Emailed to Northwestern staff on October 11, 2022
LETTER FROM THE CHAIR | UPCOMING EVENTS | REMINDERS | CALL TO ACTION |PAST EVENTS | PREVIOUS NEWSLETTERS
Dear Northwestern Staff:
I hope that you and your families had an enjoyable summer and are in the full swing of fall. My name is Joan Trimuel Williams and I have the privilege of serving as the NUSAC chair for fiscal year 2023. I look forward to continuing to serve the Northwestern community and connecting with many of you in the process.
The start of this fall quarter marks a new era for Northwestern. NUSAC is excited to welcome President Schill. The NUSAC Executive Committee had the opportunity to meet with then President-Elect Schill and appreciated his acknowledgment of the important role that staff play at institutions. We look forward to partnering with President Schill and creating opportunities for him to connect with staff.
The fall quarter also begins the implementation of the Workplace Strategies Policy. It has been refreshing for me to engage with more colleagues in-person, while still having opportunities for flexibility in my work schedule. However, I am aware that the transition has been complicated for some. Please share with us your experience at nusac@northwestern.edu or reach out to me or any of the Council members. We are happy to provide resources or share the feedback with the appropriate administrators.
As a reminder, NUSAC is here for you. Our mission is to engage and amplify staff voices through community engagement, professional development opportunities and addressing workplace concerns. Please review our website to see the resources that we have compiled and the history of our impact. NUSAC can only fulfill its mission if we are aware of the staff community’s perspective. Please use the feedback channels noted above.
Thank you for all that you do to make Northwestern a great organization.
With Gratitude,
Joan Trimuel Williams
NUSAC Chair
Upcoming Events
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Ombuds Day Open House: Thursday, October 13 The Office of the Ombudsperson invites the Northwestern University community to celebrate Annual Ombuds Day on Thursday, October 13, 2022 at 555 Clark Street, Suite 209, Evanston, IL 60208. Highlights of this event include:
Learn more about the services of the Office of the Ombudsperson here and reach out to ombuds@northwestern.edu with any questions. |
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Open Enrollment: Monday October 24 – Friday November 11 The choices you make during Open Enrollment shape the benefits that will be working for you and your family throughout the coming year. Open Enrollment for January 1, 2023 plan changes and FSA/HSA enrollment will open at 8 a.m. on Monday, October 24 and close at 5 p.m. on Friday, November 11. Open enrollment information sessions will be available in October and November. A new option- Roth after-tax contributions – will be available through the Northwestern University Retirement and Voluntary Savings Plans. Roth after-tax contributions offer an additional way for eligible plan participants to build financial resources for retirement. Human Resources will also be hosting the Virtual Benefits & Well-being Fair, which will be available before and during the Open Enrollment period. During the week of Monday, October 17, the fair will host drop in sessions; each day having a theme: Health & Physical Well-being, Retirement & Financial Well-being, Social & Emotional Well-being, as well as Human Resources discussing faculty and staff Open Enrollment and WELL resources. Be sure to visit the Virtual Benefits & Well-being Fair page for more information! |
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Security and Privacy Office Hours: Tuesday, October 25, 12-1pm October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month! This year’s theme is “See Yourself in Cyber!” and focuses on steps people can take to enhance or improve cybersecurity – for themselves, their family, or at the workplace. Northwestern’s Information Security Office has published an article with Northwestern-specific information for our community. New for this year, the Information Security Office is holding quarterly office hours for all members of the Northwestern community to ask questions or learn more about cybersecurity, privacy, or international compliance. The inaugural webinar is scheduled for Tuesday, October 25. More information and the webinar link can be found on PlanIt Purple. |
Reminders
NUSAC Updates
As we start the new academic year, we say goodbye to some council members, two of whom have completed their two 3-year terms as council members, Amy Lindgren and Damien Trimuel. Amy served as secretary for 2 years and Vice Chair for one year. Damien served as Treasurer for two years. Their hard work and dedication are greatly appreciated.
We are fortunate to also welcome five new council members this year: Jennifer Gerrard from International Affairs, Christopher Burpee from Norris University Center, Cindy Benson from Safety and Security Police Department, Alex Schultes from Qatar Academic Affairs and Eric Budzynski from Religious and Spiritual Life. Read more about our council members on our website!
Winter Recess
This year’s Winter Recess will be December 27, 28 and 29. Winter Recess refers to the closing of the University’s academic and administrative offices between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. This is done in recognition of the season and dedication of Northwestern’s faculty and staff. Winter Recess days are not holidays but are provided in addition to the already scheduled University holidays of Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
Flu Shots
Human Resources has once again partnered with Empower Health Services (EHS) to host on-campus flu shot clinics in October.
Northwestern does not currently offer COVID -19 booster shot clinics. Booster appointments are available through Northwestern Medicine. Please reference the NM COVID-19 Resource Center for availability.
Employee Assistance Program
Beginning October 1, the University will have a new Employee Assistance Program (EAP) vendor SupportLinc. SupportLinc provides additional and enhanced EAP services compared to what was previously offered.
Access to our current provider, Humana services, will end on September 30. Employees who are using their short-term counseling sessions will be able to continue through December 31, 2022.
Call to Action
2022-23 One Book Selection
One Book One Northwestern announced that the One Book selection for 2022-2023 is How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with The History of Slavery Across America by Clint Smith. In How the Word Is Passed, Smith presents both historical research and interviews with ordinary people at historic sites, thus painting a picture both of history and a variety of people’s contemporary — and often inaccurate — understandings of it. Smith will be on the Chicago and Evanston campus in conversation with history professor and One Book faculty chair Leslie M. Harris on October 18th. Visit the One Book One Northwestern website.
Sand Creek Massacre Commemoration: Film Screening & Discussion
In the spirit of healing, the Native American and Indigenous Student Alliance (NAISA), Multicultural Students Affairs (MSA), Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion (OIDI) and the Center for Native American and Indigenous Research (CNAIR) invites our community to reflect on Northwestern’s role in supporting the healing efforts of Cheyenne and Arapaho communities.
The 3-part series commemorating the anniversary of the Sand Creek Massacre
Part 1: Viewing the Northwestern commissioned Sand Creek film Only the Mountains followed by discussion. (see event page for more details)
Part 2: Indigenous Art Making, November 10 (see event page for more details)
Part 3: Procession & Fire, November 17 (see event page for more details)
These events are free and open to the campus community.
Freedom For Everyone Slavery and Abolition in 19th Century America
Freedom for Everyone: Slavery and Abolition in 19th Century America runs from June 06, 2022 through fall quarter with displays in the lobby of Deering Library. The exhibit features original documents from the Frederick Douglass Collection and Slavery, Enslaved Persons, and Free Blacks in the Americas Collection, as well as materials from the Melville J. Herskovits Library of African Studies. The exhibit displays historical documents as well as context on the curation of the exhibit by curator Marquis Taylor, on reparative description and archiving by archivist Charla Wilson and on preserving historical documents by book & paper conservator Roger Williams. Learn more.
Past Events
Growing your Career Workshop
The Growing Your Career Workshop was held on July 28 hosted in partnership of NUSAC the Office of Human Resources.
The virtual event began with a keynote address given by Lorraine Goffe, Vice President for Human Resources. All sessions are facilitated by Human Resources staff. The session recordings are now available on the Growing Your Career webpage, which is situated within the Office of Human Resources/WELL webpage at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/well/development/growing-your-career/index.html.
NUSAC Fall Football Mixer September 2022
Thank you to all staff who were able to attend our fall football mixer Saturday, September 10 at Ryan Stadium. The event was a great success! Watch your email and for NUSAC newsletter for more social opportunities in the future.
