February 16, 2024

I hope this email finds you (choose one):

A) Well
B) Chuffed
C) All of the above

Of course, there’s no room for the full spectrum of human emotion in my multiple-choice options, but I want to take a moment to acknowledge, as we near the midpoint of the semester, how hard you all are working in circumstances that are sometimes tense and complicated for all of us.

My updates for you this week:

• I hope you’ve already marked your calendars – it’s now almost time to join us next Thursday and Friday, Feb. 22-23, for the second annual Inclusive Inquiry Speaker Series: a 2-day film festival featuring Cadence Theatre Company’s Sitelines BLM ACTION short films and keynote speaker director, writer, producer (and W&M alumnus!) Omar Kamara. Visit the festival webpage for the full schedule and to learn more about the films. This series is free and open to the public.
• On Thursday evening, guest speaker Hagar Kotef from SOAS, University of London, kicked off Scholarly Perspectives: a Spring 2024 speaker series on the Middle East, a faculty-led series supported by A&S and the Reves Center for International Studies. The W&M campus community came together to engage in a wonderful time of listening, learning, and asking thoughtful questions on this important topic. My deep thanks to the faculty members in Anthropology, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Global Studies, Government, History, Judaic Studies and International Relations for initiating the series, designed to provide opportunities to learn from many perspectives over the course of the semester and hopefully beyond. William & Mary faculty interested in inviting speakers or moderating panels on this topic in Fall 2024 should contact the Reves Center.
• William & Mary was again named a top producer of Fulbright scholars. I would like to recognize the Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs and Michael Clay, assistant director of fellowships, for their role in this achievement. Michael promotes opportunities like Fulbright across campus and works to foster a network of guidance and support for applicants from William & Mary by working individually with students and alumni to craft their application, connecting applicants with campus resources, and collaborating with faculty and staff across disciplines to coordinate application review, preparation of letters of support, and practice interviews. William & Mary’s designation as a Fulbright top producer is a testament to the value of that network, and Michael and the OUAA’s diligent work.
• In December, the university approved the establishment of its first Cybersecurity Center, and today, the Provost announced the appointment of Dr. Adwait Nadkarni, Class of 1953 Associate Professor of Computer Science, as the center’s inaugural director. Please join me in congratulating Adwait!
• Charles Center undergraduate research grant applications for summer '24, including Summer Research Grants, Monroe Scholars Grants, and Honors Fellowships, are open until Monday, Feb. 19, at 11:59 pm. Questions? Please see the Charles Center’s Whom to Ask page and reach out.
• The university’s Charles and Virginia Duke Award nominations deadline is close of business on Wednesday, Feb. 28. This award is presented each year to an employee who has given exceptional service to the university, either in a given year or in recognition of an outstanding career at William & Mary.
• The next of four annual application deadlines for the A&S Faculty Grants Fund is coming up on Friday, March 15. Types of supported activities include individual or small group research projects and/or events, conference travel or other faculty professional development opportunities, and student hourly wages that are related to a specific research project.
• Policy notes: we are moving closer to providing some relatively minor, clarifying updates to the Teaching Faculty Framework to the committee for that framework, as well as to the Council of Chairs & Program Directors (CCPD) and the Faculty Affairs Committee (FAC).
• Along the same lines, we will also soon be circulating to CCPD and FAC updates to our policy on merit for faculty who have been on leave.

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Below the line this week you will learn about the mating calls of various animals. (Modesty and state policy forbid me from including any information about the mating calls of humans. However, you can use the sounds below in any way that makes sense to you.) This focus is inspired by an NPR story I heard this morning. I am not usually preoccupied with the mating calls of animals.

A good one is the call of the death-watch beetle. The males hit their heads repeatedly on a piece of wood to create a rhythmic drumming sound, divided into little phrases. Eventually – and hopefully before the males have knocked themselves unconscious – females start doing it too, and then the males make their way over to where the females are so that the fun can begin. Females prefer loud males to quiet ones. I make no comment on this fact. You can hear the beetles here.

Koalas make a sound that is remarkably like vomiting. They also sleep 22 hours a day, which sounds so fantastic right now. But – what could be more delightful than waking up after a 22 hour nap and hearing that sound? The female decides whether or not this is a specially nice bellow and if it is, off she goes in search of the creature that is making it. There are a few other things that are extremely interesting about the mating habits of koalas, but I cannot put them in this email. They are readily available on something called the internet.

Which sound do YOU like best? Have a lovely weekend, everyone.

Take care,

Suzanne