Single-use plastic water bottles are yesterday’s news. They’re expensive, they produce tons of plastic waste that ends up in landfills, and the manufacture and distribution of all those bottles produces huge carbon emissions. It’s also not really safe to reuse them.

At Simmons, we just made filling up your reusable bottle even easier. Across campus, you’ll find new sensor-activated hydration stations. Just open your bottle, line it up, and fill it with safe, local tap water that’s been named the best tasting in the country.

You’ll find hydration stations in:

• MCB (1st floor, East and West)
• Lefavour (Meyers Café)
• Library (1st and 2nd floors)
• Park Science Center (near S183)
• School of Management (2nd floor)
• Palace Road (2nd floor)
• Sports Center (locker rooms, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd floors, and pool deck)
• Dix Hall (1st floor)

Not only will the hydration stations reduce waste on campus and save you money, they’ll also allow us to monitor the success of this effort. We’re working on a feature atgreen.simmons.edu that will track how many single-use bottles we’ve saved and our contribution to reducing emissions.

If you have questions or comments about this, or any other sustainability initiative, please contact Sara Smith (sara.smith@simmons.edu) in Buildings & Grounds at 617-521-2244.

As a new semester begins, we want to ensure that faculty are aware of the support resources provided by Simmons Technology for teaching and learning.

Classroom Technology

• Service Desk – Technicians are available during normal business hours to answer questions and provide on-site classroom tech support. Call x2222 from on-campus.
• Online – You can access classroom overviews, including equipment lists and photos, for almost every space on campus.
• Training – If you would like to schedule a private tutorial or get help in a particular classroom, please contact Scott Tougas (tougas@simmons.edu, 617-521-2751), Senior AV & Media Services Engineer.

Simmons Moodle

• Training – Schedule a 1:1 training with Drew Mirque, Senior Application Support Specialist.
• Online – You can access Moodle FAQs and how-to articleson the Service Desk site and from within Moodle on the course home page under “Course Set Up Help.”
• Email – For any other Moodle questions or requests, please contact moodle@simmons.edu.

In December, Interim Chief Mel Batten-Mickens and Deputy Chief Vito Scotti attended a Boston Police Foundation event for local businesses and nonprofits.

At the gathering, they met Boston Police Commissioner William B. Evans, Superintendent Lisa R. Holmes, and several BPD officials who provided an overview of community policing efforts, including expansion of the bike patrol and K-9 program.

The event presented a fantastic opportunity to share information about the Simmons College Police Department as they continue to build relationships and develop community outreach opportunities.