Start of the New Semester and welcome President elect Dwight A. McBride
As we begin this new semester–the first of the new decade–I want to share a few thoughts. First, I hope the coming months are productive, successful, and rewarding for you. I also want to express my appreciation for the contribution everyone here makes to our academic community–intellectually, creatively, or professionally. And, I want to underscore that every person at The New School plays a role in helping to build a community that is welcoming, supportive, and respectful. We all learn from and teach each other.
It is a bittersweet semester for me as I approach the end of my term as President. In April, we will welcome President Dwight A. McBride, and I will say farewell to the institution I have had the great honor to lead for a decade. Even as I know it is a change that is natural and right for both me and the university, I will miss the singular experience of being part of this unique culture on a daily basis.
The New School is an exciting place where distinctive academic strengths become lenses for understanding. And certainly, there is no shortage of complex challenges that demand critical reflection, creative solutions, and the willingness to push beyond the status quo. Take, as a few massive examples: the complicated times for U.S. democratic society in a year that will see both a Presidential impeachment and an election; the ongoing issues of global migration and mobility; widening gaps of equity in resources and opportunity; and the increasing urgency of climate crises. I know these are matters that will be explored in our classrooms, studios, galleries and performance spaces, and external partnerships and activities this semester.
Please take full advantage of the coming months. Get to know the extraordinary faculty, dedicated staff, and amazing students. Seek help where you need it, and give it when you can.
I look forward to seeing you on campus.