On Thursday, February 26, during the community hour of 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., President Abel Chávez will present to faculty and staff the higher education landscape. A thought-provoking presentation that looks at national and local demographics, opinions on higher ed, and OLLU’s comparative standing in San Antonio.
This will be an in-person, brown bag gathering in San Antonio; Houston and RGV campuses will be provided a TEAMS link to attend virtually. Your presence is necessary in shaping a thoughtful direction. As a steward of our university, please join your colleagues for this presentation.
RSVP’s are required. The specific location on campus for San Antonio will be shared soon.
Amber Ortega, MFA, Coordinator for the International Folk Culture Center has received The Texas Folklife, Community Folklife Fellowship in oral history, audio storytelling, and archiving.
Ortega joins a cohort of 12 culturalists across Texas who will receive training and guidance from Texas Folklife’s digital storytelling initiative, “Stories from Deep in the Heart” which includes mentorship from lead digital archivists in Texas.
Since 2023, Ortega has been conducting interviews with choreographers from Cayey, Puerto Rico to Miami, Florida, and San Antonio, utilizing her experience with curating transdisciplinary discussions and bridging dance practice to deeper insights into culture, human behavior, and research methodologies. During her fellowship, Ortega will be meeting and interviewing dance culture bearers in San Antonio to thread a cohesive narrative line between dance, history, and culture.
As Coordinator for the International Folk Culture Center, archiving the center’s history and preserving the greater story of dance in San Antonio particularly with how that story intersects with the IFCC and OLLU, is tantamount to the work of curating and coordinating dance, folk way, and culture at the center, on campus, and in our Westside neighborhood.
Ortega’s final work along with her cohorts will be released this May.
As part of OLLU’s continued commitment to Operational Excellence and maintaining a safe university campus, all faculty and staff will be required to visibly wear their employee ID at chest level while on campus.
This requirement will become mandatory on Tuesday, March 17.
Please note:
Name tags may still be worn at campus or external events; however, they will not serve as a substitute for the official employee ID.
Staff who wear OLLU uniforms that already display their names will not be required to wear their employee ID.
If you currently have an outdated ID, you may contact ITS to update your information and receive a new card.
Thank you for your cooperation and continued commitment to campus safety.
Leadership will receive additional details and will be responsible for sharing this information with their respective teams.
Our Lady of the Lake University is pleased to welcome:
Malisha Martukovich, Au.D., CCC-A Assistant Clinical Professor of Audiology Woolfolk School of Communication Sciences and Disorders Director, Audiology Clinic Jersig Speech-Language-Hearing Center
An important reminder for all OLLU employees who may have earned overtime pay in 2025 from the payroll department:
Starting with your 2025 Form W‑2, a few employees may notice a new entry in Box 14 labeled “Qual OT.” This entry will appear only for employees who received Qualified Overtime in 2025 under federal overtime rules.
This amount represents the premium portion of your overtime pay (the extra half‑time required under federal law) and is being provided to help you take advantage of a potential tax benefit created by recent federal legislation.
Key Points to Know
Not all employees will see this entry. Salaried employees who are exempt from overtime and hourly employees who did not earn any Qualified Overtime in 2025 will not have a “Qual OT” amount on their W‑2.
This amount does not affect your taxable wages or your paycheck.
It is provided for informational purposes only to assist you when filing your 2025 federal tax return.
You may use this figure when determining eligibility for the new overtime deduction on your federal return.
If you have questions about how this information may affect your tax filing, please consult a qualified tax professional or visit IRS.gov for more details.
Thank you for reviewing this update. We are committed to keeping you informed about changes that may benefit you.
IT and HR have completed the rebuild of the university’s Campus Important Numbers and staff faculty directory. The helpful numbers are publicly accessible on the university webpage and ensure the best communication path when contacting the university.
The staff and faculty directory is located on the Saints Connect portal and on HR’s internal SharePoint site. This information is accessible only when logged into the OLLU network, as a measure to protect it from misuse. A Departmental Directory is also available on a separate tab next to the University Directory, allowing you to easily find direct departmental front desk numbers when needed.
Directory updates are made automatically as individuals are onboarded or offboarded. If you need to request changes to your personal information or departmental listing, please submit a Help Desk ticket to HR so updates can be made in Colleague or Dialpad, as appropriate.
OLLU employees who are currently enrolled in the OLLU Group Medical Plan now have access to Next Level Prime, an added set of benefits designed to make healthcare more convenient, accessible, and personalized.
Through Next Level Prime, members now have access to:
45+ Next Level clinic locations with care available 7 days a week from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Primary, preventive, chronic, and urgent care, including annual physicals, sick visits, labs, X-rays for acute injuries, and more
24/7 telemedicine and care navigation, even outside clinic hours
Health and wellness coaching focused on nutrition, exercise, and long-term healthy habits
Emotional wellness counseling, with support for stress, anxiety, depression, work-life challenges, and more
Weight loss solutions, including access to GLP-1 medications for qualifying members
The easiest way to get started is by downloading the Next Level mobile app, where employees can schedule appointments, connect with care navigators, and access virtual services.
For a full overview of services and how to take advantage of this benefit, employees are encouraged to review the attached Next Level Prime Overview.
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.
Important Update: New Information on Your 2025 W‑2 Form
Starting with your 2025 Form W‑2, a few employees may notice a new entry in Box 14 labeled “Qual OT.” This entry will appear only for employees who received Qualified Overtime in 2025 under federal overtime rules.
This amount represents the premium portion of your overtime pay (the extra half‑time required under federal law) and is being provided to help you take advantage of a potential tax benefit created by recent federal legislation.
Key Points to Know
Not all employees will see this entry. Salaried employees who are exempt from overtime and hourly employees who did not earn any Qualified Overtime in 2025 will not have a “Qual OT” amount on their W‑2.
This amount does not affect your taxable wages or your paycheck.
It is provided for informational purposes only to assist you when filing your 2025 federal tax return.
You may use this figure when determining eligibility for the new overtime deduction on your federal return.
If you have questions about how this information may affect your tax filing, please consult a qualified tax professional or visit IRS.gov for more details.
Thank you for reviewing this update. We are committed to keeping you informed about changes that may benefit you.
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:
