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Wednesday, March 8, 2023
News for the staff and faculty of The University of Texas at Dallas
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Register To Serve as a Commencement Volunteer
Staff members are invited to sign up as volunteers for the Spring 2023 Commencement Ceremonies. Volunteers assist with guest management and customer service during the ceremonies. The shifts are:
Monday, May 15
- 8 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
- 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
- noon-3 p.m.
- 1-5 p.m.
Tuesday, May 16
- 8 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
- noon-3 p.m.
- 3-6 p.m.
Wednesday, May 17
The deadline to sign up to volunteer is Monday, May 1.
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Staff Council News
Staff Council General Meeting Set for March 8
The UT Dallas Staff Council will meet at 9 a.m., Wednesday, March 8, to discuss council and University initiatives. General meetings are open to staff, faculty and students. For meeting agendas, minutes and more information, visit the Staff Council website.
Nominate Colleagues for CARE Awards
The Staff Council CARE Awards, which stands for Celebrate Achievement, Reward Excellence, recognize staff who have demonstrated superior performance, offered outstanding customer service, and performed acts that have enhanced the image of the University. Nominations for spring 2023 CARE Awards are due by Friday, March 31. To find out more or nominate a staff member, visit the CARE Awards page.
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March Benefits Flash: Physician Exercise Referral Program
The Benefits Flash highlights benefits information to UT Dallas employees. It was started in response to employee feedback from the Climate and HR Forum Survey.
Learn about the latest topic — Physician Exercise Referral Program through the UT FLEX Healthcare Reimbursement Account — on the Benefits Flash site.
A new Benefits Flash topic will be featured each month during the HR Forum, in the HR Campus Connection Teams Channel and in Intercom. Recommend a topic by emailing benefits@utdallas.edu.
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Talent Development & Training News
Get To Know BRIGHT Leaders
The BRIGHT Leaders program offers opportunities to learn from UT Dallas executives and improve your skills.
At the next Getting to Know You presentations, learn about the leadership experiences of:
- Dr. Jessica Murphy, dean of undergraduate education, professor of literary studies, and Mary McDermott Cook Chair for Undergraduate Education, 1-2 p.m., Tuesday, March 21.
- Dr. Hasan Pirkul, dean of the Naveen Jindal School of Management, 2-3 p.m., Thursday, March 23.
- Dr. Yvette Pearson, vice president for diversity, equity, and inclusion, 2-3 p.m., Thursday, March 30.
Level Up Yours Skills Through Pathways
BRIGHT Leaders Pathways is a curated collection of courses designed to target development of specific leadership skills at various levels. Courses are virtual and on-demand, so participants can complete a pathway at their own pace. Complete all courses in a pathway and receive a digital certificate and badge.
Spring Book Club To Meet April 20
Join the Spring Book Club, led by Dr. Serenity Rose King, for a discussion on “How Higher-Ed Leaders Derail: A Survival Guide for Leaders,” from 3-4 p.m., Thursday, April 20. The club will focus on Chapter 3, “Micromanagement: Is It Uncurable,” and Chapter 4, “The Ignorance of Arrogance.”
Anyone at UTD is welcome to attend. However, the target audience for this session is assistant or associate vice presidents/provosts/deans, faculty department heads, all deans, members of the cabinet, and the executive leadership team. The first 40 people to register by Wednesday, March 22 and commit to attending the live session will receive a free book (a $65 value). Others can purchase a copy from Amazon or Academic Impressions.
For more information on trainings and resources, visit the BRIGHT Leaders website.
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Wellness News & Events
Self-Care Strategies and March EAP Newsletter
Self-care includes intentionally taking time to check in with yourself and purposely choosing to prioritize yourself, showing up for yourself, and making sure you are in a good enough place to take on your day-to-day life and the numerous different aspects of it.
Practicing self-care is known to enhance self-esteem, increase positive feelings, and create more joy and satisfaction. Deer Oaks EAP can help you learn to take the time to care for yourself — physically, mentally and emotionally.
See the March EAP Newsletter (pdf) for these top headlines:
- Online Seminar: Set Boundaries and Boost Your Well-Being. Available on-demand starting Tuesday, March 21.
- Self-Care Strategies for Today’s Busy Employees
- Jump Start Your Exercise Goals
- Coping with Financial Stress
Visit Deer Oaks EAP and enter utdallas for the username and password to access the online seminar.
Financial Wellness Webinars
5 Things To Do Now To Plan for Your Financial Wellness, 11 a.m., Tuesday, March 14 — Join VOYA for a 30-minute presentation of the five top things to do right now to get organized and gain control over your money. Stay on Zoom after the presentation for a 20-minute deep dive into the UT Retirement Programs. If you have financial questions or are ready to get started, schedule a one-on-one appointment at utsaver.timetap.com.
Taking Income from Your Retirement Plan,10 a.m., Friday, March 31 — Join Lincoln Financial Group to learn strategies for using your savings and how to help make it last. For more information, see the 2023 LFG-UT Financial Webinars flyer (pdf). Learn more about Lincoln and the UT Retirement Program at LincolnFinancial.com/UT.
Wellness Reminders
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas Fitness Program — New members can join the program and pay no enrollment fee in March. Members have access to a nationwide network of more than 10,000 participating facilities so they can exercise whether traveling, at home or at work.
Mobile Mammography, 8 a.m.- 3 p.m., Friday, March 10 — The UT Southwestern mobile mammography unit will visit the loading zone north of the Activity Center. Call 214-645-2560 or 866-277-0710 with your health insurance information to schedule an appointment. 3D scans will be available and most insurance plans will be accepted. CDC safety precautions will be followed.
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Expansion of DocuSign for Campus-Wide Use
In January 2021, the Office of Budget and Finance entered into a contract with DocuSign to facilitate the routing of electronic signature approvals. The program initially provided campus access to the software based on a nominal $2.25 per transaction cost.
The utilization of DocuSign has steadily grown and the pilot program made a significant contribution to the streamlining and automation of electronic signatures.
Effective March 1, we will discontinue the $2.25 per transaction charge, and access to routine DocuSign workflow will be made available to campus without a charge-back. Powerforms and other complex uses may require a departmental contribution. Utilization of the program will be limited to UT Dallas transactions and all users must request access to the software through Leigh Hausman at lhausman@utdallas.edu.
We anticipate having enough licensing capacity to address all campus needs and can re-evaluate our contract with DocuSign if necessary.
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Consumer Price Index
The latest issue of The Connection (pdf) takes a deep dive into the consumer price index and its individual components — as well as other key economic indicators such as exports and unemployment — to garner unique insights into the driving forces behind the more widely publicized economic statistics.
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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Earth Week: Register To Host Event, Participate in Earth Fair
Mark your calendar for Earth Week 2023 — April 14-22. For the 12th annual Earth Week, the Office of Sustainability and Office of Student Volunteerism are planning many events including Earth Fair, Garden Workshops and more. This year’s theme, “Make it Local, Make it Personal,” focuses on local application of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals to support environmental, social and economic components of sustainability.
UT Dallas departments can register to host an event during the week or a table at Earth Fair.
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Suicide Prevention Campus Walk, April 29
The Out of the Darkness Campus Walks are the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s (AFSP) signature student fundraising series, designed to engage youth and young adults in the fight to prevent suicide, a leading cause of death. UT Dallas will host its walk at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, April 29.
Register to participate or make a donation on the AFSP site; registration on site will begin at 8:30 a.m. The UT Dallas team hopes to raise at least $10,000 to benefit the AFSP, funding research, education, advocacy and support for those affected by suicide.
For more information, contact Kacey Sebeniecher at 972-883-4283 or studentwellness@utdallas.edu.
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Budget and Finance Professional Development Workshop
The Office of Budget and Finance invites you to attend its virtual Professional Development Workshop from 10 a.m. to noon, March 9-10.
On Thursday, certified etiquette expert Mariah Grumet will make a presentation on polishing your professional image. Next, Bryan Alexander of the Future Trends Forum will lead a discussion on the future of higher education. The Friday workshop will feature a special presentation by the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
For more information and to register, please visit the live training page. If you have additional questions, email CBOTraining@utdallas.edu.
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McDermott Library Events
Library Pop-Up: Resources for Staff, 11 a.m., Tuesday, March 14, Margaret McDermott Trellis Plaza — Stop by the library tent for a meet-n-treat, and learn how to access resources, use Overdrive, find books and other materials, and more. Bring your iPad, reader or laptop and staff will show you how to launch Overdrive, access The New York Times and LinkedIn Learning.
Library Resources: Staff Edition, 11 a.m.-noon, Thursday, March 16, MC 2.524 — The library is your starting place for books, DVDs, eBooks, eJournals, cameras, language learning, laptops, LinkedIn Learning, journals, magazines, music, newspapers, OverDrive, research databases, audio books, movie streaming, knowledgeable staff, and so much more. Join the library in exploration of these bountiful resources. Bring your tablet, reader or laptop. The library also has laptops you can use. Refreshments will be served.
Library Tour, 1-1:30 a.m., Tuesday, March 21 — Learn about the library resources and services that are offered, where to find them, the library’s history, and meet some of the library staff who can assist you on your academic journey at UT Dallas.
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Center for BrainHealth Event
Frontiers of BrainHealth: New Optimism in Alzheimer’s Treatments, noon-1 p.m., Friday, March 24, Center for BrainHealth (CBH) — Speaker will be Dr. Brendan Kelley, professor and clinical vice chair in the Department of Neurology at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Kelley specializes in the evaluation and study of neurological causes of impairment in memory and cognition. Lunch will be served.
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Center for Teaching and Learning Event
Catching Up with ChatGPT and Other AI Tools, 8:45-9:45 a.m., Thursday, March 9, Microsoft Teams — Join Dr. Carol Cirulli Lanham, assistant director of the Center for Teaching and Learning, and special guests to discuss this hot topic.
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Reminder
Help UTD Create an Accessible Environment
UT Dallas is committed to equal access and to providing an environment in which all individuals can fully access our services, programs, activities and facilities. Accessibility barriers are conditions or obstacles that limit or prevent use or access to physical and electronic spaces, services, or impede travel on campus.
To report accessibility barriers and make suggestions regarding campus accessibility, please use the Report an Accessibility Barrier form. (Choose option 3, Report an Accessibility Barrier and hit “Go” to access the form.)
Once a barrier report is received, the University’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) coordinator (or a member of their team) will review your submission and take appropriate steps to address the issue(s) identified in your report if possible. Suggestions also will be shared with the University’s Campus Accessibility Committee to further promote accessibility.
If you would like additional information or have further questions, please contact Heather Dragoo at ADACoordinator@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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