Following a series of campus-wide listening sessions during the 2021-2022 academic year that resulted in multiple recommendations and included students, faculty and staff, the Office of Student Life and Cultural Centers (OSLCC), has been reimagined.

To allow for a more focused approach that maximizes student success, resources and support, the OSLCC, which housed both student life initiatives and the cultural and identity centers, has been revamped into two departments.

Student Engagement, Leadership and Success (SELS) is the new department focused on student engagement and leads clubs and organizations at Cal Poly Pomona. It also oversees Fraternity and Sorority Life, Leadership Development, co-curricular badging, and the Student Event Fund. Additionally, the department coordinates indoor and outdoor scheduling for student events on campus.

SELS is part of the dean of students cluster, specifically the area of Student Engagement and Success led by Rachel Camacho.

Centers for Transformation, Retention, Equity and Empowerment (TREE) is the new department leading Cal Poly Pomona's six cultural centers, including the African American Student Center, Asian and Pacific Islander Student Center, Cesar E. Chavez Center for Higher Education, Native American Student Center, Pride Center and Womxn's Resource Center. This includes coordination of the annual cultural graduation celebrations and workshops for faculty and staff.

TREE is part of the dean of students cluster, specifically the area of Student Advocacy and Support led by Armando Madrid.

This new approach, directly linked to the received community feedback regarding student life and cultural identity at the university will allow for a focused approach on these two crucial areas of the student experience, allowing for deeper connections and programming.

"I am thankful for the ample feedback we received from students especially, as we think about providing them with more resources and support. It must be acknowledged that there has been a long history of students, staff, and faculty who have fought and advocated for these spaces and who worked tirelessly to build, grow, and sustain these spaces with love," said Jonathan Grady, senior associate vice president for student affairs and dean of students.

"As we work to ensure Cal Poly Pomona is more equitable, just, and inclusive, expanding financial, programmatic, student employment, and staffing resources for these areas is key. I am excited to see how students and the larger community expand the support these spaces can have while also honoring their history as they vision forward," Grady said.

For more information, contact Jonathan Grady at jgrady@cpp.edu or Armando Madrid at amadrid1@cpp.edu.