It’s that time of year to nominate two outstanding Brandeis staff members for The Lou Ennis Staff Award (exempt staff) and The Louis and Helen Zirkel Staff Award (nonexempt staff).

This is your opportunity to recognize an individual who excels in the performance of his/her job responsibilities and goes above and beyond to contribute to the well-being and the vitality of the University and the Brandeis community. Nominations of staff members for both the Ennis and Zirkel awards should include significant contributions made during the 2023 calendar year. Nominees must be full-time employees and in good standing. 

The winners of each award, and their supervisors, will be invited to attend the Employee Service Awards ceremony (date and location to be announced).

All nominations for the Ennis and Zirkel Awards are due to Human Resources on or before March 21. For more information and to access the nomination forms, please go to the employee recognition page.

The Brandeis Student Union Sustainability Committee is collecting clothing for a free exchange! If you have any clothing that you'd like to donate, please drop it off in the collection bins in the SCC or Upper Usdan. If you have any questions, please contact Vivienne Scott.

The Office of Finance and Administration will be selling tickets to the 2024 Boston Red Sox home games, available for purchase by faculty, staff and post-docs. For information please visit the Office of the Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration website.

Our March ITS Spotlight is on the Workday ERP Team. Led by Cathy Jameson, the Workday Team manages the suite of interconnected software applications centered on Workday, the university enterprise resource planning (ERP) application. Their work supports Workday’s financial, human resources, and student-related functions. Please visit the Workday Team Staff Spotlight to read more about this talented team, including what brought them to Brandeis and how they enjoy spending time outside the office. 

The Final Exam schedule for Spring 2024 has been posted. Please direct any questions to registrar@brandeis.edu.

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.

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. Please click here to book an appointment today!

The Leonard Bernstein Festival of the Creative Arts, April 6-14 celebrates the abundant creativity of Brandeis students, faculty and staff, joined by distinguished guest artists. Join us April 6-14 and enjoy art and performances across campus. Most events are free and open to the public. Sunday, April 7, is Super Sunday, with special programming for family and community.

Be part of the Leonard Bernstein Festival of the Creative Arts | April 6-14! Staff are welcome to volunteer as audience greeters, backstage helpers, and in other roles, no matter what your level of experience or interests may be. Please submit this form to indicate your interest and we will be in touch with volunteer assignments. Feel free to email arts@brandeis.edu for more information.

On Wednesday, April 3, the Center for Spiritual Life will hold our annual memorial gathering in remembrance of those who have died in the past year. We will remember immediate members of the Brandeis community, as well loved ones of members of our community. Please join us at noon at the Peace Circle (between Usdan and the library) for a brief, reflective gathering.

Our hope is that this memorial service offers a measure of comfort and consolation to those grieving and strengthens our sense of community and solidarity. If you would like a loved one to be remembered at the service, please submit their name and a brief remembrance by Monday, March 25.

Brandeis is rich with religious diversity. Upcoming holidays celebrated by the Brandeis community include:

• Shiva-ratri (March 8) - The Hindu holiday of Shiva-ratri honors the deity Lord Shiva. It is believed that Parvati, the wife of Lord Shiva, prayed, meditated and fasted on this day for his well being. On the day of the festival, devotees of Lord Shiva fast and spend all day and night meditating and chanting and singing his praises.
• Ramadan (March 10th sundown - April 9th, dependent on moon sighting) - Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is one of the most sacred times for Muslims. During this month, Muslims observe a strict daily fast from dawn until sunset. They are not allowed to eat or drink (even water) during daylight hours. Fasting is a private act of worship bringing about nearness to God, as well as a form of spiritual discipline and a means to empathize with those less fortunate. The fast is broken at sundown with a meal called iftar, often shared among family and friends. Many will gather after nightfall for special communal prayers called Tarawih.

If you will be observing Ramadan and would like to know about iftars on campus, contact the MSA: msa@brandeis.edu.

For more information on these and other holidays, visit the Center for Spiritual Life's Guide to Religious Observances.

Brandeis GSAS is excited to be hosting our third annual three minute thesis competition (3MT). The Brandeis 3MT Competition is a university-sponsored speaking competition designed to showcase GSAS student research in three-minute talks to a general audience. This is an opportunity for graduate students engaged in original research to develop communication and presentation skills while sharing their work with faculty, staff, and students across Brandeis University. Visit the 3MT webpage for more information.

Mark your calendars for Friday, April 5 from 4-5:30 p.m. to see the Final Round of the 3MT Competition in Spingold Theater. Finalists will present, judges will deliberate, and prizes will be awarded. 

Workday is releasing the first of its 2024 semi-annual updates to improve and streamline the Workday experience the weekend of March 10. Workday will be unavailable during the update, beginning Friday, March 9 at 9 p.m. and continuing until Saturday, March 10 at 9 a.m. 

Users will see changes to their navigation menu, including the removal of the “Benefits” and “Careers” worklets, which are being replaced by the new “Jobs Hub” and “Benefits and Pay Resources Hub.” Hubs provide a dynamic interface and enhanced search capabilities. The Benefits and Pay Hub combines resources previously found in separate Benefits and Pay worklets into a centralized source for employee compensation and benefit information. The Pay Worklet will continue to be available during the transition. However, users can also find that information in the new Benefits and Pay Hub. To learn more about the latest release, please see What’s New in Workday. If you have any questions regarding this update, please email help@brandeis.edu

Upcoming library workshops & training:

• Intro to 3D Printing with Prusa Mini, 12:30- 2 p.m., Tuesday, Mar. 12
• Intro to Soldering, 4 - 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, Mar. 12
• Intro to Vinyl Cutting & 2D Graphics. 10 - 11 a.m., Wednesday, Mar. 13
• Graduate Writers' Workspace (campus/Zoom). 9 a.m. - noon, Friday, Mar. 15
• UWS Workshop Series Part II: Research Proposal, 2 - 2:50 p.m. Monday, Mar. 18
• Intro to Soldering. 4- 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, Mar. 19
• Intro to Vinyl Cutting & 2D Graphics, 10 - 11 a.m., Wednesday, Mar. 20
• Graduate Writers' Workspace (campus/Zoom), 9 a.m. - noon, Friday, Mar. 22
• Using CAD Office Hours, Mondays, 10:30 p.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.

• LATTE File Management, 1 - 2 p.m. Wednesday, Mar. 13
• LATTE Gradebook, 1 - 2 p.m. Wednesday, Mar. 20
• Faculty Drop-in Hours with an Archivist, Fridays, 3 - 4 p.m.

Please register on the training website for the following workshops (presented virtually):

• Buying a Home – Tuesday 3/26 – 9-10 a.m.
• Identity Theft Solutions – Tuesday 4/23 – 9-10 a.m.
• The Sandwich Generation – Tuesday 5/28 – 9-10 a.m.

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

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:

• 3/20 – Critical Thinking for Better Judgement and Decision-Making register
• 4/24 – How to Set Goals When Everything Feels Like a Priority register

Are you new to Higher Education or want a refresher on working in Higher Education? Join us for a workshop offered through Brandeis's membership with the College and University Professional Association (CUPA) to gain a deeper understanding of the institutional structure and culture in the workplace in higher education.

• Understanding Higher Education – Wednesday 3/27 – 1– 2 p.m.  register

Arthritis affects more than 50 million adults, but it doesn't impact everyone the same way. There are more than 100 different types. While these types vary somewhat, every form of arthritis impacts the joints, causing pain and stiffness and making it harder to move around comfortably. Learn about this disease, treatment options, prevention, and resources available to all Brandeis employees on the Health, Safety, and Well-Being Page or at our live event on March 13 in the Shapiro Campus Center. 

KGA MindTide App: Free stress and anxiety self-help app for Faculty and Staff. Drawing on proven Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) methods, MindTide offers a variety of brief, easy-to-use exercises, courses, and audio tools. You choose the topic and format, with sessions as short as five minutes.   1) Download MindTide onto a mobile device Apple Store or the Google Store.  2) Use your unique access token give from your KGA account. 3. Enjoy! Take advantage of all the MindTide app has to offer.

March 1 begins the seasonal safety campaign for Spring! With warmer weather on the horizon the Division of Emergency Management would like to remind everyone of some great resources available particularly as it relates to weather (Seguridad Meteorológica).

The Division of Emergency Management is pleased to announce the rollout of "Until the Help Arrives". A community based training with the overall goal of teaching participants basic skills to keep people with life threatening injuries alive until professional help arrives. Participants will learn: 

• Situational Awareness: Stay alert, identify threats, stay safe.
• Identifying Life Threats: Know what to look for and act fast.
• Bleed Control: Techniques like tourniquet use and wound care.
• Injury Management: Proper ways to move and position the injured.
• Psychological Support: Comforting the wounded in distress.
• Efficient 9-1-1 Communication: Ensure the right info gets through, fast.

This will be a modular based training delivered virtually. Visit the Emergency Preparedness website for upcoming dates and times.

The university is deeply appreciative of the continued efforts made by our staff to support the university’s mission, our students and each other. We recognize the importance of work/life flexibility and time away from work to focus on yourself, your family and friends and to return to the workplace with renewed energy.

Departments/units may continue to offer a flexible or compressed schedule to eligible staff this summer beginning Monday, June 10 through Friday, Aug. 16 (excluding holiday weeks).

The University’s priority is to provide effective and efficient services to internal and external constituencies during all normal working hours, Monday through Friday. Therefore, it is important that flexible or compressed work schedules are discussed with staff and approved by the department’s appropriate supervisor, in coordination with the Department Chair, Director, Dean, Vice President or Senior Vice President.  Some departments may be unable to implement the program due to operational needs. Please visit the Flexible Schedule website for additional information.

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

• 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

BUSAC's purpose is to improve the work environment for Brandeis University staff through discussions and actions that influence policy, develop and enrich staff, and promote ongoing, meaningful, and deliberate improvements to the staff experience. Questions? Email busac@brandeis.edu.

Kosher offerings in Sherman now include service for Shabbat lunch and Saturday evening meal. The serving times are as follows:

• Sunday: Brunch 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Dinner 5 – 9 p.m.
• Monday - Thursday: Breakfast 7 – 10 a.m., Lunch 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Dinner 5 – 9 p.m.
• Friday: Breakfast 7 – 10 a.m., Lunch 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
• Friday Shabbat Dinner (Boxed): 5 – 8 p.m.
• Saturday Lunch: 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
• Saturday Dinner: 3 – 5 p.m.

A hot Dinner (post Sabbath) is available until the start of Daylight Savings Time on March 10. See below for specific times. On all dates, end of service coincides with the dining room closing at 8 p.m.

• 2/24/24 - Hot Service Begins at 6:25 p.m.
• 3/2/24 - Hot Service Begins at 6:30 p.m.
• 3/9/24 - Hot Service Begins at 6:40 p.m.

With this enhancement, service times for the Friday dinner and Saturday lunch are now in tandem with non-kosher serving times. Lastly, the Luria and Levine Ross conference rooms in Hassenfeld are available to kosher keeping students as a location to gather for their lunch meal. Additional information can be found on the Brandeis Hospitality Kosher Dining webpage.

Brandeisians of the last decade, known as BOLD alumni, are already leaving their mark on the world. They are award-winning writers and poets. They are scientists fighting climate change, and mathematicians working to make their field more inclusive. They are business leaders, bringing their innovative ideas to market. And they are activists, standing up for the underdog.

Yet so early in their careers, BOLD alumni are only just getting started. That makes them Rising Stars. And we want to celebrate them. The BOLD Rising Star Award is a recognition of young undergraduate or graduatealumni who are already making significant contributions to their chosen fields. 

Know any BOLD Rising Stars? Tell us about them!

Nominate someone today. For inspiration, meet the BOLD alumni who were recognized in 2023 as rising stars (formerly the BOLD 9) for their outstanding work in various fields. Deadline for submission is March 10, 2024.  For more information, please contact Steph Grimes, Associate Director of Alumni Relations or David Eisenberg, Integrated Marketing and Content Strategy Manager