Tag Archives: chair

KIN Dept Chair Dr. Semerjian Community Message – March 2020

Dear KIN Students,

Normally at this time we would all be getting ready for a lovely Spring Break; however, as well all know too well, things are operating differently this year.I want you to know that your faculty, staff, and I are here to support you. We all need to be patient with one another. I have tried to find a balance between getting you information and overwhelming you with one more thing to read.

We have all been grappling with the dramatic changes in our daily lives. Faculty are working diligently to move online, just as you are trying to figure out how to keep up with school work.

There are a few updates I wanted to make sure you are aware of:

  • Commencement ceremonies have all been postponed. I am very sad not to see those of you graduating crossing the stage and celebrating with you all. While there is some hope that there will be an alternate ceremony at a later date, we will have to wait to see what is decided upon by the administration.
  • Classes will remain online for the remainder of the Spring 2020 semester.
  • Summer 2020 classes will only be offered online. This decision was made recently. At the departmental level we are determining which classes that we initially planned to offer over the summer can still be delivered in a high quality manner in an online format. We should have a final decision by April 6th and I will let you know what our offerings are once we have the schedule finalized.
  • There are a variety of resources for tutoring, computer services, food, etc. I have tried to pass these along to you as I receive them. If you have a need for a particular type of support please let me know. I am happy to connect you. The Student Success Center for the College of Health and Human Sciences is still holding virtual office hours, and they will be a great place to connect to other resources for students. http://www.sjsu.edu/chhs-ssc/  The library also has resources to help you gain access to books, articles, and reference materials.  https://library.sjsu.edu/
  • If you have items locked in your locker please be assured that they will remain safe and secure. Once the shelter in place is lifted, and campus is fully open, you will be able to retrieve your items.
  • While our main offices are closed, you can still contact our staff at kinesiology@sjsu.edu or your individual faculty advisers.

As I have said before, this is an unprecedented event, and we are doing the best we can. I urge you to take care of yourselves, stay safe, practice self-care, eat well and exercise as best you can. Be patient with yourselves and others. Your faculty appreciate the challenge you all as students are faced with. We are all in this together, and while the semester has not gone the way we initially intended, we are all doing our best to move forward together.

Please continue to reach out to your faculty, try to maintain good communication, and be well.

Sincerely,

Dr. Semerjian

Welcome Message from New KIN Chair Dr. Semerjian

Dear Kinesiology Students, Faculty, Staff, and Community,

As has been previously announced, I have been asked to fill the role of interim chair for the Department of Kinesiology. Dr. Matthew Masucci has been asked to serve as the interim Associate Dean for the College of Health and Human Sciences. His outstanding leadership of our department has been recognized, and this is a wonderful opportunity for him to lead our College. We have benefited tremendously from his leadership and will miss him, however, I think we also understand his desire to serve the college at this time.

These shifts in responsibilities have resulted in Dr. Jessica Chin filling in as interim undergraduate coordinator. She will continue to serve as the Advising Manager. Dr. Chin has a great deal of knowledge and experience in our undergraduate program and I know that she will bring her strengths to this position. As a result she will step away from her position as associate chair. To limit further disruptions we will not fill the associate chair position this semester.

While we do not have someone formally filling in as associate chair, several individuals have stepped forward to offer their help and support to cover these duties. I greatly appreciate the students, faculty, and staff who have come by to say that they will help in any capacity that they can. This is who we are as the Department of Kinesiology; supporting each other to create an environment where everyone can thrive.

I am greatly appreciative of all of our students, faculty and staff. I am committed to working hard and helping our department to continue to flourish. Ultimately we are here to educate and prepare our students, and I am dedicated to help us all do that the best that we can.

Dr. Tamar Semerjian

Dr. Masucci departs KIN for CHHS Dean’s Office Role

A message from departing chair Dr. Matthew Masucci.
I have been appointed as the Interim Associate Dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences (CHHS). While I am excited about the opportunity, I will be sad to be moving on from the role of department chair that I have held since 2014 and from the department that has been my home since 2002.
I am pleased to announce that you will be in capable hands as Dr. Tamar Semerjian has been appointed by the President as the Interim Department Chair of Kinesiology effective immediately. I have every confidence in her ability to help guide the department through this time of change and I’d like personally thank Tamar for her willingness to serve.
Related to this change, Dr. Jessica Chin will continue in her role as Associate Chair and will assume the responsibilities of Undergraduate Coordinator for the Spring semester.
Her knowledge and abilities will be a great asset to the department in this transition and I want to thank her for her willingness to take on this role.
It has been a great pleasure to work in such an amazing department and I am committed to fostering continued success in the department and college.
Best wishes for a successful semester!