Announcements
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Involvement and Community
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Speakers, Conferences and Events
Town Hall
Friday, April 10 - 2:00 pm
We will host another town hall to discuss updates and check in with faculty and staff.
For those wishing to view past Town Hall meetings, please visit the President's webpage at this link.
Deadline Change for Withdrawal or Change to Credit/No-Credit or Audit
The deadline to withdraw, change to credit/no-credit, or audit spring courses has been extended to April 17, 2020. This change applies to full semester and second block courses.
We encourage students to take the time to work through the transition to virtual format before considering any changes to their enrollment. Students who opt to withdraw, change to credit/no-credit, or audit a course should be aware of any consequences that may arise related to financial aid, scholarships, enrollment, or progress toward degree. Although courses have moved to a virtual format, many federal, state, and institutional policies and regulations have not been suspended due to the COVID-19 epidemic.
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Financial Aid: Students are still expected to maintain satisfactory academic progress for financial aid. Please refer to the guidelines for satisfactory academic progress on the Financial Aid website.
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Enrollment Requirements: Students who have enrollment requirements related to scholarships, athletics, veterans/GI Bill or international status should speak to the appropriate offices before making any changes to their enrollment.
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Progress Toward Degree: Students with questions about the effect an action will have on their progress toward a degree are encouraged to reach out to their academic advisor. Students can use the Find My Advisor app to reach out and schedule an appointment.
Special Payment Options Available for Students Affected by COVID-19
Dear Weber State Students:
We are mindful of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and continue to monitor the situation closely. We know that many of you may be facing financial challenges during this time and we want to help.
If you are experiencing difficulties paying your current Spring Semester tuition charges that may be preventing you from registering for Summer or Fall Semester classes, please reach out to the Payment Plan office by email at webpay@weber.edu or at (801)626-8006. We have new flexible, interest free plans that can defer payment and provide solutions to help you continue your studies here at Weber during these challenging times.
Open Enrollment April 6th - May 15th
Open Enrollment 2020
Employees,
Open enrollment begins April 6, 2020 and ends May 15, 2020. During this time, you can make changes to medical, dental, vision and flex spending through the eWeber Portal using the Employee Enrollment app. The schedule for the virtual Open Enrollment Information Sessions and Labs can be found here. There will also be three virtual STAR/HSA informational meetings for those enrolled in or interested in enrolling in the STAR/HSA plan.
If you do not complete Open Enrollment online, your flexible spending account will turn off on June 30, 2020. Also, your medical, dental and vision benefits will remain the same. Please go to the HR Open Enrollment website for more information and to join open enrollment virtual presentations and labs.
Textbook Rental And BuyBack
Textbook Rental Returns
Dear Wildcat,
To best serve you, we have extended the rental return deadline, and we have made some changes to the textbook rental return process. Textbook rental returns will begin April 6 and end on May 1, 2020. Please note due to the ever-changing circumstance with COVID-19 this program could be canceled or altered.
Please practice social distancing when returning textbook rentals.
Instructions:
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Fill out this form completely and submit.
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Check your email for the form.
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Print the form from your email.
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Package your book(s) with the printed form - in either a strong bag sealed with tape for dropbox returns or in an approved box for mail-in returns.
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Choose one of the following:
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Return at the library dropbox in the W-8 parking lot at the Ogden campus.
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Return at the library dropbox in front of building D-2 at the Davis campus.
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Mail via FedEx by following the email instructions received with your return label.
Please be aware:
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Books will only be accepted April 6 - May 1.
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Do not place tape directly on textbooks.
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Books and forms should not be bound with string or rubber bands.
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It is your responsibility that the form remains with the textbooks - we are unable to give credit for books received without a form.
Textbook Online BuyBack
With concern for the safety of our campus community, we have partnered with one of our suppliers to perform an online buyback starting on April 16, 2020, Click here for instructions.
Wildcat Store on-campus buyback will be held during the summer semester.
Zoom Group Meetings for Faculty/Staff
To help faculty and staff manage changes we are all facing during the Covid-19 crisis, Human Resources has created group meetings on Zoom for us to connect with our peers, share our experiences and answer each other's questions. Join the topics that are interesting to you, where you find yourself struggling or where you think you could help others. Meetings are scheduled to discuss five different topics, one each day of the week M-F, repeating for three weeks.
Managing Working from Home with Kids / Pets
Facilitator: Leslie Park
Mar 30, 2020, 01:00 PM
Apr 6, 2020, 01:00 PM
Apr 13, 2020, 01:00 PM
https://weber.zoom.us/j/639371895
Supervising Remote Employees
Facilitator: Jennifer Evans
Mar 31, 2020 12:00 PM
Apr 7, 2020 12:00 PM
Apr 14, 2020 12:00 PM
https://weber.zoom.us/j/330051489
Networking: Social Interaction
Facilitator: Cynthia Reinhard
Apr 1, 2020 02:00 PM
Apr 8, 2020 02:00 PM
Apr 15, 2020 02:00 PM
https://weber.zoom.us/j/944874169
Supporting Students
Facilitator: Kelly Simerick
Apr 2, 2020 01:00 PM
Apr 9, 2020 01:00 PM
Apr 16, 2020 01:00 PM
https://weber.zoom.us/j/937323295
Moving Courses Online
Facilitator: Mike Mitchell and Shandel Hadlock
Prior to attending this discussion, please watch the two videos located under "Quick Start Online Course Design" on our webpage.
Apr 3, 2020 12:00 PM
Apr 10, 2020 12:00 PM
Apr 17, 2020 12:00 PM
https://weber.zoom.us/j/294124344
There will also be another Campus Town Hall on Friday, April 3, 2020, 2:00 PM -4:00 PM.
Speak Up - COVID-19 and Racism
How to respond to Coronavirus racism
As COVID-19 infections increase, so too does racism and xenophobia. Use our “Speak Up” strategies to let people know you’re not OK with racist or xenophobic comments about coronavirus or anything else.
BY: TEACHING TOLERANCE STAFF
MARCH 20, 2020
Across the United States right now, people are feeling isolated and afraid. As schools and businesses close, people are worrying about their health, their families, their jobs and their future. All of these worries make sense, and of course there’s nothing wrong with being afraid. But as people share news, fears and concerns, some people are sharing something else, as well: racism and xenophobia.
Obviously, Chinese people are not responsible for a virus simply because the first reported cases were in China. But some politicians and media figures have taken to referring to the “Chinese Coronavirus.” They’ve used stereotypes about the different foods people eat around the world or made jokes that rely on “Chinese-sounding” words or phrases to make light of the crisis and somehow suggest that Chinese people are to blame. Some have even gone so far as to suggest that China should apologize for the virus.
While it might be tempting to think we should just shake this kind of language off and focus on larger concerns, the truth is that racist and xenophobic words have real-world effects. Across the U.S., Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) report being harassed at school, in stores, on the streets and on the subway. Last month in London, a Singaporean man was assaulted, kicked and punched by a man who said, “I don’t want your coronavirus in my country.”
We know that racist “jokes” can quickly become racist rants, and those rants can turn to violence. So it’s up to all of us to make it clear that we’re not OK with racist responses to this crisis.
To do that, Teaching Tolerance recommends a four-step process for speaking up against bias:
Interrupt
Question
Educate
Echo
Here’s what speaking up against racism during the coronavirus might look like now.
Interrupt
Interrupting means taking a time out. It shows the person you’re talking, texting or chatting with that what they’ve said is important enough to pause your conversation to address—that you need to talk about racism before you talk about anything else. Here are a few phrases to try:
“Hang on. I want to go back to what you called the virus.”
“Just a second—let’s get into your point that the virus is somebody’s fault.”
“Before we talk about that, I want to talk about the language you just used.”
Question
We’re all familiar with “questions” that are really warnings: What did you just say to me? or Are you really going to do that? But in this context, the goal of questioning really is to better understand why the person said what they did. You might ask:
“Why did you call it the ‘Chinese Coronavirus’?”
“Why do you think that?”
“Where did you get that information?”
One note: Asking someone to explain why a racist joke is funny is a great way to stop them from making racist jokes to you again. But if you want to have a real discussion about what they’ve said, it might work better to ask something like, “What made you say that?”
Educate
The key to educating is to continue the conversation. The goal here isn’t to just provide facts about the topic generally to the person you’re talking with, but to explain why what they’ve said needs rethinking.
That means that, to educate folks around racism associated with the coronavirus, we need to understand not only the virus, but also the racism.
For example, you might explain that it’s actually not common anymore to name a disease after its place of origin, that there’s a long, bad history of associating diseases with specific groups of people, and that the name COVID-19 was chosen very carefully to avoid repeating those mistakes.
If someone doesn’t understand why a comment they made was racist, you can educate them about the long history of stereotyping immigrants—and Asian people, specifically—as people who bring disease. You can explain how this stereotype is both wrong and harmful.
And if someone tries to play down racist phrases as “just a joke,” you can educate them about the discrimination and racism many AAPI folks are facing right now, so they better understand the impact of their words.
Echo
It takes an effort to speak up against racist ideas and language. This is particularly true of people who are targeted by that language. That’s why we need to have each others’ backs. When someone else speaks up, echo them. Thank them, and emphasize or amplify their message any way you can. This not only encourages more speaking up—it also ensures that no one thinks your silence in response to biased ideas or language means you’re OK with it.
Of course, echoing is harder while we’re social distancing, but there are many ways to do it. Online, we can re-share antiracist messages. And in chats or conversations, we can respond to offer support and agreement.
In the coming weeks, we’re all going to have to make an effort to take care of one another. We’ll probably need to make some more sacrifices to ensure that our communities stay as safe and healthy as possible. Speaking up against bigotry, particularly if you’re not the target, costs very little.
If we all commit to interrupting, questioning, educating and echoing to fight racist rhetoric, we can start making our communities safer and healthier today.
https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/how-to-respond-to-coronavirus-racism
FERPA and Virtual Learning
With most employees working from home and spring courses in virtual format, faculty and staff should be increasingly aware of data privacy regulations as per the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
The Department of Education has released a new statement, FERPA and Virtul Learning Related Resources. Please review these guidelines and the resources provided to ensure that your practices are compliant with federal law. More information about FERPA is available at the Office of the Registrar's FERPA page.
Employees who access student records in Banner, Canvas, or other University systems should complete the FERPA Online Training if they have not already done so this year. Sign up in Training Tracker for 190-09 FERPA Online Training. This course should take about one hour to complete.
Course Reserves
With the closure of the library building, students no longer have access to print course materials. The library can help provide alternative access. Please contact ereserve@weber.edu if you have any concerns about student access to course reserve material.
🗞 The Signpost - Waldo's World of the future - A NEW NORMAL, FOR A WHILE
Weber's first newspaper came from the Acorn, a literary publication from 1905 to 1916. Next, the Weber Herald Newspaper published from 1917 to 1935. The current newspaper, The Signpost began publication in 1937 and continues today.
Table of Contents
03 WALKING THROUGH A FAFSA WONDERLAND
04 SERVICES ARE STILL OPEN VIRTUALLY ON CAMPUS
06 FINDING BALANCE IN COLLEGE
07 WALDO’S CLUB TEAMS AND INTRAMURAL SPORTS
09 ADVICE FROM A TRANSFER STUDENT
11 ATHLETES TO WATCH FOR NEXT FALL
12 REGISTRATION IS OPENING — AND SO ARE LAPTOPS
13 SPRING SEMESTER WITHDRAWAL DEADLINES EXTENDED
15 THE DESTRUCTION ZONE, AGENTS OF CHAOS
17 TECH TROUBLES AFFECTING STUDENTS’ ACADEMICS
18 PHOTO ESSAY: A NEW NORMAL, FOR A WHILE
24 MAKING A DORM FEEL MORE LIKE A HOME
28 GETTING INVOLVED ON CAMPUS
31 HOW COLLEGE INFLUENCES YOU
35 FALL SPORTS RULED QUESTIONABLE
FREE Blomquist Hale Workshops
Blomquist Hale Online Workshops
There are three workshops scheduled for this week (all related to COVID-19). Please see descriptions, dates and times below or visit our webpage for more information.These courses are available to employees at no cost.
Topic: Emotional Coaching
Participants will learn the five steps taught by Gottman. Do you know the 50 secondary emotions?
Date: April 8th at 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. MST
Location: Online!
Register at: https://blomquisthale.com/Work-Shops.html
Topic: Thriving Not Just Surviving COVID-19
Participants will gain knowledge on setting up a great and productive day. They will gain work, parenting, and relationship tips and we will discuss social distancing but not isolating. Participants will also learn coping skills, self care and what is in your control.
Date: April 9th at 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. MST
Location: Online!
Register at: https://blomquisthale.com/Work-Shops.html
Topic: Mindfulness & Meditation
Establish Your Own Meditation Practice by creating a place of comfort. Participants will learn the following: What is meditation and what are the benefits? Choosing to practice with the attitude of non-judgement. Cultivation of Practice by setting aside time and space (when, how, where?). Setting an Intention (why meditate?). Practice during the workshop.
Date: April 10th at 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. MST
Location: Online!
Register at: https://blomquisthale.com/Work-Shops.html
If participants are unable to attend during the scheduled time, please encourage them to still register. Once we send out the “access email” to those who have registered, they can request to receive the recorded version.
Wildcat Block Party 2020: Register Your Booth!
It is time to register for your Block Party booth! The fall 2020 theme is "Weber is Your Winning Ticket."
Learn More and Register Your Booth
Faculty Co-Advisor for the Community Research Team -- Position Announcement
The Center for Community Engaged Learning (CCEL) is seeking a full-time faculty member to serve as a Co-Advisor to the Community Research Team. The Co-Advisor for the Community Research Team will work with one other faculty co-advisor to mentor and guide students as the students work with community partners on research projects.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Collaborate with other faculty advisor to run and advise the community research team, which includes training students on research design, data collection, data analysis, and reporting.
- Mentor students as they work with community partners to design and conduct relevant and appropriate community-based research.
- Commit to a minimum of 10 hours per week, including at least 3-5 office hours at the Community Research Extension off campus (2955 Harrison Blvd.).
REPORTING STRUCTURE
- Reports to the CCEL Executive Director and collaborates with the Director of the Research Extension.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Tenure-track faculty member.
- Demonstrated knowledge of qualitative and quantitative research design and data analysis.
- Experience collaborating on research with community organizations, faculty, staff and/or students.
- Demonstrated excellence in teaching and scholarship.
- Demonstrated record of effectively advising, mentoring, and guiding students individually and in groups.
RE-ASSIGNED TIME OR OTHER COMPENSATION
- Course re-assigned time or stipend, negotiable with academic department and CCEL.
Applicants should send a brief vita (focusing on relevant experiences) and a letter outlining interest in the position and relevant experiences to Becky Jo Gesteland, Executive Director of CCEL, bgesteland@weber.edu. Priority review of applicants will begin April 10, 2020.
#WildcatsCount - 2020 Census (Still Going!)
#WildcatsCount - 2020 Census
Where were you living on April 1, 2020? That is the address you use to complete the 2020 Census!
Every 10 years, the U.S. Census conducts a population count in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories. Weber State has created a Complete Count Committee to ensure all Wildcats learn about, understand, then complete the 2020 Census. Starting March 12, for the first time, the nine-question census will be available online for everyone to complete! This is an opportunity to ensure we have an accurate count of our state's population, determine how to distribute billions of dollars in crucial funding for numerous services, and determine how many Congressional seats our state gets. In order to educate our entire campus population, we need your help!
#WildcatsCount is our campaign to encourage all Wildcats to learn more about the census, why it matters and how we can empower others to complete it. Visit weber.edu/2020census to gather resources, become a WSU Census Ambassador, download #WildcatsCount digital marketing, and more. Look out for the joint letter from President Brad Mortensen and Student Body President Bret Alexander, encouraging all of WSU to complete the 2020 Census, then look for a physical letter in your mailbox to display the #WildcatsCount note with your one-of-a-kind sticker! Everyone counts and YOU count, too!
Take Back The Night [VIRTUAL]
Join Take Back The Night in supporting survivors and raising awareness about sexual violence. Open to the first 3000 to register! We will have speakers, poetry, and healing activities as part of this powerful web-event!
Celebrating 50 years of the Polynesian Cultural Center Documentary
Free from Saturday, April 11 - Saturday, April 18
Aloha - in 2013, the Polynesian Cultural Center in La?ie, Hawai?i, celebrated its golden jubilee. Former performers gathered for two incredible presentations of the famous Evening Show. This performance features dancers from the 1980?s up to 2009.! TV production services were provided by students from BYU-Hawaii.
https://www.weber.edu/diversity/polynesian-cultural-center.html
New Grads, Tell Us Your Story!
Hey graduates! We know your senior year probably hasn’t gone the way you planned. We’d still want to celebrate all you’ve accomplished here at Weber State. Email video@weber.edu for a chance to share your story in an upcoming video project.
Faculty and Staff, Tell us Your Grads' Stories!
Hey faculty and staff! We know your spring semester probably hasn’t gone the way you planned. We’d still want to celebrate all your students accomplished here at Weber State. Email video@weber.edu for a chance to share their stories in an upcoming video project.
Geoscience & Society Seminar (Virtual)
Climate change & the Intermountain West
Natalie Little
Regional Sustainability &
Climate Coordinator, USDA Forest Service
Thursday, April 9, 2020
1:30 p.m. Join us on Zoom
Add it to your calendar today!
Feminist Leadership Virtual Workshop
In times of crisis and times of peace, we depend on the strength of our communities to support us. Now, more than ever, is the time to focus on leadership based on the empowerment and inclusion of the people. Join us for a webinar with WSU Women's Center where we’ll discuss feminist leadership and learn how to be leaders who work toward social change, based on the four essential principles of feminist leadership.
- Wednesday, April 8, 2020
- 12:30-1:30 p.m.
REGISTER
* After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting