All eligible faculty and staff are urged to take advantage of the COVID-19 vaccine. At this time, however, due to the nationwide shortage of vaccine supply, New York State continues to direct the URMC’s Employee Health group to focus solely on vaccinating health care workers in category 1A. Recognizing that many faculty and staff in category 1B (ages 65 and over; in-person instruction) are eager to receive a vaccine, Employee Health will begin operating clinics to support this effort as soon as additional vaccine supplies are received and new direction is provided from New York State. With the uncertain timing of this, it is recommended that individuals who are currently eligible for a vaccine investigate other vaccine options. The Finger Lakes Vaccine Hub is a great resource to learn more about vaccine options in our community.
In today’s issue:
New websites for the Office of Human Resources and University Policy and Procedures have launched.
Barnes and Noble at College Town is open with updated hours
Warner School will kick off its “What Are You Reading?” social media initiative
Since Tuesday’s notice in @Rochester, there are three new cases of COVID-19 to report: one River Campus student and two Medical Campus students. Please note that the University’s COVID-19 Dashboard is updated daily. Whenever a new case is known, the contact-tracing process begins immediately with confirmed exposures being contacted and required to quarantine.
It’s extremely important for the health of the University community that individuals continue to adhere to the face masking and social distancing protocols. Even as some individuals are now receiving their first or second dose of the vaccine, these practices to prevent the transmission of the virus cannot be relaxed.
If you think you’re experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms, it’s important to report them through Dr. Chat Bot immediately. Even if you think your symptoms might be something else—like a cold, seasonal congestion, or allergies—it’s still important to tell University health professionals and contact tracers what you’re experiencing.
New Human Resources and Policies websites emphasize University mission and values
The Office of Human Resources in partnership with University Communications launched a new cohesive Office of Human Resources website this week. The site communicates and reinforces the University’s mission, culture, and values in a modern and visually engaging way. The website offers both current and prospective employees a more accessible, user-focused experience designed to work well on both large and small screens. The expanded navigation menu makes it easy to find popular topics such as Total Rewards, Well-U, and Career Opportunities, and the on-site search makes it easy to browse by keyword. Answers to questions are a click away with an expanded Support/Contact section with FAQs organized by topic as well as a wide range of contact options. There’s also a new Manager’s Toolkit with tips, tools, and resources designed to support supervisors, and a Professional Success section that empowers employees to learn and grow.
“The Office of Human Resources is proud to present, along with our colleagues in the Office of Communications, this new digital resource for our prospective and current faculty and staff,” says Kathy Gallucci, interim chief human resources officer. “We think it will make information easier to find, improve the way we communicate on important issues, and more accurately reflect our culture and the incredible work being done at the University of Rochester.”
A new University Policies and Procedures website, which also launched this week, is a companion to the HR website. The site, which currently features all HR-related policies, soon will expand to include University-wide policies on a range of topics. The website reflects the University’s commitment to openness and inclusion by making policies easier to browse, find, read, print, and share. University Communications supports and maintains the new website. If you are an employee who oversees a University policy and would like to learn more about how to submit, visit Rochester.edu/policies/submit.
Feedback on both websites is welcome. If you have issues accessing information, use the links below.
Andrew Cashner, an assistant professor of music in the Arthur Satz Department of Music, joins BBC Radio for a program on colonial Latin American composer Juan Gutierrez de Padilla.
New opportunity for PhD students in the humanities and social sciences
InternPhD is a competitive internship program to provide academic-adjacent higher education experiences for PhD students in the humanities and social sciences in Arts, Sciences & Engineering. Enriching their academic program and adding direction to career development, students will participate in a summer-long internship, working part-time (15-20 hours a week) with a stipend of $3,000. Before applying for an internship, students must complete the prerequisite course CASC 504. More information and eligibility requirements can be found online.
On Thursday, January 28, at 2 p.m. EST the River Campus Libraries will host part two of an hour-long workshop on open educational resources and open pedagogy (OP). Authors from Open Pedagogy Approaches will speak on their chapters, which will cover OP practices for giving undergraduate students training in the research process and an OP design for graduate student internships. Register here to attend.
Financial Health Bite: A parent’s guide to kids and money
The Office of Total Rewards invites you to a webinar on Wednesday, February 3, at noon EST to learn about the relationship between children and money from a parent’s perspective. In this workshop employees will learn ways to teach their children good money habits and how to make sound spending, saving, and investing decisions. The webinar will be conducted by a representative from MetLife. Enroll online.
Barnes and Noble at College Town is open for business and ready for the back-to-school season. With limited hours of operation, reduced access to some areas, restricted customer capacity, and counter service only for textbooks, individuals are strongly encouraged to shop for course materials, school supplies, and spirit items online at urochester.bncollege.com. Shipments can be sent to residential addresses via UPS, and free delivery is offered to Campus Mail Center boxes in Todd Union. Contactless curbside pickup is now also available during store hours.
The store is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Saturday, January 30, it will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Warner School gears up for annual reading campaign in February
The Warner School of Education is running its annual social media campaign this February to promote the importance of reading. The month-long initiative themed “What Are You Reading?” encourages readers to document, share, and tag photos of books read aloud to children, using the hashtags #Read4Luv and #WhatIAmReading. Throughout the month, people are also encouraged to share posts and photos of their favorite childhood books.
Go Green: Dining Services partners with local bakery for gluten-free desserts
The University is getting ready to welcome students back to campus for the spring semester. Part of the preparations includes installing a temporary ice rink on the Wilson Quad—coordinated by Wilson Commons Student Activities—so that students can enjoy some distanced outdoor winter fun.
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