Greetings from the University Staff Advisory Council!

January Meeting Highlights

USAC was joined by Alex Borowski from Vanderbilt Marketing & Communications and Jolie Grace Wareham from the Office of the Chancellor. They led us in a demo of Vandyverse, and they discussed the Interactive Mural and other happenings related to the Sesquicentennial celebration. Vandyverse is a virtual platform that allows users to explore the Vanderbilt campus through virtual exhibits and engaging content that highlight key aspects of the university’s past and present - it is very interesting and worth checking out!
Bojana Kumar and Julie Hanna from Human Resources gave a brief overview of the recently announced enhanced retirement plan and showed attendees how to change their voluntary contribution to take full advantage of the increased matching contribution from the University.
Professor Kitt Carpenter, E. Bronson Ingram Distinguished Professor of Economic and Health Policy and Director of the newly formed Center for Research on Inequality and Health, joined us to discuss the goals, foci, and actions of the Center, which conducts cutting-edge, multi-disciplinary research aimed at understanding the consequences of health-related inequalities.

Payroll Deduction Campaign

During the months of January and February USAC is encouraging the Vanderbilt Community to give regularly to this important fund via payroll deduction.

The Employee Critical Support fund provides assistance to qualifying faculty and staff who are experiencing a temporary hardship. In recent months, the fund has been used to help colleagues recover from house fires, natural disasters, and other life-altering events. Your ongoing support via payroll deduction will increase the number of colleagues who can benefit. Even $5 monthly makes a huge difference!

As part of Vanderbilt University’s ongoing Sesquicentennial celebration, the university created and distributed a free commemorative V150 coffee table book chronicling its rich history to over 1,000 staff and faculty members on Dec. 15 and Dec. 18. Due to the response to the initial distribution, the university is excited to announce a second opportunity for faculty and staff to obtain their complimentary copy.

If you missed out on December’s event, you can grab a copy on Thursday, Jan. 18, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., at a special distribution event at the Vanderbilt bookstore (2501 West End Ave., Nashville, TN 37203). This time around, no pre-reservation is required. Instead, books will be available on a first come, first served basis, allowing those who have yet to pick up their book to secure their copy and join in the celebration of Vanderbilt’s rich history. Please bring your Vanderbilt staff/faculty ID to the second floor of the bookstore on Jan. 18 to claim your copy.

January’s USAC Tip of the Month is highlighting Vanderbilt’s Wellness Platform, Virgin Pulse. It takes less than 30 seconds to enroll! Watch USAC socials all month long to learn tips and tricks for engaging with Virgin Pulse and exploring health topics and activities.

For more information on Virgin Pulse, the link to enroll, and FAQs, visit the Vanderbilt University Office of Health and Wellness website.

Meet a Member:

Christine Fogg

Senior Financial Analyst, Facilities: Business Affairs

"I love getting to connect with individuals from all areas of campus to work together to make Vanderbilt a better place for staff."

For Christine's full feature and to connect with USAC representatives from around the university, visit our Blog.

Join relief efforts for Tennessee tornado victims

As mentioned in MyVU, members of the Vanderbilt community who want to support relief efforts in Nashville and surrounding counties are encouraged to work through organizations engaged with Nashville VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster). Please consider volunteering, donating supplies, or offering financial assistance.

Grow Your Career

Interested in seeing what opportunities are available across campus? Looking for a new role? Visit the Vanderbilt job board!

Vanderbilt Job Board

Share your event!

Do you have an event, activity, or resource relevant to university staff that would benefit from promotion via the USAC social media channels (Instagram, Twitter and Facebook)? Let us know!

Submit Your Info

Whether you are working from home or are on campus, know that USAC remains committed to being a champion for staff, and our digital door is always open. Do not hesitate to share your feedback or experiences via usac@vanderbilt.edu or via our contact form.

All are welcome! USAC Meetings are held virtually from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. on the second Tuesday of each month and are always open to staff members served by the council. Email usac@vanderbilt.edu for a Zoom link.

Vanderbilt University is committed to principles of equal opportunity and affirmative action.