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, April 11, 2025, for a Wednesday, April 16, 2025, publication.
9 to 5 the Musical Begins Thursday Night
9 to 5 The Musical, with music and lyrics by Dolly Parton and book by Patricia Resnick, is based on the seminal 1980 hit movie. Set in the late 1970s. this hilarious story of friendship and revenge in the Rolodex era is outrageous, thought-provoking and even a little romantic. Pushed to the boiling point, three female coworkers concoct a plan to get even with the sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot they call their boss. In a hilarious turn of events, Violet, Judy and Doralee live out their wildest fantasy – giving their boss the boot! While Hart remains “otherwise engaged,” the women give their workplace a dream makeover, taking control of the company that had always kept them down. Hey, a girl can scheme, can’t she?
Shows will be April 10-13 at Pritchett Auditorium. Show times are at 7 p.m. on the 10-12 and 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 13. Admission is free for students, faculty and staff. An Arts@Averett presentation. For ticket information, please click HERE.
Please RSVP for the Faculty/Staff/Retiree Appreciation Celebration
A Punchbowl invitation was sent last week (Thursday morning) to your Averett email account. Please RSVP as soon as possible; if your invite is lost in your email, just send me an email and I will enter a Y/N. This event serves between 150-175 employees each year so the correct estimate for seating and food is critical. Thank you.
Thursday, May 8, 2025
Noon to 1:15 p.m. in the Cougar Den
The Faculty/Staff and Retiree Appreciation program is a time to appreciate our faculty, staff and retirees and to celebrate the milestones they have reached. We recognize faculty who earn tenure, a promotion in rank and the IDS Instructors who serve our students so well. We also include on the Recognitions page anyone who has earned a degree or certification since the last spring luncheon while employed at Averett. So, send us your information if you would like to have your name and degree listed on the program. Send to Kathie Tune, [email protected].
Staff Council News
Nomination Form for Outstanding Faculty and Staff Awards & Averett Values in Action Awards
It is once again time to submit your nominations for the Outstanding Faculty and Staff Awards. Nominations are currently being accepted and must be submitted by Monday, April 28, at 4:30 p.m.
The link below will take you to the nomination form. It is a Microsoft Forms link. You will need to select your choice for Outstanding Faculty and Outstanding Staff, with your explanation as to why each individual is the best choice for these awards. The second section of the form contains the nomination section for the Annual Averett Values in Action Awards.
https://forms.office.com/r/FMpnizPVTU
If you have any questions, please feel free to direct them to [email protected]
Thank you for all of your hard work, grace and resilience this year.
Golden Bagel Nominations
Once again, in preparation for our next Faculty/Staff Meeting, we are reaching out to you all for nominations for the Golden Bagel Award.
The Golden Bagel Award has been a staple of Staff Meetings since 2017 and we are proud to continue that tradition this year and into the future. It is an award given to staff members by Staff Council, and nominated by their fellow coworkers, in recognition of their impeccable work performance and creation of a respectful, fun and overall positive working environment.
If you have someone in mind at the university who you think deserves this award please nominate them by completing the form in the link below:
https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=nPg-U7hac0aaGW1q90W3dSHBDdN8wXNBqDMaNHj6TGlUQ0pIWU9VV1o4VTZPNU85WVc5NVZWVlZTTi4u
This will be the last Staff Meeting until the fall so make sure to nominate someone you feel deserves some extra recognition this spring. We know Averett is FILLED with excellent staff members and we would love to see them be recognized at a future staff meeting. Thank you for your participation.
On Display from the Averett Archives
As we approach the end of the academic year and graduation, the archives is looking back 125 years to the commencement exercises of 1900.
At the end of the college’s 40th session, President C.F. James and the rest of the staff and Trustees of what was then called Roanoke Female College, gathered to bestow diplomas and other awards on the year’s nine graduating students. Yes, there were only nine graduates that year – nonetheless a significant increase over the four graduates in 1898 and five in 1899.
For the remainder of the semester, the main floor of Blount Library will feature a small exhibit on these commencement exercises, including the group graduation photo, a copy of the year’s valedictory address and the original hand-written speech by college President C.F. James (full of fascinating details about changes in the college during the 1890s).
Staff and students are welcome to visit the library at any time during operating hours to view the display. And, as always, click the link HERE to read more about it on the library blog.
Please Share the Information Below with Your Students
Should you have any questions about the status of your application for degree conferral or other questions regarding dates and deadlines, please check out the Registrar’s Office Commencement webpage. If you have any additional questions, please email [email protected] and a member of the AU Registrar’s Office team will respond accordingly.
Ordering Your Cap and Gown
Congratulations Averett University Graduates.
Graduation is May 10, 2025. Last day to order your cap, gown, hood and tassel for graduation is Monday, April 14. Your cap, gown, hood and tassel are required to walk at graduation. To order your cap and gown, please click HERE.
Several Averett Student-Athletes and Staff Attend ODAC Symposium
Averett University was proudly represented at the 2025 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Women in Athletics Symposium, held this past Sunday at Sweet Briar College. The annual event brought together student-athletes, coaches, administrators and graduate assistants from across the region for a day centered around empowering women who are pursuing careers in the sports industry.
To read the full release, written by Averett University senior women’s soccer/women’s lacrosse student-athlete and Athletics Communications intern Lisanne Guiaux, please click HERE.
TIAA Beneficiary Information
Feel free to contact TIAA with your retirement and any beneficiary questions, or contact Tom Siebers at HUB (formerly Millennial Advisory Services, MAS) at [email protected] for additional information on financial planning and your retirement plan options.
To view the TIAA Beneficiary Flyer, please click here: TIAA Beneficiary Flyer (1)
Important Links
CICV MEP Informational Letter for Participants – December 2024 Final_6972.
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 – Fringe Benefits Fact Sheet OE 2025
Averett Benefits “Flip Book” – 2025 Averett University Benefits Guide
Virginia Private Colleges Benefit’s Consortium, Inc. (VPCBC) – https://www.vpcbc.org
Empyrean Website – Virginia Private Colleges Benefits Consortium
Anthem Sydney App download – Sydney Health Mobile App | Sydney Health
TIAA Beneficiary Information – TIAA Beneficiary Flyer (1)
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/.
Stress Awareness Month
Happy Stress Awareness Month. Check out these flyers for fun stress relieving events happening on campus this month. There is a nice (shorter) step challenge called “The Crooked Road Challenge,” currently going on in the wellness portal. Let me know what you think about it if you join.
Wiggles & Wags Wednesday
Please encourage students to stop by the Student Center breezeway on Wednesday, April 16 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. for mental health resources and therapy dogs on Wiggles & Wags Wednesday. Faculty and staff are welcome to participate.
