Category: Employee News

Nominations sought for annual Staff and Faculty Awards

The award descriptions and full eligibility criteria are available on the submission forms below. The nomination forms are different for each of the five awards. Please refer to each one for the specific criteria.

Nomination forms are submitted electronically and must be received by Wednesday, March 27. Selected recipients will receive recognition and a monetary award during the Staff and Faculty Appreciation Awards Dinner on April 18 in Chapel Auditorium (more details to come).

Our Lady of the Lake University encourages the recognition of performance excellence and high achievement. Each year, a member of the OLLU staff and a member of the OLLU faculty are selected by a committee to receive the Sister Jane Ann Slater Leadership Award. The award recognizes individuals who have had a positive impact on the university by building unity and community through their generosity of spirit and heart, exceptional leadership, enthusiasm, respect, and optimism.

Eligibility:

  • All full-time and part-time staff and faculty members are eligible for this award.
  • Previous award winners are not eligible for nomination.
  • All OLLU community members (staff, faculty, students, trustees, and alumni) are welcome to submit nominations.
  • Nominees must be in good standing with the university.

One staff member will be selected for each of the four awards listed below: 

  • The Rosemary Saenz Award for Customer Service recognizes a person that has understood, throughout the past year, that the work of the University needs willing hands and is the type of person that you think of when you need help, even when it is outside of their department or area of expertise. They provide excellent customer service to all constituencies.
  • The Rosemary Saenz Award for Staff Excellence honors such individuals, whose work, this year, shines just a bit brighter and who serve as shining examples of how to reach even greater heights. In particular, he/she is conscientious in performing his or her duties and continually met or exceeded his or her goals. He/she is accountable to one another, as well as to the University as a whole. During the past year, the candidate has consistently exceeded the expectations of the position, performing at a level above and beyond the normal job requirements and expectations.
  • The Robert Davis Award for Service to Students is given to a staff member who has gone beyond the call of duty in service to the students. Robert “Bubba” Davis exemplified caring, dedication, and support for service to students at Our Lady of the Lake University at a level that goes beyond normal expectations. Robert would always find the time and made himself available to help a student whether it be to register the student for classes or answer questions about their degree program or graduation status or other concerns. Robert was a student advocate and mentor, and it was important to see a student be successful and graduate.
  • The Robert Davis Award for Community Building recognizes the importance of teamwork for OLLU, goals of customer satisfaction, and employee harmony. The award is given to a staff member who participates in community building across divisions and departments. This person should exemplify the spirit of thanksgiving for the contributions that every OLLU job makes toward the whole well being of the University. Robert “Bubba” Davis led several efforts in support for staff morale initiatives, which helped employees cross the threshold from being just an eight-to-five employee to really being part of the OLLU family. Through attitude and action, he thought that having fun and social support are important for a happy employee environment.

Eligibility:

  • OLLU staff employees must have completed three years of full-time or half-time employment, through March 1, to be eligible for consideration.
  • Only staff employees who are in good standing with the University will be eligible for consideration. The selection committee chair will verify that the employee is in good standing with the multiple departments in which staff have employee or business transactions.
  • Additionally, the employee should not have received a written warning, initiated through the Human Resources Office, during the recognition year.
  • Recipients of the Rose Mary Saenz Award or Robert Davis Award within the last three years are ineligible to receive any of the Rose Mary Saenz or Robert Davis Awards this year.

Interview Exchange switching to single sign-on today

OLLU will be switching Interview Exchange from a unique login to single sign-on (the same account used to log in to Saints Connect, Self-Service, etc.) today.

This change will be automatic, so after that date users who access Interview Exchange from the Employee Resources card in Saints Connect will sign in via their OLLU account.

All faculty and staff will be affected. No action needs to take place on the user’s end, except for those that have already been contacted about updating their email in the system.

Summer hours to start May 20

Summer hours will begin Monday, May 20, and continue through Friday, Aug. 9.

All full-time employees are expected to work 40 hours each week (or in alignment with your employment work agreement if you typically work less than 40 hours). Employees are required to take a minimum 30-minute unpaid lunch break on full days. 

Below is a non-exhaustive list of scheduling possibilities:

If you like to take a 30-minute lunch break on M-Th, some scheduling options might include: 

  • Monday-Thursday 7:30 a.m. 5 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. -12 p.m. (provided the office has other employee coverage until 5:30 p.m. M-Th)
  • Monday-Thursday 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. -12 p.m.
  • Monday-Thursday 8:30 a.m. – 6 p.m., Friday 8:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m.
  • Monday-Thursday 9 a.m. – 6:30 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. (provided the office has other employee coverage starting at 8:30 a.m.) 

If you like to take a 60-minute lunch break on M-Th, some scheduling options might include:

  • Monday-Thursday 7:30 a.m.- 5:30 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. -12 p.m.
  • Monday-Thursday 8 a.m. – 6 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. -12 p.m.
  • Monday-Thursday 8:30 a.m.- 6:30 p.m., Friday 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
  • Monday-Thursday 9 a.m. – 6:45 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. (provided the office has other employee coverage starting at 8:30am)

The various combinations of flexible schedules listed above are just some of the examples permitted, provided the office has staff employee coverage from 8:30am – 5:30 p.m. on Monday-Thursday and 8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. on Fridays. Department heads will provide final approval of each schedule, ensuring appropriate office coverage and the needs of the university are met. Additionally, some departments will not follow the summer schedule as necessary coverage is required for extended hours.

Holiday Weeks and Adjustments 

During weeks that have university holidays, the department’s daily office hours will remain the same all summer to help with consistency for our guests. However, since full-time employees are awarded up to 8 hours of holiday pay per holiday, employees and supervisors are expected to adjust an employee’s schedule for the week. This will help the employee still achieve the total number of hours for the week while still maintaining full office coverage for the remaining days open.

If a holiday falls on a Monday-Thursday, employees should work with their supervisor to add any potential hours to their work schedule that week since they will only be awarded up to 8 hours of holiday pay. While you can use any combination of flexible schedules, an example might be: Monday is an 8 hour holiday; Tuesday/Weds/Thurs 8 a.m. 5:45 p.m. with a 30-minute lunch equals 9¼ hours each day; Friday 8 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. equals 4¼ hours to total 40 hours for the week.

If a holiday falls on a Friday, then employees should work with their supervisor to adjust their work schedule that week since they will be awarded up to 8 hours of holiday pay instead of a half day. An example might be: Monday – Thursday 8:30am-5:30pm minus 1 hour lunch for 8 hours each day plus 8 hours for the Friday holiday to total 40 hours for the week. Summer holidays for 2024 include: Monday, May 27 (Memorial Day), Wednesday, June 19 (Juneteenth), and Thursday-Friday, July 4-5 (Independence Day).

Summer hour exceptions

The following departments are the exception to the Summer Hours Policy. They will be open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. during the summer. These hours could be extended, at the discretion of the division chief, to meet the needs of the department and student services.

  • Undergraduate Admissions Office
  • Graduate Admissions Office
  • Registrar’s Office
  • Financial Aid Office
  • Student Business Office

Other exceptions are Lake Days scheduled for the summer. Lake Days will continue as scheduled and offices associated with Lake Days will remain open after noon if those days fall on a Friday. The rest of the university offices will close as scheduled.

Planned Leave

All OLLU faculty and staff are asked to avoid scheduling planned leave between Monday, Aug. 12 and Wednesday, Sept. 4. A supervisor may extend the dates established by the university for individual offices and departments. Special circumstances which require leave during this time (a child’s wedding, taking your child to college) must be approved by the vice president or chief administrator of a division.

Tech Pantry open for faculty and staff on Thursday and Friday

Faculty and staff members may visit the Tech Pantry located in Worden School Building, Room 25 on Thursday from 9 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Faculty and staff are free to browse through the retired computers, monitors, printers, and other peripherals that can no longer be used on campus. These items will be given away in hopes that they will help those who may need tech items.

All items are tested, and working and are taken on an as-is basis. Returns will not be accepted. No service will be given on items that are taken. Items will be restocked each week. They will vary each day so keep checking in to see what items are available. If any Houston or RGV students, faculty, or staff are in San Antonio please feel free to visit as well.  Please come by and take a free computer.

CTE accepting nominations for Excellence in Teaching Awards

The Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) is accepting nominations for OLLU’s prestigious Excellence in Teaching awards. This is an opportunity to nominate a colleague who has demonstrated outstanding teaching, research, service, and innovation in the field of education. We have also included new CTE Awards for 2024.

The awards categories are as follows:

  • The Fleming Award
  • Moody Professorship
  • Excellence in Service-Learning Faculty Award
  • 1895 Commemorative Award for Faculty Excellence
  • The Agnes M. (Lehman) Gloyna Award for Technological Innovation in Teaching and Learning
  • Word on the Street Reserved Parking Spot Award
  • Part-Time Faculty Award for Creativity in Teaching
  • Funtastic 5-year Service Award
  • Team of the Year Award **new CTE award** (woohoo!)
    The Faculty Team of the Year Award recognizes a group of faculty members who have worked together to achieve outstanding results. (This could be a team of researchers who have published groundbreaking work, a team of faculty who have created a transformational learning environment, or a team of department chairs/administrators who have improved the efficiency and effectiveness of the faculty together).

To nominate a fellow faculty member for any of the awards, please fill out the Excellence Award Nomination Submission Form by March 11.

Adelante Staff Professional Development set for March 12

The Adelante Staff Professional Development Day will be held on Tuesday, March 12 at 1:30 p.m. in the Lake View Amenities Room. 

The three-hour mini retreat will explore opportunities of how we can bring our best self to work. The core of the session will involve active small group conversations between colleagues. It will be a time of respite and reflection and will leave you feeling physically, mentally, and spiritually nourished. Our time together this day will conclude with a special blessing by Sister Jane Ann Slater, CDP, PhD, OLLU President Emeritus.

Supervisors (with the approval of division/department leaders) are encouraged to determine how staff in their areas can best take advantage of this dedicated professional development/training day by planning and selecting relevant opportunities. 

To assist with these efforts, Staff Assembly is suggesting departments consider taking advantage of the Wellness Mini Retreat hosted by Gloria Urrabazo, Vice President for Mission and Ministry. If you are able to attend the Wellness Mini Retreat, please RSVP by Thursday, March 7 using the following link: https://forms.office.com/r/Vk0L1BbMg9

Please note: The university is not closed on March 12 and staff members must be present for their regular work schedules (unless on leave). Any professional development activities must be coordinated with supervisors and division leads. For more information, please contact SAC@ollusa.edu or your department’s Staff Assembly Representative.

Nominations sought for annual Staff and Faculty Awards

The award descriptions and full eligibility criteria are available on the submission forms below. The nomination forms are different for each of the five awards. Please refer to each one for the specific criteria.

Nomination forms are submitted electronically and must be received by Wednesday, March 27. Selected recipients will receive recognition and a monetary award during the Staff and Faculty Appreciation Awards Dinner on April 18 in Chapel Auditorium (more details to come).

Our Lady of the Lake University encourages the recognition of performance excellence and high achievement. Each year, a member of the OLLU staff and a member of the OLLU faculty are selected by a committee to receive the Sister Jane Ann Slater Leadership Award. The award recognizes individuals who have had a positive impact on the university by building unity and community through their generosity of spirit and heart, exceptional leadership, enthusiasm, respect, and optimism.

Eligibility:

  • All full-time and part-time staff and faculty members are eligible for this award.
  • Previous award winners are not eligible for nomination.
  • All OLLU community members (staff, faculty, students, trustees, and alumni) are welcome to submit nominations.
  • Nominees must be in good standing with the university.

One staff member will be selected for each of the four awards listed below: 

  • The Rosemary Saenz Award for Customer Service recognizes a person that has understood, throughout the past year, that the work of the University needs willing hands and is the type of person that you think of when you need help, even when it is outside of their department or area of expertise. They provide excellent customer service to all constituencies.
  • The Rosemary Saenz Award for Staff Excellence honors such individuals, whose work, this year, shines just a bit brighter and who serve as shining examples of how to reach even greater heights. In particular, he/she is conscientious in performing his or her duties and continually met or exceeded his or her goals. He/she is accountable to one another, as well as to the University as a whole. During the past year, the candidate has consistently exceeded the expectations of the position, performing at a level above and beyond the normal job requirements and expectations.
  • The Robert Davis Award for Service to Students is given to a staff member who has gone beyond the call of duty in service to the students. Robert “Bubba” Davis exemplified caring, dedication, and support for service to students at Our Lady of the Lake University at a level that goes beyond normal expectations. Robert would always find the time and made himself available to help a student whether it be to register the student for classes or answer questions about their degree program or graduation status or other concerns. Robert was a student advocate and mentor, and it was important to see a student be successful and graduate.
  • The Robert Davis Award for Community Building recognizes the importance of teamwork for OLLU, goals of customer satisfaction, and employee harmony. The award is given to a staff member who participates in community building across divisions and departments. This person should exemplify the spirit of thanksgiving for the contributions that every OLLU job makes toward the whole well being of the University. Robert “Bubba” Davis led several efforts in support for staff morale initiatives, which helped employees cross the threshold from being just an eight-to-five employee to really being part of the OLLU family. Through attitude and action, he thought that having fun and social support are important for a happy employee environment.

Eligibility:

  • OLLU staff employees must have completed three years of full-time or half-time employment, through March 1, to be eligible for consideration.
  • Only staff employees who are in good standing with the University will be eligible for consideration. The selection committee chair will verify that the employee is in good standing with the multiple departments in which staff have employee or business transactions.
  • Additionally, the employee should not have received a written warning, initiated through the Human Resources Office, during the recognition year.
  • Recipients of the Rose Mary Saenz Award or Robert Davis Award within the last three years are ineligible to receive any of the Rose Mary Saenz or Robert Davis Awards this year.

Interview Exchange switching to single sign-on March 11

OLLU will be switching Interview Exchange from a unique login to single sign-on (the same account used to log in to Saints Connect, Self-Service, etc.) on March 11.

This change will be automatic, so after that date users who access Interview Exchange from the Employee Resources card in Saints Connect will sign in via their OLLU account.

All faculty and staff will be affected. No action needs to take place on the user’s end, except for those that have already been contacted about updating their email in the system.

Summer hours to start May 20

Summer hours will begin Monday, May 20 and continue through Friday, Aug. 9.

All full-time employees are expected to work 40 hours each week (or in alignment with your employment work agreement if you typically work less than 40 hours). Employees are required to take a minimum 30-minute unpaid lunch break on full days. 

Below is a non-exhaustive list of scheduling possibilities:

If you like to take a 30-minute lunch break on Monday-Thursday, some scheduling options might include: 

  • Monday-Thursday 7:30 a.m. 5 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. -12 p.m. (provided the office has other employee coverage until 5:30 p.m. M-Th)
  • Monday-Thursday 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. -12 p.m.
  • Monday-Thursday 8:30 a.m. – 6 p.m., Friday 8:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m.
  • Monday-Thursday 9 a.m. – 6:30 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. (provided the office has other employee coverage starting at 8:30 a.m.) 

If you like to take a 60-minute lunch break on Monday-Thursday, some scheduling options might include:

  • Monday-Thursday 7:30 a.m.- 5:30 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. -12 p.m.
  • Monday-Thursday 8 a.m. – 6 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. -12 p.m.
  • Monday-Thursday 8:30 a.m.- 6:30 p.m., Friday 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
  • Monday-Thursday 9 a.m. – 6:45 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. (provided the office has other employee coverage starting at 8:30 a.m.)

The various combinations of flexible schedules listed above are just some of the examples permitted, provided the office has staff employee coverage from 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. on Monday-Thursday and 8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. on Fridays. Department heads will provide final approval of each schedule, ensuring appropriate office coverage and the needs of the university are met. Additionally, some departments will not follow the summer schedule as necessary coverage is required for extended hours.

Holiday Weeks and Adjustments 

During weeks that have university holidays, the department’s daily office hours will remain the same all summer to help with consistency for our guests. However, since full-time employees are awarded up to 8 hours of holiday pay per holiday, employees and supervisors are expected to adjust an employee’s schedule for the week. This will help the employee still achieve the total number of hours for the week while still maintaining full office coverage for the remaining days open.

If a holiday falls on a Monday-Thursday, employees should work with their supervisor to add any potential hours to their work schedule that week since they will only be awarded up to 8 hours of holiday pay. While you can use any combination of flexible schedules, an example might be: Monday is an 8 hour holiday; Tuesday/Weds/Thurs 8 a.m. 5:45 p.m. with a 30-minute lunch equals 9¼ hours each day; Friday 8 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. equals 4¼ hours to total 40 hours for the week.

If a holiday falls on a Friday, then employees should work with their supervisor to adjust their work schedule that week since they will be awarded up to 8 hours of holiday pay instead of a half day. An example might be: Monday – Thursday 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. minus 1 hour lunch for 8 hours each day plus 8 hours for the Friday holiday to total 40 hours for the week. Summer holidays for 2024 include: Monday, May 27 (Memorial Day), Wednesday, June 19 (Juneteenth), and Thursday-Friday, July 4-5 (Independence Day).

Summer hour exceptions

The following departments are the exception to the Summer Hours Policy. They will be open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. during the summer. These hours could be extended, at the discretion of the division chief, to meet the needs of the department and student services.

  • Undergraduate Admissions Office
  • Graduate Admissions Office
  • Registrar’s Office
  • Financial Aid Office
  • Student Business Office

Other exceptions are Lake Days scheduled for the summer. Lake Days will continue as scheduled and offices associated with Lake Days will remain open after noon if those days fall on a Friday. The rest of the university offices will close as scheduled.

Planned Leave

All OLLU faculty and staff are asked to avoid scheduling planned leave between Monday, Aug. 12 and Wednesday, Sept. 4. A supervisor may extend the dates established by the university for individual offices and departments. Special circumstances which require leave during this time (a child’s wedding, taking your child to college) must be approved by the vice president or chief administrator of a division.

Employees required to complete compliance training by March 1

As part of ongoing compliance efforts, all employees are required to complete the 2024 annual employee compliance training modules to reduce or prevent incidents of sexual misconduct, sexual harassment, and other types of inappropriate behavior on our campus. This training also includes information about campus safety, protecting privacy rights, and communicating this information to the appropriate university officials. To support employees with their obligations, OLLU has provided the following online training modules to help employees learn how to recognize and prevent unlawful harassment. Additionally, these training programs support our compliance with regulatory agencies governing the practices of higher education institutions.

All OLLU employees are expected to know and understand the university’s policies on unlawful harassment and discrimination and to abide by them.  As a reminder, employees of OLLU who, in the course and scope of their employment, witness or receive information regarding the occurrence of an incident that the employee reasonably believes constitutes sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence or stalking against an OLLU student or OLLU employee, are required by law to promptly report the incident to the Title IX Coordinator within 72 hours of obtaining the information. We believe that all human beings are inherently sacred and deserve dignity and respect and every community member is expected to be respectful in all interactions as part of the learning experience. 

 This training is mandatory for all full-time and part-time OLLU employees included in the email notice. 

The deadline to complete training is March 1.

You are assigned to complete the following FOUR courses: 

  • FERPA: Protecting Student Privacy (10 minutes) 
  • Understanding the Clery Act (15 minutes) 
  • Committing to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion – Faculty and Staff (25 minutes) 
  • Title IX Mosaic: Prevent Sexual Violence Together (45 minutes) 

To begin training, follow these FOUR steps: 

  1. Go to https://learn.ue.org/Login2.aspx   
  2. Enter your login credentials. 
  • Username: Your @ollusa.edu email address
    • Note: Do not use @lake.ollusa.edu email address 
  • Password:Ollu2024!
    • Note: Password is case-sensitive 
  • The first time you log in, the system will prompt you to reset your temporary password and set a security question.
    • Helpful Hint: You can change your password to be the same as your OLLU portal and email log in password.
  1. Once you are logged in, be sure to complete all of the training modules assigned to you in the “My Courses” section of the home page.
     
  2. You will receive an email containing a link to your completion certificate, upon successful completion of each course. Please keep a copy for your own records. A history of your completed courses is available in “My Completions.” The system will automatically document your completion so there is no need to forward your certificate as proof of completion. 

Thank you for your time and cooperation in completing this essential training program. 

Tips for Completing Courses  

Need Help?  

If you have any issues with sign-in or accessing the courses, call Support at 844-348-3650, or visit the Support Site Learning Portal at portalhelp.ue.org for options to live chat or create a help ticket.  

All other questions should be directed to compliance@ollusa.edu.