Director Josh Manfredo, of the Department of Public Safety, Emergency Management Division recently hosted two information sessions announcing the new Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), formerly known as the Building Safety Captain Program. More information is now available on the Emergency Preparedness website as well as a link to register for the upcoming training sessions later this spring.

We are excited to share our February spotlight in our monthly ITS Spotlight Series. The Data and Systems Integration (DASI) team, led by Scott Edmond, manages feeds and integrations between systems and access to Brandeis systems based on user roles. This talented group also supports data reporting and management of the Brandeis website CMS. To read more about Scott and the DASI team, including what brought them to Brandeis and how they enjoy spending time outside the office, please visit the ITS Website.

Massell Quad and Rosenthal Quad Community Advisors will be hosting an event called Candy Grams for a Cause between February 12 to the 14! For $1, you can purchase a candy gram for a partner, friend, colleague, etc. You can select your candy and even include a personalized note! Students, faculty, and staff are all able to participate. All proceeds will be donated to Rosie's Place - a domestic abuse shelter in Boston, MA. Donations will be accepted via cash and venmo. 

A table will be located in Usdan near Dunkin! CA's will be there from:

• Monday, February 12: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
• Tuesday, February 13: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
• Wednesday, February 14: 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. and 4 - 5 p.m.

Welcome new undergraduate students to campus as a Navigating Health and Safety Instructor! Instructors teach sections of Navigating Health and Safety, a six-week module required for all new/incoming undergraduate students addressing mental health, substance use, sexual health, consent, bystander intervention, and campus resources. 

This position is designed for current Brandeis employees. It provides the opportunity to connect with new students and have fun doing it! 

The 50-minute classes are held once per week, either during business hours or in the evening depending on your availability and your supervisor’s approval. In the classroom, instructors lead discussions and facilitate engaging group activities. There is no lecturing! 

For more information, visit the HWL Instructor Resources webpage. The compensation is $480 per section for instructors who have worked at Brandeis fewer than 6 years. Instructors that have worked at Brandeis for six or more years will receive $536 per section. Apply on Workday, and direct any questions to hawp@brandeis.edu.

The financial aid renewal application deadline for the 2024-2025 academic year will be March 1, 2024.  Students who would like to apply for need-based scholarship funds must submit 2024-2025 CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE, the 2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and copies of 2022 student and parent Federal Income Tax Returns.  Students who wish to apply only for federal sources of financial aid need only complete the FAFSA (taxes will be requested upon receipt of this application only if necessary).  

 Even though the FAFSA application became available as of 12/30/2023, the website is currently experiencing limited windows of availability due to planned and unplanned maintenance as well as processing issues. (Please click here for FAQs and the most up-to-date information regarding the 2024-2025 FAFSA.)  If you have not yet completed the FAFSA, we encourage you to begin that process now. 
Schools will not begin receiving FAFSA data until mid-March 2024, at the earliest.  SFS will not be able to update the status of the FAFSA item on your financial aid document checklist, or check on the status of a FAFSA, until this time. Already completed FAFSAs will most likely be in an “in review” status. If this is the case, it is probable that the FAFSA has been successfully submitted and that SFS will receive the information when it is released to schools. We know there are applicants who are unable to successfully submit the application, and we are sensitive to the issues surrounding the 2024-2025 FAFSA rollout.  Students will not be penalized for FAFSA-related delays.

SFS hosted a webinar regarding the 2024-2025 financial aid application process for continuing undergraduate students on January 29. The webinar included details about the 2024-2025 financial aid application process, changes to the FAFSA, the appeal process, emergency funding, and other related topics. A recording of the webinar is now available.

Students can expect to receive a variety of tax documents depending on their on-campus employment status, participation in grants and fellowships, scholarships, or financial aid packages. You can access these documents on Workday, or in some cases on paper. Learn more on the SFS webpage.

Last year the university launched a brand new online giving platform powered by GiveCampus, a partner leading the educational fundraising sector as a top provider of a secure and seamless donation experience. The suite offers giving forms optimized for a mobile giving experience and will also be home to crowdfunding campaigns for causes on campus as well as the annual online fundraiser, Giving DEISday. With this transition, we are no longer accepting gifts from giving forms hosted by our previous vendor, iModules / Anthology and all former forms will be taken offline as of March 30.

The Department of Facilities Services will perform its annual electrical shutdown on Saturday, June 1, and Sunday, June 2 from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. each day. In the past, this shutdown was held in August but for weather reasons, we are moving it to June.

In addition, this year due to the switch gear needing maintenance, the entire campus will go into a shutdown. This work allows the Department of Facilities to exercise and test equipment vital to the electrical infrastructure supporting Brandeis University.

Only the following buildings will be affected: On Sat, June 1 - All buildings on campus will be down (power and AC) except Epstein, Foster Mods, and the Sports Complex (Gosman & Linsey). - Village will have power but the Card swipes for the door will be down. It will have AC but cannot be controlled (so it may fluctuate some).

On Sun, June 2 - Ridgewood complex, Rosenthal Quad, Zivs, Volen, Admissions, Sachar, Feldberg, Athletic fields, Info Booth, Administration (Berstein-Marcus/Gryzmish/Irving) and Slosberg will be down for a 2nd day. Please contact Facilities Services at 781-736-8500 for more information.

The security team recently enabled additional email protection in response to increased sophisticated phishing and other attacks. Proofpoint, our email security vendor, protects against malicious embedded links. It automatically scans email messages and then rewrites the URLs associated with the links so they are visible to recipients and safe to click. 

Messages originating from Brandeis.edu and messages sent using the Slate (Technolutions) platform now avoid the scanning and rewriting process. This “trusted source” security exception, approved by University leadership, was implemented to facilitate communication from platforms managed internally by Brandeis. 

Please contact the Security Team at security@brandeis.edu if you have any questions about Proofpoint or want to learn more about safeguarding your data against phishing. 

For more information about Proofpoint URL Defender, including examples, please see the ITS website. If you have any questions or issues with information security, please email security@brandeis.com.

ITS is moving network shared drives as part of the Feldberg Data Center Relocation Project. Network shared drives will not be available during the move from Friday, February 16, 2024, at 6:00 PM through Tuesday, February 20, 2024, at Noon. Please log out of your shared drive(s) before Friday, February 16, at 5:30 PM to minimize disruption and ensure uninterrupted access once the shared drive network returns online. ITS will notify all users upon completion of the transition. For additional information about the move, please visit the ITS News or contact the Help Desk at help@brandeis.edu or by calling 781-736-4357 (x6HELP). 

Faculty and staff are invited to an upcoming in-person Cyber Security Awareness Training on February 21,  from 1:30 to 2 p.m. in the Feldberg Atrium Conference Room. Security experts from ITS will provide insight into common cyber threats and empower users with the skills to identify malicious emails and manage privacy effectively. Please register in advance for Cyber Security Awareness Training, as seats are limited and refreshments will be served! For those unable to attend in person, we are pleased to offer the option to join remotely via Zoom.

The Brandeis Information Security Team provides information and training to the community to help defend against increasingly sophisticated phishing attacks and email scams. We also welcome the opportunity to meet with individual groups or departments. If you have any questions about security or would like to schedule training for your department, please email security@brandeis.edu. Additional data privacy resources and security tools can be found in the Information Security section of the ITS website. 

As part of their semi-annual updates to enhance and improve functionality, Workday is changing its Inbox feature to My Tasks. My Tasks offers enhanced search functionality and task management, allowing users to customize their Workday Inbox. Users will be able to search by keyword, date, and task assignment in addition to creating and using filters to make managing their Workday tasks easier. My Tasks will debut at Brandeis the week of February 12. Please see the Workday@Brandeis website for more information.

Please note the current Technology Help Desk service hours:

• Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., walk-up and remote support is available via the Brandeis Service Portal, help@brandeis.edu, or 781-736-4357 (6-HELP).
• Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., remote support is available via the Brandeis Service Portal, help@brandeis.edu, or 781-736-4357 (6-HELP).
• Saturday and Sunday: closed

The Help Desk staff remains committed to providing high-level technology support and service to the Brandeis community. Our team of technology support specialists is located in the Goldfarb Library, Level 1 during posted hours.

Upcoming library workshops & training:

• Introduction to Python: Plotting Figures (4), 12:30 - 2 p.m. Tue.,  Feb. 13
  
• Intro to 3D Printing with Prusa Mini, 10 - 11:30 a.m. Wed.,  Feb. 14
  
• Version Control: Intro to Git and GitHub, 12:30 - 2 p.m. Wed.,  Feb. 14
  
• Getting Started with Atlas.ti (Windows Users), 12:10  - 1 p.m. Mon.,  Feb. 26
  
• CAD Office Hours, Mondays, 10:30 a.m. - noon
• Open MakerLab Drop-in hours, Tuesdays, 5-7 p.m. & Thursdays, 2-4 p.m.
• GIS drop-in hours, Wednesdays, 2-3:30 p.m., unless otherwise noted.

Sessions for faculty:

• LATTE File Management, 1 - 2 p.m. Wed.,  Feb. 14
  
• LATTE Gradebook, 1- 2 p.m. Wed.,  Feb. 28
  
• Faculty Drop-in Hours with an Archivist, Fridays, 3-4 p.m.

University Archives & Special Collections Hours:

University Archives & Special Collections houses Brandeis University's unique and rare primary sources. We invite you to explore these materials; we are open weekdays 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

• Wednesday, February 14: Identify and Prioritize Your Savings Goals, A Virtual Workshop, noon – 1 p.m.
• Tuesday, February 27: Making Your Money Work as hard as You Do, A Virtual Workshop, noon – 1 p.m.

For more information on upcoming February Fidelity Financial Wellness Workshops visit the Financial Wellness Events.

• Tuesday, February 20, Psychology of Spending,  9 – 10 a.m.
• Tuesday, February 26, Buying a Home, 9 – 10 a.m.
• Tuesday, April 23, Identity Theft Solutions, 9 – 10 a.m.
• The Sandwich Generation – Tuesday 5/28, 9 – 10 a.m.

Please register on the training website. For more information please visit the HR Training Website or contact us via email.

Heart  disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. Take steps today to lower your risk of heart disease. To help prevent heart disease, you can maintain a balanced diet, exercising regularly, smoking cessation, managing stress, and getting enough sleep 

The University is pleased to announce that we will continue to be hosting vaccination clinics throughout the Spring Semester. 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.

Love your heart and join us on Valentine's day for a heart healthy event! Learn about ways to improve your heart health, health resources, and more. No registration required, and come when you're able for some self-directed, interactive learning! Add the event to your Calendar 

In collaboration with Student Accessibility Support, Facilities Management, Human Resources, and Public Safety, we are happy to announce the addition of newly created Accessible Parking spots on campus.  

These spots were strategically added around campus close to our existing HP spaces to accommodate persons requiring temporary accessible parking without State-issued HP Placards. Faculty/Staff should work with the Human Resources department to obtain an AP pass. Students must go through the Student Accessibility Department for approval, and the Parking office will issue the pass.  

These spaces are identified with ground markings and have the letters “AP” marked in the space in Crimson. These spaces can only be used by community members with approved accommodations. Violators without a permit are subject to ticketing and towing. 

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us in the parking office.

Introducing Brandeis Bites – a great way to build your professional skills without making a big time commitment! Simply register to watch a recorded learning video at your convenience as pre-work, then attend a 30-minute workshop to discuss and apply the learning.

Workshops will be held virtually from 11– 11:30 a.m. on the following dates:

• 2/28 – Building Relationships While Working from Home register
• 3/20 – Critical Thinking for Better Judgement and Decision-Making register
• 4/24 – How to Set Goals When Everything Feels Like a Priority register

Workshops will be held virtually from 10:00 – 11:15 a.m. and will include watching a recorded webinar followed by a discussion on the following dates:

• 2/27 – Thriving at Work and Home register
• 3/19 – Finding More Time in Your Day register
• 4/30 – Supporting Colleagues in Distress register

For more information about KGA and the services they provide call 1-800-648-9557 or visit the KGA Website log-in password: brandeis

The 1095-C Form is an annual statement that describes the insurance available to eligible employees. The primary purpose of this form is to inform employees what Brandeis will report to the IRS regarding whether they were offered health care benefits and also whether those benefits met the ACA standards for coverage and affordability. The IRS clearly states the 1095-C form is not required by employees for filing income tax returns.

Employees can complete their returns without the form and need only keep the form, with their other tax documents. For additional information and on how to access your 1095-C visit Human Resources webpage.

1099-HC Form serves as proof of health insurance coverage for Massachusetts residents age 18 and older. This proof of coverage is required for Massachusetts state income tax filing and provided by Point32 Health and available on Tufts/Brandeis microsite (Tufts Health Plan for 2023).

The IRS limits your pre-tax total contributions each year. The 2024 limit is $23,000 for employees 49 or younger and $30,500 if you are age 50 or over. You may update your pre-tax deferred contribution elections on NetBenefits or by calling the Retirement Service Center at 800-343-0860. With one-stop convenience, Fidelity Investments supports the enrollment process and provides ongoing service to retirement plan participants via the university’s NetBenefits Retirement Planning website.

Back-Up Care, Another day off from school? Bright Horizons can help! The Office of Human Resources has partnered with Bright Horizon to help you better manage your work, family and personal responsibilities.

Use your back-up care benefit to reserve your child’s spot for the day (or more!) at a nearby Bright Horizons center or in your own home with a reliable caregiver. Book Now

For more information please visit the Human Resources/Child Care/Adult and Elder Care webpage. 

As a reminder, as of January 1, 2024, employees participating in the Tufts Health Plan transitioned to Harvard Pilgrim Health Care (HPHC). Please inform your health care customer service department that you have a new health card. OptumRx remains our pharmacy benefit manager through the HPHC Plan.

To avoid confusion, please provide your pharmacist with your NEW Harvard Pilgrim Health Care card prior to paying for your prescription. MyConnect 866-623-0184 is our dedicated Member Advocate Service line. MyConnect is available to you and family members to answer your benefits questions.

The Leonard Bernstein Festival of the Creative Arts celebrates the abundant creativity of Brandeis students, faculty and staff, joined by distinguished guest artists.

Join us on campus April 6-14 and celebrate Brandeis' 75 anniversary with art and performances that connect with our founding Jewish values, innovation in education, repairing the world, and community. Most events are free and open to the public. Sunday, April 7, is Super Sunday, with special programming for family and community.

The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Education and Learning Initiatives invites you to this year’s DEIS Impact symposium, “Embracing Difference: Recognizing Jewish Identity at the Margins in the Effort to Address Racism and Antisemitism”, to be held March 25-27 in Hassenfeld Conference Center. Centered around Audre Lorde’s ‘theory of difference’ and intersectional, the Symposium will bring together local and regional scholars, practitioners, and the Brandeis community to explore the evolving narrative of “who is Jewish?” – and how those within the greater Jewish diaspora, the Black community, and other marginalized sectors can come together to harness collective agency in the struggle for social justice.

Please support our department by adding this event to your calendar and avoiding conflicting programming during this week. Additionally, students, faculty, and staff who attend the Symposium are eligible for a certificate of participation. We encourage you to include this unique learning opportunity in your own academic or departmental programming.

Remember to use your FSA by the end of the year 2023. Grace period runs through March 15, 2024. If you don’t use it you will lose it. You are allowed to join and/or make changes only during open enrollment or a qualifying event. Visit the Human Resources Flexible Spending Accounts and/or the FSA Store website and/or HealthEquity/WageWorks.com for more detailed information.