Zoom has released a series of new features with a focus on online learning that can also be used for virtual meetings. Be sure to keep your Zoom client updated to ensure you can access these great new features!

• Enhanced Polling Features to help make virtual classes or meetings even more interactive. Polling and quizzing features have been expanded to include eight different question types, plus the ability to add images, which gives instructors even more flexibility with how they design their lessons.
• Focus Mode is a great feature to help reduce distractions by requiring all students to turn their camera ‘on’, but they will only be able to see the instructor and not each other. This feature is designed to promote educational equity by allowing students to feel comfortable having their camera on, while also reducing visual distractions.
• Virtual Seating Chart enables instructors or meeting host(s) to rearrange the Gallery View. The customized view can be used as a virtual seating chart in future classes.

Want to learn more about Zoom’s new features? Check out the recently released Zoom Learning Center, a great resource for both new and experienced users who want to see the latest features in action through short videos, live training and more. For questions or assistance with using Zoom, contact help@brandeis.edu.

IRS Form W-2 for calendar year 2021 are now available through Workday. Refer to the Access & Print Year End Tax Documents job aid for detailed instructions. Paper copies will be mailed to your home address on record by January 31.

If you have any questions, please reach out to payroll@brandeis.edu.

Julia Kern, daughter of Professor Dorothee Kern, has been named to the 2022 U.S. Olympic Cross-Country Ski Team. Julia will compete in the freestyle individual sprint, and then possibly, the team sprint at the Beijing games. Julia is a 2015 graduate of Waltham High School. You can read more about Julia on her blog.

Open to all community members.

• APA Basics, Tuesday, February 1, 12:15 - 1:15 p.m.
• Getting Started with Stata, Wednesday, February 2, noon - 1 p.m.
• LaTex for Beginners, Wednesday, February 2, 3 - 4:20 p.m.
• R : Intro to Tidyverse, Thursday, February 3, noon - 1 p.m.
• Getting Started with SPSS, Tuesday, February 8, noon - 1 p.m.
• Data Wrangling with Stata, Wednesday, February 9, noon - 1 p.m.
• Researching in Archives, Wednesday, February 9, noon - 12:30 p.m.
• R : Intro to Tidyverse, Thursday, February 10, noon - 1 p.m.

Faculty Workshops - Open to all members of the teaching community.

• LATTE Office Hours, Fridays, weekly 10 a.m.
• Using the Jamboard software for Teaching, weekly at 10 a.m. on Thursdays
• Teaching with Archives, Tuesday, February 8, 10 - 10:30 a.m.

The well-being of the Brandeis community and campus remain a top priority during these times. To support our managers, staff and faculty during COVID-19 and our Spring 2022 planning, and as part of professional development, we are offering the following trainings and workshops.

Half-day Virtual Workshops Presented by Skill Path from 9:00 – 12:00 pm on the following dates:

• Monday 2/28 – Building More Effective Work Relationships
• Tuesday 3/22 – Project Management
• Thursday 4/28 – Workplace Collaboration Strategies
• Tuesday 5/10 – Managing Conflict and Confrontation at Work

Virtual Workshops Presented by New Directions (presented via Zoom) from 10 – 11 a.m. on the following dates:

• Monday 2/7 – Making Change Work for You
• Thursday 3/3 – Effective Stress Reduction
• Thursday 4/7 – Time Management

Managing at Brandeis Nuts & Bolts Series (presented via Zoom):

• Tuesday 2/15 – Intro to Hiring and Recruitment Process at Brandeis, 2 - 3:30 p.m.
• Thursday 2/17 – Conducting One-on-Ones, 10 – 11 a.m.
• Thursday 3/10 – Intro to Leaves Policy, 10 – 11 a.m.
• Thursday 3/24 – Performance Reviews: Coaching and Counseling, 1 – 2 p.m.
• Tuesday 4/5 – Legal Considerations of the Supervisor, 10 – 11 a.m.

 Live Webinars Offered by New Directions

For a complete description of the workshops visit the Human Resources Training and Development website. If you have any questions or need additional guidance, please contact Human Resources at humanresources@brandeis.edu or 781-736-4474.

If you are a full-time staff or faculty member, you can now choose how you want to receive Brandeis Magazine — in print, mailed to either your home address or your campus mailstop; by email, with a link to the online edition; or both in print and online. Please visit Workday to select your preferences. If you do not select your preferences, the print magazine will be sent to your campus mailstop and a link to the online magazine to your Brandeis email address.

If you are a part-time staff or faculty member, you may opt whether or not to receive the magazine by email, with a link to the online edition, by visiting Workday. If you do not select a preference, a link to the online magazine will be sent to your Brandeis email address.

Note that changes to your delivery preferences for the Winter/Spring 2022 issue of Brandeis Magazine can be made through Jan. 31. The magazine delivery preferences will again become available for adjustment in time to make changes for the next issue.

As always, please send comments, suggestions and story ideas to magazine@brandeis.edu.

Collaborating with our pharmacy partner VaxinateRx, vaccination appointments will be available to Brandeis students, faculty and staff who are 18 years of age or over (pediatric vaccination doses for children and minors will not be offered at these clinics). Both Pfizer and Moderna boosters will be offered on the following dates in the Hassenfeld Conference Center (Levine-Ross Room):

• February 1, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
• February 9, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
• February 16, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Pre-register online at the VaxinateRX Scheduling Portal and select the vaccine you would like to receive.

Bring your COVID-19 Vaccination Card and health insurance card to your appointment (though shots are free of charge, regardless of insurance or insurance status). You will be presented with a consent document onsite.

If you have questions on the booster shot registration process, please contact VaxinateRX at info@VaxinateRx.com. If you have questions on submitting your booster card (when/if applicable), please contact Occupational Health Services at occhealth@brandeis.edu.

The Office of Sponsored Programs Accounting (SPA) is excited to announce that Effort Reporting in Workday is coming on Tuesday, Feb. 1. As a recipient of federal funding, Brandeis University is required to verify that all payroll costs charged to federal agreements correspond to actual work (effort) performed on sponsored projects. This ensures external sponsors only reimburse the university for the effort expended on projects.

Over the upcoming months, Effort Reporting in Workday will replace the current paper-based process. By transitioning to Workday, this enables us to have an efficient and transparent effort certification process. SPA, along with the Workday Training team, has developed step-by-step job aids to assist employees who currently have a role with Effort Reporting with a seamless transition to Workday. The team also will be holding virtual training sessions in the upcoming weeks. SPA will be reaching out directly to departmental staff and Principal Investigators with additional information. For more information about the transition to Workday or questions, please do not hesitate to contact SPA at spa@brandeis.edu.

Brandeis faculty, staff, and students should continue to direct all tech-related inquiries by submitting a help request, sending an email to help@brandeis.edu, or calling 781-736-4357. Starting next Tuesday, Feb. 1, the team will resume regular support hours (Mon-Fri, 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. and Sat-Sun, 1 - 5 p.m.) with in-person support available by appointment only. Visit the ITS website to view the complete Help Desk schedule for Spring term 2022. A knowledgeable team of technology support specialists is ready to help you and will continue to adhere to university and health guidelines to ensure the safety of both the team and the community.

Winter is here, and with it comes the threat of inclement weather that may affect our normal campus operations.

The safety of our students, faculty and staff is our first priority when reviewing the potential impact of weather on campus operations. Depending on the severity, we may close campus for the day, delay opening or close early.

When we decide to not open or delay the opening of campus, we will communicate this information in a timely manner, by 6 a.m. on the affected day, if not earlier. We will use the Brandeis Emergency Notification System, or BENS, to notify you by email, text and phone about any closings or delayed openings. Please take a few minutes today to review your emergency contact information in BENS to ensure it is correct, so that you are able to receive notifications by text or to a non-Brandeis email address or phone number.

Visit go.brandeis.edu/alerts for directions on how to check or update your information.

For more information, please visit the Severe Weather website.