Blue and gold colors and bright Spartan logos decorate the Student Union Ballrooms to commemorate President Cynthia Teniente-Matson’s inaugural “State of the University” address on Tuesday.
Teniente-Matson covered a series of topics and issues relating to students and the future of the university.
Associated Students President Nina Chuang opened the event with a land acknowledgement and an anecdote on how San Jose State contributed to the Bay Area’s diverse cultures.
A land acknowledgement is a verbal recognition to the fact that San Jose State currently sits on the land that belongs to the Muwekma Ohlone tribe, who are the original Native Americans who live here.
“[SJSU was] first established here as a teacher's college, then we were involved in the civil rights and third world liberation movements,” Chuang said. “Today, we bring our cultural backgrounds, our heritage and our families to continue the legacy of transformative change impacting our communities, and really overall, just impacting the community here with our amazing talents and backgrounds.”
Chuang passed the reins onto political science professor Karthika Sasikumar.
Sasikumar read a speech written by San Jose State Academic Senate chair Alison McKee, who was unable to give her remarks because of the severe storm and traffic conditions.
Sasikumar introduced the President and how her figure fits into SJSU’s multifaceted and extremely diverse university.
“How might each one of us interrupt an oppressive cycle, and retell our respected personal and institutional narratives more effectively?” Sasikumar said. “I know the President shares a passion for communicating a resonant and consistent message about SJSU’s mission and shared values and making them a reality.”
Teniente-Matson’s speech encompassed how she was planning on following the university’s Transformation 2030 plan.
Transformation 2030 is a plan developed by the university under former SJSU President Mary Papazian. The plan acts as a blueprint for the school to follow in regards to what it wants to accomplish in the future, according to a SJSU webpage.
“We should remind ourselves of what happens in the 408, Silicon Valley changes the world,” Teniente-Matson said. “As coined in Transformation 2030, SJSU is the original startup.”
She said the coronavirus pandemic caused SJSU to pause its full implementation of Transformation 2030.
With COVID-19 changing the university’s expectations, Teniente-Matson said she is planning on holding a strategic recalibration summit on April 24 to look at the Transformation 2030 plan through a new lens.
“[The strategic recalibration summit] will include conversations and consultation about our shared mission, vision and values along with strategic enrollment management positions,” Teniente-Matson said.
She said students have told her that they have safety concerns they would like addressed with the creation of a healthy, emotional and physical environment on campus.
Teniente-Matson also gave praise to UPD Chief Michael Carroll, who she said has demonstrated a commitment to listening and learning.
She said she encourages students to attend Carroll’s monthly listening sessions in the Martin Luther King Jr. Library.
These sessions give members of the SJSU community an opportunity to speak with campus officers face-to-face about several issues surrounding the campus.
Teniente-Matson also spoke about Title IX, which is the rights students have in regards to the prohibition of discrimination and harassment by sex in education.
She said she is committed to maintaining the work of the Title IX and Gender Equity office, by supplementing them with staff.
She also said the university can always do better at preventing discrimination.
“As a mother of two sons, I understand the nervousness parents experience when they entrust their child's safety to somebody else,” Teniente-Matson said. “You have my personal commitment that our cabinet will lead with a lens towards rebuilding a culture of trust, without fear of retaliation against those who report concerns.”
She said the university is moving in the right direction, supporting the entire student community.
Teniente-Matson said one example is the work done by SJSU Cares Spartan Food Pantry, which has served almost 87,000 students since its creation four years ago.
Teniente-Matson talked about a series of new buildings coming to SJSU in the future, including the new Interdisciplinary Science Building and a new 164,000 square foot athletic facility.
She said, in her first 10 days of her presidency, she was granted conceptual approval from the CSU Board of Trustees for the Alquist Redevelopment.
The Alquist Redevelopment is a proposed housing project set to be built for mixed-income graduate students and faculty, according to its website.
“There's much to be done, but our goal is to add new housing inventory right next to Hammer Theatre at or at least 500 units at below market rental rates for our staff, faculty, and graduate students,” Teniente-Matson said. “In response to our student needs, we're planning to add more than 1,000 residential housing beds to campus, all part of the campus master plan.”
The President said the university will know more about timing on these housing projects later this spring.
