President's Message

Yesterday, a federal appeals court ruled the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy violates U.S. immigration law. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals concluded the Obama Administration did not have the legal authority to create DACA in 2012, and it affirmed an earlier ruling that barred the current administration from enrolling any new immigrants in the program. Despite the decision, the court did not order DACA to be shut down or put a stop to renewal application processing. One…

Dear Campus Community,  The past two years have taught us that the world is connected, and we must work together to make meaningful progress and keep our communities safe. In the face of a global pandemic, our campus united as #OneBeach to navigate uncertainty and demonstrate true resilience. What I have witnessed during the pandemic gives me faith that we can meet our next grand challenge, mitigating the climate crisis, with similar rigor and collective action.   Earth Month at The…

Dear Beach Community: As I watch conflicts around the globe, I often hesitate to make public comments, not sure that I have anything to add to readily available news coverage. Today, however, I’ve been wondering what lessons we, as a university community, can derive from the apparent willingness of humans to wage organized murder toward each other. While the current horrific aggression happening in Ukraine has our full attention right now, my lifetime has been filled with international…

Dear Beach Community, I am looking forward to our Monday, February 7 resumption of face-to-face instruction for our in-person classes. (For students unsure about how course instruction will be offered in a particular class beginning next week, they should consult BeachBoard, the online schedule of classes, or with their instructor.) I have so appreciated your flexibility over the past couple of weeks during our primarily virtual environment – a step we took to help keep our…