News and announcements from Skidmore College

Weekly Bulletin

Skidmore News

Updates on vice presidential searches

Search committees for the dean of the faculty/vice president for academic affairs, vice president/dean of admissions and financial aid, and vice president for finance and administration/treasurer have been formed, and work is underway to fill these important leadership positions. Additional information regarding committee members, search firms, position profiles, and more can be found here.

COVID-19 Updates

A detailed email on Monday, Sept. 19, reiterated that students and employees who have COVID-19 symptoms should stay home when sick, wear a mask around others in public, test, and closely follow isolation guidelines. All students and employees may now pick up one box of rapid tests per visit at Case Information Desk or at Campus Safety. (Note: The expiration dates for many rapid antigen test kits, including tests distributed on campus, have been extended.) Students and employees must report positive test results. Updates will continue to be posted to the Campus Planning website and COVID-19 Dashboard.

On-campus COVID-19 booster clinic

On Monday, Oct. 10, Skidmore will hold a COVID-19 updated bivalent booster clinic on campus in partnership with a local pharmacy. This clinic will be for students only. Additional information regarding time, location, and how to sign up will be forthcoming. Students should monitor their email for details. Please note: A second clinic is being planned for later in October, which will be open to employees.

Human Resources

Mandatory anti-harassment training

All employees — faculty, staff, and student workers — are required to complete mandatory anti-harassment training by Friday, Oct. 28. Please review the College’s Equal Employment Opportunity, Diversity, and Anti-Harassment Policies and Procedures for staff and faculty and then complete the “Prevent Discrimination and Harassment Together” module on the Compliance Training website. Faculty and staff (but not student employees) must also complete the training related to interacting with and the protection of minors, which is available on the same page. Please contact Human Resources if you have questions.

Faculty-Staff Achievements

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

Paul J. Arciero, professor of health and human physiological sciences, was featured in The Washington Post. Read more>>

Kelly Melekis, associate professor of social work, received a seed grant from the New York Six Liberal Arts Consortium to develop a new course. Read more>>

T.H. Reynolds, professor and chair of the Health and Human Physiological Sciences Department, and Stephen Ives, associate professor and associate chair, recently published a scientific paper. Read more>>

Sarah Sweeney, associate professor of art, was selected to be a 2022 CultureHub Resident Artist. Read more>>

Announcements

October staff and faculty meetings

The monthly faculty and staff meetings will take place on Friday, Oct. 7. The staff meeting will be held from 1 to 2 p.m. on the second floor of Murray-Aikins Dining Hall and will include a discussion about the purpose of the meetings, what we can do to shape them most effectively, and what topics you would like to see addressed. The faculty meeting will take place at 3:30 p.m. in Gannett Auditorium. For those unable to attend either meeting, access information to join via Zoom will be sent by email.

Student Opportunity Fund fall 2022 grants

Students are encouraged to apply for the first round of Student Opportunity Fund grants, which may be used to defray the cost of student projects, research materials and supplies, travel to a research site, preparation of project results for publication or display, or student-faculty collaborations. (These funds are reserved for curricular projects and are not available for co-curricular events, including speakers.) Please review the guidelines carefully. The deadline is Monday, Oct. 10.

Improvements to Skidmore’s main entrance

Skidmore is making progress on its main entrance and cul-de-sac projects, which are scheduled to be completed by Wednesday, Oct. 12. Work on the signage portion of the project will continue for several weeks but should not affect pedestrian or vehicular traffic.

Celebration Weekend

Celebration Weekend, Skidmore’s annual event for the families of Skidmore students, will take place Oct. 14-16. More information about the weekend can be found online. Contact Megan Mercier in Alumni Relations and College Events with questions.

Skidmore-Saratoga County EOC Thanksgiving Basket Project

The annual Thanksgiving Basket Project helps local neighbors in need of a family holiday meal. To make a donation or learn how to help in other ways, visit the Lifeworks website, where you’ll see information about participating in the Thanksgiving Basket Program. You may also donate online. Please consider noting “Skidmore” either on your check or on the website. Skidmore initiated this program 35 years ago and continues to be among its largest institutional supporters, having contributed almost $250,000 since its inception.

Skidmore Encore

The 42nd annual Skidmore Encore faculty lecture series for community members age 55+ runs on Tuesday mornings from Oct. 4 through Nov. 15 in Arthur Zankel Music Center. No registration is necessary for current employees, who are invited to attend a faculty presentation at no cost. Contact Coleen Stephenson for more information.

New Time: Dunkerley Dialogue with Maggie Greaves and Sumita Chakraborty

The Tang Teaching Museum’s next Dunkerley Dialogue, featuring Associate Professor of English and “Parallax: Framing the Cosmos” co-curator Maggie Greaves in conversation with poet Sumita Chakraborty, will now take place at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6. Contact Oliva Cammisa-Frost for more information.

Athletics news

Thoroughbred teams continue to roll toward the postseason. Wachenheim Field will host a battle for first place at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8, when Skidmore hosts Vassar College in men’s soccer. The men are 5-1-3 overall and 2-0-1 in league play. The volleyball team has home league matches against Ithaca at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7, and William Smith at 2 p.m. Saturday. The golf team is also home this weekend, with the Skidmore Invitational being played Saturday and Sunday at Saratoga Spa State Park. Check skidmoreathletics.edu for start times and away events.

Skidmore Shop

Beginning Monday, Oct. 3, the Shop will no longer accept cash for payment, in line with the policy of other retail locations on campus.

Dining Services

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

Glotzbach Atrium Naming

Please join us as we celebrate Phil and Marie Glotzbach at the naming of the Glotzbach Atrium in the Billie Tisch Center for Integrated Sciences on Friday, Oct. 7. A reception will begin at 4:30 p.m. The program will begin at approximately 5 p.m., following the faculty meeting.

Oracle Cloud System Community Feedback Sessions

Information Technology, Human Resources, and Finance continues to seek the community’s feedback on ways to enhance the Oracle Cloud system, used for financial and human resources functions, during a series of community feedback sessions this week. Sessions cover expense reporting; invoices, and purchase requisitions; timekeeping, payroll, and benefits; approving transactions and budget reporting for supervisors; employee data for individual employees; and the hiring process and employee data for supervisors. Please review the Oracle Cloud website and SWB for more information.

Parking on campus

In the coming weeks, signs at parking lot entrances aimed at educating the Skidmore community about new parking regulations may be removed. These signs were placed to help educate the community about the new parking rules. Although the signs may be removed, these rules remain in place.

Skidmore Celebration 5K Run-Walk

The Skidmore Celebration 5K Run-Walk, which starts and finishes on Case Green, will take place at 11 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 16. The first 80 participants to sign up will receive a free T-shirt. Medals will be awarded to the first three finishers in six different categories. There is no entry fee. A $10 (optional) donation benefits LifeWorks Community Action (formerly Saratoga EOC), supporting Thanksgiving dinners for families in need. Register online (in the left panel). Runners, joggers, and walkers are all welcome. Contact Mike Eckmann or Megan Mercier for more information.

Learning event in the Skidmore Community Garden

Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies and Sciences A.J. Schneller, students in his Environmental Education course, and Shelburne Farms invite first-, second-, and third-graders and their parents to “Fab. 5 in the Garden” from 2:10 to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6, in the Skidmore Community Garden. Children dress up as plants and insects and embark on a fun-filled adventure, learning about all the elements needed for healthy soils and plants to grow. Email A.J. Schneller to RSVP.

Ensemble Connect returns to Skidmore

Ensemble Connect is celebrating its 16th year at Skidmore. A fall 2022 Skidmore residency will take place Oct. 18-21. It will feature lessons and coaching with music students, class visits, and community outreach, and it will culminate in a performance in Arthur Zankel Music Center at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21. Tickets are $5 for Skidmore students, faculty, and staff; to purchase, visit www.skidmore.edu/zankel.

Student Employment Sick Leave Updates for 2022-23 Academic Year

New York’s Paid Sick Leave law established the right to paid leave for employees, including student employees who are paid on an hourly basis. Student employees should review this information concerning eligibility. Supervisors of student employees should review this explanation of eligibility and approval of student employee sick leave. Please email Financial Aid Student Employment for more information.

MDOC Storytellers Institute arts residency applications now available

Skidmore student applications are now open for the MDOCS Storytellers’ Institute, a fully funded nonfiction arts residency on campus in June. The institute is a fully funded opportunity offering students time to work on personal nonfiction arts projects, access to professional documentarians, networking, and other opportunities. Applications are due Oct. 10.

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