Individualized Health Planning Sessions (IHPs) start Oct. 13 in Anchorage, Juneau and now Fairbanks. This UA Health in Action wellness service is for staff and faculty at no out-of-pocket cost.

IHPs consist of a series of six sessions with an experienced WIN for Alaska wellness consultant who will work with you to develop a healthy lifestyle plan. Your motivation may be to work on your overall or heart health, weight management, stress reduction, or meal planning. Don’t miss this great opportunity to achieve better health.

There are a limited number of sessions available. More details will arrive via home mailings and email announcements during the next few weeks. Wellness consultants will also be visiting departments on each campus the first part of October to talk about the program and register participants. IHPs are for new and past participants.

For details and to register, go to www.uahealthinaction.com starting Oct. 1.

A revision to University Regulation 4.06.010 will enhance training and development opportunities for the University’s regular benefits-eligible employees and will also be beneficial to the University. Please note that the revision to University Regulation did not change the use of the UA Education Benefit for credit courses.�

Fees for up to six (6) Non-credit Courses from a “UA-approved List” may be waived for benefits-eligible employees per academic year.� Placement on the “UA-approved List” is based on factors which include whether the course will improve job related skills for a broad number of University employees or will strengthen supervisory skills.� Unlike the "tuition waiver" benefit that applies to credit courses, the waiver of course fees for UA approved non-credit courses does not apply to non-employees (e.g. dependents, spouse, financially interdependent partner) or employees who are not benefits-eligible (temporary or student employees).

If courses not on the “UA-approved List,” are considered relevant to a particular employee’s training needs, departments may pay for the employee’s attendance out of the departmental training budget, provided the supervisor authorizes the payment in advance.� Such course payments are not covered by or reimbursed as a part of the employee education benefit.��

A new form has been created that covers both the waiver of tuition for credit courses and fees for UA approved non-credit courses.� The form has been standardized for use at all University campuses (http://www.alaska.edu/hr/forms/forms/tuition_waiver_req.pdf).

The form asks employees to self-identify the number of UA-approved non-credit courses they have taken during the academic year and confirm that they are a regular benefits-eligible employee.� Employees are responsible for charges/fees should the request be found ineligible.� An employee’s attendance during work hours of either a credit course or a UA approved non-credit course must be pre-approved by the employee’s supervisor.� See University Regulation 4.06.010.C.�

The “UA-approved List” http://www.alaska.edu/hr/forms/docs/courses_fall_2008.pdf is posted at the SW HR website.� Also included as UA-approved are the following Certified Public Manager courses:� http://www.alaska.edu/hr/forms/docs/cpm_courses.pdf

For more information on Employee Education Benefits, see University Regulation 4.06.010 which has also been printed on page 2 of the Waiver Request form.� The current version of the Waiver Request Form may be printed from the Statewide Human Resources website http://www.alaska.edu/hr/forms/forms/tuition_waiver_req.pdf.

For questions, please contact your HR benefits consultant:
UAA – Gail Ealy 786-1457 or Ron Kamahele 786-1419
UAF – Shelly Hall 474-6205
UAS – Kirk McAllister 796-6473
SW – Erika Van Flein 450-8227

Weight Watchers will be beginning it's third series on campus Sep. 23, 2008.� During the first two series, members lost over 800 pounds!�

Meetings are held in the Vice Chancellor's Conference Room in the Administrative Services Center. Meeting times are Tuesdays from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

If you have any questions, please contact Michelle Littell fnml1@uaf.edu