Category: Employee News
Faculty Benefits Fair and Enrollment Information
OLLU will host a Faculty Benefits Fair on Wednesday, August 13 in Main Building, Room 311 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Annual benefits enrollment provides benefit-eligible employees the opportunity to start, change or end benefits, which become effective Oct. 1, 2025. The exception is medical and dependent care reimbursement plans, which begin Sept. 1, 2025.
All eligible employees MUST enroll online to continue/change benefits. Current benefits will not roll over.
Detailed information on how to enroll via new app will be announced soon. Employees will need to adhere to the following deadlines.
- Staff Employee Enrollment Period (includes administration): Wednesday, July 23 – Wednesday, August 6, by 11:59 p.m.
- Faculty Enrollment Period: Wednesday, August 13 – Wednesday, August 27 by 11:59 p.m.
Save the Date: University Professional Development Days 2025
Our Lady of the Lake University Proudly presents 2025 University Professional Development Days
August 12, 2025 – August 15, 2025
University Professional Development Days will advance learning opportunities and support professional growth for our OLLU community. Faculty and Staff in San Antonio are asked to attend in-person to allow a rich community engagement. Some Day 3 concurrent sessions will include a hybrid option for Houston and RGV participation.
Attendance Required:
All San Antonio-based faculty and staff are expected to attend the first day of the conference in person unless excused by their supervisor. Division leaders should use discretion to determine the needs of their areas and who can attend the conference. Division leaders may consider rotating schedules to allow most staff to attend at least part of the conference.
Schedule:
Updated Full schedule and program details are available using the link below. The schedule will continue to be updated as needed.
Note: New Faculty Orientation and adjunct orientation events are not included on this website, presenters and attendees have been invited to those events separately.
Important Links:
- Faculty Headshot sign up (Deadline 7/25/2025): https://ollusa.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6RK0NN437EyOi5U
- Provost’s Welcome: New Faculty & Staff Information: https://ollusa.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_aWAp1CPRDlMXSke
Announcement: Interim Regional Executive Director of Graduate Admissions and Retention for San Antonio, Houston, and RGV
The Office of Academic Affairs is pleased to announce Shirley Caldera as the Interim Regional Executive Director of Graduate Admissions and Retention for the San Antonio, Houston, and Rio Grande Valley (RGV) regions.
Shirley brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to this role, backed by a proven track record in designing and implementing effective educational policies and programs that consistently exceed performance goals. Her strategic leadership in academic planning, budget oversight, and program development has led to measurable improvements in student enrollment, retention, and achievement.
Prior to joining OLLU, Shirley led the operations and strategic execution of eight off-site campuses in Texas, including six in San Antonio, one in Killeen, and one in Corpus Christi. She collaborated with cross-functional teams to organize community-focused fundraising events tailored to adult learners, including Casino Night, Family Picnic Day, Dining with Administration and Faculty, and Mardi Gras Evening. She also oversaw the development and delivery of online, hybrid, and in-person courses, supporting over 150 faculty members and more than 1,500 students to meet academic learning outcomes.
In her interim role, Shirley will lead the development and execution of region-specific plans aimed at achieving graduate admissions goals, ensuring alignment with curriculum standards and accreditation requirements. She will also focus on standardizing admissions procedures and enhancing student support services across all campuses, driving consistency, equity, and operational excellence.
OLLU’s Kelsey Penn Selected for National NetVUE Seminar on Vocation in Higher Education
Our Lady of the Lake University proudly announces that Rev. Kelsey Penn, Director, Center for Service-Learning & Volunteerism, has been selected to participate in the 2025 Vocation Across Campus Seminar, hosted by the Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE).
This prestigious seminar brings together a select group from across the country who are committed to advancing vocation-centered programming for undergraduate students. Through this yearlong initiative, Rev. Penn will explore innovative ways to help students reflect on questions of purpose, identity, and direction—both academically and personally.
The seminar is designed to support participants in developing or revising programs that promote vocational exploration across disciplines and campus contexts. Penn’s selection followed a highly competitive national application process, recognizing her commitment to enriching the student experience through holistic, values-driven education.
“This opportunity will allow me to deepen my work in helping students explore who they are called to become—inside and outside the classroom,” said Rev. Penn. “I’m honored to represent OLLU in this national community of educators.”
Penn’s involvement also strengthens OLLU’s connection to the broader NetVUE network, a nationwide community of more than 300 colleges and universities that share a mission of preparing students for lives of meaning, service, and leadership.
Please join us in congratulating Rev. Kelsey Penn on this well-deserved honor!
Upcoming Downtime for Colleague Due to Fiscal End of Year Close
The Finance Department will close the fiscal year at 6:00 am on Tuesday, May 20th. To perform this task, all staff who use Colleague will not be able to log in to the system until 8:00 am for Finance to complete this process. After the process is complete, an email will be sent out so that users will know Colleague access has been reopened.
Adelante “Empower & Evolve” Training and Development Conference 2025
Wednesday, May 21st & Thursday, May 22nd, 2025
Our Lady of the Lake University, San Antonio Campus (with hybrid options for Houston & RGV).
Conference Goals:
The Adelante conference aims to:
- Enhance professional skills and knowledge for all OLLU employees.
- Foster a collaborative and innovative work environment.
- Promote employee well-being and engagement. Align employee development with OLLU’s strategic goals and mission.
- Increase cross-campus collaboration.
Important Dates:
- Proposal Submission Deadline: May 2, 2025
- Notification of Acceptance Emails Sent to Presenters: May 12, 2025
- Accepted Presentations Announced University-Wide: May 15, 2025
- Conference Dates: Wednesday, May 21st & Thursday, May 22nd, 2025
The Learner Responsive Leadership Academy June 16-20, 2025
The Center for Mexican American Studies and Research at Our Lady of the Lake University is developing a new initiative, the Learner Responsive Leadership Academy, to create a student centered, and community engaged approach to leadership. Through a week-long academy for 25-30 participants Summer 2025, the Learner Responsive Leadership Academy (LRLA) will help administrative leaders and teams learn how to address the needs of a growing variety of student populations in Texas. During the LRLA, administrators in K-12 and higher education will develop strategies and leadership competencies that contribute to implementing, scaling, and sustaining school systemic change and transformative initiatives by promoting student centered learning practices. The intended goal of the program is to train school leaders in inclusive pedagogy that permits analysis, evaluation, and administration of their campuses through a learner responsive lens. The proposed program will enhance academic and support services to the increasingly unique needs of diverse Texas students.
Register Here: https://bit.ly/443vnRW.
Sponsored by the Jinny Chalmers Fund for Educational Justice
OLLU Celebrates Faculty Promotions and Tenure Awards
Our Lady of the Lake University is proud to announce the promotion and tenure of several outstanding faculty members across disciplines. These achievements reflect a deep commitment to teaching excellence, scholarly contributions, and service to the university community. Please join us in congratulating the following faculty:
Promotion and Tenure
- Dr. Ahmad Al-Omari, Computer Information Systems & Security
Promoted to Associate Professor and awarded Tenure - Dr. Emily Sauers, Kinesiology
Promoted to Professor and awarded Tenure - Dr. Casey Taliancich-Klinger, Communication Sciences and Disorders
Awarded Tenure
Promotion and Tenure
- Amanda Brown, MA, Mass Communication
Promoted to Associate Professor of Practice - Dr. Josiah Johnson, Kinesiology
Promoted to Associate Professor - Dr. Alycia Maurer, Education
Promoted to Professor - Laura Petersen, MA, English
Promoted to Assistant Professor - Dr. Stephen Salako, Mathematics
Promoted to Professor
Dr. Sauers Awarded National Grant to Expand Health and Fitness Initiatives at OLLU
Dr. Sauers was recently awarded the Physical Education and Screening Grant under the Franklin Microgrant Program supported by the American College of Sports Medicine Foundation. Only one grant is awarded yearly. Grant monies will be used to expand offerings during Exercise is Medicine Month (October) at OLLU.
The Exercise is Medicine leadership team will work over the summer to organize and launch the S.A.I.N.T.S Challenge program in fall 2025. The S.A.I.N.T.S Challenge will include health and fitness screenings, team-based exercise programs, and prizes. Members of the leadership team include Dr. Sauers, Alyssa Garcia. Karen D’Armata, Lenor Berma, Sara Garza, and Kaitlyn Olivas.