Category: Employee News

Every interaction is an opportunity to reflect on who we are as a university. To support OLLU’s priority of elevating our brand—both internally and externally—we’re introducing new and updated branded virtual backgrounds for the OLLU community.

These backgrounds, now available in our Brand Guide and Identity SharePoint site, are designed to create a consistent, professional, and recognizable OLLU presence across virtual meetings and external engagements. Whether you’re connecting with colleagues, students, partners, or prospective Saints, these visuals reinforce our shared identity and commitment to excellence.

As we continue to represent Our Lady of the Lake University in digital spaces, we encourage everyone using virtual backgrounds in Microsoft Teams to make the switch to the new branded options. Small changes like this help tell a unified story about who we are and strengthen the impact of our brand—one meeting at a time.

Download your backgrounds today and help us show up as OLLU, wherever we connect.

Cynthia Rocha has been appointed Acting Executive Director for Advancement at Our Lady of the Lake University, serving in this role through June 2026, while continuing her responsibilities as Director of Alumni Relations.

In this expanded capacity, Cynthia will provide leadership and continuity for Advancement initiatives, supporting alumni engagement, fundraising efforts, and donor relations aligned with the University’s mission. Her deep institutional knowledge, strong relationships with alumni and supporters, and proven leadership make her well-positioned to guide Advancement during this transitional period.

W‑2 forms for calendar year 2025 will be available digitally through Employee Self-Service via Saints Connect beginning Wednesday, January 28, 2026.

Digital W‑2s (Electronic Consent Given)

Employees who have previously provided electronic consent will be able to access and download their W‑2s directly from Employee Self-Service on January 28.

Please note: OLLU will not mail W‑2s to current employees who have given electronic consent. Employees must print their W‑2s from Employee Self-Service.

Mailed W‑2s (No Electronic Consent)

Employees who have not given electronic consent will receive their W‑2s via U.S. mail at the address on file with Human Resources.

• W‑2 forms were mailed and postmarked on Tuesday, January 27, 2026.
• W‑2s cannot be picked up in person by current or former employees.

Re‑Mail Requests

Payroll will begin processing requests to re‑mail W‑2s after February 6, 2026.

If you have not received your mailed W‑2 after that date, please email payroll@ollusa.edu.

Questions

For any questions regarding your W‑2, please contact the Payroll Office at:
payroll@ollusa.edu

How to Access Your W‑2 Online or Give Electronic Consent

Access to Employee Self-Service is available through the Saints Connect dashboard:

https://experience.elluciancloud.com/olotlu

Once logged in:

1. Go to the Employee Self-Service card.
2. Select Tax Info to view your W‑2 or update your consent preferences.

Faculty and staff are reminded to please RSVP by accepting the calendar invitation for the Special Announcement Celebration taking place on Thursday, January 22, from 12:30–1:30 p.m. on the second floor of the Sueltenfuss Library.

This special celebration will recognize an important milestone in support of Our Lady of the Lake University. Lunch will be provided, and we encourage all invited employees to attend.

If you have not yet responded, please be sure to accept the calendar invite to help us plan accordingly. We look forward to celebrating this exciting moment together as a campus community.

Due to the upcoming Christmas holiday schedule, hourly staff employees are reminded to:

• Enter any paid holidays for the pay period 12/13/25 – 12/26/25, in Self Service Time Entry.
• Need to submit timesheets for approval before leaving for the holiday break, no later than Friday, December 19, 2025.

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Supervisor Approval Deadline:

• All timesheets for this pay period must be approved by Monday, December 29, 2025, at 9:00 AM.
• Supervisors are encouraged to approve timecards before departing on December 19 to avoid delays.

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Important:

Any missed entries or approvals will result in payment being delayed until January 16, 2026.

Please contact Payroll for any questions.

The SECURE 2.0 Act Roth catch-up mandate goes into effect January 1,2026.

What is the “Roth catch-up” mandate

• The mandate originates from the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022. Under this law, catch-up contributions for older plan participants (e.g. 50+) — extra contributions beyond standard 401(k)/403(b)/457 deferral limits — may in certain cases have to go into Roth (after-tax) accounts rather than traditional pre-tax accounts.

• Specifically, the requirement applies when a participant’s “wages” (as defined for Social Security / FICA) from the prior year exceed a certain threshold, currently $150,000 (subject to inflation adjustments).

Recent announcement & timing (as of September 2025)

• On September 15, 2025, the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the IRS released final regulations implementing the catch-up contribution rules under SECURE 2.0, including the Roth-only requirement for eligible high-wage earners.

What changes for affected retirement-plan participants

• If you are 50 or older and eligible for catch-up contributions, and your prior-year wages exceeded the threshold (e.g., $150,000), then catch-up contributions in 2026 (or beyond) must go into a Roth account rather than a traditional pre-tax account.

• Employees making less than the threshold who wish to switch from deferring on a pre-tax basis to deferring on Roth basis, must make change on Transamerica Website.

Why the change — and what it means

• The shift is intended by lawmakers (via SECURE 2.0) to increase the share of retirement savings that are taxed upfront (Roth) rather than deferred — which can increase taxable revenue over time.

• For savers: this means paying tax now on your catch-up contributions — but qualified withdrawals in retirement (both contributions + earnings) will be tax-free under Roth rules (assuming the standard Roth-withdrawal rules are met).

Employees are encouraged to review their retirement strategy and consult a financial or tax advisor if they have questions about how this change may affect them.

As we approach the end of the calendar year, please take note of two important updates regarding vacation time and payroll processing.

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Annual Vacation “Use-It-or-Lose-It” Deadline – December 31

All employees are reminded that the annual deadline to use accrued vacation time is December 31. Employees may not carry over more than the number of annual vacation days for which they are currently eligible.

If work demands or medical circumstances prevent you from using your accrued vacation time before the deadline, your division’s chief administrator may request a one-time, one-year extension. Please keep in mind:

• Extensions may only be granted once and cannot be renewed.
• The chief administrator and employee must work together to ensure all extended vacation time is used within the following year.

For questions regarding vacation balances or policy, contact Human Resources at 210-431-3970.

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Payroll Reminders for Thanksgiving Week

To ensure timely and accurate payroll processing, please review the following:

For Full-Time Biweekly Employees:

• Enter holiday hours for November 26, 27, and 28 on your timesheet before the Thanksgiving break.
• If you plan to take vacation on Monday, November 24 or Tuesday, November 25, submit your vacation request prior to the break.

For Supervisors:

• Approve all leave requests for biweekly employees by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, November 28.
• Review and approve all timecards no later than 12:00 p.m. on Monday, December 1.

Thank you for your cooperation in helping us maintain smooth year-end operations and timely payroll processing.

Payroll Department

The Information Technology Services (ITS) team invites all university Dialpad users to attend a series of virtual open meeting sessions designed to help you make the most of your Dialpad experience.

These sessions offer an informal, hands-on opportunity to ask questions, explore features, and receive one-on-one support directly from our Dialpad technical expert. Whether you’re wondering how to configure your account, manage your voicemail, or optimize call settings, this is your time to ask those “How do I…?” questions and get immediate answers.

The sessions are three consecutive Thursdays, from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m., beginning October 16, 2025. If needed, ITS will extend the sessions beyond the initial three weeks to ensure all user questions are addressed.

We encourage all Dialpad users—faculty and staff—to join, learn new tips, and strengthen your confidence in using this essential communication tool.

**Recording a voicemail greeting is now a required step for all employees and must be done by October 31.

Session Dates:

• Thursday, October 16, 2025
• Thursday, October 23, 2025
• Thursday, October 30, 2025

Time: 11-12 p.m.
Location: Virtual (join using the link below)

For questions about the sessions, please contact ITS Support.