The Blueprint
The Blueprint is a monthly newsletter from the President that aims to keep the community informed about College-wide initiatives. Read the most recent edition below.
Dear Campus Community,
The spirit of giving on our campus and the generosity of Ursinus Bears near and far always inspires me, but especially this time of year. Our campus would not be the same if not for a loyal community of donors who have helped move the college forward over its 150 years. As we near Thanksgiving and the holiday season, I want to remind you that #Giving2UCday remains an important part of philanthropy at the college. Please remember to make a gift of any amount on Tuesday, December 3, and help us celebrate Ursinus’s 150th anniversary by reaching our ambitious goal of 1,869 donors in 24 hours (in honor of our founding year). You can read more about #Giving2UCday and other important campus initiatives and updates in the November edition of my Blueprint newsletter.
Sincerely,
President Blomberg
November Blueprint
BLT & Office Hours
I hope you will join me at my next Brock’s Lunch Talk (BLT), on Tuesday, December 10, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. in the faculty/staff dining room. From 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. on December 10, I will have my monthly office hours, open to all faculty and staff, and students to discuss projects, ideas for the college or issues affecting the community. Feel free to schedule a time on my website for an office hours meeting.
150 Events
Join us for the next sesquicentennial “bear crawl”Thursday, November 14, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. in Olin Hall. These well-attended open houses allow you to connect with colleagues and offer a glimpse of the history of each building on campus. Stick around for a Baden lecture by Professor Lynne Edwards on diversity and cyberbullying. I also want to give a special shout out to those who made Music for 150 Carpenters a truly memorable event at the Berman Museum last month. Check out the installation in the museum’s main gallery on view now.
First Gen Day
On November 19, 2019, Ursinus will celebrate First Gen Day to recognize students, faculty and staff who are first-generation college students. The event being co-sponsored by the Institute for Inclusion and Equity (IIE) and Institute for Student Success (ISS) and is designed to acknowledge, highlight and support the unique needs, challenges and accomplishments of first-generation students.
MLK Week 2020
Mark your calendars for MLK Week January 20-26, 2020. The observance this year will include a few new elements, including recognition of students, faculty and staff who have advanced inclusion and equity at Ursinus. To nominate an individual, email inclusionawards@ursinus.edu and include one paragraph on that person’s contributions to inclusion and equity on campus.
Campus Master Plan
During its October meeting, the Ursinus Board of Trustees accepted the Campus Master Plan, a strategy that establishes a flexible framework that will be a guide to help us envision how our facilities might support and enhance academic, residential and athletic experiences over the next decade and beyond. Details about the plan can be found online. Many thanks to those of you who attended the open discussions on November 5 and November 12. Your interest is just another example of the value of an engaged campus community.
Health Benefits
As you heard from Kelley Williams earlier this month, the Office of Human Resources and the benefits committee have worked hard to continue the high quality of coverage provided with minimal increase in cost to the employee. I’m grateful to both teams for their hard work on this important matter. Please remember to attend your scheduled departmental meeting or separate benefit renewal meeting this month.
Enrollment Update
Enrollment just passed its first application round deadline of November 1 (Early Action). I’m pleased to report that more than 1,800 students have submitted applications in the Early Action round for fall 2020, up from 1,484 last year. In addition, more than 2,000 applications have been received overall for fall 2020, compared to 1,686 at the same time last year. Our admission counselors are hard at work finishing up a long travel season and are jumping right into reading season. These numbers continue to indicate a strong pipeline for the class of 2024.
#Giving2UCDay!
Our sixth annual #Giving2UCday is almost here! Follow us on social media leading up to and on the special day, and join us in person during a campus coffee hour from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on December 3 in the Bears Den. Your participation is more important than ever before—1,869 donors in 24 hours. To encourage your giving, Dean Mark Schneider has agreed to donate $20 for every faculty or staff donor on #Giving2UCday. In addition, I’m pleased to also make a challenge, pledging an additional gift if we have participation from at least one donor in each of the 50 states. Please help us to make new history at the college!