Get ready to move! edHEALTH, in partnership with Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, is launching the 8th Annual Walking Challenge. Monday, June 2 through Saturday, July 5. To get started download the IncentFit app and visit Human Resources EdHEALTH website for additional steps and information.

The Brandeis AI Task Force and ITS will host a workshop about Generative AI Platforms, featuring Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini. During the workshop, faculty and staff will learn about accessing Copilot and Gemini, the features of each platform, and what distinguishes the platforms from each other and other well-known AI software. Workshop leaders will provide examples and suggestions on how to incorporate Gemini and Copilot in your everyday activities at Brandeis. A portion of the workshop will include a Q&A session and, if attending in person, users will receive assistance in accessing and using Copilot and Gemini.

• Register for Zoom Session 1: Thursday, May 8, 11 a.m.
• Register for Zoom Session 2: Thursday, May 15, 1 p.m.

The workshops will be hybrid, with limited in person seating available on a first-come, first serve basis in the Feldberg Atrium via Google Form sign up. Individuals signing up for in-person sessions will receive confirmation of their seat the Monday prior to the workshop date.

Decide on DEIS is a 48-hour fundraising challenge to raise 250+ gifts to support scholarships and fellowships. Once we reach 250 donors, $25,000 will be unlocked. Please join other faculty and staff in supporting Brandeis students today! You can support the campaign and help share the message.

As part of our ongoing efforts to enhance campus access and prepare for upcoming infrastructure improvements, we have established a short-term Parking Advisory Committee to evaluate and recommend updates to our campus parking policies.

The committee includes representation from key stakeholder groups across the university, including staff, faculty, Student Affairs, Human Resources, Facilities, and Public Safety. Its charge is to review current parking practices and propose revisions that promote greater access and equity across the university community.

This effort comes at a critical time, as we prepare for the construction of a new residence hall, which will impact current parking availability and patterns. The committee’s work will help ensure our policies are forward-looking, responsive to community needs, and aligned with our institutional priorities.

The committee will meet weekly through July, with updated policies expected to be announced ahead of the next issuance of faculty and staff parking stickers, which occurs every three years.

Beginning on or about June 24, construction will begin on the new Residence Hall located on the current South Campus Residential Lot (X Lot). As part of this project, the X Lot will permanently close, and approximately 100 parking spaces in the Theater (T) Lot will also be taken offline.

To accommodate these changes:

• All employees, students, and campus visitors should allow extra time when commuting to campus over the next 24 months, as parking availability will shift and traffic patterns may be affected.
• X Lot permit holders will be reassigned to J Lot, located off Angleside Road near the Charles River Apartments.
• For faculty, staff, and commuters, overflow from the T Lot will be redirected to other existing lots across campus, such as the North & Tower lots, which remain heavily underutilized.
• Admissions parking will remain available exclusively for prospective students and their families and will be strictly enforced.
• To maintain safety and accessibility, unauthorized parking in fire lanes, roadways, or unmarked areas will be actively addressed by Public Safety.

The Housing Phase 1 project team, in coordination with Public Safety, is finalizing additional logistics and will provide updates through InBrief in the coming weeks.

If you have questions regarding these changes, please contact the Brandeis Parking Office at 781-736-4250 or visit the project website.

Federal and/or institutional financial aid may be available to undergraduate students attending Summer School. For more information on eligibility and applications requirements, please visit the Summer Session Financial Aid webpage.

Calling all Student Employees - you're invited to Student Employee Appreciation Day!

The Office of Student Employment at Brandeis is hosting the second annual Student Employee Appreciation event as a small thank you for all of your hard work throughout the 2024-2025 academic year! Please feel free to drop in anytime during the event and stay for as long as you would like.

 Activities will include:

• Free Food! Catering from Jersey Mike’s Subs and cake at noon while supplies last
• Build-Your-Own Snack Bag – fuel your finals with a wide variety of grab and go packaged snacks!
• Win Prizes! Free entries into a raffle along with a free spin on the prize wheel
• *Prizes Include: Bluetooth speaker, gift cards, book vouchers, picnic blankets, and more!
• Photo Booth!

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!

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 the link to be re-sent.

Upcoming faculty workshops 

• Moodle Open Office Hours, 10 - 10:50 a.m., Friday, May 2

• Moodle Open Office Hours, 10 - 10:50 a.m., Friday, May 9

• Designing a Digital Humanities/Social Sciences Course, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., Thursday, May 15

• Moodle Open Office Hours, 10 - 10:50 a.m., Friday, May 16


Library Building Hours: The Library will have extended hours during the Finals period. Please check the library hours for details.

Brandeis is rich with religious diversity. As the semester ends, members of the Brandeis community celebrate:

Ridván (April 20 evening - May 2) is a joyous festival in the Baháʼí Faith, commemorating the moment when Bahá'u'lláh declared His divine mission in Baghdad's Ridván garden. Celebrated for twelve days from April 21 to May 2, it symbolizes spiritual renewal, unity, and the global vision of Bahá'u'lláh's teachings. Baháʼís come together for prayers, reflection, and acts of service, emphasizing love and harmony among all people. Ridván is a cherished time of celebration and rededication to the core principles of their faith.

Vesak (May 12) is the celebration of the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha. Sometimes call Buddha Day, Vesak is celebrated by Tibetan Buddhists in this 4th month of the lunar calendar. The full moon of the month is the most holy day, and named Saga Dawa Düchen. In Mahayana Buddhism, more prevalent in Central and East Asia, enlightenment is celebrated separately from birth and death, and dates vary.

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 3-4 p.m.. 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

Take a moment to take care of yourself! Come to the Levin-Ross Rooms (Hassenfeld) on Tuesday May 6 from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. for Mental Health Awareness Month. There will be an onsite vaccine clinic, Spotlight on Well-Being: Mental Health Awareness table, a chance to connect with the Benefits team, and Massage Chairs sign up (11 a.m. to 1 p.m.).

Based on a recent usage review, the Brandeis University Information Technology Advisory Committee has approved disabling select Microsoft 365 applications and changing the permissions of other applications. This will not affect how you use MS applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

On May 20, 2025, Brandeis will change the permissions of Microsoft Teams for all faculty, staff and students. Brandeis community members will continue to be able to access Teams as a guest. If you are invited to a Teams meeting hosted by another entity, you will be able to join. Brandeis community members will not be able to create Teams meetings nor host a Teams meeting from the Brandeis Microsoft 365 platform. As a reminder, Zoom Meeting is our supported teleconferencing platform and you can integrate Zoom Meeting with your Google calendar. For more information about the changes to Teams, please access our project page or email the Technology Help Desk (help@brandeis.edu).

As a reminder, ITS is replacing the desktop Cisco phone system with Zoom Phone. Zoom Phone is an addition to our existing Zoom Workplace license and can be added to any device with internet access by using your Brandeis login credentials. Zoom Phone will take the place of desk phones for all faculty and staff with a current Brandeis extension. A schedule for the transition to Zoom Phone, as well as a schedule of drop in informational sessions, will be published in the May 15 InBrief. We invite you to review our Zoom Phone informational page for a list of commonly asked questions and information about how Zoom Phone will be incorporated at Brandeis.

As of May 8, 2025, Brandeis will deactivate any remaining Confluence Knowledge Base sites. Content owners have been notified and have removed their material accordingly. If you have any questions regarding this, please reach out to the Technology Help Desk at help@brandeis.edu.

Want to get started on saving emergency funds? Use this Fidelity Goal Booster and save for the unexpected to help you get started. It’s quick and easy to use.

• 3 Reasons to Stay Invested Now
• 5 Factors Causing Volatility Now
• Learn how to Diversified

Financial Wellness Session (Sponsored by Fidelity), In Person Registration, Tuesday, May 13, Noon, Mandel G12 - Mandel Center for the Humanities, Five Money Musts
Learn about five basic money concepts to help you start your financial journey on the right foot. You're welcome to bring your lunch.

To schedule your one-on-one confidential consultation, please visit Fidelity's Scheduler or call 800-642-7131. For OnDemand videos, workshop and more visit Human Resources Financial Wellness.

Point32 Health/Harvard Pilgrim Health Care (HPHC)

Offering Virtual Wellness classes at no cost and easy to access via Zoom the following virtual wellness activities:

• Mindfulness
• Yoga
• Strength Training
• Cardio Dance
• And many more virtual wellness activities available for you to join.

NEW – Resources for Your Health and Well-Being

• Secure Member Account and Mobile App
• MyConnect
• Doctor On Demand-Download the secure QR code onto your phone for easy access.
• EdHEALTH – Coming Soon: Annual Walking Challenge-Get ready to move! edHEALTH, in partnership with Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, will be launching the 8th Annual Walking Challenge this June. Stay tuned — more details and instructions on how to participate will be shared soon by our partners at edHEALTH.

Ready or not, summer is coming up quick. And Bright Horizons still have spots open for your child at camp. Book at local camps for subsidized back-up care benefit.

Plus, virtual camp has you covered on days when you and your child are both at home. Log in for your benefits.

A friendly reminder for staff and managers, the TAP annual performance review process for staff launched for employees hired on or before January 1, 2025. All annual reviews must be completed by tomorrow, Friday, May 2, 2025. Training sessions for managers and staff and resources are posted including recordings of the training workshops on the TAP website. Contact HR for any questions.

Change is constant—especially in today’s workplace. Change does not have to be overwhelming—with the right approach, it can be an opportunity for growth and innovation. Join us for an interactive workshop, designed exclusively for managers. This session will equip you with practical strategies to lead through transitions, address resistance, and foster a culture of adaptability. Register

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:

• Empowerment Through Disability Inclusion webinar July 17 at noon via Zoom - During this session, Esi Hardy, owner of Celebrating Disability will discuss strategies for empowering disabled employees and those who support them in the workplace. REGISTER
• Multigenerational Workforce | Gail Parsons Wellness Webinar June 11 at 11 a.m. This session is designed to help managers and staff understand, appreciate, and leverage the unique skills and perspectives that different generations bring to the workplace. REGISTER - Space is still available!

Join us for Benefits Virtual Office Hours every Monday from 2 to 3 p.m. via Zoom!

Log in at any time during the hour to connect with a member of the Benefits team and ask general questions about your coverage, retirement plans, or other offerings.

We’re here to help you make the most of your benefits!

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:

• Excel: Avoiding Common Mistakes and Optimize your Excel skills - In this concise course, Excel expert Dennis Taylor provides quick and easy tips to help you avoid common mistakes. Dennis begins with the basics—how to display data so that errors can be easily spotted, enter data correctly the first time, and apply shortcuts for frequent entries. Dennis provides easy ways to protect worksheets and validate your data.
• Ten Habits of Effective Communicators: Build the Habits of the best communicators - Discover how to communicate to influence and impress, to motivate others, to do well in difficult conversations, and also how to become a great communicator by truly listening. Along the way, you will learn how to do all of this on an ongoing basis by cultivating habits that you can lean on, over and over again, to create the communication outcomes you want.

This is a reminder that the REAL ID Act enforcement deadline is approaching. Beginning May 7, 2025, travelers flying within the United States will be required to present a REAL ID–compliant driver’s license or another acceptable form of identification (e.g., Government issued passport) to pass through TSA security at airports.

What This Means for Travelers:

• Non-compliant IDs will no longer be accepted for domestic flights after this date.
• Travelers with existing travel bookings after May 7 should verify now that their identification meets REAL ID standards.
• A compliant ID typically has a star symbol in the top right corner—please check with your state’s DMV for specifics.

For more information, please visit the official DHS REAL ID website:

• What is a REAL ID?
• Frequently Asked Questions
• How do I get one?

Please reach out to Procurement & Business Services for any questions related to Brandeis University Business Travel.