When someone flirts with your spouse, does that make your partner more attractive?

A new study coauthored by Harry Reis, a Dean’s Professor in the Department of Psychology, shows that—contrary to popular belief—someone who flirts with your spouse can cause your own attraction to your partner to wane.

Keep your software updated

Regularly updating software plays an important role in protecting your data. Outdated software often contains vulnerabilities that can be exploited by malicious actors to gain access to systems and data. These vulnerabilities can be as simple as bugs in the code or as complex as unpatched security holes that could let a bad actor access your data. IT Security provides best practices for updating your software. Don’t forget to visit the National Cybersecurity Awareness Month web page for this week’s game and learn how you can win a prize.

‘Sextortion’ scams coming to an inbox near you

Per Information Security, a new nationwide “sextortion” scam is targeting Gmail accounts of University faculty, staff, students, and their families. The scammers obtain victims’ email addresses, Google map images of the victim’s home, and other personal information from the dark web. The malicious actors use the information pulled to invoke fear and convince the victim of their intent to expose personal, embarrassing, or explicit content and coerce them into paying Bitcoin. Read this article for more information and to review a recent example of a scam message received by a Rochester employee, along with proactive measures and helpful resources from Information Security should you receive a similar message.

Tell us what you think about @Rochester

Help us improve @Rochester by sharing your thoughts in a brief survey. Our goal is to gain a deeper understanding of your views about @Rochester, how you prefer to engage with the newsletter, and what kinds of content you’d like to see moving forward. Your feedback will help guide us as we consider ways to improve the newsletter for our community. The survey takes about five minutes to complete, and you can enter to win some Rochester swag at the end. Thank you for your time and input!

Celebrate National Transfer Student Week

This year’s celebration of Rochester’s transfer students kicks off today, October 21, and runs through Friday, October 25. Open to all undergraduate transfer students in the School of Arts & Sciences and the Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, the week is a great way to meet fellow transfer students, connect with campus offices and services, and learn more about available resources to support your unique Rochester journey. Explore the detailed event schedule on the Orientation and New Student Programs website.

Relax at Destress Fest

Take a break from studying and join the Health Promotion office for a Destress Fest in the Welles-Brown Room in Rush Rhees Library from 5 to 7 p.m. on Monday, October 21. Find Halloween-themed crafts along with relaxing music, tea, stress balls, and other fun swag.

First-gen student voter registration event

To kick off First-Gen Week events at the University, the David T. Kearns Center and the Center for Community Engagement are teaming up to help first-generation students “ROC the Vote.” The event aims to engage the first-gen student population in the electoral process while developing a sense of civic-mindedness. The voter registration drive will be held on Thursday, October 24, from noon to 2 p.m. in the Kearns Center classroom, Dewey Hall, Room 4-162. Light refreshments will be provided.

Mindfulness facilitator training

Passionate about mindfulness meditation? The Mindfulness University Project is recruiting students to become mindfulness facilitators. A Mindfulness Facilitator Training Workshop is happening on Friday, October 25, from 4:40 to 7 p.m. in Genesee Hall, Room 325. Learn about the history and science behind mindfulness, how to guide a trauma-informed practice, and receive common troubleshooting tips to guide others on their mindfulness journey.

Open to all undergraduate and graduate students. Registration is required for this event. Attendees will be invited to apply to join the executive committee for Mindful U. You can receive Level 1 Medallion Credit by participating and Level 2 when leading mindfulness sessions.

Sign up for ‘The Body Project’

Join University Health Service for “The Body Project,” a free, four-week evidence-based body acceptance program aimed at helping women challenge unrealistic appearance ideals. Through engaging group discussions and interactive activities, participants will gain valuable insights into developing a healthier body image and self-esteem. Open to all undergraduate and graduate women, the program has proven effective in reducing body dissatisfaction and promoting body positivity. Nonbinary students are also welcome, although the focus is on femme-presenting societal ideals. Sessions will be held in the UHS Reifler Room on November 4, 11, 18, and 25 from 4 to 5 p.m. Find more information and register.

Expand your life insurance coverage during Open Enrollment

Expand your Group Universal Life (GUL) insurance coverage without health questions, during Open Enrollment, October 16–30. You can enroll or increase your existing GUL coverage by one times (1x) your annual salary; not to exceed a total of eight times (8x) salary or $1,500,000 (whichever is less) without proof of good health. The opportunity, available even if you have previously been declined coverage, is only available this year. For more information and to explore your options, visit Securian Financial’s educational microsite.

Blender 101: Spooky Season edition

Create the spooktacular 3D character of your nightmares. This Mary Ann Mavrinac Studio X workshop on Thursday, October 24, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. focuses on content creation with the 3D modeling software Blender, an open-source software that has become the industry standard.

Learn how to navigate the Blender workspace, tools, and hotkeys, and create a low-polygon model of a chilling (or cute) jack-o’-lantern. After the workshop, you can take your shot at Blender glory by entering your creation in the annual Blender pumpkin contest on Instagram. Register here to attend.

Community dinner at the Gandhi Institute

Attend a community dinner and dialogue at the MK Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence on Monday, October 28, at 6 p.m. Learn more and RSVP to attend.