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Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023
News for the staff and faculty of The University of Texas at Dallas
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Notice of Title IX Policy, Resources
The University of Texas at Dallas is committed to maintaining a learning and working environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based on sex in accordance with federal and state laws, including Title IX of the Higher Education Amendments of 1972. The University’s Sexual Misconduct Policy prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, which includes discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.
UT Dallas also prohibits retaliation against any person opposing discrimination or participating in any discrimination investigation or complaint process internal or external to the institution. Sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating and domestic violence, and stalking are forms of sex discrimination, which are prohibited under Title IX and by UT Dallas policy.
To report prohibited conduct, complete the secure online form on the Title IX website, or contact:
Marco Mendoza
Title IX Coordinator
Institutional Compliance, Equity, and Title IX Initiatives
TitleIXCoordinator@utdallas.edu
972-883-5202
SPN 2.720
Crimes should be reported to the UT Dallas Police Department by calling 972-883-2222 or dial 911 in an emergency.
A person may also file a complaint with the appropriate federal, state, or local agency within the time frame required by law. Depending upon the nature of the complaint, the appropriate agency may be the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Office for Civil Rights (OCR) of the U.S. Department of Education, or the Texas Workforce Commission, Civil Rights Division.
Confidential Resources and Support
Pursuant to Texas Education Code, Subchapter E-2, an employee of a postsecondary educational institution who, in the course and scope of employment, witnesses or receives information regarding the occurrence of an incident that the employee thinks constitutes sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking and is alleged to have been committed by or against a person who was a student enrolled at or an employee of the institution at the time of the incident shall promptly report the incident to the institution’s Title IX coordinator. UT Dallas policy extends this reporting requirement to resident life directors and advisors, and graduate teaching assistants.
Students and employees may share information confidentially with licensed counselors and health care professionals at the Student Counseling Center, Student Health Center, and Employee Assistance Program (EAP). The Title IX Resources webpage lists additional resources for counseling, health care, survivor advocacy, legal assistance and other survivor services.
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Comet bowlers knocked down the competition, earning Team UTD’s first gold medal in the 2023 Corporate Challenge
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Wellness Events & News
Support Team UTD at Corporate Challenge
It’s been a great start to the 2023 Corporate Challenge. There’s still time to register for events. Download the event schedule and UT Dallas team sign-up sheet (pdf), and email your completed form to CorporateChallenge@utdallas.edu.
Participants are still needed in the following events:
- Softball: Three females
- Punt, Pass & Kick: One female
- Disc Golf: Three participants
Call for Volunteers
Each organization is responsible for helping with registration at one event during the challenge. UT Dallas has been asked to provide three volunteers for the three pickleball registration sessions in the UT Dallas Activity Center gym. To volunteer, please sign up to volunteer for one of the following shifts:
- Friday, Oct. 6, 6 to 8:30 p.m.
- Saturday, Oct. 7, 8 to 11 a.m.
- Sunday, Oct. 8, noon to 4 p.m.
Vote for Team UTD T-shirt Design
Support Team UTD from the convenience of your phone or computer by casting your votes in the T-shirt design contest.
Raffle Tickets
Corporate Challenge raffle tickets are available for $5. Each ticket buys you a chance to win a variety of prizes; all sales benefit Special Olympics Texas. Purchase tickets at the Office of Human Resources (AD 3.418) Tuesdays through Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call 972-883-2072 for more information.
If you are unable to participate but would like to help with the fundraising efforts, donate to help Team UTD reach its goal of raising $1,000 for Special Olympics.
Wondr Health Fall Session
Wondr, a free, 100% digital weight loss program, teaches participants skills through weekly master classes. The program starts Monday, Sept. 25. Space is limited and the application deadline is Sunday, Sept. 10.
Visit Wondr to apply and view eligibility information. Download the Wondr flyer (pdf) for more information.
VOYA Financial Webinar
Where Did My Money Go? 1 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 12 —
Learn about healthy spending and saving habits and how they are a significant part of improving your overall financial wellness. Register for the webinar to receive the link to the webinar and save the time on your calendar. Stay after the presentation for a 20-minute dive into the UT Retirement programs. You also can schedule a 1-on-1 appointment with a financial professional.
Free Flu Shots
Flu Shot Clinics (pdf) for faculty, staff and retirees will be held Oct. 5-6 on main campus, and Oct. 6 at the Center for BrainHealth and Callier Center Dallas. Flu shots are free to employees with or without accepted insurance. Vitamin B12 shots will be offered for additional fees (not covered by insurance) and TDaP (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccines will be available at Callier Center Dallas only. Registration is required.
Sign up for a flu shot and get the necessary consent form. Bring the following items to your preferred location:
- Your filled-out consent form.
- Your Comet Card.
- A photocopy of your driver’s license or state-issued ID.
- A photocopy of your insurance card.
Thursday, Oct. 5
- 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. — Facilities Management Training Room (FM 1.502)
Friday, Oct. 6
Practice Gratitude and September EAP Newsletter
Practicing gratitude is easy, and the results can change your life. Simply reflecting on what you’re grateful for turns your outlook toward the good and away from the bad. Deer Oaks EAP can provide tips to help you adopt gratitude as a keystone habit.
The top headlines in this month’s EAP Newsletter (pdf) are:
- On-Demand Seminar: The Gratitude Habit — Gratitude offers extensive benefits of well-being, including increased optimism, reduced stress and anxiety, and other positive outcomes. This session will cover how to build a gratitude habit into your daily lives. Available on-demand starting Tuesday, Sept. 19.
- Make Gratitude a Life-Changing Habit
- National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
- Parents: Make Time for You
- Affirmations for Parents
Visit Deer Oaks EAP and enter utdallas for the username and password to access the online seminar.
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HR Forum Scheduled for Sept. 6
The Office of Human Resources will host its next HR Forum from 10 to 11:30 a.m., Wednesday, Sept. 6, as a Microsoft Teams live event. 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.
Please refer to the agenda:
- Welcome
- Guest presentations
- ImpactUTD platform
- Connecting with OIT
- Benefits Flash: Living Well/Limeade demo
- HR Updates
- Benefits reminders
- Wellness events
- Revised employment process
- Staff compensation study
- HR Open House
- BRIGHT Leaders program
- Forum feedback survey responses
- Q&A and closing comments
Join the HR Forum and share this link with your colleagues. If you have questions for the HR Forum, send them to hrforum@utdallas.edu.
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Redesigned Provost Site Includes New Features for Faculty
The Office of the Provost and University Web Services launched a new Office of the Provost website earlier this week. It leads off with a special message from Dr. Inga Musselman, vice president for academic affairs and provost, and has a whole new look with photos, graphics, news and other features. But for longtime regular visitors among the faculty and staff, the information they need is designed to be organized and easy to find. There also is a robust section for faculty, with pages on awards, onboarding, resources and the Faculty Mentoring Program.
Feedback is welcome. Simply email Rick Vacek, communications manager for the Office of the Provost.
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Understanding Migration Patterns in Dallas-Fort Worth
The latest edition of the Connection explores what IRS migration data can reveal about the flow of people within the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Read Understanding Migration Patterns (pdf) to learn about the origins of our newest residents.
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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Office of Research and Innovation Events
Richardson Rotary Club @ the IQ, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 5 p.m., Richardson Innovation Quarter Headquarters (IQ HQ) — Prominent researchers will showcase their science and centers located at the IQ. A light dinner will be served. Presentations begin at 5:30 p.m. For more information, email Arietha Lafayette.
Research Days: UT Dallas Research and Innovation Showcase, 8 a.m. to noon, Wednesday, Sept. 27, IQ HQ — White Rock Coffee Company and UT Dallas researchers Dr. Ronald Smaldone and Dr. Christina Thompson will present “The Chemistry of Coffee.” Gary Cocke, UT Dallas director of sustainability, will provide an overview of sustainability in agriculture and discuss the benefits of composting. White Rock Coffee Company will serve complimentary specialty drinks, pour-overs and espresso. J’s Donuts will provide doughnuts. After the presentation, you may explore the facility to learn more about UTD research and innovation. Register to attend Research Days.
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Center for BrainHealth Events
Frontiers of BrainHealth – Enhancing Brain Health with Functional MRI: Insights and Lessons, noon to 1 p.m., Friday, Sept. 8, Center for BrainHealth — In this talk, Dr. Monroe Turner, computational neuroscientist at the Center for BrainHealth, explores what functional magnetic resonance imaging reveals about brain health, exploring the use of the blood-oxygen-level-dependent signal to map blood oxygen levels within the brain, as well as future opportunities to predict brain health trajectories for both healthy individuals and those with brain disease. Lunch will be served. Register for Frontiers of BrainHealth.
BrainHealth Presents – Senior Moments and Brain Health: Rise and Resilience, 7 to 8:15 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 21 — Meet Dr. Jeff Cummings and Dr. Kate Zhong, the husband-and-wife team of brain health advocates that is exploring the neuroscience tools that support dignified aging, brain health, and development of new therapies for Alzheimer’s disease. Cummings is an expert in neurodegenerative diseases. Zhong is a geriatric psychiatrist and pharmacologist. Register for virtual BrainHealth Presents or register for in-person BrainHealth Presents.
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Center for Teaching and Learning Events
CTL Coffee Hour, 9 to 10 a.m., Tuesdays, CTL Conference Room (MC 2.404) — Faculty, staff and teaching assistants are invited to talk about teaching or anything else on their minds or grab some coffee. CTL will give away coffee mugs while supplies last.
CTL Office Hours: Tech Tools to Enhance Teaching, 4 to 5 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 7, Microsoft Teams — Dr. Carol Cirulli Lanham, CTL assistant director, will showcase ways you can use the latest tech tools to save time and foster a more engaging and collaborative classroom experience for students. Faculty, staff and graduates are encouraged to share their insights, tips and experiences for making the most of technology. Attend CTL Office Hours.
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Reminders
UT FLEX Deadlines
Employees with remaining balances in the UT FLEX Plan have the following deadlines to incur and submit expenses for Plan Year 2022-2023. Any amounts you do not use throughout the plan year (and during the grace period for health-related expenses) will be forfeited.
Health Care Reimbursement Account (for medically necessary health care expenses, including dental and vision related expenses) — The last day to incur HCRA expenses for active employees is Nov. 15. The last day to file claims is Nov. 30 after the end of the plan year. Terminating or retiring employees will have until the last day of the month in which employment ends (unless continuing their UT FLEX account through COBRA).
Dependent Day Care Reimbursement Account (for dependent daycare expenses for dependent children under age 13) — The last day to incur DCRA expenses is Aug. 31. The last day to file claims is Nov. 30, after the end of the plan year.
For more details about UT FLEX, please visit the UT System Office of Employee Benefits website.
Secure Act 2.0 Changes Delayed by the Internal Revenue Service
The IRS recently announced an administrative transition period for new Roth catch-up contribution requirements. Catch-up retirement contributions (i.e., age 50 catch-up) will continue to be available pre-tax for those earning more than $145,000 until January 2026.
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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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