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 9 through Friday, Aug. 15 (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 senior leader for each area. Some departments may be unable to implement the program due to operational needs. Please visit the Flexible Schedule website for additional information.

The Brandeis AI Task Force has an updated website, compiling information previously accessible through the AI Task Force Google Drive Folder into a new set of webpages that are now searchable using the Brandeis website’s search engine. The information contained on the website includes information on AI Tools available at Brandeis, Managing AI use while adhering to campus policies, AI Learning and Literacy, AI in Teaching & Learning, and more.

Please visit the AI Task Force Website for more information or contact ai-taskforce@brandeis.edu with any questions you may have about projects, initiatives or AI platforms on campus.

Given the sense of precarity that those in our community with non-immigrant visas, U.S. lawful permanent residency, and other immigration circumstances may be experiencing, we would like to remind you of the resources we have available.

The International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) advises on maintenance of status for all individuals with visas sponsored by Brandeis. We provide guidance to these individuals on study, employment, and travel issues. To follow our travel and immigration news, you may visit their Recent Immigration News page.

Immigration and other legal matters present complex issues that can be difficult to navigate. The university cannot provide legal advice to individuals and always recommends that those with questions consult their own attorneys promptly. The Division of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging has a list of resources related to immigration that may be of use to community members.

Our April ITS Spotlight features the Security team. Led by David Albrecht, CISO, the Security team is responsible for protecting Brandeis community members and their sensitive information by providing security-related services, products, tools, and training. Please visit the Security Team Staff Spotlight to read more about this accomplished team, what brought them to Brandeis, and how they enjoy spending their time outside the office.

Monday, April 7 is Student Union’s Election Day! The Student Union encourages all undergraduate students to vote for your Student Union representation! As your student government on campus, they want to increase and encourage student participation in the elections. Please look for an email from the Student Union in your inbox entitled “Ballot - Student Union Spring 2025 Election,” click on the link, and vote! They want to hear all of your voices, and please encourage your friends and classmates to vote as well.

Prepare with confidence for your next job or internship interview with Big Interview, Hiatt’s innovative online platform designed to help you succeed in any interview scenario.

Big Interview Offers:

• Mock Interview Practice: Virtual mock interviews tailored for industries, competencies, and graduate school admissions, combining comprehensive training with practical exercises.

• Extensive Support: Resources covering the job search and interview process to boost your confidence.

• Instant Feedback: AI-powered feedback and personalized action plans to refine your skills. Share practice interview videos for constructive feedback from anyone!


Get started with Big Interview—log in easily using your Brandeis UNET, no lengthy sign-up process required.

SFS provided a webinar regarding the 2025-2026 financial aid application process for continuing undergraduate students on February 10, 2025. The webinar included details about the 2025-2026 financial aid application process for continuing students, how last year's FAFSA changes are affecting this year's application, the appeal process, emergency funding, and other related topics. The recording can be viewed online.

The financial aid renewal application deadline for the 2025-2026 academic year was March 1, 2025. Students who would like to apply for need-based scholarship funds must submit the 2025-2026 CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE, the 2025-2026 Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and copies of 2023 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).

An e-mail detailing the renewal process was sent to students and parents back in January. If you would like to meet with your financial aid counselor to discuss the renewal financial aid process, you may book a 30-minute appointment online.

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 Brandeis Emergency Fund was created to assist currently active, high-need, undergraduate and graduate students experiencing some kind of unexpected financial emergency when other resources are not available. The Fund focuses its limited resources on students with high demonstrated financial need (students with an EFC of approximately $20,000 or below, as determined by a financial aid application) who are experiencing unexpected financial emergencies for which no other funds are available (students are expected to apply for, and utilize, all other sources of funding before receiving emergency funds, including, if applicable, federal loan funds). For updated information about eligibility criteria, examples of what can and cannot be considered, and the process by which to apply for emergency funds, please visit the Brandeis Emergency Fund website.

Each year a student is selected to perform the National Anthem at Commencement. This year's ceremonies will take place on May 18.

Auditions for the National Anthem will take place on Thursday, May 2 from 10 a.m. -noon in the Slosberg Music Center. Auditions will be accompanied, and the accompanist will have prepared the National Anthem in various keys. If you have a specific arrangement that you would like to sing, please bring a copy of the music.

Please sign up for an audition. If you have questions, please contact Professor Robert Duff at rduff@brandeis.edu.

Scaled blackout begins May 2, 2025 and all departmental or student events will be reviewed for availability of support before confirmation. Only Commencement related activities (Celebratory Receptions, Student Engagement Events, Shabbat Dinner, and the Commencement Ceremonies) will be permitted between May 8 and May 19. Please contact University Events at ueo@brandeis.edu with any questions or visit brandeis.edu/university-events.

Information regarding ceremonies, schedules, and answers to frequently asked questions will be continually updated on the Commencement page. University Events is grateful for your support in this enormous celebratory production! Please direct any questions you have to commencement@brandeis.edu. Graduate registration began on March 14 with a deadline of April 23. Graduates were sent a unique link to register, provide guidance on name pronunciation, and receive electronic tickets to send to their guests. Graduates who did not receive their link to register may contact commencement@brandeies.edu to request it be re-sent.

On May 18 Brandeis will recognize and celebrate the achievements of graduates at the 74th Commencement Exercises. Staff not already scheduled to work Commencement should respond on this form by April 30 and indicate your availability for either or both the Undergraduate Commencement ceremony in the morning and the Graduate Commencement ceremony in the afternoon. Non-exempt staff will be paid for their assignments and exempt staff who volunteer will be eligible for one day off per ceremony worked, up to two, to be coordinated with their manager and used by the end of the calendar year.

Faculty members are invited to participate in Commencement and should register here. The rental form for regalia can be accessed from the participation registration form. Academic regalia will be provided for faculty members who do not own their own regalia. Orders are due no later than April 6. PhD candidates will identify their advisor or faculty member whom they wish to join them on stage for their hooding during the afternoon’s ceremony.

Dining operations at Farm Table/Kosher Table at Sherman and Usdan Kitchen will be altered on Admitted Students Days, April 5-6.

Usdan Kitchen

• Usdan Kitchen will be open for current Brandeis students and their guests for brunch (9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.) on both Saturday, April 5, and Sunday, April 6. Kosher breakfast options will be offered in Usdan Kitchen from 9:30 to 11 a.m.

Farm Table/Kosher Table at Sherman

• Farm Table at Sherman will be open only for the campus visitors to Admitted Students Days for lunch (11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.) on both Saturday, April 5, and Sunday, April 6. Farm Table at Sherman will be closed for current Brandeis students and their guests on both days from 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
• Kosher Table at Sherman will be open for the campus visitors to Admitted Students Days for lunch (11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.) on both Saturday, April 5, and Sunday, April 6. Kosher Table at Sherman will be open for current Brandeis students and their guests on both days from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
• Both the Farm Table and Kosher Table at Sherman will fully reopen to current Brandeis students and their guests at 2:30 pm on both days.

All other dining locations on campus will continue to operate at their regular weekend hours but may experience an increase in guests during Admitted Students Days.

Please visit brandeishospitality.com for the most up-to-date hours of operation and menus.

We are excited to offer an opportunity for faculty, staff and postdocs to purchase Celtics playoff tickets. To enter your name into the drawing for Celtics playoff tickets, please go to this form, and fill out the required information.

The tickets are for section loge 16, row 23, seats 5-6 and 7-8. The form will be active from today, to Friday, April 11 at noon. If you are selected to purchase tickets, you will receive an email with additional information. If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact the Office of Finance and Administration.

Brandeis is rich with religious diversity, and this month is filled with a many holiday observances, including these:

• Eid al-Fitr (March 31) celebrates the end of the holy month of Ramadan. It is commemorated by a large, community-wide prayer service in the morning, followed by meals and conversation with friends and family. A mandatory charity called Zakat al-Fitr is collected before the prayer and distributed to the poor and needy to ensure all can participate in the festivities. Eid al-Fitr is the Arabic name for the holiday, though it goes by many other names in other languages.
• Rama Navami (April 6) is a Hindu celebration of the birth of Lord Rama, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Lord Rama, who became king of Ayodhya, was known for his exemplary qualities. He was popular, brave, kind, just, intelligent, patient, loving, obedient, and dutiful. Rama Navami celebrations include reading the great epic Ramayana and staging plays of the Ram Lila, or the pastimes of the life of Lord Rama.
• Mahavir Jayanti (April 10) is one of the most important holidays in Jainism and celebrates the birthday of Lord Mahavir, the 24th supreme preacher.
• Passover (April 12 sundown - April 20) is an eight-day Jewish celebration. Passover marks the liberation of the children of Israel from bondage and their subsequent exodus from Egypt. A Passover seder - a meal following a specific ritual order retelling the story of the exodus, including prayers, songs, and special food - is one of the most commonly observed Jewish practices. Brandeis does not hold classes during Passover
• Songkran (April 13 - 15) also known as the Thai New Year, is a vibrant and joyous Buddhist holiday celebrated in Thailand and several other Southeast Asian countries. Lasting for three days in mid-April, the festival marks the transition from the dry season to the traditional Thai New Year and is characterized by its exuberant water rituals. Songkran is also a time for paying respects to elders and visiting temples, where offerings and prayers are made to bring good luck and prosperity for the year ahead.
• Holy Week (April 13 - 19) leading to Easter (April 20) The Sunday before Easter is Palm Sunday, recalling the story of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, greeted by people waving palm branches. This begins Holy Week, which includes Maundy Thursday, remembering Jesus' last summer with his disciples, and Good Friday, when he was crucified. Easter is the greatest feast in the Christian calendar, commemorating the resurrection of Christ, when Jesus rose from the dead. Some Protestant traditions celebrate with a sunrise service, and Catholics with an extensive vigil the night before, recalling the story of God saving humanity throughout history.

For more information on these and other holidays, visit the Center for Spiritual Life's Guide to Religious Observances. Did we miss a spiritual observance that is important to you? Please reach out to slife@brandeis.edu.

We have set new training dates for the mandatory Supervisor training - if you have already taken this training in Summer or Fall of 2024, you do not need to take it again unless you want to! While you are welcome to join our sessions as often as you'd like, you are only required to complete it once!

Sessions will be offered every Tuesday from 3-4pm. You can sign up for a session here.

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

AI Research and Teaching Bytes:

• AI in Human Subjects Research, 2:30 p.m., Tue., Apr. 8: Please join us for a discussion about the use of and the impact of AI in human subjects research. Presenter: Michelle Rosie, Senior Analyst, Human Research Protection Program.

Upcoming library workshops

• Intro to 3D Printing with Prusa Mini, 1:30 - 3 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. on Fri., Apr. 4
• Electronic Sound Design for Music Production, noon - 1:30 p.m., Sun, Apr. 6
• Podcasting [Part 2]: Editing Audio Profiles in Adobe Premiere Pro, 6 - 7:30 p.m., Sun., Apr. 6
• Graphics and Type: Combining InDesign and Illustrator to create the perfect poster, 7:30 - 9 p.m., Sunday, Apr. 6 and 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., Thu., Apr. 10
• Film Editing in Adobe Premiere Pro, 9 - 10:30 p.m., Sunday, Apr. 6 and 1:30 - 3 p.m., Tue., Apr. 8
• CAD Office Hours, 10:30 a.m. - noon, Mon., Apr. 7
• Research and Writing in the Archives, noon - 12:55 p.m., Mon., Apr. 7
• Intro to Vinyl Cutting & 2D Graphics, 12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Mon., Apr. 7
• MakerLab Open Hours, 2:30 - 4:30 p.m., Tue., Apr. 8
• Outdoor Photography & Videography, 2:30 - 4 p.m., Wed., Apr. 9
• Intro to Soldering, 4 - 5:30 p.m., Wed., Apr. 9
• Digital Scholarship Lab Open Hours, 2:30 - 5 p.m., Thu., Apr. 10
• MakerLab Fixit Clinic, 2:30 - 4:30 p.m., Thu., Apr. 10

There is still an opportunity to purchase Red Sox tickets. For a complete list of available games and pricing please visit the The Office of the EVP, Finance and Administration website.

Seats are in section RF box 97, row RR, seats 6 - 9. Tickets will be sold in pairs of two.

To purchase tickets please email Gail Jordan. First come, first serve.

Come buy a freshly baked challah from the Challah for Hunger club. Proceeds go to the JFCS food pantry. This month's flavors are plain, chocolate chip, everything but the bagel, and cranberry!

In celebration of National Volunteer Month, the Brandeis National Committee invites you to a free online conversation with Dr. Rick Hodes, medical director of the Ethiopia Spine and Heart project of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC). This event is free and open to anyone who is interested. Please invite friends and family.

Dr. Hodes will be speaking from his base in Ethiopia, where he has spent more than two decades as a physician treating children with life-threatening diseases. His work has been the subject of a book (Marilyn Berger’s “This is a Soul”) and three documentaries (HBO’s “Making the Crooked Straight,” Sam Shnider’s “Bewoket” and “Zemene.”) For his lifelong dedication to humanitarian aid, he received an honorary degree from Brandeis in 2013.

To receive the Zoom link, please submit this short registration form.

On Wednesday, April 23, the Center for Spiritual Life will hold our annual Moment of Remembrance at the final Peace Vigil of the year. We will remember those who have died in the past year – 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. The rain location will be the Peace Room, located within Usdan.

Our hope is that this gathering 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 by Wednesday, April 16.

We are excited to announce that Workday has released a new feature enabling us to update the “Journal Detail - Cost Center BRANU” report with additional data from Coupa. The “Journal Detail” report helps budget managers review and reconcile revenue and expenses. The report will now include the Line Item Description fields from Coupa and its associated fields - all data that were previously only available in the “Accounts Payable Transaction Detail - Cost Center - BRANU” report. These new fields will be available to the rightmost end of the Journal Detail report, immediately preceding the “Transaction Amount” field. You can find instructions on how to run this report and the field definitions on the job aid. These new fields are available as of April 10, 2025; if you have been using the existing report to integrate into another database, please update your templates accordingly.

Faculty, staff, and their family members (ages 4 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

Early detection and diagnosis are crucial for successful cancer treatment and survival. Learn more and work with your healthcare provider to decide what cancer screenings you need, when to begin screening and how often you should be screened. Early detection = better outcomes.

Join Occupational Health Services and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care on April 8 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Shapiro Campus Center to receive free Biometric Screening (blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose), win raffle prizes, and learn more about prevention, early detection, and treatment and survivorship support. Learn more.

The TAP annual performance review process for staff launched for employees hired on or before January 1, 2025. The capability to enter annual performance reviews into Workday launched on Tuesday, April 1 and all annual reviews must be completed on or before Friday, May 2, 2025. Training sessions for managers and staff began this week and resources are posted on the TAP website. Contact Human Resources for any questions.

Meet with a Retirement Planner – To help plan for your future and current financial wellness. Retirement Planners from Fidelity Investments are on campus regularly to provide one-on-one guidance appointments. Consultations may be conducted in person, virtually or over the phone.

• Manage your retirement savings goals
• Review investment choices
• Build a plan that is easy to put into action

To schedule your confidential consultation please visit Fidelity’s scheduler or call 800.642-7131.

Access your Brandeis Retirement Savings Plan on NetBenefits.

Brandeis University Human Resources has partnered with Bright Horizons to support benefits-eligible faculty, staff, postdocs as well as full time PhD students by providing back-up child, adult and elder care. It is ideal when your normal dependent-care services fall through due to cancellation, school closing, etc., or when you simply need an extra hand. Please visit Back-Up Child Dependent Care for specific discounted rates and reimbursements available to you.

Whether you’re scrambling to find last-minute child care for spring break or planning ahead for summer, take advantage Bright Horizons’ back-up care benefit and book your child’s spot at local camps as well as other options. Plus, virtual camp has you covered on days when you and your child are both at home. Check available locations in your network.

Harvard Pilgrim Health Care/Point32Health

• HPHC offers Brandeis employees a selection of Featured Members Discounts and Savings
• NEW! Expect
• NEW! Mom’s Meals
• Tinyhood
• Wellness Reimbursement

To view details log in to your HPHC account

• Living Well Community – April 2025 - Free Virtual Wellness classes and webinars
• Living Well - YouTube videos on strength training, kick boxing, cozy cardio and many more.

Faculty and Staff, are you looking to get out and about on campus? Want to learn what's happening in Benefits, Compensation, Talent Development or other areas of Human Resources? Care to enroll in a fitness class? Interested in signing up for a webinar about work-life balance or professional development? If so, check out the Human Resources Calendar of Events!

KGA - Brandeis’s Employee Assistance Provider offers online learning opportunities on a variety of topics. The online workshops offered via Zoom and on-demand webinars are free with our membership. This month we are spotlighting interesting and timely topics for both the live-Zoom workshops and the on-demand webinars:

Live Workshops

• Navigating the Path to College April 15, noon-1 p.m. via Zoom - This interactive session will cover essential topics such as identifying school options to fit the student and budget, understanding admissions processes, and exploring financial aid options. REGISTER
• Embracing Neurodiversity in the Workplace April 29, noon-1 p.m. via Zoom - Learn about neurodiverse conditions and discover strategies to create a supportive environment. Build a more inclusive and dynamic work culture where every employee can thrive. REGISTER

On-Demand (previously recorded) Webinars

You can receive a certificate of completion at the end of each course for the on-demand online webinars: This month the following two timely webinars:

• Conducting Annual Employee Reviews for managers - At the end of this workshop, participants should be able to understand the process of conducting an annual review, determine the categories for an annual review, and know the value of employee communication.
• Coaching and Mentoring – for managers - This workshop focuses on how to better coach your employees to higher performance. Coaching is a process of relationship building and setting goals.

Sign up and access LinkedIn Learning for a free e-card using the instructions provided to access LinkedIn Learning (offers over 16,000 online courses) through the Boston Public Library. If you have any questions contact HumanResources@Brandeis.edu. Did you know that you will have access to certificates of completion for your records?

Featured Courses this Month:

• Performance Management: Setting Goals and Managing Performance (19 minutes) – for managers - In this short course, the first installment in the Performance Management series, Dr. Todd Dewett digs into the manager’s role in managing performance, helping you master both goal setting and performance management.
• Tips for Leading Yourself (21 minutes) - Your instructors, Elizabeth Lotardo and Lisa Earle McLeod, share strategies to embrace change and adapt, ways to manage your capacity as a high performer, and take your next performance review to the next level.

Next month (April) begins the shoulder months for heating/cooling. This is the time when temperatures range between 40 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Cooler mornings followed by warmer afternoons make maintaining temperature comfort in our facilities a challenge.

Most of the campus operates on a dual HVAC system. This means our system has to either be in heating mode or cooling mode and it can't not easily change between the two. It takes Facilities Services about 5 weeks to transfer from heating to cooling mode. Currently, we are in “heating” season but we will be switching to cooling mode starting April 1.

During April and the beginning of May, there will be days when your office/room temperature is not as warm, or cool, as you want it to be. We ask that everyone dress in layers to accommodate this. We also suggest using operable windows when the weather outside is more suitable to your liking.

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. On April 1, facilities will start to switch over to cooling first in the Science Buildings (~3 weeks), then will move to the Residence Halls and Academic Buildings. The complete switchover should be done the first week in May.

Please review the building temperature policy located at on the Campus Planning and Operations Policy Website.

The Department of Facilities Services will perform its annual electrical shutdown the weekend after Memorial Day; Saturday, May 31, and Sunday, June 1 from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. each day.

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:

• Sat, May 31: Farber Library, Pearlman, Cable Hall, Gordon, Kutz, and Slosberg
• Sun, June 1: Rosenthal North/South/East, Usen, Renfield, Deroy, Chapels and Ziv 127/128/129/130

Please contact Facilities Services at 781-736-8500 for more information.

Your kids will enjoy a full day of sports and games run by our women's basketball players and coaches. Our goal is to provide an enjoyable recreational based learning environment for boys and girls. This program encourages kids to experience new activities, develop friendships and have fun. Come be a part of our Vacation Play Days.

 Ages Welcome: Grades K-6th, Register