February 2022

A Note from the Dean

Dear Colleagues,

Here in the doldrums of winter after that moment of false Spring, it's nice to daydream about our break next week. The term is half over and sunny warm days are ahead. We are eager to return to having our meetings on the porch of Simpson House on those rockers with the squirrels.

There are more difficult obstacles for us to surmount these days, given that we are now entering the third year of the pandemic. Without drawing a direct comparison to our experiences but seeking solace and inspiration in hard-won wisdom, we look to our MLK Day speaker. In his book, Punching the Air, Yusef Salaam, a member of the Exonerated Five, reflects on hope. "When you find yourself in dark places, there's always a light somewhere in that darkness, and even if that light is inside of you, you can illuminate your own darkness by shedding that light on the world."

We have a staffing update in the Dean's office. As of January 2, Virginia Garrett no longer works at W&L. Jennifer Sircy, who joined W&L last August in the History Department, took up the position as Executive Assistant and Faculty Affairs Specialist on February 14. Please join us in thanking Jinky for her many years of service and welcoming Jennifer to our team.

Onward,

Chawne

FY23 Operating Budget Info

FY23 Operating budget cycle opening soon. Lori Oliver will be hosting training sessions on February 21 and 28 – watch campus notices for more information. The operating budget system will open the second week of March and remain open for two weeks. For questions, clarifications or additional information, please reach out to Associate Dean Speidel.