Embedded Files
NOVEMBER 2022
NOVEMBER 2022
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Dear Colleagues
Thank you to everyone who participated in the Christmas tree lighting ceremony. It was very nice to find another opportunity to spend time together as colleagues and members of the extended Elms College family.
It is hard to imagine that we are nearing the end of the fall semester. I continue to be grateful to you all, the faculty and staff, for your dedication to teaching and learning and preparing our students to effect positive change in the world. It is the people of Elms College who make this institution a community – a community united in advancing the mission of our founders, the Sisters of St. Joseph. It is through your hard work and commitment that we are able to celebrate the College’s successes and face its challenges together. As usual, I write below with key updates on the College's activities.
Among these successes, the College received notification on November 30th, that we will be awarded a $30,000 flexible grant from the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts for a proposal submitted in response to their invitation for nonprofit organizations to submit proposals for initiatives to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. Kudos to the Office of Institutional Advancement, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, and the Associate VP for Strategic Initiatives who worked collaboratively on the proposal!
I am also pleased to share with you that Elms College recently received notification from the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) that we have 'passed' the financial screening process for Fiscal Year 2022. The annual screening process evaluates four key elements related to an institution’s financial health: enrollment and market revenue, cash flow sufficiency, liquidity, and wealth. An institution 'passes' the screen if it has met the requisite number of thresholds and does not need to provide any additional information to the Commission. I thank the Finance team for completing the annual screening process and for their ongoing financial management of the College and I am grateful to all of you for your part in making this happen.
We continue to prepare for our 10-year re-accreditation from NECHE with a visit to take place in March 2023. Thank you to all the co-chairs and members of the committee who continue to refine the College’s self-study. It is a time-consuming and iterative process, but necessary to ensure that we tell the story of how Elms College continues to meet the standards for accreditation and ascertain together the areas in which we can work for continuous self-improvement.
Earlier this semester, the College entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Diocese of Springfield to evaluate the possibility of the Diocese donating the Holy Name property on South Street to the College. The College has engaged consultants to assist us in this early phase of exploring whether it would be a beneficial option and has made no decision. The Board is fully engaged in providing guidance through the decision-making process. I will continue to keep the community updated.
As this is the last newsletter message for the fall semester, I want to reiterate how proud and thankful I am for our campus community and the tremendous value each and every one of you brings to our students. I am looking forward to celebrating our community and showing gratitude with you at the Faculty and Staff Christmas Party and Service Awards on December 16!
I wish you all a successful close to the semester.
Harry E. Dumay, Ph.D., MBA
President
FUTURE ELMSNEWS
Submission pieces can be shared with the following department contacts:
Academic Affairs - Deb Methe
Admissions - Jenna Stolarik
Athletics - Sean Milbier
Finance - Katie Longley
HR - Cheryl Smith
Marketing - Megan Eischen
Student Affairs - Liz Newland
Institutional Advancement - Lynn Korza
The deadline for submissions is the third Friday of each month.
There will not be a December edition of ElmsNews. The next submission deadline is Friday, January 20, 2023.
UPCOMING CAMPUS EVENTS
December 4: Breakfast with Santa Alumni Event
December 6: Student Art Exhibit Opening Reception
December 8: Fall Experiential Showcase
December 9: Coffee Drop-In Q & A
December 11: Late Night Pancake Breakfast
December 16: Faculty/Staff Christmas Party
Check the Master Calendar for exact locations of each event.
2nd Annual Office/Tree/Cubicle Decorating Contest
It’s that time again for the 2nd Annual Most Wonderous Office/Cubicle/Tree Decorating Contest! Judging will take place on December 9 with the winner announced on December 16th at the holiday party. To participate CLICK HERE
STUDENT AFFAIRS
2023-2024 Resident Advisor Team Selection
The Resident Advisor selection process for the 2023-2024 team will start on November 28 with applications going live for all students.
Student Engagement & Leadership - Orientation Leader Applications
As we approach the end of the fall semester, we are looking towards the spring semester and summer orientation. With that being said Orientation Leader Applications are now Live!
Faculty and Staff - if you have students who you think might be good to serve in this role, please use the form below to nominate them to apply. From there, Claire Wright, Director of Student Engagement and Leadership will send a direct email and have a further conversation about the position. Please direct any questions to Claire at wrightc1204@elms.edu
https://forms.gle/xB1NoCy6MGjiHMZv7
Elms College Mercantile- Donations Needed
Elms College launched and opened The Mercantile last academic year to assist students who need school supplies and/or personal/household items at no charge. The Mercantile is located across from the Student Affairs office in the Mary Dooley College Center (Room: CC110). Several students use the Mercantile and are incredibly grateful for the items.
The Mercantile is running low on items and would like to kindly ask you to consider donating to the cause. Below is a list of the most needed items at the moment:
Spiral Notebooks
Legal Size Notepads
Loose Leaf Paper
Post it Notes
Two-Pocket Folders
Note Cards
Pens
Mechanical Pencils
Deodorant (Men's and Women's)
Shampoo
Conditioner
Natural Curly Hair Products
Feminine Product
Laundry Pods
Shaving Cream
Razors
Q-Tips
Small Packages of baby wipes
Body Wash
Toothpaste
Tooth Brushes
Quart Size Zip Lock Bags (we use these to separate items into smaller batches. Ex. Feminine products and laundry pods)
Donations can be dropped off at the Office of Student Affairs, located in the Mary Dooley College Center, first floor, room 110 during normal office hours, Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Volunteers Needed! Late Night Pancake Breakfast
The Dean of Students office will be hosting the annual Late Night Pancake Breakfast. For those that don't know, the breakfast takes place on the night before the start of finals where staff and faculty members make and serve pancakes and other breakfast items to our students. The event is free and open to all students whether or not they have a meal plan.
This year, the event will be taking place on Sunday, December 11 in the Dining Hall. We ask that volunteers arrive between 8:30-8:45 PM to set up and begin cooking. The breakfast itself takes place from 9:00-10:00 PM.
If you are interested in volunteering please fill out the following form by Wednesday, December 7: Volunteer Sign Up Form .
DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
Holiday Toy Drive Donations Needed
During this season of giving, we wanted to send you a gentle reminder that we are collecting donations for our Holiday Toy Drive. Please bring any new and unwrapped toys to the Dean of Students office in the College Center by December 9th.
Please note that the names we received from the Prison Fellowship Angel Tree are of families from Chicopee and the surrounding towns---they are not only between the ages of 1-10 BUT ALSO 12 children are between the ages of 11-17. Therefore, we will also be taking items for the latter age group (new and unwrapped). If you would like more specifics, please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Jennifer Shoaff at shoaffj@elms.edu.
On behalf of our MSC students and the Student Affairs staff, we thank you in advance from the bottom of our hearts!!
YOU ARE INVITED!
The Opening Reception for the Student Art Exhibition is on Tuesday, December 6th, from 12:15-1:15 in the Borgia Gallery, on the second floor of Dooley College Center. All are welcome! Refreshments will be served!
CAMPUS MINISTRY
Food Drive: From October 25-November 8, Athletics and Campus Ministry collaborated on a food drive to benefit the Gray House in Springfield, MA. Two carloads stuffed to the brim with food were delivered to Gray House on Nov. 10. Gray House is always very grateful to the Elms College community for being a long-time faithful partner in their food drive to help support our dear neighbors!
On October 27, Campus Ministry and Dean of Students Office sponsored Commuter Coffee and Donuts on the walkway outside the Dooley Center. Generally held on the last Thursday of each month, this event has come to be very much appreciated by our commuter students coming off a night shift and heading into class, or heading to class before they have to report to work later in the day!
Also, on October 27, Campus Ministry Club students staffed a table from 4-7 at Szot Park for the City of Chicopee’s Annual Spooktacular event. With approximately 1500 people stopping by our table, it was great to meet the children of Chicopee, and some of their family members who are proud alums of Elms College!
On November 2, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and Campus Ministry constructed a Day of the Dead altar outside the dining center. Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a traditional Mexican celebration that is also celebrated in various parts of Latin-America and here in the U.S. Many people celebrate this day by visiting the graves of deceased loved ones and setting up altars with symbols of remembrance.
Elms Community members were also invited to write the name of a deceased loved one in our Book of Remembrance and fill out a tag for our Memorial Wall. Also, a Mass of Remembrance was offered in St. Joseph Chapel on November 2 for deceased alums and family members of the Elms College community.
Agape Latte was held on November 9 with Dr. Andrew Coston, Vice President of Student Affairs, who shared with us his path to higher ed and his commitment to the well-being of all students. Welcome to Elms, Dr. Coston! We are so glad you are here!
As we approached the Thanksgiving break, RA Angela and Campus Ministry collaborated on Breathers and Bouquets on Nov. 16 with students creating their own mini floral arrangements and writing messages of gratitude to reflect on what gives them hope and support this semester!
Nicole Fregeau, Assistant Director of Campus Ministry, spoke as part of a panel on November 17 for International Education Week and shared her experience working abroad in Thailand after graduation. Her mission trip experiences with Campus Ministry as an undergrad fueled her desire to spend a year abroad and eventually led her to want to work in Campus Ministry to inspire others to do mission trips/internships/study abroad. So glad to have you aboard, Nicole!
Wreaths Across America
On behalf of the Office of Student Engagement and Leadership and the Campus Ministry Office, we would like to make the campus aware of an upcoming volunteer opportunity.
We have been invited by Ned Sullivan, local coordinator of Wreaths Across America, to participate in the laying of wreaths at Calvary Cemetery in Chicopee on Saturday, December 17th at noon.
Wreaths Across America works to remember our fallen U.S. veterans and honor those who serve. Learn more here:
https://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/pages/174359/Overview/?relatedId=0&modSw=donate
Calvary Cemetery is located at 392 Hampden St., just up the road from Elms (parallel to Springfield St., across from Face to Nails Day Spa). There will be a brief ceremony at noon, followed by the laying of wreaths at Calvary Cemetery.
If you would like to volunteer for the event, kindly fill out the attached google form so that we have an approximate number of participants. We will meet here at the college in the A lot on Saturday, December 17th at 11:30 A.M. and carpool to the cemetery. Please feel free to invite relatives/friends to be a volunteer for the event.
Ned writes, "This is the first year for Wreaths Across America at Calvary Cemetery, and with your help we are hoping to meet the goal of placing a wreath on every veteran's grave. Each hand made, fresh, live wreath costs $15 to sponsor and is made in the United States with Maine balsam."
Student Engagement and Campus Ministry are sponsoring 10 wreaths for this event. We invite others in the campus community to consider sponsoring a wreath using the website listed above. Please know that one does not need to sponsor a wreath in order to participate in the laying of wreaths on the gravesites.
Thank you for your kind consideration of the request to assist in Wreaths Across America! We hope to see as many as are able to join our Chicopee neighbors on December 17!
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
JA Stock Market Challenge
On Thursday, November 10 the Business Division competed with Elms College students in the Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts 17th Annual Stock Market Challenge. Alumnus Brian Benson came in first place! Amanda Garcia, Director of MBA and Graduate Business Programs, Co-Chair Division of Business, and Associate Professor of Accounting & Finance along with Dr. Jamsheed, Assistant Professor of Accounting, and graduate student Alana McCraw, MS in Accounting and Financial Planning, came in second place. In a separate category, Elms undergraduate students, Seamus Higgins - accelerated BA/MS Accounting and Financial Planning, Kyle Sebastyaniski - double major Accounting and Sport Management, Austin Roy - double major Accounting and Management, and CJ Moriarty – Accounting, also came in first place for the college! This year the competition took place at The Cedars Banquet Hall in Springfield, MA. College teams and corporate sponsors competed in the evening while during the day over 200 high school students participated in the same stock investing event as a learning experience. Elms College was a sponsor of this event. It was a very successful night for Elms!
INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT
Alumni in the News
Alumnae, Shirley Arriaga '15 wins the election for State Representative Hampden District #8.Read more
Annual Mass of Remembrance
On November 2 we remembered those we've lost in the past year. It was a beautiful Mass led by Father Mark Stelzer. Thank you to those who joined us.
ATHLETICS
You can find all athletic team schedules at ecblazers.com and stay informed by following our athletic department Instagram @elmsblazers
HUMAN RESOURCES
Elms College Employment Opportunities as of November 21, 2022
Applications are now being accepted for the positions listed below. Anyone interested in submitting a formal application should go to the Employment page on the Elms College website for a detailed job description and how to apply: www.elms.edu/employment or you may request a paper copy from the Human Resources Office.
Among the procedures which may be used to select personnel to fill vacant positions are a review of work experiences, qualifications, degrees/licensures/certifications, and employment interviews. This listing pertains to all current staff and faculty job vacancies at the College.
Elms College is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, age, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, disability, military status, or genetic information in employment. It is the policy of Elms College to comply with applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity.
Upcoming programs offered by TIAA CREF for financial planning and retirement.
Keep your financial goals on track with TIAA’s live webinars. Reserve your spot today.
Opening doors to the future—Save in a 529 college savings plan
You can learn how 529 college savings plans work and how to invest in one for a child, grandchild, yourself or other loved one.
December 7 at 12 p.m. (ET), 11 a.m. (CT), 10 a.m. (MT), 9 a.m. (PT)
Help protect you, your family and your money
Are you concerned about identity theft and your family’s security online? TIAA’s Information Security team will discuss how you can protect yourself and your family from cybercriminal social engineering.
December 7 at 3 p.m. (ET), 2 p.m. (CT), 1 p.m. (MT), 12 p.m. (PT)
This seminar will cover an overview of tax law changes and income tax planning considerations, including whether you will itemize deductions, how this may impact charitable gifting strategies, and what it means for estate and gift tax planning.
December 8 at 12 p.m. (ET), 11 a.m. (CT), 10 a.m. (MT), 9 a.m. (PT)
Write your next chapter—Five steps to setting your retirement date
For anyone starting to think seriously about when to retire, this webinar takes you through five steps to deciding when the time is right.
December 8 at 3 p.m. (ET), 2 p.m. (CT), 1 p.m. (MT), 12 p.m. (PT)
At Your Fingertips: Manage your money from wherever you are
Learn about TIAA’s commitment to digital, and how we’re leveraging the latest technologies in our online and mobile tools to help you save time and achieve financial success while you’re on the go.
December 14 at 3 p.m. (ET), 2 p.m. (CT), 1 p.m. (MT), 12 p.m. (PT)
Diversity Training
To further the ELMS College commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice, we are requesting that all faculty and staff complete the United Educator's Diversity training.
To begin training, follow these steps:
1.) Go to https://learn.ue.org/ED8F1591792/ElmsEmployee
2.) Complete the Registration form.
a.) Enter your First name, last name and email address and click Register.
b.) You will receive a welcome email with your username and a temporary password.
c.) Follow the link in the email to sign on:
Enter your temporary password
Create a new password
Create and answer a security question
3.) Once you are logged in, be sure to complete all courses assigned to you.
4.) A history of your completed courses is available in "My Completions." You will also receive an email containing a link to your completion certificate, upon successful completion of the course.
Once you have completed the training please forward the certificate of completion to HR. All training must be completed by Friday, December 16th.
Welcome to new employees:
Patrick Johnson - Multi Media Writer - Marketing
Royce Lopez-Sibel - Continuing Education Travel Admissions Counselor
Nicole Orluk-Goncalves - Controller
Congratulations to all those starting new roles:
Dr. Jennifer Granger Sullivan - Director of Experiential Learning
TECH TIPS
Prevent Data Loss & Leaks by using Virtru to Encrypt Your Emails!
Please make sure that if you are sending and receiving emails that contain personal identifiable information (PII), that you are utilizing our encryption tool, Virtru on your Elms issued email.
PII is defined as any representation of information that permits the identity of an individual to whom the information applies to be reasonably inferred by either direct or indirect means.
If you do not already have Virtru installed on your Elms email account, please make sure to visit the Elms Connect website under the Information Technology section for installation steps, or contact the Help Desk for additional assistance!
Call 413-265-2390 or email helpdesk@elms.edu
Other Items
Elms College currently has access to EAB, which provides comprehensive insights that address challenges and best practices in Higher Education, research regarding best practices and toolkits and templates for your use.
If you are ever asked the question "How are others doing this?" then EAB is a great one stop shop for that information.
To create an account, you can follow these steps:
Go to the website, at www.eab.com
On the top right of the homepage, hover over “Log in now” & then click “I’m a new user.”
Clicking the link takes you to the registration page through which you will be prompted to provide your location, institution name, and your personal information and password.
Click "submit" and you'll receive an email in your university inbox containing a confirmation code and a link to login to the website. (**Please note: this confirmation link will expire in 72 hours.)
If you have trouble creating an account, would like help navigating the website, or have any other questions or requests, please don’t hesitate to reach Amy Strout, our Strategic Leader at EAB and main point of contact for the partnership at astrout@eab.com.
FINANCE
As a helpful reminder, the Fiscal Year 2023 Budget that was approved and uploaded in October is not viewable upon login to WebAdvisor until the Fiscal Year 2022 Budget is closed. The campus community will be advised when the FY22 Budget is closed and budget viewing for FY23 is readily accessible in the system.
However, a workaround is available to view your FY23 Budget. Steps for that workaround can be found on the Policies and Procedures Webpage under the Business Office Helpful Forms and Guides, or by clicking this link.
ELMS IN THE NEWS:
October 22, 2022: Real to Reel, the weekly TV program produced by the Diocese of Springfield, aired a segment on the book launch of "Along the Way: The Life, Lessons, and Legacy of Father Hugh F. Crean" that took place at Elms College on Oct. 18. The book was edited by Father Mark Stelzer and included essays by Professors Peter DePergola and Michael McGravey.
October 24, 2022: Masslive.com published a brief article announcing Andrew Coston as the new Vice President of Student Affairs.
October 24, 2022: wwlp.com published a story that Dr. Dumay was the keynote speaker at the kickoff event for the Springfield Courthouse's 6th annual Cultural Appreciation Week.
October 31, 2022: BusinessWest published the press release announcing Andrew Coston as the new Vice President of Student Affairs.
November 10, 2022: Masslive.com published an article on the Haiti Nursing Continuing Education Program and Dr. Dumay is quoted throughout the piece.
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