Cal Poly Partners

Cal Poly Technology Park 16,000 square-foot expansion underway

Cal Poly Corporation’s Legal Affairs Director Moves on After 15 Years

SAN LUIS OBISPO — In the past academic year, the Cal Poly Corp. assisted with more than 100 student projects, providing vital information about campus services and operations.
Aligning with its goal to help Cal Poly achieve its educational mission, the corporation fields various student project and student media requests. Corporation services have become a common topic for research papers and other projects, with students frequently reaching out to the corporation for data on dining, retail and other campus operations.
“We strive to be highly responsive and transparent with the information we provide to students,” said Ellen Curtis, director of marketing and communications for the corporation. “It is one way we can support student success while increasing their understanding about campus services.”
And many Cal Poly students have made meaningful connections through these projects, putting Learn by Doing into action. “The information was really helpful for my project as well as for my general knowledge of Campus Dining,” said Ashlyn Chow, a first year civil engineering student at Cal Poly.
Students can make student project requests through the corporation’s Marketing &amp; Communications website. Requests require one week of lead time and a list of pre-determined questions.
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Cal Poly Corp. Fulfills 100-Plus Student Project Requests in 2016-17

SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA – Cal Poly Corporation today announced that it will soon transition management of the Cal Poly University Store to Follett Higher Education, bringing new products, savings and support for campus store customers.  Store operations under the new agreement include the on-campus University Store located in the University Union, Cal Poly Downtown and the University Store e-commerce site. The transition is scheduled for July 1.
“It is vital that Cal Poly have a partner who represents the university’s commitment to ongoing improvement and reinforces our ability to meet the needs of today’s campus and today’s students,” said Lorlie Leetham, executive director of Cal Poly Corp. and associate vice president for commercial services.  “Follett has had remarkable staying power in the higher education industry and has demonstrated its commitment to innovative store design and services – particularly attractive features for a campus with our proud history.”
With this new partnership, Cal Poly faculty and students will have access to Follett&#8217;s wide range of affordable course material choices. Cost-saving print options include used books as well as Follett’s text rental program that delivers significant savings compared to purchasing new. Follett also offers a number of digital academic tools that provide access to needed materials, including affordable open educational resources (OER) content and courseware.  New store services also include Follett’s year-round buyback and price match programs.
&#8220;We look forward to serving Cal Poly students, parents, alumni, fans, faculty and staff,” said Clay Wahl, executive vice president of Sales Operations at Follett Higher Education Group. “Our goal is to enhance the Cal Poly University Store experience with hassle-free shopping and great products and services that celebrate the campus spirit.&#8221;
Beyond course materials, Follett will refresh general merchandise offerings to create a one-stop shopping experience for class and campus essentials. Cal Poly University Store customers can expect a custom merchandise assortment that reflects local interests and national trends in supplies, technology, clothing, gifts and more. Follett’s products and services will be available in-store and through <a href="https://www.bkstr.com/efollettstore/home">eFollett.com</a>, the leading online source for textbooks and fan gear.

Cal Poly Corp. Selects Follett to Operate the Cal Poly University Store

SAN LUIS OBISPO — The Cal Poly Corp. recently donated $750,000 to the Doerr Family Field and track, a new practice and intramural facility that will serve all students on campus.
The site upgrade is set for completion this fall and will include a synthetic turf field, an advanced performance track, lighting, film towers, a scoreboard and landscaping with Cal Poly branding throughout.
The field and track symbolizes a broad partnership within the university and throughout the greater community, including major contributions from Associated Students Inc., Cal Poly Athletics and private donors. It is a vital step in offering expanded recreational facilities to Cal Poly students and meeting the long-term needs of the growing campus.
The field will make an immediate impact on the student-athlete experience and the university’s recruiting efforts. Additionally, it will allow for year-round intramural sports on the south side of campus.
“This project represents exactly what the Cal Poly Corporation is all about and what we work hard to do – to support Cal Poly and to work with others to create a positive impact for this campus,” said Lorlie Leetham, executive director for the corporation.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held May 5 to celebrate the start of construction. Doerr Family Field was named in honor of Richard and Kathleen Doerr, who provided the lead gift for the field.
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Cal Poly Corp. Donates $750K to Doerr Family Field

SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA – The Cal Poly Corp. has reached agreement with <a href="https://www.follett.com/higher-ed">Follett Higher Education Group</a> to operate the Cal Poly University Store effective July 1.
Store operations under this agreement include the on-campus University Store located in the University Union, Cal Poly Downtown and the University Store e-commerce site.
The Follett selection is the result of a Request for Proposals process launched by the corporation last November. Key elements of the contract include three-year guaranteed employment for all University Store staff at current salaries and employment opportunities for all part-time and student staff.
“Retention of our existing staff and textbook affordability for students are critical components of our partnership with Follett,” said Lorlie Leetham, executive director of Cal Poly Corp. and associate vice president of commercial services. “We are grateful to our University Store team for their dedication to the campus community and their patience and support through this process.”
Follett currently operates more than 1,200 campus stores across the country and has been a higher education service provider for more than 140 years. The new contract is expected to provide Cal Poly with expanded courseware offerings and services, and access to Follett’s retail design offerings and other resources. Follett will enhance the shopping experience for Cal Poly customers, offering state-of-the-art technologies and systems to support the campus community.
“It is vital that Cal Poly have a partner who represents the university’s commitment to ongoing improvement and reinforces our ability to meet the needs of today’s campus and today’s students,” said Leetham. “Follett has had remarkable staying power in the higher education industry and has demonstrated its commitment to innovative store design and services – particularly attractive features for a campus with our proud history.”

Cal Poly Corp. Selects Follett Higher Education Group to Operate University Store

Going to The Avenue to grab late-night munchies on the weekend? Check their new operation hours before heading out.
<a href="https://mustangnews.net/avenue-changes-operation-hours/">Read full story here</a>

The Avenue changes operation hours

SAN LUIS OBISPO — The Cal Poly Corporation has added <a href="https://www.calpolydining.com/aboutus/staff/">Spyros Gravas</a> and <a href="https://www.calpolydining.com/aboutus/staff/">Ken Kline</a> to Cal Poly’s Campus Dining leadership team. Gravas, director of Campus Dining, and Kline, executive chef, recently started their roles on campus as part of the university’s food service partnership with <a href="https://chartwellshighered.com/">Chartwells Higher Education Dining Services</a>.
Chartwells, a <a href="https://www.compass-usa.com/">Compass Group</a> company, provides contract food service management for hundreds of university dining environments throughout the U.S. The partnership offers Campus Dining access to a breadth of strategic resources and industry expertise.
Gravas and Kline will provide on-site management services, working closely with Cal Poly’s dining and corporation teams to evaluate and improve food operations. Both offer a wealth of experience in the hospitality industry, having served in a wide variety of dining environments.
“As our residential campus continues to develop, we are looking to industry partners for additional expertise and to quickly provide tools and resources that might not be otherwise available to us,” said Lorlie Leetham, executive director for the Cal Poly Corporation and associate vice president of commercial services. “Given their food service expertise, Spyros and Chef Ken will help us to implement immediate and ongoing strategies to elevate Cal Poly’s dining program.”
According to Leetham, primary objectives of the partnership include providing the campus community with a dining experience grounded in competitive pricing, high quality and excellent service. Operational efficiencies and facility improvements will also be facilitated.
The partnership will not impact the status of current employees or daily operations. Rather, it is designed to reinforce the primary role of Cal Poly’s Campus Dining – to provide exceptional dining services to university students, faculty and staff.