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Welcome to the Start of the SemesterWelcome to the start of the fall semester! The first few weeks of classes are always exciting and it’s great to see the campus with renewed energy. This semester we welcome over 1,500 new first-year students, of which 22 percent are first generation, our largest first-generation cohort in years. Along with the rest of the University, we are launching the Career Path Modernization project which will allow us to better support our staff. Please visit the project website to learn more. In response to feedback from junior faculty, we have created a fund for assistant professors whose research has been affected by COVID-19 and ask you to read the note below on this topic. We will be rolling out other initiatives for faculty and staff as the year progresses.
As we come into this new academic year, I want us to be aware that AS&E does not sit in isolation from what is going on in greater Rochester, the country, and the world at large. It seems at times that civility, respect, decency, and inclusivity are topics of debate, rather than the aspirational goals of our community. As you know, over the last few years we have increasingly worked to clarify our mission and passion for a more inclusive, diverse, and communicative community in which all members respect each other and display our Meliora Values. We do not always get it right, and students, faculty, and staff may not always agree on the outcomes, but it continues to be one of our most important goals, and I look forward to working with all of you as we navigate through this next academic year.
Thank you all for all you do as we continue to make AS&E and Rochester “ever better.”
—Joan Saab, interim dean of the faculty
Latest News and AnnouncementsWelcome to our new faculty in AS&E: Please welcome all new 2022–23 faculty and faculty with new roles to Arts, Sciences & Engineering. Learn more about each of them.
Pre-COVID research and junior faculty: To help junior faculty on the tenure track whose research has been affected by the pandemic, AS&E deans have established a Pre-Tenure Faculty Research Support Fund. Apply for the grant.
AS&E Community Conversations: This year Joan Saab, interim dean of the faculty, will host AS&E Community Conversations. These conversations will include presentations and talks by faculty members or panels of faculty. They will be open to all members of the University community as well as the greater Rochester community. Faculty interested in participating are invited to submit ideas for presenting new, exciting aspects of their research to DeanofFaculty@rochester.edu.
Child care subsidy applications now being accepted: To help support the rising cost of child and dependent care, the University now offers a Child Care Subsidy Program to assist eligible faculty and staff with child care expenses by providing awards of up to $3,600 a year, depending on total household gross income, through the pre-tax Dependent Care FSA. Applications are being accepted through October 12. The family care website includes more information, including FAQs; or contact familycare@rochester.edu with any questions.
Global Celebration Committee seeks input: The Global Celebration Committee, established in the spring, is overseeing an initiative to showcase the institution’s global diversity. The University community is invited to submit creative ideas that would represent Rochester’s global diversity in meaningful, valuable, and inspirational ways. The committee will accept submissions through October 31 and make recommendations to President Sarah Mangelsdorf in December.
Greene Center course-development grants available: Instructors can apply through September 26 for a chance to receive one of five $5,000 course-development grants through the Greene Center for Career Education and Connections. Made possible by an alumni gift, these awards will support the integration of local employer-based projects into spring 2023 AS&E undergraduate courses. Apply here; decisions will be announced on October 3. For questions, email Caterina Caiazza.
Faculty course-development grants offered: Consider applying for one of AS&E’s course-development grants that support instructors in the development of AS&E courses. Faculty interested in applying for the Teaching Innovation Grant (Teaching Center) or the Community-Engaged Course Development Grant (Center for Community Engagement) should submit a proposal by November 15. Learn about the available grants and how to apply.
Nominate a colleague for an ACE Award: The University community is invited to nominate AS&E staff members who exemplify the University’s vision and values and go above and beyond their job to make AS&E and the University ever better. Successful nominations will highlight specific examples of tasks, projects, or activities where staff are exceeding their core functions. Staff can be nominated more than once, and winners will be chosen on the first of each month by Interim Dean of the Faculty Joan Saab.
Upcoming Faculty Development WorkshopsBias-Related Incidents & Disability and Mental Health: Join Jessica Guzman-Rea and Jennifer Prosceo for an in-depth online conversation as they discuss the topic of Bias-Related Incidents and Disability and Mental Health Concerns on Monday, September 19, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Register here for the event and use this Zoom link to access the discussion.
Teaching Center offering workshops: Register for one of the Teaching Center’s many workshops that take place on Thursdays from noon to 1 p.m. via Zoom. Follow the link for each workshop below to register.
Learn more on the Teaching Center website, and contact Rachel Remmel with any questions.
Mark Your CalendarEducation Abroad Global Fair: The in-person Global Fair will take place on Wednesday, September 21, in Hirst Lounge, from 1 to 4 p.m. There will be a virtual option for the Global Fair on Thursday, September 22, from 9 a.m. to noon through CCC. To learn more about the fair, visit the Education Abroad website.
HIGHER Conference for Women in Higher Education: The Institutional Office of Equity and Inclusion is hosting the “HIGHER Conference for Women in Higher Education,” taking place Thursday, September 22, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Feldman Ballroom, Douglass Commons. The event is open to faculty, administrators, health care professionals, alumni, graduate students, and postdocs. Find more information and register here for the free event.
High Holidays with UR Hillel: Faculty and staff are invited to join UR Hillel for services for Rosh Hashanah (September 25–26) and Yom Kippur (October 4–5). Find more information here. Contact Joy Getnick, UR Hillel executive director, with questions.
Coffee Hour with the Dean: Joan Saab, interim dean of the faculty, will host a coffee hour each month to speak with faculty and staff in AS&E. On Tuesday, October 4, she invites faculty to drop by the 317 Lattimore Conference Room from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. In November, she will host staff and the date will be shared in the next newsletter.
AS&E all-staff meeting: On Thursday, October 6, from 3 to 4:30 p.m., Dean Joan Saab will host an all-staff meeting for AS&E. Saab will provide a general update, and other AS&E deans and senior leaders will also be present to help answer questions. The meeting will be offered in person in the Feldman Ballroom, Douglass Commons. At the conclusion of the meeting, there will be a light networking reception. Additionally, a Zoom webinar is available for attendees unable to make it in person. Click here to join the webinar. Please note that you will not receive a calendar invite for this meeting.
The University is committed to providing inclusive experiences and equal access to programs and services. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation, contact Tamara Evans. In all situations, a good faith effort (up until the time of the event) will be made to provide accommodations.
September offerings for faculty search committee trainings: Join Tammy Michielsen, director of faculty affairs, and Faculty Development and Diversity Officers Beth Olivares, dean for diversity, and Ellen Matson, an associate professor of chemistry, as they present data on our faculty over time. They will update participants on procedures and procedural changes and the current landscape of faculty development and diversity, discuss best practices in faculty hiring; and engage the group in conversations related to implicit bias in the search and review process. These workshops are offered on two dates. Members of search committees need not attend the same workshop, but everyone must participate (or have participated in the past year). The same information is presented in each session. Find the dates and times of these training sessions and register here.
Meliora Weekend EventsCenter for Education Abroad celebration of global experiences
Join the Center for Education Abroad in a celebration of global experiences, learning about new initiatives, and our redesigned office space in Dewey Hall. Education Abroad alumni and current students will share stories of global experiences that have powerfully affected their personal and professional journeys. For more information visit the Meliora Weekend schedule.
Kearns Center / McNair Program open house
Friday, September 30
3:30 to 5:30 p.m.
David T. Kearns Center Suite (Dewey Hall fourth floor)
Celebrate our anniversaries with current Kearns Center and McNair Program staff, students, faculty, and friends. Come share memories and learn what’s new!
Transforming Lives Through Education Opportunity: A Family Affair
Saturday, October 1
1:30 to 3 p.m.
Location TBD – Please refer to the Meliora Weekend schedule
Join Beth Olivares, executive director of the David T. Kearns Center, and dean for diversity in AS&E, for a deep dive into the paths our alumni have taken after graduation and learn more about the impact the center has had on their lives. You can also find out about some of the center’s current projects and collaborations.
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