Stanislaus State joins CSUCCESS: California State University Connectivity Contributing to Equity and Student Success
September 19, 2022

When Stanislaus State moved to distance learning at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, technology needs changed overnight. Kitchen tables became desks, personal laptops a gateway to digital classrooms and steady home internet connection a lifeline to academic success. 

Computer labs and public spaces with Wi-Fi closed, exposing the academic vulnerability of students who were without either. As the University pivoted, Stanislaus State’s Office of Information Technology (OIT) faced a gargantuan task — bridging the technological gap to meet the changing needs of 10,000 students plus faculty and staff.  

OIT quickly repurposed  its supply of Google Chromebooks used for New Student Orientation, loaning them for free to students in need of a laptop. When funding became available through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), OIT purchased hundreds of laptops and hotspots, laying the foundation for its loaner program. 

A temporary space in the Library Annex became a busy assembly line of technology. OIT staff distributed laptops, webcams, microphones, document cameras and more to meet various study-from-home and work-from-home needs, all during a global pandemic. 

Over the last two years, more than 5,000 devices have been loaned to students, including Chromebooks, MacBook Pros, laptops, webcams and hotspots. At peak usage, students checked out 1,152 hotspots and 746 laptop devices. 

OIT is now making the transition to the California State University Connectivity Contributing to Equity and Student Success (CSUCCESS) program. CSUCCESS was launched by the California State University (CSU) Office of the Chancellor to address the technology equity gap and enhance student achievement. The program promotes best practices across the CSU for technology-focused student support.  

“Joining the CSUCCESS program allows us to learn from each other within the CSU, and we can really look at the metrics of how it positively impacts our students,” said Rafael Espinosa, chief information officer and associate vice president of Information Technology. “It’s a great introduction to the University and to the CSU system, for our students to know that they have resources available.” 

Stanislaus State is preparing for its next phase of meeting student technology needs by adding Microsoft Go tablets and Apple iPads to its future loaner inventory. These devices will further enhance students’ notetaking capabilities, studying and more.  

Over the course of the last two years, OIT also has expanded campus broadband internet, updated or upgraded 750 Wi-Fi access points, installed a 5G cellular network and made substantial internet upgrades to the Stockton Campus. Combined, they contribute to being a better cyber-prepared, student-ready University. 

Students, staff and faculty can request technology and internet at no cost through OIT’s Tech Request page