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• Messages from the Dean

November 1, 2024

Dear A&S Colleagues,

It’s been a busy week across campus and this is a full message. I strive to keep you updated with only the most important, current information in my Friday messages and I am truly grateful for your continued attention to these weekly missives.

This past week, we hosted the return of the W&M Raft Debate, drawing nearly 1,000 participants both in person and via livestream. Congratulations to our 2024 winner, Josh Erlich, representing the sciences, and heartfelt thanks to our other debaters—Jennifer Stevens, Jessica Paga, and Joshua Gert, and our judge, Trey Mayo. Your energy, wit, and passion are a joy to witness, a gift to our students, and a true testament to what makes our W&M community unique. If you missed it, you can watch the debate video here! I also went to Boston with A&S Executive Director of Development, Gerald Bullock, where we stayed in three different hotels on consecutive nights and met with about 15 current and potential donors to A&S. A big shout-out to the A&S development team, Gerald, Carey Clow and Susan Adams, for their herculean efforts throughout the year. They are small (as a team, not as people) but they are mighty. So much of what we do would not be possible without them.

• Future of Arts & Sciences Survey: The Future of Arts & Sciences Coordinating Committee seeks your feedback on key findings of their interim report in this survey. The survey should take no more than 15-20 minutes to complete. University leadership and the Board of Visitors are interested in and supportive of the Future of Arts & Sciences initiative, and it is crucial that the committee hear from as many members of the A&S community as possible. We appreciate your time and input.
• University closed on Election Day, so no meetings: A reminder that the university is closed on Election Day (Tuesday, November 5, in case you hadn’t noticed) and no meetings can be scheduled. This is a day off for everyone, and no-one should be on campus.
• Working groups on TAs and Effective Evaluation of Teaching: A big thank you to everyone who has agreed to serve on these working groups. I have now met with and charged both groups and I am excited to see what they come up with. Charges for the teaching evaluation group and the TA working group are attached. I am grateful to Rob Hinkle for chairing the TA group, and to Elizabeth Barnes for chairing the evaluation group. Members are: TA group: Evie Burnet, Rochelle Coker, Sarah Glosson, Andra Hiriscau, Elizabeth Losh, Qian Su, Jen Swenson/Shannon White, and Stephen Trefethen;  and teaching evaluation group: Mitch Brown, Nico Giro-Martin (undergraduate), Jennifer Gully, Pam Hunt, Mike Jabbur, Rowan Lockwood, Katie Lopresti, Wanjiru Mbure, Audra Nikolajski (graduate student), Chima Osakwe, Adrienne Petty, Kat Wargo.
• Faculty Voluntary Transition Program: A message inviting applications for a phased retirement program will be sent to eligible faculty on Monday. The cash retirement incentive program is still with the Governor, but it is hoped that he will take action soon and allow eligible faculty to choose between the two.
• Vice-Dean for Research & Graduate Studies: Thank you to those of you who applied. We have a very strong pool. Interviews will take place this week and I hope to have some news for you soon.
• Election Resources for Teaching, Stress Management and Civic Engagement: Student Affairs tasked the Navigating Elections Working Group with gathering and sharing resources to help students manage election-related stress, engage in constructive dialogue, and connect through civic involvement for the 2024 election season. This week, the group launched "Signal Your Interest: An Election Barometer," a guide to help students navigate and express their engagement with the election season. Distributed via campus flyers, dining hall table cards, and posters, the guide directs students to the Navigating Elections website, which offers support, resources, and events tailored to various levels of engagement. Access the hub here.

• Also this week, the Studio for Teaching & Learning Innovation (STLI) shared timely resources for teaching the day after the election. Created in partnership with STLI Faculty Fellow for    Excellence in Teaching, Phil Wagner, these resources include:

  • Read: Phil’s blog post (5 minutes)
  • Watch: a short webinar with actionable suggestions (28 minutes)
  • Explore: STLI's “Teaching on Days After” resources webpage
• Williamsburg Bray School Opening Ceremony: Today, we celebrated the reconstruction and opening of the Williamsburg Bray School site, a project led by W&M’s Bray School Lab in partnership with the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. The ceremony featured a moving keynote address by Lonnie G. Bunch III, Secretary of the Smithsonian and founding director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. This remarkable milestone in our historic journey was also highlighted in the Washington Post. I am deeply grateful for the dedication of everyone involved in bringing this important work to life.
• Senior Picture Regalia Reservations ahead of the Wren Restoration: Restoration of the Wren Building will begin in Spring 2025 and will not be fully accessible during end-of-semester and Commencement Weekend events. However, the Family Engagement team has arranged accommodations to support graduating seniors. Students who intend to graduate in Winter 2024 or Spring/Summer 2025 are eligible to reserve an undergraduate university regalia set for free for 90-minutes to take senior pictures in front of the Wren Building (by reservation) through November 22. Eligible students have received the appropriate signup link. Volunteers are invited to assist with regalia check-in and check-out to support the Class of 2025 in creating a memorable graduation experience. Sign up to volunteer here.
• Tack Lecture: Nov. 14: I hope you will make plans to join us on Thursday, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. in Sadler Center’s Commonwealth Auditorium for the Fall 2024 Tack Lecture with marine ecologist David Johnson. His talk, “Space Fish, Zombie Shrimp and Other Saltmarsh Tales,” will reveal the remarkable life of salt marshes. Learn more about Dr. Johnson’s work. RSVP here.
• Upcoming Arts Events
  • Leah Glenn Dance Theatre – Saturday, Nov. 2, at 7:30 p.m.: Join us for an evening that combines dance, spoken word, and community building. Featuring works by the Wintergreen Women Writers Collective, this concert explores the synergy between storytelling and kinesthetic empathy, with Grammy-nominated artist Hannibal Lokumbe contributing music. A reception will follow.
  • Riyaaz Qawwali – Saturday, Nov. 9, at 7:30 p.m.: Experience devotional music from South Asia as Riyaaz Qawwali performs in the traditional Sufi Qawwali style. This ensemble represents the cultural and spiritual diversity of South Asia, bringing ancient musical traditions to new audiences across the globe.

 And now, do you dare?

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Election Day is coming, and lots of people are super-stressed. I couldn’t sleep the other night – but wait, that was because of all the Halloween candy, not the election. Sorry. Here are some pictures to help you relax…or even laugh for a moment…

My daughter says this:

She doesn’t say this, because she lives in a city and has barely seen a lawn:

She might well say this:

Happy weekend, everyone – and don’t forget to vote.

Best wishes, Suzanne

Suzanne Raitt
Dean of the Faculty of Arts & Sciences 
Chancellor Professor of English 
Pronouns: she/her/hers