Dear Colleagues,

As we near the end of the academic term, I am pleased that our campus will be able to enjoy a number of holiday celebrations as a community this year, while still being mindful of the ongoing need to take precautions against the spread of COVID-19. Please mark your calendars for the following:

• Christmas Tree Lighting. The Division of Mission and Ministry is hosting the first campus-wide Christmas Tree Lighting on Nov. 30 from 5 to 6 p.m, in front of the Mission Church. Faculty, staff, students and families welcome.
• The Festival of Lights. The beautiful holiday tradition featuring SCU’s Chamber Singers and Concert Choir, the Festival of Lights, will take place on December 3 and 4, 7:30 p.m. in the Mission Church. Tickets are required to attend. The December 4 event will be livestreamed.
• Faculty & Staff Holiday Celebration. An outdoor holiday celebration for faculty and staff will be held on December 15 from 3 to 5 p.m. Invitations will be sent soon.
• Holiday Time Off. As noted in my email last month, as a small token of gratitude for the hard work of our staff, the University is providing additional paid administrative closure days for our employees this holiday season.
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A giant Bronco Congratulations to the Santa Clara’s men’s and women’s soccer teams, which both clinched first place in their West Coast Conference divisions and secured spots in the NCAA Tournaments. Watch the men’s team take on University of Akron Thursday at 4 p.m and the women’s team play Georgetown Friday at 10:30 a.m. in the Bronco Atrium in Benson! Go Broncos! Read more.

Thank you to all who attended the Nov. 17  Acting President Open Forum, which is now available to view online for those who missed the event. Presenters shared information on the budget, endowment, and giving. Read more.

Board of Trustees Chair Larry Sonsini recently endorsed a plan from Santa Clara’s Planning Action Council (PAC) to begin a strategic planning process, entitled Project SCU Forward. It will help serve as a transition between the University’s most-recent Santa Clara 2020 Strategic Plan and a future strategic plan, and help lay the groundwork for our next President. The campus community will be enlisted to help craft descriptive outlines of Santa Clara’s enduring values, guiding principles and distinctive strengths. Read more.

Thank you to all who participated in stakeholder outreach sessions in the search for SCU’s next President. The President Leadership Description is online, and candidate selection and interviews will occur in the coming months. I have shared the news with trustees and President’s Cabinet that, after much discernment, I have opted not to be a candidate for the position myself. Read more.

There will be no President’s Update in December. I pray you have a joyful and restful Thanksgiving and holiday season. 

Lisa A. Kloppenberg
Acting President