In the Know – Issue 80

A Driving Force for Success

Development and Athletics teamed up to sponsor the 11th Annual Red Hawk Open, which welcomed 116 golfers teeing off to raise money for Montclair student athletes and programs. Check out the terrific results – par for the course!

Connecting Spanish Courses to Future Careers

From law enforcement to health care, University career-specific Spanish courses help students prepare for their chosen professions.

Sprague Library Transitions to 24/7 Live Chat Support

University Libraries is joining Springshare Global Cooperative to provide around-the-clock support with credentialed professionals in academic research.

In the News

• Ariel Alvarez (Political Science and Law) is quoted in this NJ.com article about a new indictment alleging Senator Menendez acted as a foreign agent to benefit Egypt.
• Jason Williams (Justice Studies) is quoted in this NorthJersey.com article about a rift between two leaders of the Paterson Healing Collective violence intervention group.
• Te Wu (Management) is quoted in an article for IT leadership publication CIO about why IT initiatives fail.
• Joel Penney (Communication and Media) is quoted in several articles about an online conspiracy theory regarding Barack Obama’s sexuality; publications include The Advocate, Poynter and Politifact.
• Jennifer Urban (Family Science and Human Development) was featured on K24 Television in Kenya where she talked about the Templeton World Charity Foundation Global Innovations in Character Development conference convening in Africa. The event was organized by the Institute for Research on Youth Thriving and Evaluation at Montclair and included about 40 attendees from 10 African countries.
• A. Seddik Meziani (Accounting and Finance) offered his expertise for a WalletHub article about rental car insurance.

Upcoming Events

• Student Appreciation Week 2023 begins Monday with more than 50 fun events planned for the week to let our students know we appreciate them. Faculty and staff are encouraged to wear “You Belong” stickers and give them to students. Pick up your stickers at Red Hawk Central at the 2nd floor atrium of Cole Hall or the Student Center Information Desk starting Monday. Visit engage for a full list of events.
• Interested in grad school? Graduate Admissions will hold its fall 2023 virtual open house this Sunday, October 22. You will hear directly from faculty about our graduate programs and certifications. Tuition reimbursement is available for eligible employees.
• Join Justin Savage (Library) on Friday, October 27 for a conversation on the role of artificial intelligence in academic research, citation generation and why it may move the needle on progressing the Open Access movement with Fridays with ITDS.
• Reserve a flu shot at the upcoming campus flu clinics this fall. Walk-ins are welcome while supplies last.
• Campus Recreation invites employees (and up to four guests) to its free Family Swim Night on Friday, October 27 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Student Recreation Center pool. Children must be over age 5 and fully potty-trained. Guests must be accompanied by an employee with a University ID. For more information, contact Tzu-Lin Toner at tonert@montclair.edu.
• Register for the University Blood Drive, Tuesday, October 31 in Student Center Ballrooms A and B. Appointments are preferred. Walk-ins welcomed if space permits. Photo ID required.
• Campus Security Authority training will be held in person Thursday, November 16 and virtually Thursday, December 14 via Zoom. Increase your understanding of the Clery Act and your roles and responsibilities as a Campus Security Authority (CSA) in reporting Clery Act crimes.

HR News

Open Enrollment ends on Tuesday, October 31. Now is your chance to review benefits and make changes for the next calendar year. All changes made during Open Enrollment will be effective on January 1, 2024. No action is required if you do not wish to change or modify your medical or dental benefits. Action is required to enroll and re-enroll in Flexible Spending Accounts. Log into the Benefitsolver to find out what’s new for 2024 and view resources about your benefit options.

Reminders

• University Employees are encouraged to enroll with Rave Mobile safety to stay aware of emergency alerts and other vital information.
• Take advantage of the State Employee Discount Program with access to discounts in various categories.
• EMS has installed hemorrhage/bleeding control kits and Narcan in Automated External Defibrillator (AED) cabinets on campus and is offering training sessions on how to use the hemorrhage control and Narcan kits. If you or your department would like to participate in these training sessions, contact EMS at 973-655-7836 or ems@montclair.edu.
• Did you know the Center for Writing Excellence is open to all University employees? The center provides free, confidential appointments for feedback on all types of writing including professional documents, emails, memos and improving general writing skills. In-person and online appointments are available.
• Visit the Volunteer Center’s updated site for ongoing volunteer opportunities through the 2023-2024 academic year.
• Land on a broken link or dead end on montclair.edu? Report your experience.
• The new University Calendar is here. Powered by the University’s room booking system, 25Live, all event listings should be entered here. Still need training? Register for online or in-person training.

Support

• Worried about a student’s well-being? Please fill out a CARE Report form to connect students to support and resources. Faculty and advisors can complete an alert via Navigate for academic concerns.
• The Employee Assistance Program provides free, confidential support services for University employees and their families – including locating resources for substance abuse, mental health and self-help. For more information, see the attached CONCERN brochure.
• If you or a loved one is experiencing a mental health crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 988, the new nationwide 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline for free, confidential support, 24/7.
• Mindfulness Meditation is held every Monday online, 12-12:30 p.m. and open to all with an interest in learning about meditation and developing mindfulness. Register here.

Kudos

• To Joe Amditis (Communication and Media), who was invited to speak on a panel about collaborative journalism models and content-sharing at the 2023 Creative Commons Global Summit in Mexico City, Mexico.
• To Peter C. DeSarno (Business, Bloomfield), who was honored with the 2023 Impact Ovation Award by the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants.
• To Guy Nicolucci (Communication and Media), whose film Hot Take: The Murdaugh Murders recently premiered on Tubi.

Social Media Post of Note

Have an item you’d like included in Kudos or Reminders? Want to nominate a staffer for our spotlight? Use this form to tell us. Read more about our people and programs in the University News Center and in back issues of In the Know. And find out what’s happening on campus in the Events Calendar.