to do them right now, just because we're on campus, so it's a little harder for me to connect with students, so I think just having that space on a pretty consistent basis has been really helpful. Is to actually invite folks from the division to come in and share some information. So we'll have basic needs coming in tomorrow. We'll have Rec and Wellness coming in to talk about what they're up to. I think we're going to do like a quick little meditation with our folks from Rec and wellness. And then we're also have folx from the House Center come in, because again, I think we've gotten some questions from students about what's going on in the house. Enter or access to services, and they don't realize that actually, all the services are still available. So you know, we want to make sure that we're educating students and pushing that information out. And we'll, we'll, you know, the Instagram Live will stay on my I can save it and it'll stay on my Instagram. So even if students don't participate at that time, they can always come back to it and see it later. So again, another really long answer to your question about the purpose of the team with the VP and how it sort of evolved in this virtual space. But again, it's really just again, creating those spaces and trying to be intentional about connecting with students. And you know, one of the things that we also tried to do with that is give students an opportunity to send questions in ahead of time so that I can use that space to respond. I know in the spring, because we were, you know, people weren't sure what's going on. In the fall, there was a lot of questions about grading and things like that for students. So for one of them, I brought in the provost to come and talk about sort of how grading was going to work for spring. So again, really trying to use it as an opportunity to just educate students about things that we know are sort of pressing issues for them. I know right now, one of the things that I'll probably hear about tomorrow is students and their experiences with some of the outages that just happened, and how that's impacting their academics and their ability to get work done, and experiences with faculty and things like that. Because that's definitely some buzz I've heard over the last couple days. So that's really important, you know, for me to hear, because then I can go back to my colleagues and say, Hey, here's what we're hearing from students and what we I think, you know, we need to do to help better support them.

Star Wildes  
Thank you so much for sharing that I know what student have expressed. And they say, you know, doing the Tea with VP, which is amazing client, and Matt knows this on our social media outlets. So whether it's, you know, Instagram, Tiktok, look, you know, all of those social media outlets were going to them because, of course, I myself, you know, check on our social medias. Try to keep up to date with what is going you tell us. You let us know something students have shared with you, whether it's hearing tea with VP about their virtual experience or programs, just a little bit about, you know, that experience and what students have shared with you.

Dr. Paz Olivérez  
Sure. Yeah. So I think, you know, students have had mixed experiences, right? I mean, I think that some students really like it, because they're able to kind of access it from wherever they are. They don't have to worry about community campus parking, you know, some of the just kind of like very pragmatic challenges, right, related to coming to campus. So it does, I think, in some cases, make things more accessible. I will say that for certain, you know, events like our psychological counseling groups, the caps, you know, sometimes on campus we could, sometimes couldn't get 10 students to show up, and now they're getting 60 or 80 students in those groups. So again, I think it demonstrates a clear need, right, that our students have to get that kind of support, and some students might find it a little bit more conducive, because they can sit on Zoom, they don't have to put their cameras on, and they can kind of be a little more anonymous, versus having to kind of walk into a space, and, you know, maybe be a little more visible. So I think there's certain situations like that that kind of lend to to that sort of thing. I think the other piece is really just the nature of the programs, right? I think that, you know, for example, our different affinity centers within the San Jose monster union. I think, you know, Jacob Chaco has been doing an amazing job with his student staff and his team there to really deliver a whole range of diverse programming during this virtual time. And so I think that a lot of the students that have been able to participate in those programs have really found those very enjoyable. Some of them are very intimate, right? You may not see 100 people there. You might see 10 people, 15 people, five people. But again, I think for those students that do come they get to have that, that connection, right, that I think a lot of students are missing right now, and I think that's one of the things that we definitely hear from, or at least I've heard from folks when I'm in the events and just, you know, just connecting with students outside of those programs is that, you know, people miss a human connection. And so I think the more spaces that we can create for students to build that connection, whether it's through coming and taking advantage of a service that we're offering, or just coming in, like sitting and listening to a presentation or participating in a Kahoot game or just a dialog about a topic, right, or with a guest speaker. I think that you know students are finding you know, different things that appeal to them, that again, they may or may not have access when they were on campus, right? So I think that it is, you know, it's kind of doing our best, right, given the current circumstances. Because, again, I think if it were up to any of us, I think most of us would say, hey, coming to face to face is probably the ideal. But I think that you know particularly, I think you know, as Matt was saying, right, that, you know, we kind of started off with this experience going like, well, you know, maybe it'll be for six months or, you know, and now we're realizing, like, Okay, this is going to be our lives for a while. So we've got to really try to adapt and figure out, how do we make this, you know, as engaging, but also as just. Positive as we can, right? That it's not like, oh gosh, this is so terrible we're in this situation, but really saying, hey, look, this is our circumstances. So how do we make the best of it? How do we still ensure that students have a quality college experience, right? Because I think that is what it ultimately comes down to. Is we could have said, hey, it's a lot of work, it's hard. It's not gonna be the same. So, like, why even try? But I think we've said, No, we owe it to our students to give them the best quality experience that we can, whether they're brand new students, continuing students, freshmen, seniors, right? We want to give graduate students. We want them all to feel like as close to what they could have gotten if they were physically on campus. And so I think that's our job right now, is to really ensure that we are providing all those spaces. And I think the feedback that I'm hearing from students is that you know that I think there are a lot of things that they are finding that is really working for them. And I think again, depending on the student right, everybody's experience is a little different. I think some are really appreciating the efforts that are being made homecoming. For those that were able to participate in homecoming, we had over 200 students. There was kind of amazing how many students came. And, I mean, we did a survey after that where we just had so much positive feedback from students, and it was really just like, thanks for doing this. Thanks for giving us a space to come and hang out with each other, you know, and just connect and we felt, and the students kind of talked about how they felt so just grateful for the university making the effort right that they said, Look, we know it's not going to be the same as coming to campus for homecoming, but we appreciate that you all put the effort in. And just like there were like 30 staff there hosting sessions for students to kind of hang out and have fun, we have sorts of giveaways and fun stuff. And so I think the students that came to that had a great time, you know. And I think that, to me, really does send a message to students that we care. We're trying to, you know, really create those spaces and give them that college experience, that that they deserve, and that you know, that we know that they may feel like they're missing out on right by not being able to be on campus. So again, I think that it's a mix, right again. I mean, I'm obviously sharing a lot of the positives. I know that it's a struggle, right for a lot of students too, you know? I mean, I think we know, particularly as we, as I was sharing earlier, as we hear about, you know, just with the outages and people not having access to Wi Fi and things like that, I think that it does get to be a little challenging for students at times. And again, everybody's experience is different, right? What their household situations are like, and they're working or family and things like that. So again, it does vary, but I think that, you know, we do hear a lot of positive response to a lot of things that we're trying and, you know, again, I think as we hear the concerns that gives us information we can use to try to adapt and serve the needs of those students who are struggling as well, right? So I think any feedback we get from students is always going to be helpful, because it helps us kind of think about, okay, where, where are the gaps, right? What are the things we're not doing, or whose needs are we not meeting, and what can we do differently? So I think that no matter what feedback we get, it's always helpful, but, but, you know, I definitely feel like we've heard a lot of positives as well. And I think a lot of students are just like us, right, trying to see the silver lining, right, the positives that we can get out of this, even though none of us feel like it's an ideal situation.

Matt Markin  
Our last question is, we want some advice from you, and so let's say a student, let's say they're feeling that they are struggling during this semester in a virtual environment. What kind of advice would you give a student like that?

Dr. Paz Olivérez  
Sure, sure. Yeah. So, I mean, I would definitely encourage a couple. I mean, I think one just kind of no brainer is like going to kitchen, see what's there. Because you do have everything from like self care types of things to like cultural programming to leadership development stuff. So, you know, you can find, really, like, career development. You can really find a mix of things. So, you know, it gives students a sense of, like, what is there to get involved in. There's also all the clubs on campus that are listed there. So students can say, hey, you know, if you're new or even if you're a continuing student saying you just didn't know everything that was available. It gives you a chance to kind of just check out everything that's there. And, you know, the the other thing too, I mean, and this is whether we're in the virtual space or not, you know? I mean, this is this advice I would give to any student that's on a college campus, is that, you know, every like every CSU I've been on really has everything a student needs to be successful. Well, they're with us, and when they leave right, when they go on to the next step, but it really is up to students to take advantage, right? We can put all these things in front of a student, but it's up to the student right to take advantage and to get engaged. And I think what I will say is that for the students that I've worked with over the years who have been engaged and take advantage, they work on campus, they engage in leadership, they participate in clubs, they do internships. These are the students who go on to feel very well prepared for what's next, right? Whether they and they also feel like better, I think, better informed about and have a better sense of than what they should do next, right? They better informed about making those decisions. Where, I think sometimes I have students who are in their. Senior year, they haven't done a lot of those things. They're like, Oh, not really sure what I'm going to do next and where to go and and what I should be doing. I'll figure it out after I graduate. But it's like, no, no, you need to be doing it while you're here, right? So, and I mean, you all know this because you're advising, but I think that you know that. And again, like I said, this is true. I think of any student at any point, but I think particularly now it could be easy to just not get engaged, right? Because it's like, well, let me just survive and get through my classes. But time is passing right as you're doing those things. So I would say all just as your classes are right at your fingertips, so are all these engagement opportunities, right? All those engagement opportunities you would have found if you were on campus, physically, they're still all there and but again and, or just sit, you're sitting on your computer anyway. So go on to coyote connection. You just have to go into near myCoyote. It's gonna be the very first big panel you see right there. We put it conveniently located so it's nice and easy to find. And so I would really encourage students to do that, you know, I think in addition to that, you know, there's another platform that we have. It's called you at CSUSB, and it's really about health and wellness and self care and and planning and just kind of like life skills kind of stuff. But it really does give you an opportunity to kind of create a sort of a plan for yourself as an individual, like I create a plan a profile for myself, because I just kind of wanted to see what it was. And there's a lot of great video things you can read and and just all sorts of educational information. And you can set up a workout plan for yourself, eating plan, studies plan, or you can just kind of create a whole structure for yourself. I think that is one thing I definitely heard from students, is because they were so used to, like, get up, drive to campus, get to class, go to work, you know, go study, come home. You know, they had a very set routine. Now they're like, I just get up, I'm still in my pajamas. They stay in class. You know, it's like, it's just not the same kind of routine. Or, I think with something like that, you can kind of create that structure for yourself, because that is something we hear from students a little bit, that they're sort of missing out on that structure, and that kind of feels like a little bit just, you know, just their life isn't the same as it was, right? It just feels a little disconnected. And so I think that utilizing a lot of these virtual platforms that we have available to you as students, I think is a good way to perhaps try to create some of that, just some of that foundation for yourself to kind of get through this time frame, right? Because, again, it is going to be for a while, right? And so I think that if we think like, Oh, we're just going to get through it, it's only a couple months, well, it's going to be longer than that, you know? And so I think that for your and to me, it's not just about like, surviving to get through class, but it's for your own health and well being right? I think it's something that we have to do as professionals, and it's something that I think students have to do. And I think these are not just skills that are going to get you through this pandemic, but these are things that will help you get through life in the future, right? Because we all know that balance and self care and all these other things are things that you're going to deal with the rest of your life, right? So I think some of these these practices that you can put in place right now during this crazy time that we're in, maybe things that you can again continue to utilize and apply as you move forward in your life. So it's not just for this time. So I think those are, I guess, a few things that I would recommend to students, but just know that the university is here for you. All of these supports and services are here for you, and we really are doing things every day to try to ensure that we can be there to better support you, and we want to hear from you as well, to know if there's things we could be doing better or that are not serving your needs so that that way we can adjust. Because again, we're figuring it out as we go along as well and trying to do our best. But again, we always want to know if there's things that we can do better. So again, engage, but also let us know. Communicate with us and find me on social media. You can find me at CSUSB VPSA, on Instagram. So that way, if you've got something you just want to tell me directly, you can always find me there. And also, of course, I have my weekly videos where I shoot out just general information and announcements every week, so that way you can also stay up to date with what the latest news is. 

Star Wildes  
Yoties, self care is so important, and if you're hearing this, parents, if you're hearing this, we all are here to support you. We encourage you to reach out. We truly thank Dr. Olivérezfor joining us, and thank you for sharing the resources that's available for students, we hope you gain something from this interview and again, thank you so much, Dr. Olivérez for joining us. 

Dr. Paz Olivérez  
Sure it was my pleasure. Thank you so much for having me.

Star Wildes  
Thank you so much, Dr. Olivérez, for the information you provided. Again. We hope that this episode helped you learn a little bit more about our student affairs and also winter intercession and registration to come join us soon for our next episode. We hope you are all well. Don't forget to follow us on our social media outlets at CSUSB advising, take care, Yoties.