Winter is here, and with it comes the threat of inclement weather that may affect our normal campus operations. This is a reminder to look out for the university’s weather-related communications, especially with regard to what’s open or closed on campus and when.

The safety of students, faculty and staff is the first priority when reviewing the potential impact of inclement weather on campus operations. Depending on the severity and timing of a weather event, the physical campus may open late, close early, or remain closed all day. Only essential staff (e.g., Dining, Facilities Services, Public Safety, etc.) report to work on campus during times when the physical campus is closed. Typically, when the physical campus is closed, staff who have the ability to work remotely are expected to do so and are asked to discuss specific coverage plans with their supervisors. Classes should adhere to the Provost’s Inclement Weather Policy; faculty are advised to remind students of how the policy impacts their specific course.

Weather-related communications will be delivered by 6 a.m. on the affected day (sometimes earlier depending on the forecasted probability of a storm) through a campus-wide email and the Brandeis Emergency Notification System. Please take a few minutes today to review your emergency contact information in BENS to ensure it is correct.

Campus/Waltham Combo route

• Dec. 11-19, 7 a.m. -11 p.m. (weekdays)
• Dec. 20, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. (Friday)
• Dec. 14-15, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. (weekend)
• Dec. 21-Jan. 13 - No Service available
• Normal Service Resumes January 14

Boston Cambridge Shuttle

• Dec. 13-Jan. 12 - No Service available
• Normal Service Resumes January 17

The Winter 2024/25 issue of Brandeis Magazine is now online. The expanded digital issue includes exclusive videos, profiles, books reviews, and photography. Read about the large cache of books looted from Jewish families and institutions by the Nazis that found a home — and new life — at Brandeis. Learn how AI is changing what Brandeis professors do in the classroom. Browse descriptions of the latest publications written by faculty and alumni authors.

As always, you’ll also find Class Notes, research stories, campus news, faculty and alumni profiles, and much more in the issue.

Students and families received the spring 2025 bill electronically via Nelnet on Wednesday, November 20th. The due date is December 16, 2024; a registration hold will be placed on accounts not paid in full by this date. Students should access the Nelnet Student Account Portal, using the link provided in their Student Account worklet in Workday, to view e-bills and account transactions, make payments and manage monthly payment plans.

If students have not already done so, please complete the following steps to ensure account access:

1. Set-up Nelnet account - Students should log in to the Nelnet Student Account Portal to set up their student profile. Refer to the Nelnet - Account Access job aid for detailed instructions.
2. Add parent or authorized parties access - Refer to the Nelnet - Add Authorized Payers job aid for detailed instructions. Students should not share their Nelnet log-in credentials with their parents. They must set up parents as Authorized Parties with their own log-in credentials.

The last day mid-year graduates are eligible to work on campus as student employees is Dec. 20.  Please make sure all time is entered into Workday on or before that date as time entry will be inaccessible effective 12/21. Eligibility for student employment requires enrollment in a course of study and 12/20/2024 is the program completion date for those who have applied to graduate mid-year.

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 book an appointment today!

We've added more training dates through the end of the semester - if you have not taken the training this past summer or semester, please sign up ASAP! The Fall deadline we've communicated in the past is fast approaching, and it's imperative that everyone is trained. The new dates are as follows, and you can sign up here:

• 12/13, 11 a.m.-noon
• 12/16, 11 a.m.-noon
• 12/17, 1-2 p.m.

As a reminder, this training requirement includes those that manage hiring as well as those who manage the students themselves, as we understand many departments distinguish between those roles. Please note this includes faculty members who may not be as involved in the hiring process – we believe it is important for everyone involved in the student employment world to be on the same page about how these processes work. Topics that will be covered include:

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

University Events is delighted to announce that we will again coordinate the week of Celebratory Receptions programming for 2025. The week leading up to Commencement is rich with celebration as we collectively work to recognize special achievements and gather together before the next phase in life, career, and the pursuit of passions of our graduating students.

For further information on the Celebratory Reception offerings or to sign up to host a 2025 Celebratory Reception, please review the 2025 Brandeis Celebratory Reception Planning Guide, and complete the Celebratory Reception request/registration form by the priority deadline of Wednesday, January 22, 2025. University Events will collect and carefully evaluate responses in order to assign each reception to a space on campus best suited to host each reception's needs. We look forward to supporting another year of gatherings and celebration.

On Wednesday, January 29, 2025, at approximately 11 a.m., Brandeis Public Safety, in collaboration with Information Technology Services (ITS), will conduct a test of the Brandeis Emergency Notification System (BENS). This test is essential to ensure the effectiveness of our emergency communication systems in the event of a real campus emergency.

During this test, you will experience the following:

• Siren Alerts: Audible sirens will sound across the campus and surrounding areas.
• Text and Voice Messages: Notifications will be sent via text and voice messages to all individuals who have registered their cellular phone numbers with the university, as well as to all campus phones.
• Desktop Alerts: For the first time, we will implement the Alertus Desktop Notification system. With assistance from ITS, we have successfully integrated this system into university-owned computers connected to the network. These alerts will display critical emergency messages as full-screen or partial-screen pop-ups, accompanied by audio alerts to ensure immediate attention.

The integration of the Alertus system, supported by ITS, enhances our ability to disseminate emergency information swiftly and effectively across multiple platforms, ensuring that all members of our community receive timely and clear instructions during emergencies.

Please be aware that this is only a test, and no action is required on your part. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we work to improve our campus safety protocols.

The University will discontinue existing brandeis.edu accounts and access to Brandeis email and other services for alumni effective January 8, 2025. This change will align Brandeis with higher education industry best practices and improve email security. Alumni have received a series of emails about this over the past nine months. On January 8th, all alumni that are not actively affiliated with Brandeis (as current faculty, staff, student, and other affiliated roles) will have their Brandeis accounts and email shut off; emails and data will be deleted and messages will bounce back to senders as undeliverable. For further information and a robust FAQ, please refer to the alumni support website.

ITS continually works to increase efficiency and reduce costs through various methods, including the elimination of out of date and/or redundant services. As such, we will be making changes to the following services on January 14, 2025:

• The SSH Shell Servers (starfish and limpet) will be retired as they can no longer be used to directly access campus resources. This follows security changes related to remote access that were implemented on 8/1/22 (announced in the 7/16/22 InBrief).
• UNET Home Spaces (Windows/Linux network home directories) will be retired in favor of our supported Cloud Storage options like Google Drive or Box.
• People.brandeis.edu (personal web pages) will continue to be maintained for historical links in published papers, etc. However, users will no longer be able to directly modify content and instead will need to open a ticket with Systems (systems@brandeis.edu). Reminder: new personal web pages should be created with modern tools on highly available infrastructure via Google Sites.

Brandeis offers learning opportunities for staff managers and leaders, focusing on practical knowledge and skills needed to be effective in this role. Please note we have extended the deadline for registrations through January 31. The program includes four sessions starting in February and ending in early May. You must be a manager of staff to be eligible. For additional information, visit the Human Resources website.

How can we be more productive at work? Many of us spend some time exploring productivity apps, hoping to find that missing piece of technology that finally unlocks all that we can be.

Being productive at work is more about our attitude and habits, and less about finding some perfect app or piece of technology. That is not to say there is a perfect system or habit to adopt, either.

But fear not! There is an almost-perfect system, and it is one you design and enhance yourself — incrementally, patiently, and with time. Read the article on the 5 Strategies That Can Help You Be More Productive at Work.

LinkedIn Learning offers access to over 16,000 videos and courses including audio content on a variety of topics. You can access LinkedIn Learning for free. Sign up for a free e-card using the instructions provided to access LinkedIn Learning through the Boston Public Library. If you have any questions contact HumanResources@Brandeis.edu.

Brandeis’s Employee Assistance Provider, KGA, offers online learning opportunities on a variety of topics. The online workshops are free with our membership. This month we are spotlighting three interesting and timely topics. All three are offered in a modular format, allowing you to go at your own pace and when it is convenient for you. Do not worry if you need to stop halfway through a module, and you can pick up where you left off.

Seasonal Changes - The month of December can produce extra stress. KGA offers strategies that may help relieve the season's stress and make your holidays healthy and happy. Check out the resources including a video you can watch at your own pace.

Emotional Wellness - Emotional well-being fosters self-care, relaxation, stress management, and resilience. It is essential to acknowledge and assertively address both positive and negative emotions, learning how to effectively navigate them. This offering includes a helpful podcast with practical strategies.

Leadership and Influence – for managers and leaders - What is it that makes a leader, and what separates the good from the great? This workshop will explore different leadership theories and examine what makes a great leader.

For those students leaving a car on campus, please move your vehicle to the South Residence lot before leaving for break. Please see the map and park in the area outlined in yellow. Please do not park along the wood line. Charles River Apartments residents can leave vehicles in this area for the duration of the break. If you have any questions, please contact Public Safety.

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.

For additional training resources, please visit the Brandeis Public Safety website.

As we prepare for the upcoming winter break, we want to ensure the safety and security of our campus while many of our community members are away. During this period, buildings with little to no occupancy will generally remain locked during normal business hours. This approach is vital for several reasons:

1. Enhanced Security: Locking buildings helps prevent unauthorized access, protecting university property and sensitive materials from potential theft or vandalism.
2. Energy Efficiency: With reduced activity in certain buildings, locking them helps conserve energy by minimizing the need for heating and lighting in unoccupied spaces.
3. Emergency Preparedness: Restricting access simplifies emergency management and allows our facilities and public safety teams to better monitor campus spaces.

If you need access to a specific building during the break, please plan ahead and coordinate with your department to arrange access through your area manager or by contacting Public Safety at cardaccess@brandies.edu

• Remove any personal valuables and lock office doors before leaving.
• Close and secure windows in your workspace.
• Avoid leaving sensitive materials in plain view.
• Report any suspicious activity to Public Safety immediately.

Submit your application to join an online degree or certificate program by December 10. Eligible employees interested in enrolling in a program at Brandeis Online are encouraged to take a course before applying for professional development if they are not ready to start a degree. Classes are fully online, designed for working professionals, and are 10 weeks long. The most popular programs of study for employees are Project and Program Management, Digital Marketing and Design, and User-Centered Design. To learn more, schedule a time with Tom Screnci, Associate Director of Admissions & Enrollment.