In The Know – Issue 136
Posted in: In the Know
Mental Health First Aid Training Expands to Strengthen Campus Well-Being
The training equips University faculty, staff and students with the skills to recognize and respond to mental health challenges.
Researchers Secure NSF Grant to Explore Human-Machine Interaction
The $533,798 grant will help researchers enhance the understanding of interactions between humans, machines and environments through simulated driving experiments.
Mo Butler Named to University Board of Trustees
Seasoned public affairs expert has joined the institution’s Board effective February 5, 2025.
Updates
World’s Fair Day Planning Meeting
Interested in being involved with World’s Fair Day? Join the next planning meeting on Wednesday, March 6 at 11 a.m. World’s Fair Day will be held on Thursday, April 24, 12:00 – 2:30 p.m. in the Alumni Green.
Family Weekend
Family Weekend is happening from Friday, April 25 – Saturday, April 26, and we’re inviting faculty and staff to help make this a memorable experience for students and their families! This weekend is all about welcoming families into our community, giving them a glimpse into campus life and strengthening their connection to Montclair.
We’d love for you to be part of the experience—whether by hosting open office hours, welcoming families to an existing event, or suggesting another way to engage. Use this form to let us know how you’d like to participate!
If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to Kelsey Nyman, nymank@montclair.edu.
Reminders
2024 W-2 Form Now Available in Workday
February is American Heart Month. Register today and give from the heart! Sponsored by Occupational Health. Friday, February 14, 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Student Center Ballrooms A and B
Quick Ordering at Saxby’s
When ordering in person at Saxby’s, you can skip the GrubHub line by choosing one of their “in A rush” menu items. These quick options include cold brew, hot coffee, tea and more!
Emergency Preparedness Training
The University Police Department and Emergency Management offers free training classes to faculty, staff and students interested in learning how to react in critical emergencies.
- “When Seconds Count” is a course geared to help you recognize police, fire and medical emergencies, how to report them and what you can do to assist while awaiting UPD arrival.
- “Encountering or Observing an Active Assailant” offers critical information on what to look for, reporting, actions to take and being vigilant should you ever encounter an active assailant.
For questions or to schedule training please email Richard McAuliffe at mcauliffer@montclair.edu.
In The News
(Articles may require a subscription to view)
- A recent joint research study conducted by Bond Benton (Communication and Media) and Daniela Peterka-Benton (Justice Studies) for the Center for Strategic Communication is cited in The Washington Post about the rise in harmful speech on X.
- Jason Williams (Justice Studies) is quoted in this NJ.com article about the removal of Clark Mayor Sal Bonaccorso and the implications of corruption investigations in New Jersey.
- Lisa Lieberman (Public Health) is featured in this Fox News segment discussing the potential of self-swab tests to increase access to cervical cancer screening and the importance of early detection and HPV vaccination.
Kudos
- To Angela Grotto (Management, Feliciano School of Business) who gave the keynote address at the Private Risk Management Association’s Inaugural Women in Insurance Event in January. The title of her talk was: “Where Do You Draw Your Line? Managing Blurred Work-Life Boundaries.”
- To Daniela Peterka-Benton (Justice Studies) and Bond Benton (School of Communication) who delivered a keynote address for the international symposium “Fashion and the Far-Right: On the Weaponization of Style” at American University, Washington D.C. Their talk builds on their research, Hating in Plain Sight: The Hatejacking of Brands by Extremist Groups, recognized as foundational in the field. The symposium is a joint initiative between the NeoFashFarRight – Fashion and the Far-Right research project at the Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna, Austria; Polarization & Extremism Research Lab (PERIL) at American University, Washington, D.C.; and the University of Georgia.
- To Barbara Chasin (Professor Emerita, Sociology), the paperback edition of her book Inequality and Violence in the United States: Casualties of Capitalism (3rd edition) has recently been published by Lexington Books, an imprint of Rowman and Littlefield.
- To Roman Liera (Educational Leadership), and colleagues published an essay on university and college presidential hiring.
- To Jin-A Choi, Yi Luo and Bond Benton (Communication and Media), who released a social media data analytics study that revealed Kansas City Chiefs fatigue is a real thing and that searches for Taylor Swift are down sharply as the Chiefs aimed for an unprecedented third straight Super Bowl victory.
Social Media Post of Note
New sisters, big smiles, endless memories! Welcome home! 
#MontclairGreekLife#BidDay
Quick Links
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.