As we are all finding our way through the challenges of our time, we are working to build and strengthen our culture of well-being at Nazareth College. We care that every person finds meaning and fulfillment in their lives, and that the Nazareth community is a positive source of each person’s sense of well-being.
To this aim, thank you for the thoughtful engagement of many in considering the question I posed at the Town Hall on September 23: “How do we find ourselves some short-term breathing room in this complex and uncharted territory we are all living through?”
I asked the Faculty Welfare Committee, Staff Work-Life Committee, Senate Executive Committee, Administrative Council, and expanded Cabinet (including the deans and other stakeholder leaders) to think about short-term breathing room actions we could take this semester that wouldn’t interfere with student learning, support, and success and that are within our resources. Yousuf George also met with members of the community and gathered feedback from faculty and staff.
We have gleaned suggestions for Collegewide adoption, as well as helpful suggestions for consideration by individuals throughout our community.
Support Resources
Mental health is an important component of our health and well-being. Our Employee Assistance Program, administered by LifeWorks, is available 24/7 for every full-time College employee, their spouse, dependent children, and others permanently residing in their household. We anticipate that this benefit will be extended to part-time employees in the near future. This confidential service can help you determine needed support and can connect you with short-term support resources. They can also advise you if longer-term resources are needed.
Mental health is an important component of our health and well-being. Our Employee Assistance Program, administered by LifeWorks, is available 24/7 for every full-time College employee, their spouse, dependent children, and others permanently residing in their household. We anticipate that this benefit will be extended to part-time employees in the near future. This confidential service can help you determine needed support and can connect you with short-term support resources. They can also advise you if longer-term resources are needed.
Our medical insurance plans also include coverage for mental health counseling, including the availability of telecounseling through Excellus telemedicine.
The Golisano Training Center, mindfulness and meditation, and exercise classes are also available to faculty and staff for fitness, recreation, and enhancing overall wellness.
Calendar Changes
For staff, we are adding a floating “mental health personal day” in the month of November. You may use this at your discretion with the approval of your supervisor.
For staff, we are adding a floating “mental health personal day” in the month of November. You may use this at your discretion with the approval of your supervisor.
For faculty, although we understand a mental health day is not as straightforward, we encourage you, if possible in the context of your syllabus, to suspend class for one day in the month of November. A makeup day would not be required. This mental health day will be an important break for you and your students in this unusual time, and I hope it gives you a bit of a breather when perhaps most needed. I understand it may not be possible for classes that meet once a week, but I do hope that you will be able to find a day where a mini-break is appropriate.
We are adding December 23, 2021 as an additional College holiday.
Connection and Self-care
We also heard a number of suggestions on ways to collaborate, to connect with colleagues, and take care of yourself. The following are some ideas for your consideration. I encourage you to try out these ideas and share more in our newly launched Flyer Forum, our co-created community building platform for Nazareth faculty and staff.
We also heard a number of suggestions on ways to collaborate, to connect with colleagues, and take care of yourself. The following are some ideas for your consideration. I encourage you to try out these ideas and share more in our newly launched Flyer Forum, our co-created community building platform for Nazareth faculty and staff.
- Use “schedule send” for emails in Google Mail before and after working hours (8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.).
- Make sure to take a lunch break and intentional breaks. No one is expected to work through lunch and everyone is entitled to breaks in the day. Step away and clear your head. Take a walk around campus. Walk the labyrinth behind GAC.
- Plan a team activity. I recently learned of a team who had a meeting one morning around one of our fire pits with breakfast s’mores.
Area Work Plans
This fall, we are piloting work plans that include some flexibility and hybridity, defined intentionally to support the work and effectiveness of each area in fulfilling our College mission. We encourage you to do some mid-semester reflection and have discussions with your supervisor, teams, colleagues, students, and other stakeholders to check in on how it’s going and to make adjustments accordingly.
This fall, we are piloting work plans that include some flexibility and hybridity, defined intentionally to support the work and effectiveness of each area in fulfilling our College mission. We encourage you to do some mid-semester reflection and have discussions with your supervisor, teams, colleagues, students, and other stakeholders to check in on how it’s going and to make adjustments accordingly.
Our work here at Nazareth holds great purpose. We are preparing our students to be changemakers, addressing our world’s most complex challenges. The world desperately needs them and they need us now. It is important for our well-being to remind ourselves of this purpose, and it is hopeful to engage together purposefully as a learning community. Every person’s work contributes vitally to the mission of the College. Let’s help each other understand and feel this significance. May our community connectedness bring you hope and joy.
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