This evening, I completed the last grading of papers and exams, turned in final grades, and closed the book on the most exhausting and stressful semester ever – for me and every college student, professor, and administrator in the country. COVID-19 made the past two months an ordeal for all of us in higher education. And we face huge challenges ahead. Until a vaccine is developed or effective herd immunity achieved, there will be no “return to normal” at our universities. And the economic impact of COVID-1 on universities and families’ ability to pay tuition will be felt for years. We’re sailing into uncharted waters, and face a lot of hard decisions based on fragmentary information.
I am very fortunate not to have to be part of the collective effort to figure out how to hold classes and keep students and staff safe next year. My term as Vice Chair of the Faculty at Davidson College is drawing to a close, and with it my administrative duties. I am about to start a full year sabbatical, which I hope to devote to research and service. Research will mostly be dedicated to work on Somalia, including, I hope, completion of a book project. Our family plans to relocate to Nairobi Kenya for the year have been put on hold for obvious reasons, but we will revisit our options in January.
My service work this coming year will be mainly devoted to volunteering with the ALS Association on the Board of Trustees and various committees. Like universities, non-profits face monumental challenges due to COVID-19, even as demand for their services is spiking. I hope to be able to help navigate the challenges the Association will face this next year.
Personally, reaching Day 1 of my 2020-21 sabbatical is something of a milestone. When I was first diagnosed with ALS in March 2018, I had no way of knowing whether I had slow, typical, or fast disease progression. The sabbatical was still over two years away, and it seemed then that just getting to the sabbatical alive would be an accomplishment. Now here I am, and I’m still able to work and travel and do most of what I want to do, just with a slow gait and a limp. It might be audacious, but I’m now starting to think my next goal should be to work until retirement in 6-7 years… I love teaching, and when you love your work, you want to do it until you can’t anymore.
Ken's Caucus 
If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard a student say, “I take every class I can with Prof. Menkhaus,” you and I would have enough to retire today! Then again, when you’re doing what you love and actually make a living at it, who needs to retire?
Heart-felt thanks for your leadership, wisdom, and generosity, especially during this tumultuous time!
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