I’ll admit it: Sometimes I fantasize about calling in sick, chucking all my responsibilities and sleeping in, then trying to make a dent in my bedside pile of reading, or curling up on the couch and finally watching some of those DVDs I’ve been meaning to get around to.
Alas, the few times that I have actually been ill enough to miss work have never quite matched up to my idyllic dreams. The sickness gets in the way.
And so it was that I rolled up my sleeve a few weeks ago and got my annual flu shot. And now I’m feeling a little self-righteous: If I have to be here during flu season, by golly, I don’t want to have to do YOUR work, too, especially when you had the option of getting a free flu shot yourself.
So get on down to a flu shot clinic. Here’s the schedule.
And students, you’re not off the hook, either. Someone’s paying a lot of tuition for you to actually go to your classes. There’s a big student flu shot clinic tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Newcomb Hall Ballroom. Take advantage.
The end of an academic year seems to be a natural time to make a break from the University. Chances are, those who are retiring this year have probably already made their plans, but if retirement is a little further on the horizon for others of you, U.Va. Human Resources held a Retirement & Financial Planning Fair on April 24.
What good does that do you now? Well, they tapped some of the presentations, and they are now available on the University’s YouTube channel. Here are links to some of the most popular presentations:
If you have questions about retirement or other concerns, contact University Human Resources at AskHR@virginia.edu or 982-0123.
human resources news,
People | Tuesday, May 15th | By: Dan @11:40 am |
Michael Strine, U.Va.’s executive vice president and chief operating officer, has issued a statement on compensation in response to questions raised about the lowest-earning employees at the University.
A dispatch from our colleagues over at the Health System that could use some further exposure:
Whenever the call came – whether it was the middle of the night or during a family gathering – Julie Greis would respond. A certified sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) who worked in the University of Virginia Health System’s Emergency Department and lived in Lyndhurst, Greis was always at the ready to support sexual assault victims.
“She would just drop everything in the middle of a meal and go if she got a call,” says Darbi Sullivan, an Emergency Department technician. “She really loved helping people.”
After Greis passed away suddenly in March 2011, her family and friends wanted to find a way to carry on her work. “She always said that not many people knew what was going on with the SANE program,” says Ashley Greis, Julie’s daughter. To honor Julie Greis and raise money to support victims of sexual assault, the first Forever Remembering Our Girl (FROG) Fight for Justice 5K run/walk will be held at 8 a.m. Oct. 1 in Staunton’s Gypsy Hill Park. Proceeds will benefit SANE programs in Augusta County as well as other programs for sexual assault victims in the Shenandoah Valley.
Continue reading…
Community,
human resources news,
People | Wednesday, September 28th | By: Dan @1:16 pm |
Today is payday for many University employees, and some of you might be noticing a slight change in the usual numbers, likely a negative change.
That’s because you got a raise.
Huh?
The governor and General Assembly authorized a 5 percent salary increase for those who enrolled in the Virginia Retirement System before July 1, 2010. That was intended to offset a new 5 percent deduction from their checks to pay a pre-tax contribution to VRS.
In reality, it doesn’t quite offset the deduction. Say you made $1,000 before the raise/deduction. A 5 percent raise gives you $1,050. But a 5 percent deduction from that new amount is $52.50, which leaves you with a net of $997.50. (And the increase in base pay also leads to an increase in other tax deductions, too.)
You can learn more here.
human resources news | Friday, July 8th | By: Dan @11:46 am |
Remember that staff survey that President Sullivan asked Academic Division employees to take back in February?
Well, the results are in, and they will be presented to employees on Friday, June 24 at 10 a.m. in the South Lawn’s Nau Lecture Hall. There will be a detailed presentation, plus a Q&A session afterward.
Managers are being asked to give employees the flexibility to attend. For those who cannot be there, the presentation will be streamed online and archived for later viewing. UVA Today will also cover the proceedings.
In an invitation to employees, Sullivan wrote: “One of the primary reasons for undertaking this survey was to help me and my colleagues better understand the Academic Division as a workplace and the satisfaction level of its employees. I was encouraged by our staff’s commitment to the University as expressed in the survey responses and comments. I share your pride in the University and your desire to address areas that need improvement. I look forward to hearing more from you on June 24 and thereafter as we celebrate our strengths, attend to our weaknesses, and keep moving the University forward.”
human resources news,
News,
On Grounds | Wednesday, June 15th | By: Dan @3:36 pm |
The snowy photo accompanying today’s UVA Today story on which employees must work during weather emergencies made me shiver.
In that spirit, though, the Boston Globe’s fabulous “Big Picture” blog today delivered 37 pictures of snow scenes from around the world, including the photo above of a fogbound tree in a snow-covered field near Bern, Switzerland. (And yes, they are all from this year.)
You can check out the other 36 photos here.
President Sullivan kicked off the flu shot season at the University on Monday by absorbing the first dose of vaccine. (Not quite as glamorous as throwing out the first ball of the baseball season, but leadership has its responsibilities.)
You can find the complete employee flu shot schedule here. It’s FREE for employees, and your colleagues will thank you for not bringing those nasty flu germs into the workplace. Now roll up those sleeves …
(Photo by Jane Haley)
human resources news,
President Sullivan | Monday, October 11th | By: Dan @4:07 pm |
Presenting everything the Human Resources does at the University — from hiring to training to evaluating to compensating and a thousand other things in between — in a clear, concise format is quite a challenge. The latest attempt comes with today’s launch of the new HR website, which seems to be quite an improvement. Check it out; a good place to start is to click on the “HR for You” tab on the top navigation bar.
human resources news | Monday, May 10th | By: Dan @11:59 am |
At a time when salaries are flat, expense are rising and furloughs are looming, here’s a piece of financial good news for U.Va. faculty and staff: Your son or daughter is eligible to apply for a Faculty/Staff Scholarship.
Start now — the deadline is March 31! You can download a PDF of the application by clicking here.
human resources news,
On Grounds | Wednesday, March 10th | By: Dan @1:37 pm |
Given rising tuition and flat salaries, it can be hard for U.Va. faculty and staff members to figure out how to send their kids to the school where they work.
There is help available, however, in the form of the Faculty and Staff Scholarships, available for sons and daughters of U.Va. faculty and staff — either currently enrolled or incoming — who will be attending U.Va. in the 2010-11 academic year. Preference will be given to those with financial need.
The deadline is March 31. To apply, download the application here. You must also have completed the dreaded FAFSA form and the University’s own aid application.
Questions? E-mail faid@virginia.edu.
admission,
Community,
human resources news,
On Grounds | Thursday, March 4th | By: Dan @2:56 pm |
The Times-Dispatch reports that the governor has made his announcement. According to the linked pdf of the budget-cutting plan, U.Va. will again escape layoffs, but take an 8 percent hit in its state appropriation, representing about $19.25 million. It is not clear exactly how the one-day furlough will be implemented at U.Va., but it is targeted for the Friday before Memorial Day.
Statewide, there will be 593 layoffs.
I’m sure the University will have more to say about how the cuts are implemented here once the budget folks get a good look at the plan.
UPDATE (9/9/09, 9:26 a.m.): Never try to cover complex financial information on deadline. Per Colette Sheehey’s clarification in a comment below, the $19.25 million figure — which is in the governor’s plan — would have represented a 15 percent cut in the University’s appropriation. However, the governor softened the blow by moving federal stimulus funds that had been targeted for the next fiscal year into the current fiscal year, making the net cut about 8 percent.
More information about how the University plans to sustain the cuts will be forthcoming.
human resources news,
News | Tuesday, September 8th | By: Dan @3:19 pm |
If some University employees seem a little tense today, it may be because of goings-on in Richmond.
Gov. Kaine is set to announce today the latest measures to trim the state budget, this time to the tune of about $1.5 billion. Already, the Richmond Times-Dispatch is reporting that most state employees will be required to take one unpaid day off. However, the report provided precious few details — one day off per week? Per month? Just once? And how does it apply to higher ed?
Stay tuned.
human resources news,
News,
politics | Tuesday, September 8th | By: Dan @8:47 am |
I remember a slogan often heard when I was growing up: “Earn Your Right to Gripe! Vote!”
While the selection of the University’s new president will not be put to a vote, that doesn’t mean you won’t have any opportunity for input. University Rector John O. “Dubby” Wynne, twho chairs the search committee, has announced a series of public forums to allow faculty, staff, students and alumni to offer their two cents’ worth.
The schedule:
- Forum primarily for students: Aug. 25, 10 a.m.-noon, Newcomb Hall ballroom.
- Forum primarily for staff: Aug. 25, 3:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m., Zehmer Hall auditorium.
- Forum primarily for Health System personnel: Sept. 1, 7:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m., McLeod Hall auditorium.
- Forum primarily for faculty: Sept. 1, 4 p.m.-6 p.m., Newcomb Hall ballroom.
- Forum primarily for alumni: Sept. 12, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Alumni Hall ballroom. (Co-hosted with Alumni Association.)
- Forum primarily for the College at Wise: Sept. 29. (Time and location to be announced.
If you can’t make any of those meetings, there are still two options. One, you can send your comments by e-mail to presidentsearch@virginia.edu or you can access an online form for your comments on the Presidential search Web site.
Well, unless you have to. But if you have an existing “telework” agreement, Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine is encouraging you to work from home on Monday, Aug. 3, which he has designated “Telework Day” in Virginia. U.Va.’s Human Resources offers an enthusiastic second to the governor’s proclamation.
If you’re going to dress like this guy —>, make sure you unplug the webcam!
If you don’t have a telework arrangement, here are the guidelines for setting one up.
human resources news | Monday, July 20th | By: Dan @10:58 am |
