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Unsung Heroes
Unsung Hero Mandy Branch—assistant director of outreach, training and communications for the University of Georgia’s Office of Financial Aid—has helped students and families navigate their financial circumstances virtually through the challenges and uncertainties of the pandemic. Her office’s services have become increasingly necessary this year and adjusting to a virtual operation has been critical. Read more about Branch’s role in the COVID-19 response.
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Health & Wellness
Update on Vaccine Survey and Distribution
Last week, nearly two-thirds of our faculty and staff and more than half of our students filled out the survey we sent to assess interest in being vaccinated against COVID-19. The vast majority of the respondents—77 percent—indicated that they want to receive the vaccine from the University Health Center, while another 6 percent reported that they have already been vaccinated or plan to be vaccinated elsewhere. This strong interest in receiving the vaccine is very encouraging.
To date, we have been able to administer first doses of the vaccine to more than 1,500 members of our campus community, in keeping with the phased approach established by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Georgia Department of Public Health (GDPH). With every person we vaccinate, our community becomes stronger.
Surveillance Testing Continues at Legion Field
Free asymptomatic-only testing is available for all UGA community members at Legion Field. You may schedule an appointment or walk in Monday - Friday 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. The Legion Field site testing schedule will follow the University of Georgia calendar for closure.
- Bring your UGA ID.
- Do not eat, drink or smoke/chew tobacco 30 minutes before your test.
- Check out the daily calendar here for pop-up surveillance testing opportunities on campus.
***Participants will receive “Be Our Guest” coupons, courtesy of the President’s Venture Fund.
Remember to Check Your Symptoms Before Coming to Campus
Free Access to Daily Mental Wellness Support
As a member of the UGA community, you have free access to mental wellness support whenever and wherever you are. The goal of TAO, Therapy Assistance Online, is to provide online and mobile tools to help you conquer the day-to-day struggles of general stressors like anxiety and depression, or specific troubles like relationships and addiction. TAO Includes interactive sessions, mindfulness exercises and practice tools all aimed at helping you achieve your goals. Click here for more information and how to access this free resource tool.
Required COVID Refresher Training
UGA has updated the faculty and staff COVID-19 training modules for the Spring Semester to continue to promote safe and healthy habits at the University and in the community. As a reminder, the training module, “COVID-19 Refresher Training for UGA Faculty and Staff,” is required for all faculty and staff and should be completed prior to January 31. An additional module, “COVID-19 Onboarding Training for New Faculty and Staff,” is available for completion for faculty and staff who join the University during the Spring Semester. Both modules may be found in the UGA Professional Education Portal (PEP) at www.pep.uga.edu.
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Campus Operations
Travel Reminders and Motor Vehicle Policy
UGA faculty and staff are currently limited to essential business travel only, which requires the completion of a Travel Authority (TA) as a pre-approval for all essential travel (in-state and out-of-state) regardless of cost, level of reimbursement or funding source. Blanket authorizations for up to one fiscal year are available for employees with frequent and reoccurring in-state essential travel. Research-related travel must be part of an approved Research Resumption Plan (RRP) under the Office of Research guidelines. In the comments section of the TA, include the RRP approval date and approver name.
As a reminder, UGA’s motor vehicle policy was updated last summer to help promote a safe work environment. Each year, travelers using state vehicles should submit a Driver Acknowledgment Form and complete the “UGA Motor Vehicle Use Policy Training” in the Professional Education Portal (PEP). Those who use state vehicles at least 3 times per week should also complete an updated Motor Vehicle Record Request form each year.
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Research
Tracking UGA’s Pandemic
The Office of Research, working with UGA Libraries, maintains a running list of peer-reviewed publications related to COVID-19 and its associated pandemic. This list documents UGA’s scientific and academic production related to the global pandemic and provides a resource for investigators looking to identify potential research collaborators. If you have a candidate publication not appearing on the list, please send an email to michael.terrazas@uga.edu.
Neil Shubin to Deliver Virtual Boyd Lecture, Feb. 3
Neil Shubin, Robert R. Bensley Distinguished Service Professor of Organismal Biology and Anatomy at the University of Chicago, will deliver the 2021 George H. Boyd Distinguished Lecture on Feb. 3 at 4 p.m. His virtual address, “Finding Your Inner Fish: From Expeditions to Enhancers,” will discuss his work in tracing evolutionary transitions from earlier to later species, and what this can teach us about human anatomy. Click here to register for the event via Zoom.
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Outreach: PS&O and Extension
Judges Needed for 2021 Virtual Georgia Science & Engineering Fair
Graduate students and professionals with expertise in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) are needed to serve as volunteer judges for the 2021 Virtual Georgia Science & Engineering Fair (GSEF) organized by the UGA Center for Continuing Education. GSEF is Georgia’s premier forum for middle and high school students to showcase their original research, compete for awards, and interact with top STEM professionals from around the state. GSEF judging will take place virtually over several weeks in late March and April 2021 (schedule in development). If you may be interested in being a GSEF judge, please sign up to be notified when the GSEF Judge Application opens.
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