Osprey Update for Faculty and Staff

With so much sensitive data changing hands during tax season, safeguarding personal and financial information is very important, for both tax professionals and tax filers. The IRS provides a checklist of six key safeguards to help tax professionals protect data. Taxpayers can check out the IRS list of current tax scams.

The spring graduating Class of 2021 was honored this past weekend with a Graduation Walk experience and a virtual celebration online and on social media. View a recap video of UNF’s Graduation Walk and visit the Virtual Commencement Celebration website featuring messages from the President and leadership, special videos, our commencement speaker, graduate listings and more. Congratulations, Class of 2021!

• UNF named Dr. Karen Patterson as Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs. The Jacksonville Daily Record had the story.
• UNF and other partners announced new developments and initiatives for UNF MedNexus in Palm Coast in the Palm Coast Observer.
• Dr. Andrea Adams-Manning, Dean of Students, spoke to Inside Higher Ed about navigating grief and memorials within the campus community. 
• For the 13th consecutive year, UNF was honored with the Platinum Level Award, the highest designation, in the 2021 Healthiest Companies Awards by the First Coast Worksite Wellness Council. Read more.
• Bob Buehn, MVRC director, spoke with News4Jax about a new bill that calls for some free online higher education access for veterans and active-duty military.
• Dr. Parvez Ahmed, finance professor and Coggin College diversity and inclusion director, wrote a guest column on the “Business Case of Democracy” in The Florida Times-Union.
• Dr. Tracy Alloway, psychology professor, discussed anxiety some are experiencing over the Johnson & Johnson vaccine with First Coast News.

Keep up with all the latest Osprey happenings in the UNF Newsroom and UNF in the News. 

Karen Bowling, vice president of jobs and director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, is a member of UNF President Szymanski’s Executive Cabinet. As UNF’s vice president of jobs, Karen works with the Career Services team to connect UNF students and alumni to employers offering the best-suited internships and jobs. Karen also serves as director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI) located in downtown Jacksonville where she focuses on accelerating the rate of success for entrepreneurs and providing services and resources needed to help build partnering businesses.

• Favorite spots on campus: Bank of England Career Services Center in the Coggin College of Business and the John A. Delaney Student Union.
• Most unique aspects of UNF: An absolutely beautiful campus, a sincere culture of caring about students and high employment rates for students after graduation as a result of excellent University faculty.
• Proudest UNF accomplishments: I am proud to work with a team of dedicated Career Services managers to grow the number of internships and jobs available to UNF students and alumni as well as having a small part in the successful launch of many successful start-up companies.
• Hobbies and Interests: Anything with family and friends, volunteering and community service, genealogy.
• 2-3 adjectives that describe you: Appreciative, focused and resourceful.
• Favorite advice or quote: “What you don’t change, you choose.”

Maintenance will be conducted on the Arena Garage, Building 38, beginning 6 a.m. Saturday, April 24, to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 6. Other available parking includes Lot 5, 18, 2 and the Fine Arts Center Garage, Building 44. Continue to park in the designated area for the permit you purchased.

• From 6 a.m. Monday, April 19 to 9 a.m. Saturday, April 24: Three hundred Gray Lot spaces will be reserved in Lot 18, closest to Hodges Stadium, Building 46, for the GSC Championship track & field event. 
• From 8 a.m. Wednesday, April 21 to 10 p.m. Friday, April 23: The road in between Lot 18 and Hodges Stadium will be blocked off to vehicle traffic. Lot 18 will be accessible from Eco Road, Varsity Lane and the Central Parkway campus entrance.
  • The Lot 18 shuttle stop closest to Hodges stadium will not be accessible and there will be a temporary shuttle reroute to continue service at the shuttle stop closest to the Central Parkway campus entrance. 

Starting Sunday, April 11, the Carpenter Library building will be open 24 hours to current UNF students, faculty and staff until Friday, April 23. Osprey 1Cards and masks are required for entry. Online services are also available:

• Online chat
• Email ask@unf.libanswers.com
• Text (904) 507-4122
• Follow and message @unflibrary on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter

The Carpenter Library has joined the Sunshine State Digital Network (SSDN), a collaborative digital project connecting a community of institutions to showcase Florida’s rich cultural heritage collections. UNF will share approximately 20,000 records with SSDN, including items from the library’s Eartha M.M. White Collection. Learn more.

Allison Archer, an educational leadership doctoral student, will defend her dissertation, "Analyzing the Impact of Cultural Orientation on Workplace E-learning Training Transfer." Access via Zoom at https://unf.zoom.us/j/93160991351.

Todd Niemczyk, an educational leadership doctoral student, will defend his dissertation, "Policy Considerations Regarding Student Loan Debt and Higher Education." Access via Zoom at https://unf.zoom.us/j/95894804964.

The Carpenter Library has created an online book display in celebration of Earth Day. The display features artwork by UNF students as well as free library resources such as eBooks, streaming videos and more. View the display online.

The ability to request materials through UBorrow will be suspended starting Saturday, May 1, while the library transitions to an updated system. During the UBorrow shutdown, faculty, staff and students should use Interlibrary Loan to request materials that are not available at the Carpenter Library. UBorrow is anticipated to return in July. View more information.

Students, faculty and staff are invited to attend three livestreaming events from 5 to 7 p.m. on Monday, April 19, Tuesday, April 20 and Wednesday, April 21. The streams will feature stress-free content including lofi hip-hop and crafting. Chat live with library staff during the events or sit back and relax. Subscribe to the library's YouTube channel for direct access. 

UNF is a partner in Affordability Counts, a statewide initiative to recognize faculty who adopt low-cost materials. This initiative also supports UNF’s efforts to improve on Performance-Based Funding Metric #3: Net Tuition & Fees per 120 Hours. Any UNF faculty member teaching a course in which the total cost of required course materials does not exceed $20/credit may submit their course(s) for consideration. Courses that meet the criteria will receive a digital ‘Affordability Counts’ medallion to display inside each course. Since joining this statewide initiative in Summer 2019, 150 UNF faculty have participated, resulting in 282 courses awarded the Affordability Counts medallion for a combined average cost of required course materials at $5/credit. For more information, visit UNF’s Affordability Counts Initiative.

Guided by insight from Ohio University’s Inclusive Pedagogy Academy (IPA), this virtual presentation will provide participants with insight into creating an inclusive classroom environment through motivational syllabi, strategies that align with trauma informed teaching, responding to microaggressions in the classroom, and rapport-building with students. The speaker will share inclusive pedagogy checklists created by IPA, as well as a sample pre-class survey that participants can distribute to students. Visit the Commission on Diversity and Inclusion's website for more information and the Zoom link. 

The Ogier Gardens will offer tours to faculty and staff at 10 a.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays. Make a reservation by calling (904) 620-5937 or emailing ogiergardens@unf.edu.

Learn more about the Greenwood Art Project, an initiative of the 1921 Tulsa Massacre Centennial Commission. GAP works with artists, residents, leaders, organizations, and businesses to elevate awareness of Greenwood’s history, striving to create art that activates the community toward healing from our history. The Baobab Black Arts series features artists who will showcase their work and present cutting-edge topics including creative writing, visual arts, and other African-American artistic production. Learn more and register.

MOCA Jacksonville and Hank Willis Thomas, artist and co-founder of the For Freedoms Campaign, will present a talk around public art, the power of symbols, and creative civic engagement. MOCA Jacksonville's Ideas of Our Time series presents thoughtful and engaging dialogue with artists, educators, and others around some of the most vital and important art and ideas of our time. Learn more about the artist and register via the website. This program is sponsored by Wende Wilson.

The upcoming Senior Project Exhibition will feature ceramics, drawings, paintings, photography, printmaking pieces, and sculptures created by spring 2021 graduating students from the Art, Art History and Design Department. The Lufrano Intercultural Gallery will showcase artwork with a social justice perspective, and the UNF Gallery of Art will feature material-forward student artwork. The galleries are open Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and Friday by appointment.

This lecture will highlight the catalyst of recent changes to the research enterprise and the development of FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data principles. Dr. Stuart Chalk, chemistry professor, will discuss what FAIR is (and is not), what it means for research across all disciplines, and what resources are available to learn about FAIR and implement it in your own research. Learn more and register.

Dr. Don Moore, Writing Program instructor, will discuss his work on participatory action in the composition classroom and his upcoming fall class for the professional and public writing minor, ENC 3930 Writing Center Research. Access via Facebook Live.

Join the Division of State Group Insurance during their monthly webinar to learn how you can earn rewards through the Shared Savings Program! Register. 

UNF's Department of English, Department of History, and Africana Studies program will host a virtual discussion of the issues surrounding the renaming of some Duval County schools. Access via Zoom at https://unf.zoom.us/j/94637292586.

An open session for UNF staff to learn more about the Office of Equal Opportunity and Inclusion, Title IX, and what supportive measures are available through their office will take place. Staff will also have a chance to ask questions and to express any concerns that they have. Access via Zoom at https://unf.zoom.us/j/95140963294.

A second open session for UNF staff to learn more about the Office of Equal Opportunity and Inclusion, Title IX, and what supportive measures are available through their office will take place. Staff will also have a chance to ask questions and to express any concerns that they have. Access via Zoom at https://unf.zoom.us/j/98250255997.

Attend this information session to learn about the new Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) beginning in Fall 2021. The MSBA curriculum will reflect industry demands for graduate business analytics education and is supported and championed by local and regional partner employers. Register.

For individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), transitioning to the college setting can be overwhelming. Join UNF THRIVE as Dr. Temple Grandin, autism activist, shares her experiences as an individual with ASD and shows how students with ASD can THRIVE in postsecondary education. Learn more and register. Registered attendees will receive a Zoom link via email 24 hours prior to the event. 

April is designated as the Month of the Military Child, a time to recognize the sacrifices made by children of military members and honor their resiliency and strength. In honor of the over 700 military dependent Ospreys at UNF, students whose parents or guardians have served are invited to enjoy free breakfast during finals week. Pick up a grab-and-go meal from the MVRC table by the library walkway between 9 and 11:30 a.m. from April 19 through 23.

Purple Up is an annual observance celebrating the children of American service members and veterans. Purple references the joint environment of the military – encompassing all service branches, active duty, Reserve, National Guard, and veterans. Each Monday in April, the MVRC encourages all Ospreys to wear purple in recognition of over 700 military children attending UNF.

Encourage incoming first-year students to apply for QUEST: First Flight. Summer 2021 applications are open for the one-week intensive summer immersion experience is designed to support, guide and build community for students from diverse backgrounds through intentional programs and activities that enhance students’ holistic collegiate experience. Students can apply via the website.

The committee will have an initial/introductory meeting to discuss the process to begin screening applicants for the Vice President and Chief Information Officer (CIO) position, 310090. The Zoom meeting link is available upon request.

Meal Memberships for the summer and fall terms are now available via MyWings. To learn more about various block, weekly, all-access, and faculty & staff plans, visit www.dineoncampus.com/UNF.

Nationwide provides clients with investment information to understand the fundamentals of investing for financial success. Learn what you can do, while employed and once retired, to make the most of your investments. Register.

This 90-minute workshop focuses on discussing practical issues important for those nearing retirement including setting retirement goals and understanding income sources like FRS plans and Social Security. Register.

This workshop focuses on discussing practical issues important for those nearing retirement. Topics include setting retirement goals, including income needs, and understanding sources of retirement income including FRS plans and Social Security. Visit the website to watch the recorded webinar in Spanish. 

The spring Faculty Lightning Lounge is an informal place to share, listen and learn; faculty may stop in or leave at anytime. Connect with colleagues while sharing questions, concerns, tips and best practices, stories, coffee and you can even bring your grading. Reflect on teaching successes during the 2020-21 academic year and exchange ideas for moving forward. Access via Zoom at https://unf.zoom.us/j/95791839529.

This workshop provides an explanation of benefits under the FRS Pension Plan as well as useful information in preparation for retirement from the FRS Pension Plan. Members will learn plan details and requirements, procedures to follow when applying for retirement benefits and information about federal withholding taxes, direct deposit of monthly benefits, the health insurance subsidy and reemployment after you retire. Visit the website to watch the recorded webinar.

A University Property and Records Management training course to reinforce good controls within all departments will take place via Zoom. Register for this training class via Osprey Ascend. For information, contact Jim Mousa, coordinator property assets and records retention, at j.mousa@unf.edu.

• Accessibility in Canvas: 1 to 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 20, Online
• Up and Running with Your Remote Course - Using the Quickstart Template (Summer 2021): 10 to 11 a.m. Thursday, April 22, Online

Visit the CIRT events webpage to register. If you have a disability and require an accommodation for this occasion, please contact k.commissaris@unf.edu before the event to enable us to provide you with reasonable accommodation.

The upcoming professional development training sessions are available via Zoom, and invitations will be provided by email 24 to 48 hours before the class:

• Concur Made Easy for Delegates: 9:30 a.m. to noon Tuesday, April 20
• University Property and Records Management TRS: 9 to 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 21 
• The Marriage of First Amendment + Public University: 3:30 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 21
• Concur Made Easy for Approvers: 10:30 a.m. to noon Thursday, April 22
• Faculty/Non-Faculty Supplemental ePAFs: 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, April 22

The spring Faculty Lightning Lounge is an informal place to share, listen and learn; faculty may stop in or leave at any time. Connect with colleagues while sharing questions, concerns, tips and best practices, stories, coffee, and you can even bring your grading. Reflect on teaching successes during the 2020-21 academic year and exchange ideas for moving forward. Upcoming faculty lounges are as follows:

• Tuesday, April 20
  • 11:30 am to 1 p.m.
• Wednesday, April 21
  • 1 to 2:30 p.m.
• Thursday, April 22
  • 1:30 to 4 p.m.

All sessions can be accessed via Zoom at https://unf.zoom.us/j/95791839529.

This 90-minute retirement planning workshop provides an overview of the FRS and helps viewers understand the nuts and bolts of planning for retirement and the ongoing financial planning resources available to you as a member of the FRS. Visit the website to watch the recorded webinar in Spanish. 

The Delaney Student Union has launched Web App, a new online reservations tool that replaces the previous website request forms. This system allows you to view availability in real-time, submit requests 24/7, and edit or cancel reservations online. Departments should submit all meeting, event, and tabling requests through Web App. Users must first complete the Account Request Form to be granted access. Allow 24 business hours for account creation.

This April is Autism Awareness Month, and THRIVE is asking for your support so we may continue to help students with autism.
Your donation will allow us to provide support for our students, such as trained peer mentors and our living-learning community, and develop connections with community partners so our students can interact with potential employers. To donate to THRIVE or learn more about how your donation can help, visit the website.

The Carpenter Library is proud to announce the 2021 Haiku Contest winners:

• First place winner is Cadrian Kennedy, behavioral neuroscience undergraduate student
• Second place winner is Bryce Abell, English undergraduate student
• Third place winner is Gabriella Senior, exercise science and chronic disease graduate student 

Read the winning haiku poems and other submissions at the Library website.

Leave your "Uniquely UNF" legacy at the University by purchasing a commemorative paver in Osprey Plaza, outside the John A. Delaney Student Union. Pavers are customizable and can include your graduation year, Greek letters, or an inspirational quote. Purchase online at www.unf.edu/pavers or email ospreyplazapavers@unf.edu.