Sonoma State University

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Dear Sonoma State Community,

On Friday, we came together to mark the beginning of a new academic year and celebrate the community that makes Sonoma State such a special place.

At the Fall 2026 Kickoff, we also launched "Think Outside the Box," a new opportunity for our community to share ideas, aspirations, and possibilities for Sonoma State's future.

The idea is simple: great ideas can come from anywhere.

Our future will be shaped by the creativity, experience, perspectives, and commitment of people across our entire community. "Think Outside the Box" is one way to ensure their voices are heard, inviting all of us to imagine what is possible.

Throughout the morning, students, faculty, and staff added their ideas to our interactive installation. It was exciting to watch the installation begin to disappear beneath Post-it notes representing the hopes, ideas, and possibilities of our community.

But Friday's event was only the beginning.

Whether you joined us on Friday or weren't able to attend, I invite you to be part of the conversation. Visit Think Outside the Box to share what possibility excites you most for Sonoma State. Share one idea or several -- there are no limits outside the box.

In the weeks and months ahead, we'll continue sharing ideas and themes that emerge from the conversation and will look for opportunities to connect them with the work happening across the university.

Thank you for everything you do for our students, for one another, and for Sonoma State. I am excited about what lies ahead and the possibilities we will create together.

Let's keep thinking differently, imagining what's possible, and building our next chapter together.

Warmly,

Signature of Michael Spagna
Image removed.

Archive

As Sonoma State University moves forward with planning for the 2025-26 academic year, we want to be prepared should additional funding become available.

Thank you to everyone who took part, either in person or virtually, in the February 21 legislative hearing on campus about Sonoma State’s 2025-26 budget deficit reductions and the university’s plans moving forward. As promised, a plan for the future will be presented in 30 to 60 days.

Dear Campus Community,

As we continue shaping the future of the California State University through our systemwide strategic planning process, your insights and perspectives remain vitally important. We are entering the second phase of stakeholder engagement and invite and strongly encourage you to participate in one of our upcoming virtual town hall sessions to share your thoughts on the future direction of the CSU.

Dear Campus Community,

Dear Campus Community:

Because attendance at the Town Hall scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Thursday, January 30 is expected to surpass the capacity of any campus facility, the meeting will instead be held virtually. This will allow a much larger number of participants, ensuring all who wish to attend can do so comfortably. 

A webinar link will be shared later this week with instructions about how to ask questions.

I hope you will attend.

Dear Seawolf Community,

Dear Campus Community,

As the fall term winds down and the holiday season gets into full swing, I want to express my appreciation for everyone at Sonoma State University.

As part of aligning Sonoma State University operations with the realities of our current budget and the $21-million deficit we are facing in 2025-26, we have over the past week taken actions to reduce and reorganize operational staffing in some areas. 

Dear Campus Community,

I am excited to continue the dialogue around the system-wide CSU Strategic Plan, which is central to shaping the future of our university system. This collective effort depends on your input, creativity, and collaboration.