Category: Employee News

OLLU’s Phon-a-thon, which raises money for the Lake Fund and student scholarships, begins today and will run through Oct. 3.

OLLU students will be calling alumni and other donors to ask for their continued support. Donors received a recorded phone call from President Sister Jane Ann Slater over the weekend. She thanked donors for their past support and asked them to answer the phone when they see the call coming in from OLLU students.

Phon-a-thon takes place in the fall and spring semesters. Last year, Phon-a-thon raised $75,000 for the Lake Fund and student scholarships. The goal this year is $100,000. The Lake Fund is OLLU’s annual giving campaign that sustains and strengthens every facet of education and year-to-year growth at our university. Gifts to the Lake Fund are used to support services that directly impact the quality of a student’s overall academic and personal experience. Gifts to the Lake Fund can be designated to scholarships, academic programs, student life, athletics, technology and the library.

To donate, visit www.ollusa.edu/LakeFund.

The Accounting Office will close the University’s general ledger for the fiscal year on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2013. The process will begin at 7 a.m. and will take approximately two hours. Staff members are asked not to log on to Colleague during this time. A notice will be sent when the process is complete.

The attached listing includes the names and years of service of all of the employees, who Human Resources records show as being eligible to receive a Service Award Plaque during Spirit Day at the Mass of the Holy Spirit on Sept. 19.

Employees must have completed full-time service in increments of five years beginning with 10 years and continuing in 2013 to be eligible to receive a Service Award.

Staff or faculty members, who thinks they are eligible for a service award, but do not see their name on the list, should contact Human Resources as soon as possible by emailing hrteam@lake.ollusa.edu.

To view the Service Award recipient list, click here.

Click here to download and complete the 2013 Service Award Information form. Return the form to Human Resources by the end of the day today.

Re-enroll, change or end benefits by the deadline

The annual employee benefits fair will take place on Wednesday from 9 a.m.-noon and 1-3 p.m. in Providence Hall, West Social Room.

Annual benefits re-enrollment provides employees the opportunity to start, change, or end benefits, which are effective Oct. 1, 2013, with the exception of medical and dependent reimbursement plans, which begin Sept. 1, 2013.

All employees are required to complete a 2013-2014 enrollment form by the deadline listed below if making any plan changes, or if enrolling in medical or dependent reimbursement plans. Enrollment forms will be distributed at the first benefits fair. Any forms not picked up will be placed in the Walter Center mailboxes. Forms will not be accepted after the deadline.

Monthly paid employee deadline is Sept. 5, 2013.

According to University policy, employees can only carry past Aug. 31 the amount of vacation they are eligible to accrue in a year’s time. After this “use-it-or-lose-it date,” employees will lose any accrued vacation time that exceeds the carryover limit. Accrued vacation hours are available on the myOLLU portal.

Our Lady of the Lake University’s Human Resources Department has placed viable 403(b) information on the myOLLU Portal Human Resources page in an effort to help employees make well-informed decisions about investing for their retirement. Federal regulations require the Human Resources Department to provide specific plan and investment information on an annual basis that includes detailed information about investment options and expenses associated with those investments.

No action is required at this time; however, the information is being provided as required. (NOTE: Although employees may not participate with all of the investment providers listed below, information is being made available on the myOLLU Portal so that employees may review the information relevant to the plan(s) in which they are currently enrolled).

For information regarding specific 403 (b) funds, rollover options or other matters, use the following contact information:

TIAA-CREF Retirement
800-842-2776
www.tiaa-cref.org

DWS Scudder Investments
800-537-1036
www.dws-investments.com

American Funds
800-421-9900
www.americanfunds.com

The 2013 OLLU Service-Learning Faculty Fellows participated in an intensive, weeklong training about the service-learning pedagogy and then worked all summer with the Center for Service-Learning and Volunteerism (CSLV) to redesign one of their courses to integrate an experiential learning component. Faculty can contact Jennifer Bendele at jbendele@lake.ollusa.edu for more information about how to incorporate service-learning in their classes.

Photo: Front row (left to right): Jennifer Bendele (CSLV director), Maria Tobin (religious studies),George Williams (education).

Back row (left to right): Nikki Nino (service-learning coordinator), Ronald Crowe (finance), Shelly McGee (mathematics), and Kathryn Anderson (psychology).

This year’s University Convocation for faculty and staff is tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. in Thiry Auditorium. Convocation will kick off OLLU’s 2013-2014 academic year and will include staff, faculty and members of the Board of Trustees. Its focus will include the State of the University, Strategic Plan and a celebration of the OLLU community. Lunch will be provided following Convocation at noon in Chapel Auditorium.

Those who are unable to attend should notify J. Oliveira at mjoliveira@lake.ollusa.edu.