ITS is preparing for the start of A Term 2025! In order to have your software ready to go for the first day of classes, we request that faculty submit their software needs using the Software Request Form by July 18.  To confirm if ITS has received your request, login to the Help Portal and open My Tickets. 

Spend your lunchtime at the CWB this summer! Starting July 9th, bring your lunch (BYOL) to the CWB anytime 11am to 1pm and hangout with your colleagues. We have games, Legos, coloring pages, and jigsaw puzzles plus comfy seating and a Keurig! This is a great way to get some time away from your desk and a break from work. Stay for 5 minutes or your whole lunch hour!

Potpourri Usage Reminders  Potpourri is a resource that exists to help members of the WPI Community share useful information with one another—from items for sale and service recommendations to events and opportunities that benefit our WPI community. It's been a wonderful way for faculty and staff to connect and support each other.  To keep this space welcoming and useful for everyone, please keep these guidelines in mind:  Appropriate content includes items for sale, service recommendations, community events, lost and found items, and other resources that would be of general interest to our WPI community.  While we recognize that current events may come up from time to time, we strongly encourage members to be mindful of the purpose of the Potpourri listserv and to avoid in-depth discussions, as they can easily become divisive.  Direct communication works best for disagreements or concerns about specific posts. If you have concerns about something someone has shared, please reach out to them directly rather than involving the entire community in the discussion.   Civility and respect should guide all our interactions. We're all part of the same WPI community, and treating each other with courtesy helps maintain the positive, collaborative atmosphere that makes this listserv valuable.  Unsubscribe by following the instructions found here.  Please note that any opinions or viewpoints shared through Potpourri reflect solely the views of the individual author and do not represent the opinions, views, or positions of WPI as an institution.  Thank you for helping keep this community resource positive and useful for everyone. 

Senior Vice President and Provost Andrew Sears announced today that Kwamie Dunbar, professor of finance, has agreed to serve as interim dean for The WPI Business School, effective July 1, 2025.  Professor Dunbar’s vast industry experience, strategic insight, and collaborative leadership—as demonstrated by his work in launching WPI’s undergraduate and graduate Financial Technology programs, among other initiatives—will serve the university well during this time of transition.   Professor Dunbar joined WPI in 2022 from Simmons University’s School of Business, where he was an associate professor of finance. Previously, he served as associate dean of the Welch College of Business and Technology at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Conn., where he earned his MBA in economics and finance.  He holds a master’s in applied mathematics from Fairfield University, also in Fairfield, and a PhD in financial economics from Fordham University in the Bronx. He received his undergraduate degree in economics from the University of the West Indies.   Professor Dunbar spent nearly a decade in industry, working with Fortune 500 companies including GE Asset Management and MasterCard Worldwide. His expertise lies in blockchain assets for social good and sustainability, empirical asset pricing, cryptocurrencies, financial technologies, and futures markets. His research has contributed to insight into digital transformation in finance and economics.   Professor Dunbar serves WPI through faculty search committees and his work on both graduate and undergraduate policy and curriculum, and he advises student projects with corporate sponsors. He also advises the WPI student investing club. He is an active scholar and has published more than 20 peer-reviewed papers and presented at more than 20 conferences in the areas of financial technology and economics. He serves as manuscript reviewer, editor or board member for more than a dozen journals, and is a member of several professional associations.  He was honored in the spring with the 2025 Provost's MQP Award, and his work was included in the 2024 Trustees’ Celebration of Faculty Achievements.  A search for a permanent dean is being planned; details will be shared as they are available. 

Do you want to promote an event on campus or create an announcement? Do you need resources to update your website? Do you want to suggest a story for the media or need a WPI logo?  Marketing Communications has a number of tools, templates, instructions, and self-serve resources to help the WPI community create unified, branded, and targeted communications for your audiences, including: Website training tools, instructions, and ticketing system Campus Events toolkit and logistics Brand assets, templates and guidelines Branded giveaways and printed materials … and much more.  For additional questions, contact us for help.

Committee Participation Opportunities  We are seeking interested staff members to participate in various committees that support our community and workplace initiatives. Your involvement helps ensure that staff voices are heard and that we continue to improve our work environment together.    Committees seeking participants include:  Fringe Benefits Committee - Collaborate with faculty to review and recommend changes to WPI's employee benefits, health plans, and retirement policies Engagement and Events - Organize staff events and engagement opportunities, such as Harvest of Thanks and our End of the Year Social, and community-building activities like our Lunch & Learn series  Recognition - Develop and manage staff awards program, GoatNotes digital recognition system, and appreciation events to celebrate staff achievements  Non-Exempt Advisory Group - Provide dedicated representation for non-exempt staff through monthly virtual meetings to address their unique workplace needs  If you are interested in serving on any committee, fill out this form, or if would like more information about committee roles and time commitments, please reach out to staffcouncil@wpi.edu.