Thursday News and Notes
Thank you for your patience with the Daily Deac these last couple of days. Our blog service (which delivers the Daily Deac to your inbox) has been acting up again, which is why you received two days worth of blogs yesterday (and later in the day than normal).
I asked for some crowdsourced wisdom the other day on books and podcasts you have been enjoying during the pandemic. Many thanks to those of you who have already provided suggestions. It’s not too late to share your best ideas! I am going to give it a few more days and then will share the list with you. Submit your suggestions here. The more ideas we have, the better the outcome will be.
I linked a couple of days ago to an email about the President’s Commission on Race, Equity and Community. That email came out right before deadline for the Daily Deac to go to print, so here is a little more detail about this important work:
More than 30 members of the University community, led by Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion/Chief Diversity Officer José Villalba and Associate Dean for Faculty Recruitment, Diversity and Inclusion Erica Still, have served with dedication and compassion on the President’s Commission on Race, Equity and Community. They have recently shared their findings and have made a video introducing this work; you can watch the video here. You can also see the Commission’s recommendations in a comprehensive report.
For our P’24s, a couple of program notes: you should encourage your students to sign up for Project Wake:
Join your fellow classmates in Project Wake 2020 to examine what identity and belonging to a community means by engaging with literature.
Project Wake will give you the opportunity to explore questions about maintaining your individuality while being a member of a variety of communities. A work of literature that interests you will serve as the launch point for these conversations. The questions of what community is, the benefits and responsibilities associated with being a member of various communities, and how to ensure that we thrive as individuals AND community members are relevant to the decisions you will make daily as you embark on this college journey.
My annual plug for Project Wake centers on an aspect of my own identity: introversion. It can be hard for introverts to meet people and “put themselves out there” to make friends, and Project Wake offers an ideal way for incoming students to find a smaller group of people who share a common interest in a book. Certainly Project Wake is great for extroverts too, but it can be a wonderful way for students who want a smaller group with deeper conversation. Highly recommend.
The other P’24 program note is about our New Student Receptions program. Normally, in non-COVID times, these were in-person receptions across the country for incoming students and their parents/families to meet each other, as well as to meet staff from the University. This year, we are adopting a virtual approach:
Incoming students and their parents/families are invited to attend the “regional” reception that matches their locale. There will also be several “general” receptions for families who live outside of those regions, or whose schedule doesn’t permit them to attend their local gathering. Dates are being confirmed for receptions, which will all take place between July 13 & August 14. Registration will open for all receptions on June 15.
P’24s and their ’24 students can check back on the New Student Receptions website on June 15th for more information or to sign up for a virtual reception.