TD Notes and News – Week of 12-4-2023

WEEK OF 12/4/2023

HL’S PIECES 
 

Welcome to the last week of classes!  Hard to believe but we are almost done with the fall 2023 semester!

Hope many of you enjoyed our events last week and felt uplifted by some good winter holiday cheer.  I had so many submissions for “photo of the week” that it was simply not possible to do just one.  So I am sharing some of the top submissions:

With the end of classes, TD shifts into the Reading Period.  Starting this Sunday 12/10 our Dining Hall will start to stay open 24/7 for quiet study only.  SAC will start their study breaks on the evening of Monday 12/11.  A full schedule of study breaks will come out in next Monday’s Notes and News.

A special closing of the college email will be coming from TD Assistant Director of Operations Samantha Gambardella.  Especially if this is your first time leaving for winter break, please read her note carefully for directions on closing up your room for the long break.

Here are some events and dates for this week:

Monday 12/4 9pm TD Buttery Holiday Special (Buttery)

The TD Buttery is ending the semester with a Happy Holidays special tonight!  There will be hot cocoa, cranberry-basil spritzer, and bacon-wrapped, goat-cheese stuffed dates available.  Non-bacon options also available.  There will also be regular service – with an end of semester sale – beginning at 10:30pm.  Happy holidays from your favorite Buttery on campus!

Friday 12/8 2pm New York City Arts Trip 

We have had a slight delay on announcing the results of the lottery for the NYC Arts trip for Alvin Ailey and Six.  We will definitely do it by Tuesday at noon so please stay tuned.

Saturday 12/9 5-7pm First-Year Holiday Dinner (Commons)

First-year lions should have received instructions to pick up a wristband from the TD HoC office during business hours.  So come get yours if you haven’t already.

Saturday 12/9 5-7pm  TD Holiday and First-Year Dinner (TD Dining Hall)

Our wonderful TD Dining staff is looking forward to serving up a beautiful holiday dinner.  Family dinner protocol will be in effect so all off-campus Lions get to dine for free.  Come early and enjoy the scrumptious spread! (No wristband needed for our dinner in TD.)

Sunday 12/10 5:30-7pm TD Holiday Gear Sale During Family Dinner (Common Room)

Mott Woolley will be running one last TD gear sale before we hit break.  As they would like to remind you… TD merch makes great gifts during the holidays!

Without further ado, here is a word from Dean Mahurin…

Àshe,
HL

***

“I’m definitely beyond thinking about joy as this permanent destination the way I used to.  I used to think about joy as a deliverance, like, I’m gonna be joyful, I’m gonna feel joyful.  Now I think I’m more about, just, being able to articulate the times when I do feel immense joy… There’s some joyful shit every day.”  (Kiese Laymon)

DATES AND DEADLINES

 
IMPORTANT NOTES ON END OF TERM

Remember that, in addition to being the last day of exams, December 20 is also the final possible date for the submission of term papers and term projects.  Of course, individual instructors may set deadlines for earlier than this date, even as they have full discretion to set deadlines as late as this date.  Beyond May 20, coursework may be submitted only with a Temporary Incomplete from me; your instructor cannot set deadlines or issue extensions for beyond December 20, even in graduate or professional school courses.  Yale College considers such deadlines and extensions invalid, and the work will not be counted toward your grade.  

As with Dean’s Extensions, the Academic Regulations permit Temporary Incompletes in only a limited range of circumstances; contact me right away if you anticipate needing one so that we can discuss your situation.  Postponements of scheduled final examinations (via ABX: “All But eXam”) also require my intervention, and may be authorized under the same set of circumstances as Dean’s Extensions and Temporary Incompletes.  As always, if you find yourself in any kind of trouble relating to the submission of work or the taking of exams, let me know right away – I’m very happy to consult on these points.

FROCO INFORMATION SESSION

Join me and members of this year’s froco team for an informal information session in the TD Lounge tomorrow, 12/5, at 7pm.  We’ll try to answer all your most pressing questions!  You can find more information about the gig, and about the application process, here. 
 
YALE CONSERVATION SCHOLARS- EARLY LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE

Upcoming information session for the Yale Conservation Scholars – Early Leadership Initiative:
 
Monday, December 11th, from 12:00 pm EST to 1:00 pm EST. Registration is required. Register using this link.
 
We will begin with a short presentation on the program and end with a Q&A session with staff, alums, and second-year scholars.  The program application deadline is Monday, January 15^th, at 11:59 pm EST.  
 
Led by Dr. Dorceta Taylor, Program Director and Principal Investigator, the Yale Conservation Scholars – Early Leadership Initiative (YCS- ELI) is a paid summer opportunity for undergraduates interested in conservation. YCS-ELI is dedicated to creating a diverse environment that uplifts and supports students traditionally underrepresented in the conservation field and interested in careers in the sector. Candidates of any identity and background are welcome to apply. Any questions can be directed to YCS-ELI@yale.edu. 
 

SAS HOUSING ACCOMMODATION REQUESTS
If you are requesting housing accommodations for the 2024-2025 academic year, please reach out to Student Accessibility Services (SAS) following the steps below. The deadline for housing accommodation requests is January 25, 2024 (including a completed SAS housing form from your treatment provider).
Steps to request housing accommodations for next year:

1. Complete an SAS accommodation request form in the Accommodate system.
2. Have your current provider that you have been working with this year complete the SAS housing form and return it via email to sas@yale.edu or secure fax at (203) 432-8250. Be sure to allow enough time for your provider to complete the form by the January 25th.
3. Schedule an appointment with SAS.

Please contact SAS with any questions at sas@yale.edu.

ACADEMIC STRATEGIES

Our mission is to help all Yale undergraduates be active, empowered learners at Yale. Through peer academic mentoring, interactive workshops, and connections to resources, we hope to provide you with the tools that can propel you towards your goals.
 
STEM Navigators:  Want to learn the best practices for succeeding in introductory STEM Courses? Join STEM Navigators, a mentoring network that provides you with information, events, and support to guide you through these crucial first courses. Sign up via this link: STEM Navigators sign up
 
Disability Peer Mentorship Program
This program matches students with disabilities with peer mentors who have similar experiences navigating academic life at Yale for individual mentoring. Students can request a mentor via this form: Disability Peer Mentor Request. First-year students can also request mentorship and guidance about Student Accessibility Resources through the SAS Peer Liaison Program.
 
Meet with our Learning Specialist
Have a learning difference or other condition that affects how you accomplish your academic work? We can talk with you about new approaches for meeting Yale’s academic challenges. Contact our new Learning Specialist, Geoffrey Canales (geoffrey.canales@yale.edu), for an appointment.
 
Individual Mentoring
Get organized for the semester by meeting with an Academic Strategies Mentor. Mentors will help you develop a weekly study routine, offer strategies for approaching complicated readings and p-sets, and help you develop a plan for prepping for those first exams. To request a mentor please email us at academicstrategies@yale.edu.