News and announcements from Skidmore College

Weekly Bulletin

COVID-19 Updates

In addition to the information provided in President Marc Conner’s Jan. 9 and Jan. 11 messages to employees, New York state has expanded its list of individuals eligible to receive a COVID vaccination in Phase 1B. Additional categories of essential workers will be added to the Phase 1B eligibility list over the coming weeks.   

 

COVID-19 testing requirements for Skidmore employees are outlined in the Human Resources section of this Bulletin. The Broad Institute, which conducts testing at Skidmore, has confirmed that its tests can detect the new variant that has begun to circulate, but they will not determine which strain an infected individual is carrying.

 

Updates will continue to be provided through this Bulletin and occasional direct email messages that will also be posted on the Campus Planning website.

Skidmore News

Skidmore faculty discuss attack on U.S. Capitol

Political science, history and Black studies faculty discussed the historical significance and impact of the Jan. 6 mob attack on the U.S. Capitol, and affirmed the central role of colleges in countering misinformation.

Read More
Video: Creative Thought Matters in 60 seconds or less

How would you express Creative Thought Matters in under a minute? Check out this video for a cross section of Skidmore College in less than 60 seconds.

Read More

Dining Services

Hours of operation and Dining Services updates are available online.

Introducing Okta

The Skidmore Information Technology team is moving to Okta to manage the College’s web applications. This means you can use your Windows password to sign in to a single, secure homepage and gain access to all your web applications, including the new Oracle Cloud system. Watch this short video to learn more about Okta. Activation emails have been sent to Skidmore employees. For more information, please contact Chief Technology Officer Dwane Sterling

Oracle Cloud System

After months of planning, Skidmore is pleased to roll out an upgraded Oracle Cloud system for financial and human resources functions. Please click on this link to access the new system. As announced by Information Technology, Skidmore is now also using a system called Okta to manage web applications. Please continue to review the Oracle Cloud training website and the Skidmore Weekly Bulletin for updates.  

 

Finance and Human Resources staff will continue to host daily open office hours from 11 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 2 p.m. Please click on this link to access the Oracle Cloud training website and schedule of Zoom sessions. The first 30 minutes of each session will generally include open Q&A, with the second 30 minutes reserved for specific transactional support. Zoom breakout rooms will be used to facilitate screen sharing.  

Human Resources

Employee COVID-19 Testing Information

All employees (including those who currently work remotely) who test positive for COVID-19 outside of Skidmore’s testing program or are subject to quarantine must notify Laura Goodwin in Human Resources and provide the order of quarantine documentation upon receipt.  

 

The Daily Health Certification must be completed before or upon arrival to campus each day. Important reminders for those who are returning to campus and who will continue to require COVID-19 surveillance testing through winter break:  

  • Testing Days and Times -Testing will be on Mondays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Tuesdays from 8 a.m. to noon. All employees who require testing will need to make arrangements to be tested during these time frames. Due to the increase in cases locally and nationally, it is unlikely that you will be able to obtain asymptomatic surveillance testing in the community. 
  • Testing Location - All testing will be located at Falstaff’s. 

 

Employees who will be working on campus with regular proximate contact with co-workers (working in the same workspace) or students are expected to participate in Skidmore's COVID-19 surveillance testing program. Employees who will come into incidental (e.g., hallways, Spa, etc.) contact, who work in shared spaces but on different days or who work alone do not need to get tested. Those employees who meet the testing criteria have been identified and their names will be provided to the testing staff. Due to more limited availability of tests from now until students return on Monday, Jan. 25, only those employees who meet the criteria may be tested over the break. If you have any questions, please contact your supervisor or HR.  

 

Free retirement one-on-one consultations

TIAA-CREF retirement counselors will be holding one-on-one telephone sessions with Skidmore employees Thursday, Jan. 28. To schedule an appointment, call 800-732-8353 or visit the TIAA website.  

 

Vanguard retirement planning counselors will hold individual telephone sessions with Skidmore employees on Thursday, Jan. 14, and Tuesday, Jan. 26. To schedule an appointment, visit the Vanguard website and select New York, Skidmore College and Saratoga Springs.   

Faculty-Staff Achievements

Click here for details about the achievements below.

 

Cerri Banks, dean of students and vice president for student affairs, has joined the board of directors for Wellspring. Read more>> 

 

Anna Brezny, assistant professor in the Chemistry Department, co-authored a scientific paper. Read more>> 

 

Kris Covey, visiting assistant professor of environmental studies and sciences, has been awarded a research grant. Read more>> 

 

Gwen D'Arcangelis, associate professor of gender studies, published a blog post. Read more>>

 

Jennifer Delton, professor of history, was interviewed by the Times Union. Read more>> 

 

Catherine Golden, professor of English and Tisch Chair in Arts and Letters, published a piece of scholarship. Read more>> 

 

Christopher Mann, assistant professor of political science, was featured in a newspaper article. Read more>> 

 

Kamilah Williams, assistant professor of economics, co-authored an academic article. Read more>> 

 

We welcome submissions from faculty and staff related to professional accomplishments and scholarly endeavors.

Announcements

MDOCS: "Medium Rare" online exhibition

MDOCS invites you to visit the online exhibition "Medium Rare," an installation of creative works by students in the documentary studies course Creative Research and Multimedia Expression. "Medium Rare" will stay up through the winter break. We hope this digital space offers inspiration as you consider the possibilities for public presentation of creative and academic work during the pandemic.  

 

Book discussion

Saidiya Hartman of Columbia University will be interviewed by Jamie Parra of the English Department during a Zoom event at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10. Hartman will discuss her most recent book, “Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments: Intimate Histories of Riotous Black Girls, Troublesome Women, and Queer Radicals,” winner of the 2019 National Book Critics Circle Award in Criticism. The event is open to all members of the Skidmore community. Registration information is forthcoming. For more information, please contact Jamie Parra.  

 

Center for Leadership, Teaching and Learning

A Scholarly and Creative Endeavors (SCE) Winter Camp will take place Jan. 18-22. Contact Nurcan Atalan-Helicke to participate.  

 

Three SCE work groups will be held virtually starting the week of Feb. 8.  

 

For more information, visit the Center for Leadership, Teaching and Learning’s professional development calendar

 

Skidmore Shop

Skidmoreshop.com got a makeover for 2021. Check out the new website and sign up for the email list to receive 10% off your first online order.  

 

Share news in the Skidmore Weekly Bulletin

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Accessing College Resources

The following resources and services are currently available to the Skidmore community. Updates and additions to this list will be posted each week in the Skidmore Weekly Bulletin. Please submit updates to this list by email.

 

Skidmore College continues to provide campuswide updates here.

 

Academic Advising

At this time, the Office of Academic Advising is best able to serve students, faculty and parents through phone or Zoom meetings. Appointments can be scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Same-day appointments are often available. Visit the office webpage or find more contact information here.

 

Accounts Payable

Staff are working remotely. Please send all documentation electronically through Oracle Cloud. Email Accounts Payable if you have any cash deposits, and special arrangements for building access and drop-off will be made with Campus Safety or the Card Office.  

 

Career Development Center

The Career Development Center will continue to support all students throughout the winter break. Students are invited to schedule an appointment or have their documents reviewed.

 

Center for Leadership, Teaching, and Learning

Scholarly and Creative Endeavors Work Groups (SCE) are taking on a new format next semester. Three groups will be led virtually via Zoom in spring 2021, starting the week of Feb. 8. In addition, there will be a Winter SCE camp the week of Jan. 18-22.

 

Community Service

The Office of Community Service Programs continues to share ways to give back. Virtual office hours will be held every Monday from 2 to 2:30 p.m. To schedule an individual appointment, email Michelle Hubbs and she will send you a meeting request.

 

Employee Assistance Program

Employees seeking counseling services may make use of the Employee Assistance Program.

 

Financial Aid

Financial Aid Office staff are available remotely, by email and by phone at 518-580-5750, and via Zoom by appointment.

 

First-Year Experience

The First-Year Experience office is working remotely. Email is the best way to contact staff, but you can also call 518-580-8111 and leave a voicemail.

 

Health Services and the Counseling Center

Health Services and the Counseling Center are available to support students.

 

Human Resources/Payroll

Human Resources continues to update Faculty/Staff FAQs and Faculty/Staff campus planning questions on a regular basis. The HR team is available by phone 518-580-5800 or email.

 

Non-exempt employees with questions concerning time entry should contact Joan Rivers in Payroll.

 

Information Technology

Information Technology asks faculty to email all Help Desk requests to the Faculty Help Desk to expedite responses. In your email, it is essential that you include a cellphone or landline number so someone from IT can contact you. Calling the Help Desk phone line will not be your quickest means of support. Staff should continue to submit IT support requests by emailing the Help Desk or calling 518-580-5900 from 8:30 a.m. to noon or 1 to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

 

The IT Help Desk is now offering Live Chat Support. The chat function can be accessed by clicking the Live Support button on the left side of the IT Help Desk webpage. It will be green when support is available.

 

For questions about Okta, Skidmore’s new identity management system, please contact the IT Help Desk.  

 

Off-Campus Study & Exchanges

OCSE staff continue to hold open advising hours from 1 to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday via zoom. Check out their remote advising webpage for the Zoom link or to schedule an appointment. Follow @globalskidmore on Instagram and watch for upcoming events.

 

Opportunity Program

The Opportunity Program remains available to offer support to all OP students, on campus and off. Staff are working remotely until further notice. Staff will continue to offer advising, academic and social support, and OP students should feel encouraged to reach out to staff by email and/or schedule video conferencing for any needs that arise.

 

Post Office

Through Friday, Jan. 15, the Post Office will be closed on Wednesdays. Window hours will be 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Departmental deliveries will be Tuesdays and Fridays. Skidmore IDs and departmental purchasing cards are the only form of payment accepted; cash is no longer accepted. Until further notice, distributions and notices are no longer accepted. For more information, email the Skidmore Post Office.

 

Print Services

Through Friday, Jan. 15, hours will be 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. All finished jobs must be picked up at Print Services; delivery service is still suspended. Skidmore IDs and departmental purchasing cards are the only form of payment accepted; cash is no longer accepted. If you are experiencing a service issue or have a printing question, contact Jim Pfoh.

 

Purchasing

The Purchasing Office is fully operational and accessible by emailing Anne Petruzzelli or Carol Schnitzer or leaving a voicemail at 518-580-5848 or 518-580-5849. Petruzzelli is generally in the office on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from noon to 3 p.m. Schnitzer is available for in-person appointment/meetings as requested.

 

Registrar’s Office

The Registrar’s Office is working remotely. Email is the best way to contact staff, but you can also call and leave a voicemail. Contact information for staff can be found here.

 

Residential Life

The Office of Residential Life is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and available to support students. Staff are working on campus and remotely and can be reached by calling 518-580-5765 or by email.

 

Scheduling Office

For policies regarding use of space under current health and safety guidelines, visit the Scheduling Office webpage or check availability in EMS. Academic building hours over winter break are posted. Email the Scheduling Office with any questions.

 

Scribner Library

For library hours and updates, check the library website. To request materials, fill out the library’s online form. For research help, visit the “Ask Us” page to access FAQs. Consult the More Access Information page for additional information about access, resources and help.

 

Sponsored Research

The Office of Sponsored Research is working remotely. Email is the best way to contact staff, but you can also call and leave a voicemail. Contact information for staff can be found at the bottom of the Sponsored Research webpage.

 

Student Academic Services

International student and scholar advisors and academic counselors in the Office of Student Academic Services (SAS) are available for consultation and support throughout the winter break. To schedule an appointment, please email SAS

 

Tang Teaching Museum

The Tang Teaching Museum welcomes the Skidmore community during the intersession. Faculty, students and staff can make appointments to visit from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, Jan. 5-29. Faculty members especially are invited to make appointments to visit the museum in preparation for their spring semester classes. Faculty interested in teaching with exhibitions may contact Rachel Seligman, assistant director for curatorial affairs. Faculty interested in teaching with collections may contact Kara Jefts, collections registrar. All other Skidmore community members, please make an appointment by using this form or calling 518-580-8080. Please make your appointment at least 24 hours in advance of your visit. Exhibitions on view include “Energy in All Directions,” “Never Done: 100 Years of Women in Politics and Beyond” and “Nicole Cherubini: Shaking the Trees.” The exhibition “We’ve Only Just Begun: 100 Years of Skidmore Women in Politics” is on view online. The museum’s spring semester hours will be announced in January.

 

Writing Center

At the Philip Boshoff Writing Center, trained student tutors offer one-on-one consultations for writers at every stage of the writing process, from assignment sheet to final revisions. This semester, all appointments will be online. The Writing Center will begin tutoring on Monday, Feb. 8, and will tutor during these hours: Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; Saturday, noon-4 p.m.; Sunday, noon-10 p.m. Check our schedule for appointment times.    

 Please send submissions to the Office of Communications and Marketing. 

Skidmore College

 

 815 North Broadway

 Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

518-580-5000