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, Nov. 3, for a Wednesday, Nov. 8, publication.
In Memoriam: Dr. Barbara Clark
It is with a heavy heart that I write to let you know that retired Professor Barbara A. Clark passed away last week after a sudden illness. She will be missed by her friends, family and this community.
Professor Clark began teaching at Averett in 1992 as an Assistant Professor, received tenure in 1998, became an Associate Professor in 1999, a Professor in 2005, and retired in 2017. The Foreign Language Department was fortunate to have her leadership as a department chair for many years and students benefited immeasurably from her commitment to teaching excellence.
She received a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and a Master of Arts from the State University of New York, Binghamton, and a Bachelor of Arts from the College of St. Elizabeth in New Jersey.
Please keep Barbara’s family in your prayers during this difficult time. Since arrangements are unknown, I would ask that you please pause and remember Barbara and all her good work on behalf of her students and Averett University.
Campus Opportunities for Education, Support and Connection
Dear Colleagues,
As the instances of antisemitism, antireligious and/or ethnic bigotry increase across our country as a result of the Israeli-Hamas war, we want to affirm our values and commitment to inclusion and belonging for all who live, work and visit Averett.
Faith, inclusivity and openness are included in our institution’s core values, and our “Belong” Initiative further underscores the University’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) for all students, employees and visitors. A number of upcoming campus events over the next two weeks offer opportunities to learn more: gain a better understanding of the history and impact of the Israeli-Hamas conflict; hear local Civil Rights leaders’ stories in a moving documentary about Danville’s Bloody Monday; and take time to connect with one another and reflect at a campus prayer service. We encourage everyone who can to participate in these important learning opportunities.
As a reminder, Averett offers a number of campus support resources including Spiritual Life and the University Chaplain’s Office, Counseling Services and Campus Safety and Security. Anyone experiencing discrimination of any kind or made privy to an occurrence should notify the Dean of Students’ Office for students or Human Resources for employees.
Sincerely,
Dr. Tiffany M. Franks
TRUTH Talk: Understanding the Israeli-Hamas Conflict
Prayer Service for Israeli-Hamas War
Join University Chaplain Sean Timmons as students, faculty and staff join together for a prayer service on Tuesday, Nov. 7, at 11:15 a.m. in Blount Chapel. A service will be followed by a chance to participate in a prayer wall and create a keepsake that can serve as a reminder for continued reflection and prayer.
“The Movement” Bloody Monday Documentary Screening
Open Enrollment for 2024 Health Benefits: November 1-16
Open Enrollment begins today, Wednesday, Nov. 1, for medical (health, dental, vision) benefits for eligible employees. You may also enroll in the FSA and/or an HSA plan during this time as well. 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
The 2024 Fringe Benefits Fact Sheet is available (https://www.averett.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024-Fringe-Benefits-Facts-Sheet.pdf) for your reference.
Pathways to Student Success Survey
To improve the student experience at Averett, we are engaged in a campus-wide project called Moving the Needle (MTN). We want to hear from all individual students throughout this process.
Averett has engaged a third-party firm, Credo, for MTN which includes periodic surveys for our campus community. A survey invitation for the “Pathways to Student Success Survey” will be sent to all students Wednesday, Nov. 1. Credo will be handling all survey administration and reporting, and names will not be associated with any responses you provide.
Only summarized information will be provided to Averett. The survey takes no longer than 10 minutes to complete.
Best Practices to Create an Inclusive Campus Environment Webinar
As part of our involvement with Belong: An Inclusive Learning Community, all faculty, staff and administrators are invited to register (https://bit.ly/3PRvoQh) and attend the Best Practices to Create an Inclusive Campus Environment webinar on Tuesday, Nov. 7, at 2 p.m. This interactive, 60-minute webinar will provide you with ways to strengthen accessibility throughout your courses, programming, and campus environment.
We hope you will take advantage of this professional development opportunity to learn best practices for making our students feel more included on campus. Please see the attached flyer for more information.
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
Medicare Sessions Coming Soon from Elevance Health
HR leaders and benefits managers,
Scott Swortzel, account management executive ([email protected]), has offered one new session of Medicare education via webinar next week. The audience registration link is below and may be shared with employees and family members. Please make sure to click the link and register as soon as possible to receive the follow-up emails.
Webcast Title: Medicare Education session
Webcast Date: Thursday, Nov. 9, at noon
Use this link to access the audience view of the webcast.
https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/4385363/41A72415874DA2D2A5E19E3DACE1E990
Counseling Services Workshops Updates
Please share with your students:
Anna Hall, counselor, is providing workshops on making friends and having healthy romantic relationships. These workshops will take place on Thursdays Nov. 9 and 16 from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in Bishop 302. She also has workshops on Tuesdays at the same time and location on a variety of topics including the upcoming workshops on managing distress/emotions (Nov. 7) and interpersonal skills (Nov. 14). Anna has carefully selected topics that students often struggle with in college.
November Book Club Information
The November book club meeting will take place on Thursday, Nov. 16 (one week sooner than usual) from 5-6 p.m. in Blount Library. The book was chosen back in August, and we are so excited to read The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller.
Refreshments will be available, and there will be an option to join the meeting through Zoom.
Please reach out if you have any questions or if you’d like to request a copy of the next book through interlibrary loan.
SIS Workday for OIRE and RO
Every Monday until the launch of our new student information system, key members of critical areas (Cheryl Dalton/Dana Mehalko (IORE) and Kristi Gilliam /Ashley Bowman (RO)) will be spending the workday on all things SIS-related. All requests and emails will be responded to the following business day.
While they may be unavailable via phone, office visit, or email on Mondays, should you need immediate assistance, please reach out to the following members of their staff:
Registrar’s Office
Kriston Clayton, Assistant Registrar, at [email protected] or x15612
Chris Molina, Assistant Registrar, at [email protected] or x17231
Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Research
Richard Mills, Data Reporting Specialist, [email protected]
Below are a few links that may address some Frequently Asked Questions of our areas:
2023 -2024 Academic Calendar – Traditional/Averett Online; Trimester (ABSN/MSN)
Pre-Registration Dates/General Registration Procedures
Okta Information
Averett University has adopted Okta to enhance security with multifactor authentication and streamline our web application management. This integration means that you can access most of the University applications you frequently use from a single, secure homepage. We prioritize the security of our applications and data. By employing Okta, we enhance this security with features like Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and a Single Sign-On (SSO) experience. To ensure a seamless transition, we request all employees to begin the account enrollment process. For your convenience, an in-depth guide to aid in this enrollment process is attached.
What will you need to enroll:
- Access to a Smart Phone or SMS-capable phone.
- Ability to download and install Okta Verify mobile application from the Android Play Store or Apple Store.
- Access to a Web Browser
To begin the enrollment process, please visit our AU Okta Portal at:
https://sso.averett.edu
Should you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our helpdesk or submit a ticket to request assistance.
Averett University Helpdesk Portal:
https://ithelpdesk.averett.edu
Watch this short video to learn more:
https://www.okta.com/intro-to-okta
Enrollment Guide
OKTA User Enrollment Guide
Have Questions about Your Retirement Accounts and Financial Planning?
Financial Advisors from Millennium are available to meet virtually to:
• Answer questions about your retirement account.
• Discuss if you should consider moving your old retirement accounts to the current retirement plan contract.
• Provide financial planning and be a resource to help you make decisions regarding your retirement accounts.
Every employee can go through holistic financial planning sessions and receive a customized financial plan based on your goals. If you have a spouse or significant other, they are encouraged and welcome to attend as well!
These planning sessions are geared to help answer questions like:
• What changes should I consider making to my retirement plan based on my retirement and other goals?
• Am I saving enough to meet my goals in retirement?
• Is my current investment strategy appropriate given what I am trying to accomplish?
You can also reach Millennium’s Scheduling Team at [email protected] or by phone at (877) 435-2489. Click HERE to schedule a virtual visit with Tom Siebers.
Contact Kathie Tune, CHRO, at [email protected] for additional information.
Office 365 Work Groups and Teams Training
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. The training course 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.
Step Challenge and Biometric Screening
Today is the start of the last round of the step challenge, so don’t forget to track your steps to finish a winner.
Web Portal Link: https://www.webmdhealth.com/VPC/
Also, about that biometric screening in November, it is a NON-fasting screening. So, don’t worry about any not eating or drinking before. Also, for those that do participate in the screening will be receiving a free lunch ticket for The Cougar Den. (There will also be light snack items provided at the screening event.
Email: [email protected]
