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Week in Review: Goodbye, Summer; Hello, Fall!

Greetings from Massachusetts! While I know that my home state does have some rough weather moments (I’m looking at you, endless winter), it’s been utter bliss to sleep with the windows open after a summer holed up inside with the AC struggling against southern heat and humidity. Fresh air! And though it’s only mid-August, fall is definitely creeping in up here—there are even some early bursts of fall foliage. The mornings have been chilly, the earlier sunsets have taken me by surprise, and there’s a crispness in the air that signals the advent of sweaters and scarves, and, of course, back-to-school season.

And speaking of back to school, let’s get back to the latest in higher ed. Scroll down for more.

What’s new this week:

Professor Daniel Bitran of the College of the Holy Cross explained why tourists go to sites associated with death and suffering in a piece for The Conversation.

This week on Inside Higher Ed’s Call to Action blog, don’t miss posts on how to subtly change the office culture to get better results and implications of increased advertising expenditures across higher ed.

What we’ve been talking about:

These days, it’s hard to hear any news that doesn’t mention Trump or politics, and it’s harder to break into the news than ever. Kristine reminds us why we shouldn’t give up on pushing our non-political stories even if it feels like a futile struggle.

 

If we can make it here, we can make it anywhere!

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  We take snack time very seriously here.   A post shared by TVP Communications (@tvpcomms) on

 

What’s next on our calendars:

Teresa will present a preconference media training at the CASE Annual Conference for Media Relations Professionals on Monday, September 18 in Philadelphia, PA.

Teresa will be co-leading the “Developing Presidential Voice: Toolkit for Marketing and Communications” webinar for Academic Impressions on September 22.

Erin will present a session on social media to participants in the NACUBO Fellows Program in Washington, DC, on October 12.

Teresa will be leading a crisis communications session and case study review for the Dean’s Section of the American Association of Law Schools in San Diego, CA on January 6, 2018.

What we’re recommending:

Erin Hennessy
Vacation! It’s here! I’m heading out this weekend for some time down the shore and of course, I’m hauling a lot of books with me. Here’s my reading list for the next couple weeks:

The Rules Do Not Apply: A Memoir by Ariel Levy
You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me: A Memoir by Sherman Alexie
A House Among the Trees by Julia Glass
Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi
What Made Maddy Run: The Secret Struggles and Tragic Death of an All-American Teen by Kate Fagan
The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History by Elizabeth Kolbert
Flight Path: A Search for Roots Beneath the World’s Busiest Airport by Hannah Palmer
White Girls by Hilton Als
Private Citizens: A Novel by Tony Tulathimutte

I’m really excited about all of these books, several of which are for the Colgate course Ali and I are taking this fall. It might be challenging to get through nine books when I’m in the company of a five-year-old for a good portion of my trip, but I’ll do my best. See you in a couple weeks!

Ali Lincoln
I’m still creeping into the world of podcasts, and so this isn’t new, but I’ve recently stumbled upon Dear Sugars with Cheryl Strayed and Steve Almond and I’m loving it. I was a huge fan of Wild, Cheryl Strayed’s novel and Tiny Beautiful Things, which highlighted some of the letters and responses from the Dear Sugar column. The podcast is similar to the column—people send in letters with tricky life questions and Cheryl and Steve respond, sometimes calling other writers to get their take. I’m always fascinated by writers and their thoughts and lives outside of their books, so I’m especially interested whenever there is a guest call.

And, as the mother of a toddler, I love seeing positive messages for girls growing up today, like this new Disney campaign. So fun!

Teresa Valerio Parrot
Here’s something I don’t usually confess—I’m a big fan of 80’s big hair bands. This past weekend I was in the car for a couple of hours and happened to catch the Hair Nation top 25 album countdown. I sang my little heart out to Poison, Def Leppard, Motley Crue, Bon Jovi, Guns N Roses, Quiet Riot and a whole host of other eyeliner-wearing acts. Just in case you also are a fan of belting out, “I Wanna Rock,” or you spent time wishing you had Sebastian Bach’s hair or pout, you might have a bit of fun taking this quick quiz.

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