Averett CoffeeBreak 3-28-18

Posted on March 28th, 2018 by Danielle Staub

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. Please submit by Friday, Mar. 30, for a Wednesday, Apr. 4, publication.

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GPS Student Spotlight

Meet Hannah Angel, a student pursuing her Bachelor of Business Administration degree who is expected to graduate in 2018.

QUESTION: Why did you choose Averett’s GPS program?

ANSWER: “I quickly found that it is very difficult to juggle working full time and trying to earn a degree. I have tried going to school while working full time with other schools, but it just wasn’t feasible for me. The GPS program at Averett makes it manageable for students to work and handle their school workload. I also love that the classes are only five weeks long and it puts you on a fast track to earn a degree. The GPS program really is a perfect fit for me.”

Averett: From the Eyes of Freshmen

During every Averett 101 class each fall semester, the students go to the president’s house and enjoy a dinner with Dr. Franks and her husband, Joe. During that time, Dr. Franks asks the students what they love about Averett and if they have any concerns. During this spring semester, we will be sharing some of those positive comments with you. Enjoy!

“The Equestrian program is intense learning.”

“The atmosphere in the dorm is great with people hanging out.”

“Cat Eye Grill was neat and good.”

“The French fries in the caf are great.”

“It’s close to home, but far enough away.”

“I have liked Averett ever since I came here and it was decorated for Christmas.”

Day to Engage: Rescheduled

Day to Engage on the Block has been rescheduled to Tuesday, Apr. 3! There are still projects that need volunteers, and students, faculty and staff can sign up on engage.averett.edu. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Rachel Covington at [email protected] 0r Tia Yancey at [email protected].

Faculty, Staff, Retiree Appreciation Luncheon

Invites for the Faculty, Staff, Retiree Appreciation Luncheon program will be in your email this week. Look for a Punchbowl invitation and please respond as soon as possible. Your RSVP allows us to order accordingly for the event. Please plan on joining your colleagues as we celebrate our service milestones, educational accomplishments and wish our retirees a fond farewell. The luncheon program is scheduled for Thursday, May 3, from noon until 1:15 p.m. in the Student Center Dining Hall.

Outstanding Faculty & Staff Award Nominations

It’s that of year again! It’s time to nominate candidates for the Outstanding Faculty and Staff awards. The awards will be presented at the Faculty, Staff, Retiree Luncheon to be held Thursday, May 3. The criteria for the award and nomination process can be found by clicking here. The nomination form can be found by clicking here.

The deadline to submit nominations is Friday, Apr. 6, by 4:30 p.m. Completed nomination forms need to be sent to [email protected].

Employee Raises

We are pleased to announce that all of our full-time, permanent, staff and faculty who joined Averett prior to July 1, 2017 will be receiving a 2 percent raise! Earnings will increase starting with the March 25 payroll, which will be reflected in the April 13 paycheck. We are grateful to all of you who make Averett the wonderful place it is today and who help to continue to push it forward.

Strategic Planning Updates

In a recent Strategic Planning meeting, a suggestion was made to update faculty and staff on specific projects in the Averett 2020 Strategic Plan at faculty and staff meetings throughout the year.

These quick updates, as were announced in the latest faculty and staff meetings, will be made by the project owners or their designee, and will give a brief snapshot of one project within the Averett 2020 Strategic Plan. Each month, the same brief update will be made in the staff meeting, faculty meeting and in CoffeeBreak in order to keep a consistent message across campus. We expect these updates to be no more than three minutes long each month, but with enough detail that all faculty and staff can learn more about the great work of other departments.

What do I need to know about ….?

Have questions about what our policy is? Averett’s policy library has answers. We constantly review and update policies to reflect current practices and regulation changes. We develop new policies to avoid challenging situations in the future and to provide guidelines on managing them if they do arise. Every employee should be familiar with the University’s policies.

New and updated policies posted recently include: Contract Administration, Inclement Weather, Drug and Alcohol Testing, Non-Fraternization, Resignation Notice, and policies addressing the accrual and use of paid leave time.

You can access the policy library by going to the Averett website. Click on the “Faculty & Staff” link at the top, then use the “MyInfo Login” link (near the bottom on the left side of the page). Be sure to select the tab, “Averett Fac/Staff Login.” Once you login, the policy library link is under the “Home” tab. Then, click on the “Policies” button that drops down from the main policy library button.

Alumni Board Match Challenge: The Final Stretch!

The fifth and final video for the Alumni Board Match Challenge is here! Donate this week to get your donation doubled. We only have  $2,735 left to raise!

The Alumni Board offered up a challenge to alumni to name a room in Main Hall. Anyone can give any amount to reach $12,500!

Click here to watch the FINAL video of the series, which features Alumni Board Challenge Co-Chair Lucille Digges ’55. Please share on social media to help us get the word out. Thank you! All donations can be made by clicking here.

Holly Kilby Presents to Virginia Tech Students

Holly Kilby recently had the pleasure of presenting “Levi’s Disability Journey” to an undergraduate class at Virginia Tech. The presentation focused on her personal experience of navigating accommodations in the K-12 environment, for her son, Levi, with a focus on testing, advocacy, inclusion and institutionalized classism/racism. It was an engaging presentation, and the students (future educators) had many questions regarding how to best serve students with impairments in their own future classrooms.

Academic Support’s Open Group Tutoring

Academic Support has provided additional open group tutoring options for Math 103, Health 110 and Nursing 109. Please remember that open group tutoring sessions are provided as a walk-in service, so you do not have to schedule to attend. Click here to learn more and see the whole schedule. Email Holly Kilby at [email protected] with questions.