Holiday Celebrations at Santa Clara
We are pleased to be able to gather as a community for a number of holiday events this year, while still being mindful of the need for COVID-19 precautions. Please mark your calendars for the following:
- A campus-wide Christmas Tree Lighting will be held Nov. 30 from 5 to 6 p.m. in front of the Mission Church. Students, faculty, staff, and their families are welcome to attend.
- Festival of Lights. The 22nd annual Festival of Lights, a concert performance of Santa Clara University’s Chamber Singers and Concert Choir, will be held at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 3 and Saturday, Dec. 4 in the Mission Church. Tickets are required to attend. The Dec. 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. There is one additional day the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and four additional days between Dec. 23 and Jan. 3.
I hope those who are able to do so will take full advantage of this time, possibly using additional vacation days, to enjoy a long, restful and restorative holiday season with loved ones. As always, we thank profusely those essential workers who remain on our campus at this time to ensure its smooth operation, as well as those of you who will be reading admissions files or doing other work that cannot be postponed. I hope you will work with your supervisors to find alternative days for rest and recuperation.
Bronco WCC Soccer Wins and Upcoming NCAA Tournament
A huge Bronco congratulations to Santa Clara’s men’s and women’s soccer teams, which both won West Coast Conference titles, securing spots in the NCAA tournament. This is the 13th league championship for the men’s soccer program, and the 12th for women. We are so proud of our Bronco student-athletes for these tremendous accomplishments! On Nov. 13, Santa Clara’s women’s team (ranked 15th) won the first game of the first round of the women’s NCAA Tournament against Stanford (#14) in a 1-0 nailbiter.
Join your fellow Broncos in the Bronco Atrium Nov. 18 at 4 p.m. to watch the men’s team play the University of Akron and Nov. 19 at 10:30 a.m. to watch the women's team play Georgetown. Go Broncos!
Financial Update/Open Forum
Thank you to all who attended the Acting President Open Forum Nov. 17 in St. Joseph’s Conference Room. VP of Finance and Administration Michael Crowley provided a look at the University budget for the current and previous fiscal year. (More information will be provided on the budget at the annual Budget Forum, which will be held in the spring.) Chief Investment Officer John Kerrigan provided an overview of SCU’s strong endowment growth and how it helps Santa Clara. Jim Lyons, VP for University Relations shared fundraising updates from the University’s $1 billion Innovating with a Mission campaign. Questions covered topics including salary issues for faculty and staff; divestment from fossil fuels; budget transparency; and use of the endowment.
There is no Open Forum currently planned for December.
Planning Action Council and Strategic Planning
As part of Santa Clara’s system of shared governance, our Planning Action Council (PAC) meets regularly to promote, coordinate, and oversee planning at the University level. PAC comprises numerous members of University leadership and appointed faculty and staff. Recently, Board of Trustees Chair Larry Sonsini attended a PAC meeting and endorsed the group’s proposal to begin a strategic planning process, entitled Project SCU Forward, which will help serve as a transition between the University’s most-recent Santa Clara 2020 Strategic Plan and a future strategic plan. Phase 1 of the planning process will include conversations with PAC and the campus community to help craft descriptive outlines of Santa Clara’s enduring values, guiding principles and distinctive strengths. The process will help lay the groundwork for Santa Clara’s next President.
Presidential Search
Thank you to all who participated in stakeholder outreach sessions in the search for SCU’s next President. The President Leadership Profile is online, and candidate selection and interviews will occur in the coming months.
I have decided, after much discernment, not to be a candidate for President myself. I have assured the trustees and our internal leadership that I remain fully committed to working to strengthen Santa Clara, assist on issues that can’t await our new President, and do all I can to help recruit an outstanding President. Once a new president is in place, I plan to take a sabbatical and return as a law school faculty member (and diehard Bronco!).
There will be no President’s Update in December. I wish you all the best as the quarter concludes and I pray that you have a joyful and restful Thanksgiving and holiday season.
Lisa A. Kloppenberg
Acting President