Sociology Newsletter - April 2023

Fall Priority Registration Begins April 3^rd – Priority registration appointments (date and time) are issued prior to open registration and are based on the number of credits completed. Be sure to find your priority registration appointment in your UCDAccess student portal prior to each semester's class registration period. For best course selection, register as soon as possible after your registration time assignment. Also, please make sure that are you are regularly touching base with the Undergraduate Advisor, Dr. Maren Scull to ensure that you are taking the correct classes for the major, minor, or certificate.

Given student preferences and the evolving budget situation on campus, Qualitative Methods (SOCY3119) will be offered online ONLY for Fall 2023 and Spring 2024. Please make sure to plan accordingly! If you have questions or concerns about this (or anything else related to your schedule or registration), please do not hesitate to reach out to the Undergraduate Advisor, Dr. Maren Scull at Maren.Scull@ucdenver.edu.

The CLAS Educational Policies and Curriculum Committee (EPCC) seeks one undergraduate CLAS student and one graduate CLAS student to serve as student representatives to the committee for the 2023-2024 Academic Year.

This committee is responsible for reviewing and approving all CLAS courses, program curriculum, and academic policies. Having student members on the committee is very important so that student voices are included. To learn more about the EPCC, click HERE. 

To apply, please complete the application HERE. Applications will be accepted until Tuesday, April 4. 

The Sociology Department is pleased to announced that its annual AKD Honor Society induction ceremony and end of the year blowout will be held on Thursday, May 11 at 4-6PM in the Speer Gallery Reception space in the Student Commons building. (The space is located on the north side of the building, facing Speer Boulevard.)

Please bring your friends and family to celebrate your accomplishments and those of your fellow students!

The next Sociology Club event is scheduled! And to change things up, the Club is going to be meeting on a weekend and in the evening. Please mark your calendars for Saturday, April 22^nd at 7pm. More details to follow! Keep your eyes on the department's social media pages for updates! Check out our pages HERE.

The Jefferson Humanists and Secular Hub, chapters of the American Humanist Association, will welcome Professor Phil Zuckerman to speak on the topic, “Healing the World Through Secular Humanism,” at 7 pm on April 15 at Jefferson Unitarian Church (14350 W 32nd Ave) in Golden, CO.

Phil Zuckerman is Associate Dean and Professor of Sociology and Secular Studies at Pitzer College. He will discuss ways in which secular humanism can provide comprehensive solutions to problems such as poverty, climate change, and healthcare. 

The Communications Department will hold its annual Communication Day Keynote Presentation on Tuesday, April 4, at 5:30-7:00 at the Lawrence Street Center Terrace Room (second floor).

The keynote presentation is titled, "You Can Talk to Me: Advocating for Open Mental Health Conversations" and features Melissa Doman, mental health at work specialist and authors of Yes, You Can Talk About Mental Health at Work, and J.R. Kuo, leadership, cultural competency, and mental health expert. Register to attend in-person HERE. If you're unable to join in person, you can register to join via Zoom here.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). Please take a look at various campus events--the Clothesline Project, Trauma-Informed Self-Defense & Yoga Class, Consent Carnival, Photo Booth, masculinities panel, and more--to bring awareness on and action against sexual assult. More details HERE.

Casa de Paz is looking for several volunteers and interns as they are expecting mass releases from the ICE Detention Center in Aurora. When people are released, they often have nothing and nowhere to go. Casa de Paz provides them with resources to connect them with their loved ones and make it to their final destination. There are several roles that students can take on, such as companions, driving, cleaning, and meal-making. Check out their website HERE.

Gain Leadership Experience with Generation Teach (GT).  GT provides an award-winning Summer Teaching Fellowship and the deadline for applications is rapidly approaching! The fellowship includes pre-summer preparation, seven days of in-person training, and 25 days of teaching Denver middle school students. Fellows receive $4,550 and over 350 hours of leadership experience. The fellowship is open to all majors. The final deadline is April 15. Learn more through this flier and video. Fellowships are filling quickly; apply here today!

Young American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (YAPSAC) Institute. YAPSAC will be hosting an institute in Denver at the APSAC colloquium in the downtown Sheraton on May 23^rd from 8:30 am to 11:45 pm. This half-day institute will be professional development for students and young professionals interested in the field of child maltreatment and child well-being. Please take a look at their website for more information, HERE. 

To register, please follow the link below!

Registration Link 

Mural by Robyn Frances (@_growlove_). Photo by Daniel J. Brenner. Read 5280's story about the tragic death of Johnny Hurley, an armed citizen who killed an active shooter who was then gunned down by police. 

The Sociology Department is psyched to announce that Valentina Serrano Salomon has been named the CLAS Outstanding Master's Graduate for Spring 2023. Valentina's award will be given at the CLAS Dean’s Awards Reception on Friday, May 5th. Her research focuses on community displacement in urban areas, and she has conducted fieldwork on the topic in both Cali (Colombia) and Denver. The department could not be prouder of her work and her achievements. Way to go Valentina!

East High School Student Activists Speak Out Against Gun Violence. City Cast Denver speaks with Clara and Gracie Taub, East High School sophomores taking action to change gun laws in Colorado. Find more of City Cast Denver's excellent local podcasts here: https://denver.citycast.fm/ 

US Democracy Enters Uncharted Territory as Former President Trump Indicted. National Public Radio provides an initial take on the news of Donald Trump's indictment. 

38 Die in Fire in Mexican Immigration Jail. Read Democracy Now's coverage of the fire that killed at least 38 men held at a Mexican immigration center in Ciudad Juarez, just across the US border from El Paso, Texas.