I hope you all have a good and successful conclusion to the semester, and a terrific, restorative summer. /web/aca_socialsciences_general/CT_Fall2017_Gould_94x84.jpg

Message From the Dean

HSS Colleagues,

Happy spring! After a long hard winter, and a long hard pandemic year, I hope that the return of sun, flowers, and warmer weather has lifted your spirits a bit. It has certainly lifted mine. As more and more of our diasporic campus community gets vaccinated, the prospect of a return to campus also brings hope, a return to greater face-to-face conviviality, and a welcome retreat from a Zoom-centric work life. It will take us some time and planning and patience to get there, but by the fall semester there will more of our academic life on campus, and I am looking forward to that.

Something else to look forward to is our first School of Humanities and Social Sciences Student Expo, which will take place on April 27 and 28. The expo will showcase the work of our outstanding humanities and social sciences students, highlighting their work in a single forum for the first time. Please mark your calendars and join our students as they present their research and creative work in department- and program-based public readings, poster presentations, panels, and more. This is an opportunity to demonstrate the central contributions of humanities and social sciences education to the entire community, reminding everyone what a vital role HSS plays as the intellectual hub of Brooklyn College. You'll be receiving a digital program in your e-mail inbox shortly, noting each event, providing a link to register, and listing the names of each participating student. Plan to attend as many events as you can. For students who have not yet chosen a major, this is a chance to see the kinds of scholarly and creative work that students in our diverse HSS departments and programs are generating. For other students, this is a unique opportunity to see all the truly amazing work their peers have produced. For faculty, this is an opportunity to see what kinds of student work your colleagues have been facilitating. For staff, this is a chance to ask students questions instead of having them asking you. For administrators, this is an opportunity to take a moment to enjoy what our institution makes possible for our students. For students' family and friends, it is a moment to see your loved ones shine. I can't wait to see you all at the expo!

Finally, please do your part to bring back campus life. We want next year's HSS Student Expo to be in person on campus. Wear your masks, socially distance, wash your hands, and get vaccinated. We can see the finish line from here, so let's rally for the last push.

Ken

Back to Critical Thinking — April 2021