Academic Year 2014-15

A warm good morning to everyone and welcome to Bucknell University's 165th Commencement ceremony.
On behalf of the faculty, staff and Board of Trustees, it's my honor and privilege to join you in celebrating this milestone in the lives of the 860 members of the Class of 2015 and our 30 master's degree recipients.

I write with a brief summary of our recent Board of Trustees meeting, which took place on campus from Thursday, April 23, through Saturday, April 25.

Dear Students, Staff and Faculty:
Like many of you, I sat in the Quad last night transfixed by the honesty, integrity, and courage of our students. I am so grateful for the speakers, for BSG’s leadership in organizing the event, and for the 2,000-plus members of our community who came together in solidarity against discrimination in all of its forms.

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,
Over the past several weeks, our community has experienced great pain, frustration and anger. The suffering many of our fellow Bucknellians have been experiencing for far too long is sharply in focus. And while the racist incident that occurred during a WVBU broadcast was not an isolated event, it has served as a catalyst for change. We have significant work to do to make Bucknell an inclusive home for all members of our community, but what has happened in the past two weeks gives me cause to believe that, together, we are beginning to move forward in real, tangible ways.

Dear Bucknellians,
I want to update you regarding the incident involving Bucknell students using a racial slur and language referencing racially motivated violence during a live, on-air WVBU radio broadcast on Friday, March 20.

Today I learned of a situation in which Bucknell students used racist and violent language during a radio program that aired on WVBU last Friday night. Such behavior is unacceptable and inexcusable. An investigation of this incident is underway and the individuals involved have been temporarily suspended from Bucknell. It may be that other participants are identified throughout the course of the investigation. All will be held fully accountable for their actions, with possible sanctions up to and including expulsion.

Dear Faculty and Staff Colleagues,
Kim and I write with the exciting news that the search for Bucknell's next provost has concluded, and it is our great pleasure to introduce to you Barbara Altmann.

I write to share with you a summary of the Board of Trustees meeting that took place in Marina del Rey, Calif., from Thursday, Feb. 5, through Saturday, Feb. 7. Thank you to Prof. Kim Daubman, chair of the faculty; Prof. Gary Steiner, secretary of the faculty; and Profs. James Baish, Karen Castle and Bastian Heinsohn for participating in the meeting.

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,
I have, for many months, been disgusted and angered by the vile and hurtful content often found on the anonymous social media application Yik Yak. The cowards who author this content hide behind the anonymity offered by the site to post messages constituting racism, sexual harassment, homophobia and, today, hate speech tied to threats of violence. We must confront this unconscionable behavior.

I write to share with you this brief summary of our recent Board of Trustees meeting, which was held on campus beginning Thursday, Oct. 16, and concluded with the Board's business meeting on Saturday, Oct. 18. Included with this letter are summaries of the committee meetings held during the three days, which you can find by clicking here.

Dear Faculty and Staff Colleagues,
I hope you enjoyed your summers and had some rest and relaxation during the past few months; as always, it seems that summer has passed us by so quickly. The campus is once again alive with activity, and I am pleased to report that our New Student Orientation program earned high praise from students and parents alike.