November 15, 2024

Over 1,700 students at Radford University participated in esports from 2022 to 2024. Their retention rate as students is 88.7%.

The Radford University Office of Advancement would like to remind everyone that Friday, Nov. 15, is National Philanthropy Day, which makes it the perfect day for Radford University’s third annual Day of Gratitude. Our students benefit from the impact of private support every day, and today, we celebrate the donors who make this possible. Donations help fund scholarships, academic research, arts initiatives, travel to national conferences, support for our athletic teams and more. These opportunities would not be available without the dedication and generosity of our donors, which include many faculty and staff. Please watch the following video – a thank you from our students and alumni to you.

Radford University recently launched an initiative to develop the Strategic Plan 2026-2031. This plan will serve as a roadmap defining the university’s goals for the next six years while advancing our mission, vision and values. The Strategic Planning Committee invites employees and students to participate in a strategic planning survey that will inform this effort.

The survey is open to all employees and students, whether you participated in the Nov. 7 in-person sessions or not. Please respond to the survey by midnight on Friday, Nov. 22. 

Please see the RU Announce message sent to all employees and students on Nov. 14 for more details. 

The Office of the Provost is now accepting nominations for the 2025 Radford University Annual Awards. Nominations are due by Monday, Dec. 9, at 5 p.m. All faculty and staff are encouraged to nominate deserving colleagues for consideration of these prestigious awards. Recipients will be recommended to President Bret Danilowicz by the Faculty Awards Committee.

Radford University faculty/staff awards

Visit the University Annual Awards webpage for more information on this award, details on how to nominate and to see a list of previous winners.

SCHEV Outstanding Faculty Award
Nominations are also being accepted for the SCHEV Outstanding Faculty Award (OFA), the highest honor bestowed upon faculty in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

As noted on the SCHEV website, nominees should “have a demonstrated record of superior accomplishments in teaching, research, knowledge integration and public service” — i.e., in each of Ernest L. Boyer’s four types of scholarship. Nominees’ accomplishments must be consistent with their university’s or college’s mission.

Radford SCHEV-OFA Process
Nominees for the OFA will be notified and asked to submit materials (the most recent FAR, current curriculum vitae and a brief statement of accomplishments with respect to OFA criteria) if they wish to be considered for selection as a Radford University OFA nominee. Selected nominees will be contacted in March on the next steps in the process.

To nominate a faculty colleague, submit the name and department/school affiliation of the nominee to Amy Cox, executive administrative assistant to the associate provost of Research, Faculty Success and Strategic Initiatives, at ofa@radford.edu. Please note that a narrative is not necessary to nominate someone.

To see a list of previous recipients of the OFA, visit the Virginia Outstanding Faculty Awards (SCHEV) page on the Radford University website or SCHEV’s OFA webpage.

Dalton Eminent Scholar Awards
The Dalton Eminent Senior Scholar and Rising Star Awards recognize faculty members with a distinguished national and/or international reputation in their disciplines. Dalton Scholars serve a two-year term, which includes a $10,000 award each year (for a total of a $20,000 award over two years) and expectations for public engagements during their tenure.

More information about the award and the nomination/selection process is available on the Dalton Eminent Senior Scholar and Rising Star Awards webpage on the Radford University website. To submit a nomination online, visit the Dalton Eminent Scholar Award form on the website.

For more information on any of these awards, contact the Radford University Office of the Provost at 540-831-5404.

The website redesign project team sincerely appreciates the patience, cooperation and flexibility of the university community throughout this important strategic initiative. We would particularly like to thank our content owners and content editors for their efforts to complete training and begin the important work of updating their Level 2 websites (for colleges, departments, institutes, centers and administrative divisions). We also appreciate the patience and support of our deans and vice presidents during the transition from the old to the new site.

As we complete the migration of several thousand redesigned web pages next week (the week of Nov. 18), we are providing our university community with a comprehensive project update. This update reflects where we are on key aspects of the project as well as next steps and continuous improvement efforts that will persist in the coming weeks and months.

In response to the upcoming campus closures and holidays, timesheet and leave report due dates for full-time employees have been modified. It is critically important that timesheets and leave reports are submitted and approved by these deadlines to ensure timely payment to employees.

Supervisors, if you are unable to approve timesheets by the due date, please be sure to inform your proxy so they can approve accordingly. Since submission is due prior to the end of the payroll cycle, supervisors can request adjustments by contacting Adam Fults, Radford University Leave Analyst for Human Resources.

Do you know a student who’s curious about the inner workings of art museums and eager to build valuable connections in the art world? If so, there is a great opportunity for these students in Roanoke this January.

The Taubman Museum of Art in Roanoke is now accepting applications for its January internships. These positions are perfect for students interested in diving deeper into the art industry. As a reminder, all Radford University students, faculty and staff are automatically members of the Taubman Museum.

The Office of Human Resources (HR) is announcing that Radford University will transition from PeopleAdmin to PageUp as the university’s new performance management and applicant tracking system.

The change follows the expiration of the Commonwealth of Virginia’s contract with PeopleAdmin and the implementation of a new contract with PageUp. This transition will streamline and improve HR’s performance management and applicant tracking processes, enabling the department to better support employees and applicants.

For 2023-2024, performance evaluations will remain in PeopleAdmin. Development of new performance plans will commence in PageUp following the January 2025 go-live date.

Key dates to remember:

January 2025
Performance management in PageUp will go live.

June 2025
Applicant tracking in PageUp will launch.

During the transition period, PeopleAdmin will continue to be the system of record for position descriptions and recruitment until June 2025. Please continue to use PeopleAdmin for these functions until further notice.

Also, in alignment with Department of Human Resources Management (DHRM) guidelines, Radford University will update the classified employee performance evaluation cycle to a calendar year cycle of Jan. 1 to Dec. 31. This change, effective Jan. 1, 2025, will ensure compliance with the new guidance of DHRM.

HR appreciates your cooperation and understanding as Radford University transitions to a more efficient system that reflects our commitment to excellence. In the coming months, HR will provide additional information, training sessions and resources to support this transition.

All full-time employees can claim their user license to our new learning platform, Udemy Business, by logging into OneCampus and searching for Udemy.

Select the Udemy Training tile to enter the Udemy Business platform. Don’t forget to click on the heart on the Udemy Training tile to save to your favorites.

Note: sign in through our Radford University Single Sign On (SSO) and not through your e-mail address.

In response to discussions during the last Coffee with the President, the Radford University Office of Human Resources explored some recommended courses for Creating a Culture of Care. Select “Learning paths” on the top toolbar to view available learning paths. Then select “Radford University: Creating a Culture of Care.”

Topics you will find in the Radford University: Creating a Culture of Care learning path include communication, e-mail etiquette, building relationships, critical thinking and more.

Interested in seeing some of the most popular courses others are completing? Check out the learning path titled “Radford University: A few of the most popular courses available in Udemy Business.”

On Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, the Radford University Center for Diversity and Inclusion invites the Highlander community to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. through community service. There are a variety of shifts and locations available for service, and sign-up is now available on RU Involved. Sign up before Sunday, Dec. 1, to receive a T-shirt.

As a reminder, the Mandatory Annual Safety and Disaster Awareness Training for all state employees must be completed by today, Friday, Nov. 15. As part of our commitment to ensuring a safe and prepared workplace, all state employees in Virginia are required to complete the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) State Employee Safety and Disaster Awareness training. This mandatory training is in accordance with Executive Order 41, Section E (Ensure State-Level Readiness) and Code of Virginia § 2.2-1212.

PLEASE NOTE: To receive credit for completing the training, you must manually mark the course as complete after you close the training presentation.

To complete the training:

This course will require approximately 30 minutes to complete.

The McGlothlin Center for Global Education and Engagement will host International Education Week at Radford University from Nov. 18-21 with support from campus partners. This is a chance for our community to learn more about the global opportunities available at Radford University and reflect on the role of education in fostering cross-cultural understanding and collaboration. The full schedule of events is below, and all events are free and open to the public.

The Radford University College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) is presenting the following events this month. The entire Radford community is invited to attend.

The Radford University Office of Career and Talent Development is offering a variety of workshops and events in November. Mark your schedules for these upcoming dates and please share this information with students as you are able.

In addition, the Office of Career and Talent Development is now accepting applications for the Highlander Works Internship Grant Program for spring 2025. Grant funds go directly toward removing financial barriers to student participation. Requests can be funded in part or in full up to $5,000 per student. Please let your students know that the deadline for submission is Friday, Nov. 22.

Academic Technologies is offering training opportunities designed to enhance your skills and knowledge in utilizing the latest educational tools and technologies. Whether you’re looking to integrate new software or improve your current skills and techniques, there’s something for everyone. All sessions are in Walker Hall 275 on the main campus, with the option to join remotely.

November 

December

Thanksgiving break is just over a week away! It’s the perfect time to relax, recharge and enjoy good company and great food. Hang in there—break is just around the corner.