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Coffee Hour returns January 29: When it restarts, you'll find the link in this spot, every week!
In the meantime, find recordings of previous Coffee Hours; sign up for a presentation slot on the 2025 Coffee Hour schedule; or email the Coffee Hour team at innovation@sage.edu.
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When Rufus Sniffles, Everyone Sneezes:
A Friendly Reminder From Your Colleagues
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In recent weeks, we’ve seen an uptick in flu, RSV, Covid-19, and Norovirus (stomach bug) throughout the general population. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers updated guidance on respiratory viruses and this guidance on Norovirus. We’d like to remind you to take these steps when you are sick and to wash your hands frequently:
Stay home if you are experiencing any symptoms of illness: This includes fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, or body aches.
Seek healthcare: If you are experiencing severe symptoms or have concerns, please consult a healthcare professional. Telehealth is available via our CDPHP insurance plan.
Stay home: If you are advised to stay home, do so and follow any specific instructions provided by your doctor.
Communicate with your manager: Inform your manager as soon as possible to explore your options, such as using sick leave or making arrangements for remote work (if possible). You can check leave balances under the Employee section of Self-Service in Passport.
By staying home, you can reduce the risk of spreading your illness to others and their family members, potentially preventing further infections and outbreaks, and creating a healthier Russell Sage for everyone.
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Get Updates About Snow Days and Other College Emergencies;
Important Information Regarding the Emergency Alert System
Russell Sage is transferring emergency alert systems from Send Word Now to Alert Media. This is important so you can get updates about snow days and other college emergencies.
You will receive an email invitation from Public Safety at alerts@universityheights.org on Thursday, January 23. You must log in from that email to update or add your information. To log in, use your Sage email and create a password.
IMPORTANT: Please do not select the SSO option on the login screen.
Complete this by January 27 to get the most up-to-date emergency notifications from the college.
Hot tip: Save this phone number in your phone so you recognize the alerts! 518-666-8041.
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NEW! Group Fitness Training
Recreation and Fitness is offering group fitness training with personal trainer Ian Engel. Sessions will be Fridays at 5 p.m. in the McKinstry Group Fitness Center in Troy. Sessions limited to eight people.
Sign up for Group Fitness Training.
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Welcome, Men’s Lacrosse Coach Erich Skelly
Erich Skelly has joined RSC as head men’s lacrosse coach. Skelly played at SUNY Brockport, has coached at the college level since 2011, and was most recently head coach at Albright College in Reading, Pennsylvania. Read more about him at sagegators.com.
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From IT: Navigating the AI-Powered Cybersecurity Landscape
January's Sage Guard newsletter explores the growing role of AI in cybersecurity, where criminals leverage AI to craft sophisticated phishing attacks and deepfakes, while organizations turn to AI to bolster defense mechanisms. The issue also highlights the escalating risks to critical infrastructure, with ransomware attacks on the rise and plans in place to secure these vital sectors. Plus, find information on the evolving landscape of global regulations, including the EU's AI Act and stricter data protection laws, shaping the future of compliance and security.
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J-College Recap: "Building Confidence in Difficult Conversations," Presented by Amanda Bastiani and Pete Stapleton
Here are the ground rules that attendees at "Building Confidence in Difficult Conversations" came up with during a J-College exercise on establishing a healthy environment for difficult conversations.
Session leaders Amanda Bastiani (Title IX Coordinator and EEO Specialist) and Pete Stapleton (Assistant Provost for Strategic Initiatives) encourage you to go through this exercise with your teams; you may come up with similar or new rules of engagement. The goal is to create this together and review/modify it as needed.
- Assume good will: Keep an open mind, respect the experiences of others
- Respectful tone
- Active listening: Listen to understand, not to respond
- Is it true, kind, necessary?: Ask these questions before speaking
- Pause before you speak (breathe)
- Empathy is not the same as sympathy, and though you may deal with a specific situation countless times this could be someone’s first experience
- Manage expectations, and do not make assumptions
- Speak from "I": Express thoughts and feelings from your point of view and not on behalf of another person or group
If you attended the session, please complete this assessment survey. Your feedback will help inform future programming. Amanda and Pete thank you for your participation and great dialogue!
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Thrive in 2025: Tell HR What Matters to You!
Working under the umbrella of Thrive@Russell Sage, Human Resources wants to know what types of wellness initiatives you would like to see from HR and community partners in 2025.
Please complete this Employee Wellness Interest Survey. Survey will be open through February 17.
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From HR: Join the Employee Wellness Committee to Shape a Healthier RSC!
Russell Sage College is forming an Employee Wellness committee in 2025. This group will be independent from Thrive@Russell Sage, but will coordinate with the Thrive team to support overall wellness initiatives for the college community.
We welcome you to apply to be a part of the Employee Wellness committee. As a member of the committee, your role would be to:
- Attend and actively participate in committee meetings
- Contribute to the development and implementation of the committee wellness plan
- Be a champion for wellness by supporting and promoting committee’s activities
If you are interested in applying to be a committee member, please complete the one-question interest form by February 17.
We are still deciding on size of this active work group, but would like to have a healthy representation from across RSC departments. We'll share more information about the roster the week of February 24. A kickoff meeting is tentatively planned for early March (date to be determined.) Thank you!
-Human Resources
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Starting the Semester on a Winning Streak
"A local man with no connection to Sage recently decided he wanted to create a scholarship for nursing students to honor his late wife. He researched all the colleges in our region which have nursing programs and selected Sage to create the endowment. He said, 'You have what appears to be the best program in the region.' Way to go Sage and especially our nursing faculty!"
"Assistant Provost for Student Success and Institutional Effectiveness Kirk Robinson, thank you for all of your wonderful work and vision. The community appreciates you! You are making a positive difference for our students and staff! Thank you for all you have done and are doing! Your efforts are definitely helping us move Sage forward!"
"Thank you to Director of Institutional Research Sean Mooney for the countless hours you have spent making sure RSC is compliant with Federal Gainful Employment reporting. There have been many issues along the way and you never gave up. We are very lucky to have you at Sage."
"Purchasing Specialist Alexis Pember, Senior Accountant and Accounts Payable Supervisor Dina Riester, and Purchasing Specialist Dion Selby, thank you, thank you, thank you! The systems you have in place to keep things moving and all of us organized are great! Thanks for all you do, I’m certain it is hectic trying to figure out the puzzle pieces sometimes!" -Sheri Spraker, Institutional Advancement.
"Shout out to Senior Director of Academic Advising Karen Schell for her help in answering advising questions and being on top of the academic progress/suspension process!"
Please help RSC reach 100 WoW entries in 2025 by posting to the Wall/Google Doc of Wins. Let us know what you'd include on your department's "highlight reel," shout out your colleagues, and brag about yourself a little, too!
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Q&A with Professor and APTA NY’s Physical Therapist of the Year
Lauren Tourtellott's work with DPT students and with patients helped her stand out for recognition from the New York chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association.
Read about her work and her award in this Q&A on Sage.edu.
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Holocaust Remembrance Day
Monday, January 27, 11 a.m.,
Bush Memorial, Troy
Join members of the college community to view the film One Survivor Remembers, Gerda Weissmann Klein's account of surviving the Holocaust. After the short film, Professor of History and Political Science Harvey Strum will provide additional historical context to facilitate discussion.
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Please Encourage Grad Students to Apply for Broughton Graduate Fellowship: The Broughton Graduate Fellowship is an award for advanced scholarly research by graduate students. The application deadline is February 9. Email Kathy McLaughlin in the provost's office with questions.
Women's Soccer Organizing Clothing Drive to Benefit Local Charities: Look for donation bins in KCC and the Armory in Albany and McKinstry in Troy through January 27.
PT researchers seeking volunteers for study: Do you know someone who qualifies?: Researchers from Physical Therapy are evaluating the effectiveness of low-level laser therapy on pain in individuals with painful peripheral diabetic neuropathy. They are seeking individuals between 40 and 70 years old with a diagnosis of painful peripheral diabetic neuropathy and the ability to walk with or without an assistive device to participate. Participants will be compensated $50 for their time. Reach out to Associate Professor of Physical Therapy Rupali Singh at singhr@sage.edu or 518-244-4550.
Read Solutions: The Newsletter for students: Recent issues are available at Sage.edu/Solutions (scroll to the bottom.)
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Upcoming Deadlines
Click on the button below to send us an email. Please use the same deadlines and email address to submit announcements to Coffee Break for employees and Solutions: The Newsletter for students.
Please send your news by 5 p.m. January 22 for the January 27 issue.
Please send your news by 5 p.m. January 29 for the February 3 issue.
Please send your news by 5 p.m. February 5 for the February 10 issue.
Please send your news by 5 p.m. February 12 for the February 17 issue.
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