News and announcements from Skidmore College

Weekly Bulletin

Skidmore News

#SkidmoreGives, across campus and the globe

From within Skidmore’s curriculum, through their careers, and in other ways, big and small, Skidmore community members are making an impact.

Israeli, Palestinian peace activists call for dialogue at Skidmore College event

Shadi Abu Awwad and Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger discussed their involvement in Roots/Shorahim/Judur, a unique collaboration of Palestinians and Israelis, during the Nov. 17 event in Gannett Auditorium.

Skidmore Cares is Dec. 6-10

Please join us in celebrating 16 consecutive years of generously supporting our local community through Skidmore Cares! Employees are encouraged to visit the Skidmore Cares webpage to learn about the community organizations we are supporting and to determine which donation item is assigned to your department. During the week of Dec. 6-10, drive or walk over to the tables that will be set up outside Williamson Sports Center and drop off your donations between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Hot chocolate, coffee, and cookies will be served each afternoon. Raffles will be held throughout the week. If you’d like to volunteer for a one-hour window to help collect donations, please sign up here .

COVID-19 Updates

Mandatory COVID-19 testing

Details regarding testing procedures for this week were shared in an email to all students, faculty, and staff.

All employees must be tested for COVID-19 this week. Any staff or faculty member who is not working on campus this week may be tested on their first day back on campus.

All students must be tested within 24 hours of being back on campus and again 72 hours after their first test.

Testing is available on campus on the second floor of the Murray-Aikins Dining Hall between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

COVID-19 Booster Shots

Skidmore encourages and supports eligible individuals — now everyone 18 and older — in getting a booster shot. Individuals who received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine may get a booster six months after their second shot and may choose from a Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson (J&J) booster. Individuals who received the J&J vaccine are eligible for a booster two months after vaccination and may also choose from a Pfizer, Moderna, or J&J booster. For additional information on choosing your COVID-19 booster shot, please visit the CDC website.

Fall semester COVID-19 guidelines, testing, and related protocols

The College’s detailed guidelines for masking, social distancing, visitors, gatherings, and dining are posted to the Campus Planning website , and updates to frequently asked questions are posted as soon as information becomes available. The College is currently at a “yellow” status level, due to a "substantial" to "high" COVID-19 transmission rate in Saratoga County, as categorized by the CDC. Therefore, indoor masking is currently required for everyone on campus, regardless of vaccination status.

Dining Services

Please visit the Dining Services website regularly for updates, Spa specials, hours of operation, and other information.

While the College is operating at a “yellow” status level (“substantial” to “high” Saratoga County COVID transmission rate), Murray-Aikins Dining Hall will be open to students only during the fall semester. The Spa, Atrium Café, and Burgess Café remain open to everyone.

Human Resources

New Open Positions

Human Resources invites interested Skidmore staff to submit their applicant materials for the opening listed below. This is a current, approved, budgeted position that is being filled due to a vacancy.

Registered Nurse On-Call – Health Services

To apply, please access the Okta portal. Click on the tile for “Oracle HCM,” then click “Me,” and then click on “Current Jobs.”

Winter Flexible Work Policy

Human Resources has developed a Winter Flexible Work Policy for all non-union staff permitting employees to request flexible hours options over the winter break period and adding an alternative option for requesting remote work for up to two days per week. Supervisors and department heads may approve requests for flexible work arrangements and are responsible for ensuring adequate coverage.

This pilot program begins the week of Dec. 13 and continues through Jan. 21, 2022. Please review the Winter Flexible Work Policy and contact Human Resources with any questions.

Inclement Weather Policy

While the campus mission requires us to be operational 24/7 on a 12-month basis, there are some occasions where the campus will experience a delayed opening, early release or closure impacting non-designated essential personnel due to particularly severe winter weather. Employees are encouraged to read the full Inclement Weather Policy. For more information, contact Human Resources.

Skidmore College Non-Union Staff Compensation Study Update

The Zoom recording of the community meeting from Tuesday, Nov. 16, is now available on the Human Resources website. You will need a Skidmore login to access this recording.

Free TIAA-CREF Individual Counseling Session

TIAA is holding one-on-one phone consultations with employees on Wednesday, Dec. 15. Call 1-800-732-8353 to schedule an appointment or visit www.TIAA.org/schedulenow.

Skidmore Spotlight

Meet Tracy Broderson

Tracy Broderson serves as animal research facility manager, technical assistant in the Biology Department, and administrative assistant for the Health Professions Advisory Committee.

Faculty-Staff Achievements

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

Research by Kristofer Covey, assistant professor of environmental studies and sciences, and Zoe Pagliaro ’20 was cited in a recent news article. Read more>>

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

Catherine Golden, professor of English, delivered an invited talk. Read more>>

Deb Hall, associate professor of art and the Robert Davidson Chair in Art, is included in an upcoming exhibition. Read more>>

Heather Hurst, associate professor of anthropology, presented her research at an event in Guatemala, and a copy of her illustrations are on display in the country’s national palace. Her work was also featured in a magazine article. Read more>>

Stephen Ives, associate professor of health and human physiological sciences, co-authored a scientific paper based on research led by Caroline Merguerian ’21 and Annika Smith ’21. Read more>>

Rebecca Johnson, professor and chair of the Department of Psychology, published a research article with Devika Nambiar ’20 and Gaby Suman ’22. Read more>>

Oscar A. Pérez, associate professor of Spanish and director of the Latin American and Latinx Studies program, is publishing a new book. Read more>>

Lectures

Latin American and Latinx Studies Fall 2021 Speaker Series

Brenda Nicolas, assistant professor of Chicana/o and Latina/o studies at Loyola Marymount University, will deliver a virtual lecture on “Zapotec Children in California" from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 2.

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 Lectures webpage.

Announcements

Monthly Staff Meeting

The monthly staff meeting will take place from 1 to 2 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 3. A link to the Zoom meeting has been sent by email. The agenda will include updates on Campus Master Planning, the endowment, and the Winter Flexible Work Policy, as well as other updates from President Conner.

Athletics news: Skidmore teams streaking into weekend home games

The Skidmore College men’s and women’s basketball teams will take unbeaten records into this week’s home games, while the men’s hockey team is coming off a Thanksgiving Invitational championship with a pair of home weekend league games on the schedule.

The men’s basketball team is 4-0, while the women’s squad is 5-0. The teams host Clarkson University on Friday at 5:30 p.m. (women) and 7:30 p.m. (men) and St. Lawrence University on Saturday at 2 p.m. (women) and 4 p.m. (men). The hockey team beat Connecticut College 1-0 to win its own tournament and improve to 4-3-1. The team is home Friday at 7 p.m. against Hobart College and Saturday at 4 p.m. against Elmira College.

Scribner Library hours

The library will offer extended hours for the end of the semester. Its hours are 7:30 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday, Dec. 6, through Thursday, Dec. 9, and Sunday, Dec. 12, through Wednesday, Dec. 15. Hours are 7:30 a.m. to midnight on Friday, Dec. 10, and 9 a.m. to midnight on Saturday, Dec. 11. The library will be closed to the public from 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 17, until 8:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 3, 2022.

Save the Date: Campus Master Planning

Please save the date for a one-hour Campus Master Planning update session with planning firm Ayers Saint Gross (ASG) at 11 a.m. or 3:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 6, via Zoom. ASG will share specific ideas for changes in our campus over the next 10 to 20 years. Ideas for Skidmore’s next building projects, new housing, and how we might move offices and departments will be among the topics covered. The ideas are exciting, and we need to have, and want, your input. Sessions will be recorded. Zoom information was sent via email.

Skidmore Theater presents Marisela Treviño Orta's ‘Somewhere: A Primer for the End of Days’

Directed by Lisa Jackson-Schebetta in the JKB Mainstage Theater, this production runs Friday, Dec. 3, through Sunday, Dec. 5. Tickets are free and open to the community. Please refer to this website for COVID-19 protocols. Please contact the JKB Box Office for more information.

New art exhibition, ‘On Their Own Terms,’ opens at the Tang

“On Their Own Terms,” an exhibition curated by students in Outsiders? Folk and Self-Taught Artists in the United States, a Scribner Seminar led by Assistant Professor of Art History Nancy Thebaut, opens Saturday, Dec. 4, and will be on view through April 10, 2022. The museum is open noon to 9 p.m. Thursdays and noon to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Students will lead gallery talks at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 7, and at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 8. Contact Olivia Cammisa-Frost for more information.

Tang book sale

Mark your calendars for a special two-day book sale Thursday, Dec. 9, and Friday, Dec. 10, at the Tang Teaching Museum. All Opener Series catalogues will be $5; all other catalogues will be $10. Prices valid for purchases in the museum only. Supplies are limited. Contact Olivia Cammisa-Frost with any questions.

Save the date: Annual sportswear sale

The annual sportswear sale will be held in the rec gym (lower level) in the Williamson Sports Center, Monday, Dec. 13, between 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Please contact Sherry Ankeny, head equipment manager, for more information.

EMS now open for spring semester room reservations

EMS is now open for the spring semester, through May 21, 2022. Please try to plan all events in advance to the extent possible. Dining Services and Facilities require two weeks’ notice so they can staff accordingly. Helpful how-to documents are listed on the Scheduling webpage. One-on-one trainings are also available. Contact Megan Bove in the Scheduling Office for more information.

Skidmore Shop

Join us on Wednesday, Dec. 8, for our in-store annual Holiday Sale from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Come spin the wheel and get a deal! Can’t make it in person? All branded items will be 20% off at skidmoreshop.com.

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