Three new positive cases of COVID-19

There are three new cases of COVID-19 to report: one River Campus student and one employee, and one Medical Campus student. Please note that the University’s COVID-19 Dashboard is updated when a new case is reported. Find the latest COVID-19 messages and updates here.

A reminder on face masks: they must be worn properly covering the nose and mouth indoors on the University’s campuses and properties. Visit the face mask FAQ page for full information. Face masks with air valves are not permitted, nor are face shields alone without a proper face mask underneath.

AlertUR test tonight at 6 p.m. EDT

Gift establishes professorship in Italian studies

A $2 million endowed gift from Arnold Lisio ’56, ’61M (MD), and his wife, Anne Moore Lisio, establishes the Arnold Lisio ’56, ’61M (MD) and Anne Moore Lisio, MD Endowed Distinguished Professorship in Italian Language & Culture. The Lisios’ generosity ensures that exemplary Italian instruction and scholarship will continue at Rochester forever. Donatella Stocchi-Perucchio—a Dante expert and faculty member within the University’s Department of Modern Languages and Cultures for the last 30 years—has been awarded the named professorship, which represents one of the highest honors a professor can earn.

Flags will be lowered for Darlene Perry

University flags on the Eastman Quadrangle and near the entrance of Strong Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Department will be lowered Thursday, November 11, for Darlene Perry, a patient unit secretary in general psychiatry, who died on October 16. Perry joined the University staff in 1982.

COVID-19 vaccines for young kids are a big step toward a new normal

Vox, November 2

Researchers repeated the clinical trials in 5-to-11-year-olds, but with about one-third of the dose of vaccine that’s used in adults. The lower dose aims to minimize side effects and account for the fact that young children are both physically smaller and tend to have more robust immune systems than adults. “Kids are not just little adults,” says Jennifer Nayak, an associate professor of pediatrics and of microbiology and immunology. “Their size is different, but their immune systems are also different.”

Graduate student wellness walk

Connect with other graduate students, immerse yourself in the fall foliage, and practice slow, gentle movement that benefits mind, body, and spirit with a Tai Chi break. Meet at the footbridge along the river next to Fraternity Road on Tuesday, November 9, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. The walk is open to all University graduate students and is brought to you by the Graduate Student Wellness Committee.

Free fitness classes

Did you know Well-U offers both a live schedule of classes along with short, on-demand videos so you can participate anywhere and anytime? Classes are free for employees and you can take as many as you like. Sign up here.

Travel discounts available

Traveling this holiday season? Through LifeMart by Care.com, part of the free Care.com premium membership, eligible employees have access to a number of discounts, including seasonal shopping and travel deals. This benefit is part of the current offerings available to employees including RARES and YOUR Benefits Extras.

Lecture: ‘The Rise and Fall of the Death Penalty’

Join Maurice Chammah, journalist and staff writer at The Marshall Project and author of Let the Lord Sort Them: The Rise and Fall of the Death Penalty, for a hybrid public lecture and Q&A on Tuesday, November 9, from 5 to 6:15 p.m. EDT. “The Rise and Fall of the Death Penalty: A Conversation with Maurice Chammah” takes place in the Hawkins-Carlson Room, Rush Rhees Library, as well as via Zoom. The event is sponsored by the Humanities Center, the Rochester Education Justice Initiative, and the Department of Philosophy.

Get ready for winter biking

Take a guided bus tour of High Acres Landfill

University students, faculty, and staff can sign up to take a guided bus tour of Waste Management’s High Acres Landfill on Friday, November 12. This local facility features a methane gas renewable energy plant that produces enough energy to power 9,000 homes. During the tour, you’ll

• Learn about how the landfill was engineered to protect the air, water, soil, and environmental integrity of the surrounding area.
• Meet the landfill’s unique workforce of falcons that help to control the seagull population naturally.
• Get an inside look at the composting operation to which the University sends food waste and other organic materials.

The tour bus leaves from the back of Rush Rhees Library at 1 p.m. on Friday, November 12, and returns at approximately 3 p.m. The tour is open to anyone, but seating is limited. Email Amy Kadrie to register.

Call for vendors: Holiday Shopping Fair

Community Kitchen training

“In the Zone,” a show produced by the Barbara J. Burger iZone, invites innovators and creators from the University to share their stories of change-making. Filming for the next episode begins soon, and you can find past episodes on the iZone’s YouTube page.

• Dr. Chat Bot: Non–Medical Center faculty, staff, and all students | Medical Center employees
• COVID-19 Resource Center | Medical Center’s COVID-19 update page
• Current campus face mask policies
• Faculty and staff vaccine participation form (VPN or on-campus network connection required)
• FAQ on COVID-19 vaccination
• What to do if you or your close contacts have symptoms or have been exposed