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, May 29, for a Wednesday, June 3, publication.
Statewide Mandate on Face Coverings
Yesterday, Governor Ralph Northam announced a statewide mask mandate starting Friday. The mandate will require anyone in an indoor public space to wear a face mask.
As you read in last week’s CoffeeBreak, safety guidelines for personnel on campus were shared. These included a strong recommendation that face coverings be worn by everyone on campus when in the presence of others to help minimize risks of the spread of COVID-19.
Beyond the Pandemic Workgroups Update
The Beyond the Pandemic Workgroups are wrapping up Step 4 on Friday, developing detailed plans and follow-up action steps for each of the four scenarios. President’s Council will be making decisions based on the recommendations of the workgroups in concert with state and federal plans and guidelines that are forthcoming.
Outreach to Students
To keep students and families informed and updated, letters from Dr. Franks are going out to all current, accepted and deposited students soon. The letter details just how excited we are to welcome them to campus this fall.
Also, more than 100 new students and their families will be joining us for our first virtual registration day on Friday. They will spend two hours with us via Zoom, getting to know more about Averett and hearing from various departments.
Inside Higher Ed Publishes Article by Dr. Marc Muneal
An article by Dr. Marc Muneal, entitled “Memoirs Are Made of This,” appears on the Inside Higher Ed website today. In the piece, Muneal discusses the value of memoirs and diaries, particularly during times like these, and shares some takeaways about the resilience of his freshman students who completed memoir assignments in Spring 2020.
Exceprt:
This is the third time in my own life I find myself in a moment that has such significance. The last time, September 11, 2001, I was my students’ age, and while I have a very clear memory of nearly every hour of that day, I made no written record. The time before that won’t resonate with most Americans, but I was a Trinidadian child who experienced the government being overthrown by armed militia in a coup d’etat attempt in 1990. My family was actually living on the island of St. Lucia at the time, because of my father’s work, but my sister and I had arrived to spend summer vacation with my Granny mere hours before the militants made their move.
A nine-year-old child wouldn’t himself have made a particularly reliable or detailed record of such a time, but I have the next best thing: Granny was an avid diarist.
Optional Virtual Visits with Dr. Franks
Please feel free to join me by Zoom on Fridays, June 5, June 19 and June 26 from 11 a.m. to noon, if you would like to connect, have questions or want to visit with your colleagues. This optional time can’t make up for our informal visits in the hallways or at games or events, but it is one way we can try to keep in touch.
Email Cyndie Basinger at [email protected] for questions.
Dial-in number (US): +13017158592,,94658377149# or +13126266799,,94658377149#
Meeting ID: 946 5837 7149
Join online: https://averett.zoom.us/j/94658377149
Warmly,
Tiffany
Morning Meditation – Mindful Moments
Call in and join Averett Online for morning meditation from 8:30-8:45 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays through Friday, June 5.
Morning meditation releases stress, clears our thoughts and gives us the best opportunity to be alert, awake and fully alive before “doing” anything. Jump on the call, mute your phones and take 15 minutes to achieve calmness and peace of mind before starting your day. Meditation can help us manage our home and work lives more skillfully.
Call-in information:
US: 1-312-626-6799
Meeting ID: 959 973 004
https://averett.zoom.us/j/959973004
Save the Date: Fall New Employee Orientation (NEO) 2020
The date for the Fall NEO is tentatively Friday, Aug. 7, from 11:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. If you were hired since the Spring NEO in March, or if you could not make the March program, look for an e-vite from HR Director Kathie Tune.
Questions? Feel free to contact [email protected] for more information.
The Health Advocate Benefit for Health Plan Participants
Health Advocate is a service provided by our health plan sponsor (CICV) at no cost to the plan participant. They support you and your eligible family members with a wide range of health and insurance-related issues. Call them with any health or plan related questions at 866-695-8622, by email or via their website specifically designed for members of the Virginia Private College Benefits Consortium.
They serve many needs such as medical diagnoses, research quality providers, second opinion options, and questions concerning medical bills, benefits coverage and more.
