CoffeeBreak is an e-newsletter distributed to Averett faculty and staff to keep them up-to-date on campus activities and information.

Please send information you would like included in CoffeeBreak via this form by 4:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 27, for a Wednesday, Feb. 1, publication.

New Employee in the Business Office

Welcome Caroline Wilborn to the Business Office! Caroline Wilborn has left GPS Financial Services and is now working in the Business Office. Caroline is working with accounts payable and payroll. Please drop by our offices in Main Hall to welcome her to her new career path!

Board of Trustees Member Speaks to GPS Class

Mike Luter, MBA ’03, and current member of the Averett Board of Trustees from Tidewater, Va., spoke at Dr. Mike Jernigan’s entrepreneurship class Thursday, Jan. 19, at the Innsbrook campus in Richmond. Luter is the 2015 Entrepreneur of the Year and owner of Arrowhead Environmental Services. Luter spoke about his experiences as an entrepreneur. Even the students who had no interest in becoming entrepreneurs were inspired to strongly consider starting a new business. Many students said they feared starting a business because they wanted to keep the security of a full-time job. Luter replied, “You don’t have security when you work for someone else. You can be fired at any time.” Another popular quote was, “You don’t get rich by working for someone else. Entrepreneurs get rich and have security.” Luter’s presentation was very well received.

Brad Bass Goes Back to BroadwayCon

Brad Bass has been asked to be a part of BroadwayCon this weekend, the biggest convention for Broadway performers, teachers and aficionados of theatre. The convention takes place January 27–29, at the Javits Center in New York City. Look for pictures to follow soon!

Student Accolades

This week, Student Life would like to recognize Philip Owens, Jessica Allanson and Katiana Hilliard.

Last fall, the Student Life department began recognizing students that go the extra mile in whatever they are doing on campus. Each week, the staff meets to select students for recognition for their dedication to Averett, and they are notified they’ve been nominated for a chance to win a $50 Visa Gift Card. At the end of the semester, we put all the names in a bowl and draw the name of one lucky student. This is our way to let the students know we appreciate all that they do.

GPS Student Spotlight: Jeremey Gentry

Throughout the month, the Graduate and Professional Studies (GPS) admissions team interviews and highlights our GPS students. We hope you will enjoy learning more about these amazing members of our Averett family!

Meet Jeremey Gentry who is pursuing his associate of science in business and is expected to graduate in 2018.

What is your motivation for obtaining your degree? “I have multiple reasons for obtaining my degree revolving around my family and career, but my number one motivation was for my mom to see me walk across the stage at Averett University.”

Why did you choose Averett’s Graduate & Professional Studies Program? “The GPS program is one that works with my lifestyle. With me working full time and constantly changing shifts, it was a blessing to find out about the GPS program because without it, I do not believe I could have gone to college.”

Please share one tip for your fellow classmates and future AU students. “Set a schedule for each week to complete each assignment and stick to it. Falling behind can be stressful and make you feel like you want to give up and giving up is not an option.”

What helps to keep you motivated while you are in the program? “What keeps me motivated is knowing it will all be over before I know it and I will have achieved one of my life goals.”

Book Signing

Dr. Andrew Canady, assistant professor of history and honors program director, recently wrote and published a book, “Willis Duke Weatherford: Race, Religion, and Reform in the American South.” Averett is holding a book signing today, Jan. 25, at 7 p.m. in the multipurpose room. Canady will be there talking about the book and copies will be available for purchase.

Staff Meeting

Our January staff meeting will be tomorrow, Jan. 26, at 11:15 a.m. in the multipurpose room. We hope to see you there! Please note that we will not have a staff meeting in February, but we will resume in March. Also, a suggestion box has been placed in Averett Central, so please share your ideas, suggestions and concerns with us!

Meet the Candidates

The Student Success Center has invited three candidates to campus for the coordinator of academic support position. Please stop by the Student Success Center, conference room 116, from 11:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 1, to see Ms. Holly Kilby, then on Thursday, Feb. 2, from 2:30-3 p.m. to see Dr. Jeremy Groskopf. On Friday, Feb. 3, from 11:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m., the third candidate, Jo Hawke will be here. If you have any questions, contact Dr. Sherill Anderson, director of student success, at [email protected].

Black History Month: Kuumba Dance Company

Averett University is kicking off its Black History Month celebrations with The Kuumba Dance Company. The group shares West African culture through song, rhythm and dance by demonstrating how celebrations are carried out in traditional West African settings. Join us on Thursday, Feb. 2, at 7 p.m. in the Carrington Gym. Tickets are $5.

Growth Mindset

Please mark your calendars for the kick-off of the new QEP – Student Resiliency through Growth Mindset. Janna Peskett from Growth Mindset Works will give faculty and staff background on the exciting research around this topic, how it impacts our students and what you can do to help cultivate growth mindset in your classrooms, teams and offices across campus.

The day will be split up into two sessions, beginning with one for faculty in the morning as part of interdisciplinary day, and a second in the afternoon for staff. The sessions will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 8, and location details will be released in the coming weeks.

SACSCOC Corner

Every week, you will see this section discussing the reaccreditation for Averett University by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, or SACSCOC. Each week will provide a new piece of vital information, so please be sure to check back weekly!

SACSCOC Compliance Certification Report

One of the requirements in the reaffirmation process is writing the Compliance Certificate. Its purpose is to demonstrate the University’s satisfactory fulfillment of all 90+ standards required by SACSCOC in the Principles of Accreditation. The standards cover every area of University operations, including:

• College Mission
• Governance and Administration
• Educational Programs
• Distance Education
• Faculty Qualifications
• Library and Learning Resources
• Student Support Services
• Financial Aid
• Facilities Student Achievement
• Institutional Effectiveness

An off-site review committee has already determined Averett’s compliance with these SACSCOC Principles of Accreditation and the on-site review committee, coming to Averett’s Danville campus February 21-23, will further evaluate the findings and present their preliminary assessment orally to Averett President Dr. Tiffany M. Franks before they leave campus. The committee’s formal findings will be forwarded to the SACSCOC Board of Trustees, who will vote on the University’s reaccreditation.

Things to Consider

• What are the primary functions of your program or unit? And, what are its governing policies and procedures?
• Do you have an understanding of what was submitted in the Compliance Certificate that relates to your office or unit?

For more information about Averett University’s Reaffirmation 2017 process, contact The Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Research at (434) 791-5618 or [email protected], or visit https://www.averett.edu/academics/institutional-research/.

Emergency Management Team

Would you like to be a part of the emergency management team? We are currently recruiting volunteers that will be trained and meet bi-weekly. Please email Lesley Villarose at [email protected].

Alumni and Friends is Going to Canada!

If you or someone you know is interested in traveling with Averett Alumni and Friends, we invite you to our organizational meeting for the Great Canadian Cities tour planned for September 2017. We will visit Montreal, Quebec, Ottowa, Toronto and Niagara Falls.

Our meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 15, in Blount Chapel at 7 p.m. The representative for Premier World Discovery, Amanda Speer, will make a presentation and answer any questions.

For those who are out of town and interested, contact Larry Wilburn at [email protected] with any questions. Yes, this is an early announcement, but this is a VERY popular tour and we need to move quickly.

Averett Receives Three Community Grants

What would you do with a spectrophotometer? A hei-vap rotatory evaporator? Or demonstrate the interaction of EM radiation with matter? Thanks to a grant of $23,500 from the Community Foundation of the Dan River Region, Averett students in physical sciences and chemistry will learn to find out. 21st century STEM education and lab skills are at work thanks to the generosity of donors to the Community Foundation.

Averett’s Department of Biological and Physical Sciences has been awarded $20,000 from The Riverbank Fund. Using iPads and new state-of-the-art technology, our expert faculty, guiding students, will monitor the ecology, safety and purity levels of the river in a real-world lab setting. This will provide invaluable research and technical levels which may be submitted to the City of Danville, community and interested non-profit organizations about the health of the Dan River. We are incredibly grateful for this opportunity.

For the first time, the Hughes Foundation has awarded a $25,000 grant to Averett to create two new student spaces. Located in bottom and third floor Frith, these lounges will provide space for relaxation and getting together for all students – but most particularly for commuter students to have a “space” on campus to relax, hang out, microwave snacks and meet fellow students. It’s one more way Averett is creating living learning spaces for our students and growing their engagement and retention.

Bonner Leaders Program

Averett University is cultivating its own Bonner Leaders program, connected to the national program under the Corella and Bertram F. Bonner Foundation. The current peer mentor role in the Averett 101 curriculum will be upgraded into a four-year service and leadership scholarship opportunity. Freshmen are being recruited to enter an engaging, community-based curriculum in which they will gain the tools to build community relationships and effectively meet regional needs. These students will galvanize the Averett student body, especially first-year students in Averett 101, as we continue to develop a culture of service. If you know of a stellar freshman student, please recommend that he/she apply and share the application, here.

How can you be involved?

Faculty – In 2017, our goal is to have every Averett 101 section taught or co-taught by a faculty member. Also, we are looking for a Bonner Leader faculty adviser with previous Bonner experience or knowledge. If you are interested, please notify Brigid Belko at [email protected] or (434) 791-5656, even if you previously taught.

Staff – Interested in co-teaching Averett 101 with a faculty member? If you co-taught Averett 101 in Fall 2016, please notify Brigid of your interest. If you are interested, but did not teach in Fall 2017, please notify Brigid and submit an intent to teach form (on the intranet) to Mary Sullivan at [email protected].

Job Openings

There are four new job postings on the Averett website. Assistant Professor of Biology, Assistant Professor/Assistant Chair – Department of Aeronautics – Tenure Track, Student Financial Services Counselor (Student Accounts) and Assistant Registrar. Click here for more information.

Payroll Reminder

This is a reminder that timesheets are due on Monday by 10 a.m. after the pay period end date. It is the employee’s responsibility to turn in their timesheet by the deadline. If these are not received timely, the payroll accruals will not reflect your proper vacation and sick time balance.

Averett Fact Sheet Available

The Averett University fact sheet is available for download on the intranet here, or can be found under Offices & Departments -> Advancement. This can be used by any Averett faculty, staff or students for official University involvement in events or recruitment, or if information is needed by outside organizations about the University. For printing, heavier weighted paper is recommended.

IT “Q&A”

The IT department has scheduled a “Q&A” session for Tuesday, Jan. 31, at 4 p.m. at Blount Chapel. This event will allow students the opportunity to ask whatever is on their minds. We do realize that this is a dangerous venture and that our egos may be bruised, but if it helps the students understand wifi, it will be worth it. Faculty and staff are welcome to attend.