2025 State of the University Address: President Bloomberg spotlights CSU’s strides amid ongoing campus changes – The Cauldron
In her third state of the university address, Cleveland State University (CSU) President Laura Bloomberg, Ph.D., spotlighted CSU’s latest initiatives, successes and priorities in spite of obstacles like Senate Bill 1 and backlash over the latest WCSB takeover by Ideastream.
With a series of three panels taking up the bulk of the address, Bloomberg looked to highlight CSU’s new integrated degrees, strides in experience-based learning and work in AI literacy.
Meanwhile, student protestors were visible in the audience and the newly constructed McCombs Plaza in the courtyard, where a ribbon-cutting ceremony was originally supposed to take place after Bloomberg’s speech. The ribbon-cutting was moved indoors due to weather concerns though the sky ultimately remained clear.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for the new McCombs Plaza in the courtyard was moved indoors due to concerns over the weather. Photo Credit: Olivia Stein (order: P1170367, P1170380, P1170410, P1170197, P1170264, P1170217)
The ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for the new McCombs Plaza in the courtyard was moved indoors due to concerns over the weather. Photo Credit: Olivia Stein (order: P1170367, P1170380, P1170410, P1170197, P1170264, P1170217)
The ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for the new McCombs Plaza in the courtyard was moved indoors due to concerns over the weather. Photo Credit: Olivia Stein (order: P1170367, P1170380, P1170410, P1170197, P1170264, P1170217)
The ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for the new McCombs Plaza in the courtyard was moved indoors due to concerns over the weather. Photo Credit: Olivia Stein (order: P1170367, P1170380, P1170410, P1170197, P1170264, P1170217)
The ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for the new McCombs Plaza in the courtyard was moved indoors due to concerns over the weather. Photo Credit: Olivia Stein (order: P1170367, P1170380, P1170410, P1170197, P1170264, P1170217)
The ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for the new McCombs Plaza in the courtyard was moved indoors due to concerns over the weather. Photo Credit: Olivia Stein (order: P1170367, P1170380, P1170410, P1170197, P1170264, P1170217)
Student protesters were seen with duct tape over their mouths as well as signs demanding that CSU return the WCSB radio station, formerly student- and community-run, back to the students after CSU partnered up with Ideastream to take over the station, effective earlier this month.
Bloomberg nonetheless made no mention of the partnership nor the backlash. She also did not discuss S.B. 1, the higher education anti-DEI bill (among other things) that took effect in June and has since fueled student and faculty frustrations and uncertainties.
Student protesters were seen in the audience, as well as out in the McCombs Plaza protesting with signs demanding that CSU return the WCSB radio station to the students. President Bloomberg made no mention of its new Ideastream partnership nor the backlash. The ribbon cutting was ultimately moved inside. Photo Credit: Olivia Stein (1, 3, 4) and Mays Turabi (2)
Student protesters were seen in the audience, as well as out in the McCombs Plaza protesting with signs demanding that CSU return the WCSB radio station to the students. President Bloomberg made no mention of its new Ideastream partnership nor the backlash. The ribbon cutting was ultimately moved inside. Photo Credit: Olivia Stein (1, 3, 4) and Mays Turabi (2)
Student protesters were seen in the audience, as well as out in the McCombs Plaza protesting with signs demanding that CSU return the WCSB radio station to the students. President Bloomberg made no mention of its new Ideastream partnership nor the backlash. The ribbon cutting was ultimately moved inside. Photo Credit: Olivia Stein (1, 3, 4) and Mays Turabi (2)
Student protesters were seen in the audience, as well as out in the McCombs Plaza protesting with signs demanding that CSU return the WCSB radio station to the students. President Bloomberg made no mention of its new Ideastream partnership nor the backlash. The ribbon cutting was ultimately moved inside. Photo Credit: Olivia Stein (1, 3, 4) and Mays Turabi (2)
Instead, her address focused on spotlighting initiatives, ones that align with the priorities put forth in CSU’s new strategic plan, Cleveland State United.
“We are an institution in its 61st year, and reexamining the ways in which we serve students is our imperative as a learning organization,” said Bloomberg. “And yet, change is not easy, and change can be meaningful. And I do acknowledge that.”
Three panel series: integrated degrees, experiential learning, AI
Photo Credit: Mays Turabi (1, 2); Olivia Stein (3)
Photo Credit: Mays Turabi (1, 2); Olivia Stein (3)
Photo Credit: Mays Turabi (1, 2); Olivia Stein (3)
Bloomberg moderated three unique panels. The first showcased on of 12 integrated degrees that CSU recently launched, the design and psychology integrated degree, featuring panelists Eric Allred, Ph.D., of the psychology department, Sarah Ruckenberg, Ph.D., of the art & design department, and junior Angelica Catacutan, who is enrolled in the program.
The second panel featured Christopher Joyce, third-year student at the CSU College of Law, and Rebecca Zamoriba, a senior undergraduate student in the Washkewicz College of Engineering. Each shared their opportunities to engage in experiential learning in CSU|LAW’s Pardon, Clemency, and Reentry Clinic and various engineering co-ops.
“Fact data suggests that in internships, co-ops, hands-on research and other experiences, students can kick-start their career before they’ve ever earned their degrees, and within the first few years of their professional lives, students have an advantage over colleagues who didn’t have these kinds of experiences,” added Bloomberg during her address.
The University and Bloomberg report that 85% of alumni stay in the Cleveland area after graduation and “make up a considerable percentage of the workforce in Cleveland” that then help contribute to the development of CSU in alignment with the demands of the workplace and beyond.
With points like these in mind, Bloomberg referred to CSU throughout her address as “Cleveland’s university.”
“Cleveland State is, in fact, Cleveland’s university,” said Bloomberg. “With a mission of providing infinite opportunity. We’ll strive to meet these expectations daily, and in so doing, we will continue to serve as a resource for higher education learning, and as a dedicated community partner to our colleagues all across the city and region.”
Bloomberg also reiterated plans to renovate the College of Health into a “cutting-edge research facility” with bigger and better lab spaces known as the Biomedical Discovery Complex, as well as a space called The Galleries at East 13th Street, where student and community art can be displayed and job opportunities can be fostered.
The third panel addressed artificial intelligence and its role in higher ed, with panelists Chris Rennison, director of academic technologies in the Office of Instructional Excellence, and Melanie Gagich, Ph.D., senior college lecturer in first-year writing.
The panelists highlighted the challenges students face with AI usage: academic integrity, intent and purpose, and loss of creativity, and described the initiatives that CSU has taken to embrace AI while pushing for AI literacy. The AI Teaching and Learning Lab, located in the academic support hub, is the main initiative of the sort currently in its pilot stage.
Watch the livestream of the 2025 State of the University Address here.