Dear Faculty and Staff Colleagues:
The fall semester is now upon us. We welcomed our first groups of students this past weekend, those who spent the spring and summer on the Clairmont campus, as well as those second-year students who are serving in the incredibly important role of Resident Assistant (RA) this year. We will welcome our incoming students, and a few additional sophomores, to campus beginning on Saturday, August 15. Their arrival to campus will begin at one of our two COVID-19 testing sites, followed by move-in and orientation activities. Though this year will be a move-in unlike any other we've seen at Oxford, the elements that will create a festive and warm arrival for new students are in place and have shown our adaptability to meet the circumstances of our current times.
Today I met in person with the RAs, in a physically distanced format, of course. It was so energizing to see their enthusiasm and passion to be back on campus and to prepare to support their residence hall to host students, most of whom will be experiencing Oxford as new college students. We are ready.
THANK YOU for the countless hours and Zoom meetings spent over this summer to prepare our campus, our courses, and our community for the next semester. We are Oxford strong.
Best,
Doug
|
|
In a nod to a longstanding and much-beloved orientation activity, the Orientation Committee, led by Associate Dean of Campus Life and Director of Student Involvement and Leadership Rhiannon Hubert, created this year's week-long New Student Orientation program with the theme of “Oxford Olympics.”
The virtual program takes place August 15-21 and has programmatic elements designed to welcome first-year students to the Oxford community, provide information vital to their undergraduate success, introduce aspects of the campus culture, and encourage taking care of one another. The program weaves together some familiar and traditional orientation events — orientation leader skits, welcome from Dean Doug Hicks, Resource Fair, Convocation, and Coke Toast — with new virtual activities like online games of Emory Family Feud and Emory Jeopardy, Night Owl Family Meetings of student breakout groups, contemplative practice activities, and an Emory Faculty panel featuring Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Political Science and African American Studies Pearl Dowe.
Students will utilize an app/online platform called Scavify to track their completion of various tasks throughout the week with a point system developed for a friendly competition (in the spirit of the traditional Oxford Olympics in-person event) with prizes for both participation and accumulation of points. The sessions and activities are a mix of asynchronous and synchronous events and include things like photo and video challenges, Canvas modules, games, and trivia challenges.
"While the circumstances of new student orientation will be different, our fundamental commitment to provide a welcoming and informative transition to college remains unchanged," said Joe Moon, dean of Campus Life. "Oxford staff have been energetically engaged all summer in efforts to reinvent and develop creative virtual and in-person approaches to offer hospitality and support."
As part of the repositioning to all virtual programming, the student leaders selected by various departments in early spring joined together to form a “super-group” of 40 students serving as Oxford Welcome Leaders (OWLs). Orientation Leaders, Ignite Leadership Mentors, iMentors, Healthy Eagles, Peer Advising Network, and Volunteer Oxford Coordinators are all serving in this role to facilitate daily small group discussions and breakout meetings with their “OWL Family.”
The orientation schedule of activities will be available to students and families on Saturday, August 15.
|
|
International Student Welcome
|
|
From August 3 to 6, International Student Programs welcomed new international students from all over the world with the first ever virtual International Student Welcome (ISW). With the guidance of a terrific group of 12 iMentors, the new students engaged in a blend of asynchronous and synchronous activities to help them learn about the many resources available at Oxford. The iMentors facilitated daily meetings for students to engage with one another and build community from their current locations all over the world. Some of the highlights of ISW program include Q&A panels with
second-year students, taking a virtual campus tour with an iMentor and iMentor group, “A Day in the Life of an Oxford student." group games such as Pictionary, Spyfall, and of course, tons of icebreakers!
International Student Programs staff Daphne Orr and Christine Richardson also worked in June and July to stay in constant contact with incoming international students and available to assist with any questions or concerns. They held regular Zoom meetings with incoming and returning students and parents and hosted virtual iMentor training across multiple time zones over three weeks.
|
|
Don Beaudette, assistant professor of political science, wrote the reflection "Ireland/Northern Ireland and COVID-19," posted on the Emory University Office of Religious and Spiritual Life website.
|
|
Zachary Binney, assistant professor of quantitative theory and methods, has been interviewed by national print and television outlets regarding COVID-19 and professional sports efforts to resume competition due to his expertise and interest in public health and athletics. The following are some of his recent appearances:
Live interview on MSNBC on July 31
Live interview on CNN on August 3
|
|
College Chaplain Lyn Pace's July column in the Covington News, "From their labors they rest; we must not," was about the deaths of several prominent Civil Rights leaders in 2020. Pace mentions a moving story from U.S. Rep. John Lewis' memoir Waking in the Wind that he shared at Baccalaureate in 2019 and his experience meeting Lewis at the college's Commencement the following day.
|
|
Deric Shannon, associate professor of sociology, was quoted in the
This Life with Gracie op-ed column.
|
|
Please join us live online on Tuesday, August 18, at 8:00 p.m. for Oxford's 2020 Convocation Program. Look out for more information this week and next on how to participate in a live watch party with staff and faculty colleagues!
|
|
Welcome signs displayed at local residences during move-in
|
|
Laura Gafnea, director of community relations, is coordinating an initiative to help welcome students to campus with welcome signs displayed at local residences. If you live near campus and would like to help welcome students to campus by displaying a welcome sign in your yard during student move-in, please complete this brief form or email Laura Gafnea by Thursday, August 13, to allow time to coordinate delivery of your sign. Thank you for assisting with this program to welcome students and their families during move-in weekend.
|
|
Local childcare resources/info available on Oxford Together
|
If you need assistance with childcare resources now or in the coming months, please visit the Oxford Together page where Oxford HR has posted up-to-date information listing the available, local options in the Covington-area, as well as a link to Atlanta-area resources compiled by Emory University HR.
We want to draw your attention to two timely childcare and virtual learning support opportunities with the Metro Atlanta YMCA centers and the local Covington YMCA.
Eighteen Metro Atlanta YMCA locations will offer “Campus Connection,” a virtual learning camp this fall. Through Campus Connection, students in Kindergarten through 6th grade will be supported in completing their remote learning while also staying active and enjoying fun activities. Campus Connection virtual learning camp list of locations, FAQs, and program registration are all available online here.
While the Covington YMCA is not currently on the list of locations offering the Campus Connection virtual learning camp this fall, they will offer the program if they receive interest from a minimum number of participants. The program will operate 7:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m. in the YMCA’s Youth Center building. Price: $28/day for Program Members, $23/day for Facility Members. Parents who choose Campus Connection may also register for afterschool care, but these will be two different programs. Each program will be limited to 36 children, Kindergarten through 6th grade. Financial assistance is available for both programs. If you are interested in this program, please email Covington YMCA staff member Erin Pitts at ering@ymcaatlanta.org as soon as possible to be added to the interest list.
|
Religious Holiday Calendar provided by Office of Religious and Spiritual Life for fall
|
Please take a moment to view this year’s Religious Holiday Calendar. These are the dates of the holidays for the major religious traditions represented in Emory’s diverse student population. Faculty, you may find these helpful in your planning with regard to your syllabus, especially, but also as student needs related to these holidays present themselves during the semester. Staff, you may find these helpful as you plan meetings, programs, and appointments with students and/or colleagues during the course of the academic year. If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to College Chaplain Lyn Pace.
|
Science faculty member awarded National Science Foundation grant
|
Sarah Fankhauser, assistant professor of biology, was awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation to investigate the impact of peer-review and publication on scientific identity and understanding of the scientific process. The goal of the project is to expand high school student participation in the peer-review process and in publishing in JEI, a science journal dedicated to mentoring pre-college students through peer-reviewed publication.
|
Oxford College named 2019 Tree Campus USA
|
Arbor Day Foundation has recognized Oxford College as a 2019 Tree Campus USA. This designation is the direct result of years of consistent planning, effort, and support coordinated by Eloise Carter, Danielle Miller, and Randy Simon.
Tree Campus USA, a national program launched in 2008, honors colleges and universities and their leaders for promoting healthy trees and engaging students and staff in the spirit of conservation.
To obtain this distinction, Oxford College met the five core standards for an effective campus forest management, including establishment of a tree advisory committee, evidence of a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures for its campus tree program, an Arbor Day observance, and the sponsorship of student service learning projects.
|
|
New Student Orientation program launches online
|
|
First-year student move-in begins
|
|
Oxford Expo: Virtual Resource and Student Employment Fair
9:00 a.m. until noon
|
|
To submit a news item for the next Campus Update, please email Ansley Holder.
The newsletter is distributed weekly on Wednesday.
Please send any submissions by Monday afternoon. Thanks for reading!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|