Letter from Dean Busch in the Aftermath of Sandy

Hello GSAS students,
I hope all your recovery is going okay since Sandy, the Superstorm.

Below is the letter we all received from Dean Nancy Busch concerning the GSAS semester in the aftermath of Sandy. With permission, I am reposting it here in case it got lost in the shuffle of your emails/ inboxes. Upcoming on the blog, look for information about we as the GSAS can help during the storm recovery. In the meantime, stay safe and don't forget to vote tomorrow! :)

Letter from Dean Busch

Dear GSAS students,

In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, you and your families have been
in my thoughts and prayers as I have learned about the scope and depth
of devastation. My heart goes out to those among us who have lost
homes and cherished items and the security associated with those
spaces and things.  I recognize that it may take more time than you or
I might now imagine to re-establish patterns of life--and my goal is
to have GSAS procedures be flexible to allow you that time.  As a
Fordham community, I ask that you look out for each other, and please
let me know of the needs of your fellow students.

Fordham’s Rose Hill and Lincoln Center campuses experienced little
damage from the storm, so our physical spaces there will permit the
resumption of activities in a flexible manner as befits the situations
of individual faculty and students. As expected with a tree-covered
property experiencing high winds, the Calder Center did experience
damage, including the loss of power, and remains closed.

While the campuses are ready for the resumption of classes, the
reality is that many, probably most, faculty members and GSAS students
may not be able to get to campus--or do so only with great difficulty.
 Thus the earlier decision to begin resuming classes tomorrow was
revisited and delayed until Monday, November 5.  The university is
open tomorrow, and GSAS students with assistantship responsibilities
should come to the campuses if--and only if--they do not put
themselves in danger and their personal circumstances permit.

I am working with the other Arts and Sciences Deans to create a
schedule for making up the class meetings missed during the recovery
period.  Please note that GSAS does not have a formal examination
period—the expectation is that classes continue to meet during the
undergraduate reading and exam periods to make sure that each course
has 15 class meetings.  Thus, the adjustment to the calendar will
probably involve using undergraduate reading days and extending the
end of the semester through December 21, and you should plan for the
Christmas break accordingly.

Let me close by expressing appreciation for the support that many of
you have already provided to those who have been impacted by Hurricane
Sandy.  As a Fordham community, I ask that you continue to look out
for each other, and please let me know of the needs of your fellow
students.


Nancy

Nancy A. Busch, Ph.D.

Dean, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences