If you’re not up to speed on last year’s news, don’t worry. Mustang News has you covered. Here’s some of the big stories from last year; you’ll be an informed Mustang in no time.
Associated Student, Inc. (ASI)
The ASI Board of Directors approved a resolution to open up course evaluations to students while they pick their classes. This could provide an alternative to PolyRatings, a site used to publicly evaluate professors. The next step in this issue is asking the university to take a look at the pros and cons as well.
The Board also passed a resolution against mandatory on-campus housing for sophomores. This came as a relief to students who wanted freedom in picking their living arrangement.
Owen Schwaegerle, an agricultural business senior, was elected ASI president for the coming school year.
At the end of the 2014-15 school year, ASI organized Spring Stampede, where big names such as Sage the Gemini and Hoodie Allen performed for as many as 4,200 Cal Poly students.
Administration
Cal Poly administration received a 450 acre donation from Stu and Jan Bartleston, one of the university’s biggest gifts in history. It is valued at $11.3 million.
Administration received pushback from students and faculty, however, when it proposed ideas for the Master Plan that included removing agricultural fields considered valuable to the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Science (CAFES).
Students and teachers showed up to listening sessions to voice their concerns over the land being researched, noting the value the land has to CAFES classes.
In addition, administration came under fire for raises in salary, as many faculty members were upset at the wage gap between top-tier administration employees and other members on university payroll.
Greek life
Cal Poly’s Greek life had a rougher year than most. With several probations and suspensions as well as new legislation, greek leaders were in the spotlight.
Pi Kappa Alpha, after party violations and a reported sexual assault, was suspended from campus. Delta Sigma Phi was disaffiliated due to violations of the Student Code of Conduct and Cal Poly Fraternity and Sorority Life Alcohol and Drugs policy.
In addition, all greek life was put on probation for 13 weeks, leading to the creation of the Students Taking Action Towards University Safety (STATUS) plan.
Despite these Greek life losses, Cal Poly added a fraternity — Delta Tau Delta — and voted to add Alpha Gamma Delta in 2016 and Delta Gamma in 2018.
Greek life also made efforts to educate its members on sexual assault, and participated in philanthropic events to help further the campus and community.