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. This is the final CoffeeBreak edition of the semester. For the next CoffeeBreak, please submit by Monday, Jan. 3, for a Wednesday, Jan. 5, publication.
Important Spring Health and Safety Protocol Updates
Colleagues,
Congratulations on another successful semester.
We are thankful for the positive impact of the Averett Family’s COVID-related mitigation efforts this fall, including low case numbers and high vaccination rates on our campuses. Each of you played a significant role, and we are grateful for your commitment to a safe and healthy community.
The Core COVID Campus Team has important updates for spring 2022 to share with you before we break to observe the holiday season. Moving forward with a fully vaccinated campus will allow us to loosen some restrictions. Our comprehensive plan will be available soon on our COVID page of the website, but the major highlights are as follows:
- All on-campus students, faculty and staff are required to be fully vaccinated for the spring semester (having received two doses of the Moderna or Pfizer, or one dose of the J&J). Booster shots are highly recommended for those eligible.
- All on-campus students, faculty and staff are required to submit results of a negative PCR COVID-19 test to [email protected] no more than three days prior to returning to campus for the spring semester. The on-campus testing kiosk will be available again starting Monday, Jan. 3; employees returning that day may test at the kiosk by end of day Tuesday, Jan. 4.
- Masks will continue to be required in classroom spaces, the dining hall and during large indoor events. They are strongly recommended while otherwise indoors, but no longer required.
- LiveSafe daily monitoring will no longer be required. Rather, anyone experiencing symptoms should call the health triage line directly at 434-203-3781. LiveSafe will continue to offer a condensed questionnaire and will have the health triage line phone number available.
The COVID pandemic is ever-evolving and our response has been and will remain fluid. We will continue to monitor CDC and other COVID-related data closely, work alongside our health department partners and will communicate adjustments to our health and safety protocols as necessary.
As you enjoy this special time of year with family and loved ones, please remain vigilant. Should you experience symptoms over the break, please see your personal health care provider. If you test positive, continue to follow the protocol of contacting the health triage line at 434-203-3781 to speak with the nurse and discuss next steps, as well as your supervisor or division head, as this may affect your date of return to work.
Thank you for all you have done to keep the Averett Family safe and healthy.
Happy holidays to you and yours. May your holiday season be filled with peace, joy and care.
Sincerely,
Don Aungst
CFO/COO, COVID-19 Coordinator
Upcoming COVID-19 Kiosk Dates
The COVID-19 kiosk will remain open until Friday, Dec. 17 for anyone who needs to receive testing. During winter break, the kiosk will be available December 20-22 and 27-30. It will reopen for normal operations Monday, Jan. 3. The services offered by the COVID-19 kiosk are available to the public. For any questions, email Tammi Devlin at [email protected]. 
Janet Roberson Recognition
Please join us on Friday, Dec. 17, from 3-4:30 p.m. in Jut’s Cafe as we celebrate Janet! Janet has served on the staff of Averett University in numerous capacities since 1987, most recently as the Dean of Academic Policies/University Registrar & Military Affairs Officer, PDSO for SEVIS/SCO for Veteran’s Administration. Janet will be joining the Averett faculty as an assistant professor in English and business in spring 2022.
Facilities Name, Employment Updates
There are several facilities changes that have taken place recently. Earlier in 2021, HES Facilities Management (HES) bought WFF Facility Services. Moving forward, facilities on campus is Averett University Integrated Facilities Management operated by HES. Email addresses for facilities employees remain the same unless otherwise noted below.
Bruce Devlin remains Averett’s director of integrated facilities management/chief of campus safety and security. This update is to inform you that Bruce is now employed by the University. He can be reached at 434-791-5780 or [email protected]. Please note this is his new email address, as the old one no longer works.
Integrated Facilities Management operated by HES Facilities Operations Coordinator Kevin Hawke is now the director of maintenance. Kevin is the administrator leading the facilities team and is the highest ranking HES employee on-site. In his new role as director of maintenance, Kevin reports to Bruce. Kevin can be reached at 434-791-5790 or [email protected].
Brenda Taylor is now facilities operations coordinator at the Facilities House. Formerly the assistant director of Averett Athletics, Brenda will now be handling all HES accounts payable, payroll, event setup and transportation services for Averett. She can be reached at 434-791-5765 or [email protected].
Bruce and the facilities team remain in the Facilities House at 119 Robertson Ave.
We are pleased to welcome Bruce to the Averett family and congratulate Kevin and Brenda on their new roles on the facilities team.
Welcome Virginia Rogers
Please welcome Virginia Rogers, who is the new bookstore manager at Schoolfield House. Virginia has been with Follett for over 10 years, holding many positions. She started as a temporary employee and has held all store positions at different colleges including team lead, course materials manager and store manager. Virginia lives in Burlington, N.C., where she enjoys spending time with family, DIY crafting and whitewater rafting in the warmer months. She has three children and two grandchildren. Virginia enjoys working with students, getting to know where they are from and their thoughts on the area. She is also excited to get to know the area and the people of Averett.
Payroll Deadlines
All timesheets for the pay period of December 12-25 will be due Friday, Dec. 17. For the days that the campus offices are closed, you will need to put 8 hours under other and the explanation will be Christmas Break.
Payroll Changes Update
The Paylocity Implementation Team continues to prepare for the first payroll run of 2022 with our new HR/Payroll system. Please be on the lookout for an email from Paylocity with information regarding registration in our new system. Take a few minutes to login and explore its many features.
We have been transitioning to Paylocity since this summer and it is going well with much more to do. The new cloud based payroll system replaces our current manual entry system.
We feel certain you are going to like the change, and with the newer technologies that drive Paylocity, our new payroll system will be easier to use and allow for a self-service component just for starters. Training and more information forthcoming over the next couple weeks.
We thank you for your patience in advance.
Keep Your Insurance Cards Handy!
For faculty and staff members on the University insurance plan, no new insurance cards will be issued for 2022 unless you have any new coverage for the upcoming year. Anyone who needed new cards should be receiving them soon as they were mailed around December 6. If you have any questions, contact Tammy Wall at 791-5679 or [email protected]. You may also use the Sydney app.
Make Your December Match Gift Today
Averett family, we continue to receive gifts for the unrestricted Averett fund, which are being matched up to $40,000 through December 31 thanks to a generous donor.
Please consider clicking here and participating in our December Match Challenge. Your gift today helps to keep students’ dreams alive. You may also have your gift deducted from your paycheck using this form.
Final CoffeeBreak Edition Until 2022
This is the final edition of CoffeeBreak for the semester. CoffeeBreak returns Wednesday, Jan. 5. For any questions, email Matt Bell at [email protected].
Student Success Offers Professional Development
If you have questions about advocates and our care reporting process, please email [email protected] to arrange for one-on-one training before we close for winter break. You will be guided through an explanation of the purpose, provided a live demonstration and shown the process from delegation to resolution. Additional faculty/staff trainings TBA.
January 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 will be a virtual event that 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] .
Commencement Held Saturday
Averett University conferred the degrees of more than 135 graduates on Saturday, Dec. 11, from its Grant Center on the E. Stuart James Grant North Campus.
The graduating class of 2021, aged 21 to 63, includes seven veterans and six international students from Finland, Spain and Sweden. At least 20% are first-generation college graduates in their families.
Ninety-three graduates participated in the commencement ceremonies – 85 who graduated Saturday, and eight who completed their degrees in August but walked Saturday. The University conferred degrees at both the baccalaureate and master’s levels, with nearly a third of graduates from the traditional program and two-thirds graduating from Averett Online. Click here to read more.
Ceremony Held for First Gen Graduates, Veterans
Following graduation rehearsal on Friday, Dec. 10, Averett University graduates who were active duty military or veterans, as well as graduates who were the first in their family to graduate from college, were honored in a special ceremony.
This is the first time the University has held a formal ceremony for this, but plans to do it along with all future commencement events. Click here to read more.
Inaugural FNP Class Pinned Friday
Averett University marked another first Friday, Dec. 10, at its inaugural Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Pinning Ceremony. The event honored the School of Nursing’s first Master of Science in nursing graduates. Four graduates completed two years of academic and clinical requirements to be pinned as an FNP, moving into the advanced practice realm of nursing. Click here to read more.
Submissions Wanted for The Ember
Averett’s literary and art magazine, The Ember, is accepting submissions for the Spring Semester. Submission categories include original poetry, short-stories, art pieces and photography. There are cash prizes for winners in every category!
Meet Virtually with Millennium Advisory Services
Financial advisors from Millennium Advisory Services are available to meet VIRTUALLY with employees who are interested in:
- Reviewing any questions pertaining to the Averett University retirement plan and their retirement account.
- Going through Millennium’s financial planning process offered to all employees.
- Reviewing and updating a financial plan that has previously been created for you.
- Retaining Millennium for professional fee-based asset management of their retirement plan account(s).
If you would like to schedule an appointment to discuss your TIAA retirement account or go through Millennium’s financial planning process, please click here to schedule. You will receive an email confirming your appointment time.
You may also contact our Scheduling Team at 877-435-2489, option 1 or via email at [email protected] to schedule time to meet or speak with an advisor.
Millennium Advisory Services is a registered investment advisory firm that specializes in working with higher education institutions and their employees, providing education and advice services to retirement plan participants.
All Averett University employees are offered the opportunity to meet privately with an advisor to go through Millennium’s financial planning process and receive a personalized financial plan. This goal-based financial planning process is intended to help provide guidance on issues such as how much you should be saving for retirement, how your retirement account should be invested and whether you are on track to reach your personal retirement goals. Spouses/significant others are encouraged to participate as well.
Questions? Contact HR Director Kathie Tune at 434.791.7106 or [email protected].
