The Environmental Studies (ENVS) Department moved locations this fall, and consolidated its offices in Albany, Suite 104.
Prior to this semester, ENVS faculty was scattered across multiple academic buildings, making it difficult for faculty and students alike to connect. ENVS Administrator Laura Mundt and Professor Jim Proctor had offices on the third floor of J.R. Howard, sharing the space with the Sociology and Anthropology, Rhetoric and Media Studies, Economics, International Affairs and Political Science departments. Meanwhile, professors Jessica Kleiss and Liz Safran had offices in Olin, neighboring the Chemistry and Physics departments.
Jessica Kleiss, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies and Director of ENVS Program, spoke on behalf of the department, and pointed to the difficulties the department has faced in the past.
“We are so happy to be in this place together,” she wrote via email. “The previous arrangement worked out OK, but we had a lot of email traffic instead of foot traffic, since students had to run back and forth to consult with different professors.”
Kleiss also expressed her enthusiasm for the new shared spaces, and the potential they have to build community and provide study spaces for ENVS students.
“I am especially excited about the common areas in our space,” wrote Kleiss. “There is an outer room that is a student gathering space — it even has a couch! We hope that students will come down to work on their homework, hang out, and strengthen our community. We also have a central area adjacent to our offices that is a great meeting space.”
Kleiss encourages students to visit the new space in Albany, either to study, connect with the ENVS community or become involved in last-minute planning for the upcoming ENVX Symposium. This year’s theme is “Environment Across Boundaries” and the events will being the week of Monday, Sept. 30. The ENVX Symposium Committee has allocated Wednesdays from 12:40-1:40 p.m. and Fridays from 4-5 p.m. for symposium planning time.
“It’s ‘all hands on deck’ to get the campus fired up to attend our evening events,” wrote Kleiss. “Students have been planning this symposium for a year, and it should be quite good. Come join us in our new space to add your energy to symposium planning, or come and see us at the symposium events, and bring a friend!”
Students hoping to connect with the ENVS Department are ecouraged to reach out to jkleiss@lclark.edu or can head over to Albany, next to the Dovecote, and explore the new ENVS space.
The ENVS lounge can be accessed from Albany’s upper levels, by going down the stairs next to the water fountain and elevator, or directly from its lower-level entrance, across from Olin. For more detailed video instructions, see the Office of Communications website.
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