Good evening everyone,

It's just about three days into this petition and we're nearly at 600 signatures! I am in awe and grateful for your support for this cause.

Earlier this morning, the following email was sent to CSUEB President Cathy Sandeen:

May 15th, 2025

Dr. Cathy Sandeen

President, California State University, East Bay

25800 Carlos Bee Boulevard

Hayward, California 94542

Dear President Sandeen,

I write to you this morning as a CSUEB alumnus (PASC ‘16; EdD ‘21), university donor, and as a board member for the university’s Center for Disability Justice and Research. I am honored to represent the nearly 500 community members, both local and internationally, that have signed our change dot org petition Demand Inclusion: Let Think by the Bay Graduates Participate at CSUEB Commencement, and implore you to reverse your administration’s discriminatory decision to exclude the three graduates of the university’s Think By The Bay Inclusive Post-Secondary Education (IPSE) program from university-sponsored commencement on Saturday, May 17th.

Think By The Bay was founded in 2023 “to welcome, include, and support students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) at CSUEB.” Three students have successfully completed the program and are the first cohort of graduates this spring. These students have every right to participate in university-sponsored commencement activities, as this program is in alignment with the “system that emphasizes access and opportunity” that you proudly state to serve on your university website.

Dr. Sandeen, this is my question to you: Is California State University, East Bay part of a system that emphasizes access and opportunity in name only, or is California State University, East Bay part of a system that authentically and whole-heartedly emphasizes access, opportunity, and BELONGING?

The California Center for Inclusive Colleges' May 8th, 2025 memorandum states that “students with IDD are legally entitled to inclusive access to postsecondary education experiences, including participation in campus-wide events and traditions.” Graduation and commencement ceremonies are among the most deeply embedded university traditions. As such, Think By The Bay students must be included. The CCIC’s 6 point recommendation plan makes it clear that there is a legal and ethical mandate for IDD students in IPSE programs to participate in official campus commencement ceremonies alongside their graduating peers.

Dr. Sandeen, as a career special educator, researcher, advocate, and author, I cannot comprehend the reasoning behind the decision to explicitly exclude the Think By The Bay Students from ceremonies on May 17th, but I know that you have the authority, and hopefully, the moral fortitude, to reverse the initial decision and invite these students and their families to the ceremony on May 17th.

Our request is that this reversal be communicated to the Think By The Bay faculty no later than 12pm PST on Friday, May 16th, so that they may communicate to the students and families that their accomplishments and presence are valued and will be celebrated the next day.

Respectfully,

Dr. Kristin Vogel-Campbell

CC:  Dr. Kim Greer, Interim Provost

  Mr. Derek Aitken, Chief of Staff

  Ms. Evelyn Buchanan, Vice President, University Advancement

  Dr. Brenda Amenson-Hill, Interim Vice President, Student Affairs

  Dr. Kathleen Wong(Lau), University Diversity Officer

  Ms. Ashley Smith, Executive Assistant to the President

  Mr. Nandish Trivedi, Program Manager

  Dr. Silvina Ituarte, Associate Provost

There was no response received by President Sandeen or any of the CC'd recipients during the business day, May 15th.

Later in the day, CSUEB sent out an all employee email reminding staff about the university's non-discrimination policy, and directed staff to email that office.

The letter was then forwarded to the following staff:

Terri La Beaux – Title IX Coordinator and Prevention Coordinator
Mike Chang – Deputy Title IX Coordinator; Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation Administrator
JoLani Hironaka – Civil Rights Director
Ellen G. Maloney Ruhe – Intake and Support Coordinator

Instead of responding directly to the letter, university administration kicked it back to the Office of Civil Rights, which will only result in a delay of justice.

President Sandeen has the authority to overturn this decision, but she is clearly ignoring the mission and values of the university itself.

I'm honestly losing optimism that the students will get to participate in commencement on Saturday. I wish that I had undertaken this endeavor sooner. The more support we receive, the more traction we will have as we will inevitably have to escalate this situation. 

Thanks for all of your support, and please continue to spread the word. It means a lot to the program faculty, and the students know that we're fighting for them.