Category: Employee News

Save the Date for Convocation

Convocation is the official opening of the academic year for faculty and staff. This year’s Convocation will take place:
Tuesday, Aug. 13
10:30 a.m.-Noon
Mabee Gym, UWAC

During Convocation, President Abel Chávez, MBA, PhD, will share his plans and vision for the year. There also will be presentations by the Faculty Assembly, Staff Assembly and Student Government Association presidents.

This year’s Convocation will feature Rev. Dennis Holtschneider, CM, as keynote speaker. Father Holtschneider is the past president of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU) and served as president of DePaul University the nation’s largest Catholic university from 2004-2017. Father Holtschneider holds degrees in mathematics and theology, as well as a doctorate in higher education policy from Harvard University where he lectures on governance and strategy in higher education.

Benefits Fair and Open Enrollment set for Wednesday

A Staff and Administration Benefits Fair will be held on Wednesday in Main Building, Room 311 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

A Faculty Benefits Fair will be held on Wednesday, August 14 in Main Building, Room 311 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Annual benefits enrollment provides benefit-eligible employees the opportunity to start, change or end benefits, which become effective Oct. 1, 2024. The exception is medical and dependent care reimbursement plans, which begin Sept. 1, 2024.  

All eligible employees making changes must enroll online in order to change benefits. Current benefits will carry over. The exception is the Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), which require enrollment EACH year.

All full-time employees will be able to complete enrollment through Saints Connect/Employee Self-Service/Benefits. Employees wishing to make changes will need to adhere to the following deadlines.

  • Staff employee enrollment period (includes administration) begins Wednesday, July 24. Deadline to enroll is Aug. 7, by 11:59 p.m.
  • Faculty enrollment period begins Aug. 14. Deadline to enroll is Aug. 28 by 11:59 p.m. 

To access the Benefits Enrollment online:

  1. Log into Saints Connect
  2. Click on Employee Self-Service
  3. Click on Review Current Benefits
  4. Click on Benefit Enrollment
  5. Please print confirmation as this is your confirmation your enrollment is complete.

Professor Friesenhahn releases new book on spirituality

Jacob Friesenhahn, PhD, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies, has released a new book, “Introduction to Spirituality: A Contemporary Guide,” that explores the diverse philosophies and practices that shape modern spiritual life.

The textbook provides readers with a detailed look into the ways spirituality is woven into various aspects of life, addressing how individuals and communities interpret and integrate spiritual beliefs and rituals in a contemporary context. 

To buy the book: https://titles.cognella.com/introduction-to-spirituality-9798823307369

Save the date: Benefits Fair and Open Enrollment set for July 24

A Staff and Administration Benefits Fair will be held on Wednesday, July 24 in Main 311 A & B from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

A Faculty Benefits Fair will be held on Wednesday, August 14 in Main 311, A & B from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Annual benefits enrollment provides benefit-eligible employees the opportunity to start, change or end benefits, which become effective Oct. 1, 2024. The exception is medical and dependent care reimbursement plans, which begin Sept. 1, 2024.  

All eligible employees making changes must enroll online in order to change benefits. Current benefits will carry over. The exception is the Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), which require enrollment EACH year.

All full-time employees will be able to complete enrollment through Saints Connect/Employee Self-Service/Benefits. Employees wishing to make changes will need to adhere to the following deadlines.

  • Staff employee enrollment period (includes administration) begins Wednesday, July 24. Deadline to enroll is Aug. 6, by 11:59 p.m.
  • Faculty enrollment period begins Aug. 14. Deadline to enroll is Aug. 27 by 11:59 p.m. 

To access the Benefits Enrollment online:

  1. Log into Saints Connect
  2. Click on Employee Self-Service
  3. Click on Review Current Benefits
  4. Click on Benefit Enrollment
  5. Please print confirmation as this is your confirmation your enrollment is complete.

June Fitness Challenge starts today

A new fitness challenge for all staff and faculty begins today for the month of June. All employees are encouraged to challenge themselves and their coworkers with this fitness bingo challenge. 

For fitness challenge bingo rules, see the flyer below.

The winners will get special prizes and all participants will become more fit and healthy, which is the main prize!

As part of the fitness challenge, a Strength and Cardio Script will be offered on Monday from 5:15-6:15 p.m. in the UWAC aerobics room. An aqua aerobics class will be offered on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in the Multi Activities Recreation Center (MARC).

To sign up for the challenge, go to the link below:

https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=7XzkeHpiIkyB6GGeADMbGtSoBZzSAcJFp8d6HHhYJVpUN0hLQVFQTEtVTUI0RkpXQ0dCQzdFMlZCSC4u&origin=lprLink

For questions, write to kinesiology@ollusa.edu or abgarcia@ollusa.edu

Adelante Training and Development Conference a rousing success

The second annual Adelante Training and Development Conference, held May 22-23,  was a rousing success.

The theme for the conference – “The Difference You Make” – focused on the tremendous impact OLLU employees have had on our students.

Participants had a chance to hear Trellis Strategies representatives share on customer service while delivering great tools, examples, and interactions with the crowd in order to relate, inspire, and reflect on personal and interpersonal skills in customer service. OLLU staff, faculty, and Trellis volunteered as session speakers with professional development topics to share during the two day conference.

Staff Assembly would like to express its gratitude to OLLU President Abel Chávez, PhD, for his welcoming address, Vice-President of Mission and Ministry, Gloria Urrabazo, for her prayer to pause and focus on the theme, and Assistant Vice President of Administration, Mary Scotka, for her leadership in these preparations. Staff Assembly also thanks all of the speakers, participants, and Adelante committee team for supporting this conference and making this event so memorable!

Guadalupe Radio Network interviews Professor Zepeda 

Stephanie Zepeda, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychology at OLLU-Houston, delivered a strong interview recently on the Guadalupe Radio Network.

Questioned by host Wyatt Goolsby on the “Catholic Lunch Break,” Dr. Zepeda provided informative and insightful answers to a range of questions about her Catholic education and work as a marriage and family therapist.

To watch the interview: https://youtu.be/UmK5fOZuAWs?si=0FtM7fIyHiWfRibO

Professor Friesenhahn publishes poem, interviews with journal

Jacob Friesenhahn, PhD, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies, composed a poem, “agarita,” that was published in the May issue of The Bangalore Review. To view the poem: https://bangalorereview.com/2024/05/agar

Dr. Friesenhan also was recently interviewed by After Happy Hour Review, a journal of poetry. His poem “rut” was recently published by After Happy Hour Review in Contest Issue #3 (Spring 2024) on the theme of “Animals.” 

In the interview, Dr. Friesenhahn talks about his creative process, his pet peeve when it comes to poetry, and the connection between his writing of poetry and his teaching at Our Lady of the Lake University. A link to the interview is below.

Jacob Friesenhahn (afterhappyhourreview.com)