ÁùÉ«Íø Kicks Off New Year with Celebration, Collaboration and Connection
In her opening address as Interim President at Cal Poly Pomona, Iris S. Levine shared a video message of celebration, collaboration and purpose to start the 2025-26 academic year. The message kicked off Fall Conference Week, an annual tradition during which faculty and staff connect with colleagues, celebrate achievements and prepare for the year ahead.
In the , Levine reflected on how Cal Poly Pomona had become her academic and professional home, and how each role, from professor to provost, shaped her commitment to student success and the campus community.
Levine also reminisced about leading ÁùÉ«Íø’s transformation into an , a designation that represents her belief that students deserve the very best tools to match their ambition.
“We must continue to create conditions where talent can thrive,” she said. “Where opportunity is not a matter of chance, but of design. I know that this work is not easy. But it is meaningful. And it is shared. And it is our purpose.” With this collective spirit, Levine announced this year’s One Team Award winners — the Bronco Applicant Portal team, whose cross-divisional efforts reimagined the experience for incoming students.
Framing the year ahead as a “dress rehearsal” for ÁùÉ«Íø’s next chapter, Levine encouraged the campus community to lead from where they are.
“Leadership isn’t only found in titles or offices. It’s found in the way we mentor students. In the way we collaborate across departments. In the way we show up for each other, even on the hardest days,” she said. “Those are the times we must be there for each other the most. We must support each other as individuals, as human beings and as friends.”
Academic Affairs Forum
Provost Terri Gomez kicked off the Academic Affairs Forum speaking to the importance of “stewardship of place” and suggesting that becoming better “stewards of place” will require integrating campus expertise with community needs, underscoring the responsibility to serve Pomona.
Her 2025–26 initiatives and priorities focus on advancing the vision of a campus where students ”Become by Doing.” These include expanding the career pathways ecosystem, developing micro-internships, and broadening graduate degree opportunities. Gomez said that the moment calls for both improvisation and imagination, combined with strategic thinking, vision, courage and a willingness to look to history for guidance.
At the forum, Gomez also honored the honorees of the Provost’s Awards for Excellence: Nina Abramzon, professor and associate chair of the physics and astronomy department; Simeng Li, assistant professor of civil engineering; and Berit Givens, professor of mathematics and statistics.
AI@ÁùÉ«Íø – Empowering Faculty and Staff with AI Tools
The AI@ÁùÉ«Íø workshop highlighted a year of progress in AI initiatives at Cal Poly Pomona, from governance and faculty grants to new tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft CoPilot. The session introduced Emerging Technology Guidelines, shared resources from the Center for the Advancement of Faculty Excellence (CAFE) for navigating AI in the classroom, and announced the new Science, Technology & Society option and minor in AI, Ethics and Society open to all majors, while encouraging the ethical, student-centered adoption of AI across campus.
Bridging Pathways: Building a Career-Ready Ecosystem
Hosted by the Office of Academic Innovation and College of Professional and Global Education, faculty and staff went on a speed-dating type journey table to table, learning about guiding the resources and programs that can help students prepare for their careers and graduate into well-paying jobs. Resources include new AI tools at the for mock interviews and resume reviewing, and the micro-internships through Innovation Incubator that offer paid, short-term, hands-on experiences. Participants also got a peek at the newly developed Career Success Markers and Workforce Innovation and Career Engagement (WICE), a dynamic hub that will connect students, employers and industries to advanced workforce readiness and economic growth.
Principles of Community in Action
Faculty and staff explored the meaning of each of the four Principles of Community — Practice Mutual Respect, Foster Growth, Cultivate Belonging, and Act with Integrity — and why they are important. Through video vignettes and small group discussion, participants discovered a variety of interpretations of each term and explored how they are all intertwined and require intentional and ongoing action to foster.
Stronger Together: Advancing CSU through the Multi-University Collaboration
The CSU’s Multi-University Collaboration Initiative aims to save costs, streamline processes, enhance quality and optimize the CSU’s strength as a system. One of the first projects is to implement CSUBUY Procure-to-Pay (P2P) at Cal Poly Pomona in early 2026 to streamline procurement processes, expand strategic sourcing and increase visibility. Workshop participants learned more about the CSUBUY P2P system, implementation steps and timeline.
Advancement 101: Building an Authentic Philanthropic Culture with Faculty/ Campus Partners
In the interactive session, University Advancement Vice President Frances Teves presented alongside Jennifer Harris, founder and president on the JH Collective. They gave a faculty-centered view of philanthropy, emphasizing that it’s not just about raising money — it’s also about raising the awareness of Cal Poly Pomona and nurturing relationships to support the university’s mission. They invited faculty to bring their biggest vision to life by partnering with University Advancement.