This edition of the Arts Update is inspired by the elegant simplicity of the haiku. 

PRIORITY ITEMS

  • Employee Insights Survey. Launching on February 1, the survey will collect feedback on working during the pandemic, preferences for on-campus versus remote work post-pandemic, views on engagement, and further ways KPU can support employees. Your responses will help inform future decisions and actions as we plan for this year and beyond.
  • February Is Declaration Month! – During this month-long promotional campaign, Arts will encourage current students to declare their major by highlighting a department in Arts every day of the month (excluding weekends). Departments will engage in a variety of activities to pique students’ interest. We have attached a calendar detailing each program’s assigned day and a set of Declaration Month PowerPoint slides that highlight the benefits of declaring a major. Please shares these slides with your students on Moodle.

CLOSING DATES/TIME-SENSITIVE ITEMS:

There is still time to submit a nomination for these upcoming awards.  Please note the deadlines below:

  • Faculty of Arts Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Awards via this link. Nominations close on January 31, 2021 (or Monday, February 1).  Please nominate a worthy colleague, student, alum, or staff member (either an individual or a group/team) for these inaugural awards!
  • JEDI Awards. PDEC has also extended their deadline for nominations for JEDI Awards to February 1, 2021. Follow this link for more information.
  • Dean of Arts Teaching Award linked here. The deadline is February 8, 2021.
  • Senate Nominations: Nominations for Senate open on February 1 and close on February 19. The Faculty of Arts has two vacant seats. We encourage you to consider putting your name forward to represent our Faculty in this crucial role. For more information, see the Senate Elections page here. An information session for those interested will be held on Friday, Feb, 5th. Contact Wade Deisman for more information.

WORKSHOPS, EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

  • Treating Stories with Care Workshop: Hosted by the Anti-Racism Task Force & facilitated by Shane Sable, this workshop for KPU faculty & staff is on Thursday, February 11th from 3:00 – 4:30 PM. The discussion will focus on how participants can engage Indigenous narratives with ethical care and draw on their own personal stories to act in solidarity and address systems of oppression. Follow this link to join the Teams meeting.
  • Arts Speaker Series: “Sustainable Food Systems for the 21st Century and the Work of the Institute for Sustainable Food Systems.” The next presentation will feature Kent Mullinix, Director, Institute for Sustainable Food Systems. February 10th between 1-2PM. Join the meeting here.
  • TED Talk Tuesday: Happiness. Next Tuesday at 11 AM, the theme will continue along from last month. If you like, you can share a short story of a time of belonging and/or a time of purpose and/or a time of transcendence – we’d love to hear about that moment. You can join here.
  • Speaking of the Arts: Students in Amy Huestis’s Issues in Contemporary Art class are hosting an Artist Speaker Series. Faculty are asked to invite your students. The dates are Judy Jheung, Feb. 2; Laiwan, March 2; James Nizam, March 16; and Elizabeth Zvonar, March 30. Contact Amy Huestis for more information.

RECOMMENDED READING

  • Pandemic Pedagogy and the Labor of Care – featuring Jennifer Hardwick, Educational Consultant and English Faculty Member. Visit the blog post here.

We isolate now

So when we gather again

No one is missing

Wishing you a wonderful weekend,

Diane, Shelley, Greg and Wade