On February 25 the university will host its annual Staff Service Recognition Ceremony to honor employees who have attained 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 years of service in 2025. If you have achieved this milestone anniversary, you and your supervisor will be receiving an invitation from Paperless Post in your inbox within the next few weeks. Please be sure to keep an eye out.

As a reminder Google Storage Limits will be implemented on January 12, 2026. On October 31, 2025, Google Storage Limits were increased for all members of our community. There are still some members of the community approaching these new limits. Please visit our Google Storage website page to schedule an in person session with ITS staff or join a virtual or in person help sessions. These sessions are for all members of the Brandeis community.

The increased storage limits are listed below.

• Faculty/Emerti: 100 GB
• Staff: 50 GB
• Academic Affiliates: 25 GB
• All Students: 25 GB
• Contingent Work: 5 GB

ITS needs your input! Help us bring the technology topics most important to you in 2026! In 2025, we launched our new “Tech Talks” program, a Ted Talk style platform, presenting on topics such as “Introductory AI at Brandeis”, a Deeper Dive into Google and Zoom AI Tools, and on Digital Decluttering and Google Storage. Feedback has been great so far and we are excited to continue bringing you the info you want to hear about in the new year. Help us learn more about your goals by filling out our brief, 4-question 2026 Tech Talk Survey.

Students and families received the spring 2026 bill electronically via Nelnet on Wednesday, November 19th. The due date is December 15. 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.

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 last day mid-year graduates are eligible to work on campus as student employees is December 22, 2025. Please make sure all time is entered into Workday on or before that date as time entry will be inaccessible effective December 23. Eligibility for student employment requires enrollment in a course of study and December 22 is the program completion date for those who have applied to graduate mid-year.

Brandeis Hospitality will adjust hours of operation for Winter Break from December 23 through January 12 for Winter Break. From December 25 – January 4th, The Hoot will be the only dining location open, offering fresh hot coffee, Kosher, Made Without Gluten, Vegan, and Vegetarian meals, plus grab-and-go options. Carryover points and WhoCash can be used during this time.

For more information, see our website for complete details.

Did you know that online graduate classes are free for Brandeis employees? Submit your application by December 16 to start classes in January! Or take up to 2 professional development courses committing to a program. Classes are fully online, 8 weeks long each, and designed for working professionals.

To learn more, visit brandeis.edu/online or contact our admission team at online@brandeis.edu.

The fall semester schedule and the shuttle service during winter break will be adjusted.

• For the upcoming dates and times, we will combine the Campus and Waltham routes into our usual Combo route.
  • Weekdays, December 12 - 19, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
  • Weekends, December 13 - 21, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m
  • Monday, December 22, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• The Boston Cambridge Shuttle will not be running from Friday, December 12 until Friday, January 16.
• No service from December 23 through January 11.
• We will resume regular service on January 12.

You can keep up with our current schedule by using the TripShot app and our transportation website.

ITS is hosting a "Tech Talk" on Digital Decluttering. Learn how to free up storage space, make your devices faster, improve your security and reduce stress!

• January 14, 11 a.m. - noon 
• Sign up to save your spot! Register to join us In-Person (limited seats available) or Register to join us on Zoom

Don’t forget to sign up for the Brandeis Technology Newsletter and follow @DeisTechNews on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X/Twitter and LinkedIn to stay up to date with ITS Tech Talks, technology news and helpful tips and tricks to making your use of technology more helpful and productive!

We're Bringing Tech Support to You!

ITS is hosting one more special Technology Health Check this semester! This event will take place at the Shapiro Campus Center on Dec 11 from 9 a.m.-noon. This special session is open to all members of the Brandeis community! Stop by between classes or meetings, no appointment needed!

Missed a Health Check Session this semester? Don’t worry! We will be continuing this program moving forward, so keep an eye out for spring sessions in your neighborhood! Need tech help now? Contact us at help@brandeis.edu or stop by the Goldfarb Help Desk!

ITS will be conducting network maintenance on December 12th and December 29 to upgrade our technology infrastructure. Work on December 12 is expected to begin at 5 a.m. and take an hour. Those on campus at that time may experience a complete loss of wireless connectivity or intermittent network access during that time. Maintenance will begin at 7am on December 29 and those on campus will experience a complete internet outage for at least thirty minutes. Work on the 29 is expected to take two hours, with additional intermittent network outages a possibility during that time.

Services that rely on the network, such as Zoom Phone, wireless connectivity and the Brandeis VPN, will not be accessible during internet outages on both maintenance days. If you have any questions regarding the outages, please email networks@brandeis.edu.

Are you looking for information on how to perform tasks or run reports in Workday? Do you have a question you’d like to ask about the Workday training material or Workday itself? All of our Workday training material for faculty and staff is now in Moodle Communities! To self-enroll in Workday for Faculty or Workday for Staff, look under the Professional Development courses in Moodle Communities. Here, you’ll find job aids, videos, and forums to ask questions about Workday. Staff will review and respond to questions in the course forums on the last Wednesday of each month. For questions about these Moodle Communities courses, please contact the Help Desk (help@brandeis.edu or dial 64357 in your Zoom Phone app).

• January 21, February 12, March 11, April 14, May 14
• 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
• Levin-Ross Rooms, Hassenfeld

Please join Occupational Health Services at the well-being booster event during the academic year. This well-being booster event will be offering:

• On-site vaccinations for all faculty, staff, and their families (ages 4+); register. Walk-ins are welcome. Please be sure to bring your pharmacy card.
• Education and resources about staying up-to-date on your vaccinations. Vaccination recommendations are based on a person's age, occupation, travel plans, and pre-existing conditions. Are you up to date on your vaccinations?
• Chair Massages

While the holidays can be a joyful time, many of us experience increased stress, sadness, anxiety and grief. If the holidays are difficult, give yourself permission to put you first. Let us help you prepare for the holidays. All services are fully confidential and provided at no cost to you. Get Support Now to connect with KGA 24/7.

Resources:

• Guide to Managing Mental Health Around the Holidays
• Holiday Depression and Stress
• Grieving During The Holidays
• Peer Support Groups for stress and anxiety, depression, and grief
• Mindtide App: get support anywhere, anytime with KGA MindTide – the friendly stress and anxiety self-help app

It’s that time of year to nominate two outstanding Brandeis staff members for The Lou Ennis Staff Award (exempt staff) and The Louis and Helen Zirkel Staff Award (nonexempt staff).

This is your opportunity to recognize an individual who excels in the performance of their job responsibilities and goes above and beyond to contribute to the well-being and the vitality of the University and the Brandeis community. Nominations of staff members for both the Ennis and Zirkel awards should include significant contributions made during the 2025 calendar year. Nominees must be full-time employees and in good standing.

The winners of each award, and their supervisors, will be invited to attend the Employee Service Awards ceremony on February 25.

All nominations for the Ennis and Zirkel Awards are due to Human Resources on or before January 16. For more information and to access the nomination forms, please go to the employee recognition page.

Spring into professional growth with Spring 2026 Quick Bytes, a series of three interactive, 1-hour workshops designed to boost your effectiveness, well-being, and collaboration at work. Each session includes a brief LinkedIn Learning video to watch in advance, followed by a live discussion to turn insights into action. Topics include Mastering Digital Organization, Navigating Difficult Conversations with Confidence, and Time Management Part II – Building Systems that Stick—attend one or join all three! REGISTER

We are delighted to invite managers to join the Spring 2026 Manager’s Book Group, where we will explore Brené Brown’s Dare to Lead and reflect on practical strategies for fostering courage, clarity, and connection in leadership. This two-session virtual program will provide a supportive space for managers to learn from one another, strengthen communication, and build healthier team cultures. Please register by January 23, 2026 so we can order books for all participants: REGISTER

The Spring 2026 Brandeis Management Certificate Program is now open for registration! This four-session series—covering legal considerations, coaching skills, and compensation and benefits—provides practical tools for managers at all levels. Sessions run January through April, and participants who complete all sessions will earn the Brandeis Management Certificate. 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:

Live Workshops via Zoom:

Finding Belonging: How to Build Community Wherever You Are, January 6, noon - 1 p.m., This uplifting and practical session will help you map your current social connections, spot opportunities to build relationships, and create intentional moments of connection in daily life. You will leave with simple tools and strategies to build a life of connection, happiness, and well-being. REGISTER

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? We are spotlighting these timely and relevant courses available to faculty and staff. 

Featured Courses Include:

• Harnessing Curiosity to be More Persuasive and Influential (45-minute course), Join instructor Becki Saltzman as she guides you through the essentials of transforming curiosity into an actionable skill for building authentic connections, ethical influence, and persuasive communication. Through practical exercises, role-plays, and innovative AI techniques, learn how to strategically leverage curiosity to spark commitment, build credibility, and inspire meaningful engagement in both personal and professional settings.
• Coaching Skills for Leaders and Managers (33-minute course), Leaders who provide targeted, ongoing coaching to their employees can strengthen their team and add value to their organization. In this course, leadership expert Sara Canaday shares the differences between managing, training, and coaching, and provides managers with coaching models and skills to support the development and growth of their employees.

Action Required: TAP Mid-Year Reviews due December 12, 2025. Please ensure all evaluations are submitted by the deadline to support consistent and timely performance development across teams. For resources and details visit the TAP website.