Dear College Faculty and Staff,
Happy Halloween! With last week's rainstorms, I felt a true change in the seasons. The dust was washed off of our buildings and streets, and the gardens sparkled a bit with the welcome moisture. The nervous Nellie in me, however, soon worried that there would be no more storms, with the drought deepening over the next year. And then I remembered to be grateful for the good we have now, even if we know that much more is needed.
The return to campus and the beginning of the year was marked by so many events, and they all seemed grand: Grand Move-Ins, Grand Reunions, Grand Openings (of the new athletic center and the new SCDI building), Grand Commencement for the Class of 2020, Grand Sinatra artist-in-residence BD Wong. Okay, they weren't all named "grand," but they felt that way, and the campus sure looked grand in its festivities!
Now we are deep in Fall Quarter, our students have been hard at work with midterms while they adjust to their return. They're so glad to be back, as we are to have them here. They also arrived with scars from nearly two years of profound disruption, so I know that they appreciate the extra care and patience so many of you have shown them—thank you for that!
Most recently, I have been working on:
- Keeping the lines of communication open (or creating new ones)
- Taking a close look at staffing in the College, with the goal of growing our staff, if we can, so that we keep pace with increased enrollments and program growth
- Looking at service in the College with an eye toward finding efficiencies that can improve our work environment and lessen the workload on faculty, especially chairs
- Championing projects that benefit students, including internships during the academic year, smoother processes for junior transfers, and new curricular initiatives coming from departments all across the College, and
- Weaving diversity, equity and inclusion throughout our academic and personnel processes.
I am grateful that so many of you in the College have joined me in these projects. Collectively, they give me much optimism for the road ahead.
Have fun this weekend—and speaking as a parent, I can't help but say enjoy the candy, but don’t have too much!
Best,
Daniel
College of Arts and Sciences Calendar
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Jack Odgen Art Exhibition
Through Jan 28, 9 AM to 4 PM | Edward M. Dowd Art and Art History Building
Reception: Nov 4, 5-7 PM
An artist and art instructor for 40 years, Jack Ogden’s work has influenced generations of Bay Area artists. Ogden is part of the internationally recognized Bay Area Figurative Movement. Ogden’s work will provide historical insight into, and context for, this historically significant moment in painting. |
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A Midsummer Night’s Dream
1 PM | Mayer Theatre Lawn
Outdoor matinees on Saturday & Sunday at 1 PM on Oct 30-31, Nov 6‐7 and Nov 13-14. |
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Towards a Critical Assessment of "Diversity" & "Inclusion": Lessons from Racially Minoritized Scholars
4 PM | Zoom
A lecture by Takami S. Delisle, Ph.D., University of Kentucky. Sponsored by the Department of Anthropology. |
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Pacific Ties: Marriage, Migration and the Making of the Multiracial Postwar family
5 PM | Zoom
Velina Hasu Houston (playwright, essayist, poet, author and Professor of Dramatic Writing at the University of Southern California) and Sonia Gomez (Assistant Professor of History at Santa Clara University) will discuss how marriage and migration across the Pacific in the postwar era have shaped their lived experiences as well as their creative and scholarly work.
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#BlackIntheOutdoors
6 PM | Zoom
A panel discussion on diversity and inclusivity in outdoor recreation featuring Emma Redick (political organizer), Gabe Patterson (materials scientist), Krystal Toney (wildlife biologist), Tyus Williams (carnivore ecologist), and Brandi Cannon (science educator). Hosted by the Department of Environmental Studies and Sciences. |
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