University launches new Institute for Human Health and the Environment
Building on its history as a leader in environmental health and toxicology, the University-wide Institute for Human Health and the Environment will catalyze scientific discoveries related to environmental impacts on health. Led by B. Paige Lawrence, a professor of environmental medicine who also holds the Wright Family Research Professorship, the institute will promote healthier lives, particularly for communities of color disproportionately affected by environmental risks. Focus areas will include climate change and health; environmental justice; how water and air pollution impact health; and how environmental factors shape health. Learn more here and reach out to institute leadership if you’re interested in getting involved.
In today’s issue:
Updates to the University’s policy on contagion pay
Register by noon today for this evening’s MLK Commemorative Address
Eastman Opera Theatre’s 2022–23 season continues with Handel’s Alcina
A limit of three instances, retroactive to January 1, 2022, of paid time off due to COVID-19 illness.
For faculty and staff who received COVID-19 contagion pay in 2022, the University will count one instance toward their three eligible instances.
Those who did not use COVID-19 contagion pay in 2022 will begin 2023 with three eligible instances.
If an individual is not eligible for contagion pay, they may use their accrued time (sick, PTO, vacation) if available.
Faculty and staff should report an absence due to COVID-19 illness directly to their manager rather than calling University Health Services. Medical Center faculty and staff should continue to log into Dr. Chat Bot to report if they are symptomatic or have tested positive.
All subsequent instances requiring contagion pay beyond the initial instance will require a positive test from a licensed provider or testing facility.
Follow guidance from a personal medical provider or Employee Health for Medical Center employees to return to work following an absence.
University flags on the Eastman Quadrangle and near the entrance of Strong Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Department will be lowered Tuesday, January 24, for Debra Haring, assistant dean of grants and contracts in the School of Arts & Sciences, who died on December 27. Haring joined the University staff in 1999.
Financial wellness workshops for graduate students
In the Graduate Student Wellness Survey that the UHS Health Promotion Office conducted in fall 2021, finances were the highest-rated stressor among graduate students. In collaboration with the Financial Aid Office, the Health Promotion Office will offer four financial wellness workshops this spring.
Workshops will be held on Thursdays from noon to 12:50 p.m. EST via Zoom or in the Wallis Hall first-floor admissions conference room. Register at the links below.
Can you describe your thesis to a stranger in three minutes? The Three Minute Thesis competition is an opportunity for doctoral students to sharpen their research focus, improve their presentation skills, and perfect their elevator pitches. Explore this page for more details about the competition, including eligibility, prizes, and presentation rules and guidance. Register by Monday, February 13, to compete in this year’s contest. The sub-heat schedule is as follows:
Social sciences:Â Tuesday, March 14, from 4 to 6 p.m. in Meliora Hall, Room 203
Humanities and music:Â Wednesday, March 15, from 3 to 5 p.m. in Humanities Center D
Natural sciences: Monday, March 20, from 4 to 6 p.m. in Landers Auditorium, Hutchison Hall
Engineering:Â Tuesday, March 21, from 4 to 6 p.m. in Computer Science Building, Room 209
Life sciences: Wednesday, March 22, from 4 to 6 p.m. in Lower Adolph Auditorium (1-7619), Medical Center
The Well-U lifestyle management team offers the expertise and tools to create your own exercise routine. Overcome challenges that may be holding you back from taking that first step and find comradery and accountability in Fitness 101 starting on Wednesday, January 25. Register here.
VSP Vision Care reminder
If you enrolled in VSP Vision Care for 2023—you would see “Benefit Extras Before Tax” on your paystub—you don’t need a card to utilize your benefits. When you go to a vision appointment, you can tell them your VSP ID number, which is three zeros followed by your employee ID number. Find more information about your coverage here.
Anthea Butler, chair of religious studies at the University of Pennsylvania, and Valeria Sinclair-Chapman, a professor of political science at Purdue University, will take part in the University’s 2023 Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Address today, January 20, at 6 p.m. EST in Feldman Ballroom, Douglass Commons, and via Zoom. Butler and Sinclair-Chapman will engage in a discussion moderated by Jeffrey McCune, the Frederick Douglass Associate Professor of African-American Literature and Culture and director of Rochester’s Frederick Douglass Institute of African & African-American Studies. The deadline to register is noon EST.
‘Lessons from South Africa: Moving Beyond Toxic Polarization in America’
In partnership with the bridge-building organization Civic Genius, the University’s Democracy Center is bringing two renowned political leaders from South Africa to discuss how societies can move beyond toxic polarization. Roelf Meyer and Mohammed Bhabha will discuss their experiences and the implications for conflict resolution in highly polarized societies at Temple Sinai, 363 Penfield Road, on Tuesday, January 24, from 7 to 8 p.m. Learn more and register here.
Handel’s Alcina reimagined by Eastman Opera Theatre
The 2022–23 Eastman Opera Theatre season continues with the interpretation of George Frideric Handel’s Alcina on January 28 and 29 and February 2–5. Sunday performances will take place at 2 p.m.; all other performances are at 7:30 p.m. The opera will take place in Eastman’s Opera Studio, an intimate black box theater in Annex 804. It will be sung in Italian with English supertitles. Tickets are $20 for general admission. University students, faculty, and staff may present their University ID to receive one free ticket. Tickets can be purchased at the Eastman Theatre Box Office, 433 East Main St., or online.
Cars for a Cause: Donate your vehicle to help patient care
Whether it was “December to remember” or you just need a new set of wheels, consider donating your old car to Friends of Strong. Contact Vehicles for Charity at (866) 628-2277 or fill out the donation form and designate Friends of Strong Memorial Hospital as your selected charity. They will schedule a free pick-up, sell the vehicle at auction, and send you a receipt.
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