Dear Colgate Community,
I know it is only Wednesday, but in the immortal words of Mike Reno and Loverboy, everybody’s working for the weekend. So I want to echo a message sent to students yesterday by Dean McLoughlin.
Yesterday, Governor Cuomo rightly reminded us that, even as we focus on large super-spreader gatherings, small get-togethers can also be a risk. As you plan your activities, please remember the Commitment to Community Health and reference Gate 4 guidance. Compared to Gate 0, the opportunities are vast and luxurious. We have seen students at other universities forget (or ignore the fact) that there is a surging pandemic, and their schools are now reenacting March 2020. Your hard work has kept our infection rate near 0%. Thank you and keep it up.
In closing, I wish you a Happy Veterans Day. On behalf of the University community, I want to recognize all of our faculty, staff, and students who have served, or continue to serve, in the armed forces of the United States. Your sacrifice is inspiring, and we thank you for stepping forward to preserve our democracy.
Take care, and I will talk to you on Colgate Day.
Laura H. Jack
Vice President for Communications
Take Note
The bookstore will accept textbooks for buyback Nov. 16–19 in person by appointment and online. Schedule an appointment through this form. If you will need your textbooks between now and the end of the semester, you may also return them after quarantine in February.
A limited shuttle is available to take students to the airport, with times Friday, Nov. 20–Monday, Nov. 23. Students must register and receive confirmation for the shuttle in advance, with priority to those who sign up first. The deadline to register is tomorrow, Nov. 12. Register here. Shuttles are free, however, if students want to pay for transportation at a specific time, the On-Demand Shuttle is an option as well.
Join Living Writers for a virtual event with Charles Yu, novelist and writer for HBO’s Westworld, at 4:45 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 12. (A mere six days after Mr. Yu’s Living Writers appearance this Thursday, he and the rest of America will find out whether Interior Chinatown, short-listed for the National Book Award, has in fact won one of this country’s most prestigious literary prizes.)
All students need to sign up for a departure time slot. You can find the form here. Students must also indicate whether they will be learning remotely or returning to campus for the spring semester. The deadline is Nov. 13. Declare your on-campus status here.
Department heads and division directors, please designate one person from your department to fill out this form before Nov. 13, indicating your building occupancy plans during winter break. Each department needs to complete one form per building it occupies — even if your department will be entirely off campus during break.
Open enrollment is now open for all benefit-eligible employees to view and make selections by Nov. 13, 2020. Any changes made during the open enrollment period will be effective Jan. 1, 2021. For detailed information, please see the Open Enrollment Newsletter, visit the HR website, and download instructions for accessing and navigating the portal.
A Closing Thought
World War I came to an end on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, giving us what would eventually be known as Veteran’s Day. More than eight million soldiers were killed, and 21 million more were wounded in the war to end all wars. Among them were Colgate alumni.
Upcoming Events
Movie Night: The Farewell
Nov. 12
8 p.m.
The Commons Council of Mabel Dart Colegrove Commons is hosting a Movie Night in Golden Auditorium (Little 105). Registration required. Not on campus? Not a problem! The Farewell is found on Colgate's Kanopy account — watch along with us.
Colgate Day
Nov. 13
All Day
Friday the 13 is a special day for Colgate people everywhere. Watch the calendar for a full schedule of events.
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