diploma thesis meaning

Think of yourself as a member of a jury, listening to a lawyer who is presenting an opening argument. You'll want to know very soon whether the lawyer believes the accused to be guilty or not guilty, and how the lawyer plans to convince you. Readers of academic essays are like jury members: before they have read too far, they want to know what the essay argues as well as how the writer plans to make the argument. After reading your thesis statement, the reader should think, "This essay is going to try to convince me of something. I'm not convinced yet, but I'm interested to see how I might be."

An effective thesis cannot be answered with a simple "yes" or "no." A thesis is not a topic; nor is it a fact; nor is it an opinion. "Reasons for the fall of communism" is a topic. "Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe" is a fact known by educated people. "The fall of communism is the best thing that ever happened in Europe" is an opinion. (Superlatives like "the best" almost always lead to trouble. It's impossible to weigh every "thing" that ever happened in Europe. And what about the fall of Hitler? Couldn't that be "the best thing"?)

A good thesis has two parts. It should tell what you plan to argue, and it should "telegraph" how you plan to argue—that is, what particular support for your claim is going where in your essay.

Steps in Constructing a Thesis

First, analyze your primary sources.  Look for tension, interest, ambiguity, controversy, and/or complication. Does the author contradict himself or herself? Is a point made and later reversed? What are the deeper implications of the author's argument? Figuring out the why to one or more of these questions, or to related questions, will put you on the path to developing a working thesis. (Without the why, you probably have only come up with an observation—that there are, for instance, many different metaphors in such-and-such a poem—which is not a thesis.)

Once you have a working thesis, write it down.  There is nothing as frustrating as hitting on a great idea for a thesis, then forgetting it when you lose concentration. And by writing down your thesis you will be forced to think of it clearly, logically, and concisely. You probably will not be able to write out a final-draft version of your thesis the first time you try, but you'll get yourself on the right track by writing down what you have.

Keep your thesis prominent in your introduction.  A good, standard place for your thesis statement is at the end of an introductory paragraph, especially in shorter (5-15 page) essays. Readers are used to finding theses there, so they automatically pay more attention when they read the last sentence of your introduction. Although this is not required in all academic essays, it is a good rule of thumb.

Anticipate the counterarguments.  Once you have a working thesis, you should think about what might be said against it. This will help you to refine your thesis, and it will also make you think of the arguments that you'll need to refute later on in your essay. (Every argument has a counterargument. If yours doesn't, then it's not an argument—it may be a fact, or an opinion, but it is not an argument.)

This statement is on its way to being a thesis. However, it is too easy to imagine possible counterarguments. For example, a political observer might believe that Dukakis lost because he suffered from a "soft-on-crime" image. If you complicate your thesis by anticipating the counterargument, you'll strengthen your argument, as shown in the sentence below.

Some Caveats and Some Examples

A thesis is never a question.  Readers of academic essays expect to have questions discussed, explored, or even answered. A question ("Why did communism collapse in Eastern Europe?") is not an argument, and without an argument, a thesis is dead in the water.

A thesis is never a list.  "For political, economic, social and cultural reasons, communism collapsed in Eastern Europe" does a good job of "telegraphing" the reader what to expect in the essay—a section about political reasons, a section about economic reasons, a section about social reasons, and a section about cultural reasons. However, political, economic, social and cultural reasons are pretty much the only possible reasons why communism could collapse. This sentence lacks tension and doesn't advance an argument. Everyone knows that politics, economics, and culture are important.

A thesis should never be vague, combative or confrontational.  An ineffective thesis would be, "Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe because communism is evil." This is hard to argue (evil from whose perspective? what does evil mean?) and it is likely to mark you as moralistic and judgmental rather than rational and thorough. It also may spark a defensive reaction from readers sympathetic to communism. If readers strongly disagree with you right off the bat, they may stop reading.

An effective thesis has a definable, arguable claim.  "While cultural forces contributed to the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe, the disintegration of economies played the key role in driving its decline" is an effective thesis sentence that "telegraphs," so that the reader expects the essay to have a section about cultural forces and another about the disintegration of economies. This thesis makes a definite, arguable claim: that the disintegration of economies played a more important role than cultural forces in defeating communism in Eastern Europe. The reader would react to this statement by thinking, "Perhaps what the author says is true, but I am not convinced. I want to read further to see how the author argues this claim."

A thesis should be as clear and specific as possible.  Avoid overused, general terms and abstractions. For example, "Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe because of the ruling elite's inability to address the economic concerns of the people" is more powerful than "Communism collapsed due to societal discontent."

Copyright 1999, Maxine Rodburg and The Tutors of the Writing Center at Harvard University

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Guide to writing a diploma thesis General requirements standard

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Thesis Format – A Guide For A Good Thesis Format

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Inhaltsverzeichnis

• 1 Definition: Thesis Format
• 3 Parts Of A Thesis
• 4 Thesis Format: Tips
• 5 Thesis Format: Guidelines
• 6 In a Nutshell

Definition: Thesis Format

Half of the task lies in understanding what a thesis format is. Once you do, the rest will be more straightforward. An argument can be termed as an essay that puts together personal research. A thesis format holds a statement that awaits being maintained or proven.

College and university level, however, is different from other levels. You write papers more. The papers are a chance to impress your teacher and convince them that indeed, you qualify for the next level. Each article requires you to come up with a thesis format upon which you base the rest of your writing. It summarizes the contents of the paper, making it easier for both you and the teacher.

How do you structure a thesis?

The term thesis format might be ambiguous to many college and university students, especially first-year students. To start your academic writing journey, it is essential to understand what a thesis format entails in depth.

Generally, a thesis format comprises of three parts. The first part has the title page , description page and the table of contents etc. The body begins with the introduction and then delves deeper into the research topic. The last part contains sections like references and appendices.

How long is a thesis?

The length of your thesis depends on the field of study or your study department. Your bibliography and references are not included in the page count. A bachelor´s thesis is 40-60 pages, whereas a master´s thesis or a diploma thesis is usually 60-100 pages.

What do I need to do before I start writing a thesis?

Before you begin writing your thesis, you need to have already completed the research phase. This means that you’ve already decided on a thesis topic and you’ve developed and refined your research questions and thesis statement. If you’ve done all of this, then you can create a thesis outline and finally begin writing.

How do I start writing a thesis?

You can start with reviewing other theses by previous researchers in your institution´s library. By doing this it might help you to get an overview of the style, format and structure used in your field of study. The next step is to develop an outline of your thesis. You will need to have already refined your research question and thesis statement. Only after that you should start writing your thesis. It is recommended to write down everything that has been published without worrying too much about the detail.

Tip: If you’re struggling with formulating your thesis statement, check out some thesis statement examples for a dose of inspiration.

Where does the thesis statement go?

The thesis statement should appear in the beginning of your paper. It’s normally towards the end of the introduction. The beginning of the introduction gives the reader any background information they’ll need to understand your thesis and the sentences following the thesis statement will explain and support it.

Parts Of A Thesis

The first part of a thesis format aims at creating a mental image in the reader’s head. It acts as a trailer to your work. In the first part, you compile the cover page, description page, table of contents , a list of figures as well as a list of tables. Sometimes, you might be required to provide a description page in a foreign language. In that case, the description page in the given foreign language should come immediately after the other description page. At the end of the fore part, the reader should have an idea of what to expect ahead.

The body, on the other hand, delves deeper. However, the contents of the body depend on the purpose of the paper. The contents of a research thesis format vary from those of a development project report. The body of a research report introduces the thesis format to the reader comprehensively. A theoretical basis of the thesis format then follows the introduction . It then explains in details how the thesis format can be implemented. The writer then goes ahead to record results and documents a discussion. On the other hand, the body of a development project has details about the background of the thesis format. The background comes immediately after the introduction of objectives.

The last part of thesis format is usually brief. It only contains references and appendices.

• Description page
• Table of contents
• List of figures
• List of tables
• Introduction/objectives
• Project background
• Theoretical basis
• Project Implementation

Thesis Format: Tips

Every student’s ultimate goal is to graduate and graduate in good time. Working on your thesis format early enough gives you ample time to rectify any possible mistake; hence nil chances to miss on the graduation list. Although it might sound simple, you must put effort to prepare an elaborate thesis format. Below are some tips.

• Be conversant with the requirements. Different institutions have different needs. If you don’t familiarize with them early enough, you might end up toiling for nothing. You might have to start afresh, which is very uneconomical on both time and resources.
• Uphold clarity . Before embarking on any plans to write a thesis, identify the specifics. As a student, you should know clearly what is contained in each section of the argument in a thesis format. Ambiguity can be costly when it comes to your degree or diploma.
• Good communication. The main idea of your project is to relay ideas in your mind to the reader’s mind. Ensure that your thesis can portray the originality of your thoughts.
• Set realistic goals. Challenges increase our zeal. For your dissertation writing to be better, set completion dates for each section. That way, you will avoid the last minute rush. You can, therefore, assign each section time depending on its complexity or requirements.
• Seek approval. Before moving on with your thesis format, it is vital to get honest feedback. The feedback will point out omissions as well as criticism. Once you put the opinions into consideration, your thesis will be better.

Thesis Format: Guidelines

A thesis format will be your mantle in your entire writing process. Deliberation is, therefore required. Before coming up with the actual procedure, set clear objectives of your thesis format project. With the goals at the center of the thesis, you can come up with a thesis format that works. The thesis format is supposed to guide you through to meet the said objectives.

Everything has measurable standards. The same case applies to your thesis format. It has its do’s and don’ts. When it comes to a thesis format, rules are rules, and they can’t be broken. The most basic rule is language. Unless the Dean has made apparent approval of using another language, it should be written in English. However, short quotations are an exception. If any other language is used, a translation has to be provided.

A thesis format must be printed on a single side of an A4 sized paper . The standard line spacing is 1.5 and font size of 12 . A margin of 3.5cm to the left is required. The margin comes in handy when it comes to binding.

Usually, there is a set word limit that your thesis should not exceed. The word limit depends on the course you are pursuing. For instance, the word limit for the College of Social Sciences, Arts, and Humanities are higher compared to the word limit for the College of Medicine, Biological Sciences, and Psychology. The word limit is inclusive of footnotes as well as appendices (mandatory appendices are an exception).

In a Nutshell

We can summarize a thesis format in a few crucial points.

• Follow the right order: the first part, middle part, and last part.
• Adhere to the proper thesis format structure. For instance, background information should come after the introduction.
• Be keen on the relevant word limit. If you are in doubt, always confirm the word limit for your school.
• Abide by the formatting rules. Do not be tempted to change or ignore any law even as minor as margin.
• Be conscious about the submission date. For better performance, come up with a working thesis format.

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[ thee -sis ]

He vigorously defended his thesis on the causes of war.

Synonyms: proposal , contention , theory

• a subject for a composition or essay.
• a dissertation on a particular subject in which one has done original research, as one presented by a candidate for a diploma or degree.
• Music. the downward stroke in conducting; downbeat. Compare arsis ( def 1 ) .
• a part of a metrical foot that does not bear the ictus or stress.
• (less commonly) the part of a metrical foot that bears the ictus. Compare arsis ( def 2 ) .
• Philosophy. Hegelian dialectic

/ ˈθiːsɪs /

• a dissertation resulting from original research, esp when submitted by a candidate for a degree or diploma
• a doctrine maintained or promoted in argument
• a subject for a discussion or essay
• an unproved statement, esp one put forward as a premise in an argument
• music the downbeat of a bar, as indicated in conducting
• (in classical prosody) the syllable or part of a metrical foot not receiving the ictus Compare arsis
• philosophy the first stage in the Hegelian dialectic, that is challenged by the antithesis
• The central idea in a piece of writing, sometimes contained in a topic sentence .

Discover More

Word history and origins.

Origin of thesis 1

Example Sentences

In “Back Home,” Gil also revisits the nostalgia for the South explored in his Johns Hopkins thesis, “Circle of Stone.”

At least father and son were in alignment on this central thesis: acting “gay”—bad; being thought of as gay—bad.

Her doctoral thesis, says Ramin Takloo at the University of Illinois, was simply outstanding.

Marshall McLuhan long ago argued the now accepted thesis that different mediums have different influences on thinking.

He wrote his Master's thesis on the underrepresentation of young people in Congress.

And indeed for most young men a college thesis is but an exercise for sharpening the wits, rarely dangerous in its later effects.

It will be for the reader to determine whether the main thesis of the book has gained or lost by the new evidence.

But the word thesis, when applied to Systems, does not mean the 'position' of single notes, but of groups of notes.

This conclusion, it need hardly be said, is in entire agreement with the main thesis of the preceding pages.

Sundry outlying Indians, with ammunition to waste, took belly and knee rests and strengthened the thesis to the contrary.

Related Words

• proposition
• supposition

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• UNIVERSITY OF LODZ
• STUDENT ZONE

DIPLOMA THESIS

The obligatory form of the diploma thesis at each faculty may be specified in an appropriate appendix to the Rules of Study. The appendix may specify additional designations or examples of written papers meeting the requirements of the diploma thesis. 

In order to ensure the quality of written theses, an anti-plagiarism procedure has been introduced at the University of Lodz by the University of Lodz Rector’s Regulation (Regulation No.130 of the Rector of the University of Lodz of 14 April 2021 on declaration of self-written thesis and thesis completing postgraduate studies and quality assurance of written work in terms of anti-plagiarism procedure and their archiving at the University of Lodz). This procedure applies to all the theses produced in BA and MA studies as well as uniform master's studies, delivered in the full-time and part-time forms. It can also be applied to the coursework or other work produced in the course.  

All diploma theses are stored in the Archive of Diploma Theses (APD), which is part of the USOS system, which gives the diploma thesis supervisor the possibility of verifying the thesis in the anti-plagiarism system at each stage of its presentation by the student).

As of 2019, diploma theses in the University of Lodz Archive of Diploma Theses are verified by the use of the JSA system (Unified Anti-Plagiarism System). The OSA system is an additional anti-plagiarism system that can be used at the university.  

Study effects on copyright compliance is included in the curricula of all degree study programmes. They are implemented through a compulsory copyright training, which every student of the University of Lodz takes in the first semester. 

A disciplinary procedure is initiated against a student whose thesis is suspected of plagiarism at the request of the dean addressed to the Rector of the University of Lodz. 

All diploma theses in the Archive of Diploma Theses are transferred by the staff of the IT Centre at the University of Lodz to the repository of written diploma theses, immediately after passing the diploma examination. 

The process of creating a diploma thesis using the Archive of Diploma Theses is contained in the appendix to Regulation No. 130 of the Rector of the University of Lodz of 14 April 2021 on declaration of self-written diploma thesis and thesis completing postgraduate studies and quality assurance of written work in terms of anti-plagiarism procedure and their archiving at the University of Lodz. 

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Diploma Thesis Writing

Steps to be completed.

The diploma thesis is one of the essential parts of the study, in which each student demonstrates the ability to think independently and analyse problems . Therefore, it is necessary to pay great attention to the elaboration of the final thesis and to follow the rules that determine its formal and content requirements.

When you violate the established rules (whether intentionally or through negligence), you risk obtaining "N" from subjects related to the creation of the final thesis. These are the courses Diploma thesis assignment and Diploma Seminar 1 and 2 . You will then be classified by "F" from the final thesis defence. At the same time, the Dean may impose a disciplinary sanction on you, specifically expulse you from studies.

According to the Schedule of the Academic Year , the student selects the topic of his/her thesis first, choosing from a Package of Topics . You find the topics in your IS profile (Student - During studies - Topic List) or you can use the Help section of IS here . Think of the topic of your diploma thesis very well - if your study programme has specializations, your topic must be connected to the specialization you chose.

In order to help students with the creation of the final thesis, the faculty implemented a system of courses that allows good cooperation with the supervisor. Students enrol the course Diploma thesis assignment in the 2nd semester of their Master's degree programme ( provided that you plan to complete the study in the standard length of study of 4 semesters ) .

1. Course Diploma thesis assignment

• The course is offered in the spring semester to students whose studies began in the autumn semester. These students must choose a topic of their thesis in January before enrolment of the course Diploma thesis assignment.
• Students whose studies began in the spring semester enrol the course Diploma thesis assignment in the autumn semester. These students must choose a topic of their thesis in September before enrolment for the course.
• The Diploma thesis assignment is stored in the student's IS profile and later creates an inseparable part of the diploma thesis.

Students receive credits based on the submission of the diploma thesis assignment.

The course is not scheduled.

2. Course Diploma seminar 1

• Students are obliged to enrol on this course in the third semester of their studies.

3. Course Diploma seminar 2

• Students are obliged to enrol on this course in the fourth semester of their studies.

Students are allowed to take the Final state examination only if they receive credits for all three courses.

Thesis template.

When writing the thesis, you should use the official template that you can download here.

Useful links

• Directive No 9/2019 Preparation, Submission, Publication and Evaluation of Bachelor’s, Final and Master’s Theses
• MU study and examination regulations Section 22,23,24,31,34 and 40 in particular.
• Schedule of the Academic Year thesis submission and final state examination dates

Consultations for students

The library at the FEA offers individual consultations for students on their written school work in the context of the technical requirements of academic writing.

Submission & defence

The rules for the Bachelor's or Diploma thesis defence and submission are governed by the MU Study and Examinations Regulations (Section 22, paragraph 2), 3) and 4) and DIRECTIVE No 9/2019 (Section 5).

The Bachelor's or Diploma final thesis must be uploaded in your archive in the MU Information System (the procedure to follow when entering the final work is described in the MU Information System ) to a date set by the Academic year schedule. The secretary of your department is supervising the correct form of the thesis.

Versions of thesis

Only the electronic version of the thesis is required for the purposes of long-term archiving and it is also used as a base document to draft its assessment and report. You do not need to submit the printed version.  Please, follow the webpages of the faculty for the actual information on the form of the FSE. 

Only in the event of the unsuccessful thesis defence at the state examination when the examination board rates your thesis with the „F“ grading , may you make changes to your thesis or write a brand new one and submit it the newly created archive – your previous final thesis will, however, remain deposited in the MU IS. The basic rules of thesis writing, submission and defence are governed by the MU Study and Examinations Regulations (Chapter V, Sections 31, 33 and 34).

Changes in uploaded thesis

A copy once submitted may not be handled in any way, it is not possible to make any alterations to it, whether formal or content-specific.

• MU Study and Examination Regulations Chapter V, Sections 31, 33 and 34; Section 22 paragraph 2-4.
• MU Information System
• Directive no. 9/2019 Section 5

Non-public Data

Should the final thesis contain data and information (e.g. company accounting or data subject to a trade secret) which may not be publicised...

What to do?

Students are required to conclude an agreement with the data provider, the binding template of which can be found in Appendix No. 3 of DIRECTIVE No 9/2019 .

This signed agreement is part of the Application for making part of the diploma work non-public , which is submitted by the student in the Document office in the IS at least 30 days prior to the submission deadline:

IS MU – Student – Document office – Submitting new application – Application for making part of the diploma work non-public .

Further students have to divide the work into two sections to make it possible for some parts of the text to be publicised and for other parts to remain stored in a non-public archive. Usually, it is divided into a theoretical part (which is publishable) and practical part (which is considered as non-public). These parts need to be properly named so the administrator knows what part is supposed to be hidden.

Students enter their thesis in its entirety in your MU IS archive, but divided into individual files including the non-public sections as mentioned above. We recommend that on thesis submission you ask the administrator of the international office to tick the concealment of the required files (should you fail to do so, all the parts will become publicly accessible on thesis submission).

The ultimate decision on which parts are to be concealed is, however, made by the thesis supervisor. It is advisable to discuss the extent of concealment with the supervisor beforehand. This may even be included in the thesis assignment. In any case, it is essential that the parts intended for publication contain a clear statement of the thesis goals and results including the reasons for non-publication of some of its parts.

• Directive no. 9/2019 Appendix No. 3

Formal rules of thesis writing

The formal arrangement, length, font type and size, chapter structure, manner of printing and binding, submission, etc.; are governed by DIRECTIVE No 9/2019 which refers to the norm regulating the bibliographic references (ČN ISO 690). Students are required to read the Directive and not later than from 2020/2021 use the presented template.

Official description

The Bachelor's or Diploma thesis includes its Official description . The binding Thesis Description is deposited in the MU IS and its printed form signed by the Dean acts as a supplement to the Final examination record (the printed version is stored in the International office).

It is your responsibility to include in the electronic as well as printed form of your thesis the Thesis Description which may be downloaded from the following MU IS application:

Student – End of Studies – Print Thesis Desription.

The Description included in the thesis does not include the signatures.

The gravest violation of rules of thesis writing (the greatest offence in the academic world in general) is constituted by plagiarism , i.e. a theft or fraudulent adoption of intellectual property of another. Plagiarism by its definition is always perceived as an intentionally committed offence . It is in your own interest to fully familiarize yourselves with the definition of plagiarism and with the binding rules of source acknowledgement (i.e. quoting the sources of adopted passages and ideas) which are governed by DIRECTIVE No 9/2019 .

Teachers (thesis supervisors) and supervisors are obliged to inspect adherence to these rules and ask the Dean to initiate disciplinary proceedings with a student in question. The Faculty disciplinary board is guided by the Disciplinary Code and the proceedings may even result in an unconditional expulsion from the study programme. There is a tool in the IS MU called „Vejce vejci“ (Find similar documents) which you can use to check your work for plagiarism. You just need to upload your work in your IS Depository and use the „Vejce vejci“ tool (it is a symbol of 2 eggs). The similar parts of the text are then highlighted.

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"diploma work"?

• Thread starter forejtv
• Start date Jan 11, 2009
• Tags academic terminology
• Jan 11, 2009

Hello, I'd like to ask if it is possible to use diploma work or diploma thesis as synonyms to master's thesis . I would say that the first is not possible while the latter is, but Google returns surprisingly many results for both. Thanks for your answers.  

Senior Member

Hello forejtv - welcome to WordReference. I would be very surprised indeed if these were synonyms. A masters degree is not the same as a diploma. There are, of course, many examples of both diploma thesis and masters thesis. That does not mean that they are in any way equivalent, does it?  

Actually, this is the answer that I expected, thank you very much indeed. Then I have another question: can you use diploma work at all? Can you use work in the meaning of thesis ? In Czech, they are both translated as one word ( práce ), but I think that they are not related in English. Am I right?  

If you are working toward a diploma, I'm sure you could describe the various things you are doing as "diploma work" in certain contexts, but I wouldn't use "work" as a synonym for "thesis" in any situation, whether the thesis was for a diploma, an honours degree, a Masters or a PhD.  

I understand, forejtv, because Hebrew also uses work in the same way. English does not, though, as they others said. Cycloneviv's explanation is perfect.  

Tragic News – The Passing of Chris Edley, Visionary and Beloved Dean

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Message from Dean Erwin Chemerinsky, May 10, 2024:

Dear Berkeley Law Community,

It is with a very heavy heart that I am writing to inform you that our beloved colleague and former dean Chris Edley died on Friday morning.

Chris had an amazing life and career, including being a transformative dean for Berkeley Law.

Chris graduated from Swarthmore College and the Harvard School of Public Policy and Harvard Law School. He then had an exemplary career in academia and in public service.

Chris spent 23 years as a professor at Harvard Law School, including co-founding the Harvard Civil Rights Project, before coming to Berkeley Law as dean in 2004. He served as dean until 2013. As dean, he made an enormous positive difference in every aspect of the law school, from the hiring of many terrific faculty, to his initiative to build the south addition (with the library and classrooms and Café Zeb), to dramatically increasing support for public interest grants for students, to the creation of many centers.

Chris served in White House policy and budget positions under Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. Chris also held senior positions in five presidential campaigns: policy director for Michael Dukakis (1988); and senior policy adviser for Al Gore (2000), Howard Dean (2004), Barack Obama (2008), and Hillary Clinton (2016). In 1993, he was a senior economic adviser in the Clinton Presidential Transition, responsible for housing and regulation of financial institutions. In 2008, he was a board member for the Obama presidential transition, with general responsibility for healthcare, education, and immigration. In 1993, he was a senior economic adviser in the Clinton Presidential Transition, responsible for housing and regulation of financial institutions. In 2008, he was a board member for the Obama presidential transition, with general responsibility for healthcare, education, and immigration. From 2011-2013, he co-chaired the congressionally chartered National Commission on Education Equity and Excellence.

Chris was a fellow or member of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences; the National Academy of Public Administration; the Council on Foreign Relations; the American Law Institute; the Advisory Board of the Hamilton Project, the Brookings Institution; and the board of Inequality Media. He is a National Associate of the National Research Council, the operating arm of the National Academies of Science, for which he chaired a committee to evaluate NAEP performance standards, and a committee to design a national system of education equity indicators.

Since completing his deanship, he has served the Law School and the campus in countless ways, including recently serving for two years as the Interim Dean of the School of Education. Chris and Maria Echaveste directed the Opportunity Institute.

Chris and I were law school classmates. He has been a dear friend and has provided me invaluable wisdom and support in my years as a dean. I know I speak for all of us in saying how terribly much we will miss him.

I will keep you posted of plans for memorials.