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Discovery that Connects

Science-based innovation for a changing world

December 2020 update from SIPS Director Chris Smart

Dear SIPS Community,

I hope this message finds you and your family well. If you are in need of any assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Congratulations! So pleased to see SIPS, USDA and BTI plant and soil scientists on this list.

SIPS-wide end-of-semester Zoom meetings with Chris Smart

Watch for an email to which you can respond with your questions.

  • Postdocs: Monday, December 7, 4:00 – 5:00 pm
  • Staff: Wednesday, December 9, 9:30 – 10:30am
  • Graduate Students: Monday, December 14, 10:00 – 11:00am
  • Faculty: Thursday, December 17, 10:00 – 11:00am CALS Dean Ben Houlton will join from 10 – 10:40am

New SIPS website

The new SIPS website with Drupal 8 content management and updated display launched on December 2! CIT programmers are continuing to make some fixes and the SIPS Communications team expects requests to tweak and revise content, but I think you will find it to be a big improvement from our previous site. If you have questions or comments, contact Craig Cramer and/or Magdalen Lindeberg. Questions about Organic@Cornell can be sent to Jenn Thomas-Murphy. Thanks Craig, Magdalen, and Jenn for years of work on this project!

SIPS diversity and inclusion

If you have not yet seen the dashboard on Composition of Cornell Students, Staff and Faculty you can find it here http://irp.dpb.cornell.edu/university-factbook/diversity/composition

Remember, anyone can Report a Bias Incident here.

Fall Semester Updates

We are now on-line for the last weeks of the semester. Thank you to everyone that has worked so hard to ensure a quality educational opportunity for our students this fall. If you are planning to give a final exam, check the final exam schedule for your day and time: https://registrar.cornell.edu/exams/fall-final-exam-schedule.

Spring 2021 Semester Updates

Spring 2021 course roster is live! Pre-enrollment will begin Tuesday, December 8. We all need to make sure we have uploaded a course syllabus (a draft is just fine) by that time. If you have not yet done so, please get a draft to Leah Cook (lcc2@cornell.edu). You can also check out this Guide to Spring 2021 Enrollment

Renovation

  • The Bradfield construction kick-off occurred 12/2 and the contractor will be on-site 12/7 to begin work. Extensive efforts have been made over the last two months to move the lower half of the building to temporary surge locations.
  • Thank you to everyone involved with packing and moving during this challenging time. Many thanks especially to Leslie Larsen for facilitating much of this activity in collaboration with CALS Facilities.
  • There will be periodic planned electrical and/or fume hood shutdowns during the project, which will be communicated in advance. Please be sure to follow all signage. The project completion date is March 2022.

Congratulations

To the following people who were recognized with a SIPS Kudos in the last month! Thanks for your effort and passion in support of SIPS.

  • Going Above & Beyond: Leslie Larsen, Jenn Thomas-Murphy, Barb Sledziona, Steve Hatfield, Audrey Klein, George Stack, Garrett Giles, Anna Osatuke
  • Inspirational Leadership: Cindy Twardokus, Chris Pelzer, Larry Smart, Hortus Forum
  • Strong Team Spirit: Sandra Wayman, Mike Brown

PLEASE remember to recognize people in our SIPS community that have gone out of their way to enhance our School. All you have to do is complete the brief form here

Take care,

Chris

 

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