In The Know – Issue 93

Talk About a Gesture

How Professor Mark Rotella’s New York Times’ opinion piece about New York Giants quarterback Tommy Devito’s touchdown celebration and Italian hand motion sparked a cultural conversation

Documentary Spotlights Promising Montclair Vibraphonist

After a visit to Montclair, filmmakers pivot to tell the story of Sparni, a talented senior Jazz studies major who has overcome mental health struggles.

Red Hawk Spotlight: Paul Martinez, Librarian and Archivist

Meet Paul Martinez, Librarian and Archivist at the Harry A. Sprague Library.

In the News

• Dawn Meza Soufleris (Student Development and Campus Life), penned an essay for The Chronicle of Higher Education on her journey as a “first-generation warrior” and how things have changed – and stayed the same – for students like her.
• Tina Zottoli (Psychology) and Tarika Daftary-Kapur (Justice Studies), contributed an op-ed to The Philadelphia Inquirer that calls for the criminal justice system to offer more rehabilitation opportunities to young adults.
• Stephanie Silvera (Public Health), spoke with NJSpotlight News about the CDC potentially ending the five-day isolation period for COVID-19 patients.
• The New York Times featured “Blind Injustice,” the latest installment of Peak Performances, which will be performed on February 16 and 18.

Important Updates

• W-2 forms are now available for print and download in Workday. From your Workday home page, under “Applications,” please select the “Pay” icon, then select “My Tax Documents.” Once in My Tax Documents scroll down and you’ll see a table with available tax year W-2 documents that you can view/print. If you do not see this notation, that means your W-2 was delivered by mail. If you were employed by Bloomfield College during January 1, 2023, through June 30, 2023, you will receive a separate W-2 for earnings during that time period. Questions? contact Workday Support at wccsupport@montclair.edu or 973-655-5000, Option 3.
• Do you identify as a first-generation college student? Apply for Tri-Alpha, which recognizes academic achievements, promotes leadership and provides support networks for first-generation college students/faculty/staff/alumni. To qualify, you must meet the definition of a first-generation student at the time you completed your bachelor’s degree. To be part of Tri-Alpha, faculty and staff must be willing to serve as mentors for current first-generation students. The deadline for applications is February 18.
• Red Hawk Pantry is accepting donations of reusable shopping bags through Friday, March 1. Donation bins are located in the Student Center Annex, Room 113; Cole Hall, Center for Community Engagement, Room 348; and the Overlook Corporate Center, 3rd floor, front desk.
• Connect with and hire students at the spring Part-Time Student Job Fair on Friday, March 1. Register for a table and post available positions via Handshake. Questions? Contact the Office for Experiential Education and Career Connections at careerconnect@montclair.edu.

Upcoming Events

• Attend Montclair State University Day at Yankees Stadium on Sunday, April 7. Watch the New York Yankees take on the Toronto Blue Jays. Purchase tickets for Montclair section #334. Tickets include a free Yankees/MSU cap and a $20 food and beverage voucher.
• Blind Injustice, an opera in-concert, will be performed February 16 and February 18 at the Alexander Kasser Theater. Blind Injustice explores the true stories of six people who were unjustly imprisoned and later exonerated with the help of the Ohio Innocence Project. Immediately following both performances, there will be a public conversation with two of the exonerated prisoners portrayed in the piece.
• Attend Fridays with ITDS on Friday, February 23, for a hands-on session that demonstrates how InSpace can be used to elevate student engagement in online or in-person courses.
• Join the Office of Faculty Excellence on Tuesday, February 20 for the Black History Month and Beyond faculty panel, as they share their strategies for making Black history and heritage more than a month and diversify their courses.
• Mark your calendars for Preserving Local History: The Case of the Howe House on Thursday, February 29 at 6 p.m. in Cole Hall, Room 340. This Black History Month event highlights efforts by Montclair advocates to preserve the historic house of James Howe, a formerly enslaved man who was freed in 1817.
• Occupational Health services along with Christopher King in Clinical Psychology, are conducting round table sessions/discussions for employees beginning Monday, March 4 through Monday, April 29. Register to learn valuable tips on managing mental health and keeping your work and personal life in alignment. Light snacks and refreshments will be served.

Reminders

• Request the company of our university pupscot, Pebbles at your upcoming events! Let Pebbles be a paw-sitive presence at your event, fostering a sense of well-being and support for everyone involved.
• The University has partnered with Ascendium Education Solutions®, a leader in student loan repayment support, to address any questions or concerns regarding federal student loans. Call 833-707-1220 or email successcenter@ascendiumeducation.org for assistance. Also check out the MSU GradReady website for additional resources available to help with managing your financial needs.
• Faculty and staff are eligible to purchase the 30 Block + $50 Red Hawk Dollar meal plan or the $300 Red Hawk Dollar meal plan. By purchasing the $300 Faculty/Staff RHD plan, you will also receive a bonus $50 Red Hawk Dollars. The plan can be used at all campus dining venues, vending machines and convenience stores. Enroll by payroll deduction or credit card.
• Take advantage of the State Employee Discount Program with access to discounts in various categories.
• Worried about a student’s well-being? Please fill out a CARE Report form to connect students to mental health support and resources. Faculty and advisors can complete an alert via Navigate for academic concerns.
• 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 virtual appointments are available.
• Land on a broken link or dead end on montclair.edu? Report your experience here.
• 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.
• The email listservs “For Sale,” “Campus” and “Discuss” are now opt-in only. All members have been unsubscribed and to participate you need to re-subscribe. In addition to changing subscriptions from opt-out to opt-in, please see below for the purpose of each list.
  • Campus: employees may share University events and similar information of broad general interest to faculty and staff.
  • For Sale: employees may post items they want to sell or give away, but this list is strictly for occasional personal use. It may not be used to promote a private business.
  • Discuss: employees may use this forum for the open exchange of views on a wide variety of topics.

Support for Staff and Faculty

• The Employee Assistance Program provides free, confidential support services for employees and their families – including locating resources for substance abuse, mental health and self-help. For more information, view the CONCERN brochure.
• If you or a loved one is experiencing a mental health crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 988, the nationwide 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline for free, confidential support, 24/7.

Kudos

• To Rosita Rodriguez (Nursing), who was recognized by the New Jersey State Nurses Association for outstanding professional career accomplishments.
• To Aaron Helgeson (Music) who received the Benjamin H. Danks award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, which recognizes exceptional talent and dedication to the craft of music composition.
• To Dave Bryngil (Athletics and Campus Recreation), whose article, “Best Practice Strategies for Recruiting Professional Talent” was published in the January/February 2024 issue of Campus Rec Magazine.
• To the following professors who recently received emeritus status:
  • Sandra Adams (Science and Mathematics)
  • Lee Hwang Lee (Science and Mathematics)
  • Tamara Lucas (Education and Engaged Learning)
  • Kathryn Herr (Education and Engaged Learning)
  • Mary Boyle (Humanities and Social Sciences)
  • Janet Koehnke (Humanities and Social Sciences)
  • Jeffrey Kunkel (Music)
  • Joan Besing (Humanities and Social Sciences)
  • Leonard Lauricella (Business)

Social Media Post of Note

Spreading love this #ValentinesDay with a heartfelt twist! This is your friendly reminder that today isn’t only about romantic love, but sharing love and appreciation to the ones who matter most. When’s the last time you told your parents you loved them? #SpreadLove

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.