In The Know – Issue 94

Bloomfield Partners with Essex County School for Dual Enrollment Program

Eligible students at Donald M. Payne, Sr. School of Technology will be able to take coursework in Game Design and will be admitted to Bloomfield upon graduation.

Professor Receives Grant from National Endowment for the Humanities

Elizabeth Emery receives grant to complete her new book, Florine Langweil and the Rise of the East Asian Art Market (1852-1945).

A Parade of Pups!

View photos of pupscot Pebbles, her furry friends and their parents from the “Gotcha Day” parade.

In the News

• President Jonathan Koppell is on this year’s NJBIZ Power 100 list.
• Joel Penney (Communication and Media) is mentioned in this NorthJersey.com article about a recent Monmouth University Polling Institute survey that showed nearly one in five Americans believe Taylor Swift is part of a conspiracy to help Joe Biden win the 2024 national presidential election.
• Jersey’s Best magazine published a feature on Blind Injustice, an opera presented by PEAK Performances last week.
• Daniela Peterka-Benton (Justice Studies) is quoted in this Times Union article about human smugglers using social media to promote northern border crossings.
• TheSmokies.com published an article about the billions of cicadas set to emerge across the Southeast and Midwest this spring and mentioned a 2021 News Center article about the insects.
• Research by Gabriel Rubin (Justice Studies) is mentioned in this Axios article about the Gen Z mental health crisis.
• Stephen Andon (Communication and Media) is quoted in this CNN.com article about why the new Major League Baseball jerseys have players and fans in an uproar.

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.
• The deadline for faculty and staff participating in Spring Commencement to order regalia is Monday, March 25. Advanced registration is required for all faculty and staff working Commencement and for those who are participating in the academic processional. Registration will close on Monday, April 15. Additional information about venue arrival times, event credential distribution, shuttle service, and more is available on the Commencement website under Faculty and Staff Information.
• 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

• Join Fridays with ITDS today at 10 a.m. for a hands-on session that demonstrates how InSpace can be used to elevate student engagement in online or in-person 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.
• Campus Recreation invites employees (and up to four guests) to its FREE Family Swim Night from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Fridays, February 23, March 22 and April 26 at the Student Recreation Center pool. Guests must be over age 5 and accompanied by an employee with a University ID. Flotation devices that are USCG approved are allowed. For more information, contact Alex Sperling at sperlinga@montclair.edu.
• Attend the Critical Urban Education speaker series on Thursday, March 21 featuring Deonna Smith, educational justice advocate and former school teacher and leader. Learn strategies in community building and accessible academic frameworks.
• Week six of the Strong Student Campaign advises students to “Deal with Absences Effectively.” Communicating a clear, reasonable attendance policy and steps for addressing absences will help students understand what is expected of them and how they can find out about what they missed. For suggestions and tips, see Respond to Absences Effectively.
• Attend Montclair State University Day at Yankee 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.
• 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.
• 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, 25 Live, 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. Re-subscribe to opt-in.

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.
• 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.
• 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 Karina Escobar (Social Justice and Diversity), Fatima deCarvalho (Dean of Students Office) and Lauren Dinour (Nutrition and Food Studies), who shared advice on establishing a successful community food pantry in Times Higher Education.
• To Dawn Meza Soufleris (Student Development and Campus Life), who was chosen for the second cohort of the NASPA Equity Leadership Academy, as one of 25 vice presidents of student affairs to attend a six-month leadership academy focused on racial equity in higher education.

Social Media Post of Note

All paws on deck for my Gotcha Day Celebration. I hope all my Red Hawks had a great time celebrating with me, I know I did! AND the best part… marching with all my furry friends in the 1st ever Puppy Parade!

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.