Posts by Persis Drell

October 4, 2018

Preparing for our next climate survey

In April, I wrote with the news that based on the recommendation of an advisory committee of students, faculty and staff, Stanford will be joining the student campus climate survey that will be administered by the Association of American Universities in the spring of 2019. I want to provide an update on our process to prepare for this survey.

Read the post »

September 24, 2018

Welcome to fall quarter!

We are delighted to welcome so many new and familiar faces to Stanford for the fall quarter. As we think about all that we have to look forward to in a new academic year, we are especially encouraged by the work going on around campus to build a strong and engaged Stanford community.

Read the post »

September 21, 2018

Rethinking the conversation

Last fall Marc and I launched Cardinal Conversations as an opportunity to advance the university’s commitment to the free exchange of ideas and to fostering an inclusive campus culture. Advancing both ideals together continues to be an imperative and a challenge for our community, and I want to update you on what we are doing for the coming year.

Read the post »

September 18, 2018

Leland Scholars Program: preparing for success

One of my favorite tasks during the summer is meeting the 60 students enrolled in the Leland Scholars Program (LSP). Started in 2011, LSP is a four-week residential transition program for incoming first-year undergraduates who are the first in their families to attend college or who come from under-resourced schools.

Read the post »

August 7, 2018

A Title IX case in the news

I’ve spoken and written many times about our continuing efforts at Stanford to strengthen our work in preventing and responding to sexual assault, along with our efforts to share much more information about the cases heard in our adjudication process and their outcomes. Some of these issues also were addressed in a story in the San Francisco Chronicle last weekend. The story looked at a particular case that was heard in our Title IX process two years ago.

Read the post »

May 17, 2018

Envisioning Stanford’s future

This afternoon at the annual meeting of the Academic Council, we presented a high-level vision for Stanford’s future, building on the input of many hundreds of people from across the university community over the last year. We’re excited to share this vision with our community. We believe it reflects the optimistic, pioneering, energetic spirit of a community eager to strengthen Stanford’s foundations and to expand its contributions.

Read the post »

May 8, 2018

Postdocs and affordability

Throughout the long-range planning process, we have been reminded of the great value that our postdoctoral scholars bring to faculty and to the university. Numerous submissions and white papers also highlighted the fact that postdocs face significant affordability challenges. Marc Tessier-Lavigne and I will be sharing next steps on the long-range vision for Stanford later this month, addressing a wide range of issues across the university. Today, however, I'm writing about one specific action we are taking to help our postdoctoral scholars.

Read the post »

April 25, 2018

Our next campus climate survey

Earlier this academic year, I asked an advisory committee of students, faculty and staff to give me advice on how Stanford should approach its next campus climate survey. I'm writing now to share the news that, informed by the committee's very helpful input, we are planning to join the Association of American Universities (AAU) survey that will be conducted in spring 2019.

Read the post »

April 10, 2018

Stanford's resolution agreement with OCR

I am writing to share the news that Stanford has completed a resolution agreement with the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) of the U.S. Department of Education. This concludes an investigation that OCR has been conducting for the last three years regarding our response to sexual violence at Stanford and our compliance with Title IX.

Read the post »

March 14, 2018

On the contemplative garden

Questions continue to be asked by members of our community about a contemplative garden we built last summer at the site of a sexual assault that happened in January of 2015. I would like to correct any misimpressions that have arisen.

Read the post »