Priorities

In order to achieve our mission, the College has identified a number of priority areas of concentration for 2007-08 and beyond.

Dean’s Fund

Built with unrestricted gifts, revenues from the Dean’s Fund will support many programs, projects, and the Dean’s Scholarship Awards that are typically not funded through existing State of California appropriations to the California State University system. This unrestricted fund provides the Dean of BSS considerable flexibility to provide assistance where the needs are greatest, including:

1. Expanding the global component of the new curriculum
2. Fostering multidisciplinary collaborations through the design of new programs, courses, and cases
3. Dean’s Undergraduate and Graduate Scholarship Awards designed to help students who need financial assistance achieve their academic goals
4. Capital projects and information technology, including specialized software and digital videos
5. Data and Instruction Virtual Archive Project (DIVA)

Currently, with over 11 computer labs fanned across four separate buildings on campus, and recent influx of both students and faculty at BSS, funding needs for computer and related IT requirements have become particularly urgent. BSS has an outstanding and well recognized professional IT staff and a college committee that constantly assesses needs in this area.

Student Enhancement Fund

Because the majority of SF State students must work to pay tuition, scholarships and research funding are critically important to their success. Moreover, attracting a diverse and intellectually curious body of students from all over the U.S. and the world is dependent upon continuing to maintain standards of excellence. The College of BSS can only achieve this goal by providing additional graduate assistantships, fellowships, and scholarships to support students’ vigorous studies and achievement, and intensifying networking opportunities while adding to the fabric of social life on campus. Through expanded support, the Student Enhancement Fund will facilitate greater involvement of students in academic research and hands-on learning.

Faculty Enhancement Fund

In order to attract and retain the best and brightest faculty, SF State needs to offer enhancements and support to faculty members.  Over fifty percent of the faculty of the College of BSS travel abroad to conduct research.  Given SF State’s goal of increased outreach to international students, travel and research funds are a priority for faculty to broaden internationalization.  With enhanced opportunities, faculty members can ultimately bring higher levels of education to their students.  The Faculty Enhancement Fund will support a broad spectrum of funding for BSS faculty.  Additionally the fund provides faculty support for domestic research and subsidies to allow faculty members to allocate a portion of their time to grant writing for their own research projects.

Institute for Sexuality:  The National Sexuality Resource Center (NSRC) and the Center for Research on Gender and Sexuality (CRGS)

Groundbreaking work in human sexuality is being conducted at both Centers and in the Human Sexuality Studies academic program.  With an emphasis on sexuality from a social science point of view rather than a medical one, the SF State programs are internationally renown, and one of their kind. The only other program that is comparable is at Columbia University, but it is strictly medically based.  SF State programs led by Directors Gil Herdt and Deborah Tolman have gained wide praise and approval for tackling important recognition for their work that supports safe, fulfilling and healthy sexuality.  Through research that promotes social justice for all, the goals of diminishing inequality, curbing violence and prejudice in our society are strengthened.

SF State Master Plan Projects

SF State’s current plans to modernize facilities and increase involvement are currently underway. Master plan projection encompasses a multimillion dollar expanded library facilities campaign to enlarge collections which currently include 4 million items and to increase capacity to serve 2 million annual visitors who regularly use the facility for research and other needs. In addition, the master plan projections include a 25% increase in student enrollment and a $135 million Creative Arts complex with ground breaking tentatively set for 2010.

The master plan also includes a larger brand-new building dedicated to the College of BSS following the building of the Creative Arts structure.