In The Know – Issue 176
Posted in: In the Know
2026 College Rankings: U.S. News & World Report Ranks University Among Best Online Programs
Educational Leadership rises to No. 5 in the nation, Montclair also earns first-ever Best Online Bachelor’s ranking.
An Exhibition Celebrating Notable Montclair Alumni Artists and Their Creative Impact
University Galleries Presents “Carpe Diem: Select Alumni in the Visual Arts” – a cross-generational exhibition on view February 3 – May 3, 2026.
Alum Reaches New Heights in Sports Broadcasting
Jonathan Edmond ’22 marked a major career milestone with his first NBA broadcast, showcasing how experiential learning at Montclair can lead to big-league opportunities.
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.
Reminders
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.
In The News
- 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 (corrected link) ahead of the Winter Games, which begin next month in Milan.
- Keith Strudler (School of Communication and Media) was featured on Think Tank with Steve Adubato, discussing how the changing media landscape impacts the next generation.
- Dan Geltrude (Adjunct, Accounting and Finance) appeared on Newsmax program “Wake Up America” to discuss various news topics related to the economy.
- Bond Benton (Strategic Communication) and Daniela Peterka-Benton (Justice Studies) are quoted in this New York Times article about the resurgence of the “R-word” on social media and across the political right.
- Jaime Grinberg (Educational Foundations) was interviewed for a segment on international network Noticias Telemundo AHORA 360 about the plan for Gaza reconstruction and a peace initiative presented by the Trump administration at Davos to the Board of Peace.
Kudos
- To Club Advisor Cristina Latino (Humanities and Social Sciences) and the Amici Club, for being selected as the recipient of the highly competitive NIAF grant for the third consecutive year. This grant allows for Italian-American student organizations to curate educational programs, of which the Amici Club has previously organized a guided walking tour of the Italian American Museum/Little Italy in NYC.
- To Catherine Baird (University Libraries), for being awarded the New Jersey Academic Librarians Distinguished Service Award, which will be presented at the 2026 New Jersey Library Association + New Jersey Association of School Librarians joint annual conference in February 2026.
- To Arnaud Kurze (Justice Studies), who was interviewed by David Cooper, host of “The Last Show,” on his recently published research article on “Comparative Insights on Social Media as an Atrocity Prevention Tool: Policy Implications.”
- To Maughn Gregory (Educational Foundations), whose co-authored article “From the Margins to the Center: The Transformative Promise of Philosophy for Children,” was selected to be featured in the special 75th anniversary issue of the journal Educational Theory, dedicated to considering the present and future roles of philosophers and theorists of education amid political, social and technological change.
- To Melinda Knight (English), whose essay “William Gardner Smith’s The Stone Face: A Novel Buried in Obscurity for Too Long” was just published in the collection “American Writers in Paris: Then and Now” (Palgrave Macmillan, 2025).
- To Prudence Jones (Classics and General Humanities), who was elected to serve on the Board of Directors of the Classical Association of the Atlantic States for 2026–2027.
- To the Office for Faculty Excellence for being recognized as a winner of the Delphi Award for its work supporting adjunct faculty in their onboarding, professional development, inclusion and sense of belonging.
Social Media Post of Note
highly recommend your volume on ☺️❄️
Photo of the Week
Sometimes the snow calls…and you must answer. – University Photographer: Mike Peters
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.