Hello everyone,

Welcome to the 2023-2024 academic year! I am excited for the new school year and energy is buzzing on campus as our new students join us for orientation and place-based learning communities. I hope each of you had a chance to enjoy some time doing activities you love with people you love this past summer. I was able to cover a lot of miles with my two pups exploring beaches, forests, and everything in between. I am excited to welcome one new dean and several new tenured/tenure-track faculty to academic affairs this year. They are: 

Kyleigh Brine, Faculty, Dance, Music & Theater

Cindy Bumgarner, Dean, College of Extended Education and Global Engagement 

Larisa Callaway-Cole, Faculty, Child Development

Eliseo Casiano, Faculty,  Art & Film

Alana Chin, Faculty, Biological Sciences (January 2024 start)

Tristan Gleason, Faculty, School of Education

Bethany Johnson, Faculty, Mathematics

Gabrielle Kirk, Faculty, Geography, Environment & Spatial Analysis

Ben Kovitz, Faculty, Computer Science

JuEun Lee, Faculty, School of Engineering

Dongcheng Li, Faculty, Computer Science

Christa Meingast, Faculty, School of Engineering

Robert Pickering, Faculty, Dance, Music & Theater

Kijung Ryu, Faculty, School of Education

Joshua Steimel, Faculty, School of Engineering

Rachael Wade, Faculty, Biological Sciences (January 2024 start)

Please also join us for two incredible events this week which are:

Academic Affairs Fall Welcome, Thursday, August 17, 2023

Location: Septentrio Winery, 650 6th St, Arcata

Time: 4:30 pm-6:30 pm

Program and purpose: To ring in the new academic year, socialize and network, introduce new faculty, staff, and administrators, and communicate academic priorities for the academic year. 

Professional Development Day, Friday, August 18, 2023

Please join us for Professional Development Day, Fall 2023

Location: Van Duzer Theater and Art Quad

Time: 8:00 am-1:00 pm

• 8:00 am: Complimentary breakfast in the Van Duzer Theater

• 9:00 am-12:00 pm: Professional Development Day Programming: The theme is: FUTURE FORWARD: LEVERAGING ANTI-RACISM FOR CULTURAL TRANSFORMATION in the Van Duzer Theatre and breakout rooms. 

• 12:00 pm: Complimentary lunch in the Art Quad. 

• All attendees will receive a Certificate of Participation. 

• Register here.

I am looking forward to seeing each of you at these two important events.

I will continue the tradition of Provost communications on Wednesdays and Mondays during the academic year. As a reminder, the intention behind these communications is to share with you important information regarding academic affairs and the greater campus community, share events and celebrate the accomplishments of our colleagues. If you have any questions, want to send something forward for me to possibly include in the communication, or have a kind correction feel free to reach out to me directly or my executive assistant, Lauren Lynch. 

I hope you have a terrific start to the academic year and look forward to seeing you on Thursday and Friday.

Take care,

Jenn