Fiscal Year 2017 Employee Holiday Schedule Announced

The employee holiday schedule for fiscal year 2017 is now available on the Human Resources website.

In fiscal year 2017, state agencies and universities will observe 13 holidays. The number varies from year to year, depending on how many traditionally observed holidays fall on weekends.

For questions regarding the UT Dallas holiday schedule, please refer to the holiday policy or e-mail [email protected].

Sign Up to Volunteer for Commencement Ceremonies

Sign Up to Volunteer for Commencement Ceremonies
Staff members interested in volunteering at the Spring 2016 commencement ceremonies on May 12-14 are invited to sign up by Friday, April 29. Volunteers will be contacted regarding scheduling after signing up.

Available shifts include:

  • Thursday, May 12 — 3-6 p.m.
  • Friday, May 13 — 7:30 a.m.-noon; noon-6.p.m.; and all day (7:30 a.m.-6 p.m.)
  • Saturday, May 14 — 7:30 a.m.-noon; noon-2:30 p.m.; or all day (7:30 a.m.- 2:30 p.m.)

New Training Management System Added to Galaxy

The offices of Human Resources and Information Technology are using a new tool that streamlines registration for training courses.

With the Learning and Education Organizer (LEO) on the Galaxy self-service portal, employees can find available courses, enroll, and manage and view their own training. LEO also allows employees to add external professional development courses to their training record, review the training they’ve taken and evaluate courses.

Currently, 20 departments conduct training and maintain their own records. LEO will be a one-stop shop for their employee training records and registrations. Training opportunities from these departments will be added to LEO in the near future.

Please visit Galaxy for links to LEO and instructions, which can be found under “My Galaxy Training.”

Attend Innovation, Technology Summit on May 18

Innovation and Technology Summit
The Office of Information Technology (OIT) will host its inaugural Innovation & Technology Summit from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 18, in the Clark Center.

The summit will include keynote speakers Jim Stikeleather, chief innovation officer for Dell, and Matthew Hirst, senior director of learning and talent management for GameStop; a panel of technology experts; and 18 breakout sessions. Vendors also will display products and services and raffle off prizes. Experts will be on hand to answer questions on topics ranging from green IT practices to patents.

Registration is now open. There are a limited number of free registrations for faculty, staff, and students — a $129 value. The discount will be applied in the Marketplace cart.

For more information, call 972-883-6678 or email Helen Roth.

Join Zagster, Get $15 in Bike Rides for Free

For a limited time, students, faculty and staff who join the Zagster bike-sharing program will receive $15 worth of rides for free. Use promo code COMETS15 for the offer.

Zagster’s annual membership is $15, and rides cost $1 per hour, with a maximum charge of $8 for any 24-hour rental. Bikes can be found at five Zagster locations around campus.

Drop Off Personal Electronics at E-Waste Roundup

Recycle your outdated electronics at the Earth Week E-Waste Roundup on Thursday, April 21. Items can be dropped off from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the collection station at Lot Q and the northeast corner of the Naveen Jindal School of Management.

Bring only personal electronic items. The roundup will not accept UT Dallas electronic property, which should be collected by the University’s Surplus team. This event is part of UT Dallas’ annual Earth Week celebration, which runs April 18-22.

Learn the Benefits of Managing Chronic Health Conditions

The Human Resources Employee Benefits team will host a Condition Management lunch-and-learn with guest presenter Diana Gonzales of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas. The event will be from noon to 1 p.m. on Monday, April 18, in Student Union Galaxy Rooms A and B (SU 2.602). Attendees will learn the benefits of managing chronic health conditions and how to join the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Condition Management program.

The Condition Management program is available to benefits-eligible employees and their covered family members for conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, depression, congestive heart failure, lower back pain, coronary artery disease and diabetes.

Registration is required to attend and reserve a lunch. Prize drawings will take place at the end of the event. For questions, email [email protected].

Reminders

April 1: Last Day to Submit Ideas for Increasing Student Success
If you have an idea about how to boost students’ academic success on campus, UT Dallas wants to hear it. The Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) Topic Selection Committee is gathering suggestions from the campus groups and the community on ways to improve student learning. Visit qep.utdallas.edu to submit your ideas by 5 p.m. on Friday, April 1.

Benefits Enrollment Opening for New Hires, Newly Eligible Workers
Beginning Friday, April 1, new hires and newly benefits-eligible employees will complete benefits enrollment online through My UT Benefits. Enrollment must occur within 31 days of the hire date or benefits-eligible effective date, and employees will be notified via email of their deadline. Employees are encouraged to meet with a Benefits Administrator for assistance. Managers are encouraged to remind new hires and newly benefits-eligible employees to enroll online within the 31-day deadline. More information is available in the benefits section of the Human Resources website.

Speak to Representatives, Test New Devices at Vendor Expo
Procurement Management will host a Vendor Expo from noon to 2 p.m. on Friday, April 8 in the Visitor Center and University Bookstore Atrium. Staff and faculty will be able to speak with representatives from 50 vendors — including scientific suppliers and technology companies — about purchasing opportunities. There will be prizes and giveaways.

Financial Wellness Fair Set for April 4
UT Dallas faculty and staff are invited to attend a Financial Wellness Fair, hosted by the Office of Human Resources. The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, April 4, in the Student Union Galaxy Rooms (SU 2.602). There will be retirement planning and financial education presentations throughout the day, as well as games and refreshments. Registration is recommended for the presentations, although it is not required to attend the fair.

Employees Invited to Monthly Weight Loss Support Group
Employee wellness manager Deborah Hamlin will host a Weight Loss Support Group from noon to 1 p.m. the first Friday of each month in McDermott Library (MC 4.2). The first meeting will be on Friday, April 1. This group is for anyone on a weight loss journey who would like the support of a group. Please remember to bring your lunch.

Register for CERT Spring Training
The Environmental Health and Safety Office of Emergency Management is seeking volunteers to join the Campus Emergency Response Team (CERT), a trained group of faculty, staff and student volunteers that assists UT Dallas in the event of a disaster or crisis. CERT members must complete a three-week course. The spring course will be from 6:30 to 9 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday beginning April 12. The final meeting will be a mock disaster drill from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 30. To register, please email [email protected].

Free Exercise Class for Staff, Faculty at Noon Today
The UT Dallas Wellness Committee will host a Butts & Guts group exercise class from noon to 1 p.m. today in Galaxy Room A (SU 2.602A). The class is open to all faculty and staff. Registration is not required.

Golf Tournament to Benefit Scholarship Funds
The 23rd Annual UT Dallas Scholarship Golf Tournament is set for Friday, April 29, at Firewheel Golf Park in Garland. Visit the tournament website or call the Office of Administration at 972-883-2213 to get more information, register or make a donation. In preparation for the event, The Practice Tee invites students, faculty and staff to UT Dallas Day from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 7.

Free Self-Defense Classes
The UT Dallas Police Department continues its two-day Rape Aggression Defense classes for women and Resisting Aggression with Defense classes for men this semester. The next class for men is May 6-7. The next classes for women are April 8-9 and June 10-11. For more information, email Sgt. Kendra Penny at [email protected].

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