I have never intended for my monthly messages to deliver any surprises, which is why I’m hoping you have seen the announcement of my plan to retire at the end of October. There’s a lot of time between now and then, so this isn’t a goodbye message. But I would like to say that since arriving at the University in June 2012, I have been blessed with experiences and relationships that have been enriching, stimulating, and rewarding. I am immensely proud of the many ways the River Campus Libraries (RCL) team has provided the resources, services, and assistance that have helped students and faculty achieve their scholarly aspirations.
In my remaining eight months, I’ll be focused on several big-picture projects. These include the completion of the Gleason Library Refresh and construction of Studio X, slated to begin this summer; the engagement and fundraising around the Louise M. Slaughter Congressional Archive and the AIDS Exhibition projects; and strengthening our activities in relation to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. So, as you can see, I’m far from done.
With Black History Month coming to a close, I want to draw your attention to a related initiative that was led by the newly appointed assistant dean, Randall Cook. We wanted to share the ways in which the RCL has and continues to support the University’s institutional equity, diversity, and inclusion goals. You can explore these efforts through the links below.
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Develop and sustain an infrastructure to support equity, diversity, and inclusion
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Enhance recruitment and retention of diverse faculty, staff, and students
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Advance the mission of the UR through an equity, diversity, inclusion lens
While I am very proud of the commitment and passion around this work, here too, we are far from done.
Mary Ann Mavrinac
Vice Provost and Andrew H. and Janet Dayton Neilly Dean
University of Rochester Libraries
