[OSGeo-Edu] [Fwd: Write a letter to save the UCD Geography Graduate Group]

[Alex Mandel]

Hello,

The Geography program at UC Davis could use some support from the
community right now, please pass on this important information
about our petition and letter writing campaign to help us save our
important program.

Petition
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/save-the-uc-davis-geography-graduate-group.html

Letter writing request is below.

Thank you,
Alex Mandel
Geography Graduate Group
University of California, Davis


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	Write a letter to save the UCD Geography Graduate Group

As you have already heard, the Geography Graduate Group (GGG) at the
University of California, Davis needs your help.  In October 2009, the
Graduate Council voted to end admissions to the GGG and close the
program.  Many students and faculty on the UC Davis campus and
throughout the global geography community recognize the value of
geographic education and would like to see this decision reversed.



There are many reasons that we want to reopen admissions to the
Geography Graduate Group and see the decision to close the program
reversed.  In the standard review of the Geography Graduate Group that
all UC Davis departments periodically submit to, several misleading
statments about geography as a discipline and the Geography Graduate
Group as a program were made.  We would like to rebut these statements
by reinforcing the following facts and encourage letters to address any
or all of these points:

·      UC Davis Geography is a well respected program with talented
students and faculty.

·      Geography is a unique discipline that is a central meeting point
for many related disciplines.

·      There is no shortage of need for well-trained geographers, and UC
Davis geographers can be found applying their skills throughout academia
as well as the public and private sectors.

·      The current UC Davis program serves its students and associated
faculty by providing skills to graduate students not otherwise found on
campus. These skills include geospatial studies, community and regional
development, landscape architecture, and planning.

·      There is a strong and ongoing commitment by faculty to teach and
participate in the geography program.  There are at least six new
faculty members hired since 2006 who have been greatly involved in the
GGG by teaching the core courses, creating employment opportunities, and
mentoring GGG students.

·      Geography students and alumni are well placed and respected in
the field of geography.  In addition to publishing and sending many
students to regional, national and international conferences in the
discipline, our students and alumni can be found teaching and working in
many colleges and universities, in managerial positions at NGOs, and at
state and federal agencies.



We ask that you write a letter to Dr. Jeffrey Gibeling, Dean of the
Office of Graduate Studies, asking him and the Graduate Council to
reopen admissions to the Geography Graduate Group for 2010-2011.  Here
are some general guidelines:

·      Use institutional or company letterhead when possible

·      Real signatures (either printed and signed letters or scanned
signatures inserted into a word processor document) are highly
encouraged.  Typed names in lieu of signatures are discouraged.

·      Address letters to “Dr. Jeffery Gibeling, UC Davis Dean of the
Office of Graduate Studies, and members of the Graduate Council” (1
Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616), but to mail letters to the GGG for
collection.

·      Carrie Armstrong-Ruport, Graduate Coordinator of the UC Davis
Geography Graduate Group, will collect the letters to be delivered en
masse.  Electronic letters may be emailed by attachment to
caruport at ucdavis.edu <mailto:caruport at ucdavis.edu>. Please mail printed
letters to this address:

Carrie Armstrong-Ruport, Program Coordinator

Geography Graduate Group

133 Hunt Hall

One Shields Ave

Davis, CA 95616

·      We need to recieve letters by Friday, October 30, but letters
received after this date will also be accepted.



If you feel that geography should continue to be offered at the masters
and Ph.D. levels at UC Davis, please consider writing a letter appealing
to reopen admissions.  We also ask that you please forward this to
anyone you know who might be interested (current students, alumni,
potential students, general supporters of geographic education, etc).
The more support for geography that we can show to the UC Davis
administration, the better chance our appeal will be heard.



Thank you very much for your support.  If you have any questions, please
feel free to contact Stacey Ellis at scellis at ucdavis.edu
<mailto:scellis at ucdavis.edu> for more information.



Sincerely,

Students Advocating for Geographic Education at UC Davis