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, Oct. 20, for a Wednesday, Oct. 25, publication.

Dear Financial Aid Team

There are not enough days in the year to celebrate YOU!  Thank you for all your hard work, expertise, compassion and displays of empathy, as you help support our students and their families.  You are the team behind the scenes helping make dreams come true for countless students.

With heartfelt appreciation,

Tiffany

The Odd Couple (Female Version) Hits the Stage This Week

Unger and Madison are at it again. Florence Unger and Olive Madison, that is, in Neil Simon’s hilarious contemporary comic classic: the female version of The Odd Couple. Instead of the poker party that begins the original version, Ms. Madison has invited the girls over for an evening of Trivial Pursuit. The Pidgeon sisters have been replaced by the two Constanzuela brothers. But the hilarity remains the same.

Oct. 19-21, 7 p.m.
Pritchett Auditorium
Admission is free for students, faculty and staff.

Spring 2024 Registration Begins Next Week

The schedule is as follows:

Seniors (90+ Credits): 7 a.m. October 23-24
Juniors (60-89 Credits): 7 a.m. October 25-26
Sophomores (30-59 Credits): 7 a.m. October 27-28
Freshman (00-29 Credits): 7 a.m. October 29-30

If you have any questions or issues with dates, course offerings, times, etc. that have been published for your department(s), please do not hesitate to reach out to the Registrar’s Office ([email protected]).

African & African American Studies Courses for the Spring

To All Faculty Advisors:

Please alert interested advisees of the following spring semester courses in service of the African & African American Studies minor: SOC/AFAM 317: Race & Ethnicity (Brune); ENG/AFAM /WGS 405: Modernism (Clark); CRJ/SOC/AFAM 375: Corrections (Lindsey); ENG/AFAM/HON 399: Dr. King & Malcolm X: Their Writings, Speeches & Sermons (Gazda); and SOC/AFAM 299: Sociology of Health (Lellock). Contact Toni Gazda at [email protected] or 1-7101 if you have questions or send students directly to her for more information.

October Book Club Pick in Blount Library

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides has been chosen for the October book club meeting which will be held on Thursday, Oct. 26, from 5-6 p.m. in Blount Library. Please join us as we read this suspenseful story which was voted “Best Mystery and Thriller (2019)” by Goodreads Choice Awards. Visit the library website for more information. Copies are available at The Dog-Eared Page on Main Street.

https://averett.libguides.com/bookclub

Symphonic Band Fall Pops Concert

Join the Averett Symphonic Band for an evening of popular music from top radio hits to music from some of the best movies ever made. The concert will be Friday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m. in Pritchett Auditorium. Admission is free.

Counseling Services Workshops Updates

Anna Hall in Counseling Services will be facilitating workshops on Tuesdays and Thursdays this semester. On Tuesdays from 11:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. (Bishop 302) Hall will be working with students on mindfulness techniques, distress tolerance (dealing with difficult situations), emotion regulation (managing emotions), interpersonal effectiveness (making and maintaining relationships). Oct. 24 will focus on mindfulness, Oct. 31 will focus on distress tolerance, Nov. 7 will focus on emotion regulation, and Nov. 14 will focus on interpersonal effectiveness.

On Thursdays, workshops will be held from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in Bishop 302. The workshop topic on Thursday, Oct. 26 and Thursday, Nov. 2 will be Connecting with Others: Gaining Interpersonal Skills. This workshop series will focus on how to make more meaningful connections with others, practice interpersonal skills, and process common interpersonal relationship issues.

Relationships 101: Navigating Interpersonal Relationships will be held on Thursday, Nov. 9 and Thursday, Nov. 16. This workshop will guide students through important relationship skills such as boundary-setting, communication, and conflict resolution. Please refer your students

The CANS Across the Conference Competition is back and WE NEED YOUR HELP

This initiative is held annually as a community service competition among all institutions in the ODAC. Each campus Student-Athlete Advisory Committee collects cans and other non-perishable items at their school to benefit their local community. This year Averett University SAAC has a goal of collecting over 10,000 items to help benefit God’s Storehouse here in Danville. Drop-off locations around Main Campus include the Cougar Den and Student Success Center. These locations will be checked periodically by a member of SAAC E-Board.

For any additional information or questions please contact SAAC Advisor Ariyanna Mason at [email protected].

FREE Medication Review

Exciting news from the Virginia Private Colleges Benefits Consortium (VPCBC): October 16-20 VPCBC members and the public can call a pharmacist for a no-cost review of medications to check for any potential conflicts and correct dosages. Reviews are a way to help ensure that safe and effective drug therapies, in the clinically appropriate does and combinations for patient needs, are being used to control and prevent health problems.

Before you call, have a complete list of prescriptions and medications, along with anything else you take by mouth, by skin patch, nasal spray or injections, including vitamins, Sudafed, hormone therapies, herbal remedies, etc.

Through October 16-20, a pharmacist will be available from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. to answer your calls. To reach a pharmacist during this time, please call 833-664-0089.

For more information, click HERE.

Cyber Security Awareness Month

Each week we will introduce a new monster card from our cyber security awareness training partner KnowBe4 for cyber security awareness month of October.

Frankenphisher is stitched together from all the most dangerous pieces of phishing emails; compromised links, malicious attachments, you name it! Before he gets a chance to bust down the door of your network, make sure your people know what makes a phishy email phishy.

Open Enrollment for 2024 Health Benefits: November 1-16

Mark your calendars for Wednesday, Nov. 1, when Open Enrollment opens for medical (health, dental, vision) benefits for eligible employees. The open enrollment window closes on Thursday, Nov. 16, for the 2024 benefit year. Contact Kathie Tune, [email protected], or Pam Paynter, [email protected] with questions.

Please note:

•Completing the Open Enrollment process is strongly encouraged for all benefits eligible employees to, at a minimum, review your current elections and payroll deductions. If you prefer to maintain your current enrollment, make sure to log into the portal to reset your FSA and/or HSA contributions as those elections will not carry into the next year.
•Benefits eligible spouses need a new election and a 2024 affidavit to remain active for another year. Those deductions and any changes in your dependent coverage, including your spouse, must be recorded.
•You will not be able to enroll again until Open Enrollment for 2024, unless you experience a qualifying life event.
Questions? Concerns? Considerations? Zoom meetings are scheduled for Wednesdays and Thursdays, 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. and from 3-5 p.m.

Join Zoom Meeting (11;15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.)
https://averett.zoom.us/j/93596544286?pwd=Yis1N3psRlJrRG9DTCtMREZidVBPZz09

Join Zoom Meeting (3-5 p.m.)
https://averett.zoom.us/j/94245204744?pwd=cWtGcHh6S2xrOXlmanBFKzJBelNYUT09

Lunch & Learn for Averett Trustees with Students, Faculty and Staff

Please join us on Thursday, Nov. 9, in the Dining Hall for lunch from 11:50 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Lunch is on us.

The Board of Trustees will be on campus for their semi-annual board meeting, and they will be enjoying lunch in the Dining Hall for informal time with students, faculty and staff. This is a great networking opportunity for students, and for you to introduce yourself and have informative interaction time with Averett’s Trustees.

When you arrive to the Dining Hall, please let them know you are there to have lunch with the Board of Trustees. You will see table numbers on the tables that where board members will be asked to sit. We look forward to seeing you then.

Sincerely,

President’s Office

I9 Document Verification

Just as a reminder moving forward, all new employees must meet with Cathryn Estes in HR to verify their I9 documents in order to start working. If their documents are not seen by Cathryn, they will not be able to work until she has Physically examined them. Contact Cathryn Estes at [email protected] for any questions you may have.

Office 365 Work Groups and Teams Training

Join us for a one-hour training to learn how to improve your productivity, workflow and collaboration using Office 356. Training is designed for all technological skill and comfort levels, and is open to all Averett employees.

Topics include:

• What are O365 Work Groups and Teams?
• Which one should I use?
• How to create, edit, or delete an O365 Work Group or Team
• Teams interface including features, channels, Teams meetings, group file storage, and more…

Register now using the following link: https://forms.office.com/r/7SE2dkudFE. Contact Tahsha Harmon at [email protected] for any questions.

Averett 110 Dinners

President Franks and Joe Franks are continuing the tradition of hosting Averett 110 classes for dinners at the President’s House this fall. Please see some of the positive comments that were shared at recent dinners:

• Small class environment.
• Everybody is so nice here – good environment on campus.
• Breakfast at the dining hall is good – wish we could get back the omelet bar.
• Different cultures here are like a family.
• The staff is laid back and easygoing.
• I like how the teachers teach – I understand more.
• Living in Main – I know everybody in my hall.
• First time on the East Coast (from Utah) and I really like it.
• Sports support each other.
• Everything is within walking distance.
• Teacher/student dynamic is good – positive interactions and working together.
• Coaches are passionate about helping.
• How small the campus is – it is nice.
• I like seeing the same faces every day and I know so many people .
• The help I can get at the success center is great.
• It’s easy to make friends here.
• I’m comfortable here.
• Lots of resources here to help me be successful.
• I like the writing center.
• Diversity is cool – I love meeting the international students.
• I like all the different countries here (student from Germany).
• The professors here are chill and will work with you.
• There is a great support system here – success center, coaches, teacher, One Team.
• The Art dept and the opportunity to showcase my art.
• Graphic design.

Step Challenge and Biometric Screening

Today starts Round 3 of our invitational step challenges. Do not forget to submit your steps before Wednesday of the next week for them to count towards that week’s round.

Also, do not forget about our November biometric screening. It will be on Thursday, Nov. 16, from noon-4 p.m. in the MPR. If you are interested in participating, shoot me an email. We are just trying to keep up with numbers for supplies. Thank you and have great rest of your week.

Email: [email protected]

Portal Link: https://www.webmdhealth.com/VPC/