The CDC has recently expanded the eligibility for getting a COVID-19 booster vaccination. The University is not requiring students, faculty, and staff to receive a booster at this time, but it is strongly encouraged. Studies show that after getting vaccinated against COVID-19, protection against the virus and the ability to prevent infection with the Delta variant—or other emerging variants—may decrease over time.Anyone 18 and older who received the initial one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine more than two months ago or who received the full Pfizer or Moderna vaccination at least 6 months ago is now eligible to get the COVID-19 booster immediately. The Medical Center has separate booster guidelines on its intranet site for students and employees working in health care. Read the full guidance here.
In today’s issue:
A reminder that faculty, staff, and students can schedule a free, rapid COVID-19 antigen test
Visit the annual River Campus Holiday Shopping Fair on Friday
Commemorate World AIDS Day on Wednesday at the Memorial Art Gallery
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.
Dr. Chat Bot: Please complete Dr. Chat Bot—it’s a requirement for being on campus.
Free rapid COVID-19 antigen testing is available by appointment only at the River Campus testing site in Rettner Hall for faculty, staff, and students who would like to be tested. Appointments are available on Mondays between noon and 4 p.m., Thursdays between 1 and 8 p.m., and Saturdays between 8 a.m and noon. Learn more and schedule an appointment.
‘ROC the Day’ today for University organizations
Be a part of the 24-hour online giving campaign to support local nonprofit organizations—including many of the University’s own. Learn more and find which University-affiliated organizations you can help “ROC the Day.”
“The vaccines each have a number of components with the two mRNA vaccines being mostly lipid (fat) and mRNA coding for the spike protein of the virus,” 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.
Visit the Off-Campus Resource Fair on Wednesday, December 1, from 1 to 3 p.m. in Hirst Lounge, Wilson Commons. Students can speak to landlords and various on- and off-campus resources about living off-campus. Participants will receive a reusable grocery bag and be entered to win prizes.
Writing support for AS&E graduate students
The Graduate Writing Project is hosting a grant writing information session on Thursday, December 2, from noon to 1 p.m. EST. Join in-person in Room G-121, Rush Rhees Library, or via Zoom to learn more about the grant writing process and how to create an effective proposal. Register online.
‘Lunch and Listen’ program for Medical Center staff and clinical workers features Eastman School of Music student piano trio
“Lunch and Listen” concerts from Eastman Performing Arts Medicine and the Office of Patient Experience return today, November 30, from noon to 1 p.m. EST. Medical Center staff and clinical workers can join via Zoom and call in to make requests. This week’s concert features students in the chamber music program at the Eastman School of Music.
‘Undocu-Ally 101’ training and discussion
“Undocu-Ally 101” is a foundational training session designed for faculty and staff to:
Become familiar with related terms and policies
Gain an understanding of the challenges undocumented students face
Learn about support systems and services
Learn tips about best practices
There will also be a chance for discussion at the end of the session, taking place virtually Thursday, December 2, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Register in advance for the meeting. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. If you’re unable to attend and would like a recording of the presentation portion of the session, or have questions, contact molly.morrison@rochester.edu.
Visit booths from 30 local creators at the Holiday Shopping Fair on Friday, December 3, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Hirst Lounge, Wilson Commons. Shop from an assortment of jewelry, plants, ornaments, pottery, coasters, snarky prints, soaps, apparel, and accessories including scrunchies and scarves. Enter to win a prize pack courtesy of Wilson Commons Student Activities just for stopping by.
Public health grand rounds lecture on making the most of a global pandemic
Michael Mendoza—commissioner of public health for Monroe County, and a professor of clinical family medicine, of public health sciences, and of nursing—presents “Making the Most of a Global Pandemic,” a public health grand rounds webinar. Preregistration is required for the lecture, taking place Friday, December 3, at noon EST. ASL interpreters will be present. Email Carolyn Settle with questions.
DigiTalk with Jeffrey West Kirkwood: Encryption capitalism
The Andrew W. Mellon Digital Humanities Fellows at the University welcome Jeffrey West Kirkwood, an assistant professor of art history and of cinema at Binghamton University, who will present a virtual talk on the core shift in the relationship between meaning and value that has occurred in the transition from an industrial to an informational economy. The virtual talk takes place Friday, December 3, from 2:30 to 4 p.m. EST. RSVP for the event by December 2.
Dancer, educator, and activist Thomas Warfield directs Rochester’s World AIDS Day event on Wednesday, December 1, at the Memorial Art Gallery. Join an evening of performances, arts and crafts, commemoration, and community, along with a sneak peek at the upcoming museum exhibition Up Against the Wall: Art, Activism, and the AIDS Poster featuring HIV/AIDS education posters from the University’s Atwater Collection. Attend in person from 5 to 9 p.m. EST or virtually through the Memorial Art Gallery’s Facebook page. Participation is free with a suggested donation of $5, and registration is required. The event is sponsored by the Gallery Council of the Memorial Art Gallery in partnership with Thomas Warfield/PeaceArt, the Rochester Victory Alliance, and Trillium Health.
@Rochester is produced daily by University Marketing and Communications. You are receiving this message as a member of the University of Rochester community or as a subscriber. Please do not forward this newsletter to other distribution lists.
