Thank you to everyone who attended the staff and faculty appreciation event on Monday. It was wonderful to talk to colleagues you might not see on a regular basis over food, drinks and music. A big thank you to those who helped plan this event—it was great!
We appreciate the hard work everyone does for Lawrence throughout the year. Enjoy the winter break!
Late yesterday, Nov. 22, a U.S. District Court judge from Texas issued a preliminary injunction postponing the effective date of the FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act) changes to overtime rules. The judge issued the injunction in response to a legal challenge brought by a coalition of more than 50 business groups and 21 state attorneys general. It is expected the Department of Labor will appeal this ruling quickly, however it is uncertain how long the appeal may take.
Lawrence has already made the changes necessary to comply with the new overtime rules. At this time, we will proceed with the changes as they are put in place. We will continue to monitor the progress of court actions and communicate as we have new information.
If you have any questions, please contact your human resources representative.
As we look ahead to the holidays, the payroll office wanted to remind you that the Lawrence campus will be closed the week of Dec. 26 and, since payroll falls during that week, adjustments to the time sheet submission/approval process will need to happen.
Below is a timeline of important dates to ensure the Dec. 30 payroll processes smoothly:
Also, the payroll on Dec. 30 will not have any benefits withheld, as this fiscal year we have 27 pay periods (instead of 26) and we chose this payroll to be the one to not withhold benefits—Happy New Year!
To meet the needs of campus during the week of Dec. 26, a small number of employees will need to work (e.g., grounds, security). Those who work during this week should have been notified by their managers to establish their work schedules and discuss paid time off alternatives.
We wish you all a safe and happy holiday season.
The following job openings are available. If you are interested, please apply online or send a resume to humanresources@lawrence.edu. View full job postings on Lawrence’s job website.
Ugly Sweater Contest: Those in attendance will vote for the best sweaters in two categories: Ugliest Sweater and Sweater Most Likely to be Worn by a Grandparent
Harbor House Donation Drive: Staff Connections is sponsoring a drive for donations to help Harbor House, Appleton’s local shelter for victims of domestic abuse. All partygoers who bring an item to donate (we are collecting toys, books and toiletries) to the ugly sweater party in the VR will be entered into a raffle drawing.
If you cannot attend the party and would still like to donate, there will be drop-off locations in the Warch Campus Center, financial aid office (Susan Chadwick, Brokaw 104) or admissions office (Chapman Hall 101—Najma Osman, noon–1 p.m.) from Nov. 28 to Dec. 7.
Lawrentians interested in making donations to benefit the education of the two children of the late Patrick Boleyn-Fitzgerald and his wife, Miriam, may do so through Community First Credit Union. All donations to this fund will go toward Aidan and Finn’s educational enrichment.
To contribute to the Patrick Boleyn-Fitzgerald Memorial Fund, you may make deposits at any branch of the credit union or send them via postal mail to: Community First Credit Union, PO Box 1487, Appleton, WI 54912-9841. Please include the account number, 1183274, in the memo part of the check.
Miriam wants to keep track of who donates, but there’s not an easy system for this to happen. There’s a written note on the account to send Miriam a receipt, but not all tellers will see this note. Please ask the teller to send Miriam a receipt with your name. She appreciates this.
The Martin Luther King Jr. Day Read & Reflect Committee invites you to join this year’s Read & Reflect event—a discussion of the book Nobody: Casualties of America’s War on the Vulnerable, from Ferguson to Flint and Beyond by Marc Lamont Hill on Monday, Jan. 16 from 10 a.m. to noon.
According to The New York Times, “[Nobody] examines the interlocking mechanisms that systematically disadvantage ‘those marked as poor, black, brown, immigrant, queer, or trans’—those, in Hill’s words, who are Nobodies. … A worthy and necessary addition to the contemporary canon of civil rights literature.”
In the wake of our presidential election, we hope this book will provide some insight into the experience of marginalized populations. This will be an action-based discussion and will not only focus on the book but also personal experiences feeling like a “nobody” and action steps we can take individually and as a campus to dismantle systematic structures that don’t support the most vulnerable.
Learn more and register online. Registration deadline is Friday, Nov. 18 or when space runs out.
Did you know Career Services can come to your class and deliver concise and relevant career development information to your students? In recent weeks, we’ve visited music, biology, chemistry and history classes. We are eager to visit your classroom!
Our on-demand presentations can be customized to the needs of your specific class, but some of our more popular topics include resume and cover letter writing, interviewing, networking, LinkedIn and searching for internships.
If you are interested in having Career Services visit your class, please complete our On-Demand Request Presentation form or email Ty Collins.
Wednesday, Dec. 7
4:30–6:30 p.m.
Viking Room, Memorial Hall
*opens at 4 p.m.*
Staff Connections is sponsoring a drive for donations to help Harbor House, Appleton’s local shelter for victims of domestic abuse. All partygoers who bring an item to donate (we are collecting toys, books and toiletries) to the ugly sweater party in the VR will be entered into a raffle drawing.
If you cannot attend the party and would still like to donate, there will be drop-off locations in the Warch Campus Center, financial aid office (Susan Chadwick, Brokaw 104) or admissions office (Chapman Hall 101—Najma Osman, noon–1 p.m.) from Nov. 28 to Dec. 7.
Healthy Living Series
Conquer the Holidays, One Bite at a Time
Explore emotional eating and how we can choose and eat more mindfully while still enjoying the essence of the holiday season.
When: Friday, Nov. 18 from noon to 1 p.m.
Where: Kraemer Room, Warch Campus Center
