University COVID-19 tier level set to low; masks are optional

The University’s COVID-19 Tier level has been changed to low. Face masks are now optional for all students, faculty, staff, and visitors indoors. The University’s tier system directly correlates with the CDC’s COVID-19 community levels for Monroe County, providing a consistent framework upon which to base University masking guidance. The current tier is posted on the COVID-19 Resource Center and is included daily at the end of @Rochester. A full description of Medical Center masking requirements is available on the URMC Intranet (University network access required).

UR Financials, UR Procurement, and UR Student upgrade this weekend

UR Financials, UR Procurement (P2P), and UR Student (Workday) perform a system upgrade every March and September. The system will be temporarily unavailable from Friday, September 9, at 9 p.m. EDT through Saturday, September 10, at 8 a.m. EDT to complete upgrade activities. University support teams will do the final configuration and system validation on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. A full maintenance schedule is available here.

This upgrade significantly changes the system navigation, homepage layout, and search page results. Check out this 6-minute video for an overview of the changes. After the upgrade, a quick reference guide and details on additional changes will be available within the system’s announcements.

Drop-in hours at the Greene Center

Starting Wednesday, September 7, students are invited to stop by the Greene Center for Career Education and Connections, Dewey Hall, Room 4-200, for drop-in hours. Peer career advisors will be available to support students with resumes, cover letters, application materials, internship and on-campus job searches, and more. Drop-in hours are Mondays and Wednesdays from noon to 3 p.m., and Fridays from noon to 4 p.m.

Learn-to-meditate classes for first-year students

The Mindful University Project is an interdisciplinary initiative with a mission to empower the campus community to build a culture of mindful presence and compassion, allowing students to improve mental well-being and resiliency to stress, boost academic flourishing, and reduce anxiety and depression. The initiative offers evidence-based Koru learn-to-meditate classes just for all University first-year students, both undergraduate and graduate, this fall. Registration is required at the links below.

• Koru Basic (for undergraduate students): Mondays, September 12 to October 3, from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
• Koru Basic (for undergraduate students): Wednesdays, September 7 to 28, from noon to 1:15 p.m.
• Koru Basic (for first-year graduate students): Fridays, September 9 to 30, from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m.
• Melanated Meditation (for first-year minority undergraduate students): Fridays, September 9 to 30, from 3 to 4:15 p.m.
• OUTbreath (for undergraduate and graduate LGBTQ+ students): Mondays, September 5 to 26, from 7 to 8:15 p.m.
• Koru Basic for Eastman (for both undergraduate and graduate students at Eastman): Sundays, September 11 to October 2, from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
• Mindfulness for First-Year Minority Graduate Students: Tuesdays, October 4 to 25, from 8 to 9:15 p.m.

Writing support workshop series for AS&E graduate students and postdocs

The Graduate Writing Project is hosting a Wednesday Workshop Lunch Series for AS&E graduate students and postdocs. Find free food and writing support to kickstart your semester. Register online. Contact liz.tinelli@rochester.edu with questions

School of Nursing graduate program virtual open house today

Register to attend an all-program School of Nursing virtual open house today, September 6, at 5:30 p.m. EDT. Learn more about program options, degree pathways, and how to apply, including application deadlines, requirements, and grants and scholarships available for full tuition coverage. Attendees will receive an application fee waiver. Contact the School of Nursing Admissions Office with questions.

Apply for Greene Center course-development grants

The Greene Center for Career Education and Connections invites instructors to apply for one of five $5,000 course-development grants, made possible through an alumni gift. These awards will support the integration of local employer-based projects into spring 2023 AS&E undergraduate courses. Submissions are due by 9 a.m. EDT on Monday, September 26. Award decisions will be announced on October 3. Email Caterina Caiazza with questions.

Join the Faculty Accessibility Ambassador Project

The Office of Disability Resources is looking for faculty members to join its Faculty Accessibility Ambassador Project. The office is recruiting 24 faculty members from across the University who are interested in receiving training to become its first cohort of accessibility ambassadors. Year-long support and training will be provided as it relates to disability issues, facilitating accommodations, creating accessible materials, and implementing Universal Design for Learning strategies in classrooms. This opportunity is being made possible by funding from the NY State Education Department Enhancing Supports and Services for Students with Disabilities Grant for Postsecondary Success. Register here.

Employee tuition waiver benefit

Employee tuition waiver applications are due to the Office of Total Rewards within 30 days of the start of your course. Check the supervisor you’ve selected in HRMS before submitting it, as once you submit the application online you cannot go back in and make changes to it. Also, check your tuition benefit taxability before submitting the application for processing.

Annual Clothesline Festival at MAG this weekend

The M&T Bank Clothesline Festival at Memorial Art Gallery takes place Saturday, September 10, and Sunday, September 11. Browse and buy original artwork by local artists and makers, experience live entertainment, enjoy food and drink from local food trucks, visit the museum, and more. Tickets are required in advance and will not be available for purchase at the entrance gates during the festival. Find full details and purchase tickets here.

Opioid overdose prevention training

Learn how you can help save lives by preventing opioid overdose. The training takes place Thursday, September 15, from 1 to 2 p.m. and is open to all students, staff, and faculty. All attendees over age 18 will receive a free overdose prevention kit. Registration, which is required, is open through September 9.

‘Imagining Possible FutURes’ conversation

The third “Imagining Possible FutURes” conversation will take place Wednesday, September 28, at 1 p.m. EDT via Zoom. The conversation will explore the theme of connection in work and finding satisfaction and fulfillment. All members of the University community are welcome to attend. The conversation will be facilitated in a restorative circle format and offer space for staff to share ideas, hopes, and goals in a supportive environment. The purpose of the session is to encourage one another, make connections, and see what changes can be made today. Register to attend.

Last week’s convocation ceremony at the Eastman School of Music marked the start of the new academic year. The ceremony featured a performance by Paul O’Dette, a professor of lute, of conducting and ensembles, and director of the Collegium Musicum, who received the Eisenhart Award for Excellence in Teaching.

The current University COVID-19 tier level is

low

Face masks are optional for all students, faculty, staff, and visitors indoors. Patient care areas, as well as University shuttles and transportation, continue to require masking. A full description of Medical Center masking requirements is available on the URMC Intranet (University network access required).

Find the latest updates, policies, and guidance on the University’s COVID-19 Resource Center.