News and announcements from Skidmore College

Weekly Bulletin

COVID-19 Updates

In-Person Staff Now Eligible for Vaccination

The state’s vaccination guidance has been updated to include “in-person college faculty and essential in-person staff”. This is a change from previous guidance, which only included in-person college faculty and instructors, Dining Services, Greenberg Childcare Center, Early Childhood Center, Surrey-Williamson Inn staff and student workers in these areas in the list of populations eligible for the vaccination. This change means that all Skidmore College employees and student workers whose jobs require them to work on campus or who are involved in the College's on-campus COVID-19 response (such as food delivery to students) are now eligible for vaccination. Note that the state’s Am I Eligible website for scheduling appointments does not yet reflect this update. Appointments can also be scheduled by calling the state’s hotline, 1-833-697-4829. Employees will be required to show proof of eligible employment, which can be your Skidmore College ID card or pay stub. Our understanding is that a letter from Skidmore is no longer required to document eligibility for the vaccine.

 

New York state residents can fill out a potential vaccine recipient interest form so that they will be contacted when a vaccination appointment is available through Saratoga County. Answers to many questions regarding vaccination can be found on the FAQs webpage.   

 

Age Lowered for Vaccine Eligibility

The Governor also announced yesterday that adults 60 and over will be eligible for vaccination beginning today, March 10, lowering the age limit from 65. Additionally, he announced that beginning March 17 all sites can vaccinate all eligible people, except pharmacies, which can only vaccinate those 60 and older and teachers. 

 

Recording Absence Time Due to Vaccination Appointments

Exempt and nonexempt employees who cannot schedule their vaccination appointments outside of regular work hours should use sick time for work hours missed as a result of a vaccination appointment. Union employees should record this time as College Emergency Leave. To be eligible for paid leave, employees must provide proof of their vaccination appointment to their supervisor, who will work with Human Resources to approve the amount of paid time off for the appointment.  

Skidmore News

President Conner and administrators update Skidmore staff

Skidmore College President Marc C. Conner provided updates on recent changes in the College’s safety alert level for COVID-19, the February meeting of the Board of Trustees, the College’s newly launched campus master planning process, searches for several senior leadership positions, plans for the summer, efforts to stabilize the cost of employee health care, admissions and other topics.

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Kwame Anthony Appiah receives honorary Skidmore degree

Kwame Anthony Appiah, one of the leading philosophers and public intellectuals in the English-speaking world, has received an honorary degree from Skidmore College.

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Virtual Pre-College program

High school sophomores, juniors and seniors can now apply for this year’s program, which will feature classes and workshops July 5 through Aug. 6.

Read More

Dining Services

Bread sales are back! Information about this week’s flavors is available on the Spa Specials webpage

 

The Spa, Burgess Café and Atrium Café are open to Skidmore employees. Please visit the Dining Services website regularly for updates, specials, hours of operation and other information.  

Human Resources

You're Invited: Employee Development Series

Human Resources is excited to announce the fourth installment of the Employee Development Series workshops. Our next session will focus on Building Trust & Credibility. Lindsey Ahern from Ahern, Murphy and Associates will offer a 90-minute, virtual training class to all employees. The premise of this class is to explore that without trust, meaningful relationships cannot be cultivated and teamwork stalls. The class will explain the fundamentals of building trust, how to enhance or repair trust and actions to avoid breaking that trust. The workshop will be held via Zoom from 2 to 3:30 p.m. March 24. Registration is required on the HR Training website.   

 

Take a Moment to Recognize Colleagues Going 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).   

 

Vanguard one-on-one meetings

Schedule a one-on-one discussion with a Vanguard retirement planning counselor. Vanguard is holding sessions for Skidmore College employees March 25, April 7, April 21, May 10 and May 26. All appointments will be scheduled as phone consultations. There will be no in-person meetings scheduled due to the spread of COVID-19. You can sign up for an appointment with a representative over the phone by going to meetvanguard.com and selecting New York/Skidmore College/Saratoga Springs/One-on-one sessions

Employee COVID-19 Information

contact HRDaily Health Certification

The Daily Health Certification must be completed before or upon arrival to campus each day.    

 

Where and When to Get Tested

The College continues to require all employees who work on campus to be tested on a weekly basis. All testing is held at Falstaff’s during the following times:

 

  • 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday
  • 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday
  • 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday
  • 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday
  • 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday

 

Please note: Testing at Falstaff’s is for surveillance testing only. Staff who are experiencing symptoms should contact their primary care provider.

 

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

 

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.

 

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.

 

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 with questions about eligibility for College Emergency Leave.

Skidmore Spotlight

Johanna Mackay, instructional design librarian at Scribner Library, provides reference help, supports student research projects and helps to organize popular stress-busting activities offered by the library. 

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Meet Johanna Mackay

Faculty-Staff Achievements

Click here for details about the achievements below. 

 

Catherine J. Golden, professor of English, has contributed an assignment to an online project resource website for instructors. Read more >> 

 

The songs of Evan Mack, senior teaching professor of music, are featured on a new album that includes performances by cellist Jameson Platte, lecturer and private music instructor. Read more >> 

 

Rebecca McNamara, associate curator at the Tang, published an essay in Glass: The UrbanGlass Art Quarterly. Read more >> 

 

Eric Morser, professor of history, published a review essay in the journal Early American Literature. Read more >> 

 

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

Skidmore Lectures

Going forward, members of the Skidmore College community are invited to submit information about upcoming Skidmore academic lectures, named lectures and faculty panels to lectures@skidmore.edu

 

Please include: 

  • Name of lecture. 
  • Date and time. 
  • Zoom/RSVP link. 
  • A brief description (75 words or less). 
  • Image (if available; minimum: 600px X 600px. Please confirm that Skidmore College has permission to use the image if coming from a third party.) 
  • Link to lecture webpage (if available). 
  • Please submit all information indicated above together in a single email. 

 

Information about submitted lectures will then be compiled and featured on a new Skidmore Lectures webpage. 

 

Information submitted will also be used to populate a special section in the Skidmore Weekly Bulletin. Each week, Skidmore Weekly Bulletin will feature a brief description of events that will be held in the week ahead and a link to the full Skidmore Lectures webpage, where individuals can find additional details about all upcoming lectures.  

 

Departments and programs are also encouraged to submit their lectures to the Master Calendar via the Scheduling Office. Additional information is available here. Lectures submitted in this manner also populate the news and events webpage. 

 

Information about other events or talks should be shared with swb@skidmore.edu and will be included in the announcements section each week. Faculty and staff may also wish to submit to the Master Calendar.  

Upcoming Lectures

 

Winter/Miller Lecture

Acclaimed artist Nick Cave will be in dialogue with 2020-21 Eleanor Linder Winter ’43 Intern Nathan Bloom '21 at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 11

 

Malloy Visiting Artist Lecture

Mike Perry, an Emmy-winning artist who works in a vast range of media, will speak about his experiences at 7 p.m. Friday, March 12. For more information, contact Jill Jones in the Art Department. 

 

F. William Harder Lecture

Guy Mastrion, F. William Harder Chair in Business Administration, will deliver “Words with Pictures,” exploring the various and often invisible tensions at work that motivate compelling, creative communications at 5:30 p.m. Monday, March 15.    

 

Aftershock: Global Views of U.S. Democracy After Trump

A panel of Skidmore faculty will discuss the international perspective on the Trump presidency, the presidential transition process and the significance of these events in world politics at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 17.  

 

To view all upcoming lectures, visit the Skidmore Lecture webpage.

Announcements

Tang announces open hours for campus community

Beginning Thursday, March 11, the museum will be open to the Skidmore community Thursdays and Fridays from 5 to 9 p.m. and Saturdays from noon to 5 p.m. The museum is also open for scheduled classes and by appointment for students and faculty. More information can be found online or contact Olivia Cammisa-Frost.

 

Dunkerley Dialogue with Kay Rosen, Forrest Gander and April Bernard

You are invited to a Dunkerley Dialogue on the exhibition "Energy in All Directions" with poet Forrest Gander, artist Kay Rosen and Skidmore Professor and poet April Bernard at noon Friday, March 12. Register via Zoom. For more information, contact Olivia Cammisa-Frost.

 

Tang at Home Studio: "Cut it Out!"

Join us at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 13, for Tang at Home Studio: "Cut it Out!" Nina Chanel Abney’s eye-catching work "Whet," on view in the exhibition "Never Done: 100 Years of Women in Politics and Beyond," explores race and identity through colors, figures, text, abstract imagery and symbols taken from the internet, social media and popular culture. We will create our own colorful collaged artworks that reflect our view of a world full of powerful, positive, and inclusive messages. Visit the Tang at Home Studio event page to learn more about the program and how to register. For more information, contact Sunny Ra, the Laurie M. Tisch Educator for K-12 and Community Program.

 

Crocheting Corals: Workshop for the Saratoga Springs Satellite Reef

Join us at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 16, for a workshop and craft circle to crochet hyperbolic corals for the Saratoga Springs Satellite Reef, part of the worldwide Crochet Coral Reef project by Christine and Margaret Wertheim and the Institute For Figuring. Your corals will be assembled together to form the Saratoga Springs Satellite Reef, which will be exhibited at the Museum as part of “Radical Fiber: Threads Connecting Art and Science,” opening in early 2022. Hosted by Associate Curator Rebecca McNamara, this program introduces the Saratoga Springs Satellite Reef and includes a virtual craft circle. Crochet instructors will lead beginners in the single crochet stitch, which is all you need to make your very own coral! Register via Zoom. For more information, contact Rebecca McNamara.

 

Lunchtime Crochet: Saratoga Springs Satellite Reef

Associate Curator Rebecca McNamara hosts a lunchtime drop-in crocheting session from noon to 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 17. Join at your leisure to crochet and chat as we create corals for the Saratoga Springs Satellite Reef. Open to everyone, and all skill levels are welcome. For more information, contact Rebecca McNamara.

 

Virtual Events with Mei-Ling Hopgood

Mei-Ling Hopgood, a journalism professor at Northwestern University, will discuss how her own journey as an adoptee and an Asian American – as well as many other identities and experiences – has shaped her global career, the stories she chooses and the stories she chooses to read. She will talk about how sharing stories can connect and divide us, and listening and engagement techniques that foster trust and empathy. A student workshop will consider identity in storytelling, journalism and social media, and how to share your story effectively from 4 to 5 p.m. Thursday, March 18. A community talk ("My Story: How my identity has shaped who I am, what I do and how I read the world") will follow from 6 to 7 p.m.

 

Student Leadership Award nominations sought

Upper-class students who are well-rounded individuals with diverse interests, strong character and high initiative may be nominated using an online form or by sending a letter to Dean of Students and Vice President for Student Affairs Cerri Banks by 4 p.m. Monday, March 22. The awards will be presented at the annual Student Leadership Award Ceremony, date yet to be determined.

 

President’s Awards 2021

Individuals or teams from the Skidmore community may be nominated for a 2021 President’s Award until noon Monday, March 22. Nominations may be sent via online form or by email to the nominating committee. For paper submissions, complete and submit via campus mail or deliver to: Case Center, Room 313, Attn: Dean Cerri Banks. Members of the nominating committee are ineligible for nomination.

 

Seeking writing tutors

Do you have students with superior writing and listening skills, patience, empathy and a love of language? Please suggest that they apply to tutor in the Skidmore Writing Center. Interested students can find more information and an application on the Writing Center website. Tutors will be trained in the fall (by taking EN 303H) before beginning paid tutoring next spring. Please talk to your students directly or send their names to Caitlin Jorgensen. If students approach you for a recommendation, make sure you feel comfortable about recommending them.

 

Our ideal candidate is a rising sophomore or junior. We are particularly interested in prospective tutors from the sciences and social sciences. An information session will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 24; students can register for the session here.

 

Student Performance: Atticus Rego '21, Vocal Senior Recital

Senior bass-baritone Atticus Rego '21 has been taking voice lessons for three years and plans to attend graduate school to earn a master's degree in vocal and operatic performance. His dream operatic role is Mefistofele from Boito’s "Mefistofele." Join his senior recital at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 27.

 

OSDP Keynote: "Strategies for Cross Cultural Moments in a Time of Racial Battle Fatigue"

Racial battle fatigue, coined by William A. Smith, is the set of outcomes that can result from the cumulative effect of racism and microaggressions. Those who want to participate in difficult cross-cultural moments about race often need ways of coping with the stressful moments that would otherwise require a shield. How can those who find cross cultural moments draining ensure that they care for themselves and avoid the physiological, cognitive, and mental stress that can come from intergroup moments? Join this 90-minute webinar at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 7, with Rhonda Fitzgerald, managing director of Sustained Dialogue Campus Network, to learn how to deal with key moments and cope with the stress inherent to race talk in 2021.

 

Altered Book Contest

Entries for the fifth annual Lucy Scribner Library Altered Book Contest, open to Skidmore students, faculty and staff, will be accepted through noon Friday, April 9. Register online. Visit our webpage for more information or contact Johanna Mackay.

 

Environmental studies student survey

Environmental Studies and Sciences Program students need your help to collect data for their Plastics Free Skidmore senior capstone project. The students have created an online survey gauging Skidmore student and employee opinions about the possibility of becoming a "Plastic-free campus." The survey takes about eight minutes to complete. As an incentive, they are hosting a raffle for one of five $10 Apple Store Gift Cards for people who take the survey and provide contact information at the end. The survey will be open until April 10, when the raffle winners will be announced. Contact Matt Cocchi, Sarah Baker or Hannah Paolucci for more information.

 

Fall 2021 RA Selection

The Office of Residential Life is looking for passionate student leaders for fall 2021 resident assistant positions. Do you know a student who is compassionate, loves helping others, enjoys guiding and coaching, enjoys planning events, believes in the power of educating others and thrives working on a team? Please encourage them to apply. 

 

The fall 2021 resident assistant application is due Thursday, April 15. More information can be found on our hiring website. All candidates must attend a mandatory information session. Times and Zoom links are listed on the hiring website. Please encourage students to apply. 

 

The Office of Residential Life is also collecting nominations from faculty and staff for students who they believe would make great resident assistants for the 2021-2022 academic year. The nomination form can be found here. We kindly ask that these nominations be submitted by 4:30 p.m. Monday, March 22. You may nominate more than one student but please submit one form for each student. If you have any questions, contact the Office of Residential Life by email.  

 

Racial Justice Teaching Challenge

Earlier this year, the American Studies Department and Black Studies Program launched the Skidmore Racial Justice Teaching Challenge (RJTC) in conjunction with the third component of Skidmore’s Racial Justice Initiative. To date, over 60 faculty members have contributed 95 courses. Faculty who wish to share examples of success in the classroom or notable accomplishments, projects, etc., resulting from these courses may email Idalia Sepúlveda with a brief note and description. Examples and testimonials will be compiled for possible use in future communications or stories about the RJTC. Faculty who submit examples may be contacted if further information is needed.

 

Career Development Center

The Career Development Center is open for virtual appointments from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Additionally, students can stop by the office (Starbuck 204) from 1:30 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesday and 1:30 to 4 p.m. Thursday.

 

Thanks to the generosity of Skidmore donors, the Class of 2021 will be able to apply for Skidmore’s Post-Grad Award, a $15,000 stipend designed to support a graduating senior pursuing an unpaid experience for six months. The CDC is excited to offer this award to up to 10 graduating seniors this year. Learn more about the application timeline and all Summer Experience Fund awards.

 

Skidmore Shop

A lot is going on at Skidmoreshop.com next week. Be sure to check out our weeklong, free shipping promotion and save on some Skidmore green for St. Patrick’s Day. Enjoy free standard shipping on branded apparel and merchandise from March 15 to March 20 with code GoGreen. We're also having an art sale on March 16 and 17. Enjoy 20% off art supplies at skidmoreshop.com. This excludes art kits, jewelry cards and metal supplies.

 

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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