On Friday, May 15, the University will hold its Commencement ceremony, which will have a significant impact on campus traffic flow and parking. Students and their families will begin arriving as early as 6 a.m., and all River Campus lots will be needed for guest parking. Due to expected traffic and the need for guest parking, departmental supervisors are encouraged to consider alternatives to staff working onsite that day, where operationally possible. Employees who must work onsite should park in their regular lot.

URochester Medicine employees who park in lots accessed off Crittenden and Kendrick Roads should expect increased traffic that morning and adjust their travel times accordingly. Lot 2 and 9 permit holders are asked to follow the regular parking overflow plan if needed.

Starting July 1, URochester will roll out free and reduced parking rates for employees who park in designated permit-required lots. This expands free and reduced-cost parking options for faculty and staff across the University and on the Health Sciences Campus.

These changes reflect feedback from the recent Employee Experience Survey, where employees identified parking affordability as a key concern. As a result, nearly 75 percent of permit holders will see savings, with the changes reflected in the first July pay period.

Changes include free parking in designated on-campus remote and off-site employee lots, along with annual permit reductions of $200 to $400 in select mid-range parking lots. Rates for specified close-in surface lots and all parking garages will remain the same.

Employees must continue to maintain a parking permit and current vehicle registration. Employees may request to switch lots beginning on January 4, 2027.

Start with your Personal Health Assessment, which includes a quick online survey and biometric screening, then meet with a nurse to map out your next steps. Get expert-backed resources, discover Well-U programs, and earn $150 along the way.

The Sustainability Office invites members of the University community to volunteer as Zero-Waste Rangers at the departmental Commencement receptions on Saturday, May 16, to help ensure that materials are properly sorted as compostable, recyclable, or trash. Sign up for a shift.

In her recent Leadership Conversation, Kathy Parrinello, president and CEO of Strong Memorial and Highland Hospitals, discussed expanding and enhancing care in and outside the hospital.

Are you ready to meet the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) standards for data management and sharing? Do you understand the new template? This virtual workshop on Thursday, May 14, at 1 p.m. will give you an overview of the NIH Policy for Data Management and Sharing, guide you through the steps to effectively create a Data Management and Sharing Plan, and share guidance materials and a template created specifically for URochester researchers.

Baccalaureate Mass and Ascension Thursday, a holy day of obligation, will be celebrated together at 4:30 p.m. on May 14 in the Mack Catholic Center on the River Campus. All are welcome to attend.

This interdisciplinary event will feature presentations, posters, and discussion broadly related to microplastics and health, with a primary focus on the Great Lakes environment (nearshore air, wastewater, soil, plant material, fish, and other aquatic organisms) and implications for human health. Register to attend on Thursday, June 18, at Memorial Art Gallery.

The Eastman School of Music is hosting its first-ever Summer Music Production Institute, a program for high school students that consists of private lessons, master classes, and discussions, culminating in a performance of music created during the week. The session takes place July 19–24, and is designed for students who are curious and excited to learn about music technology. Applications are due by Sunday, May 31.

The University Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs Office shares the winners of this year’s Elon Huntington Hooker Dissertation Fellowship, the Agnes M. Messersmith and George Messersmith Fellowship, the Joan Wright Goodman Fellowship, and the Presidential Fellowship.

The Sustainable Labs Initiative, a graduate student-led group dedicated to fostering a culture of sustainability within research laboratories at URochester, was recently recognized by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education for an outstanding case study. Learn more here.