Fall Conference kicks off Monday, Sept. 21, with convocation, a State of the University address from President Soraya M. Coley, and an inaugural blessing from a tribal elder.
Kim Marcus (Serrano & Cahuilla), culture director and head counselor at Noli Indian School on the Soboba Reservation and a ceremonial singer and dancer, will perform the blessing in honor of California Native American Day, which is observed Sept. 25.
California has a rich and diverse culture and heritage in part because of its many tribes. The state Legislature passed a bill in 1998 establishing Native American Day as an official day of education. In 2014, Gov. Jerry Brown called for the state to commit to using the day to honor the contributions and endurance of Native Americans.
Cal Poly Pomona plans to make the blessing an annual Fall Conference tradition to signal the start of the academic year and honor Native Americans.
The Convocation begins at 8:30 a.m. in the Ursa Major Suite of the Bronco Student Center with President’s Coley’s address. The annual Service Awards follow immediately. Both will be video streamed live and also available to watch after the events. The four-day conference also includes workshops, college and division meetings, and BroncoFusion.
The schedule includes:
Monday, September 21
| 8 to 8:30 a.m. | Breakfast Bronco Student Center, Ursa Major |
| 8:30 to 10 a.m. | Convocation Bronco Student Center, Ursa Major Suite |
| 10 to 11:30 a.m. | Service Awards Bronco Student Center, Ursa Major Suite |
| 1 to 4 p.m. | Workshops Various locations |
| 4 to 6 p.m | Fall Conference Reception for Faculty and Staff Manor House Patio |
Tuesday, September 22
| 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. | College of Agriculture AGRIscapes |
| 9 to 10:30 a.m. | College of Letters, Arts & Social Sciences Music Recital Hall |
| 9 to 11 a.m. | College of Business Administration Building 162-1001 |
| 9 to 11:45 a.m. | College of Engineering Building 162-1002 |
| 9 a.m. to noon | College of Environmental Design |
| 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. | College of Science University Library, room 1807 |
| 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. | The Collins College of Hospitality Management Kellogg West |
| 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. | College of Education and Integrative Studies Building 98, eighth floor |
| 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Student Affairs Division Meeting and Assessment Showcase Bronco Student Center, Ursa Major C and Ursa Major AB, respectively |
| noon to 5 p.m. | Student Innovation Idea Lab Open House Building 98-C6-6 |
Thursday, September 24
| First Day of classes | |
| 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. | BroncoFusion |
| 2:30 to 4 p.m. | University Library Town Hall Meeting and Service Award Reception University Library, room 4829 |
Friday, September 25
| 8 a.m. to midnight | BroncoFusion |