October 17, 2017

Four stories of alumni contribution

I was honored last Friday to participate in one of the highlights of Reunion Homecoming weekend – the induction ceremony for the Multicultural Alumni Hall of Fame.

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October 11, 2017

Supporting the DREAMers

In recent days, there has been more news from Washington about the effort to protect the students and others who have been covered under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program. I want to share a few things Stanford is doing both externally and internally at this very difficult time for many in our community.

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October 4, 2017

Restarting the conversation

On Wednesday, Persis and I held our first "Conversation with the President and Provost" of the new academic year. We started holding these sessions last year, and we have found them to be great opportunities to hear from a broad mix of students, faculty and staff about issues on their minds.

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September 25, 2017

A new academic year

We want to take the opportunity of a new fall quarter to extend a warm welcome to you, whether for the first time or once again. Yet as we write we are also reminded of the challenges facing some members of our community, with the announcement just hours ago of an updated travel ban affecting visitors to the United States from several countries.

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September 23, 2017

Warmth and optimism from Alondra to Zapata

Going to college for the first time is a momentous occasion in the life of any undergraduate. This past week I was thrilled to participate in two of my favorite Stanford traditions that seek to facilitate this transition: Move-In Day and the new undergraduate reception at Hoover House.

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September 21, 2017

Summer explorations

Summer is a time to refresh the soul. I spent a small part of my summer doing that by spending some time as a student of the arts.

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September 15, 2017

Advancing access

In my column in the September/October issue of Stanford Magazine, I focus on a key priority for Stanford: advancing access and affordability for our students. True to the spirit of our founding, Stanford has one of the most comprehensive undergraduate financial aid programs in higher education. But there’s more to be done. 

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September 7, 2017

Our commitment to battling sexual assault

Stanford has no intention of retreating, in any way, on the subject of sexual assault and harassment; we continue our commitment to move forward. Some thoughts following a speech delivered by the U.S. Secretary of Education regarding Title IX.

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September 5, 2017

On the federal administration's plans for DACA

Following the decision by the federal administration to wind down the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, Stanford is urging congressional action in support of our country’s DREAMers. Here is the statement the university issued.

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September 1, 2017

Looking back, and ahead

Thank you all for so warmly welcoming me to Stanford exactly one year ago today. Together we have experienced a year of great transition both on and off campus, and I have witnessed with pride how you have advanced our mission of bettering the world through education and research while strengthening our community. This anniversary provides an opportunity for me to share a few brief reflections on our fundamental values and our vision of a truly purposeful university.

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