Hi everyone,

Welcome and welcome back!  It feels like it's been months since I've written, though a week and a half is a little more accurate.  But a great deal has happened in that time.  First and foremost:  The Women's Center, Office of Diversity Initiatives, and Conflict Resolution Resource Center are up and running (well, getting there) in the new facility in Landis House!  With two resource rooms, a reading area, multiple offices and a working kitchen, Landis is the ideal collaborative space.  Although we're still painting and getting some other renovations done, we've got couches and chairs set up downstairs, so feel free to stop by anytime! 

Enjoy fancy snacks, good music, and good company at our open house on Friday, February 5th, at 4:30pm, before the first Ladies' Night of the semester.

In other news:  I returned on Friday afternoon from a transformative experience at LeaderShape, a weeklong leadership and vision retreat at which I served as a Cluster Facilitator.  It was truly inspiring to meet students I wouldn't normally see, guide them through a challenging and productive vision- and goal-setting process, and emerge on the other side part of a truly connected and rewarding community.  Even if you weren't one of the 61 students who attended, I hope you'll see the traces of this leadership across the campus this spring.  Professionally, I also gained a lot of insight about my strengths and abilities that I think will inform my work at Dickinson for years to come. 

That's definitely given me some catching up to do, however!  So, from my task list to your web browser, here's the regular  rundown of what's on my plate.

Add tasks:  I have to sift through my notes, my LeaderShape files, and my emails to be sure I've added all the things I need to do in the right order (so, in the midst of the move, nothing slips off my radar)  

Email cleanup:  returning from LeaderShape and not having email most of yesterday, I'm still catching up on email from two weeks ago!     
Moodle setup:  I need to establish a Moodle site and post readings for this semester's Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies course  
Trustees bullet points:  The Board of Trustees are visiting this weekend and I need to frame some of the salient Women's Center achievements since their last visit, as part of a Divisional report
internship position description and student worker description:  see two weeks ago!

 Intro prep:  Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies is underway, so I need to prep for Thursday's class

recommendation letters:  self-explanatory  
Grant writing process:  the smaller group that's organizing the writing process for our Office of Violence Against Women grant application will be meeting soon

Flyers:  advertising the new location for the Women's Center, the open house on February 5th, and the victim advocate naming contest!
Victim advocate survey questions:  as we do a name change competition for the victim advocate position, we'd like to survey students about what's working and what's not about the independent contract       
first year experience programs:  divisionally, we are exploring some emphasis to next year's orientation program, and I need to get started on my portion

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I'm dying to see you all in Landis House sometime soon! Be sure, also, to check out the spring 2010 events under our "News and Events" tab.

Be well and happy January,

Susannah