Cal Poly renamed its office of diversity

Author

Carly Heltzel
January 06, 2026

Good morning. It’s Tuesday, and I’m reading about what characters entered the public domain this year, outliving their 95-year copyright limit. Onto the five Cal Poly, SLO and California stories you need to know for today.

1.

Cal Poly renamed its Office of University Diversity and Inclusion over the break, now calling it the Office of Culture and Institutional Excellence beginning this month. Last year, the previously independent office was pulled under the umbrella of University Personnel, which administration says was to align the structure with other CSU campuses. This time around Cal Poly says the new name reflects the office’s “evolving role” and emphasize how belonging contributes to institutional excellence. 

2.

A former Cal Poly student who shot guns on campus in 2023 was sentenced to six years in state prison, four of which he’s already served through jail credits. He pleaded no contest to four separate shooting incidents, three outdoors and one in his Poly Canyon Village apartment. No one was harmed. The other student involved in the shootings was sentenced to seven months in 2024.

3.

A new Democrat will challenge incumbent Dawn Addis for the California State Assembly representing the Central Coast. Susannah Brown announcing her campaign makes it a three-way race, with two Democrats and one Republican candidate. The data scientists says the key differences between her and Addis lies in their opinions on nuclear power, with Brown seeing it more favorable than Addis, and on education, where she said school funding will be a higher priority. The primary runoff is June 2. 

4.

California’s Dungeness crab season began yesterday after delays from the presence of humpback whales, who can get caught in the crab pot lines that span from the surface to the sea floor. Even then, officials limited the crabbers to 60% of the crab pots they normally use to reduce the number of lines in the ocean, also due to the whales. The season also risks ending early if there are significant whale entanglements.

5.

Federal officials warned that putting stickers on annual national park passes could void them. Why? Because artists and small businesses have been selling stickers designed to block the face of President Donald Trump, who is prominently featured on this years card. One artist who hopes to restore the card’s aesthetic through printing her watercolor nature scenes received over 100 orders already. Park employees are allowed to use their discretion as long as certain watermarks aren’t blocked.