In an effort to streamline procedures, reduce expenditures and comply with federal IRS rules, UA has issued new rules regarding cell phones. Effective November 1, the university will no longer provide cell phones to employees and pay monthly plan costs except for certain circumstances as outlined in the Accounting and Administrative Manual.

Employees may qualify for a taxable allowance to offset the business use of their personal cell phone. The monthly allowance amounts are $30 for a voice-only phone and $65 for a voice/data phone (such as iPhones or Blackberries) based on the average basic monthly plan cost.�

More information and steps for the transition HERE.

Frequently Asked Questions. FAQ.

Mobile Communication Device Allowance FORM.

* NOTE:�This was policy was discontinued�in 2015

As staff transition from a UA phone to a personal account, they should be aware that several local providers offer discounts to UA employees.� Each carrier also has indicated that these discounts can be applied to any remaining university owned and maintained devices and plans.

AT&T offers a 15 percent discount for University of Alaska employees.� For more information go to https://www.wireless.att.com:443/business/enrollment/.

GCI offers a 20 percent discount to University of Alaska students and employees. Click HERE for information.

ACS offers a 20 percent discount to University of Alaska employees.� This discount can be claimed by showing your UA identification card at ACS locations.� An ACS web form to assist you in any plan transition will also be available shortly; however, a flier for full discount details is available HERE.

For more information regarding UA mobile device procedures and discounts available, please see the UA Controller's website: http://www.alaska.edu/controller/mobile-device-procedures/

The University of Alaska Foundation hosted a major gift solicitation workshop for academic leaders and development professionals at the Fairbanks campus earlier this month. This was the second part of a two part series focused on acquiring and deploying private support.� If attendance and enthusiastic participation was any indication, the event was a huge success. MORE...

Between October 1 and October 22, the UAF Sustainability program has diverted thousands of pounds of would-be garbage from the landfill to K+K Recycling in North Pole, including 1,360 pounds of plastic and 21,800 pounds of paper and cardboard. For more information contact Michele Hebert at 388-6085, 474-5070 or mahebert@alaska.edu.

Please remember to place your paper in the blue recycle containers and play your part in creating a better, more sustainable campus.

Thanksgiving potluck
The 2010 Thanksgiving Potluck will be� Friday, November 19 in the Board of Regents' conference room (room 109). Once again Bess Rounds is coordinating the food for the potluck. Sign-up sheets have been circulated around the office or are available at Bess' desk in the presidential suite. Dig out your favorite recipes and come celebrate all the wonderful blessings in life for which we are so thankful!

Winter holiday potluck
Our winter holiday potluck will be Friday, December 17. More information will be distributed soon. In the meantime, you might want to brush up on your disco moves....

Food drive
The annual canned food and mug drive will begin at the Thanksgiving potluck and continue through the Winter Holiday potluck. Collection boxes will be stationed at each interior stairwell in the Butrovich Building. In Butrovich, Lisa Sporleder will collect mugs again as well to fill with cocoa and candy for the food boxes. For information on the Anchorage food drive, please contact Erica Kurowski (formerly Erica Fitchett) at 786-1140 or DeShana York at 786-1198.

Let's make this a record year for food donations from Statewide employees in Fairbanks and Anchorage!

Adopt-A-Family
SAA is once again sponsoring two families for the Adopt-A-Family program. These two families need a little help to make it through the holidays this year. Monique Musick in Public Affairs is coordinating the gift drive. Information on the families and their needs will be distributed as soon as we hear back from Love Inc.

The University of Alaska Board of Regents will meet November 9 at the University of Alaska Anchorage, with the FY12 budget topping the agenda.

After the board’s review and endorsement of the budget, the request goes to the governor for his consideration. The governor must submit the budget to the Legislature by mid-December. Gov. Parnell requested a “hold-the-line” budget for state agencies and the university, in terms of general fund dollars. While draft budget documents weren’t available by the Voice deadline today, the university’s budget is expected to fall within the governor’s parameters.

President Gamble is considering various proposals related to the FY12 staff increase, including a proposal from Staff Alliance. The board will discuss the proposals at the November 9 meeting.

The board will take public testimony on-site at 10 a.m. The meeting will be teleconferenced to sites in Juneau and Fairbanks (Sherman Carter Conference Room) for staff wanting to monitor the meeting.

State general fund dollars make up a significant share of UA’s annual budget request. Federally funded research grants comprise the rest while tuition revenue accounts for approximately 11 percent of UA’s budget.

In a change from previously announced plans, the board is not expected to make a decision on tuition rates for the 2012-2013 academic year. At the September meeting, the board declined to take action on tuition rates for 2012-2013, delaying the decision until the next meeting. Meanwhile, an advisory task force on tuition and affordability has met every Tuesday for the past four weeks and is still in the midst of reviewing proposals. The advisory group plans to update the board at the November 9 meeting, but no action by the board is expected.

“The advisory task force needs more time to look into the issue, and the November meeting is primarily focused on the budget so it’s a fairly busy meeting as it is,” said Saichi Oba, associate vice president for student and enrollment services. Oba and Michelle Rizk, associate vice president for budget, are leading the advisory group, which is made up of student, faculty and staff representatives from across the UA System.

Advisory members besides Oba and Rizk include Peter Finn, a UAA student and speaker for the Coalition of Student Leaders; Cathy Cahill, a UAF faculty member and member of Faculty Alliance; Gwenna Richardson, a UAS staff member and member of Staff Alliance; Joan Harings of UAA Finance; Gary Turner of Kenai Peninsula College; Carol Griffin of UAS Finance; Joe Nelson of UAS Student and Enrollment Services; Mike Earnest of UAF Student and Enrollment Services; and Michele Stalder of UAF Community and Technical College.

The board’s agenda will be posted online prior to the November 9 meeting at www.alaska.edu/bor.

How does UA set its budget each year? Why are tuition increases necessary? What does the future hold for UA's community campuses? When is the new strategic plan due?

If you have a question like those above or any others, President Gamble wants to hear from you!

President Gamble created a new web platform for UA employees to ask questions and receive a public response, posted online. The president hopes this web feature, appropriately called "Ask President Gamble", will help improve communication between staff and the Office of the President. A link to the online form can be found at http://www.alaska.edu/pres/ask-gamble/.

As questions come in, President Gamble himself will take the time to answer. Research or clarification of the question may be involved, so the form does include a spot for your name and contact information. Employees wishing to remain anonymous, however, may do so. All answers will be posted online.

If you need additional information about the new web feature, please call Kate Ripley in Public Affairs at 450-8102.

The season of snow and ice is coming and with it comes the slips, trips and falls. Statewide Risk Services will give away free Spare Spikes to provide extra traction. Also known as Spikies, Yaktrax and Get-A-Grips, Spare Spikes are rubber soles with carbide studs that slip on over your boots and shoes.

Spare Spikes are available to all Statewide employees, including temporary, part-time and student employees. Traction devices can be found at local sporting goods and fire safety stores for $20-$25 each. If you have received a pair of traction devices in previous years and they're still serviceable, please do not request another pair, as supplies are limited.

For Statewide employees in Fairbanks, stop by and see Amaya Spencer in suite 106, Butrovich building. Anchorage Statewide employees should contact Mike Halko at UAA's Enviromental Health and Safety Office at 786-1386. Be safe this slippery season and get a pair of Spare Spikes!

Land Sale Public Notice & Ad (Click to view) All competitive offers must be received at the address below, by no later than 5 p.m. November 1, 2010.

University of Alaska Land Disposal Plan - Hope, Alaska (Click to View) Parties interested in commenting on the Hope Social Hall Parcel Disposal Plan must submit written comments to the University of Alaska at the address below by no later than 5 p.m. Wednesday, November 10.

University of Alaska
Land Management
1815 Bragaw Street, Suite 101
Anchorage, AK� 99508-3438

For more information, please visit the UA Land Management website at www.ualand.com.

Social media is a rapidly growing means of communication and outreach. If you are on Facebook we would like you know about some of the different UA departments, campuses and groups that you can join.

University of Alaska System

UA College Savings Plan

University of Alaska Fairbanks

UAF Community and Technical College

Freddie Fish (FAFSA Frenzy)

University of Alaska Museum of the North

University of Alaska Anchorage

There are many more out there for specific colleges, student groups, bookstores and more. Please take a moment to become a "Fan" of the University of Alaska and put another great avenue of communication at your fingertips.