• The Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 terms are now available to edit in CLSS.
  • Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 data is due in CLSS by Friday, Dec. 19.
    • Imports into BMS will occur once you notify the Business Center at bsc@uconn.edu.
    • All edits in BMS must be done prior to Dec. 19 in preparation for the Budget and Staffing Meetings.
      • BMS will be locked for editing after Dec. 19.
    • Please review the page on Titles and Assignments for SET Evals in the CLAS Knowledge Base.
  • Deadlines to validate and submit class schedule to review:
    • Fall 2026 – University Deadline - Friday, Feb. 13, 2026.
      • Please submit by the CLAS deadline – Friday, Feb. 6, 2026.
    • Spring 2027 – University Deadline - Friday, Sept. 18, 2026.
      • Please submit by the CLAS deadline – Friday, Sept. 11, 2026.
    • Please review the page on Manually Adjusting Teaching Evaluation Preferences in CLSS in the CLAS Knowledge Base.
    • Please be sure to meet the CLAS deadlines so that Academic Services has enough time to review and approve for the University deadlines.

• Courses with LEC and LSA Sections.
  • If a course includes both LEC and LSA sections in a term, the LSA section cannot use section number 001.
    • Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 schedules are already corrected.
  • CLSS cannot warn about this automatically, schedulers must manually follow the policy.
  • Non-compliant schedules will be rolled back during publication review.
• Avoid Section Numbers 001D and 001L:
  • For courses with multiple linked discussions or labs, section numbers for discussions/labs should start at 002D / 002L, not 001D/001L.
  • Courses with only one lecture and one linked lab/discussion may use 001D or 001L, but avoiding them is preferred.
• By Arrangement Rooms:
  • Classes using the “By Arrangement” instructional mode no longer must be assigned to the “By Arrangement” room.
  • Room field may remain “No Room Needed.”

• Given the current climate and the need to reduce expenditures, meal costs will continue to be reviewed.
• Please ensure any food costs are truly necessary and critical in nature.
  • CLAS Meal Pre-Approval forms should be submitted for any and all food expenses regardless of attendees.

• The Travel Office will presenting on the new travel policy changes on Dec. 3 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. through Microsoft Teams.
  • The new policy will be effective Feb. 1, 2026.

• Departments who have opted to require the third-party course by course/degree credential evaluation should have this clearly posted on their website under admissions requirements.
• Read the Grad School's Admission Requirements for more information.

• If there is a delayed opening due to winter weather on a floating holiday:
  • Took the Holiday off (even though we had a delayed opening):
    • HOL coding used.
  • Worked the Holiday and worked from home the whole day regardless of the delayed opening:
    • HOL and HWCE/UCTEL coding.
  • Worked the Holiday from home in the morning due to delayed opening and reported to the office for the second half:
    • HOL used and then HWCE/UCTEL used for half the time and HWCE used for the other half.
• If there is a delayed opening due to winter weather on a regular day:
  • Work from home according to University guidance:
    • REG/UCTEL coding for amount of time worked remotely.
    • REG coding for hours worked in the office.

• UCPEA members nearing the cap of 60 banked vacation days by Dec. 31, 2025, were notified in late October regarding their hours and potential expiration.
  • A maximum of 60 vacation days can be carried over into the next calendar year.

• Per UConn Policy, all digital materials we share must be accessible to people with disabilities.
  • This includes anything shared on public websites, as well as internal materials like course content, department handbooks, and other documents.
• UConn’s IT Accessibility team offers a range of helpful resources, like self-paced learning modules, live workshops, and step-by-step guides for creating accessible web content and documents.
• If you’re creating online course materials, check out the eCampus Accessibility Checklist and Guide, designed specifically for digital instructors.

• Employees with any type of telecommuting request must submit a formal request through the University’s Telecommuting Form.
  • All requests must be submitted through Dec. 31, 2026.
  • Please list Michelle Hicks as the Manager Outside of the Bargaining Unit.

• Starting Dec. 12, Payroll will begin sending email notifications the day before an I-9 is due.
  • This new process is designed to help ensure compliance and needs to be taken care of timely.
• Please note that if a new hire does not complete their I-9 on time, they will not be permitted to begin work.

• Join us for an interactive discussion on The Communication Jungle: Understanding and Adapting Communication, presented by Marisol Cruz St Juste on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in Susan Herbst Hall (SHH), room 109.
  • This workshop will help you identify and understand different communication styles, including your own, and provide strategies for adapting your approach to enhance interactions with colleagues.
  • Through a mini self-assessment, group discussions, and practical exercises, you'll learn how to navigate communication challenges and improve teamwork.
  • By the end of the session, you'll be equipped with actionable tools to foster better workplace relationships and reduce conflicts.
• Please fill out the CLAS Communication Workshop RSVP.
  • Attendance will be capped at 30 participants.

• Monthly meetings will take place between CLAS Shared Services Management and the following:
  • Payroll will take place on Friday, Dec. 5.
  • Procurement and A/P will take place on Monday, Dec. 8.
  • Procurement will take place on Wednesday, Dec. 17.
• There will be no CLAS Business Center Monthly Topic Overview held this month – this is replaced with the Travel meeting mentioned above.
• Reach out to bsc@uconn.edu with any areas of concern to be discussed at any of these meetings.

• LinkedIn Learning is now available at no cost to all UConn staff on Storrs campus as an e-learning resource.
  • LinkedIn Learning offers an opportunity to develop professional skills through a digital library of over 6000 courses.
  • Visit the Microsoft App store and navigate to the LinkedIn Learning application to activate your license.
    • Reach out to brandon.murray@uconn.edu with any questions.
• CLAS Shared Services has a lending library with a variety of books on professional development and self-improvement.
  • For more information on how to borrow a book, contact Emily Petry at emily.petry@uconn.edu.
• Academic Impressions offers professional development resources for higher education professionals. Resources include hundreds of hours of trainings in topics such as Academic Leadership, Advancement, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Faculty Success, Leadership Development, Compliance, and more.
• The Lexington Group, Inc is UConn’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP). The Lexington Group provides confidential face-to-face counseling, or in certain circumstances video counseling, to assist employees in identifying and resolving personal problems no matter how unique and diverse they appear. Examples include family and marital conflicts, stress, substance abuse, depression, and other emotional issues. The Lexington Group also assists with referrals for eldercare support, childcare, as well as legal and financial guidance through our Life Care program.
  • Employees may call The Lexington Group for immediate and confidential assistance at 1-800-676-HELP (4357) or access The Lexington Group's website. The Lexington Group is available seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day.
• Elevating Skills for Experienced Leaders
  • Human Resources and Transformative Leadership Strategies (TLS) are excited to offer in-person professional development on the Storrs campus for experienced leaders looking to elevate their leadership impact.
    • The program will cover the following topics:
      • Thinking & Acting Strategically, Creating Team Culture, Navigating Change, Leadership Resilience, Staff Accountability, Boundaries and Delegation, Managing Challenging Staff, and Action Planning.
      • It is recommended that participants have already completed the TLS Foundational Leadership Program before attending.
    • December 2025 (All Sessions from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.).
      • Session 1: Tuesday, December 2.
      • Session 2: Tuesday, December 16.
    • The total cost is expected to be $287-$360 per person depending on the total number of participants.
    • To register for the cohort or and/or join the waitlist, please visit: TLS Experienced Leadership Skills Registration.

• Concur Open Labs Registration
  • Travel Services will be holding bi-weekly Open Labs at 3 Discovery Drive in the Bid Room.
  • Please come prepared with receipts and supporting documents saved to your laptop or in Concur.
    • The next sessions will be held on Wednesdays, Dec. 3 and Dec. 17.
    • Half hour slots are available between from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• Form I-9 Training
  • Sign up for HireRight training on Learning@Work.
    • Tuesday, Dec. 2 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
  • HireRight access is not granted without an employee having attended training.
    • Fill out the HireRight Access Request form in KualiBuild after the training is completed.
• PageUp Training
  • Regular Payroll Registration
    • Dec. 1 from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
  • Special Payroll Registration
    • Dec. 2 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
• Communicating Across Differences: Workshop Registration.
  • Virtual workshop designed to equip campus administrators with practical tools to navigate polarization and foster authentic connection.
    • To identify patterns that can make communication difficult.
    • To gain a basic understanding of a dialogic framework for more constructive conversations.
    • To learn and practice tools for listening, inquiry, speaking, and reflection that interrupt dysfunctional patterns and support more constructive conversations.
  • This workshop will be hosted on Thursday, Dec. 11 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• CIM Virtual Training Sessions.
  • The Registrar’s Office is hosting 90-minute virtual training sessions for CourseLeaf CIM end users.
    • Sessions will cover how to search for, submit, and review course and program proposals in the CIM system.
      • Tuesday, December 2nd from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
      • Thursday, December 11th from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

• Getting Organized for Peak Performance.
  • Learn how to make the most of your time by getting a grip on your time management workflow and lending structure to your work environment. Learn to use strategic-planning tools more effectively and with ease, delegating some of your work to others and managing that vicious beast: your dreaded email inbox.
• LinkedIn Learning - Getting Organized for Peak Performance.
  • This training is approximately 41 minutes long and is separated into 2- to 5-minute segments.
  • You can access it using your UConn account.

• For the month of October, CLAS faculty submitted 64 grant applications with a total requested amount of $59M.
• For the month of October, CLAS faculty were awarded 7 new awards with a total funded amount of $5.8M.
• Spring GA pre-encumbrances are being processed/saved in KFS by the GMS team on sponsored projects.

Starting on Wednesday, Nov. 26, ITS will be enabling the disclaimer function in Webex. Similar to the experience in Teams, individual participants will be required to provide consent when a Webex meeting recording and/or transcription is initiated. If they do not consent, they will switch to an observational presence in the meeting; their microphone and video will be disabled, and they will be unable to send chat messages. Although they cannot interact, they will be able to hear the meeting and see the other participants and chat messages.

• The cold weather has set in. Within the CLAS Facilities Team, the conversation shifts from maintaining proper cooling to keeping everyone warm. Please see the University Policy on Use of Space Heater in University Buildings.
  • The CLAS Facilities Team is available to assist with any questions or concerns. You can also reach out to clasfshelp@uconn.edu.

Courtney Gunter, Grants and Contracts Associate, CLAS Grant Management.

• Decisions about delays, cancellations, and operational changes are made carefully based on forecasts, road conditions, and other real-time information, with updates shared as early as possible (often by 5 a.m.).
• UConnALERT is the definitive source for status updates.
  • All community members are urged to sign up for text notifications and keep contact info current.
• Essential services (e.g., public safety, dining, health services, animal care, maintenance) remain operational even during severe weather.
  • All other staff members can work remotely for the duration of any delay or cancellation.
• Academic operations follow specific rules: some classes may still meet on a modified schedule, online/hybrid classes may continue at the instructor’s discretion with required accommodations, and faculty must wait for official University decisions before canceling.
• Employees and students should use good judgment regarding personal safety; essential staff must report as directed, while others may use accrued time or work remotely with supervisor approval.
• Everyone is encouraged to plan for varying conditions, exercise caution on campus, and communicate promptly with supervisors or instructors when weather affects their ability to participate.
  • View the Provost's Winter Weather & Academic Operations FAQ for AY 25-26 and the Emergency Closing Policy.