March 8, 2024

Join President Bret Danilowicz for a virtual Coffee with the President on Friday, March 15, from 9-10 a.m.

The final session for this academic year will begin with a university update by Danilowicz, followed by senate presidents Kurt Gingrich, Ashlee Claud and Sharon Proffitt asking questions submitted by you – our faculty and staff.

This webinar is limited to the first 1,000 participants signing on. Participants are required to log in to the Zoom application using their Radford University credentials.

The following information is provided by Radford University Information Technology Services.

Now that much of our communication is conducted through e-mails, texts and online platforms, cyber threats have become increasingly sophisticated. One trend is the rise of scams where cybercriminals impersonate people in positions of authority to deceive individuals into divulging sensitive information. Recently, we have experienced a wave of phishing attacks impersonating several university executives, including President Danilowicz.

These attacks typically involve communications that appear to originate from an executive and often employ persuasive language and urgent requests, urging the recipient to take immediate action. The content may range from requests for personal information such as login credentials or financial details to instructions to download malicious attachments or click on suspicious links. We’ve even seen the attacker request the purchase of Amazon gift cards. Another scam we see is the “piano giveaway” scam. If the recipient replies, the attacker attempts to get them to pay for shipping the piano, usually for around $1,000.

We have also seen a handful of text messages being used for phishing. These also appear to come from university executives, usually leading to a request for Amazon gift cards.

The impersonation of an executive adds a layer of credibility to these phishing attempts, as we are more likely to trust communications seemingly coming from our leadership. This can lead to a higher success rate for cybercriminals seeking to infiltrate university networks, steal sensitive data or deploy malware.

We need to remain vigilant when it comes to unsolicited e-mails and texts, especially those purporting to be from our leadership. Some best practices to avoid falling victim to phishing scams include:

By staying informed and adopting a cautious approach to e-mail communication, you can help safeguard yourself and Radford University. Remember, when in doubt, it’s always better to verify the authenticity of an e-mail before taking any action that could compromise personal or university data or systems.

As a reminder, join the McGlothlin Center for Global Education and Engagement for International Culture Night 2024 on Saturday, March 16, at 5 p.m. in Kyle Hall 340. Admission is free!

This event is an opportunity to enjoy international cuisines and performances and meet our international students.

An RSVP is required to attend via the link below or at the Hurlburt Student Center information desk. For more information, contact the McGlothlin Center at globaled@radford.edu or 540-831-6200.

New River Community Action’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is offering free tax preparation to those who earned less than $60,000 in 2023. 

Tax preparation advisors will be available on Tuesdays and Thursdays through April 4, 2:30-5:30 p.m. in Kyle Hall 240.

Bring your ID, Social Security card, bank account information and all of your tax documents.

Please note that the following taxes cannot be prepared through this service:

Want To Do Your Taxes Yourself?
Through the United Way’s free tax preparation service, you can file your return quickly and easily from a mobile phone, tablet or computer. Start your free return today at myfreetaxes.com. Filing through myfreetaxes.com also supports your local VITA. If you have questions at any time, the website will refer you to your local VITA site for assistance.

This is a program offered by the Causeway Community Action and Davis College of Business and Economics.

As a reminder, the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning will present the RISE QEP Faculty Institute Open Session: Project-Based Learning on Wednesday, March 13, from 3-5 p.m. in McConnell Library’s ILC B on the third floor.

Project-based learning is a broad category of teaching method that includes an extended project that requires students to come up with an end product.

This session is part of the RISE QEP Faculty Institute, but it is open to all faculty. Join facilitator Professor Joe Wirgau to learn how to incorporate project-based learning into your courses.

Radford University Recycling will host a Shred-A-Thon to safely and securely shred and recycle unwanted documents at the Heth Plaza on Tuesday, April 23, from noon-4 p.m.

This is a free campus-wide event and is open to all Radford University on-campus offices and departments, as well as students, faculty and staff with a valid Radford University ID. It is important to note that Radford offices and departments are responsible for following the proper disposal procedures.

Departments that have more than 20 boxes should contact the recycling office prior to the event.