News and announcements from Skidmore College

Weekly Bulletin

COVID-19 Updates

Safe shelter mode has concluded, effective end of day Monday, Feb. 8. However, enhanced precautions remain in place, including twice-weekly testing for every student and all employees working on campus. Employee testing information can be found in the Human Resources section below. Special dining schedules and procedures also continue. Please visit the Dining Services website regularly for updated information and hours of operation. In-person student employment has resumed and classes are now meeting as scheduled and planned. Additional, specific information regarding operations next week will be shared with the community soon.  

Updates will also continue to be posted on the Campus Planning website. 

Skidmore News

President Conner, College administrators update Skidmore staff

President Marc C. Conner provided updates to Skidmore staff on the College’s ongoing efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19, planning for the summer and next academic year, the successful conclusion of Skidmore’s capital campaign, admissions numbers, searches to fill senior leadership positions and other important topics.

Skidmore Health Services staff assist with Saratoga County vaccine rollout

College employees join other medical, public health and emergency response volunteers to help get eligible members of the local community immunized against COVID-19.

Video: Less is more

This semester, one of the best ways we can all show support for our Skidmore community is by keeping some distance. We know the coronavirus spreads in group settings, so we can help other members of the Skidmore community by avoiding crowds, by always wearing masks and by maintaining at least 6 feet of distance between us.

Saratoga Springs Police Reform Task Force Community Forum and Survey

On Friday, Feb. 12, from 4 to 5:30 p.m., members of the Saratoga Springs Police Reform Task Force (SSPRTF) will host a virtual forum for members of the Skidmore community. A panel of several task force members will provide updates, and there will be an opportunity for attendees to ask questions and share their thoughts and concerns.  

The SSPRTF panelists taking part in the virtual forum include Jason Golub, Task Force co-chair; Kristen Dart, Saratoga resident; Terry Diggory, Saratoga Immigration Coalition and professor emeritus, English; and Winston Grady-Willis, director of Black studies.  

Community members are also encouraged to complete a police reform survey. This survey will be used to assist SSPRTF when they finalize their recommendations to develop a plan to improve the Saratoga Springs Police Department and comply with Gov. Cuomo's Executive Order 203. No personally identifiable information will be shared with the Saratoga Springs Police Department. 

Healthcare Working Group Update

On Thursday, Feb. 4, the Healthcare Working Group (HWG) held a community meeting to explain the process for gathering community input regarding options and choices for changes to the health benefits plan and to review the topics under consideration. A written summary of the meeting and a recording of the Zoom meeting are now available. HWG thanks those who participated in online focus groups this week. 

Important reminder: An online survey will be made available to all employees Feb. 15–22. The survey will feature multiple-choice questions, Likert scales (“Do you agree or disagree?”) and rankings of preferences. 

Even if an employee was unable to attend any of the focus groups, the HWG strongly recommends participating in the survey, as feedback from the survey will help the HWG develop its recommendations to IPPC and the President’s Cabinet.

A reminder will be shared via email and Skidmore Weekly Bulletin, and the link is posted on the HWG website. We look forward to your feedback. 

Dining Services

Hours of operation and Dining Services updates are available online.

Oracle Cloud System

Please continue to review the Oracle Cloud training website for updates. Finance and Human Resources staff will continue to host open office hours periodically and are always available for questions by email and Zoom. Please click on this link to access the Oracle Cloud training website and Schedule of Zoom sessions and here for points of contact for assistance.  

Human Resources

Employee Development Series

The third installment of the Employee Development Series workshops will focus on communication and on how we communicate matters. Lindsey Ahern of Ahern, Murphy and Associates will offer a 90-minute, virtual training class to all employees. The premise is that while everyone communicates and we are inundated with communication from a variety of channels, for our communication to be effective we need to be better connectors. Communicating effectively and finding ways to connect with each other fosters trust, builds relationships and increases influence. The class will review fundamental communication principles including active listening, body language, tone and choice of words. The workshop will be held via Zoom from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 24. Registration is required on the HR Training website. 

Recognize colleagues who go above and beyond with a Thoroughbred Thanks  

The Skidmore College Employee Appreciation Program was created to recognize excellence in the areas of teamwork, enthusiasm, motivation, problem-solving skills, initiating positive change, self-confidence, integrity, accomplishing goals and furthering the College’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. The program provides an opportunity for all members of the Skidmore community to send an appreciation card when they see other community members going above and beyond expectations to acknowledge the excellent work being done by that individual. To submit a "Thoroughbred Thanks" to a valued member of your team, please use this form. (Please scroll to the bottom of the page and use your Skidmore College login credentials to access the form). 

Tips to Reduce Anxiety

Our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) has shared an exciting new tip sheet: Scientifically Proven Tips to Reduce Anxiety. We hope you find this tip sheet helpful. 

Daily Health Certification

Please remember to complete the Daily Health Certification before or upon arrival to campus each day. 

Recording Absence Time Due to Quarantine

Any employee who is unable to work as a result of a mandatory or precautionary order of quarantine or isolation or who is required by the College to stay home because of an exposure to COVID-19 may be eligible for College Emergency Leave. Eligible employees should record this time as College Emergency Leave when completing their timecards. Employees who are quarantined but who can work remotely are not eligible for College Emergency Leave. Supervisors should contact HR for questions about eligibility for College Emergency Leave. 

Positive Test Results or Close Contact with a Positive Individual Off Campus

As a reminder, employees who test positive for COVID-19 outside of Skidmore College’s testing program or are subject to quarantine because of close contact with a positive individual off campus must notify Laura Goodwin in HR immediately.    

Employee COVID-19 testing information

Testing for New Hires Working on Campus

Hiring managers should reach out to Leslie Miakisz to coordinate testing for new hires who will be working on campus. New hires should be tested within 72 hours of their first day of work on campus. 

Test Results

Please be aware the cold weather is affecting test results. Broad recently notified the College that there has been an increase in the number of test results that are coming back as "TNP" (test not processed). With the cold and dry weather, Broad is seeing an increase in the number of samples that are too viscous to process. Participants are therefore asked to blow their nose vigorously before swabbing and to visually inspect the swab. If it has visible mucus, please discard the sample and try again. The nursing staff at the testing facility have been notified of this and will assist employees in securing an appropriate swab for testing. 

Where to Get Tested

All employee testing will be held at Falstaff’s Pavillion.  

When to Get Tested

Testing will be available for employees from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.  

This is our last week of testing twice weekly. Next week, the College will return to testing once per week. Please remember that any employee who is currently working remotely this week but will be working on campus next week must receive a negative result prior to arriving on campus. Please plan on taking the test within 72 hours of the first time you are coming on campus and resuming regular testing from that date. 

Faculty members and other employees who do not live locally may obtain a COVID-19 test in their local community and provide their negative test results to HR prior to their first day of returning to work on campus. 

You must bring your Skidmore College ID for proper identification. Masks must be worn, and employees must maintain appropriate social distancing at all times.   

Vaccine Eligibility for People with Comorbidities

New Yorkers with certain comorbidities will be eligible to be vaccinated beginning Monday, Feb. 15. Click here for the state’s full list of eligible conditions. The state will begin allowing people to make vaccination appointments on Sunday, Feb. 14, using this form. Local health departments will also be able to vaccinate this population beginning Feb. 15, and they will each do their own scheduling. Individuals in this population may be asked to prove their eligibility via either a letter from their doctor, medical documentation of their condition, or by signing an attestation at the vaccination site.     

Skidmore Spotlight

Meet Michael Vance

Michael Vance, a Campus Safety officer and EMT, recently pivoted to work the overnight shift for Campus Safety and plays a critical role in providing essential services for Skidmore College 24/7.  

Faculty-Staff Achievements

Click here for details about the achievements below.

Gwen D'Arcangelis, associate professor of gender studies, was interviewed for a podcast. Read more >> 

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

Sarah DiPasquale, assistant professor of dance, co-authored a paper with Meaghan Wood '17 and Rohan Edmonds. Read more >> 

Jamie Luis Parra, assistant professor of English, published a book review. Read more >> 

David Snider, lecturer of arts administration, published an op-ed. Read more >> 

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

Announcements

Scribner Library

Beginning on Tuesday, Feb. 9, the library building will be open to patrons with LibCal seat reservations, students and faculty entering for scheduled classes, and for quick print options. See Library Operating Hours for updates to daily access options. Pickup requests and scanning services will continue.

Students registered in classes scheduled in the library building can enter for their designated class times, which may fall outside of regular library staff hours (9 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 11 a.m.–7 p.m. Sunday) by showing their ID at the welcome table. See additional hours and updates for more information.

To request materials, fill out the library’s online form. For research help, visit the “Ask Us” page to access FAQs and connect with a librarian through chat, phone or email. Email your subject librarian to make a one-on-one Zoom appointment. Consult the library's access information for additional information about access, resources and help.

Peer Academic Coaching

Peer Academic Coaching sessions have begun. Please visit the PAC website for schedules and further information.

Skidmore Shop

The Skidmore Shop will open for regular semester hours starting Monday, Feb 8. Hours are 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Shop will be closed Saturday, Feb. 13, and Sunday, Feb. 14. It will reopen for Saturday business from noon to 3:30 p.m. beginning Feb. 20. The Shop will remain closed on Sunday.

Junior Admissions Workshop

Skidmore’s annual Junior Admissions Workshop for high school juniors will take the form of two virtual, recorded sessions this month. These sessions will provide valuable insights to make the college search more understandable and achievable. To register and view the recorded workshops, visit the JAWS website.

Saratoga Book Festival Online: Michael Ian Black

Comedian, actor and author Michael Ian Black will discuss his book "A Better Man: A (Mostly Serious) Letter to My Son" with Beck Krefting, associate professor and chair of the American Studies Department, at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 11. Tickets are required. More information is available online.

2021 Juried Student Exhibition

The Schick Gallery is accepting submissions for the “2021 Juried Student Exhibition.” This year’s juror is artist Alisa Sikelianos-Carter. To enter, students must be matriculated at Skidmore and must have completed one Skidmore studio art course in spring or fall 2020. Students may enter in person or online. In-person entries require advance registration due to COVID-19 precautions. The entry deadline is Tuesday, Feb. 9, for online submissions, and Thursday, Feb. 11, for in-person submissions. Find out more at the Schick Gallery webpage, under “Enter the Juried Student Show!”

Book discussion

Cultural critic 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. Closed captioning will be available courtesy of the Arts Administration Program. Register for the event here. For more information, email Theresa Knickerbocker.

Mellon initiative

MDOCS is hosting a local artist/change-maker to present on his work and expertise in documentary co-creation. Patrick Harris Jr. will present at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11. Event attendees will learn more about the four-year project funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation that links Skidmore with regional community partners through collective artistic response to the challenges of our time. RSVP by email for the Zoom link and more information.

SaratogaREADS! presents Andre M. Perry

Saratoga Book Festival, Saratoga Springs Public Library and Skidmore College present Andre M. Perry, senior fellow in the Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Institution, and author of “Know Your Price: Valuing Black Lives and Property in America’s Black Cities,” in conversation with Amon Emeka, associate professor of sociology and director of the First-Year Experience, at 5:30 p.m. - Tuesday, Feb. 16.

“Kiss the Ground” documentary and Q&A

Join Kris Covey, visiting assistant professor of environmental studies and sciences, and a panel of experts at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 16 for a discussion of the film “Kiss the Ground.” More information, including registration details, are available online.

Ash Wednesday

The Skidmore Newman Club and the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life (ORSL) will be offering ways to observe Ash Wednesday, Feb 17. Staff and faculty are invited to attend the services online and may contact the ORSL for assistance in identifying other ways to observe the day, including information from local communities. Contact the ORSL for more information.

OCSE Global Conversation Series

The first OCSE Global Conversation Series of spring 2021 will take place at 10 a.m., Friday, Feb. 19. We will welcome guests from Skidmore and our partners around the globe who will discuss their expertise in Art and Social Resistance. The hourlong presentation will include:

• Babacar Faye, SIT Senegal: “Hip Hop and Activism in Senegal.”
• Lisa Jackson-Schebetta, Theater Department: “Art and Transformation in Ciudad Juárez.”
• Robert Stasinski, DIS Stockholm: “Art, Activism and Social Change in Contemporary Scandinavia.”
• Victor Tricot, SIT Spain: “Resisting from the Streets: Creativity and Innovation on Social Protests in Chile.”

Ensemble Connect

Now celebrating its 14th year of residency with Skidmore College, Ensemble Connect, a group of the finest young professional classical musicians based out of Carnegie Hall, will present the virtual concert “What does it mean to be moved?” in collaboration with contemporary dance artist Wendell Gray II and director Isabella LoRusso at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 24. This free, online event can be viewed on Facebook or YouTube.

Maya murals lecture

Heather Hurst, associate professor of anthropology, will deliver a virtual lecture for Boundary End Archaeology Research Center (BEARC) on YouTube at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 24. The subject of her talk is “Assembling the World’s Most Difficult Puzzle: The Broken Maya Murals of San Bartolo, Guatemala.” More information is available on the BEARC website.

Talk: Anthony Abraham Jack on “The Privileged Poor”

Anthony Abraham Jack will discuss “The Privileged Poor: How Elite Colleges are Failing Disadvantaged Students” from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 26 via Zoom. The event is open to faculty, staff, students, and the greater Capital District community. All participants must RSVP. Zoom information will be emailed the day of the event to registered participants only. The event is sponsored by the Center for Leadership, Teaching and Learning (CLTL) in collaboration with Skidmore’s Racial Justice Initiative.

Skidmore Grants update

Skidmore College has been approved for a $20,000 Grants for Arts Projects award to support the summer Skidmore Jazz Institute. “The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support the Skidmore Jazz Institute,” said Arts Endowment Acting Chairman Ann Eilers. “Skidmore has demonstrated creativity, excellence, and resilience during this very challenging year.”

North Woods Winter trail reports

The Sustainability Office is now posting weekly North Woods winter trail reports. Review trail conditions and equipment recommendations to help you plan your route before heading out on the trails.

Sustainability Office 2019 Greenhouse Gas Inventory

The Sustainability Office recently released the 2019 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory. The inventory quantifies the amount of GHG emissions from College-related activities between June 1, 2018, and May 31, 2019. The results show Skidmore has reduced its Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 52% from normalized 2000 levels. Please click here to download the full report.

Skidmore Pre-College Program 

Did you know Skidmore has one of the top-ranked pre-college programs in the nation? The summer program for high school sophomores, juniors and seniors is an opportunity for students to take a class at Skidmore, earn college credit and have some fun, too. This summer, the program will be all virtual and will run July 5–Aug. 6. Sign up here to receive more information.

Share news in the Skidmore Weekly Bulletin

Please help reduce bulk emails by posting your announcement in the Bulletin, which reaches all faculty, staff and students.

Accessing College Resources

A comprehensive list of current resources and services available to the Skidmore community is now available online. This website will be updated frequently. Updates and additions to this list can be submitted by email.

Skidmore College continues to provide campuswide updates on the Campus Planning 2020-21 website.  

 Please send submissions to the Office of Communications and Marketing. 

Skidmore College

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