Dear Scripps Community Members,
I hope that you had a safe and restful break and were able to enjoy ample time with your loved ones. As we embark on a new year amid the accelerated spread of the Omicron variant, I thank you for your commitment to the adjustments we have made to prioritize our community’s health and safety. And, as always, I appreciate your resiliency, flexibility, and compassion in the face of continued obstacles. This is not the start to the semester that we had envisioned or hoped for, but I am heartened by our community’s strength and am looking forward to celebrating all that our students, faculty, and staff will accomplish.
As the semester begins, I’m eager to share the following College news, updates, and announcements.
Campus News
COVID-19 Updates
Following a review of current positivity rates on campus and across the Claremont Colleges, the Presidents’ Council has determined the following:
- At Scripps and CMC, by arrangement with and approval from the schools’ Dean of Faculty, faculty members may teach outdoors in week two. Faculty will accommodate students unable to participate in person due to COVID-related issues.
- Pomona, HMC, and Pitzer will continue remote instruction for week two.
- All campuses intend to resume in-person instruction in week three.
In addition, Scripps will allow access to the following spaces on campus effective January 24:
- Outdoor classrooms
- Residence hall common spaces
- Malott Commons dining at 40% maximum occupancy
Food trucks will be extended to support de-densification of the dining hall, and dining occupancy and cross-campus dining will be reevaluated in February based on positivity rates at that time. Please monitor your email for additional information and guidance from the Dean of Students and the Dean of Faculty.
As mentioned in my update regarding our return to campus this semester, Scripps has committed to a number of College- and consortium-specific actions that prioritize our community’s health and safety. Scripps is requiring that students, faculty, and staff receive the COVID-19 booster shot by January 31, 2022. Additionally, employees and students will be required to wear at least surgical-grade masks during the spring semester, per the most recent guidance of the CDC and Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. We encourage you to visit the Scripps Strong website to learn more about our community health and safety protocols.
I appreciate your cooperation and flexibility as we work to create the safest possible educational environment for our community.
Admission
Scripps continues to be a top choice for high-achieving high school students as evidenced by an increase in applications for admission for the 2022-23 academic year. More than 3,100 prospective students applied to Scripps in January, marking the second-highest number of applications in Scripps history. The applicant pool remains strong, and I look forward to seeing the Class of 2025 take shape this spring.
New Science Center
The second phase of demolition on the new building site, located south of the Revelle House, began in mid-December and will continue into early 2022. Construction on the new building is slated to begin in May, after students leave for summer break, with the goal of welcoming students for classes in fall 2024.
College Giving
During the 2021 Giving Season, more than 400 donors gave a total of $224,578 to the College. These gifts support The Scripps Fund, which fuels essential programming and resources and expands support for scholarships, internship grants, athletics, and more. I am grateful for the remarkable philanthropic spirit of our Scripps alums, families, and friends which continues to advance our mission and uphold our community.
Academic Updates
Faculty Promotions
Beginning July 1, 2022, the following faculty members will be promoted to associate professor with tenure. The College is fortunate to have such accomplished, engaged, and collegial scholars among our community. Please join me in congratulating them!
- Ted Bartholomew, Associate Professor of Psychology
- Nayana Bose, Associate Professor of Economics
- Julin Everett, Associate Professor of French
- Marino Forlino, Associate Professor of Italian
- Tessie Prakas, Associate Professor of English
- Kevin Vennemann, Associate Professor of German
Mellon Interdisciplinary Humanities Initiative
Scripps will offer three Mellon Interdisciplinary Humanities Initiative classes this spring, with a focus on community engagement and addressing complex issues through the lens of the humanities. Professor of Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Dorothy Cruickshank Backstrand Chair of Gender and Women’s Studies Piya Chatterjee will teach a course on antiracist, feminist, queer praxis, Associate Professor of Politics Thomas Kim will teach a course on power, justice, and the environment, and Professor of Politics Nancy Neiman will teach a course on the political economy of food. The development and implementation of these courses is supported by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Community Updates
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice
In the fall, the College launched the Scripps IDEA Initiative newsletter, a resource produced twice per semester to keep our educational community engaged in the ongoing work of becoming more diverse, inclusive, and equitable. The initial newsletter announced the members of this year’s Committee on Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity (CIDE), as well as the newly formed Scripps College Equity and Justice leadership team. To learn more about the College’s DEI work, including additional newsletters and information about current initiatives, convenings, the Racial Justice and Equity Fund, and the College’s DEI dashboard, I encourage you to visit the IDEA Initiative website.
Public Events
At this time, public events will remain virtual through February, with in-person events resuming in March. We will re-evaluate this decision in a few weeks, as we continue to follow the guidance of Los Angeles County for public events.
Scripps Presents will be announcing its spring 2022 season soon, which will feature thought-provoking conversations and continue the partnership with PEN America for its PEN Out Loud series. The Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery will host its 77th Ceramic Annual from February 5 to April 17. Additional College events, exhibitions, performances, and other programming will be announced throughout the semester.
Scripps Magazine
The fall 2021 issue of Scripps magazine is now available in print and online. This issue examines the role that critical thinking plays in encouraging Scripps students’ commitment to actualizing the change they wish to see in the world—from arts and humanities to the social, physical, and natural sciences. To learn more about how our students, faculty, and staff are creating change on campus and beyond, visit the Scripps magazine site.
Explore Scripps
In the fall, the College launched its ongoing “Explore Scripps” series of videos on social media. The series highlights different aspects of the Scripps experience—from on-campus resources to favorite reading spots—with more videos planned for this spring.
The Browsing Room
The Browsing Room, the College’s online store, will celebrate its first year of operations next month. The Browsing Room offers official Scripps-branded merchandise, as well as merchandise from The Scripps Store, the College’s student-run store. All revenue from sales of The Scripps Store products goes directly to fund the student enterprise.
For more news and updates throughout the semester, visit the Scripps College website.
Sincerely,
Amy Marcus-Newhall
Interim President