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. 10, for a Wednesday, Nov. 15, publication.
Open Enrollment for 2024 Health Benefits: November 1-16
Open Enrollment for 2024 Health Benefits: November 1-16
As a reminder Empyrean (our health benefits portal) will be sending out reminders/ confirmations for Open enrollment to you if you are a benefits eligible employee. They will use your work address on file, or send to a personal email if that is the only address on file during the Open enrollment cycle.
The emails went out in the early morning hours of Nov. 1 and throughout enrollment until Nov. 16.
You will see the emails generating from this address: No-Reply <[email protected]
noting that it is a legitimate email and not a phishing attempt.
If you do not receive the enrollment confirmation email within 24 hours of completing the final step of enrollment, then, please review your email address on file.
Contact Pam Paynter ([email protected]) with questions.
Parking Notice
The Student Center Parking lot will be blocked off beginning at 6 p.m. tonight, Nov. 8 through Friday, Nov. 9 at noon.
Parking on Mountain View Ave in front of Pritchett Auditorium will be blocked off Thursday afternoon, Nov. 9 through Friday, Nov. 10 at noon.
Please do not move any cones or signage. Another LiveSafe message will be sent Wednesday afternoon. Thank you for your understanding.
Women’s Basketball White Out Game
Today, Nov. 8, women’s basketball will host Christopher Newport University at 6 p.m. at the Grant Center. Come out and support the team by wearing white T-shirts. The first 25 students wearing white will receive a free hot dog. All students wearing white will be entered into a raffle to win a free River District Golf & Social Par Package. There will also be gear sales and giveaways.
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 Session This Week
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 workshop on interpersonal skills (Nov. 14). Anna has carefully selected topics that students often struggle with in college.
On Display from the Averett Archives
Mary B. Blount Library continues its series of monthly displays of archival material. For November, in honor of Veterans Day (upcoming on Nov. 11), we have two displays related to World War II.
In the large display case, we have a display focused on students who attended Averett on the G.I. Bill in the late 1940s. Averett – at the time a women’s college – briefly became co-educational, admitting dozens of local male veterans as day students. The case includes numerous photos of the veterans on campus, as well as relevant Chanticleer newspaper articles from the period.
In the small case we focus on the home front, with a display on the Averett ‘volunteer knitters’ for the red cross. This group of staff and student women knitted more than 200 sweaters, and other items, for the Red Cross to distribute to soldiers and civilians in Europe.
Drop by the library any time this month and take a look at the displays. Click the link to read more about the displays and the events they commemorate.
Natalie K. Hodge, CEO of Rudy’s Girl Media, to Present at Blount Library
On Tuesday, Nov. 14, please join us at 5 p.m. for a presentation by Natalie Hodge, CEO of Rudy’s Girl Media: “The Media Hustle: Business Lessons Learned from NYC, LA, and Southside Virginia.”
Rudy’s Girl Media is a multimedia company based in Martinsville, Virginia. Their projects range across film, television, web, and print media, including Hometown Hustle, a web-series about local entrepreneurs. After gaining experience in New York and Los Angeles, Hodge returned to her hometown of Martinsville and started Rudy’s Girl Media in 2016.
This guest lecture, held for International Entrepreneurship Week, is open to all faculty, staff, students, and members of the public. It will take place on the main floor of Blount Library.
“The Movement” Bloody Monday Documentary Screening
How to Save a Life with Hands-only CPR
If you were to witness a cardiac arrest at work, would you have the tools to save their life? Do you have an AED, and if so, do you know the location? Every second counts, and we hope to spread awareness about recognizing cardiac arrest, performing Hands-Only CPR, and using AEDs to save a life. Learn about other healthcare emergencies and the best response to save a life.
This session will provide you with the tools to use in real-life situations. You will learn where AEDs are located throughout Averett Campuses. You will be able to practice techniques with those who have experienced first-hand the necessity for this education.
Led by Dr. Karen Oaks, Wendy Childress, Jay Hatfield, David Beach, and friends from the Danville Life Saving Crew, the session will be Thursday, Nov. 16 in the MPR from 10-11:30 a.m. A lunch ticket for the Cougar Den will be given to all attendees who attend the program.
Contact Victor Hernandez, [email protected], or Kathie Tune, [email protected] for more information.
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.
Thanksgiving Food Drive with God’s Storehouse
Freshmen Aviators enrolled in IDS110/AV03 and IDS110/AV15 are partnering with God’s Storehouse to collect food for the non-profit’s Thanksgiving Food Drive.
God’s Storehouse asks to please donate the following: Cranberry Sauce, Canned Gravy, Cornbread, Canned Corn, Stuffing, Instant Potatoes, Mac and Cheese, Rolls/Biscuits, White Rice, and Canned Yams. This drive is ongoing through November 20. The IDS sections will have donation boxes placed at North Campus, the Flight Center and Averett Central.
For more information, please reach out to Ashley Bowman at [email protected] or via phone at (434) 791-7235.
We thank you so much for your contributions for our Danville and Pittsylvania County neighbors.
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
Annual Notice Mailings for the Averett University 403b Plan
As part of our 3(16) services for the MEP, Pentegra delivers the annual notice mailings for your plan. These mailings are sent to all eligible participants and terminated participants that still have an account balance in the plan, regardless of whether the account balance is in the old TIAA contracts or the new TIAA contracts under the MEP. (Please note: terminated participants will not receive the Annual Contribution or QDIA Notices).
If an email address was provided for the participant, Pentegra will deliver the notices via the email address – [email protected]. This is a legitimate email that is safe to open. Please ask your faculty/staff to add [email protected] to their email safe list – so that they may receive this and future plan notices.
If an email address was not provided for the participant, the notices will be sent via regular US mail to the address on file.
Delivery of the notices for your plan will begin sometime in the upcoming week.
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.
Tuition Remission forms are due prior to the start of classes: 01.10.2024
If you are registered or planning to register for Spring 2024 classes under the Tuition Remission benefit, make sure to complete a Tuition Remission form now. it is available HERE or on the AU intranet.
Contact Kathie Tune at [email protected]
Step Challenge and Biometric Screening
Great job wrapping up the Invitational Step Challenge. We had many steps tracked and should have the final results next week. Kuddos to those who participated.
A flyer with instructions on how to schedule your time for the biometric screening is linked HERE. Be sure to register for a time so that you can receive your services.
Registration for the last challenge of the year has begun in the wellness portal. Just like any other challenge, you can sign up on the big pop up in the middle of the screen once you have opened the portal.
Wellness Portal Link: https://www.webmdhealth.com/VPC/
Email: [email protected]
