Emailed to Northwestern staff on January 10, 2024
LETTER FROM THE CHAIR | UPCOMING EVENTS | REMINDERS | CALL TO ACTION |PAST EVENTS | PREVIOUS NEWSLETTERS
Dear Northwestern Staff:
I hope the holidays provided you with the opportunity to spend quality time with family and friends and gave you a chance to recharge. As we bid farewell to 2023, I encourage you to reflect on your accomplishments over the past year as inspiration for what is possible in 2024.
With so much happening in the world and on our campuses, it is very important to ensure we are taking the time to care for ourselves and each other. I recommend that you review all the benefits and resources that Northwestern can provide to assist you with your goals.
You will see in this issue of our newsletter that our Council has been working to increase training and community opportunities and recognize our amazing staff. As we move forward with existing initiatives, we strive to pursue new ones as well.
We hope that you will be an active participant in Council activities as that is vital to our success. We would also ask that you share any ideas and feedback with us. We encourage you to learn more about the Council and to sign up for the NUSAC Listserv to stay up to date on announcements and events.
We look forward to seeing you all in the new year!
With Gratitude,
Brian Drabik, NUSAC Chair
Upcoming Events
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Northwestern honors Martin Luther King Jr. during Dream Week: January 15-22, 2024MLK Vigil featuring Rev. Dr. Reginald W. Williams, Jr.Sponsored by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and Office of Religious and Spiritual Life January 15, 2024 at 3:00pm |
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MLK keynote featuring Jonathan EigFollowed by a moderated conversation with Charles Whitaker – Dean and Professor, Northwestern Medill School of Journalism Sponsored by MLK Commemoration Planning Committee and the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion January 16, 2024 at 5:00pm |
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Illinois Secretary of State Mobile DMVNUSAC has partnered with the Illinois Secretary of State to host their ‘Mobile DMV’ to University staff members for their Illinois driver’s licenses, state identification cards, duplicate/corrected licenses, and vehicle renewal stickers.
Please register to make a reservation using the link below and contact chris.yohe@northwestern.edu with any questions. |
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Academic Programs for Students PreK Through Grade 12: CTD at NorthwesternThe Center for Talent Development (CTD) at Northwestern University helps young people PreK- grade 12 find their strengths and interests and create their unique talent development path. No student is born with a set destination. CTD believes that talents, passions, and goals are discovered and nurtured through exploration, experience, and mentorship. Through CTD’s assessment, academic enrichment, and accelerated course options, students discover what they truly love to learn and how to reach their full potential. Winter programs are now enrolling, and summer application opens in mid-January 2024! |
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Upcoming Athletics Community EventsInterested in keeping up with Northwestern Athletics community events, such as the annual Movie Night or discount nights for faculty and staff for home games? Check the Athletics & Recreation – Community Engagement Calendar on Plan-it-Purple! Educator Appreciation Night at Women’s Basketball Welcomes Staff at a Discounted Rate! Join Northwestern Women’s Basketball on January 14th when we recognize all staff with discounted tickets! Go to nusports.com/groups and enter code NUFS23 for discounted tickets. The first 50 staff to show their Wildcard at the purple table in the lobby will receive a special promotion voucher from Meez Meals. Save the Date Below are upcoming games that may be of interest to our academic community. Tickets can be purchased here.
Student Athlete Clothing Drive Northwestern’s Department of Athletics and Recreation invite the local community to join our student-athletes in a co-sponsored clothing drive for the month of January. Student-athletes Hannah Johnson and Kansas Robinson are partnering with Cradles to Crayons and Connections for the Homeless to collect clothing for CPS migrant children and the local homeless population. More more information, including drop-off locations, please visit the NUSports website. Question about Athletics events and donating? Contact Rebekah Sigman at rebekah.sigman@northwestern.edu. |
Get to know NUSAC!
We encourage you to visit our website to learn more about NUSAC and what we do, including our subcommittees and passionate members by visiting the Member Spotlight page.
Reminders
Office of the Ombudsperson
The Office of the Ombudsperson is a confidential, impartial, informal, and independent resource here to provide the Northwestern University community with the opportunity to work through issues and concerns outside of formal channels.
Services include but are not limited to conflict resolution consultation, facilitated communication, mediation, leadership development and coaching, and confidential review of letters and documents. When facing a challenge or uncertainty about where to go or which university policy or procedure applies in your situation, the University Ombudsperson is available to assist in clarifying issues and to help you identify options to move forward.
Register for the Ombudsperson Overview and Annual Report Session
Total Compensation Statements
The purpose of the total compensation statement is to show that your compensation consists of more than just your paycheck. The statement visibly demonstrates the value of your benefits package and time off policies while also displaying all the benefits and programs available to you and your family. It is a personalized statement that reflects your current enrollment options.
Campus Safety
Safety is a shared responsibility.
Keep yourself, others and property safe by following the procedures to prepare for and respond to an emergency situation, such as a natural disaster, fire, medical emergency, or violent or threatening behavior.
Join the Well-Being Mailing List
Did you know that the Office of Human Resources offers a number of well-being events throughout the year? Examples include mental health, caregiving, and talent development resources.
Sign up to receive weekly up-to-date communications about well-being programs and events.
Call to Action
Staff Engagement Survey White Paper
NUSAC is excited to share with the staff community the Staff Engagement Survey White Paper provided to President Schill and Vice President Goffe. The white paper was created in response to feedback that we received from staff that their views and perspectives were not heard. The white paper highlights the need for a routine staff engagement survey as a best practice for employers of choice and its alignment with Northwestern’s mission and spirit of excellence. While select departments and units are conducting their own surveys, NUSAC is advocating for the routine execution of a staff engagement survey for the entire staff population. We will keep you posted on the feedback received as these discussions progress.
Northwestern's Valuable Personnel (NVP)
Did you know that Northwestern Human Resources hosts a Gratitude Wall which helps to celebrate and recognize the special contributions made by members of the Northwestern community? NUSAC will be highlighting a staff member each term from the gratitude wall by spotlighting them in our newsletter and honoring them with a small token of appreciation and recognition as well. Our Winter 2024 staff member highlight is Toni Montgomery. Visit NUSAC’s NVP Page
Onboarding Training in myHR Learn
Explore two new digital courses available to all staff members. The courses are designed to provide additional context on the U.S. higher education landscape and on the unique fabric of Northwestern. You can access them through myHR Learn by clicking the titles below:
New staff members will be automatically enrolled.
- Onboarding: The US Higher Education Context: Uncover the unique aspects of higher education and discover how it sets us apart from other organizations.
- Onboarding: Northwestern as a Higher Education Institution: Embark on a journey through our rich history and explore the distinctive qualities that make Northwestern University truly exceptional.
Past Events
Growing Your Career Workshop
NUSAC co-hosts an annual Growing Your Career Workshop in partnership with the Office of Human Resources.
This in-person event alternates between the Evanston and Chicago campus each year. For the 2023-24 year, the event was held at Norris on the Evanston campus on October 2nd.
The workshop is designed to help provide professional development and training opportunities to Northwestern staff to help advance their career and create opportunities to network and connect with colleagues outside of their own departments.
Share with Shill
NUSAC hosted the Share with Schill event on September 28 at the Deering Library.
President Schill is interested in meeting Northwestern staff to learn about their experiences and share their perspective. These sessions alternate campuses and are intentionally small so staff have an opportunity to engage the President in a conversation.
If you are interested in participating in this session or future sessions, please sign up for the NUSAC Listserv to be notified of future events, and visit the website to learn more about the participation requirements.
Fireside Chat with President Schill
NUSAC hosted an annual Fireside Chat with President Schill on October 10, 2023. Vice President for Human Resources and Chief Human Resources Officer Lorraine A. Goffe led the conversation with President Schill that addressed University news, insights on Northwestern’s priorities and guiding principles, and other topics on the minds of staff.
Winter Drive 2023
The NUSAC Winter Drive provided an opportunity for NU staff to come together to support areas of our community. We are so grateful for our Northwestern staff community and your generosity. Below is a summary of the impact NU staff made this winter.
Gale Community Academy: The NU staff community raised $340 for Gale Academy in gift cards to support their families in need. Gale Community Academy is a richly diverse school with many immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers from all over the globe. Gale Academy hosted NU staff on December 14, 2023, to provide more information on the unique Gale/NU partnership and learn more about future volunteer opportunities.
The Greater Chicago Food Depository: NU volunteers met on December 20, 2023, to support food distribution in the Greater Chicago area. While volunteer spots were limited, we have another volunteer opportunity coming up on Saturday, January 20, 2024, 1:00pm – 3:45pm Sign-up here.
Family Focus of Evanston: The NU staff community helped 24 families this year providing gifts and gift cards for families, which ranged from 4 to 7 family members total. Participants used each families’ wish list, wrapped, and personally addressed each gift which provided an extra special touch for each recipient. 36 NU staff members signed up to participate, which surpassed 2022!
Little Brother Friends of the Elderly (LBFE): NU once again partnered with LBFE for their annual chocolate drive, with NU staff contributing a variety of Ghirardelli, Dove, and Lindt chocolates to be paired with holiday gifts for hundreds of seniors.
NUQ Ice Cream Social
In December 2023, NUSAC hosted an ice cream social on the Qatar campus (NUQ). As the fall semester ended, NUSAC invited the Northwestern Qatar community to step away from the hustle and bustle of the semester and connect with colleagues. This event was a continuation of NUSAC’s cherished tradition of ice cream socials, a practice that has graced the Evanston and Chicago campuses for many years. NUQ’s Community Building Fund and The Media Majlis proudly sponsored this initiative.