Last month marked one year since the University began living and working during the COVID-19 pandemic. For some faculty and staff, this has meant working remotely. For others—notably, the employees who work directly with patients and students, some research positions, and key individuals who have kept things running on-site—work has continued under strict safety protocols on campus. The University is proud of and inspired by how faculty and staff have come together during these challenging times.
Throughout the pandemic, the University has prioritized the health and safety of the community. As vaccination rates increase and public health guidelines ease, preparations have begun for an eventual full return to the workplace. A dedicated working group, in partnership with CURT and the Department of Human Resources, is currently being formed to evaluate the right transition path for that return, taking into account cleaning protocols, safe physical distancing, space needs, and any continued opportunities for full-time or part-time remote work. Learn more about the University’s plans for returning to the workplace.
In today’s issue:
Take a virtual tour of Rochester trails with Well-U’s condition management team
Tonight’s Eastman faculty artist concert features works by Stravinsky, Schubert, and Beethoven
Modified staff performance evaluations will begin next month
Since Tuesday’s notice in @Rochester, there are six new cases of COVID-19 to report: five River Campus students and one Eastman Campus staff member. 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.
The Medical Center is continuing to make vaccine clinic appointments available to all University faculty, staff, and students. Visit the URMC COVID Clinic List to register.
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.
Given this extraordinary year, it’s clear that what the University’s staff has accomplished and contributed cannot be captured by the traditional performance evaluation process. Therefore, this year will feature a modified approach. Staff performance evaluation templates will still be available through MyPath but will focus more broadly on achievements and growth, allowing employees and managers to acknowledge how they adapted to changing work environments and contributed to their departments, units, and the University. The modified schedule follows:
University staff self-reviews: May 1 to June 15
Medical Center staff self-reviews: June 1 to 15
University manager reviews: June 16 to July 31
Medical Center manager reviews: July 16 to August 31
More information on performance evaluations is available on the HR website.
LaTanya Johns appointed as Benet Career Management Center's assistant dean
LaTanya Johns has been appointed as assistant dean at the Jay S. and Jeanne Benet Career Management Center at Simon Business School. Johns comes to Rochester from Texas Christian University’s Neeley School of Business, where she was the director of the Graduate Career Center and was responsible for developing career programing and overseeing corporate engagement strategies to attract national and global corporations to the university. Johns will report to Rebekah Lewin, senior assistant dean, admissions and programs.
Boosters will likely be needed for at least a few years “out of an abundance of caution, knowing that immunity does wane in some individuals more than others,” says David Topham, the Marie Curran Wilson and Joseph Chamberlain Wilson Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology and the founding director of the Translational Immunology and Infectious Disease Institute. The article also appeared on MSN News.
Are you having relationship problems? Not sleeping well? Just feeling generally overwhelmed? Talk to a trained UR Connected peer coach to find resources on and off-campus to fit your needs. Visit Rochester.edu/urconnected to learn more and request to meet with a coach.
Wellness Wednesday: Networking
What does networking have to do with wellness? A lot if you are graduating in May or looking for summer internship opportunities. The job market can be a scary place in the best of times, which these are not. If you’re worried about what’s ahead, consider the Meliora Collective, a University-exclusive network with 7,500 active members, including almost 5,000 alumni hoping to help current students.
Unlike LinkedIn, you can see profiles of members from across the University, send messages, set up meetings, and access all the search filters at no cost. There are videos and resources on the platform to help you reach out to and talk with potential mentors, and you can also join interest groups and use the discussion boards to ask questions and connect.
Join the collective here. Then, make sure to check out these six tips on getting started. For questions, contact Amber Graham in the Greene Center for Career Education and Connections. Check next Wednesday for more tips and resources that will help you stay focused, healthy, and connected.
Academic skills boot camps for AS&E undergraduate students
Need help organizing and planning for your finals? Can’t figure out when and where to start? Your study skills consultants from the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning are hosting two virtual boot camps to guide you through the planning process and provide additional tips and strategies. The first one will take place on Friday, April 16, at 9 a.m. EDT. Register to attend here.
Wilson Workshop: Community engagement for leaders
All University first-year students are invited to learn how to take your or your organization’s community-engaged work to the next level. This workshop, taking place Wednesday, April 21, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. EDT, will discuss how to maintain partnerships, best practices, and the importance of reflection in effective community engagement.
Salary negotiation workshop
Learn how to research your target salary, highlight your accomplishments, and find the right words—and the confidence—to negotiate for better benefits and pay by attending a salary negotiation workshop from 5 to 7 p.m. EDT, on Tuesday, April 27. This interactive webinar is open to all students. The first 90 minutes will be learning the ins and outs of salary negotiation. The final 30 minutes will be discipline-specific discussions led by Greene Center career experts. Find out more information and register here. You can also listen to an Eastman Institute for Music Leadership podcast about salary negotiations and the gender wage gap.
Considering taking your favorite activity offroad this spring? Join Well-U’s condition management team on Wednesday, April 21, at 12:30 p.m. EDT for a virtual tour of Rochester trails. Learn about some of the most popular and least-traveled trails and parks in the area. Spoiler alert: there are a lot. Not sure where to go, how to park, or what to bring? This session will get you the information you need to get out there. Enroll now.
Faculty artist concert features works by Stravinsky, Schubert, and Beethoven
The next concert in Eastman School of Music’s Faculty Artist Series features Yoojin Jang, an assistant professor of violin, and Chiao-Wen Cheng, an assistant professor of accompanying. The performance takes place today, Wednesday, April 14, at 7:30 p.m. EDT, and will be free to stream live at esm.rochester.edu/live. The stream will start approximately 15 minutes before the event.
Share photos for COVID-19 tribute performance
The University Chamber Orchestra, in partnership with the Program of Dance and Movement, will produce Vivian Fine’s elegy “Piece for Muted Strings” for victims of COVID-19. Faculty, staff, administrators, and students who are interested in honoring their family members or friends as part of the performance are invited to share photos. You can upload photos of 300 dpi resolution here by Friday, April 16. Performance details will be announced at a later date.
Data science research seminar
Join the Goergen Institute for Data Science on Friday, April 16, for “(Re-)Imag(in)ing Price Trends,” a research seminar with Dacheng Xiu, a professor of econometrics and statistics at the Booth School of Business, University of Chicago. The free, virtual talk will be held from 2 to 3 p.m. EDT via Zoom.
Attend the inaugural Judith Johnson O’Brien Women in the Church Endowed Lecture
Join the Catholic Newman Community for the inaugural Judith Johnson O’Brien Lecture, an endowed annual lecture on the contributions of women to the Catholic Church. Olga Marina Segura, the opinion and culture editor at the National Catholic Reporter and the author of Birth of A Movement: Black Lives Matter and the Catholic Church, will offer the inaugural lecture, “Birth of A Movement: Why the Catholic Church Must Join the Fight for Liberation.” The lecture will be offered on Thursday, April 22, at 7:30 p.m. EDT over Zoom. Registration is required.
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