The Middlebury Board of Trustees at their May meeting approved several important motions including faculty tenure and promotions, the 2024 budget, the public launch of the comprehensive campaign, start of construction on a new residence hall, and a new School Abroad in Taiwan. You can read more in the full news story.

The Middlebury Institute’s Center for the Blue Economy invites students, faculty, staff, and alumni to participate in what’s likely to be the largest ocean-lobbying effort in U.S. history.

CBE has been a key organizer for this national event on April 14, which aims to shape current legislation around ocean-climate policy through its Ocean Climate Action Plan. Hundreds of citizen-lobbyists from dozens of states are expected to participate, and it’s an opportunity to let your congressional delegation know how you feel about this topic. Capitol Hill Lobby Day will be organized by state coalitions. For more information, including instructions on how to sign up to participate, click here or visit the CBE website.

We want to know how your team is having fun and staying productive while working remotely.

Zoom meetings that resemble the opening credits of The Brady Bunch. Virtual happy hours and coffee klatches. Video backdrops for those Zoom meetings that place you on campus—or on the moon.

For those still on campus, the daily routine is no less alien. We wear masks and gloves and practice social distancing; there’s no longer the opportunity to meet as a group, whether for a work function or socially.

Yet we’re hearing that many departments and divisions and offices are devising creative ways to foster community among work cohorts. Those virtual coffee gatherings and happy hours are but a couple that we’ve heard about.

So, tell us what you’re doing—as a department or as a group of coworkers—to help make your work days feel more collegial.

We want to hear what you’re doing and celebrate it as a community. And in the process, perhaps we’ll come up with even more ideas that help us stay connected.

Please take a moment to jot down your ideas on this brief form. We’ll figure out how best to share your stories.