(1) Welcome Week Mindfulness Meditation – Wednesday, June 24 (Institute Wide)
(2) DEI Game Day – Wednesday, June 24 (Institute Wide)
(3) The Challenge of Caring for Newborns During COVID-19 (Institute Wide)
(4) June and July Faculty Lunch Bites (Faculty)
(5) What Will It Take to Create Health Equity for Sexual and Gender Minority Young People?
– Tuesday, June 30 (Institute Wide)
(6) Bystander Trainings (Institute Wide)
(7) Enroll In Or Change your Flexible Spending Account for 2020 (Faculty & Staff)
(1) Welcome Week Mindfulness Meditation – Wednesday, June 24 (Institute Wide)
From Ronan Campbell, Office of Student and Alumni Services
Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present; we become aware of where we are and what we’re doing. At the Mental Health Club mindfulness event during Welcome Week on Wednesday, June 24, we invite you to join our mindfulness meditation at 7:00 p.m. via
Zoom to help you approach your new upcoming experience with warmth and kindness to ourselves and others. Meditate and train your body to thrive, boost creativity and strengthen your neural connections as you approach the next step in your academic career.
(2) DEI Game Day – Wednesday, June 24 (Institute Wide)
From Ronan Campbell, Office of Student and Alumni Services
Join the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion team for a relaxing lunch hour of games including Jackbox, Pictionary, and Scattegories via
Zoom on Wednesday, June 24, Noon–1:00 p.m. All are welcome!
(3) The Challenge of Caring for Newborns During COVID-19 (Institute Wide)
From John Shaw, Office of Strategic Communications
Jennifer Duran, a student in the Master of Health Professions Education program and a nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital, says it’s emotionally hard seeing mothers and their newborns separated but is buoyed by happy outcomes.
(4) June and July Faculty Lunch Bites (Faculty)
From Tony Sindelar, Office of the Provost
Tony Sindelar and Joyce LaTulippe, the instructional design and teaching consultants, are organizing a series of informal chats for faculty over the next few weeks on a range of current teaching and learning topics. A brief pre-reading will be circulated for each session.
Thursday, June 25, 1:00–2:00 p.m.: What Does Trauma-Informed Teaching Look Like?
Monday, June 29, 1:00–2:00 p.m.: Resisting Distance Learning
Tuesday, July 7, 1:00–2:00 p.m.: Can You Create Community Online?
Links to Zoom sessions and readings provided upon
registration.
(5) What Will It Take to Create Health Equity for Sexual and Gender Minority Young People?
– Tuesday, June 30 (Institute Wide)
From Dr. Kimberly Truong, Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Join the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Sexual & Gender Minority Research Office (SGMRO) for a one-hour scientific webinar on “Creating Health Equity for Young SGM People” on Tuesday, June 30 at 1:00 p.m. The webinar will be presented by Brian Mustanski, PhD, director of the Northwestern Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing. Dr. Mustanski is also a member of the NIH Sexual & Gender Minority Research Working Group and a board member of the National Advisory Council on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NACMHD).
Register.
(6) Bystander Trainings (Institute Wide)
From Dr. Kimberly Truong, Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
In honor of Pride Month, Hollaback! is hosting free "Bystander Intervention to Stop LGBTQ+ Harassment" workshops on Wednesday, June 24 at 4:30 p.m. and Thursday, June 25 at 2:00 p.m.
Register.
Hollaback! is also hosting "Stand Up Against Street Harassment" workshops through the end of July.
View dates and register.
(7) Enroll In Or Change your Flexible Spending Account for 2020 (Faculty & Staff)
From Sarah Welch, Office of Human Resources
For many, COVID-19 has changed the amount we’re spending on health care and child care. As such, the election you made for your 2020 Flexible Spending Account (FSA) may no longer meet your needs or, if you haven’t signed up, you may be regretting not opting into the program.
To assist and support our employees, the following exceptions to the typical rules for Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts are now permitted at this time:
- Eligible employees can now enroll in a Flexible Spending Account outside of the annual Open Enrollment period without experiencing a qualifying life event. Did you know that because of the CARES Act, menstrual care products and over-the-counter medicines (such as allergy and cold medicine) are now eligible for purchase without a prescription? View a list of eligible health care and dependent care expenses.
- Employees with an existing FSA can now make changes to their Flexible Spending Account(s) without experiencing a qualifying life event. You also may choose to opt-out of the program for the remainder of the year but cannot be reimbursed for funds already deducted from your paycheck.
- Employees with a balance in their 2019 FSA can now draw on these funds for qualifying expenses incurred between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2020. These expenses can be submitted for reimbursement until January 31, 2021. After that date, you will forfeit any money left in your 2019 account.
To enroll in or make changes to 2020 account(s), log into
PeopleSoft Employee Self-Service. Under “My Benefits,” select “Life Events” and follow the instructions provided. Changes will take effect within two weeks.
If you are unsure if an account is right for you,
watch our quick video or read more details on
Ask myHR. As always, the HR Support Center is here to provide personalized answers regarding your circumstances. Contact them during normal business hours at 1-833-Ask-MyHR (275-6947) or
submit an online request at any time.
