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GLS eNews March 16, 2020

GLS Weekly Update - March 16, 2020

Please note that as of Monday, March 16, GLS House will be closed until further notice. GLS staff are working remotely and may be reached via email. See the Director's message below for more information.

In this edition:

  • Special Message from Director Anne Whisnant
  • Orders for Graduation Apparel Due March 17
  • Submission Deadlines Extended for Presentations, Story Slam, for 2020 AGLSP Conference
  • Online Resources for Graduate Students
  • GLS Bulletin Board: Upcoming Application and Proposal Deadlines

Special Message from the Director

Hello GLS Community: 

It has been two weeks since our last e-news, and it feels like everything has changed. Indeed, things still seem to be changing hourly! I hope you are all safe, sufficiently “socially distanced,” and well. I know you are getting many messages from various levels of Duke, most of which are consolidated at https://coronavirus.duke.edu/ and, for the Graduate School at https://gradschool.duke.edu/student-life/coronavirus-information  

I won’t repeat the information at those sites here, but instead want to give everyone a GLS-specific view of things as we see them now: 

GLS Student Survey: Last week, we sent all current students a link to a short survey that helps us understand any challenges you may be facing in navigating all of these changes. If you have not responded, and would like to, you can find the link here.  

GLS House: As of Monday, March 16, GLS House will be closed, and the staff will be working remotely until further notice. There will be no Wednesday coffee hours, and the resumption of porch sitting will be delayed. This was a necessary change due to regular contact that GLS staff members have with high-risk individuals. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. 

Classes: As you know, most of Duke and GLS have postponed the restart of classes until Monday, March 23rd. You should be hearing from the individual faculty whose classes you are taking about the plans for moving to online instruction. We are working with the current GLS instructors (Prof. Hall, Healy, and Wicker) to assure they have the support they need to make this change. If you are a current student and have any questions about accessing online resources or navigating this change, please reach out to your GLS advisor (Anne Whisnant or Kent Wicker).   

GLS Workshops and Events: All will be migrated online or canceled. We will be in touch about specific plans for each.  

Master’s Project Exit Exams: We have received authorization from The Graduate School to conduct these events via Zoom remote connection for all participants. We intend, therefore, to go forward with these as scheduled. GLS staff will set up the Zoom meetings and email all participants about them. 

Reaching the GLS Staff: While working remotely, all four of your GLS Staff are on duty during regular business hours. You can reach us by: 

  • Calling the main GLS Line: (919) 684-3222. Leave a message, and Dink will get back to you. We hope soon to have things set up so that she can answer this line directly from her remote location. 
  • Emailing any of the staff. We will get back to you promptly.  

We wish all members of our community – students, faculty, and alumni – the very best in dealing with these unprecedented circumstances. Please be in touch if we can answer questions or otherwise assist you. 

Warm regards, 

Anne 

Deadline to Order Graduation Apparel Tuesday, March 17

Students who graduated in December 2019 and students who anticipate graduating in May 2020 are invited to participate in the GLS Graduation and Hooding Ceremony on Saturday, May 9, at 1:30 pm at the Washington Duke Inn. For the ceremony, we ask graduates to purchase academic apparel ($65 plus tax) – cap, master’s gown, and master’s hood. Apparel can be ordered online at https://commencement.duke.edu/commencement-information/apparel/

We will also invite master’s project faculty supervisors to attend and place the master’s hood on their student(s)’s shoulders but we encourage graduating students to personally contact their faculty supervisor as a courtesy and invite him or her to be a part of the hooding ceremony. We are asking that graduating students and supervisors plan to arrive at the Washington Duke Inn at 1:00 p.m. to begin the line-up for the processional.  Diplomas will also be handed out during the ceremony to May graduates. 

 In early April Dink will be sending out more detailed information regarding the GLS Graduation and Hooding Ceremony. 

For updates on commencement and other Graduate School-specific questions pertaining to the University's response to COVID-19, visit the Graduate School's Coronavirus Information page.

Call for Presentations: Submission Deadline Extended for 2020 AGLSP Conference

If you are interested in giving a presentation or telling a story at the October 2020 conference of the Association of Graduate Liberal Studies Programs (AGLSP), note that they have extended the deadline for proposals. Paper proposals are due by April 1 2020. The deadline for submitting your video for the Story Slam is now April 15, 2020. 

Online Resources for Graduate Students

Opportunities Around Campus and Beyond

Visit the GLS Bulletin Board for a list of funding, volunteer, and other opportunities beyond GLS.

Upcoming deadlines:

March 18 • Anne Firor Scott Award 2020 • deadline to apply

March 23 • Graduate Student Training Enhancement Grants • application deadline

March 23 • Deadline to apply for summer internship at the Institute for Southern Studies

April 1• 2020 AGLSP Conference Call for Presentations • call video submissions

April 15 • 2020 AGLSP Conference Story Slam • call video submissions

Important Dates for GLS Students

  • Online Classes Resume - Monday, March 23
  • Fall Bookbagging begins - Monday, March 30
  • Fall Registration begins - Wednesday, April 1
  • Fall Registration ends; Drop/Add begins - Friday, April 10
  • Graduate classes end - Wednesday, April 15
  • Graduate reading period - Thursday-Sunday, April 16-April 26
  • Last day of semester - Saturday, May 2

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