Announcements

Hawk Hill This Week is an online newsletter for Saint Joseph's University employees. This weekly email digest is delivered Monday mornings. It includes news about faculty, staff and student acheivements; key deadline reminders; policy updates; tips on community resources and more.

In the spirit of community, all faculty and staff are encouraged to share their news through this newsletter by emailing us.

Submit Your Announcement

Faculty and Staff First Generation College Graduate Pennants

Pennants are available for faculty and staff that are first generation college graduates, specifically meaning neither parent has a four-year college degree. Pennants can hang in your office to identify yourself as an advocate for students who are also first generation. If interested, please fill out the demographic information form here and we will get a pennant to you soon. If you have any questions, please contact Nancy Komada in Student Life. 

Mazzoni Center Session Registration

On Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020 staff from the Mazzoni Center will be on campus to conduct a day-long Professional Development session for interested faculty, staff and administrators. The session will assist participants with learning how to be inclusive of students and colleagues who identify as LGBTQ. The trainers will engage us with exploring terminologies, identities, use of appropriate pronouns and deeper dives into how we can support our students and colleagues.

Participants will share and learn from the trainers and one another. 

The program is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the trainers have requested that participants commit to the whole day, not step in and out. The training is limited to 100 participants, so signup is first-come, first-served. Faculty, full-time staff and administrators will receive preference. If you completed the Alliance interest poll before the training, you still need to sign up.

To register, please complete this form by Friday, Dec. 20. If you have any questions please contact Mary-Elaine Perry, Title IX & Bias Response Coordinator.

ASC Holiday Potluck

The Administrative Staff Council will be hosting a Holiday Potluck for all staff and administrators on Wednesday, Dec. 18 from noon to 2 p.m in the Villiger Conference room.

The ASC will provide the paper products, utensils and beverages. The community is invited to bring a small dish to share with other staff and faculty. Please sign up here by Sunday, Dec. 15. Come have lunch with old friends and meet new ones!

SJU Toys for Tots Drive

The Office of Government and Community Relations is happy to announce that it will again hold a Toys for Tots drive to benefit children in need in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas. This year we are working with Student Senate. You may drop your new, unwrapped toy in one of the following locations:

• Academy of Food Marketing, Mandeville Hall, Room 387
• Office of Public Safety, Barbelin Hall
• Office of Financial Affairs, 219 City Avenue
• Boland Hall
• Merion Hall Second Floor Hallway
• Public Safety Customer Service Center, Campion Student Center, Room 229A

Toys will be collected until Friday, Dec. 13. Thank you for your generosity.

Reading Day Mindfulness Meditation Session

Take a brief time out during your study time to enjoy the benefits of meditation. In an extension of Mindful Mondays, an extra 30-minute drop-in session of mindful meditation will be held for faculty, staff and students on Tuesday, Dec. 10 (Reading Day) from 11:30 a.m. to noon in Sunroom 1 in the Campion Student Center.

People who meditate report less anxiety, reduced stress, improved focus and better overall health. Plus, meditation is typically enhanced in a group setting. Please contact Greg Nicholls, director of counseling and psychological services, with any questions.

Silent Directed Ignatian Retreat Registration

A Silent Directed Ignatian Retreat for faculty and staff will be offered at St. Raphaela Retreat House from Thursday, Jan. 9 to Sunday, Jan. 12, 2020. Experience some of the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius and take time to reflect and care for yourself. Grants are available to support SJU employees. To register for the retreat, please email Patty Esnouf, Office of Mission Programs by Wednesday, Jan. 8.

Faculty and Staff Appreciation Sale

The Saint Joseph's University Bookstore is having a faculty and staff appreciation sale on Wednesday, Dec. 11 and Thursday, Dec. 12. Faculty and staff will receive 25% off all clothing and gifts, instead of their normal 10% discount.

The Bookstore also offers free DIY gift wrapping for purchases.

Bookstore Sale

The Saint Joseph's University Bookstore is having a one-day, in-store 50% off clearance sale for faculty, staff and students on Tuesday, Dec. 3. It will include clothing, gifts and bargain books, but it must be merchandise that is on clearance, not regularly priced merchandise. 

The Bookstore also offers free DIY gift wrapping for purchases. 

Adobe Creative Cloud Updates

The Office of Information Technology is excited to announce new options for using the Adobe Creative Cloud suite of applications.

What is the Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop App?

Creative Cloud for desktop allows you to quickly install, launch and update Adobe apps, as well as manage and share your assets stored in Creative Cloud. 

When will I have access to the Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop App?

As of Saturday, Nov. 30, all faculty and staff should be using the Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop app on their SJU-provided computer using their SJU credentials. This will allow faculty and staff to use the latest version of Adobe applications such as Photoshop, Illustrator and Premiere.  If you have not yet installed the software, installation instructions can be found on the IT portal.

Students will be able to access Adobe applications as well as projects created using Adobe tools in labs and classrooms where the software has been installed.

If you have any questions, please contact the Technology Service Center at 610-660-2920.

Strategic Hiring Workshop for Managers and Search Committees

The Office of Human Resources and the Office of the Provost invite all University hiring managers and search committee chairs to attend a strategic hiring workshop. This session will provide the opportunity for hiring managers to:

• learn about the importance of diversifying our applicant pools
• discuss implicit bias
• discuss tactics for active recruiting
• review appropriate and inappropriate questions
• learn how to navigate the PeopleAdmin applicant tracking system

The session will be held in McShain Hall, Seminar Room 1 (Large Lapsley) on Tuesday, Dec. 10, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. 

Saint Joseph’s University is committed to increasing the diversity of its faculty and staff so that our students, our disciplines and our community as a whole can benefit from multiple perspectives. Thus, in support of SJU’s commitment to inclusive excellence, the Strategic Hiring Workshop will highlight best practices on: recruitment, advertising, interviewing & campus visits.

Your commitment to recruiting and retaining an inclusive community at the University is significant to our institution’s progress.

Please direct any questions about the workshop to Taba Pickard, director of employee recruitment and engagement, or Janée Burkhalter, Ph.D., faculty liaison for inclusion and diversity. 

To register for this workshop:

• Log in to The Nest
• Select the Employee tab
• Scroll down to the bottom of the page to view the Training section
• From the training menu, select Training and Development / Employee Training 
• This will bring you to a screen with the Strategic Hiring Workshop Listed
• Click Register to register for the Dec. 10, 2019 training

Call for Volunteers: Annual President's Midnight Breakfast 

University President Mark C. Reed, Ed.D., will host the fifth annual President's Midnight Breakfast on Monday, Dec. 9 from 10:30 p.m. to midnight. The breakfast is held to help fuel our students as they begin their finals. The evening will begin with music and pictures with two special guests and continues with a full breakfast served by faculty and staff dressed for the occasion.

Everyone enjoys being a part of this fun and festive event and once again we need volunteers to make it happen! Please complete the Google Form to indicate your availability and sign up for the fun!  All volunteers will be provided hats and aprons (if you have one from the past please bring it).

Volunteers can begin arriving at 10 p.m. to put on your aprons and help with set up. Public Safety will be offering shuttle service to and from remote parking areas if needed.  

Please sign up for a volunteer position by Wednesday, Nov. 27. If you have any questions please contact Mary-Elaine Perry, Title IX & Bias Response Coordinator.

Supervisor Training Registration Open

Have you taken on supervisory responsibilities at SJU within the past year?  Do you know how to post and fill job openings at SJU? Have any of your direct reports requested a leave of absence due to their own (or an immediate family member’s) medical condition?  Are you familiar with the updated Purchasing Card policy? 

If you are newly in a supervisory role and/or do not have the answers to all of these questions, you are not alone. In an effort to provide supervisors with additional resources that will help them carry out their responsibilities, we have put together a program (“Supervisor Training”) that will cover the following topics:

• Employment and Employment Processes
• Leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act
• Compensation – How is employee pay determined?
• Purchasing Card Policy and Procedures  
• Performance Management and Performance Evaluations

The Supervisor Training will be held Tuesday Dec. 3 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Large Lapsley room (McShain 5th Floor). Lunch will be provided.  In order to ensure your place in this training, you are encouraged to register early.

To register for this workshop:

•  Log into The Nest 
• Select the Employee tab
• Scroll down to the bottom of the page to view the Training section
• From the training menu, select Human Resources Training
• This will bring you to a screen with the New Supervisor Training listed. Click register
• You must register by Saturday, Nov. 30 to ensure your spot in the training.

Upcoming IT Outage — Maguire Campus

On Friday, Nov. 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Network Engineering will be installing an additional network router on the Maguire side of campus. During this maintenance window, there may be multiple outages (both wired and wireless networks) lasting from 5 to 10 minutes impacting the following locations:

Connelly Hall, Gabriel Hall, Merion Hall, Quinn Hall, Cardinal John P. Foley Campus Center, Duperreault Hall, O'Pake Recreational Facility, Toland Hall, Fine Arts East, Nicoletti Music Studio and Windrim Hall

If you have any questions, please contact the Technology Service Center at 610-660-2920.

Professional Dress Pop-Up Shop Donations Needed

The Career Development Center is accepting donations for the Spring 2020 Professional Dress Pop-Up Shop. The Professional Dress Pop-Up Shop allows Saint Joseph’s students in need of professional attire to gain access to free clothing prior to on-campus interviews and professional events like the Spring 2020 Career Fair. The Pop-Up Shop is run through a partnership with the student-led American Marketing Association and sponsored by Target. 

We are accepting new and gently worn, clean clothing (no shoes or jewelry please!) from November through January. Please bring the items directly to the Career Development Center.  You will find a bin in the lobby where donations can be dropped off. Thank you in advance for your support!

Christmas Giving Tree Donations and Submissions

The annual Christmas Giving Tree is now accessible online. Please consider visiting the form to sign up to support a local family during the holiday season. When signing up, please enter your name and check the box next to the items you plan to purchase. All gifts should be unwrapped and labeled with the family number you have chosen (e.g. Family 1). Gifts must be delivered to the Drexel Library Service Desk by Tuesday, Dec. 17.

If you are aware of any member of the student body, staff, faculty, friends or neighbors who may benefit from the Giving Tree, please email Martha VanAuken, library technician.

Thanksgiving Dinner Dance Donations and Volunteer Opportunity

The 43rd Annual Thanksgiving Dinner Dance will be held on Thursday, Nov. 21 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. in the Doyle Banquet Hall. This free annual event hosts nearly 400 local area senior citizens and is filled with food, raffles, live music and dancing. The Thanksgiving Dinner Dance Committee, a student organization, organizes and executes this SJU tradition. The committee needs your help to make the event a success. 

We greatly rely on your support for raffle items and would appreciate if you, or your department, would assist us by donating a gift basket or a gift card toward this venture. With your generous support, we will be able to provide a fun-filled and engaging event to our local senior neighbors and friends. You are welcome to drop off donations to Post Hall Suite 110 by Tuesday, Nov. 19 or arrange for a member of our committee to pick it up. Alternatively, you can bring your donation the evening of the event.   

If you are unable to donate a raffle prize, please consider volunteering your skills and/or your time. We need people to decorate, meet and greet, serve meals and bus tables. If you are interested in taking part in the evening by donating or attending, please contact Andrea Constantino via phone or email by Thursday, Nov. 14.

Thank you in advance for your assistance and support of this worthwhile cause.

Holy Land Pilgrimage Information Session 

Brendan Lally, S.J. will host an information session on the Holy Land Pilgrimage for faculty and staff on Tuesday, Nov. 19 at 3 p.m. in the Wachterhauser Seminar Room in the Post-Learning Commons.

The Pilgrimage group is limited to 26 people and spots will be filled on a first come, first served basis. The deadline to register is Sunday, March 1, but spots are expected to fill rather quickly. Travel dates for this year’s trip are Tuesday, June 16 through Friday, June 26.

Learn more online at www.pilgrimages.com/frlally or email Fr. Lally for more information.

Thanksgiving Baskets Donations Needed

Saint Joseph’s Administrative Staff Council is asking for your help with upcoming holiday collections. Project HOME needs Thanksgiving baskets and/or frozen turkey (no basket required) donations from University departments and individuals. Your donation will enable individuals and families within the Project HOME community to have a hearty holiday meal. Please be sure to include the following items in your Thanksgiving baskets:

• 15-pound frozen Turkey (wrapped or sealed in plastic)

• 4 cans of various seasonal vegetables

• 2 boxes of stuffing mix

• 1 5-pound bag of potatoes

• 2 cans of cranberry sauce

• 2 jars of applesauce

• 1 jar of gravy

• Dinner rolls

• 1 non-frozen pie

Packing the Thanksgiving dinners in a plastic tote or bin with a lid makes it easy for transportation.

Departments and individuals interested in donating a Thanksgiving basket or additional frozen turkeys can email Pat Gregg, disability support specialist, with your name and number of baskets and/or turkeys you will be donating. Baskets will be collected on Tuesday, Nov. 26 from 8 to 10 a.m. in Hagan Arena.

Thanksgiving Baskets Donations Needed

Saint Joseph’s Administrative Staff Council is asking for your help with upcoming holiday collections. Project HOME needs Thanksgiving baskets and/or frozen turkey (no basket required) donations from University departments and individuals. Your donation will enable individuals and families within the Project HOME community to have a hearty holiday meal. Please be sure to include the following items in your Thanksgiving baskets:

• 15-pound frozen Turkey (wrapped or sealed in plastic)
• 4 cans of various seasonal vegetables
• 2 boxes of stuffing mix
• 1 5-pound bag of potatoes
• 2 cans of cranberry sauce
• 2 jars of applesauce
• 1 jar of gravy
• Dinner rolls
• 1 non-frozen pie

Packing the Thanksgiving dinners in a plastic tote or bin with a lid makes it easy for transportation.

Departments and individuals interested in donating a Thanksgiving basket or additional frozen turkeys can email Pat Gregg, disability support specialist, with your name and number of baskets and/or turkeys you will be donating. Baskets will be collected on Tuesday, Nov. 26 from 8 to 10 a.m. in Hagan Arena.

Women's Basketball Faculty & Staff Appreciation Game

This season, SJU women's basketball will host its Faculty & Staff Appreciation game on Monday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. at Hagan Arena. Come cheer on your Hawks as they go up against Temple for the 2019-20 home-opening matchup! Faculty and staff members can receive up to four free tickets when you use promo code "SJUFacStaff." Request your complimentary tickets now!

IT Outage: Banner Self-Service 

On Sunday, Nov. 3 from 8 to 9 a.m., Banner Self-Service will be unavailable as OIT performs a security patch.

What is Banner Self-Service?

Self-Service Banner, or SSB, is accessible through the Administrative Services section of The Nest. When you enter students' final grades, perform a budget query, submit or approve leave reports, or check your pay stub, you are using SSB.