News and announcements from Skidmore College

Weekly Bulletin

Skidmore News

Skidmore marks Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Skidmore College is partnering with MLK Saratoga and sponsoring Dr. King Celebration Weekend events to honor Martin Luther King Jr. and his continuing legacy.

Update: Interim Vice President for Communications and Marketing

President Conner announces the news of Diane O’Connor’s departure at the end of January and reflects on her accomplishments at Skidmore.

Skidmore launches Food Systems Initiative

A selective grant from the Henry David Thoreau Foundation supports innovative, forward-thinking environmental work already underway at the College.

COVID-19 Updates

As shared in a communication to the entire Skidmore community yesterday, the College is considering all areas related to our return to campus. Details regarding testing, boosters, masking, classes, compliance, and communications were all outlined. Employees should monitor their email for important updates in the coming days and weeks. 

Yesterday’s message included the following details regarding testing and booster shots:

Testing upon arriving on campus

• Employees must complete an on-campus test the week of Jan. 23-29 or a PCR or a rapid test away from campus. Updated testing hours are available on the Health Services website. Testing will again be located on the second floor of Murray-Aikins Dining Hall.
• Individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 should not test for 90 days following the initial positive test.
• Negative test results from off-campus testing do not need to be reported. Employees who test positive through off-campus testing should inform Brianna Herman in HR and their supervisor.

Booster shots

• All eligible Skidmore students, staff, and faculty are required to get a booster by the start of the spring semester or within 30 days of becoming eligible (unless you received a medical or religious exemption to Skidmore’s COVID-19 vaccination requirement).
• The CDC’s current guidelines for booster shots were recently updated. Individuals who received the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine can now receive a booster shot five months after completing their Pfizer or Moderna primary series.
• Per the CDC, individuals who are eligible for a booster but are not yet boosted, and who come into close contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19, must now quarantine for five days following the exposure and test on day five with an antigen test. Therefore, being boosted in a timely way is critical to our ability to resume normal activities and operations on campus.
• Instructions for uploading booster information will be sent directly to employees from HR.

For additional information regarding isolation, quarantine, and the Paid Family Leave Covid-19 Quarantine Leave Benefits to Care for Minor Dependent Children, please consult the message sent Jan. 7 from Human Resources.

HERO Act Designation Extended

The designation of COVID-19 as a highly contagious communicable disease has been extended by the New York State Department of Health. In turn, the College's Airborne Infectious Disease Exposure Prevention Plan remains in effect and all employees working on campus must continue to complete the Daily Health Certification form at the beginning of each workday.

Dining Services

Please visit the Dining Services website regularly for updates, 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. The Spa, Atrium Café, and Burgess Café remain open to everyone.

Human Resources

Online employee directory

Skidmore's online employee directory is now live and up-to-date thanks to the hard work of IT colleagues and with the help of the Office of Communications and Marketing. You can find the directory through the A-Z Index on the Skidmore website or access the directory directly. If you find any issues with the data or have any questions, please contact Nancy Bruno or Jim Calhoun.

Free TIAA-CREF individual counseling sessions

Rachel Fiedler, a TIAA retirement planning counselor, is holding one-on-one phone consultations with employees Thursday, Jan. 27, Wednesday, Feb. 9, and Tuesday, March 15. Call 1-800-732-8353 to schedule an appointment or visit the website.

Free one-on-one retirement consultations with Vanguard

Employees can schedule a one-on-one phone consultation with a Vanguard retirement planning counselor on Thursday, Jan. 13, Tuesday, Jan. 25, Wednesday, Feb. 16, or Tuesday, March 8. You can sign up for an appointment by going to the website and selecting New York/Skidmore College/Saratoga Springs/one-on-one sessions.

EAP Reaching Out Newsletter

The January edition of our Employee Assistance Program’s (EAP) Reaching Out Newsletter is here. There are a range of interesting articles, including strategies and resources for maintaining morale in a hybrid workplace. We hope you find this month’s newsletter helpful and remind all employees that the professional support team at EAP is available 24/7 by phone or video to help you with legal, financial, and health and wellness- related concerns.

Skidmore Spotlight

Meet Elijah Deso

Eli Deso, lead media technology specialist, serves as deputy to the Director of Media Services and Learning Experience Design and Digital Scholarship (LEDS) Beth DuPont, and manages the installation, modernization, and maintenance of audiovisual infrastructure across campus.

Faculty-Staff Achievements

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

K. Aurelia Ball, assistant professor of chemistry, published a scientific paper with Juan Alcantara ’21, Robyn Stix ’18, Katherine Huang ’23, Acadia Connor ’21, and Ray East ’23. Read more>>

Paul Benzon, assistant professor of English, published a new book. Read more>> 

Joseph Cermatori, assistant professor of English, discussed his recent book on a podcast. Read more>>

Veena Chandra, private music instructor, was featured in news article ahead of a recent performance. Read more>>

Stephen Ives, associate professor of health and human physiological sciences, and Kim Frederick, professor of chemistry, co-authored a research paper with Alexs Matias ’19 and Jessica Gaetgens ’22. Read more>> 

Vojtech Kejzlar, assistant professor of statistics, delivered an invited presentation. Read more>>

Evan Mack, senior teaching professor of music, spoke about his work with a volunteer group in a news article. Read more>>

Gina Occhiogrosso, instructor of art, is opening a new solo exhibition at the Arts Center of the Capital Region in Troy. Read more>>

Julia Routbort, associate dean of student affairs for health and wellness, spoke about the importance of receiving a COVID-19 booster in a news article. Read more>>

Minita Sanghvi, associate professor of marketing, was sworn in as Saratoga Springs commissioner of finance and was featured in several media pieces. Read more>>

Announcements

Facilities Services

Facilities Services will be testing the campuswide generators from 7 to 8:15 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 13, and you may experience a brief interruption in power. Power will be fully restored when the test is complete.

Tang Museum open by appointment

The Tang Teaching Museum is open by appointment as we prepare new exhibitions to open Saturday, Jan. 29: "Radical Fiber: Threads Connecting Art and Science" and "Opener 34: Ruby Sky Stiler — New Patterns." Students, faculty, and staff can make appointments to visit by calling 518-580-8080.

Register now for Radical Fiber: A Symposium on Art and Science

In conjunction with the exhibition "Radical Fiber: Threads Connecting Art and Science," the Tang Teaching Museum presents a two-day online event: Radical Fiber: A Symposium on Art and Science. The symposium on Friday, Jan. 28, and Saturday, Jan. 29, brings together scholars, artists, and thinkers in academia, business, tech, and the arts on the historical, present, and potential future connections of fiber-based practice and the sciences. Each day includes a curator’s tour, two panel discussions, and a moderated conversation open to all attendees to share ideas inspired by the day. A complete schedule and Zoom registration links can be found on the exhibition webpage.

Skidmore Shop

Follow us @theskidmoreshop on Instagram and on Facebook to find out about the latest and greatest from sales, new items, and promotions to giveaways, events, and more.

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. The deadline for all submissions is noon each Monday.

 Please send submissions to the Office of Communications and Marketing. 

Skidmore College

 815 North Broadway

 Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

518-580-5000