Kearns Center Director Named: Miguel Baique ’21W (EdD) has been named the director of the David T. Kearns Center for Leadership and Diversity effective March 13. He will manage the day-to-day operations of the center, supervise all staff, and focus on strengthening the center’s support of first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented students. Beth Olivares continues in her role as executive and founding director of the center; together Miguel and Beth will develop a strategic vision for the center’s next decades.
Miguel previously served as assistant dean for diversity, equity, and inclusion and the academic diversity officer at the Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science at Binghamton University. As part of his role there, he also served as the director of several programs that work with historically marginalized and underrepresented student populations to provide social, professional, and research development opportunities; support degree attainment; and guide students to pursue graduate education.
Supporting the Well-being of LGBTQ+ Students: Check out the Health Promotion Office’s LGBTQ+ health web page to access their Queer Health Resource Guide, which includes information on many resources for LGBTQ+ students, such as mental health care, physical health care, spiritual wellness, sexual health, coming out, all-gender restrooms, name changes, health insurance, and more. You may wish to print or bookmark this in case you are ever working with a student that may need one of these resources.
UHS Health Promotion Office Seeks Faculty Input: Faculty are invited to complete a brief survey to help the UHS Health Promotion Office with the development of a new program. The program is designed specifically for faculty with the following goals: to offer simple strategies they can use to navigate conversations with students who are struggling and to teach faculty how to cultivate supportive classroom environments that can enhance student well-being. The program will include a series of workshops from a variety of campus experts in the fields of student support and well-being, as well as a guidebook with expert advice, practical tools, case studies, and best practices. This program is scheduled to launch in the fall 2023 semester and will be called the Well-being for Life & Learning training. It is open to all faculty and instructors of undergraduate and graduate courses across all schools.
Check Your Contact Information for AlertUR: AlertUR is the University’s emergency notification system. In the event of an emergency, alerts are sent by voice, text, and email message. By default, you will receive alerts at your University email address but you can opt in to receive alerts via text or voice message if that’s the fastest method to reach you in an emergency. Review and update your contact information by login in with your NetID at https://alert.rochester.edu. For more information on AlertUR, visit http://tech.rochester.edu/faqs/alertur-faqs.
Applications for Summer Internship Funding Open March 15: Summer Internship Funding provides monetary support for undergraduates who obtain a summer internship to investigate career options, develop skills, and link classroom learning to the world of work. Applications open on March 15 and are due on April 10 at 11:59 p.m.
College Prizes Available: The College Center for Advising Services will soon begin accepting nominations for this year’s College Prizes. If you would like to nominate a deserving AS&E undergraduate student and you are not yet in the database, please email prizes@ur.rochester.edu. Nominations will be accepted until March 17. The College will hold an awards ceremony for graduating seniors during the weekend of commencement. The ceremony will celebrate the achievement of students across the College—recognizing excellence in academics, athletics, and student life. If you have any questions, please email the College Prizes Team.
Spring 2023 Teaching Center Workshops: The Teaching Center is offering the following spring 2023 workshops on Fridays from noon to 1 p.m. EST via Zoom. Click on the workshop name to register for that session.
Learn more on the Teaching Center website or contact the Teaching Center with any questions.
Intro to Mindfulness Classes: As we enter a new season, one way to help manage the stress that our hectic lifestyles produce is mindfulness meditation. Put mindfulness and well-being into practice this month with a free 4-week Koru course. A recent participant said “this workshop really changed my life. I am sleeping better and am not getting as stressed out about things that are coming up in my life!”
Register below for one of the March classes, which are open to all students, faculty, and staff.
Join the Teaching Center Podcast Club: Instructors can explore new teaching ideas by listening to a podcast episode selected by Teaching Center staff and then gathering on Zoom to discuss on Fridays from noon to 1 p.m. EST. Upcoming podcasts include
- Student Engagement, March 24
- Faculty Mindset’s Impact on Student Learning, April 28
Learn more about each topic or sign up for a session. Sign up for as many or as few individual sessions as you like.
Relax and Renew Retreat: Relax and renew retreats are half-day, silent meditation retreats for students, faculty, and staff who are interested in a more immersive meditation experience. Held in the Spurrier Dance Studio, the experience will offer participants four hours of noble silence while engaging in a variety of contemplative practices, including breath awareness meditations, gentle yoga, mindful walking, an eating meditation, and more. Retreats are led by Koru Mindfulness teachers. Prior meditation experience is not necessary to participate. The next retreat is on April 1 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Save your spot.
Coffee Hour with the Dean: Joan Saab, interim dean of the faculty, will be hosting a coffee hour each month to speak with faculty and staff in AS&E. On Tuesday, April 4, she invites faculty to drop by the 317 Lattimore conference room from 10 to 11 a.m.
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 Joan Saab, interim dean of the faculty.
