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Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023
News for the staff and faculty of The University of Texas at Dallas
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Complete Annual Compliance Education by March 3
All employees must complete Annual Compliance Education to ensure awareness of pertinent University policies and state and federal laws. The deadline to complete assigned education modules is Friday, March 3.
Instructions:
- To access the assigned modules, log in to the KnowBe4 platform or;
- On Galaxy, you will find a link to Compliance & Security Education, allowing you to log into the KnowBe4 platform.
- Complete all education modules assigned to you.
- For the best experience, please use the Firefox internet browser.
For confirmation of FERPA/HIPAA module completion, refer to the User Resource Access Lookup tool. Faculty and staff will need to be either connected to the VPN or on campus to access the lookup tool.
For more information or assistance, contact the Office of Institutional Compliance, Equity, and Title IX Initiatives at compliance@utdallas.edu or 972-883-2233.
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Mark Your Calendars for March 1 HR Forum
The Office of Human Resources will host its next HR Forum from 10-11:30 a.m., Wednesday, March 1, as a Microsoft Teams live event. Please install Microsoft Teams prior to joining. If you need assistance, contact the Help Desk. Unlike a traditional Teams meeting, you are not able to “dial in” to a live event. Audio will stream from your computer. Please ensure your speakers are on or use a headset connected to your device. Closed captioning is available, and there will be a moderated Q&A forum. If you have questions for the HR Forum, send them to hrforum@utdallas.edu.
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Employee Wellness News
Humor, Laughter Strengthen Relationships, February EAP Newsletter
Humor and laughter work to reduce stress, ease pain and lift your mood. Positive humor also draws people together and strengthens the bonds in relationships. Positive humor can help friends and couples work through conflicts. Sharing laughter and funny moments together builds intimacy and strengthens feelings of connection.
Deer Oaks EAP is available 24/7/365 and can help you learn to appreciate humor and be humorous in ways that strengthen your relationships and build stronger bonds.
See this month’s EAP Newsletter for these top headlines:
- Online seminar: “Tackling Loneliness” — Learn practical steps on how to overcome loneliness and build better connection with others. Available on demand starting Feb. 21.
- Humor and Laughter Strengthen Relationships
- Bad Food Habits at Work? Get Back on Track in 5 Steps
- Opening Up Appropriately
Visit Deer Oaks EAP and enter utdallas for the username and password to access the online seminar.
Wellness Events
Cardiovascular Screenings (pdf), 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Feb. 9-10, HR Live Oak Conference Room (AD 3.418Q) — Cardiovascular screenings can help identify potential risk that could lead to a stroke or heart attack. Screening includes carotid ultrasound (screens for plaque in the carotid arteries to detect and help prevent strokes and duplex ultrasound of extremities (screens for narrowing or blockage in the lower extremities). Screening is covered with no out-of-pocket cost for employees on the UTD insurance plan. Email catheyc@premiercorporatewellness.com to schedule your appointment.
UT System Heart Walk (pdf), 10 a.m., Friday, Feb. 10 — Join the 10-minute UT System-wide walk for heart health on campus or wherever you are. Walkers participating on campus will meet at the south entrance of the Administration Building. You are encouraged to wear red and share photos using #utheartwalk on social media. Email your pictures and videos to EmployeeWellness@utdallas.edu to receive the 2023 heart pin.
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Common Economic Data Sources
The latest issue of The Connection explores some of the most reputable data sources used by local economic developers to learn more about their communities and plan for future trends.
For more information on how UT Dallas and our local economy affect each other, please contact the F&ED Economic Development team. You also can subscribe to biweekly updates with the latest analysis and news from the Economic Development team.
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Steven Lee, deputy director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, will speak about the Mars mission on Monday, Feb. 20.
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Center for BrainHealth Events
Frontiers of BrainHealth: Promoting Recovery in People With Chronic PTSD, Stroke or Spinal Cord Injury, noon-1 p.m., Friday, Feb. 17, Center for BrainHealth (CBH) — Dr. Michael Kilgard, interim executive director and chief science officer at Texas Biomedical Device Center, will talk about ongoing studies that show vagus nerve stimulation can enhance recovery in neurological injury, including spinal cord injury, ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, traumatic brain injury, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Lunch will be served at the in-person event.
BrainHealth Week – Perseverance, Curiosity and Mindfulness: Lessons from NASA’s Mars Mission, 3:15 p.m., Monday, Feb. 20 — During the live-streamed talk, Steven Lee (pictured above), deputy director at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, will discuss the Mars mission and how our curious brain loves exploration. Lee will focus on the Perseverance Rover experience — his thinking process and some of the challenges operating it during the Mars mission. There also will be a sound immersion experience with a member of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s Youth Musicians and a sneak peek of a new children’s mindfulness podcast from KERA. See the the full BrainHealth Week lineup.
BrainHealth Presents: Path to Healthier Brains, 7-8 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 23 — Dr. Tom Insel — neuroscientist, psychiatrist, former director of the National Institute of Mental Health and author — will offer a different path to mental health. His talk will include concepts from his book Healing: Our Path From Mental Illness to Mental Health, which expands the approach from a narrow medical model to a recovery model based upon the three P’s (people, place and purpose. Attend Path to Healthier Brains in person or RSVP for the virtual presentation.
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Center for Vital Longevity Events
Dallas Aging & Cognition Conference, Feb. 25-27, the HALL Arts Hotel in Dallas — Registration is open for CVL’s Dallas Aging & Cognition Conference.
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ASPIRE2 Invites Faculty to Interactive Theater Performance
Faculty are invited to attend Lunch & Learn: An Inside Look at Faculty Hiring — a performance of the Florida International University Advance Women, Equity & Diversity (AWED) Theater, on Friday, Feb. 17, as part of the NSF ADVANCE ASPIRE2 grant.
The group will present two interactive performances — “The Search” and “On the Line” — which represent real-life situations faced by academics and aid participants in exploring micro-inequities and unconscious biases that are seen in academic units, with special attention to faculty search and promotion deliberations.
FIU AWED Theater has performed its research-based programs nationally for a variety of colleges, universities and organizations.
Admission is free but requires an RSVP by Friday, Feb. 10, for a boxed lunch. For more information, email aspire2@utdallas.edu.
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Green Zone Training for Faculty, Staff
The Green Zone program, presented by the Military and Veteran Center, is designed to establish a network of University staff and faculty who shape a military-friendly campus culture. The next Green Zone class is a two-part series from 10 a.m. to noon, Tuesday, Feb. 28, and Thursday, March 2, in SSA 14.245. Both sessions are required to earn the Green Zone designation.
Training topics include military terminology and culture, transition challenges for student veterans, classroom considerations, and campus and community resources.
For more information, email veterans@utdallas.edu or call 972-883-4916.
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Center for Teaching and Learning Event
Writing a Teaching Philosophy Statement through Culturally Relevant and Linguistically Inclusive Values & Beliefs, noon-2 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 8, virtual — You are invited to a free talk facilitated by the Branch Alliance for Educator Diversity and presented by Dr. Alyssa Cavazos, UT System Academy of Distinguished Teachers. In this writing workshop, participants will self-reflect on their values and beliefs about teaching and learning in relation to culturally relevant and linguistically inclusive pedagogies. Ultimately, they will write a revised teaching philosophy statement that encompasses culturally relevant and linguistically inclusive values aligned to specific instructional choices, assignments and activities in the classroom.
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Research Events
NSF GOALI Webinar, 3-4 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 16 — During this panel discussion, NSF Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI) awardees will share best practices for proposal submission including the importance of coupling research objectives with both educational and industrial needs. Forging a strong pre- and post-award relationship and ongoing collaborations between researchers and industry partners will be highlighted. Bring your questions for the panelists to this interactive webinar. For more information, email Tiffany Willoughby.
Hanover Career Development Mid-Stage Webinar, noon-1 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 21 — During this webinar, Hanover Research will walk you through federal and foundation programs well-suited to mid-career researchers. How to be more competitive and the importance of diversification in grant seeking also will be discussed. For more information, email Tiffany Willoughby.
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Reminders
Community Appreciation Day Rescheduled for Feb. 18
You are invited to Community Appreciation Day at 1 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 18, in the UT Dallas Visitor Center and University Bookstore (VCB). Cheer on our Comet basketball teams as they take on Hardin-Simmons University. Enjoy a complimentary lunch and special presentation between the women’s and men’s games around 2:30 p.m. Make a reservation today.
Sign Up for Comets Giving Days
Help UT Dallas make the 7th annual Comets Giving Days the best yet. Mark your calendars for April 19-20 and join the Comet community for another 1,969 minutes of Comets Giving Days.
All groups — new and old — that are interested in fundraising and/or learning about Comets Giving Days are encouraged to sign up. Group info sessions will begin the week of Feb. 20; those who sign up will be notified with the times and locations.
To be eligible to fundraise on Comets Giving Days, groups must have a working gift cost center. For more information, email Brennae Wright.
Annual Performance Appraisals Are Due May 31
The annual performance appraisal process has begun. On the week of Feb. 6, the Office of Human Resources will send supervisors a list of all employees requiring a performance appraisal for calendar year 2022.
Supervisors can access the new ePerformance Appraisal portal for all staff positions on Gemini. There are templates for probationary, annual and temporary performance appraisals. Instructions on how to access, complete, submit and review forms are on the Human Resources website.
Appraisals for faculty will continue to be submitted via Box accounts. HR will set up the account and provide access to the appropriate person(s). Appraisals for graduate students (RA/TA/GA) will continue to be managed through the Office of Graduate Education.
The deadline to submit appraisals is May 31. For more information, email appraisals@utdallas.edu.
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About this Newsletter
Intercom is the official University-wide newsletter for UT Dallas faculty and staff members. This periodic publication is designed to provide University employees with valuable information necessary for the workplace, as well as community news that supports the University’s mission. Visit the Intercom website for guidelines about content and submissions.
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