Dear Colgate Community,
I was feeling nostalgic for certain aspects of the 2019–2020 academic year, so I took a moment during lunch to look at the calendar from this week, 365 days (or lifetimes) ago.
I have to admit that I am proud of us. A year ago, there were guest lectures, tutorials, and info sessions. Scrolling ahead, this week’s activities look remarkably similar — many of the same themes are represented. My takeaway: COVID hasn’t deprived us of our vibrance or our passion for exchanging thoughts and ideas. We have come together under trying circumstances that are far from normal, but the calendar shows that the hard work we are doing has been for a good reason.
Don’t misunderstand me — there are items on last year’s schedule that I miss deeply and can’t wait to see in the future. You each are dealing with some particular loss, I know. Getting poetic, it might be sunny above the clouds, but I’m still carrying an umbrella down here today.
Still, when I think back to last April, last August, even to moments last month, I would not have been able to predict with certainty that this semester would be as full of potential as it has turned out to be. So thank you to everyone who put something on the campus calendar this semester. Thanks to all of you who are attending — remotely or in person. Thanks for doing all of this together so we can be together.
Wouldn’t it be helpful if we could spin the calendar forward as easily as we can look back?
Talk to you on Wednesday.
Laura H. Jack
Vice President for Communications
Take Note
International Pronouns Day is Oct. 21. Did you know that you can set your preferred pronouns on the portal? Simply choose your pronouns from the dropdown list on the homepage. Referring to people by the pronouns they determine for themselves is basic to human dignity. Being referred to by the wrong pronouns particularly affects transgender and gender-nonconforming people. Together, we can transform society to celebrate people’s multiple, intersecting identities.
COVID Alert NY is the official New York Exposure Notification System app. This free smartphone app uses Bluetooth technology to alert users if they have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 — without compromising privacy or personal information. It also keeps users up to date on the fight against COVID-19 in New York. You can download it today via the App Store or Google Play.
Per President Casey’s video message last week, be sure to keep an eye on the entire HAT dashboard, which tracks COVID cases both on campus and around the region. These numbers all come into play as the EOC and Task Force make plans to advance our commitment to community health.
Celebrate Cybersecurity month by signing up for multi-factor identification today. All students will be entered in a drawing to receive a pair of AirPod headphones. Learn more about enrolling in multi-factor authentication at Colgate.
A Closing Thought
Gary Bridge, fire safety and emergency preparedness manager, and Mary Williams ’08, director of environmental health and safety, demonstrate proper mask wearing and physical distancing while enjoying a sparring match on campus. They wanted to make sure you got the point.
Upcoming Events
International Pronouns Day Lunchtime Conversation
Oct. 21
Noon
Join us for a presentation on the importance of pronouns to transgender and non-binary individuals. Learn more about pronouns and Colgate culture.
Interactive Clay Hand Building Workshop
Oct. 24
1–2:30 p.m.
Join us via Zoom for a clay hand building session with award-winning Indigenous artist Diane Schenandoah. All supplies are provided.
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