A ‘place where rigorous social research and critical, decolonial scholarship’ will occur

At the beginning of this month, the University of Nevada Reno merged its sociology department and Department of Gender, Race, and Identity to form the Department of Sociology and Cultural Analysis — dedicated to studying “social life” via “intersectional, decolonial and humanistic” methods.

According Nevada Today, the consolidation “reflects a long-recognized affinity between the two departments. Sociology and GRI share deep commitments to understanding social inequalities, the forces that produce and reproduce them, and the possibilities for transformation.”

The new department will be led by Professors Lydia Huerta (research interests include “critical communication pedagogy” and “feminist, gender and sexuality studies”) and Jared Bok (“globalization and transnationalism,” “religion, culture, organizations”) whom outgoing Dept. of Sociology Chair Marta Elliot (“prejudice, discrimination, stigma and well-being,” “sociology of mental health and illness”) said will “exceptionally well-position” the merger for the future.

The now-former Departments of Sociology and Gender, Race, and Identity taught students “to ask rigorous questions about race, gender, class, migration, health, labor, culture and power,” and the merger won’t change that, according to the report.

Huerta said the new department “will be a place where rigorous social research and critical, decolonial scholarship inform one another and where students graduate equipped to understand and change the world they inherit.”

The Department of Sociology and Cultural Analysis will offer “robust” selection of majors and minors including gender, race and identity, comparative ethnic studies, Indigenous studies, gender and queer studies, and social justice and conflict studies.

College of Liberal Arts Dean Casilde Isabelli said these programs “preserve [both former departments’] unique intellectual traditions while creating new opportunities for collaboration, innovation and student success.”

According to her faculty page, Huerta has written the journal articles “The Exigency of the Anti-Gender Agenda in Latin America: A Transnational Perspective” and “The Impacts of Anti-Genderism on Education in Brazil: Fear and Danger among Professors of Gender” among other publications.

Bok’s offerings include “Religious Exit Costs” and “The Arts in Sacred Spaces: How Religious Conservatism and Cultural Omnivorousness Influence Attitudes about Congregational Involvement in the Arts.”

MORE: U. Nevada Reno language guide warns against using ‘native Nevadan,’ offensive to indigenous people

ROSWELL, N.M. (KRQE) — Organizers behind the annual Roswell UFO Festival say this past weekend’s event was a success. It was held from July 2 to July 4.

The festival was filled with unique booths, shops, shows and contests for paranormal enthusiasts. Roswell Mainstreet says they believe more than 12,000 people were in attendance, although those are preliminary numbers.

If you headed to the lake early last week, you missed the best fireworks. Dan Lanning and his staff put on a cup of coffee and closed like the Wolf of Wall Street. Minus the cocaine, probably.

All jokes aside, and believe me, these are jokes, the recruiting this staff is doing is not a joke. From June 28 to July 3, a span of 6 days Oregon added four new commitments and all were four stars or better. If you weren’t paying attention, Oregon landed 12 commits in the months of June and what we’ve had in July so far.

The recruiting class has surged from the teens to No. 9 to start last week to No. 3 overall by Friday afternoon. Only Texas A&M and Notre Dame have better recruiting classes according to Rivals. Oregon has the best class in the Big Ten conference.

The 24 commits sit at an average rating of 90.76 according to Rivals. Additionally 16 of the 24 commits are ranked four-stars or better and that includes the Ducks having a pair of 5-Star commitments. Oregon has 11 defensive commits, 11 offensive commits and 2 listed as athletes.

Up next is a commitment from four-star linebacker Brayton Feister set for Saturday, July 11. I don’t believe that addition will move Oregon up in the rankings but will strengthen their current position.

With five-star wide receiver Xavier Sabb committing, Oregon now has a commitment from 17 different states. Should Feister from Ohio pick the Ducks on Saturday, that would give Oregon an 18th state. The national reach of this program is as good as any school in the country.

Last year Oregon finished with the No. 4 ranked class in the nation. The 2025 class also finished at No. 4 nationally.

The early signing period for the 2027 class begins on December 4 and ends on December 6. The transfer portal window begins on January 2.

Oregon kicks off its 2026 season opener at home on September 5 vs Boise State.