Dear Faculty of Arts, 

With the daylight hours extending well into the evenings, taking a break from work and one’s indoor environs is a welcome reprieve from the isolation of the pandemic.  The tulips, magnolia trees, and falling cherry blossoms help to lift the spirits, as does the public art  one unexpectedly encounters.  A recent installation entitled  The Proud Youth  (by artist Chen Wenling from China) has been stopping pedestrians and cyclists in their tracks along the seawall with many children delighting in the sculpture.

Part of Vancouver Biennale Open Air Museum,  The Proud Youth is described as “a celebratory call inviting you to embrace your inner child and have some fun!”  With end-of-term grading and multiple semesters of online teaching and working taking their toll,  one’s  “inner child” may feel a bit distant at present, but  our wish for everyone is that the spring season will beckon you outside for some rejuvenation via sunshine, fresh air, and joyful sights.  Or better yet, Zoom-in tonight to celebrate emerging young artists as the Department of Fine Arts hosts the BFA Grad Show!  Congratulations to these talented students! (Details of the event and the Zoom link are included below.)      

EVENTS: 

The Fine Arts Grad Show Must Go On… Virtually, That Is!  Join the Fine Arts department tonight – Friday, April 16th from 7:00 – 8:30 PM for their annual BFA Grad Show! Celebrate the art practice of an amazing group of 17 BFA graduates who have been busy preparing this spring semester under the guidance of Scott McBride and Amy Huestis. The Zoom and Instagram details are included here: 

Join Zoom Meeting 

https://zoom.us/j/91661219128?pwd=QloyTzFsMGtMa1BPSU9OU1NDd3ErZz09

Meeting ID: 916 6121 9128      

Passcode: 8nCmjj  

Follow us on Instagram @KPUgradshow1721 

To learn more about the Fine Arts students and tonight’s exhibition, here is a fun read for the end of the week; the KPU Fine Arts grad show is in the Surrey Now-Leader.

 BOUQUETS AND ACCOLADES 

Ars Poetica, or “The good, the bad, the ugly and the snuggly”: Billeh Nickerson’s new book poetry – Duct-Taped Roses – is already gathering attention and acclaim! Congratulations, Billeh! Published by Book Hug Press, this is Billeh’s seventh book. To learn more about Duct-Taped Roses, Billeh’s writing process, and his sources of inspiration, visit Book Hug Press for a recent interview. 

Voice of Fire: Jack Hayes (HIST) recently published not one, but two (!) articles in the major international scholarly journal Human Ecology. One is a co-authored critical introduction to a cluster of five articles in a special issue on socio-ecological resilience in modern China; the other is Jack’s own piece in that issue, “Fire Suppression and the Wildfire Paradox in Contemporary China: Policies, Resilience, and Effects in Chinese Fire Regimes.” Human Ecology 49,19–32 (2021).   This is quite a testament to both the strength of Jack’s work and his stature in this research field. Congratulations, Jack! 

TIME-SENSITIVE ITEMS 

The Art of Incomplete Grade Contracts: Many instructors are experiencing an increase in student requests for “Incomplete Grade” contracts. We continue to encourage a flexible and compassionate approach to students during the pandemic and will support “I-contracts” where you deem them warranted. Here is the link to the Incomplete Grade contract. Completed forms should be submitted to arts@kpu.ca  Please remember that you must not only submit the signed contract to Arts for approval, but also enter the Incomplete grade into KPU’s system as the student’s temporary final mark in the course.  In other words, do not leave the student’s final mark “blank.” 

Information to Share with KPU Students: The Student Success Task Force at KPU has requested that we distribute the attached information sheet listing supports available for students.  (This information was also emailed to Arts faculty directly earlier this week.) Please share this information sheet with your students, especially on your course Moodles as the summer semester approaches, so that students who are struggling are aware of the resources available through KPU.  

Grading Gouache: As per Wednesday’s email, the dreaded “three working days” grade submission deadline noted in Policy AR6  will be modified for the Spring 2021 semester. Instead, all grades will be due on or before April 28, 2021 (11:59pm) (the final grade submission deadline for the term). This should afford some welcome flexibility in terms of grading pressures. On the other hand, April 28 is a hard deadline, so please plan accordingly. Non-submission by that date adversely affects students’ registration for next semester – e.g., if they need courses as pre-requisites, and the grades aren’t submitted, they are at risk of losing their course for the upcoming term. Unfiled grades can also create barriers to their graduation. Indeed, significant delays may even draw attention from the Ministry.  

If you’re concerned that delays in student submissions may hamper your ability to meet the deadline, please work on Incomplete Grade Contracts for those students and input an “I” grade by April 28. And be sure to contact arts@kpu.ca ASAP if you believe yourself to be at risk of missing the deadline.  

Finally: we recognize that grading can be a stressful and onerous task. If, in the lead-up to the deadline, you receive reminders or queries from Dean’s Office staff regarding the status of your grades, please remember that they are only performing their required duties in the name of due diligence. This is also a very busy and challenging time for staff. Thank you! 

“Find Freedom on this Canvas”:  Many Regular and NR2 faculty are approaching their non-teaching semester from May-August.  If you haven’t already done so, please fill out your vacation form by selecting your 42 vacation days for your current work year and submit your completed form to Arts@kpu.ca. 

The month-long observance of Ramadan began this week, and to those who celebrate, we wish you a happy Ramadan 2021. 

Wishing everyone a sun-filled and inspiring weekend,  

Diane, Wade, Greg, and Shelley