The finishing touches are being completed on the Nora and Hashem Naraghi Hall of Science, a three-story state-of-the art facility featuring 25 science and computer laboratories, 16 science project rooms, four classrooms, 58 faculty and department offices, an observatory, and an animal care complex. The $56 million building project took more than two years to complete, and faculty and staff have been completing the moving-in process during August in preparation for the start of classes in September.
Work is expected to start this year on a new $5 million bookstore and a $15 million Student Recreation Complex that will include a fitness center and stadium with a soccer/football field and track.
CSU Stanislaus enters the 2007-08 academic year with a solid and complete leadership structure in place; President Hamid Shirvani is starting his third year in office. Provost William (Bill) Covino begins his second year with five new Deans on the job for their first full year in 2007-08. Joining Carl Brown of the College of Education are Daryl J. Moore of the College of Arts, Nael Aly of the College of Business Administration, Gary Novak of the College of Human and Health Sciences, Carolyn J. Stefanco of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and Roger McNeil of the College of Natural Sciences. Four new colleges were established in 2006 as part of a reorganization of academic programs spearheaded by President Shirvani.
The University is launching its new Executive Master of Business Administration degree program this fall in Tracy. The 15-month, 36-unit program offers an aggregate of courses in the University's Accounting & Finance and Management, Operations, & Marketing departments. Classes will be held on Saturdays in the downtown Tracy Fire Administration Building training facility. High demand for the program in Tracy, where a capacity group of 28 students from all over the region are enrolled in classes that started on August 25, has prompted plans for a second cohort that will begin in April 2008 at the CSU Stanislaus Stockton Center.
The University is expecting more than 1,000 freshmen students to enroll for the first time in its history this fall, the fifth consecutive record high for CSU Stanislaus during a stretch when freshman enrollment has increased by more than 60 percent. New transfers are expected bring an additional 1,000 students to campus. Overall, the number of students is expected to increase over the 2006 fall semester to a projected total of more than 8,650. The final student census is in early October as students are still able to enroll in classes until then.
Of the more than more than 525 full-time and part-time faculty, 35 of them are newly hired or promoted to full-time tenure track positions to teach and assist students in classrooms, laboratories, and the library on the 228-acre CSU Stanislaus campus.
Students residing in The Village residential life complex will participate in the traditional move-in day on Friday, August 31. A parent orientation program and welcome luncheon will be held that day as students establish themselves in their new lodging. The 670-bed residential life facility is at near capacity as the University's incoming freshmen classes continue to grow. Seven resident advisors are being trained as student leaders at the complex.