Month: December 2020

Fall hybrid graduation held Saturday

OLLU recognized spring, summer and fall 2020 graduates Saturday during a hybrid commencement ceremony. Commencement speaker Sister Pearl Ceasar, CDP, superior general of the Congregation of Divine Providence, addressed graduates via live stream as they waited in their cars to receive their degrees. As their families looked on, graduates exited their vehicles in front of Main Building to have their degrees conferred and to take a photo with President Diane E. Melby.

To view a recording of the event and to see a list of graduates, please visit www.ollusa.edu/graduation.

OLLU community donates more than 300 toys to Elf Louise Project

Since 1969, Elf Louise and her volunteers have delivered Christmas gifts to more than 1.5 million children.

As part of OLLU’s 125th anniversary year and to commemorate the 85th annual Candlelight celebration, a goal was set to collect at least 125 toys for the Elf Louise Project. With more than 300 toys donated, the goal was met and surpassed.

Louise Locker, the founder of the project and an OLLU alumna, was recognized during the Candlelight ceremony on Dec. 5 commemorating her 50-year anniversary as Elf Louise.

Toys were delivered to the Elf Louise Project on Dec. 8.

Childcare scholarship opportunity available through United Way

OLLU students are eligible to apply for the United Way’s Childcare Scholarship Award. The award application opens Jan. 1, 2021. Recipients of the award receive funds to partially cover childcare costs while attending school fulltime or attending part time and working part time.

For more information about the award, or to apply after Jan. 1, visit https://www.unitedwaysatx.org/childcare/ .

OLLU Certification Officer Belinda Granados is a trained referral agent for the program. Contact her at bagranados@ollusa.edu for assistance with the award application.

Reminder: Employee payroll changes for the holidays

Bi-weekly employees will be paid on Dec. 23 for the pay period Dec. 5-18.

Due to the Christmas holiday schedule, the deadline for biweekly employees to enter their time for the Dec. 23 pay date will be on Dec. 20 by 11:59 p.m.

The deadline for supervisors to review and approve time for the pay period ending Dec. 18 will be moved to 10 a.m. on Dec. 21. This will allow the Payroll Office to complete the last biweekly payroll for 2020 in a timely manner.

Monthly employees also will be paid on Dec. 23. Payroll changes and adjustments for monthly employees for December were due on Dec. 10. No additional changes for the December payroll for monthly paid employees will be processed at this point.

Purchase order and credit card payment deadlines

Due to the upcoming holidays, any payments that need to be processed for December must be submitted by Dec. 15.  Any purchase orders received after this date AND requesting payment by Dec. 18, 2020, must receive special approval by Courtney Nevill, controller, or Amanda Castro, director of accounting and reporting.

Purchase Orders for payment of university credit card bills must be submitted to Accounts Payable by Dec. 15 to avoid late charges and/or finance charges. Card holders will be responsible for late fees and finance charges if submitted after Dec. 15.

Results from OLLU United Way campaign

The following are highlights from the OLLU 2020 United Way Campaign:

  • 49% of OLLU’s employees contributed to the campaign (194 of 397 employees)
  • $27,071.88 was raised (down slightly from 2019 – $27,591.76)
  • $139.55 was the average amount donated (up from $93 in 2019, $88 in 2018 and $59 in 2017)
  • 72 who participated contributed $100 or more
  • 19 employees contributed at the Leadership Donor Level of $500 or higher
  • 14 employees contributed at the Emerging Leadership Donor Level of $250 or higher
  • 200 Literacy Kits (valued at $8 each) were prepared by OLLU employees during our Oct. 19 on-campus service project and donated to Urban Strategies Pre-K and elementary-aged students

The following OLLU divisions and departments participated at 75% or higher:

  • Student Affairs (92%)
  • Communication Sciences and Disorders (83%)
  • Marketing and Communications (89%)
  • Undergraduate Admissions (77%)

In The News

Here are media reports from the past week that brought attention to OLLU:

On Dec. 13, a story on Victory Sports Network about the Saints men’s basketball team win over NCAA D1 Texas State University:

http://soccer.victorysportsnetwork.com/Clip/news/ollu-mens-basketball-stuns-ncaa-d1-texas-state-university-with-late-game-heroics.htm

On Dec. 12, a story on brobible, an online sports publication, about Saints men’s basketball team win over NCAA D1 Texas State University:

D-I Texas State Basketball Lost To Our Lady Of The Lake, An NAIA School With Less Than 2,000 Undergraduate Students

On Dec. 9, a story in the San Antonio Report in which OLLU Professor and City Councilwoman Dr. Adriana Rocha Garcia was interviewed about violence prevention initiative.

San Antonio takes public health approach to violence prevention