SOARSummer 2014

presents

I N C O M I N G S T U D E N T S ' G U I D E T O E V E RY T H I N G C A L P O LY

ALBERT CHANG | MUSTANG NEWS

Baker Math & ScienceOpened in 2013, The Warren J. Baker Center for Science and Mathematics is the second largest building on campus, only smaller than Robert E. Kennedy Library. The building houses eight lecture-style classrooms with a combined capacity of 484 students, 64 faculty offices, approximately 50 state-of-the-art laboratories and about two dozen prep spaces and stockrooms.

Contents

Editor's note by Erica Husting

Campus map and resourcesA map and guide to on-campus resources

Cal Poly admits most selective classby Suha Saya

Adjusting to college life by Lauren MacLeod

Best for San Luis Obispo The best local spots for shopping, dining, studying and more as voted on by Cal Poly students

Tips for freshmen by Adriana Catanzarite

WOW more than new students expectby Sean McMinn

Campus security at Cal Polyby Sam Gilbert

Public transportation demystifiedby Brooke Sperbeck

Famous faces of Cal Poly

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Congratulationson your acceptance to Cal Poly!

MUSTANG NEWS STAFF2014 – 2015

SPECIAL SECTIONS COORDINATORErica Husting

GRAPHIC DESIGNERKelsey Dodge

STAFF WRITERSean McMinn

STAFF WRITER Sam Gilbert

STAFF WRITERLauren MacLeod

STAFF WRITERAdriana Catanzarite

STAFF WRITERSuha Saya

STAFF WRITERBrooke Sperbeck

COPY EDITORKassi Luja

COPY EDITORKayla Missman

PHOTOGRAPHERDylan Sun

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVEConnie Lewis

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVETyler Dycus

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVEPhil Ramos

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVEKendall Hober

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVEMaddie Spivek

EDITOR'S NOTE

As a recent Cal Poly alumna, I still remember my Soar experience four years ago. Soar was the first time I set foot on campus since I clicked the "accept" button in late May. I must admit, I was nervous and a little intimidated arriving to the University Union Plaza that foggy morning. However, the moment I reached the check-in table, my nerves vanished. Everyone I encoun-tered was not only friendly, but ready to answer any questions I had. These people wanted to be there, and more importantly, they wanted to share their passion and love for Cal Poly.

But the positive atmosphere was not the only thing that left a lasting impression. Within the first hour of checking in, while standing in line for my Spanish language placement test, I met my first Cal Poly friends — friends I still keep in touch with, work with and graduated alongside.

My one piece of advice to you — the class of 2018 — is say to cherish and make the most of your four (or five or six) years here. Step outside your comfort zone, try new things and get involved in a club or organization you

are passionate about. Your time here will fly by. Trust me.

However you choose to spend your time here, we have provided tips and information in this publication to help you start your life as a Cal Poly student and San Luis Obispo resident.

I wish you all the best during your time at Cal Poly. Go Mustangs!

Erica HustingSpecial Sections Coordinator

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6 | SOAR 2014

Voted No. 1 study spot by Cal Poly students, the library not only has books, periodicals and a knowledgeable staff to help you find exactly what you need, but also group study rooms, Wi-Fi, laptop rentals, a café, vending machines and outdoor seating. Plus, the 24-hour study room has Poly Prints, where students can scan and print projects and papers or purchase supplies such as index cards, pencils and flash drives.

The UU is a campus hub of activity, providing many services such as student lounges for socializing and quiet studying, Internet stations, Starbucks , Ciao!, conference rooms, club and organization resource areas and an auditorium for guest speakers, career fairs, club events, dinners and dances. The UU Plaza is an outdoor community area which is great for socializing or attending events such as Concerts in the Plaza and club fairs.

The International Education and Programs office is located in Mathematics and Science (bldg. 38), room 145. Students can find information on study abroad programs, information sessions, scholarships and other resources here.

UPD’s mission is to maintain order, enforce laws and promote a safe environment for the campus. This department handles parking, access and emergency services.

The Cross Cultural Centers consist of the MultiCultural Center, Pride Center and Gender Equity Center. Together, they provide a safe space — both physically and metaphorically — for students to embrace all aspects of their identity. They also host events for students to socialize and learn more about societal issues.

This center provides resources and counselors to help students on their career paths. It helps students develop career plans, create resumes, find internships and jobs, contact alumni and employers and develop graduate school plans.

The Health Center provides on-campus health care by appointment and urgent care. It has board-certified physicians, licensed physician assistants and nurse practitioners and offers laboratory testing, X-rays, vaccinations and prescription medications. It also provides counseling services for managing stress, depression, drug and alcohol resources and other mental health issues, according to the Cal Poly Health and Counseling Services website.

The newly renovated Recreation Center reopened in January 2012. Cal Poly students receive automatic membership, paid for by student fees. As a part of the reopening, students can now attend exercise classes anduse the lap and leisure pools without additional charges.

Student Academic Services in room 112 of the Robert E. Kennedy Library provides programs and support services to help students improve their study skills. It also provides a referral list of tutors.

Cal Poly University Store sells textbooks, courseware and Cal Poly merchandise. It also sells various electronic supplies including laptops, software, gifts and school supplies.

The Alex G. Spanos Stadium is planning a renovation to expand capacity from approximately 11,000 to 22,000 seats. Cal Poly hosts its soccer and football games here.

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UNIVERSITY UNION (UU)asi.calpoly.edu

STUDY ABROAD iep.calpoly.edu

UNIVERSITY POLICE DEPARTMENT(UPD)afd.calpoly.edu/police

CROSS CULTURAL CENTERSstudentlife.calpoly.edu/culture

CAREER SERVICEScareerservices.calpoly.edu

HEALTH CENTERhcs.calpoly.edu

RECREATION CENTERasi.calpoly.edu/recreation_center

STUDY HELP & TUTORINGsas.calpoly.edu

UNIVERSITY STOREcalpolyuniversitystore.com

ALEX G. SPANOS STADIUM gopoly.com

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Cal Poly admits most selective class

BY SUHA SAYA

Cal Poly’s admission rate for Fall 2014 applicants is the lowest in uni-versity history — 28 percent.

Of the 51,707 students who applied for Fall 2014, only 14,749 students were selected. In regards to fresh-men, that number was just 13,303 out of 43,803 — a 30.4 percent acceptance rate. For transfers, 1,320 out of 7,868 were selected — a 16.8 percent acceptance rate.

“We’re strong in demand,” Associate Vice Provost for Marketing and Enrollment Development James Maraviglia said. “Despite having almost 4,000 more freshmen apply this year than last year, we offered 650 less spaces … for transfer

applications, we also offered about 600 less (spaces).”

But such a low selectivity rate isn’t the only trend worth noting.

Freshmen accepted to Cal Poly also had the highest academic profile ever seen in admitted students — a weighted grade point average of 3.97 and a combined reading and math SAT score of 1318 out of 1600. The average ACT composite score was also at 29, Associate Director of Admissions Terrance Harris said.

“We have more college-ready stu-dents applying than (we’ve had) at any other time,” Associate Vice Provost Kimi Ikeda said in an email to Mustang News. “This is great in

terms of the quality of student that is attending Cal Poly, but it also means that we unfortunately have to turn away a large amount of col-lege-ready students.”

In addition, all colleges except the College of Architecture and Environmental Design had record pools in regards to the best aca-demic profiles, Maraviglia said.

“The strength of students that are both applying and being selected are increasing, and although a lot of other things have to take place for rankings to increase, this plays a part,” Maraviglia said. “Directly, it simply means that the quality of applicants and students continues to increase.”

ZACH MAHER | MUSTANG NEWS

10 | SOAR 2014

Maraviglia noted, however, overall acceptance rates from 2013 — 32.8 percent — don’t play a big role in reference to the low number of stu-dents selected for Fall 2014.

“It’s a bigger picture … this isn’t about how many were accepted last year,” he said. “It’s about the overall enrollment mix of the entire scenario. Last year adds into it; I mean, we grew last year, but we were also funded to grow. So it’s all about the overall picture.”

Currently, Cal Poly is considered to be either on par with or more selective than most University of California campuses. This past year, only University of California, Los Angeles and University of California, Berkeley were more selective than Cal Poly, Ikeda said.

“We are more and more selective as an institution as a result of the students who are applying to Cal Poly,” Ikeda said. “As far as rankings, it depends on the type of ranking. Some use selectivity as a variable, so in those cases it would help our rankings.”

But such a trend isn’t incredibly unusual, Harris said.

“We’re a school that’s continued to gain attraction from students, so it’s getting increasingly more diffi-cult to get in,” Harris said. “That’s why over the years, we’ve seen that trend go from the mid-30s for the number of students being selected to a high 20 percent.”

This article was originally published on April 16, 2014.

Freshmen accepted to Cal Poly also had the highest academic profile ever seen in admitted students — a weighted grade point average of

3.97

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Students, parents and supporters are preparing to handle separation, difficult classes, residence hall life and more.

A member of the Parent Advisory Council, a New Student Programs leader and a first-year student all shared their advice on how to best cope with this transition.

Katie McGuire, a Cal Poly alumna and member of the orientation and tran-sition board of New Student Programs, said it's important to address every part of the transition.

“The transition is not just social, it’s not just academic, it’s not just about awareness — it’s all of that together," McGuire said. "Without having all of those components, it’s hard to be successful in college.”

 

PARENTS AND SUPPORTERS: LET THEM TAKE THEIR TIMEJeanne Stone, a member of the Parent Advisory Council, is a Cal Poly alumna who sent all three of her sons to Cal Poly. Her main struggle revolved around a sudden lack of involvement in their lives.

“It’s hard not knowing what they’re doing every minute,” she said. “Are they eating right? Are they doing their laundry? Are they taking a shower?”

She found the transition especially difficult because she was a very involved parent.

“I had to remember that college was their thing," Stone said. "I had to understand that I had done everything I could for them.”

Stone, however, didn't feel the need to come back and visit Cal Poly right away.

“Make sure (students) have at least six or eight weeks to settle in and find their way before going back up to visit, so that it forces them to acclimate and learn their way around,” she said.

Establish Communication

Before parents visit their students, McGuire said students will want to establish a means of communication.

“Ask your student: 'Do you want me to be calling you every week? Do you want to call me?'” she said.

Stone underlined the importance of figuring out how often parents can expect to hear from their students.

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12 | SOAR 2014

Adjusting to college lifePARENT AND STUDENT ADVICE BY LAUREN MACLEOD

“Give them their time on phone calls," Stone said. "We let (our sons) know that we wanted to hear from them, but we wanted them calling us.”

One way to keep communication convenient for both parties is to know each other’s schedules.

“I put a copy of their schedule on the refrigerator so I knew I wasn’t going to call or text during class,” Stone said.

Don’t Disappear

On the other hand, McGuire said the success of a new student also comes from having well-informed supporters.

“We want (parents and supporters) to know that this is their commu-nity, too," she said. "We want them to be ready for that transition."

New Student Programs works closely with campus entities to learn

about available resources and pass that information on to parents.

According to McGuire, students also appreciate reminders that their par-ents are thinking of them.

“I always tell parents that students love care packages; they love receiving something in the mail,” she said.

STUDENTS: REACH OUT, GET INVOLVEDMechanical engineering sophomore Mason Copp was one student who initially needed that sort of support.

“I came here so excited, so ready to get out of my hometown," Copp said. "Within the first two days that I got here, I started missing the par-ents back home.”

Copp was caught off guard by the length of time it took him to adjust. It took him approximately two months to become fully situated. Copp started to feel comfortable after reaching out to others and getting involved in organizations.

Copp’s best advice for pushing through the beginning stage of adjustment is to start trying new things and reaching out. For him, it meant joining a fraternity.

“Getting a group of guys back who I could call up and just go hang out or grab dinner with, that turned my whole college experience around,” he said.

McGuire agrees that while the “get involved” advice may seem jaded, it eased her transition.

SEE ADJUSTING, PAGE 14.

mustangnews.net | 13

“College is really an opportunity to find yourself and find what you’re interested in," she said. "You’re no longer confined to who you used to be or what you used to like or do."

McGuire also hopes students will take advantage of the orientation programs available to them. Soar and Week of Welcome (WOW) cover most areas of college life students will encounter.

“We focus on creating the small group environment for people to get to know one another, how to be safe and successful physically and mentally, and then having bal-ance and time management skills,” McGuire said.

She especially wants students to learn from awareness presentations offered throughout orientation.

“The awareness topics were really the driving force behind why I loved WOW so much," she said.

"They talk a lot about the topics you don’t really think about in high school or community college."

Some of the topics include drug and alcohol use, sexual assault and respecting diversity. McGuire finds it integral to collegiate success to understand the impact these topics can have on your life.

STUDENTS: KNOW THE BASICSIn the end, Stone said the most important part of a student’s transi-tion to college is to understand the basics of independent living.

1. Understand banking: This includes managing money, deter-mining how much financial support parents can offer and finding the on-campus ATMs.

2. Keep up your academics: If you are struggling in a class, get to know other students in the class, go to office hours and contact tutoring resources on campus.

3. Know how to do laundry: No one’s going to do it for you.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13.

14 | SOAR 2014

CAL POLY PRESENTS

VEGAN & VEGETARIAN

DESSERT SUSHI

1. Batch2. Doc Burnstein's Ice Cream Lab

1. The Natural Café2. Bliss Café

1. Aisuru Sushi Bar2. Yanagi Sushi Grill

1. High St. Deli2. Gus's Grocery

SANDWICH

BEST FOR

16 | SOAR 2014

Each year, Cal Poly students vote on their favorite businesses in San Luis Obispo for Mustang News’ “Best For” edition. Here are some first and second place winners.

BEST FOR

PIZZA

ON-CAMPUS FOOD

BURGER ITALIAN

THAI RESTARAUNT

1. Woodstock’s Pizza2. Fatte’s Pizza

1. Subway2. Einstein Bros. Bagels

1. Eureka!2. Firestone Grill

1. Palazzo Giuseppe2. Mama's Meatball

1. Thai Boat2. Thai Classic

1. Firestone Grill2. Eureka!

mustangnews.net | 17

MUSTANG NEWS FILE PHOTO

20 | SOAR 2014

Meal plans are made up of two parts: dining credits and Plu$ Dollars. Dining credits can be used to buy full meals at 19 Metro Station, Sandwich Factory, VG Cafe and Einstein Bros. Bagels. Plu$ Dollars are usable at any dining location or market on campus to purchase food and drinks at Starbucks, Ciao! or Yogurt Creations.

Cal Poly Campus Dining suggests that while picking out a meal plan, students should consider where they expect to eat most frequently and how often they will use full meal credits. However, students are allowed to change their meal plan during the year at specific times. For more information, Cal Poly’s Dining website has the full schedule of times to alter meal plans.

For students who are vegetarian or have dietary restric-tions, Campus Dining has several menu options students can check on its website.

MEAL PLAN OPTIONS

Platinum 14 Dining Credits per week, 300 Plu$ Dollars per quarter

Flexibility 12 Dining Credits per week, 350 Plu$ Dollars per quarter

Freedom 8 Dining Credits per week, 600 Plu$ Dollars per quarter

Apartment Life 8 Dining Credits per week, 275 Plu$ Dollars per quarter

Freshmen tips and tricks

BY ADRIANA CATANZARITE

*If a student wants to add more meals or Plu$ Dollars to their plan, they can purchase a fast pass on the Cal Poly Dining website. The fast pass, however, is only redeemable at 19 Metro Station.

DINING CREDIT VALUES

Breakfast: $7.90, 7 a.m. to 9:59 a.m.

Lunch: $9.00, 10 a.m. to 4:59 p.m.

Dinner: $10.75, 5 p.m. to 8:14 p.m.

Late Night: $8.75, 8:15 p.m. to 2 a.m. on weekdays and midnight on weekends

*The values may increase next year, according to a Campus Dining representative.

SEE TIPS, PG 22.

TIPS FOR MEAL PLANS & CAMPUS DINING

STAY UP-TO-DATE ON ALL CAMPUS NEWS

LIKE MUSTANG NEWS ON FACEBOOK

facebook.com/CPMustangNews

CONTINUED FROM PG 20.

22 | SOAR 2014

HOUSING OPTIONSThere are four different learning community programs available for freshmen: Living and Learning, Connections, Transitions and iCommunity.

“Since the emphasis of the orga-nized programming is different, we tend to focus on the similarities and differences rather than the pros and cons,” said Nona Nickelsen, University Housing's assistant direc-tor of outreach and communica-tions. “Some students prefer to live in community with others in college, like the South Mountain and North Mountain halls. But all of our stu-dents are welcome to participate in any programs offered in any of the learning communities programs.”

TIPS FOR STUDENT HOUSING

The Living and Learning program consists of the six South Mountain red brick residence halls and the North Mountain halls. Most stu-dents in these halls are in the same college, which helps to build their relationships with each other as well as faculty in their major.

The Connections program is located in the Sierra Madre and Yosemite residence halls, which house students from all colleges. Each tower has a different theme, ranging from substance-free to performing arts. The towers have theme-specific events throughout the year.

The Cerro Vista apartments are part of the Transitions Community. All the apartments have a living

room, kitchen and two bathrooms as well as single or double bed-rooms. Students have the oppor-tunity to participate in programs and activities while maintaining an independent style of living.

Finally, the iCommunity program is located in the Gypsum building in Poly Canyon Village. There, students majoring in science, tech-nology, engineering or mathemat-ics can form smaller living-learning communities called pods, which meet regularly to work on projects.

Move-in day

Most of the residence halls, except the Cerro Vista apartments and Poly Canyon Village apartments, do not have elevators. Incoming

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freshmen should be prepared for heavy lifting and wear comfortable shoes. University Housing staff also suggests families bring a dolly or a hand truck.

The residence halls are expected to have Wi-Fi available in the rooms.

University Housing has a list of rec-ommended items for students to bring, as well as a list of forbidden items such as candles, toasters and rice cookers.

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WOW more than newstudents expectBY SEAN MCMINN

There’s no question about it: Week of Welcome (WOW) is famous at Cal Poly. But before the kayaking, hiking and bonfires, WOW can be a vague concept to future WOWies.

“The perception mostly is that it's a lot of fun and you meet your lifelong friends and those sorts of things,” said Jason Mockford, a coordinator of New Student Programs at Cal Poly. “When I look at what students are saying online or on Facebook, everyone’s talking about WOW.”

But incoming students might not realize just how big a deal WOW is. It boasts a reputation as the largest volunteer orientation program in the country, Mockford said, and it consistently introduces friends who stay close during their time at — and after — Cal Poly.

Even after spending four years going to school in San Luis Obispo, Mockford said he hears from a lot of people who say WOW was their best week of college.

“That makes us feel good,” he said.

So what can incoming students expect at this year’s WOW?

The transition they go through

After being introduced to their WOW groups on the Tuesday of move-in week, WOWies will head to Alex G. Spanos Stadium for a booming welcome to the university. Cal Poly’s athletes will be on hand, as well as Cal Poly-famous keynote speaker Paul Wesselmann, who will once again teach incoming students what it means to “sample the buf-fet” and “make ripples.”

From then on, WOWies will be with their groups almost 24/7, returning to their residence halls or apart-ments only for small breaks or to sleep.

“I think (incoming students) don’t realize they’re pretty much with their group from the time they wake up to the time they go to bed,” Mockford said.

Those groups will have their own schedule to follow through the week, doing things like going to the beach, playing laser tag in the

University Union Plaza and explor-ing downtown San Luis Obispo.

Recent nutrition alumna Alexis Pereda, who became heavily involved with the WOW program while at Cal Poly, remembers her WOW group hanging out until 2 or 3 a.m. She also found a future roommate from within her group.

She went on to be one of the student leaders of WOW, which recruits hundreds of students annu-ally to lead WOW groups and coor-dinate the behind-the-scenes work that goes into the program.

After seeing WOW’s effect on new students and how it “really does have a positive impact on the transi-tion they go through,” Pereda said she wanted to “give back to the school as much as I could and really give others the opportunity to love Cal Poly as much as I do.”

“The connections I made are really amazing, and I know I’ve seen that so many times,” she said.

SEE WOW, PG 26.

WOW boasts a reputation as the largest volunteer orientation program in the country.

26 | SOAR 2014

Mockford and his team are still planning a number of activities for WOW 2014, including a pos-sible silent disco in the Robert E. Kennedy Library and on-campus concert. Past performers at WOW concerts have included Flogging Molly, Goldfinger and Everclear.

“Puts you at the same level”

Beyond the high-energy activities WOW leaders will take their stu-dents to, there is also an educa-tional component to the week.

Stemming from a number of state mandates and a philosophical approach on the purpose of orien-tation programs, Mockford said the other half of WOW aims to prepare students for their academics, build a social support network, develop their personal skills and set them up for success before classes begin.

“As soon as you go to your first class, things are rolling,” he said.

“And you don’t want to be thinking about how my meal card works or how I access the Rec Center.”

A prominent part of the week will be awareness programs intended to teach incoming students about sen-sitive topics such as sexual assault, alcohol, drugs and mental health. There will also be a Mustang Way to Success academic conference to help students prepare for classes before they start.

The awareness programs are impor-tant, Pereda said, because they prepare students for issues they are bound to face during their time at Cal Poly.

“People come from different places in their lives,” she said. “Some have experienced more in their lives. Going through those presentations puts you all at the same level.”

The academic conference will cover topics such as balancing classes, study time and personal needs, aca-demic advising and a tour of where their classes are. Students will also be able to choose some of their own sessions to go to.

“What we’ve learned, and it sounds obvious, is that not everyone is like a cookie-cutter student,” Mockford said. “People have different types of anxiety and stress. We know everyone’s anxious, but the reasons why they're anxious might be a lit-tle bit different.”

Students can register for WOW online or once they arrive on campus.

CONTUNUED FROM PG 25.

Campus safety at Cal PolyBY SAM GILBERT

28 | SOAR 2014

The seriousness of on-campus security is obvious just by sitting in the University Police Department (UPD) office. As UPD Cmdr. Brenda Trobaugh explains different tactics, it’s evident how important students' well being is to Cal Poly.

One way Cal Poly strives to ensure safety on campus is through emer-gency call stations.

“They are located all over campus, in several of the buildings and parking structures,” Trobaugh said.

A caller can press a button at one of the stations and is then con-nected to dispatch to explain the problem. From there, help will be on the way.

If the button is pressed and nobody says anything, an officer will still be sent to check out what’s going on, Trobaugh said.

“So it’s like dialing 9-1-1,” Trobaugh said.

The time it takes for help to arrive depends on what situation the vic-tim is in, and exactly where he or she is located.

Trobaugh said a determinant for how long it takes also depends on community safety. Help will be sent as soon as possible in the fastest and safest way for the victim and the community.

“It depends on the totality of the circumstances,” Trobaugh said.

Another safety precaution Cal Poly has is private escort vans for students.

The assistant coordinator for Cal Poly's sexual violence prevention program Safer, Cheri Love, said

the shuttle services have been extended until 2 a.m.

“That’s a good tool to utilize, espe-cially if you’re at the library until late at night,” Love said.

The pickup locations are at Robert E. Kennedy Library, Julian A. McPhee University Union and Business (bldg. 3). Starting at 7 p.m., the van picks up at the library 10 minutes and 40 minutes past the hour until 1:40 a.m., the University Union 10 min-utes past the hour until 1:40 a.m. and the Business building 40 min-utes past the hour until 11:40 p.m.

Trobaugh said the vans are solely a safety measure and not a taxi service. They will take the student anywhere on campus or up to a half-mile off campus.

If students choose to not take advantage of the escort vans, there are a minimum of two officers patrolling the campus at all times.

UPD and San Luis Obispo Police Department (SLOPD) also reinforce one another for backup.

“UPD and SLOPD patrol because of the high concentration of students,” Trobaugh said. “We have to allow primary jurisdiction, but we will send backup.”

Trobaugh reinforced the impor-tance of protecting yourself in addition to relying on tools around campus, such as walking in pairs or in well-lit areas.

Love said a good way to stay protected is by taking advantage of the self-defense classes at the Recreation Center.

“We would like to encourage stu-dents to work with the officers,”

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Trobaugh said. “If you see some-thing, say something.”

Trobaugh said cooperation makes everything easier, rather than deal-ing with somebody withholding vital information.

“We are only as good as the leads we get,” Trobaugh said.

Love said Cal Poly is in the process of making more changes by work-ing to create stronger camaraderie among the different departments.

“We’re working to create a commu-nication that develops safety and prevention on one hand, and the continuity of support on the other hand,” Love said.

Public transportation demystified

BY BROOKE SPERBECK

You’re coming to Cal Poly for the first time and ready to experience all San Luis Obispo has to offer: beautiful beaches, scenic hikes and delicious restaurants.

That is, until you realize one impor-tant detail: You don’t have a car.

Luckily, your parents weren’t lying when they said you didn’t need to bring a car to college. With all of the transportation options available to Cal Poly students, there’s no rea-son why you can’t hit up the beach, run to the grocery store and head downtown — all without a car.

SAN LUIS OBISPO CITY TRANSIT BUSESWith stops at the Robert E. Kennedy Library and the Christopher Cohan Performing Arts Center and free fare for Cal Poly students with an ID card, it’s

not surprising that 62 percent of SLO Transit city bus ridership is connected to Cal Poly students and staff, according to City of SLO Transit Manager John Webster.

Routes 4, 5, 6A and 6B all stop on campus and go to popular loca-tions such as the Amtrak station, Madonna Plaza and downtown. Each of these routes’ hours of oper-ation varies, with services running from approximately 6:20 a.m. to 10:56 p.m. on weekdays and 8:10 a.m. to 6:17 p.m. on weekends.

To make riding the bus easier, SLO Transit’s website offers a live track-ing system so riders can locate their buses in real time, as well as receive notifications to their cell phones or computers, Webster said.

For more information about the city buses and to see the sched-ule, download SLO Bus Tracker app

for iOS or Android, go to www.Slotransit.org or call (805) 541-2877.

SLO COUNTY REGIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY BUSESSan Luis Obispo County’s Regional Transit Authority (RTA) bus system is perfect for students hoping to go a little farther out of town, with stops at destinations such as Pismo Beach and Hearst Castle.

RTA offers three fixed routes out of San Luis Obispo: Route 9 to Paso Robles, Route 10 to Santa Maria and Route 12 to Morro Bay, with connections available to San Simeon.

Route 9 makes frequent weekday stops at Robert E. Kennedy Library, Routes 10 and 12 have more limited service to campus, and all three routes stop daily at the Government Center on Palm and Osos streets,

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Public transportation demystified

which is approximately 1.5 miles from the freshman residence halls.

Hours vary by route, but generally service runs from approximately 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays, and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends. Bus fares can vary from $1.50 to $3, depending on the destination. Exact cash must be presented upon boarding, but multi-ride passes can be purchased on www.rideshare.org.

To see the RTA schedules and routes, visit www.slorta.org.

TAXISTaxis are another form of transpor-tation available to students and are frequently used for going downtown, coming home from parties or getting picked up at the Amtrak station and airport.

Britny Olsen, a dispatcher at 234-Taxi in San Luis Obispo, said

234-Taxi operates 24/7 and accepts reservations anytime. 234-Taxi will pick up students anywhere on campus, and send as many of their six-passenger cabs as necessary to accommodate a larger group, she said.

The company also offers billing accounts for Cal Poly students, which they can set up in advance to make the payment process easier, she said.

234-Taxi charges $3.50 per pickup and $4 for each mile, and res-ervations can be made at (805) 234-8294.

ZIPCARIf students need occasional access to a car, they have the on-campus option to rent a vehicle through Zipcar, a self-service car sharing program at Cal Poly.

Students can register for member-ship online. Upon initial registra-tion, students receive $35 worth of driving credits to use toward their Zipcar account. The first year pro-gram fee has been reduced to $25 ($35 annually after the first year), and hourly rental prices are as low as $8 per hour, including insurance, gas and up to 180 miles of travel per day.

Cal Poly Zipcar currently has three cars on campus located in the Administration Building parking lot (A-1) and the Robert E. Kennedy Library parking lot (H-2a).  If you have questions about how Zipcar can work for you, contact Dominique Bonino, Cal Poly com-muter and access services coordina-tor at (805) 756-6680.

This article was originally published on September 17, 2013.

62% of SLO Transit city bus ridership is connected to Cal Poly students and staff

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Famous faces of Cal PolyWith so many students, faculty and staff at Cal Poly, it might seem difficult to remember everyone you meet. Here are some of the important people who keep Cal Poly running.

Jeffery ArmstrongUNIVERSITY PRESIDENT

Kathleen Enz FinkenPROVOST AND EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

Keith HumphreyVICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS

Jean DeCostaDEAN OF STUDENTS

Bonnie MurphyEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OFCAL POLY CORPORATION

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academic and department advisers, chairs of their department, resident and community advisers, and coordinators of student development.

Musty the MustangCAL POLY MASCOT

Don OberhelmanATHLETICS DIRECTOR

George HughesUNIVERSITY POLICE DEPARTMENT CHIEF OF POLICE

Joi SullivanASSOCIATED STUDENTS,INC. PRESIDENT

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PHOTO CREDITS, LEFT TO RIGHT: CAL POLY PUBLIC AFFAIRS CAL POLY PROVOST’S OFFICE CAL POLY STUDENT AFFAIRSCAL POLY PUBLIC AFFAIRSCAL POLY CORPORATIONMUSTANG NEWSCAL POLY ATHLETICSMUSTANG NEWSMUSTANG NEWS

New students should also get to know: