Neuro News

The latest news from the Department of Neurology

February 2022

As we look forward to spring, there are very good signs that we may be transitioning out of the pandemic to an endemic phase in 2022. With that transition, there is cautious optimism that we will return to being able to share each others' company in person.

In neurology, the work continues to help people with disorders that have impacted their lives and lives of family members. The clinical team continues their important work in seeing patients in person and virtually as the situation requires.

I am particularly grateful to our trainees, faculty, support staff, and technologists who substituted for other colleagues were required to stay at home.  The basic science team continues to make important discoveries that offer great possibilities for treatments in the future. We are excited about our recent neurology interview season and are looking forward to meeting the next group of trainees in the near future.

In this edition of the newsletter, we will highlight some of the recent accomplishments in the group. Wishing everyone good health and happiness.

Thanks,

Brian

Dr. Brian Silver, MD

Interim Chair, Department of Neurology

IN THE NEWS

UMass alumni Dan and Diane Riccio pledge $15 million to advance ALS, neuroscience research

UMass alumni Dan and Diane M. Casey Riccio, PhD, have pledged $15 million to UMass Chan Medical School to further expedite and support advances in neuroscience research. The gift includes $10 million for what will be named the Riccio ALS Accelerator Initiative and $5 million to expand and endow the Riccio Fund for Neuroscience, providing seed money for research collaborations.

The philanthropic gift is the third and largest donation made to UMass Chan by the Riccios, the Medical School’s most generous alumni supporters.

UMass Chan clinical trial shows antisense oligonucleotide safely suppresses mutant ALS gene in pilot human study

Using a short, synthetic chain of chemically modified nucleotides engineered in the RNA Therapeutics Institute at UMass Chan Medical School, Robert H. Brown Jr., DPhil, MD, Jonathan Watts, PhD, and colleagues have shown the ability to suppress mutant forms of an ALS gene known as C9ORF72 in a single-patient pilot study. C9ORF72 is the most common cause of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and familial frontotemporal dementia (FTD). The results, published in Nature Medicine, have the potential to catalyze research into treatments for ALS, FTD and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Beyond COVID Fatigue

Back in early 2020, few would have imagined work, school or community life would be carried out largely over video screens. Few in medicine would have foreseen the never-ending pressure of a virus that keeps threatening to overwhelm the health care system.

And few would have imagined that even a year after vaccines and treatments became available, much of life’s routines would still be dictated by COVID-19.

Valerie Wedge, LICSW, CEAP, and director of the Office of Well-Being at UMass Chan Medical School, said her office is seeing more confusion, depression and anger than a year ago, when COVID fatigue made its way into conversation. The Office of Well-Being encompasses wellness programs and the Employee Assistance Program, a counseling and referral program for employees and their families to help manage the impacts of stress.

UMass Chan installs 32 electric vehicle charging ports, supported by National Grid

UMass Chan Medical School has installed 32 electric vehicle charging ports, with support from National Grid as part of the company’s Electric Vehicle Charging Station Program, which aims to expand EV adoption, accelerate usage and lower the cost of installation of EV chargers.

The 16 dual-port level 2 stations were installed in the UMass Chan West parking garage, which is used by employees of the Medical School and UMass Memorial Medical Center.

IN RECOGNITION

UMASS CHAN UPDATES

UMass Chan COVID-19 Guidance, effective Feb. 8

We are pleased to see the number of COVID-19 cases statewide trending downward and equally pleased to report that roughly 90 percent of you in our UMass Chan community have uploaded vaccination and booster documentation. We thank you for your adherence to the important health and safety measures that have allowed our campus community to conduct vital mission-based work during the last two years while maintaining a safe, flexible and effective learning and working environment.

All along, campus leaders have been and will continue to be guided by our expert infection control colleagues, science, and public health data and best practices. With these principles and priorities in mind, we are announcing a new phase of COVID-19 guidance – detailed below – for the UMass Chan community. These new guidelines reflect that the current pandemic conditions allow us to ease some of the restrictions that have saved countless lives, but also caused widespread social isolation and mental health challenges.

The first four guidelines below remain unchanged, while the remainder represent modifications to our existing COVID-19 protocols.

UMass Chan COVID-19 Guidance, effective Feb. 8

1.   Vaccine and booster requirement: Vaccination is the single most effective tool to prevent serious COVID-19 disease, hospitalization and death, and remains a requirement for all faculty, staff and students at UMass Chan, except for those with an approved medical or religious exemption. The CDC recommends a booster shot five months after the second dose of the Pfizer/Moderna vaccine or two months after the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. When you have had your booster, upload the documentation here. Questions? Email Theresa.Kane@umassmed.edu. To schedule a vaccination or booster shot, visit https://vaxfinder.mass.gov/.

2.  Weekly surveillance testing continues for everyone who comes to campus one day a week or more. Appointments are required and may be scheduled here. Walk-ins will only be accommodated if appointments are available.

3.  Masks are still required indoors. Surgical masks are available at building entrances. Cloth masks may be worn over a paper surgical mask; however, cloth masks alone are insufficient when in any UMass Chan campus or facility, including South Street.

4.  Hybrid/remote work continues to be allowed at manager’s discretion and in accordance with the UMass Chan Remote Work Policy.

5.  Room capacity limits and physical distancing requirements are reverting to pre-pandemic status. It is no longer necessary to maintain physical distance while on campus, including in the cafeteria and while eating, although common sense should be exercised, and some people may choose to continue to distance while eating. Please adhere to the room capacity limits in the room reservations system.

6.  Following a positive COVID-19 test, individuals who are asymptomatic may return to campus after isolating for five days. Detailed instructions for the steps that individuals must take following a positive COVID-19 test are attached to this email. Anyone experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should stay home and consult their health care providers as needed.

7.  Travel reporting is being discontinued. The use of travel forms is no longer necessary for personal travel for fully vaccinated individuals. While there are no longer COVID-19-related restrictions on domestic University-sponsored travel, budgetary restrictions may apply. All domestic University-sponsored travel requires preapproval from your department. In addition, all international University-sponsored travel must be registered at least two weeks in advance in the UMass Travel Registry, reviewed by International Support Services and in some instances by the Provost.

Following guidance from the CDC for unvaccinated people, if you have obtained a medical or religious exemption for the COVID-19 vaccine and plan to travel internationally, you must email theresa.kane@umassmed.edu prior to travel and quarantine upon your return. Following international travel, a COVID-19 test 3 – 5 days after return is recommended.

1.   Outside guests may be invited to campus and must be preregistered in the SV3 visitor management system, which includes vaccination and health screenings.

2.  The use of the color-coded campus alert status is being discontinued.

To our clinical faculty, residents, fellows and students: please remember that the above stated guidance applies to all Medical School buildings. When you are working or learning in any hospital or clinical setting, you should follow that specific facility’s infection control guidelines.

It is critical that we maintain high standards of courtesy, civility and respect for others throughout our campus community. This entails understanding that our individual efforts impact the safety of all, and that even if your own risk of COVID-19 infection and complications is low, we cannot tell by looking at someone if they are immunocompromised and therefore at higher risk of disease or may have suffered personal loss or trauma due to the pandemic.

We will continue to be guided by the science and will review all COVID-19 protocols as needed. The latest information is available at https://umassmed.edu/coronavirus/. In addition, everyone is invited to join tomorrow’s UMass Chan Town Hall meeting at 1 p.m. for more information about COVID-19 guidance and other important campus initiatives. 

Celebrating Commencement 2022

Michael F. Collins, MD, Chancellor, UMass Chan Medical School, announced this year’s Commencement speaker and honorary degree recipients for UMass Chan Medical School’s 49th Commencement Exercises on June 5, as the school celebrates the accomplishments of the Classes of 2022. 

Honorary degrees will be awarded to Cori Bargmann, PhD, head of science at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), head of the Lulu and Anthony Wang Laboratory of Neural Circuits and Behavior, and the Torsten N. Wiesel Professor at Rockefeller University; Paula A. Johnson, MD, MPH, president of Wellesley College and a preeminent cardiologist, scientist, and educator; and James O’Connell, MD, MTheol, president of the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, where his commitment to caring for homeless individuals has earned him a reputation as the city’s “street doctor.” Dr. Bargmann will deliver the Commencement address.

As a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a former investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cori Bargmann, PhD, is an internationally known neurobiologist, geneticist and scientific thought-leader. Her research at the Rockefeller University and at the University of California San Francisco and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, conducted primarily in C. elegans, has produced groundbreaking insights into how genes and neural pathways influence behaviors—discoveries that have implications for understanding systems as complex as the human brain. During President Obama’s administration, Dr. Bargmann helped establish goals and strategies for the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) initiative, which continues to investigate brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, depression, and traumatic brain injury. Additionally, as head of science at CZI since 2016, Bargmann leads an ambitious initiative to help accelerate basic science research and to support the science and technology that will make it possible to cure, prevent or manage all diseases by the end of the century. Bargmann’s numerous accolades and recognitions include the 2012 Kavli Prize in Neuroscience and a 2013 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences; additionally, R&D Magazine named Bargmann its “2017 Scientist of the Year.” Bargmann earned her BS in biochemistry from the University of Georgia and her PhD in cell biology from MIT and the Whitehead Institute.

Paula A. Johnson, MD, MPH, is a cardiologist, scientist and educator who in 2016 became the first African American to serve as president of Wellesley College. Throughout her career, Dr. Johnson has improved health outcomes for women. She was a pioneer in developing the evidence and advocating for consideration of biological differences between men and women in health, disease and medical treatments. Her work has revealed how gender biases have hampered medical research and, at times, limited women’s ability to participate in scientific research. In 2018, she co-chaired the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine’s landmark report Sexual Harassment of Women: Climate, Culture and Consequences in Academic Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. Prior to joining Wellesley College, Johnson was the Grayce A. Young Professor of Medicine in Women’s Health at Harvard Medical School, professor of epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and led the Connors Center for Women’s Health and Gender Biology and the Division of Women’s Health at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Johnson has served on Governor Baker’s Higher Education Working Group and chairs the Massachusetts Higher Education Testing Group. A member of the National Academy of Medicine and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Johnson holds AB, MD and MPH degrees from Harvard University.

James O’Connell, MD, MTheol, is the president of the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program (BHCHP). His work as a “street doctor,” serving some of Boston’s poorest and most medically frail residents, began in 1985 when he founded BHCHP with a staff of eight. Since then, the program has grown to more than 500 employees and includes two hospital-based clinics; more than 30 shelter-based clinics; a 124-bed medical respite program; and street outreach across the City of Boston. Under his leadership, BHCHP cares for more than 11,000 individuals and families each year, providing high-quality integrated medical, dental, behavioral and mental health care and case management services. Grounded in his commitment to serving the medical and social needs of some of the city’s most vulnerable individuals, Dr. O’Connell is recognized nationally as one of the foremost leaders and advocates for homeless people to have greater access to health care. He was instrumental in designing and implementing the nation’s first computerized medical record for a homeless program; serves as editor of the seminal document The Health Care of Homeless Persons: A Manual of Communicable Diseases and Common Problems in Shelters and on the Streets; and authored the book Stories from the Shadows: Reflections of a Street Doctor. The recipient of the 2012 Albert Schweitzer Humanitarian Award, O’Connell holds degrees from the University of Notre Dame, Cambridge University and Harvard Medical School, where he is assistant professor of medicine.

Commencement 2022 will take place on Sunday, June 5, on the campus green in front of the Lazare Research Building, with more than 300 students from the T. H. Chan School of Medicine, the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing and the Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences expected to receive degrees. Guest seating will begin at 11 a.m. with the processional starting at 11:45 a.m. The ceremony will begin promptly at noon and will be available to watch live at www.Facebook.com/umasschan. 

New ID badges for everyone at UMass Chan Medical School:

UMass Chan is initiating the process of issuing new ID badges to all employees, residents and students. The new badges reflect our new name and will help improve campus security.

Employees in each department will be notified when it is their turn to schedule an appointment to visit the UMass Chan Parking Office, located in the Michaelson Conference Room on the first level of the Lazare Research Building. Walk-ins cannot be accommodated. Each appointment is expected to take 10 minutes or less, and will consist of four steps:



• A new ID photo will be taken;
• Employees will be asked to update their information (address, phone, and their vehicle’s make, model and license plate number);
• The old ID badge will be surrendered to the Parking Office, deactivated, and recycled; and
• A new ID badge will be issued.

Employees who are working remotely may wait until they return to campus to schedule an appointment for a new badge.

Employees located at South Street have the option of scheduling an appointment at the University campus Parking Office, as detailed above, or they may choose to send an email to parking@umassmed.edu with a new photo and the requested information (address, phone and vehicle information). New badges will then be produced and delivered on a weekly basis to the South Street campus, where employees may turn in their old badges and obtain their new badges by visiting the security desk located in the main lobby. Employees based at South Street should not email the Parking Office until they receive an email prompting them to do so.

We anticipate this project will take several months and appreciate your patience and cooperation. 

Title IX Policy and Procedure

The University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School strives to create and maintain an educational and work environment that is safe, civil, respectful, and free of all forms of harassment, discrimination, sexual misconduct and violence. UMass Chan Medical School takes allegations of discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, sexual violence, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence and stalking with the utmost seriousness.

These efforts are guided by policies and procedures that reflect the culture of our institution and comply with applicable federal and state laws.

UMass Chan Medical School is committed to ensuring a thorough review of and response to any concerns related to any form of sexual misconduct that may affect members of our campus community, as well as providing supportive measures. All members of our community are responsible for familiarizing themselves with and upholding University of Massachusetts and UMass Chan Medical School policies and related procedures.

This notice provides the UMass Chan Medical School community with ready access to the various policies and procedures related to a Title IX incident of sexual harassment:

Title IX Policy https://www.umassmed.edu/title-ix/

Title IX Grievance Procedure https://www.umassmed.edu/title-ix/

To report a possible Title IX incident, you may either:

Complete a Title IX Complaint Form (discussed in the Title IX Grievance Procedure) and submit it to the UMass Chan Medical School Title IX Coordinator https://www.umassmed.edu/title-ix/;

Call the Title IX hotline number 508-856-8499 (which includes the opportunity to make an anonymous report); and/or

Call the UMass Chan Medical School Office of Public Safety (Emergency: 911; Non-emergency: 508-856-1629).

Confidential Resources and Provider

UMass Chan Medical School has confidential resources available to the campus community. These confidential resources will not report incidents without the permission of the persons who have allegedly been harmed by the sexual misconduct. These resources include the designated UMass Chan Medical School Confidential Resource Provider:

Valerie Wedge, LICSW, CEAP

Office of Well-Being | Employee Assistance Program

University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School

Phone: 1-800-322-5327 (toll free: 24/7)

Or 508-856-1327

Email eap@umassmed.edu

Website www.umassmed.edu/eap

Additional resources are listed on the Title IX page, including Pathways for Change (formerly the Rape Crisis Center of Central Massachusetts):

800-870-5905 (staffed 24/7)

Any member of the UMass Chan Medical School community who requires support or resources, or who has questions or concerns about these policies or procedures, may contact the following individuals:

Laura J. Harris, JD, Legal Associate

UMass Chan Medical School Title IX Coordinator

508-856-6955

Laura.Harris@umassmed.edu

TitleIX@umassmed.edu

Alan Acosta, PhD, Assistant Vice Provost for Student Life and Director of Positive

Learning Environments (Students)

Alan.Acosta@umassmed.edu

David LaChappelle, Director of Employee & Labor Relations (Employees)

David.LaChappelle@umassmed.edu

Marlina Duncan, EdD, Vice Chancellor, Diversity and Inclusion

508-856-2179

Marlina.Duncan@umassmed.edu

UMASS MEMORIAL HEALTH UPDATES

Please Submit Your COVID-19 Booster Status

To better understand the need for more booster clinics and to comply with a federal regulation that requires us to document and report on the booster status of all health care workers, we are asking all caregivers who received a booster shot outside of UMass Memorial Health to submit appropriate documentation. Please submit a picture of your vaccination card to the following inbox, depending on the entity where you work:

In the next few days, this message will be translated into Albanian, Portuguese, Spanish and Twi. You will be able to find those translations on the Hub soon.

Kronos Update: Returning to Normal Pay Cycle

We have great news to share about the Kronos situation – we finally have returned to a normal pay cycle as of today, which is ahead of schedule from our previous prediction! Because the test last week using the Kronos data was successful and produced fewer inaccuracies, we were able to run a normal pay cycle this week, which means your pay statement today is based on your hours worked and should be accurate. If there are any pay discrepancies associated with the pay cycle paid today (January 27, 2022), please follow our normal practice of submitting a Check Discrepancy form to our Payroll mailbox: Payroll-UMMHC@umassmemorial.org. For any historical discrepancies in your pay statement because of the Kronos incident, follow the pay correction process below to report the inaccuracy.

While this is great news for everyone, this doesn’t mean the Kronos issue has been completely resolved. Our Payroll team still is working through the backlog of inaccurate pay statements to correct each and every one. As promised before, every single mistake will be corrected, and you will get paid for your hours worked! Correcting underpayments, overpayments and the paid time off banks still will take time – likely several months – so we appreciate your patience if you were affected by this.

In the meantime, we have asked all Kronos managers, timekeepers and schedulers to resume their normal Kronos process of daily reviewing their teams’ time and schedules. It truly takes a team effort to make sure we can continue normal operations and get everyone paid accurately. We also ask you to continue to check your pay statement to make sure your pay is correct. If you are experiencing a financial hardship caused by these inaccuracies, please remember that we are offering a pay advancement program to help those in need. More details can be found on the Hub about this program. And if you need to show proof to a creditor about your recent loss of pay, we have a general letter available to download from the Hub for this purpose.

Lastly, we want to thank the Payroll team for their incredible work to manage this crisis the last month and a half. Their dedication to doing the right thing for all our caregivers who were affected by the Kronos outage is inspiring. And we certainly couldn’t have recovered from the outage without the hard work and collaboration of the Information Services, Finance and Human Resources teams. Thank you to all of these teams who have worked tirelessly to get us through this difficult disruption.

You will continue to get updates as needed on our Kronos recovery from Robin Sodano, Chief Information Officer, and Brian Huggins, Senior Vice President, Finance & Corporate Controller.

Again, we thank you for your patience during this challenging time.

Pay Corrections During Kronos Incident: We ask caregivers to continue to use these methods of reporting inaccuracies listed below:

1. Fill out the Kronos Incident Help Desk Form. You don’t need to be logged in to the UMass Memorial network to access this. Using this form will enable us to respond more quickly to your issue, (providing more detail is better for problem resolution).
2. If you can’t access the form, you can still email kronosincident@umassmemorial.org or call 508-334-1500. In both cases, you must leave your full name, employee ID number, manager’s name and an explanation of your pay discrepancy.

Updated Mask Guidance:

The CDC updated its guidance on mask and respirator use (Types of Masks and Respirators | CDC) on January 14,2022. Based on this guidance, caregivers may choose to wear an N95 instead of a procedure/surgical mask according to our PPE policy. If a caregiver chooses to wear an N95 voluntarily, you must read the following guidance from OSHA on voluntary use. Please note that this does not mean that the use of a surgical mask is unsafe. Please refer to the Hub for advice on how to ensure a well-fitting mask. If a caregiver chooses to use an N95, please adhere to the following:

• Caregivers should adhere to extended use of the N95 – this means that they should use one N95 mask per day.
• You should replace your N95 if it becomes damaged or soiled.
• You may use your N95 as extended use across multiple patient encounters. For caregivers caring for multiple PUI or COVID-19 positive patients, we recommended extended use of N95 with or without a surgical mask over the N95. Please note gloves and gown must be exchanged after each patient encounter. For caregivers seeing a single patient on PUI or COVID-19 positive patients, we recommend that you obtain a new respirator after the patient encounter.
• Unless you have been instructed to get fit-tested, you do not need a medical clearance or fit testing prior to using an N95 for general use. If you need further instructions on donning an N95, please see the tip sheet 2010-133.pdf (cdc.gov) and video Respirator Safety - YouTube.
• Both medical clearance and fit-testing is required for use of an N95 respirator to provide care to a patient who is on Airborne/Strict Airborne precautions or is having an aerosol generating procedure done. You must obtain a new respirator after each patient encounter.
• Caregivers should obtain an N95 in their work area. If an area does not have N95 respirators, they can be ordered through PMM.

In accordance with DPH guidance, caregivers may NOT use KN95 in the healthcare setting. 

Regardless of whether a caregiver uses a surgical mask or N95, everyone should remember the following:

• As with all guidance, this is subject to change pending evolving guidance and our internal supply levels.
• Eye protection is still paramount to decreasing the risk of transmission of COVID-19. They should be used for all patient encounters.
• Eating and drinking with others remains one of the highest risk activities for transmitting COVID-19.
• Social distancing is still important and protective.
• Visitors wearing an N95 or KN95 may be directed to wear the UMMH-supplied surgical mask over their own mask. 

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION NEWS

Event scheduled to celebrate Black History Month

On Feb. 16 at noon, Deborah Hall, founder of the Worcester Black History Project, will present, recognize and celebrate the experiences of Black people in Worcester and the surrounding area at UMass Chan’s Centering the Margins virtual dialogue series. The Worcester Black History Project encourages the preservation and sharing of history through scholarly educational outreach and programming.

This month, institutions across the United States will acknowledge Black History Month by sharing achievements and reinforcing their commitments to diversity, thus making it a time of celebration.

Black History Month began in 1926 when Harvard-trained historian Carter G. Woodson, co-founder of the Association of the Study of African American Life and History, sponsored National African American History Week to promote the achievements of African Americans and recognize their role in U.S. history. This boosted the morale and pride of African Americans, and it became a central part of the culture of historically Black colleges and universities. Since President Gerald Ford declared February as Black History Month in 1976, it has been observed nationally.

Black History Month Resources

The Commonwealth Medicine Cultural Diversity Committee invites the UMass Chan Medical School community to participate in Black History Month in any way you are able, such as supporting Black and Brown-owned businesses to advance the economic health and wellbeing within our communities.

Diversity & Inclusion Events

Inclusive Leadership: Leading with Intention

In this interactive virtual workshop, you will learn how to differentiate traditional leadership from inclusive leadership, create spaces that are rooted in fairness and respect, and celebrates differences. Through discussion and individual reflection, you will hone your leadership skills and learn how to apply new frameworks to inspire others and create an inclusive culture at UMass Chan Medical School.

Register:

Feb. 15, noon-1 p.m.

Centering the Margins: Celebrating Black History Month

Black History Month is a time to reflect on the many contributions and hard work of Black people to this country and to our community. Deborah Hall, founder of the Worcester Black History Project, and David Conner, the director of community engagement at the Worcester Historical Museum, will present, recognize and celebrate the experiences of Black people in Worcester and surrounding areas.

Register:

Feb. 16, noon-1 p.m.

Speakers needed for Gold Humanism Honor Society’s Identities in Medicine event

The Gold Humanism Honor Society is hosting a hybrid Med-Moth style event on Feb. 16 dedicated to exploring how personal, unique identities inform our practices as physicians, nurses and researchers; how these characteristics make us better health care professionals; and how the health care system affects our identities. GHHS is seeking speakers from all three UMass Chan graduate schools to read prose or verse pieces of 5-7 minutes in length during the 6 p.m. event. Email questions to Alex Kaplan at alexander.kaplan@umassmed.edu.

Submissions requested for Gold Humanism Honor Society’s Patient Memorial project

You are invited to contribute to a website called “Reflections: A Patient Memorial.” Reflections can take the form of a paragraph, haiku, short story, poem, music or artwork. Email submissions to GHHS@umassmed.edu by March 1, using the subject line Patient Memorial. There is no character limit, but do not use any of the 18 HIPAA identifiers. 

CAMPUS LEARNING

Emotional Intelligence

This 60-minute course will:

• Highlight the components and characteristics of emotional intelligence;
• Help you develop an understanding of self-awareness, self-regulation, and perception;
• Evaluate industry best practices; and
• Introduce the research, tools, and resources to help you gain emotional intelligence. 

Audience: UMass Chan employees

Venue: Live Zoom meeting

Seminar Registration Link: "Emotional Intelligence"

When: February 9; 11:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M

Course will be offered monthly for the next 6 months. All course dates will be listed upon registering for the course. Select the option that best meets your schedule. 

Instructor: Jeffrey L. Carson, Assistant Vice Chancellor, Human Resources Administration

Replacing Conflict with Collaboration

In this session, you will:

• Learn how to respond to conflict situations with appropriate action;
• Learn how to apply successful methods when conflict occurs among the team;
• Understand the resources available at UMass Chan to resolve team conflict;
• Recognize types of conflict and learn how to identify the issues before the conflict negatively impacts a team;
• Participate in creative discussions among your peers where real conflict scenarios are demonstrated; and
• Learn key skills to enhance your ability to listen and develop the necessary skills to arrive at a resolution that instills inclusiveness and collaboration.

Audience: UMass Chan employees

Venue: Live Zoom meeting

Seminar Registration Link: "Replacing Conflict with Collaboration"

When: February 10; 11:00 A.M. to 12:30 P.M.

Course will be offered monthly for the next 6 months. All course dates will be listed upon registering for the course. Select the option that best meets your schedule. 

Instructors: James McCarthy, HR Instructor, HR Learning & Development & Brenda Jack, HR Training Manager, Instructor, HR Learning & Development

For Managers

Manage and Lead at UMass Chan Program

The person most influential in the motivation and engagement of the members of each UMass Chan department is its Team Leader/Manager. “Manage and Lead at UMass Chan” is an intensive multi-tiered training program with four training modules that are taught by UMass Chan subject matter experts:

• HIRE - Creating Functional Competency Based Job Descriptions, The UMass Chan Full Cycle Recruiting & Hiring Process, Diversity in Hiring, Behavioral & Competency Based Interviewing, The Key to Effective Departmental Onboarding and Retaining New Staff, Compensation Philosophy & Practice
• COMPLY - Legal and Compliance Issues, Understanding FMLA, PFMLA, ADA, etc., Overview of Visa Categories and Working with Immigration Services, Labor Relations for Managers
• MANAGE - Managing Your Team's Stress, Managing the Team to Goals, Understand Employee Turnover and Talent Retention, Review the Succession Planning Process, Change Management, Staff Professional Development, Conflict Management, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Employee Relations, Office of Well-Being
• DEVELOP - Coaching, Developing, Motivating, Communicating and Leading Employees, Emotional Intelligence, Inspirational Leadership

Courses

There are 17 core courses that are offered on a monthly and quarterly basis. 

• Change Management
• Coaching for Problem Solving Using the A3 Methodology
• Compensation Structure and Practice (Offered Quarterly)
• Crucial Conversation
• Employee Relations (Offered Quarterly)
• Employee Turnover and Talent Retention
• Fair, Square and Legal Interview (Offered Quarterly)
• Flex the Mindset
• Fully Cycle Recruitment and Hiring
• Immigration Services (Offered Quarterly)
• Innovation Stations: Empowering Employee Innovation Through an Idea Sharing

System

• Labor Relations (Offered Quarterly)
• Office of Well-Being / Wellness Program & Employee Assistance Program
• Staff Professional Development
• Strategic Alignment: Enabling your Employees to Impact the Organization's

Strategic Priorities

• Succession Planning
• Visualizing Data: Transforming Information into Insight

Program Enrollment

Since November 2021, enrollment in the Manage and Lead program is as follows:

• 187 managers have participated in the program
• 75 managers in the pipeline to attend sessions in the coming weeks

Learn More

Learn more and access the Manage and Lead program website below!​​​​

New Manager Onboarding Program

The relationship with an employee's direct manager is one of the most critical factors in motivation, success, and engagement. To assist our UMass Chan leaders and managers in providing inspirational leadership; promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion; and empowering and growing their employees, the HR L&D Team launched a new competency-based learning experience. Launch on October 4, 2021; the learning experience is primarily for first-time and newly hired UMass Chan leaders and managers aligned with the People Strategy.

Key UMass Chan subject matter experts from HR, Payroll and Budget, Diversity Equity and Inclusion, IT and the Office of Well-Being worked to develop the program for new managers that focuses on:

• the required skills, competencies and knowledge necessary to be an inspirational leader
• an overview of UMass Chan policies and practices to ensure a smooth transition into their new role
• an understanding of our workplace and organizational culture
• the expectation that they will assist us in driving diversity and fostering an inclusive environment
• their role in promoting civility, respect, justice and equity and empowering and developing their staff

Individuals in the role of manager for the first time in their career will also take the 3-part "First Time Manager Essentials" course. This course focuses on topics such as "Buddy to Boss," communication skills, delegation, setting expectations, emotional intelligence, and others. All sessions are offered live monthly via zoom and will also be in person at a date to be announced.

Sixteen (16) courses are offered monthly. Click on the "New Manager Onboarding course descriptions" button below to see a course topic list, course descriptions, and instructors. Click on the "New Manager Onboarding website" button below to learn more about the program structure.

Program Enrollment

Since October 2021, enrollment in the New Manager Onboarding program is as follows:

• 55 managers have participated in the program
• 27 managers in the pipeline to attend sessions in the coming weeks

Learn More

Learn more and access the New Manager Onboarding program website below!​​​​​​​

LET'S GET SOCIAL

The UMass Chan Neurology Department is getting social. Take a moment and like our page on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Stay on top of the latest neurology news and click the links below.

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