Dean’s Message – August 2023
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Here we go again! Summer is coming to an end and campus is busy with the hustle and bustle of preparations for the arrival of our students. Faculty and staff have spent the summer conducting research and attending national conferences to disseminate their findings and push the science of their fields to the next level. Others have been developing new programs of study or revising course syllabi and class presentations to inspire and teach the next generation of leaders. And we in administration have continued our work in improving infrastructure and support, hiring new staff and faculty, and working with the campus facilities team and architects on renovations and the construction of a new SPHHS hub on campus.
The world we live in continues to challenge us. All you need to do is hop on social media and you’ll immediately be aware of the obstacles we face to fulfill our school’s vision to “serve, inspire, and improve the quality of life and health equity for the Commonwealth and beyond.” Over the summer, we witnessed the SCOTUS decision and its domino effect on other higher education policies in some states, the continued passing of anti-abortion laws that are increasingly impacting women’s access to safe and effective healthcare, and the attempts to reframe how slavery affected the lives of Blacks in this country, to name just a few examples. We are fortunate to live in a progressive state but must not ignore these issues affecting others living in our country. In higher education, we must ask tough questions, think critically, and engage in respectful discourse. We must strive to train a diverse workforce that represents all our populations and thus reduce health inequities and save lives, an approach which is supported by scientific evidence.
As we begin this new academic year you will notice changes in our community. First, and foremost, we have a new chancellor, Dr. Javier Reyes. He has already toured our buildings and met with several of us. We went well past our scheduled time with him – his passion for the job and charismatic personality were palpable. I suspect this will become a common pattern and will go a long way as he serves UMass and our state.
Second, we have change among the leadership of our school. Mr. Chris Greenfield, our former associate dean for administration and finance, has stepped down. I could not have asked for a more collegial and fitting inaugural ADAF – Chris helped to manage the school through many tough times during COVID-19 and subsequent budget cuts. We’ve appointed his replacement, Donna Falcetti, who comes to us from the Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences. Ms. Falcetti is well experienced in all of UMass’ policies and procedures.
In other bittersweet news, our assistant dean for student success, Ms. Megan Griffin, has decided to step down to spend time with her young family. Megan is an alumna of our school and has been with us for 10 years supporting student success. We are grateful for all of her efforts and energetic attitude which brought joy to all of us.
We have many changes to announce among our faculty and staff. We have two new chairs, Dr. Song Liang in Environmental Health Sciences and Dr. Sarah Goff in Health Promotion and Policy. Numerous faculty have joined us including: Karen Ertel, Lecturer, Biostatistics & Epidemiology; Lorie Woodson, Lecturer, Kinesiology; Sasha Adkins, Senior Lecturer, Environmental Health Sciences; Christine St. Laurent, Assistant Professor, Kinesiology; Krystal Kittle, Assistant Professor, Health Promotion & Policy; Kaitlyn Jaffe, Assistant Professor, Health Promotion & Policy; Theo Schall, Assistant Professor, Health Promotion & Policy; and Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, Assistant Professor, Health Promotion & Policy. And we have several new staff members joining our team: Sydney Snow, Assistant Director of External Relations; Sierra Borchart, Administrative Assistant, Environmental Health Sciences; Rachel Comerford, Assistant Director, Career Planning; Brooke Frisbie, Event Planner, Student Success; and Nam Phan, EDP Programmer III, Information Technology. Please join me in welcoming them to our community.
Finally, let me inform you about some upcoming events in September. On September 13-14, the UMass Office of Equity and Inclusion will host the second annual Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Conference. This conference will feature a series of educational workshops, talks, panels, and networking events dedicated to Belonging@UMass. Chancellor Reyes will join Vice Chancellor for Equity and Inclusion, Nefertiti Walker, in a lunchtime fireside chat.
On September 20, from 3-5 pm outside the Totman building, the school will host “Pops and Hops,” our annual welcome back social event for students, faculty, and staff. We’ll have popsicles, games, and entertainment – we hope you’ll join us and have fun and make connections.
Welcome back. I look forward to meeting you or reconnecting with you at our various events, in the hallways or on campus. Have a great first month!