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. This is the final CoffeeBreak for 2024. For the next CoffeeBreak, please submit by Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, for a Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, publication.
A Message from Averett Board of Trustees Chair
Dear Faculty and Staff,
Thank you to those who joined Tiffany and the Board in person and online last week, and for all of your hard work closing out this semester strong. As the campus transitions into winter break, Averett University is also undergoing a change heading into the new year. Last week, President Dr. Tiffany M. Franks announced her upcoming retirement in January, after holding the position for almost 17 years.
I want to thank Dr. Franks for her service to this University. Nearly 17 years ago, she walked onto this campus and changed Averett. She has been an ambassador of Averett in the community, a champion for our students and a tireless leader of the outstanding faculty and staff assembled at Averett. She and her husband, Joe, have poured their hearts and souls into Averett, its students and the entire community – and for that we are grateful.
In that meeting, Dr. Franks remarked, “Serving alongside all of you has been the greatest honor of my professional life. The people of Averett have made the past 17 years the most fulfilling years of my life, both professionally and personally. Together we have achieved so much for our students, this incredible University, and our surrounding community, and I will always be deeply grateful for the dedication, passion and resilience you bring to Averett every day.” You can see her full remarks here.
Under Dr. Franks’ leadership, Averett has accomplished so many things. During her time here, Averett has:
- Set enrollment records;
- Expanded academic offerings like nursing, graduate studies and Averett Online to align with regional workforce needs and serve both traditional and adult students;
- Joined the esteemed Old Dominion Athletic Conference;
- Built and renovated key campus facilities through opening the Riverview Campus in downtown Danville, building the Frank R. Campbell Stadium on the North Campus, and establishing Averett’s School of Nursing ABSN Learning Center in Norfolk, Virginia; and
- Expanded community engagement and developed innovative partnerships such as creating the new Hospitality Management and Tourism program with Caesars Entertainment, and developing employer collaborations to provide their employees with a no-tuition out-of-pocket education.
When Dr. Franks let the Board know of her intention to retire, we wasted no time in looking for a strong leader to lead the university forward. We began the process of searching for someone that had experience in turning around a small college or university. We engaged Academic Search and Dr. Jay Lemons to lead that search.
That is how the Board of Trustees found the person we believe has the experience we need at this specific moment in Averett’s history. At the same time that we look to Dr. Franks with gratitude for her service, Averett University’s Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the appointment of the Rev. Dr. David Joyce as the 15th president of the university. Dr. Joyce will be installed as President on January 6, 2025.
Dr. Joyce, known to former students as “Dr. J,” brings with him 27 years of experience as a college president – eight years as president of Union College in Kentucky, 10 years as president of Ripon College in Wisconsin, and most recently nine years as president of Brevard College in North Carolina.
In our search for the next president of Averett, the Board of Trustees knew that Averett needed a strong leader with a proven record of turning around a college or university that was facing headwinds. Dr. Joyce not only has that experience, but he also has a strong vision for our future and the character that personifies Averett.
The sacrifices made by so many of you and the continued hard work of this amazing team is much appreciated, and with your continued help and Dr. Joyce’s leadership, we hope to turn the corner on the challenges facing Averett. He is excited to get here and get to work, and when he arrives I’m sure there will be time to get to learn more about his background and to get to know him and his wife, Lynne, on a personal level. A welcoming event will be planned in January that we will share information about in the new year.
We hope you have a wonderful holiday season. Thank you for your efforts supporting the students and university, and we look forward to continuing forward together stronger than ever in the new year.
Sincerely,
Dan Carlton, ’90
Chair, Board of Trustees
Important Payroll Reminder
In order to get payroll processed before the Christmas cutoff date, we need for you to put all time in by 9 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 20. We will work to process payroll Friday.
It is very important that you complete this by the deadline to not hold up payroll.
If you have any employees who will be working on Saturday, Dec. 21, please ensure their time is entered on the timesheet.
Thank you for your attention to this matter!
Have Questions about Your Retirement Accounts or 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?
Schedule a virtual meeting with an Advisor
You can also reach our Scheduling Team by filling out our scheduling form HERE or by phone at (877) 435-2489 and select option 1.
Millennium Advisory Services, a HUB International Company
(877) 435-2489 | [email protected] | www.mas-edu.com
Or, call Kathie Tune, CHRO, for additional information at (434) 791-7106 or via email at [email protected]
Important Links
Driver Certification Form – Driver Certification Information
Drug and Alcohol Policy or Drug-Free Workplace Policy – 855-Employee-Drug-and-Alcohol-Policy-2024 (2)
Service-Learning Intent Form – Fall 2024 Service-Learning Intent Form (office.com)
Tuition Remission Form – Click HERE
Tuition Exchange Websites – tuitionexchange.org & cic.edu
Part-time Employment Form – Part-time-Employment-Form-2024.docx (live.com)
To Schedule A Virtual Meeting with A Retirement and Financial Planning Advisor – Select a Date & Time – Calendly
Wellness Portal – www.healthadvocate.com/AverettUniversity
Averett Employee Assistance Plan (Telus Health One)
Averett Fringe Benefits Fact Sheet – 2024-Fringe-Benefits-Fact-Sheet-1.pdf (averett.edu)
Virginia Private Colleges Benefit’s Consortium, Inc. (VPCBC) – https://www.vpcbc.org
Empyrean Website – Virginia Private Colleges Benefits Consortium
Reach out to an EAP counselor, which is available to all benefits-eligible employees and their eligible household members (details below).
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- To set an appointment with a licensed EAP counselor, call 1-888-319-7819 and select “Employee Assistance Program” when prompted to be connected to a counselor. There is no cost to the employee for the first three phone or video consultation sessions.
- For the online chat option, visit one.telushealth.com, user name: metlifeeap and password: eap. There is a chat feature that allows users to talk directly with a consultant to guide you to the information you are looking for or help you schedule an appointment with a counselor.
- Employees on the Averett health plan can go to “Find Care” on their Sydney App or Anthem dashboard and locate counseling services that would be available to us through our CICV plan. Go to Anthem.com and locate Find Care or go to https://www.sydneyhealth.com/.
Healthy Recipes
Do you need a side dish to bring to the holiday function but want to keep health in mind? We got you covered. Take a look at this DELICIOUS (I do have a special place in my heart for potatoes) roasted potatoes recipe. Don’t like spicy foods? No worries. Just leave out the ground chipotle pepper and the chili powder.
We have also reposted the recipe from last week.
Enjoy