August 30, 2024
Dear friends,
We’re off to the races! That is, if “the races” involve late-night syllabus updates, employing your best mnemonic devices to commit new students’ names to memory, and more semester kick-off celebrations than you thought possible. What an exciting time of year, and what a pleasure it was to witness our new students walking through the Wren arch lit up by their dreams and hopes. Oh to be young again.
A few important things to which I draw your attention this week:
- Better Arguments Workshops: As a follow-up to the Professional Development Days, the Democracy Initiative is hosting workshops open to all faculty and staff to put the Better Arguments principles and Confidence Map framework into practice. Sessions will be held on Sept 5, Sept 10, Sept 18, and Sept 30. In an academic environment, where diverse perspectives are both inevitable and invaluable, we have the responsibility to foster a culture of respectful discourse. As faculty, you lead the way. By engaging thoughtfully and constructively with differing viewpoints, we not only model the importance of critical thinking and open-mindedness for our students but also strengthen our community's commitment to intellectual inquiry and civil discourse. Please sign up and attend a workshop if you can.
- Policies Governing Use of Campus Facilities for Events, Programs and Expressive Activities: On Tuesday, you were forwarded the message that Ginger Ambler, senior vice president for student affairs & public safety, sent to all students outlining expectations and resources for practicing constructive civil discourse. In this message, SVP Ambler included a list of important and helpful links, including a new website which pulls together all relevant policies for events, programs and expressive activities: Guidelines for Facilities Use. Within this section, you’ll find links to the updated Use of Campus Facilities policy, which includes Access to and Use of Outdoor University Property. This policy was recently amended to codify university practices, particularly concerning usage between midnight and 6 am. The new Guidelines website also provides links to policies and guidance on reserving space, noise restrictions, disruptive behavior and more. Please familiarize yourself with each of the links provided in the email, as well as the individual guidelines and policies so that you can support and guide your students as they seek avenues for self-expression this semester.
- Campus Safety: Our dedicated colleagues in the Office of Public Safety have been working hard on updates and improvements to our emergency alert systems to ensure even more effective and timely messaging in the event of an emergency. If you have not done so already, please download the W&M Mobile app and the Rave Guardian app and enable notifications. These are additional methods to ensure that you receive an alert and notification during an emergency. The Rave Guardian app allows users to check in and communicate with family, friends, campus safety and others to help stay safe both on and off campus. It also allows users to call for help or send text tips, including photos, if they see something suspicious. Also please note: the fall semester siren test will occur on September 18 at 12:15pm.
- Campus Comprehensive Plan Fall Forum: This week, University Operations announced a series of open meetings focused on the Campus Comprehensive Plan. These forums are designed to gather valuable input on learning spaces and campus landscape and are open to all faculty, staff and students. I encourage you to review the full list of dates and topics and make plans to attend and engage on items that are meaningful to you. These sessions present a valuable opportunity to engage in constructive dialogue about the future of our campus. Your active participation in the planning process is essential.
And two final reminders:
Join the party! On Tuesday, September 3 at 5pm, following the first meeting of the Faculty of Arts & Sciences from 3:30-5, ALL A&S faculty and staff are invited to Ewell Hall for one more of those semester kick-off celebrations. I’m looking forward to spending some quality time with you all and have put in a request for slightly cooler temps than today’s.
Submit your newsletter items! We’re piloting a monthly email newsletter to help keep you informed and aware of happenings across A&S and beyond. You can share your news and updates for consideration – submit by the first Friday of each month for inclusion in that month’s newsletter.
For the first time this year, I don't have to either purchase (or witness others purchasing) school supplies. No more visits to Target to find the shelves stripped bare of composition notebooks. No more looking for exactly the right kind of binder in stores that look as if a flock of birds from Birds has just gone through - random binders, bookbags, pens and instruments whose function is unclear, strewn all over the floor. No more figuring out which kind of calculator my kid is supposed to have for an AP in a subject I don't understand (what is "discrete" math?). (I am an English professor and I know the two spellings of "discrete," but it is quite tempting to imagine what "indiscreet math" might look like - problem sets that include questions that I can't possibly include in my Friday message).
For the interactive part of my message, here are the riddles of the week, all related to school supplies:
I am a piece of furniture. I have four legs. I have a seat and back. You can sit on me.
I am a tool. I have two sharp parts.
I am long. I am made of plastic or wood.
I can be thin or thick. I have a lot of pieces of paper. I usually have pictures, too.
You get the idea (that last sentence was not a riddle).
Wishing you all an enjoyable long weekend,
Suzanne
Suzanne Raitt
Dean of the Faculty of Arts & Sciences
Chancellor Professor of English
Pronouns: she/her/hers
