Our Glossary of Terms

Definition

In a fractured society that rewards individualism, it’s difficult to conceptualize what it looks like to work collectively toward a shared goal. But rather than rejecting the individual and their unique contributions, we believe that everyone’s innate human value plays a role in driving society forward and upward. The common good we strive for is a shared success, achieved through collaboration and innovation.

How We Use It

“San Francisco Bay University will set the standard as a national and international model of engaged and transformative higher education in service of the common good.”

Definition

This is the concept of needing tension to improve, grow and push the world — and ourselves — forward; instead of a blanketed and blind trust in the future, “productive optimism” is a faith informed by the work we’re putting in now. Failure is inevitable and so is our commitment to learning from it.

How We Use It

“We maintain a productive optimism, characterized by a positive and forward-thinking outlook — not because we don’t see challenges ahead, but because we acknowledge our challenges and actively focus on finding solutions and new opportunities.”

Definition

Based on industry demands and responses, APP is an innovative version of general education (GE) or core curriculum. It’s more than a static nucleus of education — it’s a dynamic answer to graduating well-adjusted adults in an ever-changing world. It actively elevates students in their personal and professional journeys by raising their quality of life and augmenting their aptitude for continuous learning.

Through APP, students will embody the following identities and hone the corresponding skills:

How We Use It

“San Francisco Bay University is redefining teaching and learning — for good — starting with our student-centric Agility Praxis Pathway (APP) that leads transdisciplinary, guided explorations of life’s most pressing questions.”

Definition

Couched in the latin prefix “trans” — meaning “across,” “through” or “beyond” — our focus on transdisciplinary education responds to the reality that life’s most pressing challenges don’t exist in subject-matter silos. Building upon its predecessors “multidisciplinary” (many) and “interdisciplinary” (between), “transdisciplinary” instruction ensures that students graduate with a deep knowledge of their profession and an acute awareness of its effect on related industries.

How We Use It

“SFBU’s transdisciplinary education enables students to take a bird’s-eye view of the problem, then home in on the relevant components within distinct disciplines.”

Definition

Like any discipline, pedagogy — the method and practice of teaching — is a moving finish line. American education lost sight of it the moment we chose to stand still; moreover, we’ve forsaken our professors by failing to provide them with sufficient instruction and support in chasing this target.

Driving perpetual improvement requires an adaptive and invested pit crew. We commit to equipping faculty with the resources and training they need to refine their teaching practices. In doing so, we put them in a position to guide each new generation of learners to the highest level of success.

How We Use It

“In order to be an incubator for student innovation, SFBU ensures our professors are at the forefront of their field. While teaching is often subordinated to traditional research in academia, the Center for Empowerment and Pedagogical Innovation (CEPI) prioritizes and elevates the art of teaching to create inclusive, engaging and impactful educational experiences.”

Definition

Too often, student support is considered a stand-alone extension of higher education. At SFBU, six pillars encompass and inform the student experience equally — and dynamically. We don’t favor one pillar over the other at the institutional level, meaning our students benefit from a system that is responsive rather than rigid. The following pillars form the operative frameworks for every unit within the University, from the registrar to food services:

• Academics — Foundational to these pillars is an intentionally designed core curriculum, the Agility Praxis Pathway (APP). We train faculty to teach in a way that addresses key principles and core competencies that are cultivated throughout the student journey.
• Life Literacy — Anxiety around college and post-graduate life is normal, but it doesn’t have to be. We provide students with the skills and knowledge needed to navigate life’s most common twists and turns. We infuse all student-facing services with these lessons to ensure both their personal and professional success.
• Wellness — The mental, physical and spiritual wellness of a student contributes to their ability to advance in their education and serve the common good. With the student in the center of the experience, SFBU supports the whole wellness of a person.
• Multiple Meaningful Relationships — Intentionally creating a matrix of relationships that provides a wrap-around support system for students empowers them to thrive — and feel secure in their future even if they falter.
• Financial Support — Financial challenges are a leading cause of student mental health and academic challenges. We embed financial literacy and support in the SFBU experience from aid discussions prior to applying, to curricula focused around real-world math, to securing seed funding for student start-ups.
• Career Mobility — Through extensive research and interviews with our Silicon Valley community, we identified the most in-demand competencies students need to lead the industry. Then, we took it a step further and built them into the whole student journey.

How We Use It

“The pillared support that cradles every element of the SFBU experience raises up our students equally on a singular platform. We help them maintain even footing on their way to success by staying responsive and proactive. In other words, we can augment each pillar according to the needs of each individual to ensure the collective success of our student body.”

Definition

If synergy is “a mutually beneficial conjunction or compatibility,” then Silicon Valley itself represents such a relationship between the entrepreneurial spirit and technological advancement.

SFBU takes this synergy a step further by using it as our north star for developing the in-demand competencies at the heart of our curricula. In doing so, we graduate individuals who can blend creative problem solving with sound business leadership to chart new futures. This perpetual give-and-take between Silicon Valley and our students unites us in a singular shared goal — to move the needle forward.

How We Use It

“It’s one thing to call Fremont, California, SFBU’s backyard and home. It’s another thing entirely for our students and staff to actively engage with, learn from and contribute to that community. We’re generating Silicon Valley synergy at every level, from the individual to the institutional.”

Definition

Too often, the phrase “diversity, equity and inclusion” is a limited descriptor of a singular office and its initiatives. At SFBU, we wove these ideas into the very core of our being:

We believe in the “whole” student, and celebrate them for their past, present and future selves.

We believe in the “humanity” of each student, not regardless of their heritage, beliefs or intersectional identities, but because of them.

We believe in an “open” mind, heart and proving ground, where students can succeed — and fail — free of the barriers of judgment, fear, and social and economic limitations.

How We Use It

“WHO belongs at SFBU? You do — whole, human and open. That’s why we offer comprehensive scholarships, innovative instruction and wraparound student support services focused on your holistic wellness.”