Brandeis Public Safety will conduct a test of its emergency siren and notification systems (BENS) on Wednesday, September 27, at approximately 11:30 a.m. This test aims to ensure the proper functioning of Brandeis University's emergency communication systems in the event of a real campus emergency.

During this test, individuals on campus and in nearby areas can anticipate hearing repeated siren alerts. Additionally, a text alert and voice message will be dispatched to all individuals who have registered a cellular phone number with Brandeis University and to all campus phones.

We encourage everyone to use this opportunity to discuss emergency response actions with classmates or colleagues, including:

• Avoid - Deny - Defend: How to respond to an active threat, including methods to avoid, deny access, and defend against it.
• Securement of spaces: Familiarize yourself with locking procedures, deadbolt locks, and barricading options for classroom doors.
• Identifying safe areas: Determine locations for shelter and accountability in case of evacuation and identify individuals who may need assistance.
• Severe weather precautions: Understand safety measures like staying away from doors and windows, sheltering in place, considering lower-level refuge if on upper floors, and following BENS instructions.

Your cooperation in maintaining a secure environment at Brandeis University is greatly appreciated. If you do not receive a notification during the test, please contact Josh Manfredo, Director of Emergency Management, for assistance.

For additional training resources, please visit the Brandeis Public Safety website. These resources provide valuable information on emergency preparedness and response, ensuring you are well-equipped to handle various situations effectively. Your commitment to staying informed and prepared plays a crucial role in maintaining the safety and security of our campus community.

We have entered into the shoulder months for heating/cooling; the months whose temperatures range between 40 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. During this time of year, it is also expected to experience significant changes in temperature throughout the day. Our campus operates on a dual system, where buildings are either in heating or cooling mode but not both. 

Starting on Sept. 26, Facilities will begin the switch over from cooling to heating systems in the Residence Halls & Academic buildings then move to the Science Buildings. We understand that at times this may be uncomfortable but we ask for your patience during these New England shoulder months. If your space becomes too hot at certain points during the day, we recommend opening a window to let in cooler air from outside.

The complete switch-over will likely take a month to fully complete. For building temperature standards or energy conservation policies, please visit the Office of Sustainability webpage.

Congress has instituted the FAFSA Simplification Act, which involves a major redesign of the processes and systems used to award federal student aid. Due to these changes, the FAFSA will not be available on October 1 but rather in late December. 

As these changes are implemented Student Financial Services will work to assist students and their families through this process. For more information about these changes, FAQs, and how you can prepare now, please visit our Changes to FAFSA website. 

Course instructors can now email students from their Workday class rosters. Workday has released a new feature on View Class Roster reports that allows instructors and administrators to email students directly. For more information about recent changes to Workday, including emailing students from the class roster, please visit the Workday@Brandeis website or email help@brandeis.edu.

As part of the University's commitment to reducing our waste and carbon footprint, Brandeis will replace department Ricoh multifunction devices with newer, more efficient models and update print-related business expense and reimbursement policies.

Beginning this October, new printers will replace existing ones in their current location and continue to utilize PaperCut. All new devices will include copy, scan, and print capabilities in black and white/grayscale and COLOR in response to community demand. Although there continues to be no cost to departments to print in black and white/grayscale, color printing on all administrative devices will be charged back to university departments.

Brandeis will also phase out the use of all stand-alone desktop printers. Effective January 1, 2024, toner and other services and supplies for non-approved printing devices will no longer be allowed as a business expense. The university CFO must approve exceptions to this policy.

As always, we ask that you please think before you print. Global paper use has spiked by 400% in the last 40 years, with the average American consuming over 700 pounds of paper annually, the highest per capita worldwide. Your continued support and cooperation with our sustainability efforts is greatly appreciated!

In the coming weeks, ITS and Procurement will work with impacted departments to minimize the downtime associated with installations and provide more information about this exciting project. If you have questions regarding the printer replacement, please refer to the ITS website or contact Jonathan Estwing at estwing@brandeis.edu. For questions regarding Brandeis print-related policies, please contact Procurement at procurement@brandeis.edu.

Our DUO Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) system requires re-authentication every seven days using the "trust this browser" option. Information about DUO Multi-Factor Authentication and best practices for using your device to authenticate is available on the ITS website.

You can use a token for authentication in place of your mobile device. A token is simple to use and easily attached to a key chain. Instructors who prefer to refrain from using the DUO App or would like a backup to authenticating by phone are encouraged to contact the Help Desk for a token. The Help Desk is fully stocked and ready to assist!

If you need assistance authenticating to the Brandeis network or want to get a token, please contact the Help Desk by emailing help@brandeis.edu or calling 781-736-4357.

Please note that the Technology Help Desk will be closed on Monday Sept. 25 for Yom Kippur.

Regular hours for the fall 2023 semester can be found on the ITS website.

The TAP (Talent Advancement Program) mid-year review process for staff will begin in November.  More information will be provided but for now, please visit the TAP Website for general information and resources or contact the Office of Human Resources.

• Excel with Excel: Overview, Tips and Tricks. Part I, noon - 1 p.m., Fri., Oct. 6, and Part II, 12:20 - 1:10 p.m., Fri., Oct. 13
• Intro to 3D Printing with Flashforge, 10 - 11:30 a.m., Tue., Sept. 26
• Revolutionize your Research for Today's Digital World 2 - 3:30 p.m., Thur., Sept. 28
• Bivariate Analysis with Stata, 12:10 - 1 p.m., Mon., Oct. 2
• Starting the Process: Research and Writing for your Dissertation/Thesis, 4 - 4:55 p.m., Mon., Oct. 2
• Intro to 3D Scanning with Skanect, 10 - 11:30 a.m., Wed, Oct. 4
• Getting Started with Atlas.ti (Mac Users), 12:10 - 1 p.m., Wed., Oct. 4
• Intro to R and the Tidyverse, 12:10 - 1 p.m., Thu., Oct. 5
• Digital Scholarship Collab Lab, Most Thursdays and Friday 1:30 - 3:30 p.m., - Check calendar for details 

• LATTE File Management, 1 - 2 p.m., Wed, Sept. 27
• LATTE Gradebook, 1 - 2 p.m., Wed., Oct. 4

Workshops will be held virtually from 10 – 11 a.m. on the following dates:

• 10/4 – Essential Leadership Skills register
• 11/15 – Building Strong Teams register
• 12/13 – Finding Focus register

FREE Live Webinars offered by New Directions

Financial Wellness Workshops

Workshops will be held virtually from 9 – 10 a.m. on the following dates. Please register on the training website.

• 9/26 – Are You Financially Healthy?
• 10/17 – How to Build a Budget
• 11/14 – Understanding Credit
• 12/12 – Breezing Through the Holidays

For more information please visit the HR Training Website or email us at farquhar@brandeis.edu.

Sign up for one of our 30-minute, one-on-one financial literacy sessions! We hope that you will take advantage of this great opportunity to ask questions about budgeting, managing debt, understanding your paycheck, W-2’s etc. 

Have you always wanted to experience a Brandeis classroom? Have you always wondered what the Brandeis student experience is really like?

Here is your chance!  Brandeis will be celebrating its 75th anniversary on campus, October 13-15, 2023.  We will have faculty speaking about Brandeis past, present and future; alumni guests such as Guy Raz '96, Michael Sandel '75, and Josh Gondelman '07; a food truck tailgate at the men's and women's soccer games against UAA rival, University of Chicago; a 75th Anniversary Diamond Celebration with awards, food and dancing; a campus memorial service and much, much more!

 Faculty and staff can attend events on campus for free!  Check out the schedule and register today.

Lawn signs will be prohibited on campus starting January 1, 2024. A-frame sign use (e.g. sandwich boards) is limited to pre-approved, special events only and must be placed by Public Safety or University Events. The change is due to the university’s efforts to beautify the campus, sustainability efforts, and creating unrestricted pathways to perform ground maintenance. Any signs posted must follow the current policy.

Please plan ahead for any events beyond January 1 as any unauthorized signs will be removed. 

With the fall semester underway, we want to remind everyone to prioritize their health and the health of our community.  The BA.2.86 COVID variant is making its way around Massachusetts, and our campus is no exception. Here are a few quick reminders:

• If you test positive. Staff and Faculty are encouraged to follow up with their treating healthcare provider and to isolate in place for a minimum of 5 days. After 5 days, if the symptoms have significantly improved or resolved, the individual may return to work, provided they are masked at all times while around others through day 10.
• If you are exposed. Regardless of your vaccination status or if you have had a previous infection, if you were exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19, the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention recommends you take the following next steps. 1) Wear a high quality mask until 10 days post exposure, 2) Watch for symptoms and contact your Primary Care Provider, 3) Get tested - if you become symptomatic and/or at least 5 full days after your last exposure. 
• Masking. Face masks are optional on campus, but may be required in certain classrooms, offices, and other spaces. Use your best judgment, and keep the health and safety of yourself and those around you in mind. 
• Get Vaccinated Against COVID-19. As of September 12, 2023 the CDC recommends all individuals 6 months old and older receive the updated COVID vaccines. Although vaccination is no longer required for Brandeis Students, Faculty or Staff, vaccination remains an essential step in protecting yourself against serious illness or long term health outcomes associated with COVID. Take advantage of vaccination clinics on campus. 
• You have Support.  If you have any questions about Brandeis COVID policies, procedures, or return to work please contact Occupational Health or call 781-736-8769.

The University is pleased to announce that we will once again be hosting vaccination clinics this Fall. Faculty, staff, and their adult family members (ages 18 and older) are welcome to meet with licensed pharmacists on campus to receive seasonal, scheduled, and recommended vaccinations. Be sure to review the vaccination information carefully and check your medical insurance plan pharmacy coverage ahead of time. Register today.

Meal plans for Faculty and Staff are available at a discounted rate (from the door rate), giving you a great reason to stay on campus for lunch and culinary-diverse dining options in Sherman and Lower Usdan. Pricing and more details are available on the Brandeis Hospitality webpage. 

The Faculty Club is a great venue for lunch serving a hot entrée, soup and salad bar Monday – Friday, 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. Reservations can be made via email.

Effective January 1, 2024, Brandeis will be offering a High Deductible Health Plan and Health Saving Account (HDHP/HSA). The HDHP will be offered as a new option in addition to the existing medical plans.

HDHP will also allow you to open a Health Savings Account (HSA), where you contribute pre-tax dollars to offset your out of pocket costs. As an additional benefit, the University will also contribute to the HSAs for employees who enroll in the HDHP.  For more information please visit our Human Resources website under Health Insurance.

Brandeis is partnering with Fidelity Investments to offer employees aged 55 and older along with your spouse/partner to attend a day of helpful tips, strategies and actionable steps that can help you prepare for retirement. Space is limited so make sure you register for the event by October 2.  Light refreshments will be served.

When registering, please select In-Person Event, and select Fundamentals of Retirement/Income Planning.

The 2024 benefits Open Enrollment period will take place this year between October 30 and November 10. This is the once-a-year opportunity for benefits-eligible employees to evaluate and make changes to benefits, absent a qualifying event. Changes made during the open enrollment period will take effect January 1, 2024.

Human Resources is also pleased to announce that we will be hosting this year’s annual Benefits Fair in person on November 2. The event will take place in Sherman Hall, in the Hassenfeld Conference Center. The Benefits Fair will include vendors from many of our benefit plans, HR representatives, refreshments and giveaways throughout the day.

As part of our commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion within our organization, we kindly request your assistance by reviewing and updating your demographic information in Workday. The affirmative action plan (AAP) is an essential tool that helps us ensure equal employment opportunities for all employees. By providing accurate and up-to-date demographic data, you play a crucial role in helping us maintain compliance with legal requirements and improve our diversity initiatives. 

If you have any questions or encounter any issues, please reach out to our HR team. Thank you for your cooperation and support in this important endeavor.

The transition between summer and winter brings a lot of weather patterns and uncertainty to our region.  From hurricanes to snow storms, there are lots of weather hazards to potentially prepare for. You can learn more about Fall Weather Preparedness on the National Weather Service Ambassador website.

In accordance with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), each year Brandeis is required to distribute a Summary Annual Report (SAR) for the Brandeis University Group Benefit Plans. The reports summarize the annual financial information noted on the Federal Form 5500 annual returns which has been filed with the IRS. You may access the reports by visiting the Office of Human Resources website.

The Supreme Court issued a decision on June 30, 2023 prohibiting President Biden from moving forward with his one-time student debt relief plan, which means that no debt can be discharged under this program. Interest on federal student loans will start accruing on September 1, 2023, and first payments will be due in October. President Biden has recently implemented a new income-driven repayment (IDR) plan for borrowers in repayment called SAVE. Please visit the Federal Student Aid debt relief website for updates.