Courtney’s February 2023 Update

Dear Colleagues,
With the short month of February behind us, I’m looking forward to leaping into spring! Here are some of my highlights from this month:
- Celebrating Black history: I was heartened to see our Haas staff come together to celebrate Black history, and more specifically, our Black Haas community members who are making history! Earlier in the month, our DEIJB team hosted a gathering at Oakland’s Agave Lounge to congratulate Associate Professor Conrad Miller, the first Black tenured professor at Haas, on his recent tenure, as well as Derek Brown, PhD 24, who accepted a faculty position at Columbia. The group also welcomed Assistant Professor Sa-Kiera Hudson, the first Black woman on tenure track, and our first Racial Equity Postdoc scholar, Merrick Osborne, both of whom are new to Haas. To bring the month to a close, our staff convened at the Oakland Museum to see the Angela Davis–Seize the Time exhibit. Thank you to our incredible DEIJB team for organizing these events for our Haas community!
- “Tiny TED Talks” at Haas: On Feb. 10, our Professional Faculty Advisory Committee on Teaching (PFACT) hosted a TED Talk-style event and invited 13 professional faculty members to give 5-minute presentations on a range of topics, including teaching tips, research, and personal passions. The TED Talk idea was sparked by a previous event held last November that highlighted Haas professional and ladder faculty who have published books. Jenny Herbert Creek, chair of PFACT, said the event allowed professional faculty to bring new ideas into their teaching and foster strong bonds among the group. There will be more Tiny Ted Talks later in the year. If anyone is interested in attending a presentation, email Jenny.
- The stars are aligning for Big Give: Our annual 24-hour giving online fundraising blitz kicks off next Thursday, March 9, and with everyone’s help we hope to step up in a BIG way to support our Haas community. Philanthropy plays a big role in our ability to deliver first-rate education and service to our students, faculty, and staff. What exactly is Big Give, and why do we have it? Learn more in this 60-second video.
I would like to give a shout-out to our 34 Haas staff who received Service Awards! Campus held a reception on Feb. 7 honoring those who reached milestone anniversaries. Here’s a complete list of our Haas staff who were honored.
And finally, kudos to Marco Lindsey, David Moren, and Merrick Osborne who presented at this month’s UC Berkeley Managers’ Forum hosted by Chief People & Culture Officer Eugene Whitlock! Marco and David gave an overview on Haas’ Anti-racism Challenge and best practices to implement such a program across UC Berkeley, while Merrick discussed his research on how organizations address prejudice at work and how that impacts social hierarchy.
Until next month,
Courtney