What is typically a full week of gatherings and updates for Elon faculty and staff have been reorganized and condensed this year.
Planning Week traditionally serves as the kick-off to the new academic year for Elon faculty and staff, and this year like so much around campus, it will look different.
What is typically five days of gatherings and updates for faculty and staff has been condensed, with events reconfigured and adapted to take into account physical distancing requirements now in place on campus.
This year’s “Planning Days” get underway on Wednesday, Aug. 12, with an opening day ceremony, but before then, all faculty and staff are reminded to complete the required Health Check-In at Schar Center. The Check-In will make sure faculty and staff have completed their pre-semester COVID-19 testing, health and safety training modules and signed the Healthy Elon Commitment.
Faculty and staff should plan to participate during one of the following times:
Monday-Thursday, August 10-13
- 8 to 10 a.m. (faculty and staff only)
- Noon to 2 p.m. (faculty and staff only)
- 4 to 7 p.m. (students, faculty, and staff)
Tuesday, August 11 (additional early hours)
- 6 – 8 a.m. (faculty and staff only)
Tuesday, August 18
- 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. (backup day for students, faculty, and staff)
Planning Week Schedule
The Planning Week Schedule is now live and you can find it here. Click here to access 2020 Planning Week (“Days”).
Please consult the site for the detailed schedule, all events including those requiring RSVP’s, a printable At-A-Glance Schedule, a Directory of academic administrators, deans, chairs, committee chairs, directors, and fellows including a printable pdf option, a listing of new Faculty and Staff (hired since June 1), and a calendar of some important dates for the 2020 fall semester as well as links to other important calendars.
School Supplies
Elon will once again participate in collecting school and personal hygiene supplies for K-12 Alamance County students experiencing homelessness. Please support the education of young people in our county. This effort, which will continue through August 26, is co-sponsored by SGA and the Office of the Dean of Students. More information about drop off procedures will be emailed to faculty and staff.
President’s Opening Address and Welcome
At 9 a.m. on Wednesday, be on the lookout that morning for an email from President Book with a link to view this year’s opening address and welcome. You are encouraged to gather and watch with your Elon colleagues in a location where you are able to maintain appropriate physical distance and follow the face covering policy. Later that day, an exciting ceremony will be released for your viewing of a pre-recorded session honoring five of your colleagues being awarded named professorships this fall.
Although we will be unable to gather in our traditional campus-wide reception, please take opportunity early that morning to (virtually) meet new members of our community if you can and to connect with some colleagues you have not been in touch with over the past months.
University Directory Photographs
Due to face covering requirements in place to protect the Elon community from COVID-19, currently we are unable to offer professional studio directory portraiture for new faculty and staff. In the interim, we are using Phoenix Card photos. Those photos will be replaced with professional directory portraits in the future. This website will offer updates as decisions are made and studio directory portraiture can safely resume.
Name Tags
Each NEW employee only (hired since June 1, 2020) will receive a name tag for the 2020-21 academic year and to wear again in the future.
Current employees should wear the name tag that was issued with Elon’s latest branding and logo on it. You may also wear a permanent name tag if one was issued by your department.
New Student Convocation
This year, New Student Convocation will be livestreamed on Monday, Aug. 17, at 9:30 a.m. All faculty and staff are invited to participate virtually in the important event that marks the beginning of the academic careers of the Class of 2024 and other new Elon students.
Kognito At-Risk for Faculty & Staff
As a community committed to well-being, it is essential that faculty, staff, and students can recognize signs of distress and know how to respond if there are concerns about someone.
Counseling Services is offering a new online training, called Kognito At-Risk, to the entire Elon community to help build skills to create a safer and more supportive campus. The At-Risk for Faculty & Staff training will help you learn to notice signs of distress, use techniques to discuss your concerns, and, if necessary, refer students to appropriate resources. At-Risk for Faculty & Staff lets you practice these challenging conversations at your own pace through role-play with virtual students. To access the training, visit https://elon.kognito.com/ and log on with your Elon username and password to get started.