Category: Employee News

Staff vacation leave ‘Use It or Lose It’ date is Dec. 31

Staff Employees are reminded that there is a one-year, carry-over limit on accrued vacation time. The “use-it-or-lose-it” date is Dec. 31, 2024.

Employees cannot carry over beyond this date more than the number of annual vacation days for which they are currently eligible. If work or medical conditions prohibit the employee from taking their accrued vacation by Dec. 31, the chief administrator of that division can request an extension of one additional year. The chief administrator and the employee must make every effort to schedule and use the accrued vacation in the coming year as additional extensions will not be permitted.

Contact a Human Resources team member or call 210-431-3970 for more information.

Dr. Watts received Texas A&M School of Law Alumni Legacy Award

Dr. J. Harrison Watts, OLLU Professor of Business Administration, has received the Texas A&M School of Law Alumni Legacy Award for Outstanding Legal Masters Alumni. 

Given by the Texas A&M Law Alumni Board of Directors, the award recognizes outstanding law school alumni as well as their individual achievements, contributions to their professions, service to their communities, and loyalty to the law school.

“The Alumni Board of Directors is ecstatic to announce our well-deserving 2024 recipients,” said Derek McKee ’16, ’19, president of the Texas A&M Law Alumni Board of Directors. “It is one of our greatest honors to recognize our outstanding alumni for their incredible accomplishments, both in the practice of law and in our communities at large.”

Welcome new Director of Assessment and Accreditation

Please help us welcome our new Director of Assessment and Accreditation, Dr. Liliana Gutierrez to the OLLU community.

Dr. Gutierrez has a rich background in higher education, bringing 25 years of experience and expertise in institutions, administration, assessment, and accreditation. She has held positions at St. Philip’s College (SPC), The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). With a B.A. in English from California State University, Los Angeles, and both an M.Ed. and Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from UTSA, her research focuses on underrepresented and non-traditional students, particularly the influence of parents’ education on children’s aspirations. She also enjoys teaching as an adjunct faculty member in the Alamo Colleges District. Additionally, she serves as Vice-President for Student Parents Empowered, a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that student parents in Texas have the support and resources needed to succeed in post-secondary education. 

Outside of her professional life, Dr. Gutierrez has been married for 19 years and is a mother to two daughters, aged 17 and 11. She is dedicated to being a role model for her girls and enjoys family time, outdoor activities, and jewelry making.

Dr. Healy takes part in 50th anniversary celebration for APA Minority Fellowship Program

Dr. Deborah Healy, Professor of Psychology and Program Chair, recently took part in the 50th anniversary celebration of the American Psychological Association Minority Fellowship Program (MFP). The celebration took place Oct. 10 at the Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C.

The MFP is focused on training diverse professionals who are committed to serving communities of color. The MFP has led to a notable impact on the behavioral health field and the mental health outcomes and life experiences of marginalized communities across the nation and the world. Over the past 50 years, MFP has trained over 2,300 fellows. MFP alumni have gone on to make significant achievements in their professional careers. Several OLLU students have been MFP fellows.

‘Walk with a Counselor’ takes place on Fridays in October

October is ‘Exercise is Medicine on Campus Month.’ In recognition, Counseling and Wellness Services will be hosting ‘Walk with a Therapist-Mindful Movement’ for faculty and staff every Friday in October. Join Counseling and Wellness for a 30-minute walk, focusing on mindfulness practice as we move our bodies.

Meet at 1 p.m. at the entrance to Walter Student Service Building (Metz side) to start the walk. Please wear comfortable shoes.

New pharmacy care services manager for OLLU group medical participants

Effective Oct. 1, 2024, OLLU group medical participants have a new pharmacy care services manager that is administered by UMR.  Participants will receive new ID cards with the new Group number and new BIN information of the new pharmacy provider through UMR.  Below is important Optum RX prescription information group medical participants will need to provide to the pharmacy on or after Oct. 1, 2024.

Professor Friesenhahn’s poetry featured in “San Antonio Review”

Two poems written by Dr. Jacob Friesenhahn, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies, were published in “San Antonio Review,” Volume 7.1, Fall 2024. The poem “Bird Island” is about the island, formerly full of egrets, in Elmendorf Lake, next to the OLLU campus. The poem “two grackles” was awarded the Editor’s Pick for Poetry for the Fall 2024 issue of “San Antonio Review.” Links to both poems are below:

Two Grackles · San Antonio Review (Volume 7.1 | Fall 2024) (sareview.org)
Bird Island · San Antonio Review (Volume 7.1 | Fall 2024) (sareview.org)

Chartwells presents loyalty card for faculty and staff

Faculty and staff who purchase five lunch meals in the Saint’s Café can receive a sixth meal free through a new 2024 Loyalty Card program. The card is available in the Executive Vice President/Chief of Staff’s Office in Moye Hall, Room 110. Additional cards are available if you complete a card.

Several employees have asked if they can donate their free meal to a student once they have completed a card. Faculty and staff can donate the free meal either by giving their completed card to a student of their choice or by turning it into the Student Affairs Office in Moye Hall, Room 103.