Averett University CoffeeBreak 3-27-2024

Posted on March 27th, 2024 by Bill Dyer

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, March 29, for a Wednesday, April 3, publication.

Upcoming University Holidays to Note

Good Friday, Friday, March 29
Memorial Day, Monday, May 27
Juneteenth, Wednesday, June 19

Contact Kathie Tune for additional information at [email protected].

Upcoming Athletics Special Events

Men’s Lacrosse Gold Rush Game

Wednesday, March 27, 7 p.m. vs Hampden-Sydney

Student Raffle for $50 Gift Card to Buffalo Wild Wings (Must be Wearing Gold)
Gear sales, Give-a-ways.

Women’s Lacrosse Bleed Blue Game/Senior Day

Saturday, March 30, 11 a.m. vs. Shenandoah

Women’s Lacrosse Bingo – Winner Receives Gift Card to Kickback Jack’s (Must be Wearing Navy)
Gear sales, Give-a-ways.

Upcoming Employee Appreciation Events

Staff Council would like to invite you to attend two upcoming events we have planned for April as celebratory Employee Appreciation Events.

On Tuesday, April 2, at 2 p.m. at Cougar Field, there will be a Faculty/Staff Appreciation Softball Game. Thursday, April 25 at 7 p.m. is Averett Trivia Night at Ballad Brewing, sponsored by the Office of Institutional Advancement. Attached are flyers for both events.

Please use this link to RSVP for the events. https://forms.office.com/r/9FxfU71aRZ

Staff Council appreciates you all and everything you do for Averett University. We hope you are able to join us.

SOVAH Blood Drive

Health Services will be hosting a blood drive on Wednesday, April 3, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. There will be a mobile unit in front of the Student Success Center. Appointments are recommended but walk-ins are welcomed. For more information or questions, contact Torri Williams at (434) 791-5718. It’s time to save lives.

Cyber Security

The Computer Science/Computer Information System Department would like to invite you to a presentation on Demystifying Cyber Security on Wednesday, April 3, from 2:30-3:30 p.m. at the Blount Chapel. Cyber Security consultant Travis McKinney will talk about the cyber security field and cyber security principles.

Graduation Information for May 2024 Commencement

Spring 2024 Commencement will be held outside on Daly Field at Frank R. Campbell Stadium at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 4.

Inclement Weather
In the case of inclement weather, the event will be moved to the gym at E. Stuart James Grant North Campus. The inside event will follow the same schedule as the outdoor event. Graduates will be notified of the change two days before the ceremony. Students will be notified by Averett email of any changes.

Tickets
Graduates will receive notification on the number of tickets available once the window for graduation applications have closed.

Virtual Viewing of Graduation
The webcast will begin 15 minutes before the graduation ceremony for those who cannot attend the ceremony in person.

Important Deadlines for Graduating Seniors:
• April 4 – Last day to APPLY for graduation without a late fee.
• April 7 – Cap and gown orders must be placed. – Welcome (shopoakhalli.com)
• April 21 – Last day to APPLY for graduation. Students will still receive a $50 late fee from April 5-21. All students planning to graduate must apply to officially graduate.

For questions, contact Interim University Registrar Ashley Bowman at [email protected] or by phone at 434-791-7235. All of this information and more can be found on the Commencement webpage – https://www.averett.edu/academics/registrars-office/senior-year/.

“Little Women” (2019) Movie Viewing in Blount Library

The Blount Library Book Club will be hosting a movie viewing of Greta Gerwig’s 2019 adaptation of “Little Women” to wrap up the 2023-24 book club meetings. Join us on Wednesday, April 3, at 5 p.m. for popcorn and a movie.

For more information, visit our website.

Inaugural Black Alumni Reunion

The inaugural Black Alumni Reunion at Averett will be held Saturday, April 6, and promises a day filled with inspiration, connection and celebration.

One of the unique features of the reunion is the opportunity for alumni to connect with current students, faculty and staff. Alumni can share their stories, offer advice and establish connections with the next generation of Averett scholars to foster mentorship and create a sense of community across different generations of Averett students.

All Averett students and employees are welcomed and encouraged to attend. Click HERE for the full schedule.

Nunsense to Run April 11-14

The Arts@Averett series is proud to present “Nunsense”. This well-known musical comedy is the second-longest-running Off-Broadway show in history. The Averett production will run April 11-14, at Pritchett Auditorium. Show time is 7 p.m. on April 11-13 and 2 p.m. on April 14. For more information, email [email protected]. For tickets, click HERE. All Averett students, faculty and staff can attend for free.

Reminder of Required Training

Averett has once again partnered with Get Inclusive to provide online training to employees. All employees received an email during the week of March 11 with instructions for completing Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) training and Discrimination, Harassment and Title IX training. Employees are required to complete FERPA training and encouraged to complete Discrimination, Harassment and Title IX training by April 15.

Nominations for the Outstanding Faculty and Staff Awards

Nominations for the Outstanding Faculty and Staff Awards are currently being accepted and must be submitted by Friday, April 19, at 4:30 p.m. Criteria each nominee must meet to be eligible for nomination is listed at the top of the nominations form.

Please note, you can nominate one faculty member and one staff member. Once the criteria has been reviewed, please use this link for the nomination form that will be submitted to the nominations committee. If there are any issues accessing this form please email [email protected]

Half Day Summer Friday Schedule

Averett is pleased to announce that our Half Day Summer Friday schedule will begin on Friday, May 10 and end Friday, August 2 (that’s the last one for the summer). Regular Friday work hours will resume on Friday, August 9, 2023.

During the summer schedule, Friday workday hours will be from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (with no additional lunch break). Regular work hours continue during the summer on Mondays through Thursdays.

As has been the tradition and calendar protocol, there are Fridays that will not be half days as they are Registration, Orientation and Readiness (ROAR) days for the University—Friday, May 17, June 28, and July 19, 2024. On these three days, work hours will conclude at 3 p.m.

Please note that during the summer schedule some offices still require coverage on Friday afternoons. Those requirements are determined by respective vice presidents and directors. In such cases, alternative arrangements can be made to ensure that everyone is able to enjoy this extra time off. Please check with your supervisor if you have any questions.

And remember the other good news is that we are off Thursday, July 4 and Friday, July 5 this year for the Independence Day holiday.

Enjoy a safe and sunny summer.

Questions? Feel free to contact Kathie Tune, CHRO at 434.791.7106 or [email protected]

Have Questions about Your Retirement Accounts and Financial Planning?

Financial Advisors from Millennium are available to meet on-campus 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.

Service-Learning Faculty Fellowship Announcement

This fall, Averett is reimagining the faculty fellows program and offering two faculty fellowships.

The Averett University Community Engaged Faculty Fellowship is designed to enhance service-learning and experiential learning initiatives across campus by supporting, encouraging and empowering additional faculty members to pursue experiential learning opportunities in academic courses. The goal of the fellowship is to expand opportunities for service-learning and foster a culture of community and civic engagement. Faculty Fellows will work closely with the CCECC’s Director of Experiential Learning. This fellowship will be for one academic year (August 2024-May 2025) with a stipend of $2,000 for the year. Ideally, two Faculty Fellows will be selected by May 2024.

More information on the Fellows program can be found in the attached PDF. If you are interested in applying or have questions, please contact [email protected]

Additionally, if you have plans to integrate a service-learning project in your fall course, please complete the form. If you are curious about service-learning and want to ask questions, feel free to contact April at [email protected].

https://forms.office.com/r/WXTDNy0vYk

Averett Volleyball Camp

Averett Volleyball is hosting their annual volleyball camp this summer, July 22 – July 27. There are different levels each day so that campers at any age and skill level can enjoy. This year, we will also be hosting a camp specifically for men’s volleyball players in high school. There is a discount for Averett faculty and staff, so if you are interested, please reach out to Olivia Earls at [email protected] or Brayden Walden at [email protected].

https://info.abcsportscamps.com/averett

Thank You for Your Thoughtfulness

It was so thoughtful of you to think of me and my family during the death of my father. I just wanted to say thank you all for all of the support given. The flowers, food, texts and cards were so appreciative. It’s awesome to have a supportive work family.

Thank you again,

Tammy Wall

Averett Marketing Videos

The Averett University marketing team is thrilled to share the first glimpse of our University promotional videos. Click on the links below to experience the excitement and join us in spreading the word about the excellence that defines us.

Aerial Footage of Averett University Main Campus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YstYhrD3wKk

Important Links

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) – one.telushealth.com

Great Colleges to Work For website – www.GreatCollegesProgram.com

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

Reach out to an EAP counselor, which is available to all benefits-eligible employees and their eligible household members (details below).

- 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/.