Scripps College Centennial Plan
As most of you know, members of the Scripps community have been engaged in developing a new strategic plan for the College. In October 2018, the Board of Trustees unanimously approved the plan’s four themes and first 10 initiatives. I am pleased to share the results of our collective efforts with you, known as the Scripps College Centennial Plan, as we envision Scripps at 100. I invite you to visit the new plan’s site, where you will find information about the themes and initiatives and their progress-to-date as it becomes available. The Centennial Plan is a living plan, a framework for the College to strengthen our community, embrace our curiosity, tell our story, and extend our boundaries.
Faculty News
Please join me in congratulating Assistant Professor of Chicana/o-Latina/o Studies Martha Gonzalez and Assistant Professor of History Corey Tazzara for their promotions to associate professors with tenure, effective July 1, 2019.
Associate Professor of Mathematics Winston Ou has been appointed the new director of the Core Curriculum in Interdisciplinary Humanities, effective January 1. Ou and faculty are planning for the new three-year cycle, which begins next fall.
Chris Kraus, author of the influential feminist novel I Love Dick, comes to Scripps this spring as the Mary Routt Chair of Writing. Also, Assistant Professor of Biology Tessa Soloman-Lane joins the W.M. Keck Science Department. Please join me in welcoming them both to the Scripps community.
I am delighted to announce that Myriam J. A. Chancy, Hartley Burr Alexander Chair in the Humanities, will be the Interim Director of the Humanities Institute for the 2019–20 academic year. The theme for next year will be World/Wounds,” and students will have the opportunity to engage with topics that are timely and important.
Faculty tenure-track searches being conducted during the 2018–19 academic year include assistant professors of art history, book arts, studio art, economics, French studies, mathematics, and psychology.
For more on Scripps faculty scholarship, visit the Faculty News and Faculty Accomplishments pages on the College website.
W.M. Keck Science Department Update
As I announced last semester, we are embarking on a transition in the W.M. Keck Science Department now that Claremont McKenna College (CMC) is planning to withdraw from the department and start its own science department. This process will take some time to complete, and we continue to engage in conversations with Pitzer College and CMC to ensure a smooth transition. We are proud of everything this department has already accomplished, the incredible learning opportunities it consistently provides to our students, and we look forward to its future successes.
We are continuing work on enhancing the physical space for our science department. I am so pleased that Trustee Jennifer McDonnell and her husband, Jeff McDonnell P’18, have demonstrated their support of and confidence in the future of the department through a $1 million gift directed toward the expansion and renovation of the Keck building.
More Scripps Campaign
I’m thrilled to announce that Scripps College surpassed its unprecedented campaign goal of $175 million with more than 38,000 gifts supporting academic excellence, our signature campus, national leadership, and financial strength! As of December 31, the Scripps community raised $179 million, making the More Scripps Campaign the most successful in the College’s history. In addition to the exciting gift to science mentioned above, the end of the campaign also saw a generous gift directed to a new dance building from an anonymous donor. Because of the generosity and support of the Scripps community, the More Scripps Campaign has expanded opportunities, transformed lives, and advanced our mission of educating and empowering the next generation of women leaders.
IDEA Initiative at Scripps College
As part of the ongoing commitment to equity and inclusion, the IDEA Initiative, in collaboration with the Intercollegiate Feminist Center and Scripps Communities of Resources and Empowerment (SCORE), will present Community Building Workshops on February 21 and 22. Visit the IDEA events page to learn more about the workshops.
Spring Events
I encourage you to take advantage of all that is happening on campus and attend some events, exhibitions, and concerts this semester. This January the Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery will present the 75th anniversary edition of the Scripps College Ceramic Annual; see works from the Marer Collection from January 26 through April 7. The Clark Humanities Museum is hosting the exhibition Hélène Berr: A Stolen Life through February, and Scripps Presents recently announced its spring season, which includes Crazy Rich Asians author Kevin Kwan; Samin Nosrat, award-winning author of Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, now a Netflix series; and writer, singer, and rapper Dessa. In March, the Joint Music Program hosts its spring choral concert, and in April, Scripps Dances, the Dance Department’s annual spring concert of original dance works, is performed. Please visit the Scripps calendar for information about all of our spring programs.
I’m thankful to be part of this distinguished community of scholars who are dedicated to learning, and I’m excited to see what 2019 holds in store for all of us.