Chair Corner with Sara Mellady

Whoa, 2020; what a year! January started with the Australian bushfires that burned 47 million acres, Prince Harry and Megan Markle leaving the royal family, and the World Health Organization announcing the deadly coronavirus (COVID-19). As the days, weeks and months went on, we witnessed significant tensions with Iran, a global pandemic, worldwide lockdowns, mass layoffs, a stock market crash, an impeachment trial, Brexit, civil unrest, nationwide protests, West Coast wildfires, the loss of numerous celebrities and trailblazers that were revered by many … and let’s not forget the murder hornets. Along with these world events, we were all adjusting in our personal and professional lives. Children were no longer in schools and engaging in remote learning. Adults were asked to work from home or maybe even lost their jobs. Individuals were struggling to adjust to life in a pandemic: mentally, physically and emotionally. Some foods were difficult to find, as were cleaning products and toilet paper. Moreover, we witnessed many people contract COVID-19 and more than 1 million people lose their life to the virus. We are still battling COVID-19 and the effects it has had on us, regardless of whether we have contracted the virus. It has changed everything we once knew about our daily lives and routines. 2020 was a challenging and painful year! 

This year, through the many challenges, I witnessed remarkable things here at Purdue University. I saw University leaders, faculty, staff, and students come together to devise ways to keep our campus open, our people safe, and our students engaged. University leaders sought out feedback from every level to best determine how to function, keep us safe and healthy, and allow our students the opportunity to learn in person. The University Senate sacrificed their time and energy to write, deploy, analyze, and disseminate information from four campus-wide surveys. These surveys had questions about our safety, mental health, food security, finances, and work-life balance. Faculty did this on top of teaching and developing course content on multiple platforms, as well as their personal obligations. Staff members were working considerable hours to ensure technology was up and running, and that students, staff and faculty were provided with adequate information, equipment and PPE. They worked hard to get research labs operating safely, submit and manage grant proposals, manage personnel in multiple locations, and develop new marketing and communications plans. Other staff members worked hard to offer administrative support, clean buildings to much higher standards and keep the grounds operational. I also witnessed student leaders advocate for students from mental health and well-being, to campus safety, equity, and workload. Together we accomplished what few tried and even fewer thought possible. I am incredibly humbled and grateful to be a part of the Purdue community. If we could do all of this in 2020, I cannot wait to see what we accomplish together in 2021. 

With COVID-19 cases still on the rise, please remember our promise to Protect Purdue. Mask up! Stay informed by visiting the Indiana State Department of Health, Tippecanoe County Health Department, and Centers for Disease Control sites. The Protect Purdue site links to all those sites and has information on what to do if you are sick, how to get tested, quarantine and isolation resources, and much more.

Coming Soon: 

• Winter Break is December 21 – January 1. Click to view the FAQs

• December 31 – New Year’s Eve – Remember: when the ball drops, yell JUMANJI! 

• January 1 – Happy New Year 

• January 18 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day 

• Week of January 18 - ACE Food Pantry Food Drive – More information to come - follow ACE on Facebook for updates. 

• January 19 – Classes begin 

• January 21 – Pursuing Racial Justice Series – Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Lecture with Andrew Young and Julian Phillips. Click for more info and to register

Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter. You can also visit our website for additional information or email me at cssacexec@purdue.edu or sjmellad@purdue.edu. We may be ending 2020 with a few more scars and gray hairs but they are well earned. Cherish your accomplishments from this year; there are none too small. Stay safe and healthy. 

Wishing you all the very best in 2021! Boiler Up! 
Sara