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. For the next CoffeeBreak, please submit by Friday, Jan. 21, for a Wednesday, Jan. 26, publication.

Testing Kiosk, Exemption Requirements

The on-campus testing kiosk is available weekdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. You can access the QR code to register here: Averett QR Flyer Updated. Appointments are strongly encouraged for faster service.

As a reminder, anyone with an approved COVID-19 vaccine exemption is required to continue testing weekly. Please submit test results to [email protected] by every Wednesday.

Masking Protocol

Universal masking is required when indoors on our campuses and when distancing is not possible outdoors, regardless of vaccination status.

Symptom Reporting

Anyone experiencing any symptoms, even if mild, should contact the Averett Health Triage Line directly at 434-203-3781. Delaying could cause more exposures, so please do your part to keep everyone safe and report your symptoms.

Upcoming Vaccine Clinics

There are several upcoming COVID-19 vaccine clinics in the area during the month of January. Click the image at left to find a clinic, or to obtain more information.

Chatham Health Department – every Monday (Moderna and J&J will be offered in the morning).

Danville Health Department – every Tuesday (Moderna and J&J will be offered in the morning).

• Pfizer 12 and up
  • Chatham Health Department – Monday, Jan. 24 (Pfizer 12 and up in the afternoon)
  • Danville Health Department – Tuesday, Jan. 25 ( Pfizer 12 and up in the afternoon)
• Pediatric doses
  • Chatham Health Department – Monday, Jan. 31 (Pfizer Ages 5 -11 in the afternoon, these are second doses appointments)
  • Danville Health Department – Tuesday, Feb. 1 (Pfizer Ages 5 -11 in the afternoon, these are second doses appointments)

All pediatric clinics require an appointment. Click the image at left for more information.

Saying Goodbye to Dan Hayes

We are grateful to Dan Hayes, who has directed Averett’s Office of Alumni Relations for more than 13 years. Please join us in wishing Dan well on Thursday, Jan. 20, in the MPR from 9-10 a.m.

Paylocity Updates – Training Opportunities

We will begin punching Monday, Jan. 24. What is punching, you ask? It means one more payroll of paper time sheets (ugh, we know and empathize). If you have punched this week, do not worry and don’t fret – we will adjust. More details to follow next week. Good news, soon there will be no paper time sheets!

Training will be provided via this link on today, Jan. 19, at 10 a.m.; Thursday, Jan. 20, at 2 p.m.; and Friday, Jan. 21, at noon.

Check stubs are available for viewing on Paylocity. Estubs will only have FY21 paystubs and 2021 W2s, when available. Vacation, sick and personal time details will not be on this first paycheck. Look for an announcement in next week’s CoffeeBreak on viewing those details in Paylocity. If you have not registered, please do so immediately.

Projects during Martin Luther King, Jr. Week

Join the CCECC for several service projects throughout the week, including:

Today, Jan. 19: Join us from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Dining Hall as we assemble kits for victims of sexual assault. The kits will go to HAVEN of the Dan River Region.

Thursday, Jan. 20: We will be in the Dining Hall from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. assembling hygiene kits for the Salvation Army.

For more information, contact Tia Yancey at [email protected].

Virtual Staff Meeting for January

Join us Thursday, Jan. 20, for the monthly staff meeting. This will be a virtual meeting, available by clicking here. Note, this meeting will be held at 11:30 a.m.

Nominate coworkers for the Golden Bagel award by emailing Staff Council at [email protected].

Arts@Averett: Faculty Concert

Associate Professor of Music Dr. Janet Phillips, flute, in concert with Music Professor Anne Lewis and Michael Rowland on piano, will feature a program of music by a diverse group of composers ranging from the Romantic period to the present at West Main Baptist Church Saturday, Jan. 22, at 7 p.m.

Phillips will present the world premiere of a work for flute solo by her friend, New York-based composer Evan Hause. She commissioned the flute solo during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown in 2020.

Student Success Updates

The Student Success Center is eager to begin supporting our students this spring semester; however, there will be slight changes when Holly Kilby begins her maternity leave (TBA).

During her absence, ADA support will be addressed by Fred Betts. Tutoring support will be addressed by Nia Johnson, with tutoring officially beginning Monday, Jan. 24. Devenia Thorpe will oversee testing for students requiring ADA accommodations and Isaiah Amos will oversee make-up testing needs.

Professional Development Initiative Series

Please save the date for the January Professional Development Initiative event. Tom Siebers, from Millennium Advisory Services, will present information related to financial planning basics. This event will be a virtual and will take place on Wednesday, Jan. 26, from 1-2 p.m. Please register for the event using this link.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Staff Council at [email protected].

Community and Justice in the 21st Century Speakers Forum Series

This monthly series kicks off Wednesday, Jan. 26, from 6-8 p.m. Students can register for this free virtual event by emailing Dr. James Hodgson, Averett Online sociology and criminal justice program director, and professor of sociology and criminal justice. Click here for the flyer.

We will be conducting at least one forum per month on various topics. This month, the topic is Stress and Wellness in the Public Safety Profession. Our keynote presenters will be Professor of Criminal Justice at Averett University and Chesterfield County Police Department Lieutenant Dr. Russell Granderson and Averett Online Psychology Program Director and Associate Professor of Psychology at Averett University Dr. Jennifer Wagstaff. This topic has significant impact on all of us, and will provide many tangible coping strategies to keep us well and healthy.

Averett Sponsoring Rotary Field of Gratitude, Love and Peace

Beautiful flags of gratitude, love and peace will fly in Danville on Riverside Drive across from the Woodall Nissan Dealership between Sunday, Jan. 30, and Monday, Feb. 14. The field is an initiative of Riverview Rotary and is supported by your donations and the generosity of our partners. This year, Averett is one of those sponsors. Click here for the full press release and here for the flyer.

Founders Day Coming Soon

Founders Day is set to be held Thursday, Feb. 3, at 11:15 a.m. in Pritchett Auditorium in the Violet T. Frith Fine Arts Center, and will be livestreamed. The speakers for Founders Day this year include James Contreras ’18, Libby Westphal ’80 and Dr. Roberta Thayer-Smith ’74. Look for more details soon!

Racial Equity Institute Training

In this lively and participatory presentation, Racial Equity Institute organizers will use the groundwater metaphor, along with stories and data, to present a perspective that racism is fundamentally structural in nature. By examining characteristics of modern-day racial inequity, the presentation introduces participants to an analysis that most find immediately helpful and relevant. Join us Tuesday, Feb. 15, from 9 a.m. to noon via Zoom.

Click here for more details. Use this link to register.

NEO Save the Date

Make sure to save the date for the spring new employee orientation (NEO) on Wednesday, March 9, from 11:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Lunch will be available. If you were hired since the fall 2021 NEO in August, or if you could not make the August program, look for an e-vite via Punchbowl from HR Director Kathie Tune coming soon. We will host this year’s program in the President’s Suite of the Frank R. Campbell Stadium at the E. Stuart James Grant North Campus.

We are so excited to hold this in March and look forward to you joining us. Call or email Kathie Tune with questions at [email protected] or 434-791-7106.

Averett Receives Several Grants for Faculty & Staff Work

We are pleased to announce that Averett has received several grants that will greatly enhance our ability to offer community-engaged learning opportunities to our faculty, staff and students.

We received a $20,000 Community-Engaged Learning (CEL) initiative grant to fund a mapping project of all CEL courses at Averett, develop a CEL designation for Averett courses, the creation of 17 CEL course projects and two faculty fellowship positions. Our team for these projects includes: Dr. Billy Wooten, Dana Mehalko, April Love-Loveless, Emma Olsson, Dr. David Hanbury, Dr. Melanie Lewis, Professor Stephanie Patton, Dr. Adrienne Brune, Dr. Slade Lellock, Dr. Susan Huckstep and students Faith Bowlin and Shane’ya Snipes.

The Community Foundation awarded us $8,100 to create a Leadership Badge that will provide our Averett students and local high school students with in-depth knowledge of leadership theory, skills and practical experiences. Dr. Billy Wooten, Emma Olsson and April Love-Loveless will be assembling a team soon to start the process.

Lastly, we also received a $5,000 Racial Justice Community Fund grant to help fund our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force work – including LGBTQIA+ programming, Hispanic Heritage Month programming, Black History Month programming and a curriculum mapping project to determine what classes at Averett offer meaningful content related to DEI. Dr. Melanie Lewis, Tia Yancey, Casey Scarce, Dr. Billy Wooten and students Faith Bowlin and Shane’ya Snipes are heading these projects.