March 17, 2025

Campus Update – Mar 17, 2025

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University Announcements

Food, giveaways and prizes for brand analysis workshops

As an incentive to attend two workshops next week, SRU is offering students, faculty and staff food, giveaways and a chance to win prizes for those who participate in a strategic brand analysis, March 24 and 25.

The 9 a.m. workshops will include danishes, snacks, coffee and other beverages.
The noon workshops will include sandwiches, snacks, and bottled beverages.
The 3 p.m. workshops will include pretzels, granola bars, snacks and bottled beverages.
Attendees at each workshop will have a chance to win prizes that include one of three $25 gift cards, two tickets to any SRU performing arts event, SRU stickers and more.
Giveaways for all attendees at each workshop include water bottles, notebooks, playing cards, and other premiums.

New employee community space

Employees are invited to connect with colleagues from all over campus as part of a strategic plan initiative to provide a robust, supportive and inclusive culture that allows faculty and staff to thrive.

From April 2 to May 9, there will be a new employee community space available every weekday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Weisenfluh Dining Hall, Room 103 (Room 104 for April 4 and 17).
The space will be made available again next academic year.
There will be giveaways on April 2 and those who attend this first day will be entered to win prizes.
Do you have an idea for the space? Complete this form to let members of the Pillar 1 Working Group know.

Student Employee of the Month: Lily Isenberg

SRU’s Payroll and Student Employment Office’s Student Employee of the Month program highlights students who demonstrate exceptional communication skills, problem-solving skills, work ethic, and professionalism, as well as inclusive customer service skills and teamwork. The February 2025 winner is:

Lily Isenberg, a sophomore art major, who is a community assistant for Housing and Residence Life (nominated by Cathie Sadler).

The form to nominate students for March is available online.

Dates & Deadlines

March 18 and 27: Academic Records and Registration drop-in sessions

Faculty and staff are invited to attend open drop-in sessions via Zoom hosted by the Office of Academic Records and Registration to learn more about Rock Audit, registration, graduation, OneSiS, or any other academic record inquiries. No appointment is necessary. Just log on using your SRU single-sign-on at any time during the following periods:

March 18, from noon to 1 p.m. (click here).
March 27, from noon to 1 p.m. (click here).

For more information, contact Academic Records at 724.738.2010 or academic.records@sru.edu.

March 18: Faculty Travel Grant applications due

Applications for the Faculty Travel Grant are due March 18. The grant supports the professional development of SRU faculty members by providing funds to present the results of their research or creative activity at professional conferences or artistic venues. Applications submitted by March 18 are for travel scheduled between July 1 and Dec. 31 ,2025. Download the application form for more information about how to apply or visit the Grants Office webpage.

March 18 and 27: OneSIS training

Training is available for faculty and staff using the OneSiS student information system that the University is currently transitioning to. The training will provide a brief overview of the project and how it will impact the Fall 2025 semester, and it is for anyone who frequently uses the MySRU portal, Banner or is preparing to advise students for fall registration. The training will take place during Zoom:

March 18, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. (click here).
March 27, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. (click here).

For more information, contact Academic Records at 724.738.2010 or academic.records@sru.edu.

March 19: RSVP for the Employee Service Recognition Celebration

Employees planning to attend the Employee Service Recognition Celebration must RSVP by completing an online form on or before March 19. The event is happening from 12:30-1:45 p.m., April 8, in the Smith Student Center Ballroom.

March 20-21: Trustees meeting this week

SRU’s council of trustees will meet March 20-21 in the Russell Wright Alumni House and Conference Center. Committee meetings are scheduled for both days. The quarterly business meeting is at 11 a.m., March 21. For those who wish to attend the meetings but are unable to do so in person, a Zoom option is available with advanced registration. All meetings are open to the public and more information about the meeting is available on the news release.

March 24, 25, 27 and 28: Open sessions with dean candidates

Members of the SRU community are encouraged to participate in on-campus interviews for the position of dean of the College of Business. Candidates will present and answer questions in the following open sessions:

March 24, 11-11:45 a.m., Smith Student Center, Room 322.
March 25, 11-11:45 a.m., Smith Student Center, Room 322.
March 27, 3-3:45 p.m., Vincent Science Center, Room 116.
March 28, time and location to be determined.

The resumes/CVs and links to the candidate response forms will be available on the MySRU portal on the business day before, the day of and the day after each candidate’s session. Any changes to the schedules above will be noted on the portal.

March 31: GIESO award nominations due for Night Out event

SRU’s President’s Commission on Gender Identity & Expression and Sexual Orientation is seeking nominations for the Breaking the Silence and the Student Leadership awards.

Award criteria and instructions on how to nominate someone is available here via an online nomination form.
Deadline to submit is 5 p.m. March 31.
Award winners will be honored at the Night Out celebration 5 p.m., April 9 (RSVP by April 2).

For more information, email Bonnie Siple at bonnie.siple@sru.edu.

On campus this week

For more campus events, visit CORE, SRU’s online platform for student organizations and events.

HR Updates

Retirement planning sessions available

SRU employees can receive one-on-one counseling for retirement planning from Vincent Roney, a representative from TIAA. Appointments are available for:

March 25, 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., in Old Main, Room 008.

Appointments can be scheduled by visiting TIAA.org/schedulenow or by calling 800.732.8353.

Reminders

Sign up to become a commencement volunteer

Employees are encouraged to volunteer to work one or as many as four spring commencement ceremonies, May 9-10, at Morrow Field House. The ceremonies are 6 p.m., May 9; and 9 a.m., noon, and 3 p.m., May 10.

Sign up by completing an online form.
Represented employees will be compensated for working in accordance with their collective bargaining agreement for hours worked.
All team members will receive a uniform shirt and meals.

For more information, contact the Commencement Office at 724.738.2849 or commencementoffice@sru.edu.

SRU’s actions to address power and HVAC outages

SRU is taking the following steps to evaluate the causes and implement reforms regarding the University’s preparedness related to recent power and HVAC outages, as mentioned in President Karen Riley’s message to campus last week. The actions were detailed in the March 3 Campus Update.

Parking at All Saints not available on Wednesdays

Due to church programming, supplemental parking at All Saints Lutheran Church, at 351 S. Main St., is no longer available to faculty, staff and students on Wednesdays. For more information, contact the Parking and ID Office at 724.738.4785 or email at sruparking_id@sru.edu.

SRU’s application for Carnegie Community Engagement reclassification

SRU’s application for the Carnegie Community Engagement reclassification is available for viewing.

The application will be submitted by April 1.
Feedback and questions should be submitted by March 19 to steering committee chair Jeffrey Rathlef, director, Center for Community Engagement, by emailing at jeffrey.rathlef@sru.edu.
SRU first earned this classification in 2020.
The University will be notified about its reclassification status in January 2026.
Steering committee members also include Mohammad Kazemi (College of Engineering and Science, Melissa Swauger (College of Liberal Arts), Betsy Kemeny (College of Health Professions), Amy Orville (College of Education), Douglas Strahler (College of Business) and Josette Skobieranda-Dau, associate director, Center for Community Engagement.

SRU celebrates Women’s History Month

SRU is celebrating the contributions and accomplishments of women during March. The University is also empowering women and educating the entire campus community with a series of Women’s History Month programs and events. See all events and more details on the University’s news release.

Kind Closet seeking donations, providing clothing

SRU’s Kind Closet is now accepting donations of new or gently used professional and casual clothing for college students attending field/clinical experiences, internships, job interviews and more.

Donations can be made 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mondays through Fridays, in Carruth Rizza Hall, Room 012.
Students can access items for free.

For more information, contact Katie Leckenby, associate professor of special education, at 724.738.2457 or katie.leckenby@sru.edu.

In the News

Recent media coverage of SRU from around the web:

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