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Over the past year, the university convened an Athletics Consultation Task Force with the charge of exploring the future of athletics at Sonoma State University. Its work resulted in a white paper that recommended reinstating NCAA Division II competition. Moving in that direction, however, requires confidence that the program can be sustained through a sound financial model that supports its success long term.
As I shared during my January 30, 2026 virtual press conference, we have established an Athletics Fiscal Feasibility Committee to evaluate how NCAA Division II Athletics could be sustained in a way that aligns with the university’s academic mission and fiscal responsibilities. The committee, co-chaired by Dr. Mario A. Perez and Dr. Gerald L. Jones, will assess potential funding models, long-term operating costs, enrollment and student impact, and overall alignment with institutional priorities. Its membership includes students, staff, faculty, managers, former student athletes and coaches, and community members with subject-matter expertise in finance, academics, student success, and athletics. The committee’s final recommendation is expected no later than mid-June.
While we await the committee’s recommendation – and in light of the decision to postpone reinstatement until a sustainable plan is in place – I am extending Interim President Emily Cutrer’s approval of the Instructionally Related Activities (IRA) funding allocations as recommended by the Student Fee Advisory Committee (SFAC) for an additional year.
Therefore, for the 2026–27 academic year, IRA funding will continue to support the following seven programs: Career Pathways and Preparation, The HUB, Club Sports, Children’s School, Library Extended Hours, Performing Arts, and Arts Integration, along with funding for the annually supported program pool.
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The Campus Town Hall is scheduled for Thursday, October 24, from 9 to 11 a.m. in Ballroom A of the Student Center. The event will also be livestreamed.
The forum will include remarks from me and updates on campus budget planning.
Please mark your calendars for a Campus Town Hall on Thursday, October 24, from 9 to 11 a.m. in Ballroom A of the Student Center. The event will also be livestreamed.
The forum will include remarks from me and updates on campus budget planning.
Happy Fall! Despite the recent heatwave, the season really has arrived.
With Halloween peeking around a corner just ahead, it might be easy to get caught up in the rush of work and activities that mark the holidays. I want to make sure to pause for a moment and express my thanks for every Seawolf’s contribution to our campus and to the communities we serve.
Dear Seawolf Community,
The first weeks of the new academic year offer an opportunity to reflect on the core values that define the Sonoma State community and affirm our unwavering commitment to seeking common ground and the benefits of pluralistic dialogue in every aspect of our lives — academic, professional, and personal.
Good evening Seawolves:
Please see the following letter from the Chancellor and the CSU presidents to all CSU students, and note Sonoma State’s addendum to the CSU Time, Place, and Manner policy: https://www.sonoma.edu/time-place-and-manner.
Over the past two weeks, I have taken time to meet with several key groups and individuals, including the President of the Associated Students, the Academic Senate leadership, SSU-Students for Justice in Palestine, the Jewish faculty affinity group, and various other stakeholders to listen, learn, and reflect, and develop a course of action for continued university dialogue about events in the Middle East, the harm violence causes to all commu