Sonoma State aims to provide incoming and continuing students an opportunity to come to SSU and more reasons to stay.
With the release of the “Bridge to the Future” draft plan, sent out to the whole community in an email, SSU administrators outlined strategies to boost its campus engagement and improve student outcomes throughout their college careers.
The draft plan lays out five key goals: improving financial sustainability, increasing enrollment, regional engagement, expanding campus facilities, and an administrative partnership between Sonoma State, Cal State East Bay, and San Francisco State.
Students are encouraged to review the draft and will have the opportunity to voice their ideas. SSU administration will accept community feedback through April 21, 2025.
The idea of building a connected and more engaging campus community resonates with students like Stephanie Rodas, a fourth-year business major.
“I think increasing the number of full-time students could be a positive change for the overall experience on campus,” Rodas said. “More full-time students might mean more people consistently involved in campus life, which could build a stronger sense of community.”
The plan aims to move from recent budget cuts into long-term investments which, according to the document that was sent out, will help the campus university “recruit students, retain them, prepare them for careers, connect them to on-campus and regional employment and business opportunities, and keep them in the North Bay.”
Retention and community engagement at SSU has broad-reaching impacts on the local community, as it serves a diverse student population, with 41.2% Latinx/Hispanic students, 41.2% white students, 6.2% multiracial, 4.9% Asian, 2.7% Black/African American, and other ethnic groups.
The plan also focuses on economic progress, changing demands in the workforce, and aims to support social mobility by strengthening partnerships with local organizations and local industries.
“I think it would benefit the school to get more students. I feel like there are not many students here compared to other colleges and there needs to be more attraction. I enjoy being part of the programs that they offer here. Programs such as the DSS, EOP. I feel connected and welcomed here,” said Jesus Castilla, a fourth-year business management major.
As Sonoma State prepares to take its next steps, the Bridge to the Future promises to create a more vibrant, inclusive and financially stable school. For many students like Rodas, who care about the university, the plan will be the beginning of a new chapter.
