April 29, 2022
Dear Students,
Are you ready for Bloom@Wellesley? It is happening on Sunday. The RSVP form is here. It can give you hope and help you connect. Stop in and bring a friend. You might leave with more friends.
I know that many students are worried about the significant surge in COVID cases this past week. There seems to be some confusion about close contacts and pool retests. A community message was sent from Provost Shennan and myself earlier today which should provide some clarity. Please read the message carefully and refer back to the previous Dean’s letter for reminders on how to keep yourself safe. We will re-evaluate next week if the surge does not subside.
I also wanted to comment on a concern that has come to my attention. Recently a Trans flag and some graffiti with derogatory words was painted on the staircase leading from the Harris Courtyard down to the Founders Lot. The College considers painting on our historic buildings to be vandalism, and therefore it was removed. The 9 ¾ marking was removed along with the recent paint on top of it. Going forward, any additional markings made in the stairwell or on any other buildings will be removed as well.
The walls of our buildings are not the right place for students to engage in difficult conversations. I encourage students to work with the college government or the office of intercultural education to plan facilitated conversations on these topics. As Bryan Stevenson mentioned in his talk yesterday, being in proximity to each other and listening can deepen empathy and strengthen the justice gap. I encourage students who would like to hang a Trans flag, to work with the college government to determine the best location for a flag on campus. You deserve to be celebrated in a better location — not a cold, dark hallway.
Students, as we come close to the end of the semester, I wish you lots of sunshine, quiet moments and thoughtful engagement with each other. Savor these days. Hope to see you at Bloom@Wellesley.
Best,
Sheilah Shaw Horton
Vice President and Dean of Students
