Stanford President Marc Tessier-Lavigne expressed excitement for community events and University accomplishments in store for spring quarter in a Monday email to the Stanford community. 

Alongside carrying out plans for the quarter, the University is “keeping a close eye” on COVID-19 amid increases in the presence of the BA.2 omicron subvariant across the world, Tessier-Lavigne wrote. Student Affairs has been in touch with students about testing protocols, and Color tests remain available for all faculty, staff and postdocs, according to the email. 

Tessier-Lavigne wrote that he is excited “to see our campus come to life” in the spring as various events come to fruition — many of which will be held for the first time since the start of the pandemic.

Farm Fest, a spring festival, will be held on April 23 and is set to take place on the Row. While details are not finalized, plans for the event include a music stage with live performances, food trucks and lawn games, according to Stanford Report. Tessier-Lavigne wrote that Farm Fest “will bring the community together to connect over food, music and outdoor fun.”

The President also expressed excitement for the return of the “beloved” Frost Fest, which will take place on May 21 at 6 p.m. at Frost Amphitheater. The event will include performances from Aminé, Victoria Monét and Tkay Maidza. Stanford students can purchase one ticket each for $25, and general admission tickets cost $49.50. Those who wish to attend can purchase tickets on the Stanford Live website. This will be the first Frost Fest since the start of the pandemic, according to Tessier-Lavigne.

The campus community can also look forward to cheering on the University’s athletic teams, “including Stanford women’s basketball as they head to the Final Four!” Tessier-Lavigne wrote. 

The University is holding two Commencements in June — one for the class of 2022, and one for the members of classes of 2020 and 2021, whose commencements were impacted by COVID-19, according to the email. “I’m delighted we’ll have the opportunity to celebrate so many new and previous graduates this June,” Tessier-Lavigne wrote.

Finally, students, faculty, staff and alumni will be recognized and celebrated through University awards, according to Tessier-Lavigne. Included among the awards are the Amy J. Blue Awards and the President’s Awards for Excellence Through Diversity. 

The President also highlighted various University feats that will be achieved during the quarter. 

At the end of spring quarter, the first full class of first-year students will have fulfilled the University’s new Civic, Liberal and Global Education (COLLEGE) requirement, according to Tessier-Lavigne. COLLEGE seeks to teach students that “going to college is not just about acquiring the ability to make a living, but about exploring what makes living worthwhile,” according to the website.

This quarter, the courses “Globally Queer,” “The Meat We Eat,” “The Politics of Development” and “Environmental Sustainability: Global Predicaments and Possible Solutions” are being offered to fulfill the requirement. 

Tessier-Lavigne also highlighted the University’s new school focused on climate and sustainability, which is set to open in the fall. Since it was first announced in May of 2020, more than a dozen new classes have been developed, and the new sustainability accelerator received nearly 100 responses for its first call for grant proposals for research projects, according to the President. The dean search committee hopes to name a dean in the coming months, according to the email.

Tessier-Lavigne added that Stanford’s second solar plant came online in mid-March, and the plant “will allow us to achieve the important sustainability milestone of producing enough renewable electricity to exceed what our main campus consumes,” he wrote. 

Amid accomplishments and plans for celebrations, Tessier-Lavigne wrote that he acknowledges “many events have weighed very heavily on our community this year — including both the war in Ukraine and student deaths on campus.” He encouraged those in need of support to utilize the array of Stanford resources available to the campus community. More information about resources can be found here.

“I am grateful every day for this community, and for the work that each of you do to support one another, to generate knowledge and understanding, and to seek solutions to our world’s challenges,” Tessier-Lavigne wrote. “I wish you all the best for the new quarter, and I look forward to celebrating our community with you this spring.”