President Arthur Levine has announced an additional President's Discretionary Day for 2025, falling on Wednesday, December 24.

This extra day off applies to all benefits-eligible staff who accrue sick, vacation, and personal time. As with all President's Discretionary Days, the time will be prorated for part-time employees.

Please note that the specific dates for President's Discretionary Days can change year to year and may be updated throughout the year at the President's discretion.

We are excited to welcome over 800 family members and friends to campus for Family Weekend from October 31-November 2! Please join us! The entire Brandeis campus community is invited to the Welcome Reception in the Great Lawn tent on Friday, October 31, 3:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m. to kick off the weekend with student performers, photos booths, and refreshments. Remarks from President Levine are scheduled for 4:30 p.m.

Please join us during the weekend for faculty talks, a craft fair, "Recipe for Connections" (cider and donuts with Student Affairs staff), bingo, trivia, and much more! The full Family Weekend schedule is available online.

If your department has materials (brochures, postcards, stickers, etc.) that you would like to have us put out on the tables at the welcome reception to advertise your programs to our guests, please email Dvora Pemstein.

Seeking Volunteers for Family Weekend

We need help to make Family Weekend a success! Staff and faculty are invited to volunteer for roles including registration/check-in, golf cart drivers, hospitality, greeting at faculty talks, and more. If faculty/staff would like to sign up to help out over the weekend, please contact Dvora Pemstein.

Thank you so much for your support of our students and their families! We couldn't do it without you!!

Brandeis will be opening its doors to our over 65,000 alumni on Friday, October 24. The weekend will kick off with a Welcome Reception on Friday at 4 p.m. in the tent on the Shapiro Campus Center Great Lawn. All faculty, staff and students are welcome to attend. We are expecting over 500 people on campus throughout the weekend. Brandeis community can visit here for a complete list of the weekend's events, but some highlights include:

• Welcome Reception, Friday from 4-6 p.m. on the Great Lawn
• Faculty and alumni presentations through our Alumni College program
• Alumni/Student Performance Showcase
• and much more!

Faculty, staff and students receive free registration for the weekend and can register on site in the SCC Lounge starting on Friday, October 24 at 9 a.m. Please note that parking and transportation will be a premium on Friday, so please be respectful to our guests visiting campus. For questions or additional information, please email alumniweekend@brandeis.edu.

Effective October 29, 2025, Brandeis and other Massachusetts employers will be required to include pay ranges in all job postings and share them with employees in certain situations.

What is Changing

• Pay ranges must be listed in every job posting.
• Employees offered a promotion or transfer must be informed of the pay range.
• Employees or applicants may request the pay range for a specific position.

For Staff

• Managers should contact their Talent Specialist or HR/Compensation to obtain pay ranges.
• Talent Specialists will ensure all postings include hiring ranges.

For Faculty

• Deans or Chairs should contact Faculty Affairs for pay range information.
• Faculty Affairs will review postings to ensure ranges are included and provide them upon request.

This new law reflects our continued commitment to equity, transparency, and trust across the Brandeis community.

By the end of this month, information about the Massachusetts Pay Transparency Act will be on the HR website.

In advance of the spring bill coming in late November, which will be due on December 15th, new students should access the Nelnet Student Account Portal to set up an account and add authorized parties. 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.

We will send a notification to students and authorized parties when the information is ready in Nelnet.

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!

 Open to staff, faculty and students:

• Water Battleship will be Sunday 10/19. Registration closes tonight. Cost is $10/team and the event will take place in the Linsey Indoor Pool.
• IM Badminton Tournament will be on Wednesday, October 22 in Shapiro Gym starting at 7 p.m.
• The IM Volleyball league will be starting up soon and registration closes October 29.

Register for all IM's at imleagues.com/brandeis.

The French program of the Department of Romance Studies is hosting six free film screenings this academic year, all of which are open to the public.

Event Details:

• Three films will be shown this fall.
• Three additional films will be shown in the spring.
• The entire series is made possible by a grant from the Albertine Foundation/French Embassy.

For complete information, please visit the Romance Studies webpage. 

Brandeis is rich with religious diversity. Holidays celebrated by the Brandeis community in October include:

Diwali (October 20, or else October 18 - 27) Diwali, the festival of lights, is a significant festival in Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism. Each religion celebrates this holiday differently, but worship, sharing sweets, fireworks, and decorating homes with lights are common elements. For many, Diwali is also associated with the start of the new year.

Birth of the Báb and the Birth of Bahá'u'lláh (October 22 - 23) Also known as the "Twin Holy Days", these holidays honor the births of two prophets and founders of the Baha’i faith, the Bab and Baha’u’llah. These holidays, when Baha’is gather to pray, read from the Baha’i writings, sing and dance and celebrate, hold enormous joy.

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.

Sign up for a workshop today:

• Spatial Data Collection, 11:15 a.m. - 12:05 p.m., Tuesday, Oct 21
• Intro to Vinyl Cutting and 2D Graphics, 1 - 2 p.m., Monday, Oct 27
• Introduction to Zotero, Various
• Digital Scholarship Lab Training and Open Hours, Various
• MakerLab Open Hours, Various
• Upcoming Sound and Image Media Studios workshop topics include Live Looping: Performing with Ableton, Graphics and Type: Combining InDesign and Illustrator to create the perfect poster, Studio Recording: Creating a Sample Pack in the Flex Studio, Photo Editing and Cataloging in Adobe Photoshop, Outdoor Photography and Videography, A Cappella Recording and Production, Logic Pro, Logo Design in Adobe Illustrator and Studio Recording: Creating a Sample Pack in the Flex Studio

ITS has begun rolling out Technology Health Checks, a new, on-site support program that brings our teams to your department so you don’t have to call, travel, or open a ticket. Meet with experts from the Technology Client Services group for training, support, computer help, to answer questions you may have and much more!

Members of the ITS Client Technology Services Group, formerly The Help Desk and Media Technology Services, will be at various locations across campus in the coming weeks, including:

• Sawyer Rd (2nd Floor Cafe Conference room): Oct. 22, 1 - 3 p.m., Institutional Advancement / Investment Trust Group
• Brown Building (Room 133): Oct. 16, 10 a.m. - noon | Oct. 22, 10 - noon, Psychology, Anthropology, American Studies, Journalism Departments
• Lemberg Int'l (Dean’s Suite): Oct. 29, 10 a.m. - noon & 1 - 3 p.m., School of Business & Economics

Watch for session dates in the October Brandeis Technology Newsletters, on @DeisTechNews social channels, the ITS News Website and keep an eye out for emails from your department administrators.

Want to Sign Up?

We will be reaching out to all groups and buildings across campus in the coming weeks, however you can get fast-tracked by reaching out to Chris Lowre to schedule your department today!

As we move into fall and start cleaning up our yards and homes to move into a new season, consider cleaning up your digital clutter! The ITS Change Management Office recently launched the Digital Declutter initiative. Listen to an interview with Suzanne Raj, our occupational health manager, about how she manages her digital clutter and check out our best practices for getting your inbox to manageable.

In honor of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, ITS invites the entire Brandeis community to our Webinar Tech Talk: Cyber Smarts 2025: Protecting Data, Email, and Identity in the Age of AI. This special Tech Talk will provide the tools to protect both personal and organizational data from modern digital threats.

Join us on Thursday, October 23, at 12:30 p.m. EST to learn about data loss prevention, email investigation, AI and deepfakes, and password management. Sign Up Today!

Faculty and staff who previously had access to Cisco desk phones have now been transitioned to Zoom Phone. If you have not activated your Zoom Phone or are unable to access Zoom Phone on your Brandeis-issued computer, please open a ticket with the Zoom Phone team and they will be able to assist you.

ITS is offering virtual and in person support sessions to assist you with managing your Google Storage. Beginning January 12, 2026, Brandeis will begin implementing storage limits in Brandeis Google Accounts - this includes Gmail, Photos, and Google Drive. For assistance in how to set up Shared Drives, managing your email, and learning more about Google Storage, you can attend a drop in session via Zoom or sign up for an in person session. If you have questions about the Google Storage policy, please email storagepolicy@brandeis.edu. For technical assistance or questions about the help sessions, please email help@brandeis.edu.

Introducing the “Phish Alert Button” for Gmail! This new button, also known as the “PAB”, makes reporting suspected phishing attempts easy for everyone! With a single click, you can forward suspicious emails to our security team, removing it from your inbox and keeping you and our community safe from cyber threats. This new button will go live on Monday October 27. Learn more about this new feature at our Phish Alert Button webpage.

ITS released its second edition of the new monthly technology newsletter “Brandeis Technology News” last week. Stay in the know with our opt-in service, by signing up through the Brandeis Technology News Google Group, or by visiting the new ITS News Webpages.

Don’t forget to follow @DeisTechNews on Facebook, Instagram, Threads and X/Twitter!

Brandeis University prides itself on offering faculty and staff comprehensive and competitive benefits, including medical, dental, and pharmacy benefits. Eligible faculty, staff, and dependents can choose from four medical options administered through Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, with the university contributing an average of 66% and up to 87% of the annual premium. Did you know that each year Brandeis spends roughly $20M on medical and prescription claims based on the current self-insured design of these programs? Learn more about our offerings, our benefits partners, and ways to save.

Brandeis is committed to providing you, as a student, faculty or staff member, the resources you need to thrive in our community. Whether it’s mental health, financial or academic support — or another form of assistance — we’re here for you. Please visit the Support at Brandeis website to learn about resources, tools, and ideas on how to find help that is helpful!

Please join Occupational Health Services at the well-being booster event on October 27th from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Levin-Ross Rooms (Hassenfeld Conference Center). This well-being booster event will be offering:

• On-site vaccinations to all faculty, staff, and their families (ages 4+); register. COVID vaccinations are now available, and walk-ins are welcome. Please be sure to bring your pharmacy card.
• Education and resources about Dental Health
• Chair Massages

The 2026 Benefits Open Enrollment period will take place this year between October 27 and November 7. 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, 2026.

Human Resources is also pleased to announce that we will be hosting this year’s annual Benefits Fair on Wednesday October 29th from 11:30 a.m. – 2 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.

Open Enrollment Sessions – To Learn about your Benefits

• Monday, October 27, Luria Rooms 1-3 – Hassenfeld Conference Center, noon - 1 p.m., Register
• Thursday, October 30, Zoom https://brandeis.zoom.us/j/6694553786, 2 - 3 p.m., Register
• Wednesday, November 5, Zoom https://brandeis.zoom.us/j/6694553786, 10- 11 a.m., Register

Whether you’re exploring new plan options or looking for a refresher, these sessions will provide valuable insights and guidance. We want to make sure you understand what's offered and pick the best plans and coverage for you and your family.

Join us to learn about Brandeis' rich and comprehensive benefits and what's new for 2026.

English is a second language for many of our employees, but language should never be a barrier to finding support, information, or resources. Any Brandeis employee can access interpreter services for business related matters by following these instructions:

• Call Rapport International: 1-866-895-7403
• Use Customer Code: RI 367149
• Company name: Brandeis Occupational Health Services

Learn more. ASL interpreters available via OnDemand Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) platform through Rapport International.

Fidelity - Women Talk Money - The next Women Talk Money event is October 29: Women Talk Money: 5 key steps to master your money Please visit Human Resources/Benefits Retirement Saving Support website for upcoming events and registration information.

Thank you to everyone who was able to attend the Retirement Planning Day event — it was a success because of your participation! Presentations are available on the Human Resources/Retirement Savings Support website. For personalized assistance, you can schedule a one-on-one confidential consultation with a Fidelity Planner — on campus, virtually, or by phone. To book your appointment, please visit Fidelity’s website.

To help you plan for your future, 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.

To schedule your one-on-one confidential consultation, please visit Fidelity's website or call 800-642-7131.

To review and update your benefit elections during open enrollment please visit Human Resources Employee Benefits Review Benefits and Update Beneficiary and Dependent Demographics.

Each year Brandeis is required to inform you of the notice 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. 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. 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.

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.

Remember to use your FSA by the end of the year 2025. As a reminder Health Care FSA and the Limited Purpose FSAs use the Carryover Method. This means you must spend down (your annual election by 12/31/2025. If you have any unclaimed funds after that date you may only carry over up to $660 to use for 2026 expenses. Funds over $660 are forfeit.

• The Dependent Care FSA still utilizes the Grace period which 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.

Important: If you are planning to enroll in the HDHP/HSA plan for 2026 your total 2025 funds must be reimbursed by 12/31/25. You cannot contribute to the HSA if you or your spouse at their employer have HCFSA funds in your account on 1/1/2026. Visit the Human Resources website for more detailed information about Flexible Spending Accounts and/or the FSA Store.