Waltham Group Blood Drive holds three drives a year by collaborating with The American Red Cross. For October, the drive is Halloween themed. The Brandeis community, from student to faculty to staff, are able to donate. Students are also able to volunteer. The donor will be checked by volunteers, complete a short health history, and start the donation process if eligible. Afterward, the donor will rest for 15 minutes in the canteen area, where they can have a snack and ensure they feel okay before leaving. Participating in the blood drive by donating or volunteering is an amazing way for the community to give back!

• Tuesday, October 15, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
• Wednesday, October 16, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Location: Levin Ballroom

Register to give blood

A new AI Task Force was announced in July to develop a coordinated approach, set best practices, and ensure the safe and responsible use of generative AI for our community. Composed of faculty and staff from across the University, this task force is working closely with existing IT Governance Committees and other policy-making groups at Brandeis to guide and support the responsible use of AI at our institution. To further the goals of Brandeis surrounding the use of AI, we have developed an initial set of guidelines to help as you continue to explore AI tools. A note for students: please review syllabi and class policies carefully and only use AI as permitted by your professor. Ask your professors whenever you have questions about permitted uses of new technologies.

Informed exploration of Generative AI: 

• Use the Ithaka S+R Generative AI Product Tracker to review available AI tools. When deciding whether a given tool is appropriate for a specific task, consider advantages, shortcomings, and data protection protocols, among other points.
• Zoom AI Companion is now available for Brandeis accounts and is the first AI service officially supported by the Help Desk
• Learn more about genAI including explanations of Generative AI, Prompts, Chatbots and more.
• Understand common concerns when using AI including information on Data Governance, Ethical Use & Privacy, and understanding algorithmic biases.

For more information regarding the AI Task Force, please reach out to Steve Knowles or Matthew Sheehy.

We have entered into the shoulder months for heating/cooling, with temperatures ranging between 40 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Cooler mornings followed by warmer afternoons make maintaining temperature comfort in our facilities challenging. Even if you are in a facility with air conditioning, the campus operates on a dual system which means our systems are either in heating or cooling mode; but not both. Currently, we are still in “cooling” season but we will start turning off AC and switching heating mode on Oct 9. (This is 2 weeks later than last year based on your inputs.)

Consequently, during these shoulder months, there will be days when your office/room temperature is not as cool or hot as you want it to be. Most days, the outside temperature in the morning will be cooler than the temperature in your buildings so if you are warm, we recommend you open your windows, if you can, to help bring additional cooler outside air into your areas for additional comfort. We understand that at times this may be uncomfortable but we ask for your patience during these New England shoulder months and this switch-over. Facilities will start this switchover in Usdan/Upper campus due to the Usdan Chiller project. They will then move to Residence Halls and the other Academic Buildings, followed by adding heat to the Science Buildings. The complete switchover will likely take a month to fully complete.

For building temperature standards, please visit the Policy Page on the Campus Planning and Operations website.

Should you feel there is an issue with your heating system, please submit a service request on the Facilities Services website.

Join the Center for Spiritual Life for a monthly nonreligious gathering. We welcome all to be part of these gatherings for peace in our world, our hearts, and our community. Each month, two chaplains will facilitate the vigil.

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!

Student Employment has implemented a new, mandatory student employee supervisor training that will be conducted via Zoom. This training is required for those that oversee student hiring as well as those who manage the students themselves, including faculty members who supervise students. Topics that will be covered include:

• Student Employment Policies
• Timesheets
• Hiring in Workday
• Onboarding
• Supervisor Roles/Responsibilities

All supervisors must complete the training by the end of the Fall 2024 semester. Upcoming training dates are as follows:

• October 10/10, 10/29, 11/5, 1-2 p.m.
• October 10/18, 10/25, 11/1, 11/8, 11 a.m.-noon

Please register in advance for the training of your choice here. If you have participated in a session already this summer you do not need to sign up again!

Definition: A business purpose statement justifies how an expense is appropriate and reasonable, and how it supports and/or advances the goals and objectives of the University.

The University must ensure that all transactions (e.g., supplier invoices, travel expenses/reimbursements, p-card expenses payments, requisitions, etc.) have written information within the transaction documentation to justify the purpose served by the expenditure. Procurement & Business Services therefore requires clear documentation of this justification. If not clearly documented, the department may be asked to provide additional details. Failure to provide this information may result in additional delays, approvals and/or payment.

More information can be found on the Procurement and Business Services website.

Questions can be directed to: procurement@brandeis.edu or accountspayable@brandeis.edu

We remain aware of various tensions that affect us directly or indirectly. Currently, some of these tensions stem from ongoing conflicts in the world as well as the upcoming elections in the United States. Accordingly, we would like to offer opportunities for our Brandeisians to reflect on and process their own responses to these events in a safe, respectful environment where feelings and opinions can be shared across cultural, political, religious, ethnic, national, and racial divides.

Drawing on the principles of Talking Circles as practiced in Indigenous communities, we invite all community members—students, faculty, and staff—to join in one of several facilitated conversations that we will be hosting the week of October 7. These efforts are being coordinated through the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the Ombuds Office, and campus partners.

Use this registration link to sign up for sessions scheduled for October 7, 8 and 10. We hope you will consider joining us to feel more connected with others. If you have any questions, please email them to BrandeisOmbuds@Brandeis.edu.

Standard 8.5" x 11" Copy Paper is provided centrally through the University for all on campus Ricoh MultiFunction devices. W.B. Mason, our preferred supplier for office supplies will continue to deliver the paper, however this will no longer be an auto drop off process. We request that you complete the Copy Paper Delivery Request Form whenever you need paper delivered to your machine location. Paper will then be delivered within 2-3 business days of submitting your request.

For questions please contact Procurement Services.

• Intro to Vinyl Cutting & 2D Graphics, 10 - 11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 7
• CAD Office Hours, 10:30 a.m. - noon, Monday, Oct. 7
• Intro to Soldering, 2:30 - 4 p.m., Monday, Oct. 7
• Intro to Photogrammetry 1, 12:30 - 2 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 8
• Introduction to Python: Web Scraping (5), 12:30 - 2 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 8
• Getting Started with Atlas.ti (Mac Users), 12:10 - 1 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 9
• Open MakerLab Hours, Mondays 2:30-4:30 p.m., Wednesdays 1-3 p.m., Thursdays 2:30-4:30 p.m.
• Intro to R and the Tidyverse, noon - 1 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 10
• Intro to Photogrammetry 2, 12:30 - 2 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 10
• Getting Started with Qualtrics, 12:10 - 1 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 15
• Intro to ArcGIS StoryMaps, 12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 16
• Interlibrary Loan and Scan on Demand Workshop, 2 - 3 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 16
• Data Wrangling with R, noon - 1 p.m., Friday, Oct. 18

Moodle workshops for faculty:

• Moodle Open Office Hours, 1 - 1:50 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 8
• Moodle Gradebook Workshop, 1 - 1:50 p.m., Friday, Oct. 18

All are invited to join the Intercultural Center for a celebration of Indigenous Peoples' Day. We will be sharing Brandeis' official land acknowledgement statement and be in conversation with local native voices on what this means, and how the university is embodying this statement. Dinner will be served.

Brandeis Counseling Center (BCC) is providing the QPR Suicide Gatekeeper Training workshop to staff and faculty. The aim of this training is to reduce suicidal behaviors through data-driven, practical strategies.

Similar to CPR as an emergency medical intervention that can be administered by anyone, a QPR-trained Gatekeeper will learn to:

• Recognize the warning signs of suicide
• Know how to offer hope
• Know how to get help and save a life

This staff/faculty workshop will be delivered in an interactive, dynamic format by QPR-trained BCC clinicians the first Monday of each month: October 7, November 14, and December 2 from 1-2 p.m. in the Napoli Room, Gosman Sports and Convocation Center.

Brandeis had a very successful fundraising year in fiscal year 2024 -- raising $87.5 million. In fact, it was the second highest year in recent history! Institutional Advancement is grateful to everyone on campus for being strong partners in our work. Faculty and staff have joined us at events, been featured in materials/messaging, and engaged directly with donors. Here are a few highlights of the impact of giving that you helped make possible. Thank you!

Please join us Wednesday, October 9 at noon for Four Takes on the U.S. Presidential Election!

In an exciting panel of Brandeis scholars, Faith Smith, Anita Hill, Harleen Singh and ChaeRan Freeze with moderator Interim Heller Dean Maria Madison will take a closer look at the Presidential election through the lenses of race, diaspora/immigration, gender and socioeconomic class. Cosponsored by AAAS, The Heller School, WGSS and the WSRC.

Register to join by Zoom.

One year after Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7 and the ensuing war in Gaza, over 40,000 Palestinians have been killed, dozens of Israelis are still being held hostage, and a ceasefire agreement remains unrealized. Meanwhile, the conflict’s expansion to Lebanon, Yemen, and Iran has further destabilized the region, raising the threat of a full-scale war in the Middle East. To help us understand the short and long term implications of these developments and paths to peace, the Crown Center is hosting a panel discussion with three distinguished scholars with different perspectives, Shai Feldman, Abdel Monem Said Aly, and Khalil Shikaki, co-authors of the innovative textbook, Arabs and Israelis: Conflict and Peacemaking in the Middle East.

This event will be held both in-person and online and is free and open to the public.

Refreshments and Middle Eastern food will be served.

Registration Link

Join Echo360, The Brandeis Center for Teaching and Learning, and Media Technology Services for a workshop on interactive learning. This workshop will include presentations and activities facilitated by Echo360 staff and Brandeis faculty, as well as participants from other nearby universities to discuss interactive learning, in-class polling, and flipped classroom methods.

Featured presenters include: Brandeis Professor Stephanie Murray and the Brandeis Director of the Center for Teaching Learning, Marty Samuels.

All faculty and staff are invited to attend. This workshop is open to anyone interested in interactive learning, and is suited for both new and experienced Echo360 users.

Lunch will be provided before the event and a reception after.

Please Register Online to RSVP. For more information or questions, please contact Eli Jacobson (ejacobso@brandeis.edu)

Join us for a discussion of how culture shapes our expectations, beliefs, and behaviors in the realm of conflict. Attendees will be encouraged to reflect on how conflict is navigated within professional environments. Discover strategies to ensure accurate understanding of employee communications and the role of culture in shaping conflict dynamics in the workplace. Register Online

Brandeis Quick Bytes continues to offer high-quality micro-learning experiences with a streamlined approach:

1. Watch a Short Video as Pre-work
2. Join a 30-Minute Workshop to practice skills and leave with actionable takeaways

Upcoming topics:

1. November 13, Communicating to Drive Action
2. December 10, Using Questions to Foster Critical Thinking and Curiosity

REGISTER

Join us for a Dual Career Programs: Listening Session

How can institutions better support recruitment and retention through dual career efforts. HERC invites you to share your thoughts on the dual career process in higher education. This will be an active and engaging session and we will be seeking your input, but all information shared will be kept confidential and will not be directly attributed to individuals or institutions. No matter your role on campus, we would love to hear from you. REGISTER

Did you know NE-HERC offers resources including toolkits and on-demand webinars on a variety of topics relevant to higher education free to Brandeis as a member institution. You must register for a free account to access the content. Please contact Lisa Vigliotta at lisavigliotta@brandeis.edu for more information.

This month we are spotlighting two on-demand webinars:

• I Don’t Know How to Talk About That: Preparing for Conversations About Race
• Cultivating a Practice of Mindful Leadership – for leaders and managers

KGA Brandeis’s Employee Assistance Provider offers online training on a variety of topics. The online training is free with our membership and a-synchronous so you have the opportunity to do the training over a period of time. This month we are spotlighting two interesting topics:

• Preparing to Conduct Employee Performance Reviews– for Managers
• Introduction to Business Ethics

Exploring the Benefits of an HSA.

• Understand the benefits of an HDHP/HSA
• See how they work together
• Explore the features of the HSA

Register Now! Your welcome to bring your lunch

Accidents happen. If you or a colleague are injured while at work, please take the following steps:

1. Ensure you and those around you are safe. Call Public Safety (781-736-3333) for first aid, help, or if there are other hazards. Call Occupational Health (781-736-8769) with questions or for additional support.
2. Notify your supervisor.
3. Get checked out. Please contact your primary care provider or be evaluated by a local urgent care or emergency room.
4. Complete the accident/injury report.

To review and update your benefit elections during open enrollment please visit Human Resources Employee Benefits Review Benefits and Update Beneficiary and Dependent Demographics. All elections will be effective January 1, 2025.

Bright Horizons offers Back-up child care in centers and at home to help with care gaps and busy schedules.

• Fun and educational camp that fills in during school holidays and breaks
• Virtual camp options at home, for sick days and more
• In-home back-up care for adult and elder loved ones
• Professional tutoring for you and your child — it’s flexible and affordable
• Curated family resources with special savings, including additional academic support

Register Now!

Each year Brandeis is required to distribute information regarding Brandeis University’s current prescription drug coverage and options under Medicare’s prescription drug coverage. Visit the Brandeis Medicare Part D and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) webpages to carefully review the notice. If you, your spouse or dependent are eligible for Medicare this information can help you decide whether or not you want to join a Medicare drug plan. If you are considering joining, you should compare your current coverage, including which drugs are covered at what cost, with the coverage and costs of the plans offering Medicare prescription drug coverage in your area. As a reminder you should provide a copy of the Notice, electronically or in hard copy, to any of your dependents who are eligible for Medicare.

Medicare prescription drug coverage became available in 2006 to everyone with Medicare. You can get this coverage if you join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan or join a Medicare Advantage Plan (like an HMO or PPO) that offers prescription drug coverage.

Brandeis University has determined that the prescription drug coverage offered by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care (via OptumRx) is considered Creditable Coverage.

Save and book mark the Medicare Part D and FAQs link for future reference.

Dental Care is more than just having a nice smile. Your oral health is essential to your overall well-being, and can be the “silent alarm” for other health conditions. Learn more about what your mouth is telling you. Be sure to join Occupational Health Services on October 17 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the SCC for resources, education, and giveaways around dental health.

All workshops would be held virtually, see the HR website for others.

Thursday, December 12: Breezing Through the Holidays, REGISTER

It may be called “the most wonderful time of the year” but December can also be filled with unwanted debt from holiday spending. Learn budgeting strategies and tactics to avoid that year-end credit card crunch and sidestep debt traps in the future.

This month we are spotlighting two interesting wellness offerings from KGA:

• Managing Workplace Anxiety
• Improving Mindfulness

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.

Remember to use your FSA by the end of the year 2024. Grace period runs through March 15, 2025.

You are allowed to join and/or make changes only during open enrollment or a qualifying event.

• Keep all your receipts
• If you don’t use it you will lose it.

IF you are planning to enroll in the HDHP/HSA plan for 2025 your total 2024 funds must be reimbursed by 12/31/24. You cannot contribute to the HSA if you have HCFSA funds in your account on 1/1/2025. Visit the Human Resources website for more detailed information about Flexible Spending Accounts and/or the FSA Store.

Vaccination clinics are once again coming to campus! This year we invite all faculty, staff, and family members ages 4+ to receive their seasonal and scheduled vaccinations. Come to any of our on-site vaccine clinics and help protect yourself, family, and students in a way that’s fast and convenient. For additional information, visit the human resources website.

All vaccinations are provided by Albertsons owned pharmacies and administered by their trained pharmacists. Coverage of vaccinations are determined by your personal pharmacy insurance plans.

The 2025 Benefits Open Enrollment period will take place this year between October 28 and November 8. 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, 2025.

Human Resources is also pleased to announce that we will be hosting this year’s annual Benefits Fair in person on Wednesday October 30th from 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. 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.

Financial Resources for the Latino Community

During this time Fidelity is offering money topics that may interest you and your family and videos on Knowing the value of money and Paying yourself and automating saving.