In The Know – Issue 175
Posted in: In the Know
University Earns Carnegie Community Engagement Classification
The designation awarded by the American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching honors the collaboration and partnership between schools and the larger communities they serve.
Students Answer Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s Powerful Call to Service Across New Jersey
More than 300 student leaders honor Dr. King’s legacy through hands-on volunteering — building leadership skills, strengthening communities and living Montclair’s mission of civic engagement year-round.
Montclair Offers Food-Insecure Students Support and Resources through Red Hawk Pantry
The University is responding to students facing food insecurity with expanded pantry services, fresh food access and student-centered offerings.
HR Updates
Performance Management Key Dates and Reminder: AFT Professional Staff
2026 PARs Launched for CWA Employees
The 2026 Performance Assessment Review (PAR) is now live in Workday. Your Supervisor has received a task in their Workday inbox to complete the initial agreement. The initial agreement is due on January 31, 2026.
This year, we are providing all Civil Service employees with a self-guided employee-facing version of the Performance Assessment Review training.
Your Partner in What’s Next
- For questions regarding 2025-2026 Performance Evaluations, please email performance@montclair.edu. A ServiceNow ticket will be created on your behalf and routed to the Learning and Talent Development team.
- To review AFT Professional Staff contracts, please visit the Collectively Negotiated Agreements webpage.
- View the full 2025-2026 AFT Professional Staff calendar for a printable version of additional key dates and actions per contract type.
Review and Update Your Beneficiary Designations
As we begin a new year, this is a great opportunity to review and confirm that your selections are accurate and up to date
- To identify who your current beneficiary is, you may submit a written request to the State requesting a copy of your beneficiary disclosure. Requests should be sent to:
- New Jersey Division of Pensions & Benefits
Defined Benefit & Defined Contribution Bureau
P.O. Box 295
Trenton, NJ 08625-0295
- New Jersey Division of Pensions & Benefits
- To update or change your beneficiary, complete the Beneficiary Designation form and return it to:
- New Jersey Division of Pensions & Benefits
Defined Benefit & Defined Contribution Bureau
P.O. Box 295
Trenton, NJ 08625-0295
- New Jersey Division of Pensions & Benefits
- Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) and Police and Firemen’s Retirement System (PFRS) members who wish to verify, update, or change their beneficiary information must use the online Designation of Beneficiary Application available through the Member Benefits Online System (MBOS).
The University does not maintain beneficiary designation information for employees. The State of New Jersey is the official record keeper. Contact the New Jersey Division of Pension and Benefits (NJDPB) at 609-292-7524 with any questions.
Updates
Duo Security Update
Duo Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is making a security update on Monday, February 2. To avoid login issues, make sure your Duo Mobile app is up to date.
Open the Duo Mobile app, tap the menu (☰), and check the version at the bottom. If it’s below 4.85, update the app from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android).
Read the latest Phish Files article for more information and instructions.
Request Pebbles for your Events
Request Pebbles the Pupscot and her team at your event or program! Team Pebbles schedules one week out from each event request. If you need confirmation prior to a week before your event, email pebbles@montclair.edu and we will try to accommodate the request sooner. The above form is for Pebbles only. If you wish to have Rocky or Roxy at your event, please fill out the Mascot Request Form.
Reminders
Presidential Excellence Awards – 2026 Nominations Are Now Open
The Presidential Excellence Awards honor individuals and teams who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to Montclair’s mission, excellence in their work and service to our community. These awards are intended to highlight achievements from all members of our Red Hawk community, including faculty and staff, full-time and part-time, long standing and newly arrived. Together, we will continue our mission to make Montclair an inclusive and accessible University that creates transformative educational opportunities for students across the globe. Nominations close Thursday, January 23 at 5:00 p.m.
Digital Printing and Photocopying Services Now a “Punch Out” Catalog
The University has rolled out a faster, easier way for departments to create brochures, event programs, posters, flyers and newsletters that look professional and comply with the University’s brand standard using customizable online templates. One Source Solutions will print the materials and deliver them to campus. Access this service by means of a “punch out” requisition in Workday. View the One Source Solutions Job Aid for detailed instructions. Printed materials that are not available in this system can be requested using UCM’s Digital and Print Design Request Form.
Montclair.edu Digital Transformation Office Hours
Book a slot to request updates to your program pages, ask questions about governance and responsibilities and preview both the upcoming Montclair.edu homepage and the draft of the Inside Montclair sitemap.
Your University Brand Guide
Review University branding guidelines and resources to help present a clear, consistent image for Montclair.
In The News
- Christopher Donoghue (Sociology) was quoted in the New York Times speaking about bullying in the workplace.
- Ethan Hein (Adjunct Faculty, Cali School of Music) wrote this MusicRadar article about The Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir.
- Business Administration student and Olympic figure skater Olga Mikutina, who was recently profiled for our Montclair Life series, was featured in a News12 New Jersey segment ahead of the Winter Games, which begin next month in Milan.
Kudos
- To Jill Wodnick (Maternal Policy and Early Relational Health), who was awarded the Burke Foundation Community Champion December 2025 Award. A certified Lamaze childbirth educator, longtime doula and nationally recognized maternal health advocate, Jill focuses on Medicaid benefit design for doula care, strengthening the midwifery model of care and expanding access to birth centers.
- To the College of Communication and Media, which is proud to announce the latest appointments and academic updates including the appointment of 12 faculty, the promotions of three professional staff and the establishment of four academic departments.
- To Robert Donnelly (College of Communication and Media), who released a new book “You Brand You: The Value of a Personal Brand.”
- To Brian Krist (History), who was quoted in Chalkbeat and The City on charter school issues in New York.
- To Pablo P.L. Tinio (Educational Foundations), who was invited to give a lecture at University of Cambridge. In the lecture “Art as Conversation: The Psychology of the Art Experience”, Dr. Tinio presented his latest research on the ability of art to promote profound, complex, and personally meaningful aesthetic experiences.
- To Drew Wallace (University Libraries) and Catherine Baird (University Libraries) who had an article published in the peer-reviewed journal EBLIP (Evidence Based Library and Information Practice) in December 2025. This was a special issue that featured peer-reviewed publications based on research presented at the Empirical Studies in Libraries Summit in March 2025.
Social Media Post of Note
snowfall ❄️ #montclairviews
Photo of the Week
Cold campus, warm skies. ❤️ – University Photographer: John LaRosa
Quick Links
Have an item you’d like included in Kudos or Reminders? Want to nominate a staffer for our spotlight? Use this form to tell us. Read more about our people and programs in the University News Center and in back issues of In the Know. And find out what’s happening on campus in the Events Calendar.