In the Know – Issue 81

Smoothing the Way for Bergen Community College Transfer Students

Students with associate degrees will be able to seamlessly transfer into various Montclair bachelor’s degree programs under joint academic agreement.

Women Entrepreneurship Week Celebrates 10th Anniversary

Created and hosted by the Feliciano Center for Entrepreneurship + Innovation, this year’s event featured a new networking luncheon followed by speakers and a panel discussion. If you missed it, you can watch the livestream.

Creative Writing Program Nurtures Aspiring Authors’ Dreams

Workshops in poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction and memoir bring out the best in students, giving them the “write stuff” for future literary success.

In Schools, an Ongoing Fight for Racial Justice

Critical Urban Education Speaker Series welcomed Bettina L. Love to campus to share her groundbreaking work on the fight for racial equity in schools.

Holding History in Their Hands

Each year for the last 10 years, a faculty-led archaeological excavation has allowed students to explore the Roman imperial “Villa of the Antonines.”

In the News

• Eva Goldfarb (Public Health) is quoted in this Fort Worth Star-Telegram article about the school district’s sex education curriculum.
• Jason Williams (Justice Studies) is quoted in this NorthJersey.com article about the curfew at Garden State Plaza and whether it has proved to be effective.
• Jonathan Caspi (Family Science and Human Development) hosted an event on anxiety coping strategies earlier this month that was covered in Montclair Local.
• Brad Forenza (Social Work and Child Advocacy) wrote an article for Catholic publication The Tablet about World Homeless Day.
• Stephanie Silvera (Public Health) is quoted in this NJ.com article about rising RSV cases in the state and high demand for immunization.
• David Galef (English) contributed a piece to Inside Higher Ed about whether instructors should offer extra credit opportunities to their students.
• This month’s Being Black/Brown in Blue: A Law and Law Enforcement Careers and Community Conference presented by the Future College Graduate Academy and Educational Opportunity Fund was covered by NJ Spotlight.

Upcoming Events

• 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.

Support Rocky’s Closet and Red Hawk Pantry

Support Rocky’s Closet this fall by donating new or gently worn winter items including coats, gloves, scarves, hats and more. Red Hawk Pantry is also in need of non-perishable and personal hygiene donations. Clothing items can be brought to Student Center Room 113A. Food and hygiene items can be brought to the pantry (Blanton Hall, Room 1200) during open hours or donated via the Amazon wishlist. For more information, contact Karina Escobar, escobark@montclair.edu.

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.

Fill it Forward

University Facilities has partnered with Fill it Forward to encourage our university community to choose reusable water bottles over single-use plastic bottles. Download the Fill it Forward app via the App Store or Google Play and sign in with your University ID. Each time you refill your bottle and scan the QR code at the fill station, you’ll unlock a donation to charitable projects and receive an automatic entry into the monthly prize drawing.

Reminders

• All members of the University community are required by state law to annually review the fire evacuation plan and staging areas and emergency exit plans for the building in which the community members work, attend class, and/or reside.
• 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 Jaime Grinberg (Educational Foundations) who was selected to be the editor of an academic international refereed online journal: Inquiry: Critical Thinking Across the Disciplines.
• To Jason Strother (Communication and Media) whose story, Navigating Blindness in the Supermarket for the podcast, Proof by America’s Test Kitchen, won gold in its category at the 2023 Signal Awards.
• To Laura Nicosia and James F. Nicosia (English) who published a new edited collection from Salem Press about Cormac McCarthy’s All the Pretty Horses.

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.