Donna Gooden Payne, senior vice president and general counsel, has announced her plans to retire, effective at the end of July 2026.

University flags on the Eastman Quadrangle, near the entrance of Strong Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Department, and the flags atop the Eastman Theatre at the corner of Gibbs and Main Streets, will be lowered on Thursday, October 30, for Suzanne Brendze, a clinical instructor in family medicine (urgent care), who died on September 21. Brendze joined the University faculty in 2015.

Get support for life’s challenges with one of Well-U’s partners, offering counseling, assessment, referrals, and more. Options include:

• UR Medicine EAP: All URochester employees and members of their household are eligible for up to five annual visits for help with relationship issues, grief, anxiety, stress, and much more. Call (585)276-9110 for an appointment.
• Behavioral Health Partners: Eligible URochester employees can receive up to 15 annual visits for therapy, medication management, and physician consultations for stress, anxiety, depression, and ADHD. Call (585)276-6900 to get started.

“Seeds for Collaboration” is a faculty and postdoc mixer sponsored by the Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience and the School of Medicine and Dentistry dean’s office. Attend the next session on Tuesday, October 21, at 4:30 p.m. in LeChase Assembly Room (G-9576) at the Medical Center.

Well-U’s Nutrition Basics program covers everything from essential nutrients to practical tips for healthy eating. Sessions begin on Friday, October 24, at noon. Register here.

Through the University’s homeownership incentive program, eligible faculty and staff can receive up to $20,000 toward a first-time home purchase in the City of Rochester.

The next Center for Learning in the Digital Age (LiDA) colloquium session centers on the responsibility of educators to promote AI literacy for the students they serve, to ensure that they can use AI in effective, safe, and ethical ways. Learn more and register to attend via Zoom on Tuesday, October 21, at 3:30 p.m.

Join River Campus Libraries for an online event that brings together a panel of academics and archivists from URochester and the University of Leeds with an interest in Black history and how libraries and archives support these histories. The event takes place on Thursday, October 23, at 11 a.m.

To celebrate Spiritual Care Week, Strong Memorial Hospital’s chaplain office is offering a labyrinth walk, October 20–24, in the hospital’s interfaith chapel. Instructions will be given, and all are welcome. The labyrinth is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 9 a.m. to noon on Friday.

National Pharmacy Week is October 19–25, an annual observance that acknowledges the contributions that pharmacists and pharmacy technicians make to patient care in hospitals, ambulatory care clinics, and other healthcare settings. National Pharmacy Technicians Day is celebrated within the week on October 21. Read more about the UR Medicine pharmacy on the Medical Center’s intranet; access to the University network is required.

Members of the senior class have the opportunity to recognize and honor a high school teacher who significantly influenced them by submitting a nomination for the Singer Family Prize for Excellence in Secondary School Teaching. Four teachers will be selected from the nominees; the winning teachers will be acknowledged in a ceremony in May. The winners and their schools will also receive a financial prize. Nominations must be completed online and are due November 21.

Students can learn about BDSM and discuss the importance of consent and safety at an event on Tuesday, October 21, at 7 p.m. in the Gowen Room. Registration is encouraged but not required. Presented by Health Promotion, the Paul J. Burgett Intercultural Center, and Title IX Office.

Undergraduate and graduate students are invited to the Paul J. Burgett Intercultural Center’s “BIC-Ture This” cross-stitching workshop on Friday, October 24, at 7 p.m. All materials will be provided for students who RSVP by October 22; no experience is needed.

Health Promotion hosts an alcohol education seminar on October 24, November 21, December 19, or January 23 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Register through CCC.

The Make It Happen Prize offers up to $1,500 in funding to help URochester students launch their projects or ventures. Move your idea from concept to reality with funding, guidance, and support from the Barbara J. Burger iZone. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis through November 1 at 11:59 p.m.