­­­­­­­Millie's Coffee 'n' Creamery Joins CMU Dining at Tepper

Pittsburgh-based Millie’s Homemade Ice Cream has come to Carnegie Mellon!  Millie’s is teaming up with local roastery, KLVN Coffee Labs, to bring its newest concept, Millie’s Coffee ‘n’ Creamery, to Rohr Commons, located on the second floor of the Tepper Building.

"Rohr Commons is a social and collaborative space that is perfect for gathering over ice cream and coffee with friends," said Joe Beaman, director of Dining Services. "We are grateful to partner with Millie’s, one of the great local family-owned businesses within our region. Millie’s and KLVN represent the entrepreneurial spirit that is the cornerstone of both the Tepper School of Business and Carnegie Mellon University. We are excited to welcome Millie’s and KLVN to the CMU Dining family."

The menu will feature Millie’s chef-inspired ice creams and vegan gelatos, along with scratch-made waffle cones, KLVN coffee and espresso drinks, and juice from local juicery, LiveFresh. Millie’s is known for its vegan and gluten-free friendly menu options along with its commitment to sustainability through local sourcing and compostable serving ware.

To celebrate the opening of its CMU location, Millie’s will be giving away free ice cream and coffee to two lucky Carnegie Mellon students this semester on the company's Instagram account.

Millie’s sources dairy from cows in Western Pennsylvania and proudly crafts all products at its factory in nearby Homestead, located across the river from CMU.

Millie's will be open for business Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 10 p.m., Saturday, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., and closed on Sunday.

Open Enrollment for Faculty/Staff Benefits Begins Monday, Oct. 25

Open Enrollment for 2022 benefits begins Monday, October 25, and ends on Monday, November 15 at 5 p.m. ET. Open Enrollment is the annual opportunity for faculty and staff to review their benefit coverage options and make selections for the upcoming calendar year.

Elections made during Open Enrollment are effective January 1, 2022, and remain in effect for the calendar year. Open Enrollment is the only time faculty and staff can change their benefit elections unless they experience a qualified life or family status change.

Enrollment changes can be submitted online through Workday beginning Monday, October 25. An Open Enrollment System Guide [pdf] is available to assist with the online enrollment process.

Learn More:

• For information about 2022 benefits, including plan changes, rates and the 2022 Benefits Guide, visit the Open Enrollment website. If you have questions regarding Open Enrollment, please contact Human Resources Services at 412-268-4600 or hr-help@andrew.cmu.edu.
• The Office of Human Resources has scheduled virtual events to provide assistance to faculty and staff members as they navigate their benefits elections. You are encouraged to participate in a virtual event to learn more about your benefits options and get help making elections in Workday.
• Virtual Benefits Fair — Faculty and staff members can visit the Virtual Benefits Fair through their computers at any time, beginning on Monday, October 25 and throughout Open Enrollment, to learn more about benefits options. Booths contain information on health and welfare benefits, retirement savings plans, family care resources, and more. Visit at least five virtual booths to be entered into the fair raffle for a chance to win a prize!
• Drop-In Sessions via Zoom — The Office of Human Resources will again offer benefits drop-in sessions throughout the Open Enrollment period, and you are encouraged to join a session that best fits your schedule. A presentation outlining the 2022 benefit plan changes will be provided, and Benefits and HR Service team members will be available to answer questions about benefit plan options and the enrollment process in Workday. Zoom’s breakout room functionality will be used so participants can speak one-on-one with an HR team member.
• Vendor Information Sessions — Weekly vendor information sessions are scheduled throughout the Open Enrollment period, offering employees the opportunity to meet with representatives from UPMC and Highmark.

Tartan Community Day Schedule Set for Nov. 5

Beginning with the official Tartan Food Truck Fest to choosing your own adventure to the Homecoming Dance and everything in between, this year’s Tartan Community Day on Friday, November 5, has something for just about everyone.

Tartan Community Day, part of Homecoming Week, Nov. 2-6,  is a day for students, faculty and staff to take a break from the daily norm and to connect, restore and play, in ways that are most meaningful to you. There are no classes for students and staff and faculty are encouraged to participate as they are able.

The zip line was a popular activity at the 2019 Tartan Community Day.

This year’s theme is connection, in all of its various forms, and the joy that comes from it. Connection can be big or it can be small, rambunctious or quiet, a moment or a lasting journey. It can be a connection to oneself, to a friend, to community and so much more.

Alex Sheen is the Tartan Community Day keynote speaker. Sheen is the founder of "because I said I would," a social movement and nonprofit dedicated to bettering humanity through promises made and kept. 

See the full Tartan Community Day schedule. Participants are encouraged to register for activities in which registration is required.

Andy Award Nominations Announced; Virtual Ceremony to be Livestreamed Nov. 18

Twenty-nine individuals and 11 teams representing a diverse array of departments, functions and responsibilities across the university have been nominated for the 2021 Andy Awards. No matter their job title or daily role, all of the nominees share one thing in common — outstanding performance and commitment to service worthy of recognition via the Andy Awards.

Individuals and teams have been nominated in six categories: Commitment to Excellence (Rookie and Veteran); Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Commitment to Students; Innovative and Creative Contributions; Spirit; and Teamwork and Collaboration.

This year’s virtual ceremony will be livestreamed from 12-1 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 18 from the Andy Awards website.

Meet the nominees.

Roosevelt Project Shows How Southwestern Pennsylvania Can Thrive in Low Carbon Future

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon – with collaborators at Harvard, MIT and Boise State – recently announced a Roosevelt Project case study on how Southwestern Pennsylvania can thrive during the transition to a future with net zero greenhouse gas emissions.

Last week, Carnegie Mellon Associate Professor Valerie J. Karplus and former Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz presented the findings of the case study to energy industry and economic development stakeholders at The Wilton E. Scott Institute for Energy Innovation. Karplus recently joined CMU from MIT, bringing extensive expertise on technology and policy theory of regional clean energy transitions around the world.

Former Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz and CMU Associate Professor Valerie Karplus present the findings of the Roosevelt Project Case Study.

The Roosevelt Project was initiated by Moniz and takes a multidisciplinary approach to examine the transitional challenges associated with progress toward a deeply decarbonized U.S. economy. The case study puts forth recommendations for how the regional economy can leverage its existing assets to help meet national and global efforts to address climate change, while creating new jobs and opportunities for existing fossil energy workers and their communities.

Karplus' first order of business at CMU has been to establish her research group, the Laboratory for Energy and Organizations, or LEO, which will carry forward elements of the work begun in the Roosevelt Project case study. To learn more about this initiative, visit: cmu.edu/energy.

Attention Students — Coming Soon: Zoom Zone in Hunt Library

The Libraries is piloting a new service to support students in need of a place to attend classes remotely on days they also need to be on campus.

Starting on Wednesday October 27, the 3rd Floor of Hunt Library will be a Zoom Zone between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday through the end of the fall semester.

Students may reserve seats that can be used to attend Zoom classes and meetings. Students will need to bring their own computers and headphones, but the space will be zoned to allow for vocal class participation at a moderate volume instead of quiet study. A limited number of noise-cancelling headphones are available at the circulation desk(s) for those who wish to borrow a pair.

Library Seats Reservation Policies:

• Seats can be reserved in two-hour increments.
• Be sure to check in to your seat within 15 minutes of your start time; failure to do so will cause you to forfeit your reservation.
• Please do not move furniture from its designated location.
• In-person conversation and group work with others will not be permitted.
• CMU requires facial coverings to be worn indoors at all times.

The Libraries is piloting this service to gauge the feasibility and student need, and to assess whether this service works in an open space like Hunt Floor 3. Results from the pilot will inform future plans. The pilot will not increase overall capacity or patron density in the library.

New Duquesne Light Substation to Support Campus Growth

Duquesne Light Company (DLC) is making significant investments in infrastructure, including the recent construction of the Riazzi Substation at S. Neville and Boundary streets, to support the growth of CMU’s campus and to ensure resilient power systems and services for CMU and other customers in Oakland.

Connecting campus to the new infrastructure will include a three-phase project lasting 25 days that replaces existing high voltage circuits serving CMU with new circuits. DLC has coordinated the work to minimize potential disruptions with only momentary power blips at the Robert Mehrabian Collaborative Innovation Center — there are no planned disruptions on main campus. However, the middle phase of the project requires a temporary modification to the configuration of CMU’s redundant power connections. During this eight-day period, if there is a utility company power loss, affected buildings will be transferred manually to the redundant circuit. The transfer process could take several hours and the building emergency generators will automatically power critical loads. 

Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) encourages all departments to review their business continuity plans to account for these potential interruptions. If assistance and/or support is needed in reviewing or developing plans, please contact drbc@andrew.cmu.edu. The DLC power service is highly reliable but a utility company power loss is possible at any time. 

Learn more about DLC's infrastructure investment and the Riazzi Substation.  

Email Shannon Wetzel at swetzel@andrew.cmu.edu if you have any questions about the project.

Obituary: Remembering Veteran CMU Police Officer James Simonetti

The Carnegie Mellon University community mourns the loss of veteran CMU Police Officer James Simonetti, who died Wednesday, October 13, after an extended stay in the hospital due to illness. He was 53. 

Simonetti, who served on the CMU police force for more than 25 years, held the rank of senior police officer.

“Jim Simonetti was a loyal and trusted member of our department whose service was tragically cut short by the pandemic,” said CMU Police Chief Tom Ogden who worked with Simonetti for the past 13 years. “I could always rely on him to help in any way that was needed. 

“He mentored and coached dozens of officers during his service at CMU. He once told me when I arrived here that our role was to keep our students safe so they could go on to do great things. That summarizes our department’s mission and Jim’s service to Carnegie Mellon. It won’t be the same without him,” Ogden said.

In memoriam, James Simonetti's police car was draped with a black wreath and parked near the corner of Forbes and Morewood avenues last weekend in tribute to his dedicated service to CMU and its police department.

CMU Police Detective Joe Bernarding said Simonetti, who primarily worked the 3 - 11 p.m. shift, was a “character with a sharp wit and sarcastic sense of humor.”

“He was a beloved member of our department,” Bernarding said. “You could always count on Jimmy. If you asked him to do something, he always got it done. He was a compassionate soul who loved his family and working at CMU. He will be missed.”

Nello Bruno, a CMU police sergeant who has worked with Simonetti for more than 18 years, said his friend and colleague always served the CMU community with dedication, honor and professionalism.

“Jim was much more than a co-worker; he was a friend and a brother to so many current and former members of CMUPD. He has touched the lives of so many during his time here and his memory will live on in all of us,” Bruno said.

Read the full obituary.

Human Resources Introduces LifeCare Family Service

To provide more support for family care needs, Carnegie Mellon’s Office of Human Resources is introducing LifeCare Family, a new service available through Care@Work.

LifeCare Family offers 24/7 access to care specialists who can provide personalized assistance with your parenting, child care, education and elder care related needs. In particular, they can assist with the search process and narrow down the field of caregivers by assessing your needs, searching for candidates and offering potential matches within one-to-three business days (or sooner for urgent needs).

Visit the LifeCare Family page to learn more, including eligibility details and how to access the service. If you need additional support, please contact HR Family Care.

CMU Hosts Community Blood Drive, Oct. 26

Carnegie Mellon will host a community blood drive from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, October 26 in the Mellon Institute Social Room 328.

To schedule your lifesaving appointment, go to https://donateblood.centralbloodbank.org. Enter group code CU040004 to schedule your donation. If you cannot schedule online, please call 412-209-7000. For more information visit https://vitalant.org/.

Who's New at CMU?

Carnegie Mellon welcomes the following new staff members this week.