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. 6, for a Wednesday, Oct. 11, publication.
Blount Library Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month
Stop by the library from September 15 – October 15 as we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. Feel free to check out one of the titles on display and grab a piece of authentic Mexican candy. For more information about this celebration visit the link below.
Counseling Services Workshops
Anna Hall in Counseling Services will be facilitating workshops on Tuesdays from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in Bishop 302. She will be working with students on mindfulness techniques, distress tolerance (dealing with difficult situations), emotion regulation (managing emotions), and interpersonal effectiveness (making and maintaining relationships). She will run the workshops again starting in later October. If you have any questions, email [email protected]. She plans to run a different workshop on Thursdays, so stay tuned. Please encourage your students to attend.
Davenport Bathroom Renovations
The full demolition involved in Davenport Hall’s bathroom renovations will begin Monday, Oct. 9. From that point forward, water will be turned off in that building.
Homecoming Spirit Week
Monday, Oct. 9 – Jersey Day – Block Party (Student Center Lawn) 6:30-9 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 10 – Twin Day – Petting Zoo (Student Center Lawn) 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 11 – Y2K Day – Roller Skating Night (Carrington Gym) 6-10 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 12 – Country vs. Country Club Day – Comedy Show (Pritchett Auditorium) 7 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 13 – Blue and Gold Day – Men’s Soccer Game (Daly Field) 7 p.m., Free T-shirts
Robert Marsh Student Legacy Art Exhibit Homecoming Reception
Come celebrate the Legacy of Robert Marsh on Thursday, Oct. 12, at 4:30 p.m. at the Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History. Many of Robert’s former students have submitted artwork for this exhibit. This event is free and open to the entire community. There will be food and drink provided by the Averett Alumni Association at the reception. This is an Averett University centric event in conjunction with Homecoming. Please register if you plan to attend.
https://forms.office.com/r/AQm66Qi6Ye
Homecoming Party at 2 Witches
Averett faculty and staff, don’t miss out on the Homecoming fun. Register today for the 2023 Averett “Blue and Gold” Homecoming Party at 2 Witches Winery & Brewing Co. on Friday, Oct. 13, from 6-10 p.m. You will receive one free drink ticket and an Averett Homecoming T-shirt with your registration.
2 Witches will have a food truck with Averett-themed menu items, special blue and gold slushes, and musical acts Dos Guitars and Leia Sadiku performing throughout the night.
Please register here: https://forms.office.com/r/tA0J0ihk0n
We Stand Together LGBTQIA+
On Saturday, Oct. 14, Danville-Pittsylvania Community Services is holding a We Stand Together summit/conference for the LGBTQIA+, allies, and community members that want to learn more. Members of the LGBTQIA+ community are at an increased risk of mental health issues, substance misuse, and an even higher risk of dying by suicide, so we are proving this opportunity to help the community realize the importance of providing a safe space to decrease those risks.
Registration will be closed Thursday, Oct. 5.
President’s Suite for Cougar Football
Join President Tiffany Franks and Joe Franks for an unforgettable experience in the President’s Suite! Averett University faculty and staff are invited to be part of the action as our Cougars face off against tough opponents. Choose from a lineup of exciting matchups:
- October 21 vs. Bridgewater College
- November 11 vs. Ferrum College
RSVP for the games via this form or by contacting [email protected]. Let’s come together to cheer for Averett.
Open Enrollment for 2024 Health Benefits: November 1-16
Mark your calendars for Wednesday, Nov. 1. Open Enrollment begins for employee 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. Additional information is coming soon.
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.
Faculty/Staff Parking Permits
All faculty and staff will need to get the new parking permits available at the security office. Individuals will need their license plate number and state issued ID, plus the make and model of the automobile. The old white and blue permits will no longer be valid after Oct. 31.
The new permits can be placed on your dashboard or mirror when parked at Averett but should be removed when driving (it is illegal to have anything hanging from your mirror while in motion).
Faculty/Staff IDs
Anyone who has lost their Averett ID can get a new one from Security every Monday – Friday from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. The security office is located outside of the Student Success Center. Any new faculty or staff should be brought to security on their first working day to get an ID printed.
If you are having trouble with your current ID working at a certain location, please call the Security Office at (434) 791-5888 at any time and let them know your name and what is happening with your ID and we may be able to correct the problem on the back end without you having to come to the office.
Office 365 Work Groups and Teams Training
Don’t Miss Out on Teams Training
Training is designed for all comfort levels with technology. If you are too busy and do not have time, this training is for you! In one hour, learn to improve your productivity on tasks that eat up your time and cause you more work.
Did you know that Office 365 Work Groups and Teams are designed to start small by sharing a few resources like email, calendar and group files? Use what improves your workflow and collaboration and add Teams and more later!
Only a few sessions remain to attend IT’s guided Teams and Office 365 Work Groups training conducted by Tahsha Harmon during October. Training will cover the following learning objectives:
• 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…
Training is designed for all skill levels and offered to all Averett employees. 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:
- Classes are not a drag, thanks to professors.
- I have lots of free time and I get to sleep as well as study.
- Students in my pod are fun to be around.
- Teammates and coaches are supportive.
- The Success Center is really helpful.
- Social life here is great – everyone is so close.
- Caf food is good – international foods – taco Tuesday and chicken Wednesday.
- Main Hall is a great place to live.
- Carrington Gym seems always available.
- Professors are open and easy to talk with.
- I like the small family feel.
- Help is readily available.
- I like the diversity on campus.
- Food service listens to my concerns; napkin feedback in the caf works.
Everybody knows everybody.- I like having food available when I want it.
- There is always something to do here.
- There is an inclusive feeling.
- It’s easy to get involved here – good relationships.
- The quality of professors – my psych professor is a clinical psychologist with patients.
- The new track is cool.
- Work study and study abroad opportunities are great.
- I like meeting people from all over the world.
Covid-19 Testing Kits
With the increase in COVID cases in our region, I just wanted to share the following information with you. As it has been reported in the news, the White House has recently announced that every U.S. household can place an order to receive four more free COVID-19 rapid tests delivered directly to their home. You may place your order. This is great news, since Health Services no longer has the supply of free Home Testing Kits for individuals to pick up for home use. Also, if you have testing kits that have expired per the printed expiration date, I encourage you to check to see if there has been an extension on the date. You can check the dates by clicking on the link provided.
Step Challenge and Biometric Screening
Good job on the warmup round for our Invitational Step Challenge. Looking forward to see how we perform in round one starting today. Don’t forget to log your steps. Though you do not have to have them all in until the end, waiting until then will affect weekly (round) updates.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out. [email protected]
Also, if you have any fun photos of you getting your steps in, please send them in to me. We can have them posted with the end of round updates!
Also, save the date for mid-November, when we will have our annual biometric screening. Health Advocate will be here again in the MPR. We will let you know the exact date and time later. This screening is for the convenience for all employees on our health plan. This is a way to squeeze in a doctor visit in a very timely manner AND skip the copay.
If you are able or interested in participating in the biometric screening in November, please reach out to me to let me know. We want to get a better estimate on numbers and supplies. [email protected]
Wellness Portal Link: https://www.webmdhealth.com/VPC/
