Sonoma State University

Updates

Latest Update

Dear Campus Community,

As I have mentioned before, it’s an exciting time to be at Sonoma State University. Thanks to the concerted efforts of faculty and staff, over the past few months we’ve preserved academic programs once slated for closure, grown our dual enrollment and guaranteed admissions programs, kicked off a campus vibrancy project that will add student-centered amenities and resources this fall, and announced a major upgrade to Nichols Hall that will yield a state-of-the-art facility for nursing students, faculty, and staff. We graduated nearly 2,000 successful students during May’s Commencement ceremonies, new programs are in the offing, and our communities and alumni are freshly energized and optimistic about the future of a reimagined Sonoma State University.

Today I am pleased to announce the latest exciting step in this reimagining of our campus: the launch of NCAA Division II athletics, beginning in the 2027-28 academic year. After five months of research and discussion, a diverse group of community stakeholders, former coaches, campus staff, and faculty members called the Athletics Fiscal Feasibility Team presented three scenarios for the future of Seawolf athletics on June 15. Of the three scenarios, the university is opting for what is described as the “Base Case,” which includes 10 sports:

  • Women’s basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, and volleyball
  • Men’s basketball, cross country, golf, and soccer

Membership in NCAA and CCAA Division II athletics requires a minimum of 10 sports. The committee used the Athletics Task Force Report from January 2026 as a guiding document to determine this mix of programs.

These programs are anticipated to generate broad community interest and philanthropic and spectator engagement, and will be sustainable through a combination of student fees; tuition revenue from new student athletes; significant fundraising and sponsorships; sports camp and use fees for SSU facilities; and direct institutional support, including SSU Commitment funding provided by the state of California in 2025.

More information about this latest step forward for SSU is available in the Athletics Fiscal Feasibility Team’s executive summary, these FAQs, and Sonoma State’s news release. I also welcome your ideas and suggestions — please send them to ssuathletics@sonoma.edu.

My thanks to the Fiscal Feasibility Team and its co chairs, Drs. Gerald Jones and Rob Eyler, and to the entire Sonoma State community for its ongoing work reimagining the university to best serve current students, prospective students, alumni, and everyone who considers SSU part of their lives.

Archive

Greetings and Happy Springtime:

I hope you had an enjoyable spring break. It is hard to believe that the spring semester is already half over and that commencement is right around the corner.

Dear Campus Community:

Welcome back and Happy New Year! I hope that you had a restful and joyful break, and are ready for an exciting spring semester.

Dear Campus Community:

I want to sincerely thank each of you for making Sonoma State University a great place to study and work. I am proud of all we have accomplished in 2017 and I continue to be grateful for the support and care that the students, faculty and staff have shown to each other, especially through the extraordinary events of the fall.

Among our year-end updates:

Dear Sonoma State Community,

We have so many talented students, faculty and staff doing excellent work at Sonoma State and I wanted to write and share some wonderful recognition a few of them have received recently. 

Emily Hinton Appointed to CSU Board

May 2, 2017
 
Dear Sonoma State Community,
 
Thank you all for your participation and support of our Investiture Day. I loved the Mini-Conference, ceremony and concert. Thanks to the planning committee and all of you for helping to showcase our campus and for making the day so special. 
 
I would like to provide a brief update on a few recent campus activities.
 

Dear Sonoma State Community,

Happy Spring! There is so much happening on campus that I want to take this opportunity to provide an update on a few things.

Enhanced Service and Efficiencies

To the Campus Community,

After a lengthy trial, I want you to know that the jury verdict issued today in a lawsuit regarding asbestos in Stevenson Hall found that the building has in fact been “safe and healthful” for Sonoma State employees. The safe and healthful workplace finding validates the university’s belief that employees at Stevenson Hall have not been at risk.

Dear Sonoma State Community,

My first semester at Sonoma State is drawing to a close, and this week has been an exciting time of the year as our students worked tirelessly on their final exams and papers. It was wonderful to see our faculty and staff creating an atmosphere of encouragement for students during this “crunch time” and I have also heard great feedback from students about the extended hours in the Library.

Sonoma State Campus Community Members:

Dear Campus Community,

Our return to Sonoma State for the 2020 – 2021 academic year has coincided with two unprecedented events: the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the devastation of several, simultaneous wildfires of incredible magnitude.