It’s someone’s birthday! (It’s us. It’s our birthday.)
It’s our birthday month! Actually, when you turn 100, you get to celebrate the whole year, and P.S. did you notice we look incredible for our age? We owe our longevity to a century of amazing students who live our founding values every day – an orientation toward excellence, development of the whole person, creation of an inclusive community, service to the dear neighbor, and meeting the needs of the times.
When we talk to you about your goals, it always seems like no matter what major you’re in, you want to use your career to make life better for others. We’re incredibly proud you chose us as your place to pursue your education. (OK, we’ll stop now. We get a little sentimental at this age.)
There are a ton of celebratory centennial events that kick off this month, and it’s such a big deal we’re dedicating a whole section of In the Know to it, so get ready.
Speaking of service to the dear neighbor … We wouldn’t be Saint Rose if we didn’t commemorate our 100th birthday with a 100 Hours of Service challenge. Well, it’s officially called a 100 Hours of Service initiative, but we’re challenging you to get involved. From being a club leader or a student-athlete to babysitting for family or doing social-justice work, you are already giving back. For the 100 Hours of Service challenge, just do 2.5 to 3 hours of community service each week from now until May to hit the 100-hour goal. Employees of the College, alums, and some of your families have already joined in, too. Watch our video to learn the why. Then click on this link to learn the how and sign up.
And an easy way to get some of those 100 hours is to hit the road. Our new students may not be familiar with Reach Out Saint Rose, but the day of service is a 25-year tradition of the College. The pandemic – surprise! – killed the idea of sending more than 800 Golden Knights into the community to help out, so instead, the College has organized Reach Out Saint Rose Hits the Road, a run/walk/move yo-self challenge where you try to log either 100 miles or 500K from now until December 12, 2020. The sign-up fee benefits the Dennis McDonald Student Emergency Fund, which assists Saint Rose students who have short-term emergencies. You can also count your time hitting the road toward your 100 hours of service. So, sign up (you can do teams, too!) and start logging your miles today. Hopefully, you find yourself at the top of the leaderboard. And don’t forget to share your progress on social.
Get your swag. The Saint Rose Alumni Association has set up a centennial store where you can get a 100th anniversary Saint Rose shirt, mug, and a really bomb poster (someone’s mom would love it as a holiday gift, too).
Learn our history. On Founder’s Day – September 22 – we will premiere a Founder’s Day talk with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet live on the College’s YouTube channel. That’s also where you’ll be able to catch the Pass the Cake challenge you may have participated in these last couple of weeks. Tune in at 4 p.m. Tuesday, September 22. If you don’t make it, you can always watch later on YouTube.
Also on September 22, there will be a tree planting to honor Ken Scott, the College’s former director of community service, at 2:30 p.m. behind Health Services. See the 12 Days of Trees item under the Things to Do section for deets.
Updates
Actions to combat racial injustice: If you missed the email last week from Yolanda Caldwell, director of the Women’s Leadership Institute and BOLD Women’s Leadership Network who is also leading our diversity and inclusion efforts, check out the meeting recap, where Caldwell discussed the College’s new bias response policy among other progress. Also, be sure to put Friday’s Campus Conversation on Diversity and Inclusion in your schedule for the week. It will take place at noon on Friday, September 18, via Zoom (Passcode: Saint Rose).
And while we’re talking about change, the Student Association shared a petition last week to change the options for pronouns in Canvas. That was an easy update, and the College was happy to make it. Thanks to the students who called it to our attention.
Talk about a positive example, the Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC) put together its own petition recently that shows that our student-athletes are committing to abide by COVID-19-related state and College guidelines. As of Sunday night, the petition had more than 100 signatures.
The petition reads:
We as Saint Rose Athletes are committed to maintaining social responsibility and keeping our athletic season. This petition serves to send the message clearly to administration that we vow to abide by ALL healthy guidelines established by the state and college, social distancing, and avoiding prohibited gatherings. We do not accept the actions of anyone who has been irresponsible enough to neglect college policy and jeopardize the health and safety of our campus. Instead, we are committed to doing things the right way. WE hope this petition encourages those who are not committed to doing things the right way to wake up and join us in getting our season back. In the spirit of keeping athletics at Saint Rose this fall, we are also committed to maintaining transparency and collaboration with administration, and with each other, as ONE Golden Knights family, in order to keep everyone safe and returning to play.
We’re proud to see our student-athletes stepping up to support measures that keep our community safe.
And while we’re praising efforts to do all that we can to prevent COVID-19, we just wanted to say we’ve been proud to see all of the masks being worn on campus – both inside and outside. As you learned this weekend after an email from Director of Counseling and Health Services Mark Parisi, we were notified of our first student case of COVID-19 on Saturday. Thanks to safety measures like social distancing and mask-wearing in classes, and the student following our COVID-19 rules, the likelihood of a widespread outbreak from this case is low. The College is also going beyond the recommendations from the Department of Health and has opted to quarantine and require testing of those who came in contact with the COVID-19 positive student, even though their contact wasn’t high risk. We will update the COVID-19 Dashboard each time there is a case, and you will continue to get a weekly COVID-19 update email on Fridays from Health Services.
Things to do
Bored? Lonely? Get involved today. Each day this week from 1 to 4 p.m. on the Campus Green (if it’s raining, look in the Main Lounge of the Events and Athletics Center), Student Association clubs and Active Clubs will be ready to answer your questions and offer you a chance to sign-up to learn more about their organizations. Make sure you stop at the Student Association table to sign in so you can be entered to win a Saint Rose raffle. The more days you attend, the more clubs you get to meet, and more chances to win. Questions? Want a list of clubs that will be tabling each day? Contact the Student Association at sa@strose.edu.
Get ready to cast your vote for the Student Association executive board. You’ll get a chance to hear from Student Association executive board candidates at 3 p.m. Tuesday, September 15, via Zoom. (Register here.) Voting will be open from Tuesday, September 15, to Friday, September 18. Attend the meeting to learn how to vote or contact the Office of Student Life at mcclellc@strose.edu. Interested in running? Contact SA Advisor Cherèva McClellan at mcclellc@strose.edu for more information.
No Steve Harvey, but it will still be fun. On Friday, September 18, at 7 p.m. the Students Events Board will present Saint Rose Family Feud at 7 p.m. in Saint Joseph Hall Auditorium (enter via the Madison Avenue entrance). Join SEB to either compete in answering the survey says questions or just watch friends battle it out for amazing prizes. If you want to compete or just hang out, then make sure you sign-up! Limited spots! Check out SEB’s socials to register – Facebook page @csrseb and Instagram @stroseseb.
Speak for the trees. We’re lucky to have such a beautiful, tree-filled campus, and we’re not going to take it for granted. If you haven’t already started participating, there are still nine days left in the 12 Days of Trees celebration. Check out the schedule:
Monday, September 14: Yoga among trees at 6 p.m. on the Campus Green in front of the Interfaith Sanctuary.
Tuesday, September 15: Celebrate Poet-Tree Day by making a copy of the poem you like (original or from your favorite poet) and tie it to a tree on campus (yarn or string on the table found inside the Interfaith Sanctuary).
Wednesday, September 16: Post a photo of your favorite tree on your Instagram story and tag strose_osl.
Thursday, September 17: On Memorial Tree Day, we remember that trees can hold the names of those we love who have died as a way to honor them. If you have a person in your life who has died, add their name to one of our trees outside the Sanctuary (ribbons and markers are available on the table outside the Sanctuary). This can happen throughout the week.
Friday, September 18: Tree planting at the green space near 198 Partridge Street at 1 p.m. Sign-up online.
Saturday, September 19: Learn something new about trees with tree facts on Instagram at strose_osl. These beings that are so essential to our well-being almost go unnoticed but they are working hard on our behalf!
Sunday, September 20: Express your tree gratitude by bringing out your artsy self and posting photos of your favorite leaves.
Monday, September 21: Stop by the Tree Tea Party outside the Interfaith Sanctuary at 4 p.m. for a cup of tea, AND is Name That Tree Day, where you’ll find out the official name of one or more of our beautiful campus trees.
Tuesday, September 22: Founder’s Day tree planting to celebrate Ken Scott, our former director of community service, at 2:30 p.m. behind Health Services, 178 Partridge Street.
Ongoing Sundays:
• Catholic Student Organization, an opportunity to meet people who share the Catholic faith, 4:15 p.m., Interfaith Sanctuary
• College Mass, held Sundays at 6:30 p.m. at St. Vincent de Paul Church, which is very close to campus at 900 Madison Avenue (on the corner of Madison Avenue and Partridge Street). All are welcome to attend. Just remember these COVID-19-related rules: Face masks must be worn throughout the service, enter the church around the left side of the building (the parking lot entrance), and save time by registering to attend the mass and enter your contact tracing information online or through their app: St. Vincent Albany. Contact Joan Horgan for more information at horganj@strose.edu.
• Guided mindfulness meditation via Zoom, 8:30 p.m.
Ongoing Mondays:
• Happier Class, discuss ways to feel happier: 2:30 p.m., upstairs in Interfaith Sanctuary
• Yoga: 6 p.m., Campus Green, near Interfaith Sanctuary
Through September 26:
• Class of 2020 Art & Design Exhibition, the work of 12 of the College’s 2020 studio art and graphic design graduates, Esther Massry Gallery. The gallery is open Monday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m.; offers extended hours until 8 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday; and is closed Sunday. The exhibit is free and open to the public, with a maximum occupancy of 30 persons. Social distancing and masks are required.
Academics
The Writing Center schedule for Fall 2020: Sunday: 3 to 7 p.m., Monday: 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Tuesday: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday: 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Thursday: 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Friday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. These hours represent a blend of in-person and online appointment availabilities. Please note that all appointments after 4 p.m. and on Sundays are online only for the Fall 2020 semester. Writing Lab will be open on Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Albertus 112 for students who prefer an open-lab approach. Appointments are necessary for all services and can be made on the Navigate app under the care unit “Academic Support.” Under locations, select “Writing Center” for an in-person appointment, “Writing Online” for an online appointment, and “Writing Lab” for Writing Lab.
Looking for someone to study with from your classes? Have a question about an assignment but aren’t sure whom to ask? Sign up for the Study Buddies feature on Navigate! Once you sign up, you can reach out to others in your class to get the help you need – and be able to help others! Study Buddies can be accessed by clicking on the corresponding icon on the “Explore” navigation guide of the mobile app. This is another great way the Navigate app can help you stay organized and on top of your assignments this semester.
Tutoring: The Academic Success Center is holding in-person/drop-in hours during the school day Monday through Friday. They will also be holding online hours Sunday through Friday to accommodate online students.
Tutoring schedules are out, and the hours can be found on the website.
Need a place to take an online course when you’re on campus? Commuter students have expressed concern about what they should do when their on-campus and remote classes are scheduled close together. They should worry no more. We have Study Stops, so click here to see where they’re located.
Confused about Canvas? The College’s Online Learning Services YouTube channel has a playlist called “Online Learning Tutorials for Students.”
There are screencast tutorials on how to use tools in Canvas, how to view your grades in Canvas, and how to send Canvas Inmail. You will also find tutorials on how to use Techsmith Knowmia, Zoom web application, and Chalk and Wire.
For users of mobile devices, there are videos for using the Canvas Student app, Techsmith Capture app, and the Zoom app.
Registrar’s Office: There have been some changes in the Registrar’s Office. All registration issues (registration, add/drop, withdrawal) and questions can be processed by appointment through the Navigate app according to topic and availability. Below is a listing of the Registrar’s Office staff, their areas of concentration, and contact information. As always, you can use the registrar@strose.edu email for general questions. You may also use their new drop box outside their office suite to securely drop forms, transcripts, etc.
Craig Tynan, registrar
Topics: grades, independent studies, cross registration, withdraws due to extenuating circumstances, FERPA
Contact: 518.454.5211or tynanc@strose.edu
Kate Mancini, senior associate registrar
Topics: Degree Works, degree audits, catalog, banner updates
Contact: 518.454.2038 or mancinik@strose.edu
Melissa Biffer, assistant registrar
Topics: room reservations, verifications, certifications, course changes, diplomas
Contact: 518.337.4913 or bifferm@strose.edu
Joey Van Ullen, assistant registrar
Topics: undergraduate transfer approvals, graduate transfer credit, incoming transcripts, commencement preparation
Contact: 518.454-2025 or vanullej@strose.edu
Amanda Pittenger, assistant registrar
Topics: study abroad, course substitutions, student registration changes, student-veterans
Contact: 518.454.5458 or pittenga@strose.edu
Matthew Krush, assistant registrar for contract programs
Topics: CITE, TEI, NYSUT
Contact: 518.454.2081 or krushm@strose.edu
Transcript requests
Contact: 518.454.5369 or registrar@strose.edu
Worth repeating
Password help: You can save a trip to the Help Desk if you forget your password by using the automated Password Reset System at https://pwdreset.strose.edu. At this site, you can change your password and also provide answers to security questions to make it easy to reset your password if you forget it.
Never share your password with anyone! The Help Desk technicians will never ask you for your password. If someone contacts you and asks for your password, assume that they are straight-up evil.
Wifi woes? If you are having difficulty connecting to the wireless network, remember that all residence hall rooms have data ports for a hardwired connection to the network. Most devices only need an ethernet cable, which can be purchased in the Campus Store, CVS, Walmart, etc. Hardwired network connections are always much faster and more stable than wireless connections, so they are great for Zoom sessions. If you have difficulty connecting, either wirelessly or wired, please contact the Help Desk by submitting a ticket at http://helpdesk.strose.edu/osticket or calling them at 518.454.2190.
Get those important alerts. The RAVE Alert Emergency Communication System is a way the College can reach you in the event of an emergency. Make sure that your current cell phone number is in the RAVE Alert system. You do not want to be the last to know that the College is closed or delayed during inclement weather or if there is a campus emergency. To make sure you’re enrolled and update your information, go to https://bannerweb.strose.edu, log in to Secure Area, and then go to Personal Information and then RAVE Alert Emergency Communication System, where you can make the update.
If you don’t know what Navigate is, you’re about to: If you haven’t already downloaded the Navigate app – and thank you to everyone who has – please do it now (please, please).
Navigate is important because it allows you to schedule appointments with campus offices, stay on track for graduation, and do your daily COVID-19 health survey. Also, it’s required of our undergraduate and graduate students.
Having trouble finding what you need in Navigate? Here’s a cheat sheet:
Academic Support
• Writing Tutoring
• Course Tutoring
• Library Research Assistance
• General Library Inquiries
• Academic Probation
• Services for Students with Disabilities
Advising & Individual Class Questions
• Academic Advising
• Career Advising
• Individual Class Advising
Athletics
• Student Athletes
Diversity & Inclusion
• Diversity & Inclusion
Global Affairs
• Study Abroad
• International Student Needs
Human Resources
• Non-Work Study Employment Paperwork
Prevention Education & Response
• Awareness and Advocacy
• Academic
Student Development
• Student Development
• Student Involvement
• Residence Life
• Student Conduct
• First-Year Programs
• Service Opportunities
• ID Card Issues
Student Financial Accounts
• Financial Aid
• Payment Office/Bursar
Know the rules: Dr. Shai Butler, vice president for student development and chief diversity officer, sent an email reminder on September 4 about social gatherings. It’s worth repeating. Here’s an excerpt:
To avoid a Saint Rose shutdown, I ask that you please adhere to the guest policy if you live on campus. Also, please follow the rules related to social gathering, whether you live on or off-campus. This explicitly means, do not host or attend parties. As a reminder, students are not to host or participate in social gatherings or parties of residents and non-residents of an individual living unit where social distancing and/or mask wearing cannot or does not occur either on or off-campus. Parties are defined as events or gatherings that are NOT sponsored by the College with more than 10 people. A College-sponsored event is one in which a Saint Rose employee or RA is present. Attending or hosting any non-Saint Rose sponsored gathering with more than 10 people will be considered a violation of College policy.
You have a responsibility to keep yourselves safe, your family safe, your campus safe, and the surrounding community safe. I encourage you to find alternative activities that will allow you to have fun outside, wearing masks and social distancing in small groups. Students and employees can report violations of COVID-19 policies via this form.
Hours
Bookstore and mailroom hours:
Mailroom hours:
Package pick up times: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to noon and 2 to 4 p.m.
Mailboxes are available 24-7.
For more information: Mail_room@strose.edu or 518.458.5443
Bookstore hours:
Now through November
Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For more information: bookstore@strose.edu or 518.454.5245
Food service hours of operation for Fall 2020:
Main Dining Room
Breakfast: 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. Monday through Friday
Brunch: 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Lunch: 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday
Dinner: 4 to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday; 4 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Camelot Room
Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Friday, 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Sunday, 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Starbucks
Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Closed Saturday and Sunday
Brubacher Café
Breakfast: 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. Monday through Friday
Lunch: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday
Dinner: 6:30 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday
Closed Saturday and Sunday
How to Purchase a Commuter Meal Plan and Extra Dining Dollars:
1. Visit the All Products page under Meal Plans on the Campus Dining Services website.
2. Add a commuter meal plan or Dining Dollars.
Want to use your swipes in Camelot? Here’s how to use the Meal Equivalent menu!
Select one of the menu lines at the station (see below), bring the food to the cashier, and let the cashier know it’s a Meal Equivalent. They will have you swipe your card, and a meal will be deducted from your meal plan. You can only choose from the equivalent menu in order to use your swipes, and there is a limit of three swipes per week. If you have any questions, please ask for a manager, and they will help.
Meal Equivalent Menu
Breakfast
• Egg and cheese sandwich, hash brown, and small coffee or fountain drink
• Bagel or muffin with a small coffee or fountain drink
Lunch and Dinner
• Hamburger or cheeseburger, small fry or chips, small coffee or fountain drink
• C.Y.O. (Create Your Own) sandwich, chips, small fry or chips, small coffee or fountain drink
• Tossed salad, small soup, small coffee or fountain drink
• Chicken Caesar salad, small coffee or fountain drink
• Cobb salad, coffee or fountain drink
Wondering about safety protocols in the dining spaces? Check out the Housing & Dining plan on the College’s restart website.
Get pumped: New York State has given gyms the go-ahead to open, and that means the fitness center on campus is open. Fitness center visits are by appointment only with slots of 45 minutes. Capacity will be reduced to less than a third of what it once was. Sign up using this link.
Hours are:
Monday through Thursday: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Friday: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
And remember, like most every place on campus, you must wear a face mask that covers your nose and mouth while using the facility.
Visiting the Counseling Center: Due to COVID-19 precautions, no student walk-ins are allowed at the Counseling Center, and students will not wait for appointments in the waiting room. Students should call 518.454.5200 or email counseling@strose.edu for assistance and appointments. Hours of operation are Monday/Wednesday/Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Tuesday/Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Reminder: The Counseling Center is now located on the third floor of Saint Joseph Hall.
Need Health Services?: Due to COVID-19 precautions, student walk-ins are not allowed at Health Services, and we students won’t wait for appointments in the waiting room. Students will call 518.454.5244 or email healthservices@strose.edu for assistance, and their cases will be triaged by our LPN or nurse practitioner. Based on the presenting concerns, the triage outcome may lead to a telehealth appointment with the nurse practitioner. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. And don’t forget to contact Health Services if you need COVID-19 testing.
Need to print something? Here’s a list of easily accessible printer locations and some printers located in the residence halls:
• Basement and lobby of the Massry Center, 1002 Madison Avenue
• Basement and lobby of the Thelma P. Lally School of Education, 1009 Madison Avenue
• Third floor of the Picotte Building, home to the Center for Art & Design (Room 304 and Room 305), 324 State Street
• First floor computer lab in Lima Hall, 366 Western Avenue
• EAC Athletics hallway and basement, 420 Western Avenue
• Fourth floor and breezeway of Albertus Hall, 432 Western Avenue
• Room 166 in the Science Center, 993 Madison Avenue
• First floor Brubacher Hall, 750 State Street
• First floor Centennial Hall, 930 Madison Avenue
• First floor of the Huether School of Business, 994 Madison Avenue
• Room 120, 121, and 122 of the Hearst Center for Communications and Interactive Media, 998 Madison Avenue
