The HEART lab, in CSUSM's kinesiology department, is conducting a cardiac screening study. Any adult female who has not had cardiac surgery or incident can participate. Contact Deborah Feairheller at dfeairheller@csusm.edu for information and to register. The screening takes one hour, and you will receive all of your information in the form of a letter that you can upload to your patient portal for your physician.

Please join us on Sept. 26 at noon in the Innovation Hub as HEART lab students in the kinesiology department host a free workshop for women in the community. This workshop will provide information on cardiac risk factors that are specific to females and will be an opportunity for women from the community to gather and have dialogue about heart health. The event will include lecture-style discussion and chances for women to socialize and get scheduled for a simple health screening.  Email Deborah Feairheller at dfeairheller@csusm.edu to add your name to the list.

Researchers in kinesiology are conducting a study on the effectiveness of CBD for endurance exercise performance. Endurance athletes training at least six hours per week and not using cannabis are invited to participate. The study includes free fitness and estimated lactate threshold assessments. You will participate in three visits to our laboratory in the Extended Learning Building over the course of about three weeks. You must be 21-45 years old and in good health. For more information, please contact the lead investigator, Weston Titus, Ph.D. student candidate, at Weston.titus@autuni.ac.nz. The faculty sponsor is Dr. Matt Schubert of the kinesiology department, who can be reached at mschubert@csusm.edu.

Researchers are seeking cannabis users for a study assessing the heart rate and blood pressure responses to smoking legal-market cannabis. You will wear an activity monitor and blood pressure monitor for 24 hours while you smoke cannabis. You will not be provided cannabis for this study. You’ll report to our lab twice to be outfitted for the study and to drop the devices off when the study is over; the total time commitment in the lab will be about one hour. If you are 21-45 years old and have used cannabis at least twice a week for the last year, you are eligible to participate. If you have high blood pressure, use tobacco or take certain medications that impact blood pressure, you are not eligible to participate in this study. If you are unsure, please contact the study team. For more information, please contact Matt Schubert, associate professor of kinesiology, at mschubert@csusm.edu.

Housing move-in days are scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 22 (The QUAD and UVA) and Friday, Aug. 23 (North Commons and Block C). We look forward to welcoming more than 1,800 residents to campus. Please mark your calendars to be prepared for high traffic and congestion along North City Drive, East Barham Drive, Campus Way and Campus View Drive.  After unloading, residents will be directed to park in Parking Structure 1 on both days. The first two levels of Parking Structure 2 (behind North Commons) will not be available on Aug. 22-23. Lots N, K, Z, and the parking structures also will be affected.  For anyone attending Faculty and Staff Convocation on Aug. 22, we encourage you to park in alternate lots: General lots B, C, F Faculty/staff lots E, H

Kinesiology department faculty are seeking adult female participants for a cardiac screening study. They are scheduling summer and fall appointments. This would include a one-hour visit during which heart health is measured non-invasively. Contact Deborah Feairheller at dfeairheller@csusm.edu to schedule.

As we transition between semesters, we wanted to provide reminders regarding the campus’s COVID-19 protocols to help you keep safe and healthy. COVID-19 Campus Protocols Isolation guidance for those testing positive: Stay home if you have COVID-19 symptoms until you have not had a fever for 24 hours without using fever-reducing medication AND other COVID-19 symptoms​ are mild and improving.​ ​​​​​​​​​If you do not have symptoms, you should follow the recommendations below to reduce exposure to others. Mask when you are around other people indoors for the 10 days after you become sick or test positive (if no symptoms). You may remove your mask sooner than 10 days if you have two sequential negative tests at least one day apart. Day 0 is symptom onset date or positive test date. Avoid contact with people at higher risk for severe COVID-19 for 10 days. CSUSM strongly encourages those who test positive for COVID-19 to submit a COVID-19 self-reporting form. Close contacts (exposed individuals) should follow the suggested protocols. The university provides notifications of close contacts and possible exposures to keep our campus community informed and to comply with applicable state regulations. Learn about how CSUSM is keeping our campus community safe. Keep up to date with our CSUSM on-campus worksite exposure dashboard. Cal/OSHA’s COVID-19 Prevention Non-Emergency Standards. General Health and Safety Reminders COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are not required. However, the campus strongly recommends following the recommendations adopted by the CDC and the California Department of Public Health. COVID-19 vaccinations Masking is not required on campus, except as required by the isolation and return protocol. Rapid antigen (at-home) tests are free and available to U.S. households from COVID.gov.  CSUSM has new wellness vending machines with tests available for purchase. Additional COVID-19 information is available at the COVID-19 resources and guidelines website. Please continue to reduce your risk of illness and review general safety protocols to help you and others stay safe and healthy.

The end of the semester can be a stressful time. Your health, safety and well-being are important, and CSUSM is here for you. If you or someone you know needs support, there are several resources available: For students:  Cougar Care Network The Office of Inclusive Excellence Student Health & Counseling Services Student Leadership and Involvement Center Student Life Centers for Identity, Inclusion and Empowerment  For faculty and staff: The Office of Inclusive Excellence Faculty Care Facilitator Staff Center Employee Assistance Program

Active men and women will receive complementary testing of body fat and aerobic fitness in a study testing the effects of exercise on fat and carbohydrate burning. This research study requires three separate sessions of exercise of about 45 minutes per day. Participants must be physically active in the last year, healthy, non-smoking, and free of joint injury. Please contact Dr. Todd Astorino, Professor, Dept. of Kinesiology, at astorino@csusm.edu for more information.

Researchers at Cal State San Marcos are seeking cannabis users for a study assessing the heart rate and blood pressure responses to smoking legal-market cannabis in free-living humans. You will wear an activity monitor and blood pressure monitor for 24 hours while you smoke cannabis. You will not be provided cannabis for this study. You’ll report to our lab twice to be outfitted for the study and to drop the devices off when the study is over; the total time commitment in the lab will be about one hour. If you are 21-45 years old and have used cannabis at least twice a week for the last year, you are eligible to participate. If you have high blood pressure, use tobacco or take certain medications that impact blood pressure, you are not eligible to participate in this study. If you are unsure, please contact the study team. For more information, please contact Dr. Matt Schubert, associate professor of kinesiology, at mschubert@csusm.edu.

Active men and women are needed to participate in a study in the Department of Kinesiology, with the goal to assess potential sex differences in fat burning between men and women. You are eligible if you are 18 to 50 years old, active, weight stable and healthy. Women must have a normal menstrual cycle or be taking oral contraceptives. Please contact Dr. Todd A. Astorino at astorino@csusm.edu for more information.

Beginning March 13, the Lot O pedestrian ramp and stairs at Campus Way and Campus View Drive will be closed for construction for the duration of the housing project. An accessible path from Barham Drive to the University Village Apartments will be provided. Walking around the barricades and using the street is prohibited. Disregarding these directives may result in disciplinary action. Please cross to the other side of the street and use the open walkway to prevent accidents or injury. We appreciate your compliance and consideration for the safety of our community.

Looking for adults 18 to 25 who have used flower cannabis and nicotine vapes or cigarettes in the past 30 days to participate in three confidential research visits at CSUSM. Answer questions about demand for, use and effects of cannabis and nicotine. Compensation is up to $225 in cash or gift card. To learn more and see if you qualify, take this quick survey: https://csusm.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_enCJdxvVBvVjPng.

CSUSM students, do you want to help the environment and promote campus wellness? The Tobacco, E-Cigarette and Cannabis Waste Randomized Trial is now scheduling participants. Students between the ages of 18 and 25 may be eligible to take part in a six-week intervention addressing tobacco and e-cigarette waste perceptions and behaviors. Participants will receive $25 each for three Zoom visits and $35 for a six-month follow-up, for up to $110 in compensation. Visits last 15-45 minutes and include watching brief educational videos, talking with a research assistant and completing surveys. Please visit https://redcap.link/TECWRCT-CSUSM to learn more and complete a brief survey to join the study. Email tecwrct@gmail.com for more information.

With current campus construction, the Campus Way sidewalk next to the University Village Apartments that leads up to Chavez Circle is temporarily closed. You must cross over and use the path on the side of the street closest to the Sports Center and Clarke Field House. Walking around the barricades and using the street is prohibited. Disregarding these directives may result in disciplinary action.  Please cross to the other side of the street and use the open walkway to prevent accidents or injury. We appreciate your compliance and consideration for the safety of our community.

Welcome back, Cougars. We hope that the spring semester is off to a wonderful start. We wanted to provide updated information regarding the campus’s COVID-19 protocols and a few reminders to help you keep safe and healthy. COVID-19 Campus Protocols The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) updated its COVID-19 isolation guidance. New guidance for those testing positive: Stay home if you have COVID-19 symptoms, until you have not had a fever for 24 hours without using fever-reducing medication AND other COVID-19 symptoms are mild and improving.​ ​​​​​​​​​If you do not have symptoms, you should follow the recommendations below to reduce exposure to others. Mask when you are around other people indoors for the 10 days after you become sick or test positive (if no symptoms). You may remove your mask sooner than 10 days if you have two sequential negative tests at least one day apart. Day 0 is the symptom onset date or positive test date. Avoid contact with people at higher risk for severe COVID-19 for 10 days. These CDPH changes impact Cal/OSHA’s COVID-19 Prevention Non-Emergency Standards. CSUSM strongly encourages those who test positive for COVID-19 to submit a COVID-19 self-reporting form.  Close contacts (exposed individuals) should follow the suggested protocols. The university provides notifications of close contacts and possible exposures to keep our campus community informed and to comply with applicable state regulations. Learn how CSUSM is keeping our campus community safe. Keep up to date with our CSUSM on-campus worksite exposure dashboard. General Health and Safety Reminders COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are not required. However, the campus strongly advises following the recommendations adopted by the CDPH and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Masking is not required on campus, except as required by the isolation and return protocol. Rapid antigen (at-home) tests are free and available to U.S households from COVID.gov. CSUSM has new wellness vending machines with tests available for purchase. Additional COVID-19 information is available at the CSUSM COVID-19 Resources & Guidelines website. Please continue to reduce your risk of illness and review general safety protocols to help you and others stay safe and healthy. Have a successful and safe semester, Cougars! 

New wellness vending machines are now located around campus. These vending machines carry a variety of health and wellness necessities such as toiletries, COVID tests, self-care products, laundry detergent, over-the-counter medication, and so much more available to you 24/7. There are five wellness vending machines around campus. They are located outside Academic Hall, outside the Student Health & Counseling Services building, and inside each dorm (University Village Apartments, North Commons and The QUAD). We hope that these vending machines make it more convenient for students, faculty and staff to obtain certain products.

Get your free flu vaccine while supplies last on Jan. 24-25 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in front of the Student Health & Counseling Services building from the SHCS medical clinic staff.

We're looking for resistance-trained women ages 18-55 and between 120 and 200 pounds interested in participating in an exercise study at Cal State San Marcos. Participants will complete three exercise sessions using kettlebell and body-weight exercises. This study will require three visits to CSUSM and will require approximately four hours of your time. Participants will be paid for their full participation in this study. Sign up by sending an email to sturd005@csusm.edu.

Dear campus community,   I am pleased to announce the permanent appointment of Jesus Flores to the role of associate vice president of campus safety and chief of police. Flores has been serving in an interim capacity since Aug. 1, 2022, and has showcased exceptional leadership and dedication during this period.  Flores joined our campus community as a police officer in 2001 and has consistently demonstrated a commitment to ensuring the safety and security of our university. During his tenure as interim chief of police, he undertook several significant initiatives that have enhanced our campus safety and emergency response capabilities. Flores serves as chair of the Campus Police and Safety Advisory Committee, co-chair of the Campus Assessment, Response and Education (CARE) Team, and is an active member of the Timely Incident Response Task Force. He has demonstrated effective leadership by overseeing and actively participating in these crucial committees, ensuring that our strategies align with the evolving needs of our university.  Flores played a pivotal role in establishing and operationalizing the crisis response team, collaborating with Student Health & Counseling Services to recruit a director and effectively manage crisis situations on campus. He made strategic personnel appointments, including the appointment of a new lieutenant, and initiated an officer wellness program, prioritizing the well-being and resilience of our law enforcement team.  Flores facilitated multiple successful tabletop exercises, promoting cross-collaboration with our local partners and internal teams, and enhancing our university's readiness to respond to emergencies effectively. He has facilitated multiple safety forums to engage with the campus community, share information and receive feedback, and has served as a liaison to the Office of Inclusive Excellence for several years.  Flores's dedication, leadership and unwavering commitment to campus safety are exemplary. His vision for a safer campus environment and his proactive initiatives have set the foundation for a secure and supportive educational community.  Please join me in congratulating Jesus Flores on his permanent appointment. We are confident that, under his continued leadership, the sub-division will thrive and ensure the safety and well-being of our entire university community.   Sincerely,   Leon Wyden Jr.   Vice President of Finance and Administrative Services, Chief Financial Officer