From the CLAS Associate Deans: Thank you all for your care and understanding as we undergo unprecedented challenges associated with the pandemic and concomitant reduced financial resources to complete the important work required to meet our mission as a higher education institution. We are filled with gratitude and awe at all of the efforts and sacrifices faculty, staff and students have undertaken.

We continue to hear that CLAS has imposed a freeze and swept all professional development and start-up monies. This is not the case. We simply request that everyone carefully consider what expenses are necessary now and what can be deferred.  One obvious example is travel, whether it is to professional conferences, most of which are now virtual, or to international archives. If you want access to your funds, you should send an email to Assistant Dean JoAnn Porter and me with their requests. To date, all have been approved.