The latest on vaccinations and an update on commencement 2021
The University has recently provided updates about COVID-19 vaccinations as well as planning for this year’s commencement.
The Medical Center will be able to offer the COVID-19 vaccine to University and UR Medicine faculty, staff, and students who meet New York State’s 1b eligibility criteria,starting as early as Tuesday, March 23.
People 60 years and older, as well as those with eligible comorbid conditions, are welcome to register. For employment-based 1b eligibility, eligible graduate and undergraduate students who fall under the 1b category of “in-person college/university faculty and essential in-person staff,” may include RAs, GRAs, GTAs, GAs, or another type of in-person and/or hourly-paid student worker. Note: students must have paid employment, a stipend, fellowships, or assistantship appointments that require in-person activities; students who are working 100 percent remotely are not included in employment-based 1b categories.
Vaccination registration is required through a secure Medical Center waitlist. Everyone must provide a University email address when signing onto the waitlist, and then will be sent an email invitation to sign up as the Medical Center receives vaccine from the state and is able to open appointments. Individuals must also attest to their 1b eligibility. Appointment slots are expected to be available beginning Tuesday, March 23. They will be limited and will be on a “first clicked, first scheduled” basis, so check your email frequently after signing onto the waitlist.
President Sarah Mangelsdorf announced last week that the University will conduct hybrid commencement exercises on the weekends of May 14–16 and 21–23 that will prioritize in-person participation for our current campus community of eligible graduates, faculty, and staff. All commencement events will be streamed live online for family and friends to remotely share in the graduates’ special day. Any graduate unable to participate in-person will be able to join virtually. Mangelsdorf also outlined planning efforts to offer in-person celebrations for the Class of 2020 at a future date. Read President Mangelsdorf’s message to the University community.
Since Friday’s notice in @Rochester, there are nine new cases of COVID-19 to report: six River Campus students and one employee; and two Eastman 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—for non–Medical Center faculty, staff, and all students and for Medical Center employees—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.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) reports taxpayers and preparers are again being baited through phishing scams posing as the IRS, this time requesting Verification of EFIN (Electronic Filing Identification Numbers). Malicious actors will claim the IRS cannot verify the EFIN in their system and threaten to disable your ability to e-file until proper documentation is provided. Relying on stress and panic, scammers can obtain sensitive information that they then use to file fake tax returns. University IT reminds you that the IRS does not initiate contact via email. Should you receive an email requesting sensitive information, do not reply to the email, click links, or open attachments. Instead, always contact the requester through a verified phone number or another method that ensures you’re contacting the actual organization.
The University has been recognized as a top producer of US Fulbright Student Grant recipients for 2020–21. Be a part of this tradition, sponsored by the US Department of State, designed to promote mutual understanding and peace between the United States and other nations through educational and cultural exchange. Explore your options on the Fulbright U.S. Student Program website and start your 2022–23 Fulbright planning now. Register to attend an upcoming information session with the Fellowships Office on Tuesday, March 23, from noon–1 p.m. EDT, or Friday, March 26, from 1–2 p.m. EDT to learn more. Email URFellowshipsAsst@UR.Rochester.edu with questions.
Wilson Workshop: The 19th Ward and PLEX
Learn about the neighborhoods across the bridge. Join guest speakers Dorian Hall and Bryan Babcock for a conversation about the 19th Ward and Plymouth Exchange Neighborhoods. This talk, open to students in AS&E, takes place Thursday, March 25, at 6:30 p.m. EDT. Register here to attend.
Register for the One Community Talent Show
Calling all performers: What does culture mean to you? Win prizes for yourself or a cash award for your organization’s operating budget at the One Community Talent Show, presented by the Paul J. Burgett Intercultural Center. Undergraduate students in the College and at the Eastman School of Music can join the competition with a live or pre-recorded performance that shows off their culture. Individual and group acts are welcome. Registration ends March 26. The virtual event with live judging takes place Saturday, April 10, at 7 p.m. EDT.
Summer programs offer opportunities to study neural networks
Are you making summer plans? Learn and research neural networks, the computational framework that imitates the human brain, through the Tripods NSF REU and STEM for All summer 2021 programs, being held July 19 through August 13. Tripods NSF REU participants will receive a $1,600 stipend for completion of the program. The programs— which will either be run in-person or via Zoom, depending on restrictions in place this summer—are open to current undergraduates from the University, Cornell University, and institutions in the Rochester area. Apply by Friday, March 26.
The Office of Total Rewards invites you to a personal finance webinar to help you assess your current financial situation and take action toward financial wellness. Securian Financial will break it down into simple steps that help you recognize challenges, set goals, and take charge of your finances and saving. Enroll online to reserve your spot for the webinar, taking place Wednesday, March 24, at noon EDT.
Virtual LGBTQ staff and faculty tea
LGBTQ staff, faculty, and administrators across the University can grab their favorite hot beverage and come together virtually on Wednesday, March 24, between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m. EDT. You can drop in and leave anytime during the hour. Register here to attend.
Walk, run, or bike around the world
Starting April 19, take a virtual trip around the globe with Well-U and visit the world’s most treasured attractions without ever leaving home. In “Worldwide Wellness” you’ll be able to log activity from your tour while practicing habits for lifelong wellness. Visit the Well-U website for more information. The first 100 registrants to enroll on April 5 will be entered into a raffle to win a Fitbit.
Funding available for novel neuroscience research
The Ernest J. Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience will offer up to $900,000 in support of 17 pilot projects with a focus on novel basic, clinical, and translational research in the neurosciences. The awards are open to all Medical Center and University faculty. The submission deadline is 5 p.m. on Monday, April 19.
Through her leadership with Free the People Roc, Ashley Gantt has been at the forefront of the movement for racial justice in Rochester. To honor Daniel Prude on the anniversary of his death, Gantt will share the latest efforts to carry this work forward and how others can support those efforts. The “Breaking the Bubble” talk, hosted by the Center for Community Engagement, takes place today, Monday, March 22, from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. EDT. Learn more and register here.
One Community Gathering to discuss recent violence against Asians and Asian Americans
Join the Paul J. Burgett Intercultural Center, the M. K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence, and the University Counseling Center for a One Community Gathering to discuss the recent hate crimes against Asians and Asian Americans. The event takes place Wednesday, March 24, from 6 to 8 p.m. EDT and is open to all University community members. It will serve as a healing space to support one another during this difficult time. Email bic@rochester.edu with questions or for accommodations. Register to attend here.
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