September Updates and Highlights

Dear Faculty, Staff, and Students,

I hope you have all enjoyed a great start to the fall semester and the new academic year. Like I wrote in my first note to campus two years ago, I will use notes like this one to provide updates on events and activities, highlight important information, and/or share insights on issues of relevance to those of us in higher education. Today’s note focuses on the first two. 

U.S. News Rankings

While rankings do not define a university, it sure feels good to be celebrated andrecognized for being one of the very best in the West! In the recent U.S. News Best Colleges Report, Cal Lutheran increased two rankings to its highest position ever — 6th among 130 regional universities in the West.

WASC Visit

Last week we hosted a visiting team of faculty and administrative volunteers who participate in peer reviews for the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) reaccreditation process. This team was here as part of a scheduled follow-up to the  recommendations the previous peer team made during their December 2020 visit. From what we heard during the short exit interview (which can be found on the Institutional Research website), the team was impressed with the progress we have made since the last visit. While there is work to be done, the committee’s findings were positive and reflective of the demonstrable accomplishments that so many of you have helped us realize at Cal Lutheran. Thank you to all who participated in this important process.

Athletics

One of the most fun ways to ease back into university life is to attend the intercollegiate athletic competitions that punctuate the new term. Currently, nine Kingsmen and Regals teams are representing Cal Lutheran on the field, court, course, or in the pool: men andwomen’s cross country, men and women’s golf, men and women’s soccer, football, men’s water polo, and women’s volleyball. As you come out and cheer them on, you may want to be aware of these pieces of “Cal Lu Sports Trivia:” 

• The football team made valiant efforts in their first two games. Both were decided by a two-point conversion that unfortunately came up just short in each case. The Kingsmen are back in action, at home, on Saturday, hosting Puget Sound at 11 a.m.
• Having just played their first tournament of the year, and making noise already, the men's and women's golf teams cracked into the top spots of the record books.
• Cal Lutheran Athletics aims to embody the Lutheran values I spoke about at Convocation. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that Regals Volleyball is hosting its annual "Aces for ALS" match on Sept. 23rd. Anyone can sponsor a player, or the team, by donating any amount of money. More information can be found on theAthletics website. 

HSI Week and Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month

As described in Monday’s communication, Cal Lutheran is in the midst of celebrating both National Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) Week and Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month. There are fun, informative, and engaging events lined up throughout the next few weeks, including the Latinx Heritage Fiesta today from 4:00 - 6:00 pm in Kingsmen Park!

Town Hall

While I could continue sharing about the many initiatives taking place all over campus — including the Strategic Plan, Campus Plan, and DEIJ Plan — I will save that to share at our first Faculty and Staff Town Hall. It is scheduled for September 29 from 8:00 - 9:30 am. Be on the lookout for an official save-the-date coming tomorrow. We expect the event to be live-streamed for faculty and staff who are unable to attend.

Finally, with the intense start-of-school heatwave behind us, it is beginning to feel like fall on campus. I look forward to working with all of you to make this academic year (AY 2023) the best one yet. 

Sincerely,