Last-minute shopping and delivery scams

The holidays have a way of sneaking up on you and so do scammers. University IT advises that if you find yourself making last-minute purchases, be a wise online shopper and only order your gifts from reputable companies. Be wary of scams like phishing emails or texts that pose as official notices from delivery companies either asking for personal information, providing bogus “tracking links” or messages about shipment issues. When in doubt, go back to your online account for your order and tracking info. Always contact the company directly with concerns and delete suspicious emails. Find more tips and reminders on the Information Security website.

Data Bloom Viz Competition

Flex your creative and analytical muscles and submit your data visualizations for a chance to win big. Whether it’s graphs, data dashboards, maps, or digital humanities projects, show your unique perspective and storytelling through data. No matter your field of study, undergraduate students, graduate students, and groups of up to five students are eligible to showcase your data visualization talents. Classwork and independent projects are welcome. Submissions are open from November 25 to December 31. Find more details, including prize categories.

Auditions for Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812

The International Theatre Program will hold auditions for the musical Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 on January 14 and 15. Find more information, including an audition schedule, here. Open to all students on the River Campus and at the Eastman School of Music. Academic credits are available for participation.

Last chance for your 2024 personal health assessment

Well-U offers a $125 incentive each year for employees on the University health care plan who complete a personal health assessment. Don’t miss your chance to learn your health numbers, create a plan to better your health, and earn money. Start by taking the online health surveys.

Data de-identification service available

The Office of the Vice President for Research in conjunction with the Clinical & Translational Science Institute offer a data de-identification service, available to the University research community. The service can help with the removal or masking of elements in research data sets that contain Protected Health Information before publicly sharing or publishing data, as required by certain funding agencies or journals. To schedule a consultation or learn more about the service, visit the Data De-Identification Service Center.

Well-Being for Life and Learning training program

Did you know that 85 percent of Rochester faculty and staff have talked to students about their well-being, but many haven’t received the training to handle those crucial conversations? Faculty and student-support staff are invited to be part of the Well-Being for Life and Learning training program to equip themselves with essential strategies to nurture student well-being using straightforward, impactful, and empathetic approaches. Flexible learning options include in-person, online, and asynchronous workshops. Several self-paced workshops are available to complete during winter break. Register here for available online workshops including:

• Navigating the Predominantly White Institution as an Underrepresented Minority Student
• Intercultural Communication: What Did You Say?
• Creating a Contemplative Classroom
• Well-Being in Learning Environments

Discount Amerks, Sabres tickets

The Rochester Americans and Buffalo Sabres are offering all University faculty, staff, retirees, and their families the chance to purchase discounted tickets for the 2024–25 season, subject to availability. Visit the Office of Total Rewards discounts and perks website for additional information.

Learn about Simon’s exclusive scholarships for employees

Chat with an admissions representative about Simon Business School’s programs for working professionals on Tuesday, December 10, between 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. in Saunders Research Building, Medical Center. Learn about programs for working professionals, gain insights tailored to your career goals, and have your questions answered about University tuition benefits and Simon scholarships available to University employees. Merit-based scholarships are applied after tuition benefits. You’ll leave with a Simon gift, an application fee waiver, and a complimentary cup of coffee.

You can also learn more here about HSM 465: Health Care Data Visualization and Analytics as a standalone class or as a stepping stone to the Medical Management program. The class focuses on teaching students to analyze and gain insights from health care datasets using Tableau.

Nominations open for Student Life Awards

The annual University Student Life Awards—also known as the Rockys—recognize undergraduate students and student organizations who, through service to others, investment of talent and time, and pursuit of excellence, have significantly and positively impacted the University or surrounding communities. Nominations are open through Sunday, February 2, at 11:59 p.m. Review the available awards and submit nominations here. Sponsored by the Office of the Dean of Students.

Meet artist Chitra Ganesh at MAG

Nightwatchers, a two-sided drawing by internationally recognized artist Chitra Ganesh, is part of the Memorial Art Gallery’s current exhibition, Drawing as Discovery. With sequins and handwritten texts, the mixed-media work breaks from the traditional notion of drawing. Join Ganesh as she speaks on her work, creative process, and inspiration on Thursday, December 12, from 7 to 8 p.m. Learn more and find tickets here.

Community Dialogues in December

Looking for a space to share what’s on your mind, or to listen and connect with others? Join the final Community Dialogues of the year, held virtually on December 11 from 5 to 6 p.m. and December 18 from noon to 1 p.m. The facilitated sessions, hosted by the Office of Equity and Inclusion, provide a forum where the conversations are shaped by you. All are welcome. Register here to attend.