A Strong Sense of Belonging

The SpinUP Project Report (2003) describes a thriving department as having ``A supportive, encouraging, and challenging environment for both faculty and students characterized by professional and personal interactions among faculty and students and among students both in class and outside class. The students expressed a strong sense of belonging to the professional physics community'' (page 15). This paper will present various views of individuals (administrators, faculty, and students) who support this statement and offer methods by which a department might assess progress toward the establishment of such an environment. Often an active Society of Physics Students (SPS) chapter plays one of the important roles in this environment. Time will be allotted for questions, comments, and interaction.