Category: Employee News

The Center for Service-Learning and Volunteerism (CSLV) welcomed two new staff members last semester. Krystina Irvin joined OLLU in December as the service-learning coordinator. The Minnesota native earned her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from Wartburg College in Iowa and then moved to San Antonio to serve as an AmeriCorps VISTA. She then became the Service and Volunteer Coordinator at St. Mary’s University. She earned a Master of Arts in International Relations from there as well. For the past two years, she served as a Team Leader with Outreach360 in Nicaragua.

Rose Avila joined OLLU in October as the CSLV administrative assistant. She previously worked with the federal government as a civil service employee for 30 years and retired in 2013. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies from University of the Incarnate Word.

The Payroll Office requests that all timecards for students be checked, corrected and approved before students leave for Christmas break.

Remember that timecards with missed punches are incomplete and may cause an employee to receive a smaller paycheck. Employees are reminded to work with supervisors to ensure that timecards are correct.

The University Police and Staff Advisory Council are sponsoring emergency situation training on Dec. 16 from 9:30-11:30 a.m. in Thiry Auditorium. The training will cover what one should do during and after a possible shooting, what to expect from law enforcement and building coordinator responsibilities. This is a University sponsored event, so offices are allowed to close in order for staff to attend.

For those who are unable to attend, there will be a follow-up session on March 10

OLLU President Sister Jane Ann Slater, CDP, PhD, and the Administrative Council invite all faculty and staff to attend the faculty/staff appreciation dinner, Dec. 16 at 5:30 p.m. in Mabee Gymnasium.

Each faculty and staff member may bring one guest. Dress code is holiday attire and this event is for adults only.

It is imperative that every faculty or staff member RSVP, whether coming alone or bringing a guest, in order to determine the amount of food and drinks that need to be ordered. There is no cost to attend.

Those with computer access should RSVP at www.ollusa.edu/appreciationrsvp.

For those who do not have computer access, the staff bulletin board will have forms available. Complete and return the forms to J. Oliveira in the President’s Office.

Additionally, Staff Organization will be holding a food drive. Those who donate unopened canned goods or packages of food items will receive an additional door prize ticket.

For more information, contact J. Oliveira at 210-434-6711, ext. 3900 or mloliveira@ollusa.edu.

The McNair Scholars Program has published its fall newsletter. Read newsletter here.

The Human Resources Office will be providing training on the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Topics covered during the trainings include:

• About FMLA
• Employee eligibility for FMLA
• FMLA Process
• Extended Medical Leave
• Employer actions prohibited by FMLA

Trainings will be held the following dates at times:

• Tuesday, Dec. 2 – 10-11 a.m. Providence Hall, Blue Room

For more information or to RSVP for a training session, contact Erika Ramirez, HR generalist, at ejramirez@ollusa.edu or 210-434-6711, ext. 3970.

Since the President’s Council has granted all staff a day off on Nov. 26 for the Thanksgiving holiday, the monthly payroll for November will be paid on Nov. 26. Bi-weekly payroll will not be affected and will be paid on the scheduled November dates.

Summer hours become effective May 2015 and each summer thereafter. For summer 2015, hours will begin Monday, May 18, through Friday, Aug. 21. Official University summer office hours are posted as Monday-Thursday, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., and Friday, 8:30 a.m.-noon. Full-time employees are expected to work a nine-hour day Monday-Thursday and a four-hour day on Friday.

Staff employees who normally work Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. -5 p.m. are permitted to leave on Friday at noon. However, all full-time employees will work 40 hours every week and are required to take a minimum of thirty minutes for lunch.

Examples of some summer scheduling hours include:

• 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Monday-Thursday, with an hour for lunch, and 8 a.m. -noon on Friday (or any combination to equal four hours; however, the office will open be from 8:30 a.m.-noon).
• 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Monday-Thursday, with 30 minutes for lunch, and from 8 a.m. noon on Friday.
• 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday-Thursday, with an hour for lunch, and from 8 a.m.-noon on Friday.

The various combinations of flexible schedules listed above are permitted as long as the office has staff employee coverage from 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday–Thursday and 8:30 a.m.-noon on Fridays. Please know that the actual schedule for each employee requires the approval of the supervisor. Additionally, some departments such as Campus Police, IT Help Desk and others, may not follow the summer schedule as necessary coverage is required after normal business hours.

Hamid Khan, EdD, PE, professor of management, presented the peer-reviewed paper, “Effective development of ‘positive organizational behavior’ as significant student learning outcomes,” at the Academy of Business Research Conference in San Antonio. He was also session chair and discussant of the MIS/ Management session.

 

Upon recommendation by Staff Advisory Council, the President’s Council has approved new summer hours for staff employees effective May 2015 and each summer thereafter. For summer 2015, hours will begin Monday, May 18, through Friday, Aug. 21. Official University hours for offices are posted as Monday-Thursday, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., and Friday, 8:30 a.m.-noon. Full time employees are expected to work a nine-hour day Monday-Thursday and a four-hour day on Friday.

The total number of hours worked per week for all employees will agree with the employee’s approved weekly hours. If during the summer months, a holiday falls during the week, full-time employees will work 32 hours and receive eight hours holiday pay.

The proposal followed a study by the Staff Advisory Council that looked at summer class hours, traffic flows on Friday afternoons in offices that provide student services, and other colleges and universities. The council’s rationale stated that the policy recommendation was an effort to promote family life and work balance. For the following years, the policy states, ”summer hours will begin each May on the Monday after grades are due (typically one week after May commencement), and will end each August on the Friday before the Residence Halls are open for freshmen and new students.”