When Cal State San Marcos students were asked how they'd spend the money saved by not having to buy textbooks, many said rent, food and even life-saving medication. Their responses showed that textbook costs are a financial burden for students struggling to afford basic necessities.  The Cougars Affordable Learning Materials (CALM) program, managed by the University Library, has a solution. The CALM team works with faculty to adopt the use of low- and no-cost textbooks. This year alone, the CALM program saved students more than $4.6 million.    The CALM team and CSUSM faculty across campus have reduced or eliminated the costs of textbooks for over 1,000 courses.   To recognize participating faculty, the University Library hosted a CALM Faculty Awardees event on April 24. The 2024-25 CALM Faculty Awardees are Christopher Hardnack, George Brusch, Heather Cook, Kathy Fuller, Shannon Baker, Shannon Nolan-Arañez and Suzanna Krivulskaya. To see how much money each of these faculty helped students save, visit the CALM Faculty Awardees webpage.   Fuller, a human development faculty member, is a CALM Hero. She CALMed five courses and saved students over $16,000 this academic year.   Brusch CALMed five courses in the biology department, saving students almost $13,000. Asked what motivated him to use Open Educational Resources (OER) or low-cost textbooks, he said: "My major motivation for using an open-source textbook is because it is free. This alleviates the financial burden on students, making education more accessible and equitable.”  CALM is part of the CSU Affordable Learning Solutions initiative started in 2010. The library’s CALM team – led by Kelly Ann Sam, interim head of user services and textbook affordability lead – aids faculty in replacing costly textbooks with lower-cost alternatives. This is accomplished by using high-quality OER, library materials, digital or customized textbooks, and/or faculty-authored materials.   To address the high cost of textbooks, California Senate Bill 1359 aims to ensure that students have access to affordable course materials. It requires courses to be listed as zero cost in the schedule if students are not required to purchase any materials. Students actively can search for courses with the Zero Cost Course Material (ZCCM) logo when selecting classes.  “It is essential that faculty confirm their ZCCM courses with the CALM team," Sam said. "By designating ZCCM courses in the class schedule before student registration, students are empowered to make informed decisions based on financial considerations. This allows them to save significantly on education costs each semester, potentially amounting to hundreds of dollars.”   For more information, visit the CALM website or contact calm@csusm.edu. Media Contact Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

Ashley Lizarraga didn’t have the typical college move-in experience. In August 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lizarraga was coming from Rosarito, Mexico, where she lived with her parents and two younger brothers, to Cal State San Marcos' University Village Apartments. Born in the United States and raised in Mexico, Lizarraga has always prioritized her education. In high school, she crossed the border every day to attend high school in Chula Vista, drawn to the learning environment and opportunities in the U.S. It meant early mornings and long days, but she remained committed, and that drive continued when she enrolled at CSUSM. Lizarraga embraced life on campus, even in a time when many classes were still virtual. But her college experience soon expanded beyond academics. At 19, she became the legal guardian of her younger brother, Evaristo, to help him pursue a high school education in the U.S., an opportunity she knew could open doors for him just as it had for her. A few years later, she welcomed her youngest brother, Esteban, who is now thriving as a high school junior at San Marcos High. In a few weeks, Evaristo and Esteban will join their parents at Mangrum Track & Field to watch their sister cross the CSUSM commencement stage and become the first family member to earn a college degree. “I feel like my professors and the friends I have made at school have all helped me so much,” said Lizarraga, who is double majoring in finance and political science. “I really felt that this is my community, and I felt so supported by everyone. All of that has made my journey here so much easier.” It hasn’t always been an easy journey. Lizarraga was working three jobs before an internship with the San Diego Diplomacy Council ended. She still works at a local restaurant and on campus for Associated Students, Inc., as the vice president of finance and operations where she manages a $2.1 million student-driven budget and leads initiatives that directly support students. Caring for her brothers, working multiple jobs and studying doesn’t leave much free time, but Lizarraga is grateful to mentors like Ashley Fennell, ASI’s associate executive director, for providing a strong support system. “She’s been a caring supervisor who looks out for me not just as a student, but as a person,” Lizarraga said.  As Lizarraga’s undergraduate career winds down, she is looking ahead to the next chapter. She has been accepted to several master's programs in finance and hopes to stay close to San Marcos to continue supporting her family while advancing her academic and career goals. As the first in her family to graduate from college, she’s proud to be setting an example and grateful for the support that helped her get to this point. “I’m deeply grateful to my family and to everyone who supported me along the way,” Lizarraga said. “I truly couldn’t have done it without them. This is just the beginning.” Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Cal State San Marcos welcomed more than 400 participants to campus on April 12 for the 48th annual West Coast Biological Sciences Undergraduate Research Conference.  The conference – planned by CSUSM biology professors Jane Kim, Sergio Nigenda-Morales and Carlos Luna-Lopez – is one of the oldest events for undergraduates to present their research.  Some of the conference talk sessions included subjects such as microbiology, neurobiology and physiology. Svasti Haricharan, who started an independent lab focused on non-canonical roles of DNA repair proteins in promoting treatment responsiveness at Sanford Burnham Prebys in La Jolla in 2018, was the event's keynote speaker. Haricharan recently moved to San Diego State as associate professor of biology to continue her research. She is also a full member of the Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego. The goal of the conference is to provide a forum for undergraduate researchers to present original data that they've generated in the fields of biology, biochemistry, biophysics and related fields, and to foster intercollegiate interactions among students and faculty who share a commitment to undergraduate research in the biological sciences. “CSUSM, President Ellen Neufeldt, CSTEM Dean Jackie Trischman and the Office of the Provost supported this conference from the beginning, allowing the planning team to have the time to prepare for the conference,” Luna-Lopez said. “This further demonstrates CSUSM’s commitment to undergraduate research and to form a supportive scientific community.”  Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim assistant director of editorial and external affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Cal State San Marcos has been designated as an Opportunity College and University by the Carnegie Classifications, recognizing CSUSM as an institution that can serve as a model for studying how campuses can foster student success.  The “Opportunity Colleges and Universities” designation is part of a newly developed Student Access and Earnings Classification published this month by the Carnegie Foundation and the American Council on Education. This new classification examines the extent to which institutions foster opportunities for student success by measuring whether institutions are enrolling students reflective of the communities they serve and how the earnings of those students compare to peers in their area. In 2025, 479 institutions have been identified as Opportunity Colleges and Universities, which is about 16% of all U.S. colleges and universities that are in the Student Access and Earnings Classification. “At Cal State San Marcos, social mobility isn’t just a goal – it’s our mission in action," CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt said. "To be named an Opportunity College and University by the Carnegie Classifications is a powerful affirmation of the work we do every day to ensure that our students, many of whom are the first in their families to attend college, graduate with the tools, support and opportunities to thrive in their careers and communities. This new classification recognizes the real, lived impact of higher education, and CSUSM is proud to be a national model for student success and equity.” The methodology for the new Student Access and Earnings Classification uses multidimensional groupings of the 2025 Institutional Classification to evaluate student access and earnings between similar colleges and universities.  More information about 2025 Student Earnings and Access Classifications, including the methodology, can be found here. In February, CSUSM was named one of 12 schools in the California State University system to receive a new designation known as “Research Colleges and Universities” (RCU). The RCU category recognizes institutions that typically do not offer many or any doctoral degrees and spend at least $2.5 million on research on average in a single year. The Carnegie Classifications are the nation’s leading framework for categorizing and describing colleges and universities in the United States. 

Facilities Development & Management, in partnership with the CSUSM Corporation, is excited to announce the addition of five new solar-powered benches across campus. These benches provide: built-in charging ports so you can power your phone or other devices while you sit; lighted outdoor seating in the evenings – perfect for studying, relaxing or meeting with friends after dark.   These benches are part of FDM's ongoing efforts to create sustainable, student-friendly spaces that support comfort, safety and convenience. Keep an eye out as you walk around campus – you might just find your new favorite spot to charge and chill.

Miyah Walker has had a passion for listening and offering a hand to hold since she was just 13. Being a middle child among three sisters, Walker was often the person who would help and listen to her siblings, cousins and close friends when they needed someone to discuss their feelings or mental health challenges. Without even realizing it at the time, Walker was already heading down the path of psychological sciences. Coming to Cal State San Marcos, Walker felt introverted and nervous to talk to others, but that did not stop her from pushing herself to step outside her comfort zone. Walker has been inspiring her peers and helping create a safe space on campus through her work as a residential adviser; as a collections, delivery and access student assistant in Kellogg Library; and by educating and advocating for BIPOC mental health awareness at Student Health & Counseling Services as a HOPE peer health educator. Walker’s efforts led her to be selected as the recipient of the 2025 Dean of Students Award for Outstanding Leadership. “I was just watching true crime and crocheting when Dean of Students Jason Schreiber called and told me that I won the award,” Walker said. “I was shocked. After I talked to him during the candidacy process, I felt really good about our conversation. I was kind of thinking, ‘Wow, I just finished talking to the Dean of Students.’ ” Walker first knew that she wanted to work in the psychological sciences at 13 after experiencing her best friend going through a challenging time. Walker was a constant advocate for her best friend by being there for meetings with social workers and comforting her when others were dismissing the friend’s mental health struggles. Walker was able to separate herself from the situation and truly just be there for her best friend. The experience opened Walker’s eyes to the need for mental health advocacy, specifically for BIPOC communities when she would hear people dismiss the mental health experiences faced by young individuals. Walker reflected on the rhetoric used during her experience advocating for her best friend. “People would say, ‘You're too young to be depressed. You don't have anything to be depressed about. You don’t have anything to be stressed about,’ ” Walker said. “There were a lot of things that were happening in her life and happening to her that people were dismissing, and that was taking a toll on her mental health as well. Just seeing how big of an effect it was having on her, I was shocked by the lack of support. It made me aware that people in communities of color do not care as much as they should.” Walker is from Los Angeles and a first-generation college student, so coming to San Marcos was a big transition. But being so active on campus helped her thrive, leading her to believe that you always end up where you need to be. After she graduates next month with her bachelor’s in psychological science and a minor in Spanish, Walker has big plans for the future. She plans to return to L.A. and work as a mental health counselor specializing in underserved communities and communities of color. Her educational and career goals, however, do not end there. Walker intends to obtain her doctorate to work as a psychologist, along with continuing her advocacy and educational work for BIPOC communities, which is similar to her focus at CSUSM. Walker’s hard work and dedication have not gone unnoticed. “Miyah’s commitment to excellence in leadership, scholarship and service is clear, both as an RA and as a HOPE peer educator,” Stephanie Burga, a residential director, wrote in her nomination of Walker for the Dean of Students Award. “In all of her roles at CSUSM, she has challenged herself to think creatively and communicate effectively with a wide range of individuals. She has also played a significant role in developing programs and initiatives that advance the university’s mission, and each of the programs she’s hosted has contributed to enriching student life at CSUSM.” There’s little doubt that Walker’s legacy at CSUSM will live on as she moves forward with her education and career goals of being a pillar for mental health awareness in BIPOC communities. Media Contact Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314