In The Know – Issue 97

Triumph Over Trauma

The Male Enrollment and Graduation Alliance Symposium empowers young men of color by providing them with insight and information on pursuing a college degree.

Balancing Audiology and Exercise Science Needs

As the only University-based system in the area, the Bertec CDP Virtual Reality Balance System gives students access to an important tool to use in their audiology and exercise science studies and research.

Feliciano School of Business will Host New Student-Run Cafe

The Saxbys Experiential Learning Platform cafe will provide students with experience in  leadership roles in hopes to propel post-graduate success.

In the News

• President Jonathan Koppell contributed a piece to U.S. News & World Report about what colleges can do to help students manage conflict.
• Amy Tuininga (PSEG Institute for Sustainability Studies) appeared on Think Tank with Steve Adubato to discuss sustainability challenges in New Jersey.
• Stephanie Silvera (Public Health) is quoted in this NJ Spotlight News article about a COVID-19 report detailing racial inequities in health care and other areas.
• Daniel Geltrude (Accounting and Finance) appeared on the Newsmax program American Agenda to discuss inflation.
• Jason Williams (Justice Studies) is quoted in this NJ.com article about Black-owned businesses in New Jersey.
• Research by Francesca Laguardia (Justice Studies) is cited in this NYC Daily Post article about calls for Congress to adopt new laws to end the mass violence epidemic.
• Gabriel Rubin (Justice Studies) spoke to Spectrum News 1 about the Israel-Hamas war.
• Diverse: Issues in Higher Education published a news article about Montclair’s recent MEGA Symposium.
• Blanca Elizabeth Vega (Educational Leadership) wrote a piece for Times Higher Education about the importance of Black spaces in white academia.

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 New Jersey Division of Pensions and Benefits has designated Monday, April 1 – Tuesday, April 30, as a Special Open Enrollment Period for employees to learn about the new Aetna medical plan and optionally enroll. If you choose to enroll, the new Aetna medical plan will become effective Monday, July 1. Beginning Monday, April 1, employees will be able to log into the Benefitsolver website by accessing a link on the MyNewJersey portal or via MyNJBenefitsHub to access additional information. No action is required if you do not wish to make any changes to your current medical plan.
• The Office of the Provost is now accepting nominations for the faculty and staff Excellence in Academic Advising and Career Services Awards. Nominations will be accepted until Friday, March 22. Please visit the Excellence in Academic Advising and Career Services website for more information and for nomination forms.
• The deadline for Montclair 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 as well as for those participating in the academic processional. Registration will close 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.
• Instructional Technology and Design Services invites faculty to submit proposals for the 19th Annual Summer Institute conference, held June 4 and 5. This year’s theme, Forward Together, embraces the teaching community and will create a space to discuss shared experiences, opportunities, challenges faced as educators and the future of education.

Upcoming Events

• 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.
• World Water Day is Friday, March 22. Fill it Forward across campus by choosing reusable water bottles over single-use plastic bottles. Download the Fill it Forward app and join the Red Hawks Reuse group and track the University’s collective environmental impact.
• The Disability Caucus will host a presentation on weight discrimination by Stephanie Spitz with guest Claudia Cortese on Friday, March 22. The virtual presentation will focus on historical and contemporary contexts of anti-fatness and fatphobia, including their implications on medical bias, architecture, fashion, pop-culture and mental health.
• Montclair State University Day at Yankee Stadium is 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.

Reminders

• Looking to connect with colleagues, share information and learn about events happening on campus? Subscribe to campus lists.
• 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, 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.
• Occupational Health services along with Christopher King in Clinical Psychology, are conducting round table sessions/discussions for employees beginning through Monday, April 29. Register to an occupational health round table session to learn valuable tips on managing mental health and keeping your work and personal life in alignment. Light snacks and refreshments will be served.
• Make parking easier by downloading the Parking Logix app to check for available parking before you leave for campus. The app provides real-time updates on parking availability in the parking decks and lots.
• 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 the Montclair State University website? Report your experience via our Broken Link form.
• 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 Pavlo Lushyn (Educational Foundations), who moderated a panel discussion after the University screening of 20 Days in Mariupol, the Academy Award winning documentary created by Ukrainian journalists about the horrors of war.
• To Gerard Costa (Family Science and Human Development), who authored, co-authored and edited chapters in the soon-to-be-published book, Two Perspectives, One Child: Unifying the Pyramid Model and Infant Mental Health.

Social Media Post of Note

From Montclair, NJ to New Delhi, India Rocky is continuing his world travels and recruiting new students to join #RedHawkCountry Where are you traveling this #SpringBreak?

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.