The following message was sent to emeriti faculty and friends on July 31, 2020:
Dear UChicago Emeriti and Friends,
We hope you are well and have settled into summer. At the end of June, President Zimmer and Provost Lee announced plans for the Autumn Quarter 2020 that resulted from a detailed process focused on maintaining the distinctive academic qualities of the University while prioritizing the health and safety of instructors, students, and staff. Those planning efforts include the resumption of research, teaching, and learning on campus and are continuing in close consultation with physicians and epidemiologists from UChicago Medicine. For updates about the ongoing process, please consult UChicago Forward where you can find recordings of Town Hall sessions, campus announcements, and much more. For the most recent information on the campus response to COVID-19, please refer to the Coronavirus Updates site the University maintains.
Although the University has increased in-person research activities on campus this summer, most of the community continues to work remotely and summer classes are being held online. Summer session has seen a dramatic increase in enrollments, however, with over 1,300 UChicago undergraduate students enrolled this year (up roughly 800 from 2019).
In addition to the ramp-up of research activity and positive news from the Summer Session Office, we are excited to share information about the resumption of select services at the University Library and limited access for The Allure of Matter at the Smart Museum of Art, along with the usual resources and updates.
Summer Reading and Research
University Library Limited Services Resume
Paging & Pickup, Scan & Deliver, and reduced UChicago Card Services are now available for members of the University community. The Regenstein lobby area is open for picking up books, but all other spaces remain closed to patrons. We have included information on all the services currently provided, but for further details and updates please see the Library’s updates page.
- Paging & Pickup: Library materials can be paged through the Library Catalog by clicking on “Request for Pickup at Regenstein.” You will need to login with your CNet ID and password to complete the paging request. Once completed, an email will notify you when the items have been paged with a link to reserve a 30-minute time slot for picking up the items. Patrons can page up to 200 items per quarter and the Library will process and fill 5 requests per person each day. When picking up your items at the Regenstein, please wear a mask and observe social distancing, and be prepared to show your UChicago Card to Library staff.
Important Note: Items currently available online through the HathiTrust Emergency Temporary Access Service will not be eligible for physical paging so that the Library can continue to provide online access. Special Collections items are not eligible for Paging & Pickup.
- Scan & Deliver: All items in the University Library Collection are available for Scan & Deliver with two exceptions: as with the paging service, Special Collections materials and items available through the HathiTrust Temporary Emergency Access Service are not available.
- UChicago Card: The UChicago Card office is offering limited services at this time. Only Faculty, staff, students, temporary staff, and contractors with an immediate need for campus building access should register for an appointment to be issued either a UChicago Card or a Campus Card.
University of Chicago Press
The UChicago Press and the Chicago Distribution Center are continuing to make books available online – and over 5,500 remain in print. Search new books and books by faculty authors, take a look at the best sellers list, or download the pdf of the Fall 2020 Catalog of books available from the Press (and those they distribute). Among recent titles published, we highlight a selection of those by members of the emeriti community:
By Neil Harris (Preston and Sterling Morton Professor of History and Art History Emeritus) and Teri Edelstein
By Bruce Lincoln (Caroline E. Haskell Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of the History of Religions in the Divinity School) and Carlo Ginzburg
By Barbara Stafford (William B. Ogden Distinguished Service Professor of Art History Emerita)
Edited by Josef Stern (William H. Colvin Professor of Philosophy Emeritus), James T. Robinson (Caroline E. Haskell Professor of the History of Judaism, Islamic Studies, and the History of Religions), and Yonatan Shemesh
By David Tracy (Andrew Thomas Greeley and Grace McNichols Greeley Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of Catholic Studies and Professor of Theology and the Philosophy of Religions, and in the Committee on Social Thought)
The Seminary Co-op
The Seminary Co-op stores remain closed, but you can still linger at the Front Table (digitally) and the stacks are open for virtual browsing and placing orders online. Now you can also arrange for local delivery service (for 60615 and 60637 zip codes) as well as curbside pick-up of orders.
The Allure of Matter at the Smart Museum
Starting July 24 and extending through August 9, the Smart Museum of Art has opened its galleries for a reconfigured presentation of The Allure of Matter: Material Art from China. During the limited engagement, small groups of up to six people will be able to reserve space and time to visit the exhibition. To help plan your visit and make your reservation, please review the guidelines and policies the Smart Museum has put in place.
Thanks to The Smart Museum At Home, you can also continue to explore the other galleries and collections that are closed temporarily.
Resource Updates
Benefits
The University remains dedicated to ensuring that you are satisfied with the Retiree Medical plans that we offer. The Benefits Office will be sending out an invitation to complete a survey about the 2020 Retiree Medical Plan for Medicare eligible retirees to help evaluate how the plans are working as the University looks to the 2021 plan year. Please take a few minutes in the coming weeks to complete the Retiree Medical Plan Satisfaction Survey if you are able. There is no deadline for the survey and HR/Benefits will keep collecting data until the end of the year. Many thanks in advance for your assistance with the process!
Keep Connecting with Zoom
UChicago Zoom accounts remain available to emeriti who intend to continue their research, scholarship, and advising throughout the summer. Please refer to the emeriti faculty website for more informationabout how to obtain an account and a helpful FAQ that we have put together.
Upcoming and Recent Events
After mounting a successful spring series of virtual lectures, the Alumni Association has planned a line up for Harper Lectures during the summer. Beginning on August 5th with John Mark Hansen, Charles L. Hutchinson Distinguished Service Professor in the Department of Political Science and the College, speaking on “American Politics Before and After Trump,” the Alumni Association will host four virtual lectures during the month of August. Please visit the Harper Lectures website for more details on upcoming talks by Zhiguo He (Fuji Bank and Heller Professor of Finance, Booth School of Business), Susan Stokes (Tiffany and Margaret Blake Distinguished Service Professor of Political Science and Director of the Chicago Center on Democracy), and Luigi Zingales (Robert C. McCormack Distinguished Service Professor of Entrepreneurship and Finance, Booth School of Business).
If you are unable to attend in real time, the Alumni Association maintains an archive of past lectures. A recording of the most recent Harper Lecture, “Plagues and Faiths, Past and Present,” delivered by David Nirenberg, Dean of the Divinity School and Deborah R. and Edgar D. Jannotta Distinguished Service Professor of Social Thought, Medieval History, Middle East Studies, Romance Languages and Literatures, and the College, is now available.
For information on other events around campus, please continue to check UChicago Virtual Events, a central place the News Office has developed to keep the community informed. Check the site regularly for updates on upcoming events, to register for Zoom webinars, tune in to music performances, and attend live lectures.
Warmly,
Melina Hale, Phil Venticinque, and Cassandra Martynow
Melina Hale
Vice Provost
Phil Venticinque
Assistant Provost
Cassandra Martynow
Associate Director