Annual Benefits Enrollment Ends Monday

My UT Benefits

The annual benefits enrollment period ends Monday, July 31. You can:

  • Make changes to your benefits.
  • Enroll or re-enroll in UT FLEX (employees only; enrollment does not automatically renew).
  • Add or remove dependents from your coverage plan.

Highlights for Plan Year 2017-18
There are no changes to out-of-pocket premiums for the UT SELECT Medical plan for 2017-2018. More information and resources are available on the UT Dallas Benefits website.

Enrollment Email
Log in to MyUTBenefits and follow the on-screen instructions to make your selections. You will receive an email confirming your changes in approximately 24 hours. If you don’t receive the confirmation email, contact UT Dallas Office of Human Resources – Benefits Services at [email protected]. Enrollment must be completed before midnight at the end of Monday.

Life-Event Changes
If you experienced a life-event change (i.e. marriage, divorce, birth of a child, etc.), were newly hired or will become newly eligible for benefits between July 1 and Aug. 31, read the information online and contact a Benefits Administrator to complete your enrollment.

For assistance or more information, contact the UT Dallas Office of Human Resources – Benefits Services staff at [email protected].

Jindal School's Ford to Retire after 42 Years at UT Dallas

Dr. David L. Ford Jr.
Jindal School of Management Dean Dr. Hasan Pirkul (left) presents a gift to Dr. David L. Ford Jr. at his recent retirement celebration.

Dr. David L. Ford Jr., professor of organizations, strategy and international management in the Naveen Jindal School of Management, will retire Aug. 31 after 42 years of service to the University.

Ford came to UT Dallas in July 1975 as an associate professor of management and administrative sciences. He served in that position until September 1983, when he was promoted to his current role.

His academic career includes varied research interests, such as global team leadership and cross-cultural aspects of stress and coping. His awards and achievements include induction into the PhD Project Hall of Fame and being named a Minority Business Leader Awards honoree by the Dallas Business Journal, among numerous others. Read More

Parking Permit Payroll Deduction Deadline Is Aug. 23

The deadline to use payroll deduction to purchase your parking permits for Fiscal Year 2018 is Wednesday, Aug. 23. This option is only available online to UT Dallas employees who do not have a student classification (e.g. RAs, TAs, and temporary employees are not eligible). Deductions are pre-tax and are paid over a nine-month period, starting with your Oct. 1, 2017, paycheck.

After the Aug. 23 deadline, you may still purchase a permit online or in person at the PS3 Parking Office (PS3 1.200). For more information or assistance with permit purchases, call Parking and Transportation at 972-883-2344, or email [email protected].

Check Out New Employee Resource Groups at Signing Day

Want to connect with other employees? Join one of UT Dallas’ new employee resource groups at a “signing day” event from noon to 2 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 17, in the Visitor Center and University Bookstore Atrium.

The Office of Diversity and Community Engagement created a process this year for faculty and staff members to form employee resource groups, or ERGs, to network with employees with similar interests and needs. The groups are open to all employees. Five groups have formed so far:

  • The Military and Veteran ERG
  • Black Faculty and Staff Resource Group
  • Latino Faculty and Staff Association
  • QuTD, which serves faculty and staff who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and allies
  • UT Dallas Young Professionals

Register here to attend. For more information, contact Rosie Peterson at 972-883-4560 or [email protected].

Volunteers Needed to Welcome Students on Aug. 21-22

The Office of Administration is seeking staff and faculty to volunteer at the annual Student Welcome on the first days of the fall semester — Aug. 21-22. Volunteers will be stationed around campus to interact with students, hand out giveaways and answer questions. To volunteer, email [email protected] or call 972-883-2213 by Tuesday, Aug. 15.

Comet Cruiser Route Changes in Effect

This week, the McCallum Express route became the 883 West McCallum/Meandering route, with service times increasing to every 20 minutes Monday through Friday and every 30 minutes on Saturdays. Please carefully review the route maps and schedules to make your transportation plans for the upcoming fall semester.

For more information, contact the Transportation Office at 972-883-7777 or [email protected].

Alumni Center to Host Free Wedding Expo on Aug. 6

UT Dallas is hosting a free wedding expo in the Davidson-Gundy Alumni Center from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 6. Attendees can meet with caterers, event planners, florists, DJs and photographers who represent more than 30 area businesses. Equipped to host occasions large and small, the center offers more than 30,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space.

The event is free, but registration is required to attend. Contact John Kyle at 972-883-5393 for additional details.

Summer Pop-Up Library Series

The Eugene McDermott Library supports a series of summer pop-up sessions. Catch the following upcoming events:

  • ”Newspapers and Business Journals” Wednesday, July 26, at 11 a.m. (JSOM Atrium)
  • “CogNet Library” Wednesday, July 26, at 2 p.m. (MC 2.524)
  • “Resources for Texana Research” Thursday, July 27, noon (Library Lobby)

Check out the library’s events schedule for more information.

Reminders

Register for Corporate Challenge
Registration for the 2017 Richardson Corporate Challenge is open. This annual, Olympic-style competition brings local companies and organizations together to raise money for Special Olympics Texas and engage in friendly competition. The challenge runs from Friday, Aug. 11, to Thursday, Oct. 12, with a wide range of events, including tennis, kickball, bowling and darts.
Download the event schedule and UT Dallas team sign-up sheet, and email the completed form to [email protected]. Also, this year’s Opening Ceremony and Great Walk will be from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 11, at Galatyn Plaza (2351 Performance Drive, Richardson).

For updates and more information, visit the UT Dallas Corporate Challenge webpage.

New Workers’ Compensation Team
The Department of Environmental Health and Safety has a new workers’ compensation team. David Liner, Courtney Shaw and Annette Rogers will be handling workers’ compensation claims for the University, and are available to meet with departments to provide training and answer questions. For more information, visit the workers’ compensation webpage, reach out to the team individually, or email [email protected].

Booster Fueling Service Offers Summer Special
Booster Fuels is offering a summer special. The first 1,000 people to use the promo code SUMMERLOVING will receive $5 off their first two fill-ups. For more information about the fueling service, visit the Parking and Transportation site.

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 important information necessary for the workplace, as well as community news that supports the University's mission. Guidelines about content and submissions can be found here or contact Stephen Fontenot at [email protected] or ext. 4405.