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The Open Research Community Accelerator (ORCA) is a student program that grows the impact of academic research by making research products accessible to other academics, local businesses, and community members through open source project. ORCA creates these products through student project teams called Pods — groups of dynamic and passionate students who learn industry open source practices by working on real projects destined for public use. This program is run and funded by the University of Vermont Open Source Program Office (VERSO). ORCA’s goals are to produce impactful, accessible, open source research tools by training tomorrow’s workforce in marketable open source skills.
The Open Research Community Accelerator (ORCA) is a program that connects undergraduate students with faculty, graduate students, and community organizations to work on open source projects with social impact. ORCA Pods, consisting of 4-5 students, collaborate on research projects and develop open source solutions to address community needs. The program provides students with valuable experiential learning opportunities and supports faculty and community organizations in translating their research into practical applications.
The Handbook and How We Work The best place to start is the ORCA Handbook! This contains an ORCA overview, Employment Policies, UVM Policies, Communication and Marketing, Health and Safety Policies and Resources. How ORCA Works describes how we have approached the ORCA program’s educational importance and impact.
Recruiting and Onboarding We have tried to lay out some of the materials for hiring students including the job descriptions in Recruiting and we hope to expand this with much more information about how we find and bring new students into ORCA. We also have built onboarding processes but these are still evolving:
Onboarding for a Team Lead Onboarding for a Team Member Projects Project selection, onboarding and other resources for those interested in running a project are in the Projects document.
Policies and Plans There are several stand alone policies that are uniquely applicable to the ORCA Program. These include:
Emergency Preparedness Plan Confidentiality and Data Security Policies IT and Data Security Policies Intellectual Property Policy Code of Conduct These policies apply to anyone working on an ORCA project, be it paid, for class credit or as a student club volunteer.
Roles There are multiple leadership roles for students in ORCA:
Team Lead – Leads a specific ORCA Pod, provides support for pod members and direction for the project Team Member – Responsible for project execution including working collaboratively with researchers, and the development of open source software using standard engineering methodology. Business Lead – Focused on growth of engagement with activities and marketing initiatives Program Lead – Supports the efficiency and reliability of the ORCA pods, volunteers and the digital infrastructure that supports open activities Community Lead – Supports the open source community with VERSO and affiliated programs Mentor – Supports the growth of the leads and teams to help them meet their goals
Engineering Methodology
The team utilizes an Agile-inspired methodology emphasizing adaptability, collaboration, iterative development and a user-centered design approach. The following meetings will be held during each sprint:
Sprint Planning: At the beginning of each two-week cycle (sprint), the team members collectively select the tasks they will tackle during that period. They allocate tasks based on individual strengths and project needs. Stand-ups: The team gathers for a brief stand-up meeting. Each member shares their progress from the previous standup and any obstacles they’re facing. Sprint Review: At the end of each sprint, the team holds a review session to showcase the completed work, this is recorded and shared with project sponsors. Collaboration and Communication Tools To facilitate remote collaboration and streamlined communication, the team uses a variety of tools:
Project Management Software: They utilize project management tools in Github to track tasks, set priorities, and monitor progress. Version Control and Collaboration Platform: They use platforms like GitHub for version control. Video Conferencing: Microsoft Teams are used for virtual meetings, discussions, and brainstorming sessions. Communication Channels: The team maintains communication channels through Slack for quick updates, questions, and sharing resources. Documentation: Detailed documentation for each project, including technical specifications, coding standards, and user guides, is maintained throughout the development process. Knowledge Transfer: When new team members join or as existing ones take on different roles, there’s an organized knowledge transfer process to bring everyone up to speed on ongoing projects. Additionally an Open Source Resource Library (GitHub Repo) where students can build out useful documentation to support the team. ORCA Rules and Structure: The overall operations of the ORCA program are created with students as collaborators, designed to change to fit the program as needed. The GitHub Page: https://verso-uvm.github.io/ORCA/
Projects Vermont Zoning Atlas (VTZA) https://github.com/VERSO-UVM/VT_Zoning_Atlas
The Vermont Zoning Atlas (VTZA) Pod will creates a state-wide Zoning Atlas (following the standards of the National Zoning Atlas) that will encompass all of Vermont’s 237 towns, 10 cities, 5 unincorporated areas, and 4 gores in collaboration with the 11 regional planning commissions of VAPDA and various State of Vermont Agencies. The Pod will be working on building out the data for towns, validating data and building programming tools to assist in the work of maintaining the Zoning Atlas.
The Vermont Zoning Atlas is a web-based geospatial interface that visualizes zoning code distributions across all of Vermont. Zoning rules can present barriers to effective city planning, impairing our ability to achieve important policy objectives like community desegregation, climate change resiliency, transportation access, homelessness relief, and affordable housing development. The Vermont Zoning Atlas seeks to democratize researchers’, policymakers’, advocates’, and everyday citizens’ understanding of zoning regulations and enable apples-to-apples cross-jurisdiction comparisons through a methodology developed by our partner, the National Zoning Atlas. Without this tool, one would have to read thousands of pages of dense legal code to answer simple questions – this is why we believe our tool will democratize zoning policy and make it possible for advocates and researchers to identify barriers to things like affordable housing development, climate resiliency, and community desegregation more quickly.
UVM Research Partner: Yoshi Bird
News: Housing Forward Virginia – Zoning Atlases Across the Map: Vermont, August 24, 2023
Wastewater Infrastructure Mapping (WIM) https://github.com/VERSO-UVM/Wastewater-Infrastructure-Mapping
The Wastewater Infrastructure Mapping project, led by the ORCA Pod in collaboration with the Windham Regional Commission, aims to address Vermont’s village centers’ lack of public water and sewer systems by building a comprehensive town-level dataset of wastewater resources. This effort is essential for supporting housing development, economic sustainability, and future community growth in alignment with Vermont’s settlement patterns. Without public infrastructure, new development is hindered, leading to a housing crisis and jeopardizing business retention. By systematically mapping existing wastewater infrastructure data and filling gaps, the project will help identify ideal locations for new development and inform strategic public investments. Working with partners like VCGI and state agencies, UVM students will compile and publish this data, supporting both immediate development challenges and broader state goals for sustainable growth and resilience. This, in conjunction with the Vermont Zoning Atlas and the ANR GIS – Vermont Wastewater Infrastructure will help to determine the capacity and potential ideal locations for growing housing. These efforts will be in collaboration with the Town of Jericho’s efforts to pilot an outreach strategy to educate and empower stakeholders with essential information on funding pathways, resources, and planning considerations. These efforts aims not only to address immediate development challenges but also to align with broader state objectives outlined in the Vermont Climate Action Plan, Comprehensive Energy Plan, and Long-Range Transportation Plan, fostering a holistic approach to sustainable growth and resilience. The project is in collaboration with the following:
Windham Regional Commission Town of Jericho Vermont Center for Geographic Information Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development Heard & Understood App (HUA) https://github.com/VERSO-UVM/Heard-and-Understood-App
The Heard and Understood App provides a way to explore and classify silence and gaps in conversations. This is an Open Community Research Accelerator (ORCA) project in collaboration with the Vermont Conversation Lab and their GitHub organization Heard & Understood(tm). This supports the exploration and adoption of the CONSert (Connectional Silence Ensemble-BERT) algorithm which uses a combination of Random Forests, Convolutional Neural Networks, OpenAI Whisper Transcriptions and a BERT ML model to detect, locate and classify pauses. Pauses will be classified as either Non-Connectional, Emotional, or Invitational.
Pause Types:
Non-Connectional – a pause that does not provide connectional context for the rest of the conversation Emotional – a pause which provides time for emotional reflection Invitational – a pause that invites another speaker to interact with the conversation
The methods used in this package are based on the methods used in Matt et al. 2023.
Matt et al. 2023: Matt, Jeremy E et al. “An Acoustical and Lexical Machine-Learning Pipeline to Identify Connectional Silences.” Journal of palliative medicine, 10.1089/jpm.2023.0087. 13 Jul. 2023, doi:10.1089/jpm.2023.0087
Interactive Management App (Fall 2023 – Spring 2024)
The Interactive Management App project will design and build an open source tool for conducting Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) research with participants. The Interactive Management App will produce a flow diagram that helps a group of people solve a collective problem. The app will take in a list of factors identified by research participants that affect a specific problem. It will then work with participants to figure out the relationships between factors (things that impact their ability to act). An algorithm will then determine which factors should be addressed first, second, and so on in order for the group to meet their goals. This tool will be used in Thriving in Open Source Communities in Africa. Sponsor: John Meluso Project GitHub: https://github.com/VERSO-UVM/interactive-management-app
Repo: https://github.com/VERSO-UVM/interactive-management-app
Tasks: https://github.com/orgs/VERSO-UVM/projects/1/views/1
UVM Research Partner: John Meluso
The Interactive Management App project will design and build an open source tool for conducting Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) research with participants. The Interactive Management App will produce a flow diagram that helps a group of people solve a collective problem. The app will take in a list of factors identified by research participants that affect a specific problem. It will then work with participants to figure out the relationships between factors (things that impact their ability to act). An algorithm will then determine which factors should be addressed first, second, and so on in order for the group to meet their goals.
This tool will be used in Thriving in Open Source Communities in Africa.
The Team
Alyssa Maguire I am Alyssa - I'll be leading our ORCA pod for this fall. I have experience as a software engineer in the insurance industry - at Nationwide Mutual Insurance - and as a TA for several undergraduate CS courses at UVM. I feel FOSS is the best way I can nurture the world around me for the better, and I am eager to use my skillset to activate positive change with ORCA. Outside campus I climb at Metrorock, scuba dive with the Waterfront Dive Center and relax at Oakledge Park. I am excited to contribute to something meaningful and lasting! My GitHub
James Catanzaro My name is James Catanzaro and I am a junior at UVM studying data science. I enjoy using data to tackle societal assumptions and uncover hidden truths about the world. When I'm not busy with school, I love to read classic literature, watch old movies, and ride my bike. I am excited to be apart of the pilot project this fall! My GitHub
Sebastian Thomas My name is Sebastian Thomas. I’m a senior at UVM studying Computer Science. I’m originally from Redlands, California but grew up in South Burlington. Whenever I have the time, I like to snowboard and play soccer. I’m super excited to be a part of this project! My GitHub
Fernanda De Oliveira Girelli Hi, my name is Fernanda and I'm a junior majoring in computer science. Ordinally I'm from Elizabeth, New Jersey but I've been living in Burlington for a while now and I'm loving it! I'm so excited for this new opportunity and can't wait to get started. My GitHub
Grace Kinney My name is Grace Kinney and I am a Junior at UVM studying Computer Science. I am passionate about website development and robotics. During my free time I enjoy listening to music, painting on canvas, reading fantasy novels, and spending time with my loved ones. Fun fact: my favorite ice cream flavor is Ben&Jerry’s Phish Food! My GitHub
Tushar Asthana I am a senior at UVM studying Computer Science. I’m originally from India, but grew up in South Burlington for the past 16 years. I enjoy playing tennis for the Club Tennis team at UVM and enjoy reading fiction books on the weekends when I'm not doing homework! Really excited for this pilot project to start! My Github
Zoe Srede My name is Zoe Sreden, I am from Maine and am currently a senior at the University of Vermont. I am a Geography major with minors in Global Studies, Community and International Development, and Green Building and Community Design. I am focusing my studies on urban planning and sustainable development, and have interned with Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission previously.
Emma Eash I'm Emma and I'm a junior studying Environmental Sciences with a minor in Geospatial Technologies. I enjoy learning how to apply technical skills like GIS to environmental issues. In my free time I love reading fiction or fantasy books and gaming. I'm looking forward to working on this project and learning new things!
Anoushka Pschorr Anoushka Pschorr is currently a Junior at UVM studying Community-Centered Design. She has been an intern for the Burlington Department of Public Works for over a year and is looking to pursue urban planning. She is a native of Vermont, and enjoys the balance of urban and rural spaces in Burlington.
Zachary Winigrad My name is Zachary Winigrad, and I am a sophomore double majoring in Environmental Science and Applied Ecology. I come from New Jersey, but the past two years in Vermont have been phenomenal! I am very excited to utilize my GIS skills with VTZA this spring!
Tucker Schulz Hi, my name is Tucker Schulz. I am a Junior at UVM majoring in Computer Science and I am from Grand Rapids, Michigan. Outside of classes I enjoy snowboarding, rock climbing, and reading fiction. I am super excited for another semester as well as the opportunity to start on the VT Atlas project.
Current Team
Team Lead ISM - Tushar Asthana (he/him) I am a senior at UVM studying Computer Science. I’m originally from India, but grew up in South Burlington for the past 16 years. I enjoy playing tennis for the Club Tennis team at UVM and enjoy reading fiction books on the weekends when I'm not doing homework!
Team Lead VTZA - Zoe Srede (she/her) My name is Zoe Sreden, I am from Maine and am currently a senior at the University of Vermont. I am a Geography major with minors in Global Studies, Community and International Development, and Green Building and Community Design. I am focusing my studies on urban planning and sustainable development, and have interned with Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission previously.
Business Lead - Ruby Blunt (she/her) I am a junior at UVM studying marketing, accounting, and sustainability, with a minor in sociology. My interest is in how stories and numbers influence people’s behavior which drives my goal of positively contributing to organizations and the planet. I’m from New York and love trying new things and meeting new people!
Program Lead - Jay Lobell (he/him) My name is Jay Lobell and I am in the accelerated master's program for complex systems & data science. I'm also currently working for Dr. Sarah Nowak as a research assistant to analyze parental vaccine hesitancy. Outside of class you can find me reading science fiction novels, making music, skiing, and playing video games. I'm very grateful to be selected as the project lead intern, and I can't wait to get started!
Community Lead - Tobey Vorus (she/the) I am currently a freshman at UVM, majoring in Computer Science. Outside of class, I spend much of my time contributing to open-source projects, doing system administration, reading, listening to music, and generally nerding out about anything networking. I look forward to supporting and expanding the open-source community at UVM!
Mentor - Nate Gaylinn (he/him) Nate Gaylinn has over a decade of experience working for Google Search as a software engineer, tech lead, and manager. He's now a grad student at UVM, and eager to share his tech industry experience as a mentor for the ORCA program
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Kendall edited this page on Sep 3 · 8 revisions This wiki is to serve as the first place to look for questions about your role here. If a question is not answered, or something is incorrect, please submit a pull request to correct it!
We are thrilled to introduce you to our Employee Handbook, a comprehensive guide designed to provide you with all the information you need to thrive within our organization. As a member of our team, you play a crucial role in our collective success, and this handbook serves as a valuable resource to help you navigate your journey with us.
Our leadership team is committed to fostering a positive and inclusive work environment where every employee feels empowered to contribute their best work. This handbook outlines our organizations's mission, values, and policies, ensuring transparency and alignment across all levels of the organization.
Whether you're a new hire or a seasoned veteran, we encourage you to familiarize yourself with the contents of this handbook. It covers everything from our organization's culture and code of conduct to our benefits and performance expectations.
We believe that by working together and adhering to our shared principles, we can achieve great things as a team. Thank you for being part of the ORCA Family, and we look forward to supporting your growth and success here.
Kendall Fortney VERSO Program Director
ORCA Overview The Open Research Community Accelerator is run by Vermont Research Open Source Program Office (VERSO)) at the University of Vermont. It is dedicated to bridging the gap between academic research and real-world impact through open projects with social significance. Comprised of dynamic and passionate student teams, each consisting of 4-5 members, ORCA collaborates closely with professors, researchers, and community experts to identify research with broader application potential and translate these findings into open-source projects.
This internship opportunity within ORCA offers UVM students a chance to gain hands-on experience in translating academic research into impactful open projects. It operates under Agile software development practices and fosters inclusive learning environments through platforms like GitHub, MS Teams, and Slack. Assessment is based on customer, stakeholder, and self-feedback, focusing on personal growth and professional development.
ORCA provides faculty, graduate students, and community organizations with product and development support to enhance the public value of their research and address collective community needs. Under the supervision of the Director of VERSO, who also offers mentorship and guidance, ORCA aims to empower the next generation of leaders while fostering innovation and social impact.
Culture
ORCA is a place where we encourage creative leaps to solve problems that likely have never been solved before. In order to do that you must be empowered to take risks, try new things and be given the space to figure out roadblocks.
There are some core cultural concepts:
Create Raving Fans - The success of ORCA is in the referrals we receive from completed projects. We want the project sponsors to walk away feeling like they were listened to and we exceeded their expectations so they can't help themselves from spreading the word of ORCA. Share Early - If you feel like you feel you are positive about something but you have not shared or validated it with others, consider that it may not be right. Often being exposed to someone else's perspective can shift your understanding to be more nuanced and accurate. Iterate in the Open Quickly - ORCA is a group activity, we encourage you to change your plan often to best match the needs of the project, but only if those changes are open to the rest of the team. We want to avoid someone going down rabbit holes while the rest of the team has no idea that is happening. Be Curious, not Judgmental - Yes, it is from Ted Lasso, but it is important. In open source ecosystems it is easy to demean others in order to show off your competence (think of phrases like "did you even bother to read the documentation" ) but instead our collective goal it to life everyone up. That only happens if you are curious when someone seems to be struggling, rather than just assuming the worse If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together - Each step we take should be to advance the ORCA ecosystem, to make it more resilient for the future and grow a meaningful, impactful collection of passionate people. Instead of solving a problem for someone else, teach them how to solve it themselves. Step into spaces if someone needs help, encourage collaboration and thoughtfulness with each other. We can only succeed together. Organizational Structure The VERSO Director is the supervisor for all students that are working on ORCA tasks either for a paid internship or for credit report. Questions about compensation, taking time off, disciplinary actions or other administrative tasks should go to them.
All leadership positions (with "lead" in the title) also will go to the VERSO Director for project assignment and tasks. Leads can work together to create tasks for each other as well.
All team members will look to their team leads for project assignment and task, while also working with each other to add tasks as needed. If there is a question of direction that would impact the project scope they will bring it to their team lead who may choose to involve the project sponsor and the VERSO Director if the change is large enough.
Pods
ORCA is built around the idea of Pods, or groups of students working together to solve problems. In real working environments, teamwork is a vital skill. We hope to grow ORCA members abilities to work together collaboratively and learn how to instinctively reach out to peers to troubleshoot problem and validate their work. Pods have in person co-working times where members are expected to show up if they can as it is has show to be valuable to the members to be in the same room. There are also team meetings like sprint planning and review that have required attendance.
There are a variety of roles at ORCA that will continue to evolve and grow. Generally they are split between leadership positions where students are encourage to change or grow what they are working on to best fit the needs of the project, and team members positions that should be more focused on delivering creative solutions within the scope of the task.
Professionalism Appropriate Dress and Language: Given that different environments will require different standards of dress, it is the responsibility of the supervisor to inform students what dress will be appropriate and inappropriate for their specific position. Attitude: While at work, you should work with a cooperative and positive attitude. Timeliness: It is essential that you report to work at the agreed upon time, ready to work. Notification of lateness or inability to work a scheduled shift should be given to supervisors by students at least 24 hours in advance. This allows supervisors to plan for a student’s absence. In the event of an emergency, the supervisor should be informed as soon as possible. Use of Work Time: Student employment at UVM is intended to allow students access to environments, projects, and tasks that will develop their professional and interpersonal skills. As such, it is not appropriate to complete school work during scheduled working hours. Supervisors are expected to set explicit expectations on this matter. Performance evaluation process While this internship takes place in an academic setting, we will not give you grades. Our goal is to equip you to perform professional activities like professionals perform those activities, and to be able to describe and demonstrate your ability to perform those activities. Instead, assessments in this internship will come in the form of customer-, stakeholder-, and self-feedback. How well are your products meeting their needs? How well does the team communicate with customers and stakeholders about project progress and status? And how well do you think you are doing at advancing toward your own goals?
At the beginning of each semester we will ask you to state your goals for personal growth. At the end of each semester, we will ask you to reflect and assess your own advancement toward those goals. You will be required to submit these initial and final statements to help us understand your learning journey, and to improve your own learning journey and those of your peers, now and in the future.
ORCA Policies Attendance policy and internship environment expectations
In this internship, we will work together to develop a learning community that is inclusive and respectful. As a learning community we will seek to encourage and appreciate expressions of different ideas, opinions, and beliefs in the spirit of Our Common Ground. Meaningful and constructive dialogue is encouraged in this internship. This requires mutual respect, willingness to listen, and open-mindedness to opposing points of view. Respect for individual differences and alternative viewpoints will be maintained at all times in this internship. Conduct that substantially or repeatedly disrupts the ability of instructors to teach and the ability of students to engage may result in my asking a student to temporarily leave the meeting. See Undergraduate Catalogue - Classroom Code of Conduct (p. 443-444)
Disciplinary actions and progressive discipline policy
If employees fail to meet reasonable standards of performance, supervisors are expected to take appropriate action as outlined in the Progressive Discipline and Termination Guidelines document. The goal of these steps is to improve job performance, so that students can continue to be effective members in the working environment.
Employment Classification and Work Hours
Your employment is under the term of the UVM's Student Employment policies as a temporary employee of VERSO, the office facilitating the ORCA Program. Student Employment Policies are here with additional information here
Compensation and Benefits
Compensation is determined based on the Pay Level Guidelines as set by UVM. In order to be compensated you must submit your time by the Payroll Calendar. If you miss submitting in time, let the VERSO Director know and you will receive it in the next pay period. Student employees are not eligible for benefits such as health plan or a retirement plan.
Leave Policies
As you are not full time employees, the various types of leave available to full-time employees are not available to you, but we will make every reasonable attempt to accommodate your needs for un-paid time off.
Work-Related Injuries
If a student is injured on the job, a report of the incident should be immediately filed with the supervisor or the supervisory person in charge at the time. Please contact UVM Risk Management at 802-656-3242.
UVM Policies These UVM employment policies provide guidelines regarding rights, responsibilities, and expectations while working at the ORCA.
Lived Name and Pronoun Information
The UVM Directory includes fields for indicating your lived name and your pronouns. Lived names (preferred names, names in use) are names that an individual wants to be known by in the University community. Entering your pronouns is strongly encouraged to help create a more inclusive and respectful campus community. To update your information, login to the UVM Directory. A preview box will allow you to see how this information will appear in other systems used on campus such as Microsoft Teams and Blackboard. More information about how to make changes to your lived name and pronouns is available in the Knowledge Base.
Disability Accommodation
UVM is committed to providing opportunity for employment in a reasonably accommodating manner without discrimination to individuals with disabilities. Learm more about Student Accessibility Services. A170 Living/Learning Center; 802-656-7753 [email protected] www.uvm.edu/access
Equal employment opportunity and anti-discrimination policies
As an employer, UVM will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, place of birth, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, positive HIV-related blood test results, genetic information, gender identity or expression, or status as a disabled veteran, recently separated veteran, other protected veteran or Armed Forces service medal veteran. To view more information on this policy:http://www.uvm.edu/policies/general_html/affirm.pdf
Sexual Harassment and workplace conduct policies
Sexual harassment is illegal and corrosive to a healthy work environment. We are committed to providing a work environment free of harassment. To view more information on this policy: https://www.uvm.edu/sites/default/files/UVM-Policies/policies/sexharass.pdf
Nondiscrimination Statement
In compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and other federal, state, and local laws, The University of Vermont does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and religion, national or ethnic origin, disability, or veteran status in any phase of its employment process, in any phase of its admission or financial aid programs, or other aspects of its educational programs or activities. The vice provost for institutional equity and diversity is the individual designated by the University to coordinate its efforts to comply with Title IX, Section 504 and other equal opportunity and affirmative action regulations and laws.
Code of conduct and ethics policies
The Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards (“Code”) is a tool to help you comply with legal and regulatory requirements and with University policies and procedures. The Code is designed to help you make ethical choices when and if you are faced with a difficult decision or situation. Everyone is expected to adhere to the highest standards of ethical behavior and conduct themselves in a professional manner at all times. This includes honesty, integrity, respect for others, and compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. The University of Vermont is committed to continually strengthening its ethical culture. From the University’s motto of “Studiis et Rebus Honestis” (Integrity in Theoretical and Practical Pursuits) to our values stated in “Our Common Ground”, we are all expected to perform our jobs and to conduct business in an ethical and compliant manner. All University personnel have a shared responsibility to the University, to those we serve, to our community and to each other.
The full Code applies to all University of Vermont personnel. Personnel includes, but is not limited to, faculty, staff, volunteers, student employees, and individuals hired or contracted to perform a function that is generally associated with an employment relationship (i.e., temporary employee, student employees). This Code also applies to all those attending a UVM hosted, sponsored or internal event.
Read the Code
Drug and alcohol policies
UVM receives federal grants and is therefore required to comply with the Alcohol and Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988. This Act requires that colleges receiving federal monies provide and maintain a drug-free workplace. UVM has no intention of intruding into the private lives of its student employees; however, the university does retain the right and responsibility to expect each employee to report to work and to perform their duties in a manner that will not jeopardize the health and safety of co-workers or other students. Some of the drugs that are illegal under state or federal law include marijuana, heroin, hashish, cocaine, hallucinogens and depressants and/or stimulants when not prescribed for medical care.
Any student employee who is at the workplace under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs, or who possesses or consumes alcohol or illegal drugs on the job or in the workplace, is subject to university disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal from the University. The illegal manufacture, distribution, or sale of illegal substances on the premises is strictly prohibited and will constitute an offense warranting dismissal. Any illegal substance found shall be turned over to an appropriate law enforcement agency.
FERPA Rights Disclosure
The purpose of UVM’s FERPA Rights Disclosure is to communicate the rights of students regarding access to, and privacy of their student educational records as provided for in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974.
Religious Holidays
Religions may be practiced in many different ways, and can impact participation in internships variably. Students have the right to practice the religion of their choice. Each semester students should submit in writing to their instructors as early as possible and at least one week prior to their documented religious holiday the date(s) of the conflict or absence. Instructors must permit students who miss work or exams for the purpose of religious observance to make up this work. The complete policy is here.
Work-Related Injuries
If a student is injured on the job, a report of the incident should be immediately filed with the supervisor or the supervisory person in charge at the time. Please contact UVM Risk Management at 802-656-3242.
Communication and Marketing Social media and electronic communications policies
Authorized Use
Only authorized personnel designated by VERSO Director are permitted to manage official social media accounts and communication channels on behalf of the program. Social media and electronic communication channels should be used for professional purposes related to the program's activities, initiatives, and announcements.
Content Guidelines
Accurate Information: Ensure all information shared on official social media accounts and communication channels is accurate, up-to-date, and aligned with the program's mission and values. Respectful Language: Use respectful and professional language in all communications. Avoid using offensive, discriminatory, or inflammatory language that could damage the program's reputation. Confidentiality: Do not share confidential or sensitive information about the program, its participants, or stakeholders on social media or electronic communication channels without proper authorization. Privacy and Security
Protect Personal Information: Respect the privacy of program participants, stakeholders, and employees. Do not share personal or sensitive information without consent. Account Security: Maintain strong passwords for all official social media accounts and communication channels. Enable two-factor authentication where available to enhance account security. Endorsements and Disclaimers
Endorsements: Clearly distinguish between personal opinions and official endorsements when posting on social media or electronic communication channels. Avoid endorsing products, services, or organizations without proper authorization from the VERSO Director. Disclaimers: Include disclaimers as necessary to clarify that opinions expressed on personal social media accounts do not represent the views of the program or organization. Monitoring and Compliance
Authorized personnel should regularly monitor official social media accounts and communication channels for compliance with these policies. Take appropriate action to address violations or inappropriate content.
Reporting Violations
Violations of these policies should be reports to VERSO Director as soon as they are found. Violations of these policies may result in disciplinary action, up to and including revocation of social media privileges or termination of employment/volunteer status.
The University has established a robust compliance reporting system made up of several reporting mechanisms. For more information on available reporting mechanisms, review the Whistleblower Policy: Reporting, Protections, & Non-Retaliation policy.
Health and Safety Policies Student employees are not eligible for benefits such as sick leave, overtime, holiday pay, vacation, or a retirement plan, but they are eligible for Worker’s Compensation under provisions of Vermont law. Worker’s Compensation covers expenses for medical care and certain benefits for loss of pay resulting from injuries or disabilities incurred while on the job. Supervisors should be contacted as soon as possiblein the event of any on-the-job injuries in order to allow for completion of the necessary forms. We strongly encourage a healthy work-life balance by setting reasonable expectations for workload and encouraging breaks and time off when needed. Burnout can negatively impact health and productivity, so it's important to prioritize self-care.
Your academic needs are priority, if you need to work less due to classwork or test, let your project lead know and take care of what you need to do.
At UVM we recognize that wellbeing looks different for everyone and that mental wellbeing is about much more than access to mental health care services. While CAPS plays an important role in supporting clinical mental health, there are many other resources on campus that also support student mental health and wellbeing. We encourage you to explore the wide variety of offerings available to support you and to help you support others.
If someone needs immediate medical or psychiatric attention
Call 911 (or UVM Police Services if on campus: 802-656-3473) Call 988 for mental health emergencies Campus Mental Health Resources
IF YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT YOURSELF OR SOMEONE ELSE
CAPS Consultation (on-call service available nights/weekends): 802-656-3340 CARE Report: anonymous reporting if you are concerned about someone in the UVM community and would like someone to check on them. You can also connect with the CARE Team by calling 802-656-3380 ALCOHOL, CANNABIS, TOBACCO AND OTHER DRUGS
Services and Programs Catamount Recovery Program BIPOC MENTAL HEALTH
Mosaic Center for Students of Color BIPOC Mental Health Resources GENDER AND HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS
Healthy Relationships and Sexuality Women and Gender Equity Center (WAGE) LGBTQ+ MENTAL HEALTH]
Prism Center Student Health Services Gender-Affirming Care SPIRITUALITY
Interfaith Center SELF-CARE AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Living Well programs Student Health behavioral health: sleep, stress management, tobacco cessation, substance use] UVM Mindfulness Campus Rec SEXUAL VIOLENCE SUPPORT AND ADVOCACY
Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Victim Support and Advocacy Supporting someone in crisis When helping someone in crisis or distress it can be hard to know what level of support they need. Take time to assess the situation by asking questions. Listening non-judgmentally and staying calm can assist you in getting to the most helpful response. Sometimes it requires calling 988 or 911. Sometimes all someone needs is someone to sit with while they are upset and to validate how they are feeling.
Employee Resources Co-Working Space @ Hills 129
As a part of ORCA you get access to a space for co-working sessions. This space is shared with the ARC Program https://www.uvm.edu/uvminnovations/arc so be respectful of the space and pick up when you are done. The space required card access which should be given to you at the beginning of your time in ORCA.
Location Hills Agricultural Sciences Building, Room 129 105 Carrigan Drive, Burlington, VT 05405
Scheduling There will also be an open/ closed sign for the door if you are having a private meeting, feel free to hang it on the door. If you are going to use the space please reserve it on Outlook. "Hills 129 - Coworking Space" is available in the Global Address List.
You can add the calendar to your Outlook Application by following the steps here: https://www.uvm.edu/it/kb/article/uvm-campus-calendars/#outlook-for-windows If you don't see the calendar, please make sure you're using the Global Address List and not the Offline Global Address List.
If you are just using Outlook on a web browsers:
Do to Add Calendar Select Add from a Directory From the drop down select your name Enter "Hills 129 - Coworking Space" and hit Add when you find it To schedule this resource, students will need to create an event on their calendar and invite [email protected] as an attendee. This will book the space.
Skip to content Navigation Menu VERSO-UVM ORCA
Type / to search Code Issues 3 Pull requests Discussions Actions Projects 1 Wiki Security Insights Settings Emergency Preparedness Plan
Kendall edited this page on Sep 3 · 2 revisions We must have an emergency preparedness plan in place to address various scenarios that may impact ORCA's operations or impact ORCA members. Everyone should familiarize themselves with this plan and know their roles and responsibilities.
Potential emergencies could include:
Cybersecurity Breaches: Unauthorized access to sensitive data, systems, or networks, resulting in data theft, manipulation, or disruption of services. Natural Disasters: Events such as earthquakes, floods, fires, or severe weather conditions that can cause physical damage to facilities, disrupt operations, or pose risks to everyone's safety. Infrastructure Failures: Critical failures in IT infrastructure, such as server outages, network disruptions, or hardware malfunctions, that impair the organizations's ability to conduct or deliver services. Physical Security Threats: Incidents involving violence, unauthorized access to campus premises, or threats to personal safety and security. Health Emergencies: Outbreaks of diseases, medical emergencies, or public health crises that require immediate action to safeguard employee well-being and ensure business continuity. If you encounter an emergency situation, follow these steps:
Assess the Situation: Remain calm and assess the severity of the emergency Alert Others: Notify nearby team members and evacuate the area if necessary Contact Authorities: Call campus security or emergency services as appropriate Provide Details: Provide clear and concise information about the emergency and your location Levels of Emergency TYPE 1 - A catastrophic emergency event involving complete loss services, or a physical the entire campus and surrounding community (Example: complete deletion of ORCA Organization on Github, flooding, major hurricane, etc.) TYPE 2 - A major emergency that impacts a sizable portion of ORCA, the campus and/or outside community (Examples: loss of a single repo, hacking of the social media account, potential data breach, active shooter, bomb threat, extended power outage, etc.) TYPE 3 - A one dimensional event that has a limited duration and impact to the campus community (Example: Closing of a building for safety reasons, important but not critical bug in a repo) Initiation of an Emergency Status Only authorized members, which is the VERSO Director and the Leads, should declare an emergency unless there is an immediate danger to someone's physical safety (ALSO REACH OUT TO CAMPUS SECURITY OR CALL 911 at that time). Anyone else should route emergencies through Leads. Because we are not a company with full-time employees, we will not have an on-call team. This will slow our responsiveness and require reaching out to team members to find who can help.
Remember, we only report it as an emergency if we can verify it is happening, if you cannot verify it please check with others before starting this process.
Reporting Member posts an @here post in the #emergency channel in slack with the following information: Date and Time: Record the date and time when the emergency is declared to establish a timeline of events. Type of Emergency: Clearly specify the type of emergency, such as cybersecurity breach, natural disaster, infrastructure failure, etc., to provide context for responders and stakeholders. Severity Level: Assess and communicate the severity level of the emergency, ranging from minor incidents to critical crises, to guide response efforts and resource allocation. Description of the Situation: Provide a detailed description of the emergency, including the cause, impact, and any relevant information about affected systems, personnel, or assets. Reporting Member starts a Time Line document (this is a Google Drive or Microsoft Onedrive doc that can be shared with others) to record actions taken and the time stamps of important events Reporting Member reaches out to the VERSO Director and determines who need to be contacted A Slack Huddle is started for people to join to troubleshoot the problem When a resolution is reached, a final @here in the emergency channel declaring the Emergency as resolves with the Date and Time and a Description of the solution that was executed. Add a custom footer