Dear Colleagues, As we prepare for a much-needed winter break, I am reaching out to thank you for your hard work on behalf of our students and our community. As you know, this is my first semester on campus as Simmons president. Seeing the resilience of our community as we begin to embrace the ‘new-normal’ has been energizing and invigorating for me. While the pandemic continues to present challenges, I am pleased that we have been able to resume many of the traditions and activities that make the Simmons experience such a vibrant and memorable one – not the least of which is the collaboration and cooperation between colleagues. And, I am grateful for the commitment of our community to keeping each other safe and following COVID-19 protocols. As we continue our on-campus living and learning experience next semester, we are mindful of the evolving pandemic. Currently, we are considering whether to require a vaccine booster shot for eligible individuals. More information will be forthcoming on that this week. Although we have been able to experience the joys of learning and working together, our return to campus has also created a variety of challenges. We adjusted to COVID-related requirements such as limited in-person meetings and mask-wearing, but also had the benefit of weekly COVID testing while learning new skills and establishing new ways of working together both in-person and online. I often talk about the concept of everyday leadership – the process of utilizing individual strengths and talents to drive meaningful change. For our community to truly thrive, it requires each of us to show compassion and grace, and to engage each other with a spirit of generosity and caring. I hope all of us will continue to look out for one another as we grapple with the ongoing pandemic and the other personal and societal issues affecting our lives. Inherent in this idea of everyday leadership is also acknowledging the everyday challenges our community is facing as it relates to stress, mental health, and overall wellbeing. I have listened to the concerns faculty and staff have raised over the course of the semester. While many of these challenges are ongoing, we are working to address them. I would like to share a few updates, and you can also read a similar message that was sent to students today. | Holiday Schedule – Extending Winter Break One DaySimmons will be closed for Winter Break beginning on Wednesday, December 22 and extending through January 2, 2022. In recognition of the hard work of faculty and staff, we are extending Winter Break by one day. Faculty and staff can choose to take December 21 or January 3 as an extra break day. Managers should work with their teams to determine what date works best for their business operations. In addition, I encourage employees to work remotely on Monday, December 20 and Tuesday, December 21, if they are able to do so. Employees should work with their managers to determine scheduling and business needs. I also want to give a special thank you to our essential employees who must be on campus working during the break. | Meeting Free WeekJanuary 3-7 will be a meeting free week. This will give faculty and staff time to catch up on work and finalize necessary plans for the spring semester. We encourage faculty and staff to look at their calendars and reschedule meetings to another week whenever possible. | FY22 Benefits ReminderAs a reminder, the FY22 budget provides for some additional enhancements to employee compensation and benefits. This includes the restoration of 403(b) employer contribution for all eligible employees at 5% effective October 1, 2021, along with a 1.5% salary increase for all eligible regular full-time or benefits-eligible part-time staff and eligible full-time and proportional faculty. Salary increases will be effective January 1, 2022 and will be seen in the first paycheck of January 2022. We have also restored the vacation carryover policy from 40 hours to 80 hours as of June 30, 2021. | Undergraduate Spring BreakUndergraduate Spring Break occurs from March 7-11, 2022. In recognition of the hard work of our community, this year we are adding Monday, March 7 and Friday, March 11 as Simmons holidays, and faculty and staff will have these days off. Managers and department heads should determine how to appropriately staff these days based on any unique departmental needs. In addition, that week will be a meeting free week. | During my first 18 months as president, I have seen the Simmons community at its best – working creatively and passionately to provide innovative learning opportunities, responding to a global health crisis and a national racial and social justice reckoning, creating a vibrant campus experience, and striving to maintain health and wellbeing. I want to thank you for your patience as we navigate these challenges. As we think about the concept of everyday leadership, I hope you will continue to seek out the everyday hope, joy, and kindness that is so present throughout our community. Thank you, Lynn Perry Wooten |
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