Thursday, November 3, 2022

submitted by riveross@augsburg.edu

The Department of Languages and Cross-Cultural Studies and the Global Twin Cities Scholars Program wishes to thank professors Rafael Rodríguez and Kate Reinhardt for bringing jazz percussionist Jonathan Alarcón from Tegucigalpa, Honduras to our campus for a month to enrich and inform our music program, our Spanish classes, and Global Twin Cities AugSem about Garífuna Afroíndignous music and culture with hands-on experiential learning through Afro caribbean jazz workshops.

We are deeply grateful to Jonathan Alarcón, jazz percussionist whose presence on campus immersed our students in Spanish language and Honduran culture as he led master classes with the Augsburg Jazz band. We wish to thank Prof. Rafael Rodríguez, director of the jazz orchestra who organized Augaburg’s amazing evening of Latin American Salsa Night, featuring Jonathan’s percussion, and who coordinated master classes for Augsburg students to study with him in preparation for the concert.

Thank you to everyone in the Augsburg community who hosted and attended workshops, master classes, and concerts to hear and learn about Honduran Garifuna / Afro-Caribbean instruments and rhythms.

We wish Jonathan safe travels back to Honduras and extend our deepest thanks to Prof. Kate Reinhardt and Prof. Rafael Rodriguez for your extraordinary work to make this semester of Afroíndignous jazz music possible for our community.

submitted by schacht5@augsburg.edu

This research study (IRB #: 2022-32-03) is designed to compare two different skill-building training programs that may help college students develop adjustment-related skills. You are eligible to participate if you are a current Augsburg undergraduate student.

If you decide to participate, you will be asked to come to our Augsburg Psychology research laboratory for 4 sessions over the course of one month. The sessions include an initial orientation meeting and three sessions focused on one of two skills-building programs (you will be randomly assigned to one of the two–like a flip of a coin). Both programs involve mini-informational videos as well as experiential activities for you to complete. We will also have you complete a few personality measures. You will be assigned a peer coach who will work with you as progress through the study and guide you through the study components. Each of the sessions will last approximately 30 to 45 minutes. Finally, we will check in one last time 3-months after the study is over for a brief online survey.

Participants will receive up to $35 for their participation. $5 for each of the first three sessions, and $10 for both the fourth session and the 3 month follow-up. Alternatively, Augsburg University Psychology students will receive up to $25 and 4 research credits.

To participate, please complete this participant inquiry form: https://tinyurl.com/Skill-Building

The researchers conducting this study are part of the Identity and Well-being Research Lab at Augsburg University (iwellLab@augsburg.edu or 612-656-6560), directed by Dr. Alex Ajayi, Assistant Professor of Psychology (E-mail: ajayi@augsburg.edu, Phone: 612-330-1146). If you have questions or concerns, you may contact us via the emails and phone numbers specified above.

Please consider forwarding this to other individuals who may meet the criteria for participation. Thank you for your consideration!

submitted by reederm@augsburg.edu

Do you know someone who has recently completed a significant project, implemented an innovative idea, or worked creatively across divisions or departments? If so, nominate them for an Auggie Pride Award today!

We are taking nominations for the month of November!

The Auggie Pride Awards are part of a peer recognition program that honors individual staff members who have made a significant contribution to department, division, or University-wide goals. All nominations are submitted through an online form and considered by Staff Senate. Nominations are kept on a rolling basis throughout the Academic Year, and awards are distributed to two staff every month.

Those honored will receive a letter from Staff Senate (including some text from the nomination letters) and a $25 Visa gift card as a token of our appreciation.

Auggie Pride Submission Form

submitted by jorenbyb@augsburg.edu

Hello STEM Students and Faculty,

We invite you to join Women in STEM (WIS) for a meet and greet TODAY, 6-7pm in Hagfors 108 (aka the Food Lab). This is an opportunity to introduce yourself, get to know other members, and have a casual and open discussion of our goals, hopes, and challenges. Snacks will be provided!

About WIS: WIS at Augsburg is open to all people who support women and other minority groups within STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics). Although women are graduating with science degrees in increasing numbers, their count diminishes by the time they reach the workforce and representation is even less at more senior levels. Some of the identified reasons for the prominent disparity in the STEM workforce include a variety of obstacles that women face at different stages of their lives and careers. Fixing some of these “broken rungs” in the “ladder to success” can contribute toward achieving gender parity. Augsburg’s WIS group is made of students and faculty with this goal to create community support regarding disparities in the STEM field. It supports and organizes activities that bridge professional, personal, and cultural enrichment such as hosting networking and career development events where students can find mentors, listening to “success” stories, and meeting with professionals. Learning about existing disparities and practices to tackle in STEM can help students talk about and address various successes and challenges in their educational endeavors and in future workplaces.

For more info or to ask any questions, please contact Dr. Moumita Dasupta (dasgupta@augsburg.edu) or Branwen Jorenby (jorenbyb@augsburg.edu).

Thank you, and we hope to see you there!

submitted by trancc@augsburg.edu

Students—don’t forget about TutorMe! It is available to Augsburg students 24/7 and offers tutoring in over 300 subjects from qualified tutors. Students are able to use 3 hours a week; 3 one hour sessions or 6 thirty-minute sessions. You can access TutorMe through any of your Moodle classes. At the top left of your screen there is an orange tab to see the side panel of resources. As you scroll down, you will see the “Augsburg Tools” section and underneath is the link to TutorMe. For more information on other tutoring and academic skills options, please click “Tutoring & Academic Skills Information”.

Academic Skills & Tutoring Information

submitted by litzinga@augsburg.edu

Interested in welcoming the class of 2027 and being apart of the Orientation Team? Then you should apply to be an Orientation Leader!

Orientation Leaders are responsible for administering successful Orientation Programs, including SOAR, Transfer SOAR, and Auggie Days. Orientation Leaders work as a team to create a welcoming and inclusive environment to ensure that new first-year and transfer students have quality transitional experiences as they are introduced to Augsburg University.

Both part 1 and part 2 of the application process is due by Noon on Monday, November 7th.

If you have any questions about the position or the application process, please email campuslife@augsburg.edu.

We hope to see your application!

PART 1, APPLY HERE!

submitted by slater@augsburg.edu

Open Enrollment begins Monday, November 7 and continues through Friday, November 18. This is the only time of year outside of a qualifying life event when benefits-eligible employees may elect or change their benefit options, connect with the informative resources to help make the best decisions to meet their needs and enroll for the coming year.

During open enrollment, no action means no coverage. Employees who fail to act by November 18 will not have coverage effective January 1, 2023, and should wait until the next open enrollment period to elect coverage, unless a qualifying life event occurs.

All benefits-eligible employees are encouraged to attend open enrollment information sessions to learn more.

11/7 6pm General Open Enrollment – Virtual (https://augsburg.zoom.us/j/96169394717)

• Medica pre-enrollment website:
  https://augsburguniversity.welcometomedica.com/home
• Medica presentation 10/26/2022:
  https://sites.augsburg.edu/hr/employees/benefits/open-enrollment-2023/
  HR website > Open Enrollment 2023

Email hr@augsburg.edu with any questions about these events.

2023 Benefits Guide

submitted by slater@augsburg.edu

Please note that November 8, Election Day, is a university holiday and the Human Resources office will be closed.