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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Greetings Colleagues,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">It has been a while since I wrote to say hello. I hope each of you is doing well.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">I have had the pleasure of seeing many of you on zoom recently, including check-ins with departments/programs. I truly enjoy those opportunities to connect, and I look
forward to future conversations. Connections will be easier when we get back to campus in some capacity the fall. Details on the fall campus transition are forthcoming.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">All the signs of spring 2021 are popping up: flowers, baby animals…vaccine sites, and COVID. Except for the flowers and animals, I truly hope that this is not our new
normal for springs of the future. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">I was unable to write last week, and I wanted to be sure that I acknowledged the holiday we just had in honor of Cesar Chavez. While the holiday was last week, today
is actually Mr. Chavez’s birthday. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">As you know, Chavez was a Mexican-American labor leader and civil rights activist (see
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><a href="https://www.history.com/topics/mexico/cesar-chavez">Cesar Chavez - Facts, Accomplishments, Death - HISTORY</a></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">).
He dedicated his work to help struggling farmworkers, and he is responsible for drawing attention to their plight in the 60s and 70s. Because of him, I learned about immigrant labor and I witnessed the grape strike/boycott in my preteens. I recall my teachers
speaking sympathetically about the struggle and how much they admired Chavez’s nonviolent and intelligent approach to resistance.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">UCM is, in many ways, inextricably connected to the history and efforts of the agriculture community of the Valley: many UCM faculty and staff come from hard working
families like those advocated for by Mr. Chavez, and many of our students grew-up in the valley alongside farmworker friends and family members. I have long admired the humility, drive, and connection to family that comes from these roots and heritage, and
it is unlike anything I have seen elsewhere. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">While SSHA endures COVID restraints, we maintain our commitment to equity and justice. People like Cesar Chavez should remind us of the importance of dignity, respect,
and humility in what we do and how we regard the people we serve. As Mr. Chavez has said:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">“The fight is never about grapes or lettuce<i>. It is always about people</i>."</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;letter-spacing:.6pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Take care,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Jeff<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">Jeffrey W. Gilger, PhD<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">Dean</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">,<span style="color:black"> School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">Professor of Psychology
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">5200 N. Lake Road<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">Merced, CA 95343-5603<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">Office: COB 241<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">Phone: 209-228-7843<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">Fax: 209-228-4007<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">Email:
<a href="mailto:jgilger@ucmerced.edu"><span style="color:blue">jgilger@ucmerced.edu</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">Lab:
<a href="http://faculty2.ucmerced.edu/jgilger/"><span style="color:blue">http://faculty2.ucmerced.edu/jgilger/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">FYI: The
<a href="mailto:sshadean@ucmerced.edu"><span style="color:#0563C1">sshadean@ucmerced.edu</span></a> email account is a general, non-confidential email address monitored by Christine Howe. Responses/inquiries meant for the Dean’s eyes only, should be addressed
to <a href="mailto:jgilger@ucmerced.edu"><span style="color:#0563C1">jgilger@ucmerced.edu</span></a>. Thank you.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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