Homer Babbidge Master Plan
The minutes from the February 17th VPC Open Forum are now available on Ibis, including the PowerPoint that reviews the latest updates to the Master Plan. I shared a summary with the Provost this morning in preparation of a presentation to the Council of Deans next week and USG’s Academic Affairs Committee. We will also have the full report available and the boards recirculated for public comment shortly.
Office of the Vice Provost
As you all know, Francine’s last day here at the UConn Libraries was yesterday. I want to once again thank her for her 25 years of service. She was an incredible resource for me when I came here and I have heard from so many of you who are equally saddened by her departure. But our loss is her family’s gain. I know that she will truly enjoy spending time with them, particularly her grandchildren. We are working on the redistribution of her duties and the plan will be laid out at the next VPC Open Forum on March 2.
Open Textbook Initiatives
Last week the state wide task force on open textbooks met in Hartford. I was elected co-chair along with Kevin Corcoran, the executive director of the CT Distance Learning Consortium. He is also the representative for the Board of Regents. I am also pleased to share that the committee here at UConn continues to make progress on their goals, including the planning for an upcoming symposium scheduled for April 19th. We have secured a nationally known speaker for the keynote and continue to fill out the remainder of our guests. Stay tuned for more information.
Women’s Gender & Sexuality Studies Salons
We are pleased to be sponsoring two salons in March with Women’s Gender & Sexuality Studies (WGSS). Under the theme of Feminism/s and Future/s, the first program is titled “The Politics of the Post-Apocalypse: Race, Gender, and Sexuality After the End” and is scheduled for March 2 from 4 to 5:30pm in the Class of 1947. Joining in the conversation will be Assistant Professor in Residence Barbara Gurr, who edited the book “Race, Gender, and Sexuality in Post-Apocalyptic TV and Film” and her colleagues from Quinnipiac University and the University of Vermont. Our participation is a wonderful example of putting our Purposeful Path Forward into action by working with partners to explore new and unique research (1.3). The second salon will be later in March (date still to be determined) and I encourage you to find our more at https://blogs.lib.uconn.edu/news/feminisms-and-futures-salons/
Boston Library Consortium Board of Directors Meeting
The March 8 BLC Board Meeting will be held here at UConn. We will be welcoming colleagues from across New England and will be utilizing the Staff Lounge for the day. We appreciate your flexibility with the space.