News and announcements from Skidmore College

Weekly Bulletin

COVID-19 Updates

Vaccination Update

Please be advised that the Aviation Mall in Queensbury recently opened for vaccination appointments. Eligible employees may schedule an appointment to receive the vaccine by visiting this website. Instructions for the New York state-operated vaccination sites are detailed on the homepage of this website along with a COVID-19 vaccine tracker. Eligible employees may also call the New York State Vaccination Hotline at 1-833-NYS-4VAX (1-833-697-4829). Answers to many questions regarding the vaccination and Skidmore College’s policy can now be found on the FAQs webpage. 

Vaccine Eligibility Updates

Gov. Cuomo announced that individuals age 50 and over are now eligible for vaccination. That update will be reflected on the state’s appointment scheduling tool. The state Department of Health (DOH) also provided a helpful clarification on vaccine eligibility for "essential in-person staff" at colleges. According to DOH, staff who are working remotely because they are not vaccinated but would begin working in-person once they have been vaccinated are eligible to be vaccinated within this category, assuming they then begin to work in person.  

Skidmore News

Cornel West, Robert P. George discuss the future of liberal education with Skidmore community

The two leading public intellectuals with strikingly differing political opinions and philosophical views discussed their enduring friendship and shared commitment to the values inherent to a liberal arts education.

For Tang internship, Nathan Bloom '21 interviews art star Nick Cave

The senior anthropology major organized the annual Winter/Miller Lecture as the 2020-21 Eleanor Linder Winter ’43 Intern, one of many professional opportunities for students at Skidmore’s Tang Teaching Museum.

Dining Services

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.  

Information about this week’s bread flavors is available on the Spa Specials webpage. New this week: 

• Quarts of angus beef chili and vegetarian chili for $8 each (feeds four people)  
• Pints of angus beef chili and vegetarian chili for $4 (feeds two people) 
• Quarts of marinara sauce for $4 (goes well with focaccia or Italian bread) 

Healthcare Working Group (HWG) Update

Thank you to those who were able to join us on Tuesday for the HWG Community Meeting. Representatives from the HWG and Segal Benz shared a summary of results and feedback received from the recent online focus groups and online survey.   

The meeting was recorded and can be viewed on the HWG website. A copy of the Community Input Survey Results presentation is also available.  

The HWG will develop recommendations based on many factors, including: 

• Online focus groups 
• Online survey 
• Comments/feedback received  
• Previous offsets by Skidmore (Skidmore maintained artificial 10% increases by subsidizing employee share) 
• Projected costs 
• Benchmarking (comparison with peer and aspirant schools) 
• Risk management 

These recommendations will be presented to the Institutional Policy and Planning Committee (IPPC) in early April. The IPPC will report to the community by the end of April. 

Human Resources

TIAA One-On-One Sessions for Employees

No matter where you are in life — just getting started or planning for retirement — a virtual session with James Fowler at Skidmore College can help you create a plan for your goals. And, it’s at no additional cost as a part of your retirement plan.  

You’ll get answers to these questions and more: Am I invested in the right mix of investments to help meet my goals? Am I saving enough to create the retirement income I need? How do I take income from my retirement account once I stop working? 

TIAA will be available at these dates and times for one-on-one sessions:   

• 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 7 
• 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 4 
• 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 3  

RSVP today, as space is limited. Register online or by calling 800-732-8353, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays.  

Vanguard One-On-One Meetings

Vanguard is holding one-on-one sessions for Skidmore College employees on the following dates:  

• Wednesday, April 21 
• Monday, May 10 
• Wednesday, May 26  

All appointments will be scheduled as phone consultations. There will be no in-person meetings. You can sign up for a phone appointment by visiting this website and selecting New York/Skidmore College/Saratoga Springs/one-on-one sessions.   

Employee COVID-19 Information

Return to Work

With a gradual reopening in the coming months anticipated and return to on-campus presence in the fall, many employees understandably have questions about returning to work from remote work arrangements. At this time, employees whose work requires them to be present for in-person classes, programs, services or projects should expect to work on campus this summer. Those who can continue to work remotely should plan to do so. Updates regarding summer and fall operations, including testing requirements for those who work on campus this summer, will be provided to the community as soon as information becomes available.   

Paid Time Off for Vaccine Appointments During Work Hours

Skidmore encourages all employees to get vaccinated. All employees who cannot schedule vaccination appointments outside of regular work hours will receive paid time off for work time missed due to receiving the vaccine. Exempt and nonexempt employees should record any work time missed due to traveling to and receiving the vaccination as sick time. 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 a sufficient period of paid time off for each vaccine injection. The amount of paid time off will depend on the time and location of the vaccination appointment (e.g., local appointments may require one or two hours of paid time off to attend while an appointment in Plattsburgh could require four hours of paid time off to account for the additional travel time.) 

Daily Health Certification

Please remember to complete the Daily Health Certification before or upon arrival to campus each day. New York state recently announced that quarantine will no longer be required for domestic travel entering the state as of April 1, 2021. In accordance with this guidance, the Daily Health Questionnaire will be updated effective April 1, 2021, to remove the question regarding out-of-state domestic travel. Please note: Out-of-state travelers are still required to fill out the Traveler Health Form and must monitor for symptoms for 14 days after their return and immediately self-isolate if symptoms emerge. Fully vaccinated individuals who remain asymptomatic and asymptomatic individuals who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 within the past three months and have since recovered are not required to quarantine following travel or potential exposure to COVID-19 under current guidance.   

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.

Skidmore Spotlight

Meet Sarah Condon-Meyers

Sarah Condon-Meyers, Skidmore’s staff photographer, captures vibrant images of campus life and events for the College. Throughout the pandemic, her images have also helped to bring Skidmore to those unable to come to campus. 

Faculty-Staff Achievements

Click here for details about the achievements below.

A book by Joseph Cermatori, assistant professor of English, will be published by Johns Hopkins University Press. Read more >> 

A book by Jennifer Delton, professor of history, was a finalist for a business history prize while an article was recognized in a separate competition. Read more >> 

Michael C. Ennis-McMillan, associate professor of anthropology, published a scholarly article. Read more >> 

Mimi Hellman, professor of art history, has published a book chapter. Read more >> 

Kirsten Hogenson, assistant professor of mathematics, co-organized a webinar. Read more >> 

Bradley Onishi, associate professor of religious studies at Skidmore, was quoted in The New York Times. Read more >> 

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

Skidmore Lectures

David H. Porter Classical World Lecture

Drawing on case studies from Periclean Athens and early Imperial Rome, Rebecca Futo Kennedy, associate professor of classics at Denison University, will explore some ways in which ancient Greeks and Romans discussed human cultural and physical variation, and whether it is possible to talk about "race in antiquity" at 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 29. Register online.  

To view all upcoming lectures and for details on how to submit information about upcoming Skidmore academic lectures, named lectures and faculty panels, visit the Skidmore Lecture webpage.  

Announcements

Camp Northwoods registration opens for Skidmore employees on April 1

Online registration for Camp Northwoods, Skidmore’s summer day camp for children entering grades one through six, will open for Skidmore employees at 9 a.m. on April 1. Employees should watch their email for instructions. Sports camps will begin accepting online registrations April 1. Choose from basketball, baseball, lacrosse, soccer, volleyball, rowing and field hockey this summer. More details are on the program website. Questions may be directed to Christine Merrill. 

Save the Date

A Community Meeting regarding Skidmore’s Campus Master Planning process will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday, April 5. Additional details and meeting access information will be shared via email next week.

NeedleLittleLove

All students, staff and faculty, regardless of experience, are invited to participate in NeedleLittleLove, a collaborative sewing and embroidery project for the entire Skidmore community. All materials are provided free! At the end of the project, each participant’s 8-inch square will be connected with others to create a wall hanging displayed in Saisselin Art Building in late April or early May. Visit NeedleLittleLove for information on how to participate. This project is sponsored by the Schick Art Gallery, Fibers Arts Professor Sang-Wook Lee and an ever-expanding group of art students. 

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 at 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. 

Tang Guide Tours

Join Tang guide Paige Meade ’22 at 5 p.m. Thursday, March 25, for a single-object tour and conversation of “Untitled [from The Kitchen Table Series]" by Carrie Mae Weems; join Tang guide Cailey Surface ’22 at 5 p.m. Friday, March 26, for a single-object tour and conversation of “Straight to Hell" by Dyke Action Machine!; and join Tang guide José Nunez ’22 at 3 p.m. Saturday, March 27, for a single-object tour and conversation about “The Ram I” by Natalie Frank. The latter two artworks are featured in the exhibition “Never Done: 100 Years of Women in Politics and Beyond.” These events take place in person in the museum and are free and open to Skidmore students, staff and faculty following campus safety guidelines. For more information, contact Olivia Cammisa-Frost. 

Tang Live: Curator’s Tour of “Hyde Cabinet #11: Don’t Theorize, Accessorize”

Join us at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 25, for Tang Live, a weekly Skidmore student-run event on the Tang’s Instagram. Malchijah Hoskins ’22, member of the Tang’s Student Advisory Council, leads a curator’s tour of his online exhibition “Hyde Cabinet #11: Don’t Theorize, Accessorize.” For more information, contact Olivia Cammisa-Frost. 

Tang at Home Studio: “Living Landforms”

Join us at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 27, for Tang at Home Studio: “Living Landforms.” This week, we explore Syd Carpenter’s sculpture “Ellis and Anna Mae Thomas,” on view in the exhibition “Never Done: 100 Years of Women in Politics and Beyond.” Carpenter, who is also a gardener, explores the histories of African American farmers and her own family’s history of farming in her sculptures as a way to honor their untold legacies. We will look at how Carpenter “breathes life” into her sculpture as a metaphor for the living earth and then create our own 3D topographical maps with recycled materials found around the house. 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 Programs at the Tang.  

Student Performance: Atticus Rego '21

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. 

Climate Change: Solutions from the national to the local level

The League of Women Voters’ Environmental Committee and Sustainable Saratoga invite you to join us for a conversation with Congressman Paul Tonko and a panel of student activists about addressing the climate crisis. Anne Ernst, Sustainable Saratoga board member and senior lecturer of Environmental Studies and Sciences, will moderate the discussion. The panel will include Ruthann Richards ’21, president of the Skidmore Environmental Action Club, Sylvana Szuhay ’22, who worked on Al Gore’s Tennessee farm researching carbon storage, and Lillian Olsen, a Saratoga Springs High School student who is active in the school’s Climate Movement. You must register in advance for this free Zoom presentation at 6:45 p.m. March 31.  

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 31. 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. 

“We’ve Only Just Begun” Curators’ Talk

Join us at noon on Friday, April 2, for a Zoom conversation about researching, organizing and designing the online exhibition “We’ve Only Just Begun: 100 Years of Skidmore Women in Politics,” a revealing tour through the Skidmore archives. Rachel Seligman, assistant director for curatorial affairs and Malloy Curator, will moderate a discussion with her exhibition co-organizers Katherine Graney, professor of political science, and Natalie Taylor, associate professor of political science, and collaborator Jane Kjaer, Special Collections, Scribner Library. Register for this Zoom event. For more information, contact Olivia Cammisa-Frost. 

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.  

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. 

Student Academic Services

Student Academic Services (SAS) is open for quiet study and computer use from 4:30 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday at the Starbuck Center lower level. Please sign up in advance.    

Peer Academic Coaching

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

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. 

Davis Project for Peace book drive

Katy Ballo '21 is holding a book drive through April 2 as part of her Davis Project for Peace. For her project, she is creating the first community library in her former high school, Collège Saint Michel (CSM), in Ivory Coast, Anyama, to provide its students with access to books and computers. Those interested in assisting this effort are asked to make a purchase from the wish list at this website. For more information, contact Katy Ballo. 

Mini Handmade Pop-Up

A Mini Handmade Pop-Up featuring Skidmore College's talented, emerging artists from the Marketplace for Artists class will take place Friday, March 26, and Saturday, March 27, at Betsy Olmsted’s Studio in the Saratoga Marketplace located at 454 Broadway, Saratoga Springs. Snag some original art and handmade items including prints, knits, textiles and more! Participating artists include: Elodie Keating, Cassandra Bond, Sophie Barbarita, Margot Hahn, Michael Campbell, Jasmine Leong, Catherine Yoon and Sanjna Selvarajan. For more information, please contact Elizabeth Dubben.  

Writing Center updates

As Skidmore holds steady at Level 2, we plan to open the Writing Center to some in-person tutoring in addition to our online tutoring. All sessions will be by appointment only. Visitors to the Writing Center must be CoVerified, practice social distancing and wear face masks at all times. Online sessions will still be available in all time slots. Please check our schedule for time slots (in person and online). 

Liberty League honors Thoroughbred student-athletes

Liberty League weekly awards returned for the first time in more than a year and Skidmore athletes were well represented. Men’s lacrosse midfielder Charlie McFadden was named Liberty League Rookie of the Week and Charlie Kessler was selected to the honor roll. Women’s lacrosse players Charlotte Cass and Amelia Bassett were honor roll selections.  

Skidmore Shop

If you buy an Apple device with us now until April 30, you’ll be entered into a drawing for a 2019 Space Gray 15-inch MacBook Pro with touch bar, 16GB Ram, 256GB. The Skidmore Shop is an Authorized Apple Campus Store that offers education pricing on the latest models as well as deals on previous years’ devices. Visit the website for full drawing details. 

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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 Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

518-580-5000