We now have alert-notification capability to push out emergency notices through multiple means (home phones, work phones, cell phones, email, text messages) through the UA Alert system.

Please make sure your phone numbers and emails are correct and set your contact preferences. UA Incident Management Team(s) must be able to reach you with important information due to inclement/dangerous weather events or other emergencies at our locations in Fairbanks and Anchorage.

Please go to this website to update/verify your information if you haven't already done so:
http://www.alaska.edu/uaalerts/

The maintenance of a non-emergency directory that is up to date also is very important for the day-to-day business of the university. If you have changed positions, titles, phone numbers, e-mails, addresses or other directory information, it is up to you to make the necessary changes to your EDIR listing. Please update your information to ensure our online directory (https://people.alaska.edu/) information is accurate. We no longer publish a printed directory for Statewide, so EDIR and People, accessed from our front web page, is it!

For instructions on how to update information in EDIR visit:
www.alaska.edu/oit/services/enterprise-directory/edir-help/

If you have trouble logging into EDIR, contact the OIT Support Center at 450-8300, 800-478-8226 or helpdesk@alaska.edu.
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Statewide Administration Assembly's annual Statewide holiday food drive in Fairbanks kicked off at the Thanksgiving potluck Nov. 22 and continues until the Holiday Potluck on Dec. 20. Please bring in unopened, non-perishable food at any time during the next month and place it in the wrapped boxes located by Erector Bear and the Arctic Floats on the east and west ends of the Butrovich Building's first floor. This is a great opportunity to rotate your pantry. Before those items expire, bring them in and let someone else get some good out of them. (The Fairbanks Community Food Bank cannot distribute food that has passed its expiration date.) Whatever you can do will be appreciated.

As you check your pantry and cabinets for good food donations keep an eye open for any spare mugs for the mug drive, too. Bring them to Lisa Sporeleder's cubicle in Suite 102, by the windows, behind the purple vine. Lisa and her elves will stuff the mugs with a packet of gourmet cocoa and a candy cane, fill them with wrapped chocolates, then give them a festive wrapping and a bow. The mugs go to the Food Bank along with the rest of the food we collect.

Let’s all pitch intogether to help those in our community less fortunate this holiday season.

You may have already noticed a couple of red Rubbermaid containers on the first floor, marked PANTRY. These boxes are for the new Wood Center Food Pantry benefiting UAF students. The food needs for students (especially in cabins and dorms) may be slightly different than the traditional Food Bank items. The boxes will be up year-round in the Butrovich collecting for the student-led food pantry and are separate from SAA's annual food drive for the Fairbanks Community Food Bank. For more information on that effort, visit https://www.facebook.com/WCPantry.

There are many ways to lend a hand or share holiday joy with those less fortunate in our communities. Statewide Administration Assembly organizes food and gift drives each year and encourages everyone who is able to contribute to these causes. Looking for something more you can do? Consider supporting these this holiday season:

Support the Unted Way http://unitedwaytv.com/organizationalbackground.html; http://www.liveunitedanchorage.org/

Fairbanks Rescue Mission– Read more about ther mission and embark on a virtual tour of their facility HERE.

Did you know there are 500+ homeless children in Fairbanks area? There is a program to help these children called SOAP. Here's their page where they often post things these children need: https://www.facebook.com/SOAPfca

The Red Cross http://www.redcross.org/ak/anchorage

Serve a meal at the Bread Line's Stone Soup Cafe http://www.stonesoupcafe.org/
or at Beans Cafe https://www.beanscafe.org/
Or at any of these local food pantries or soup kitchens:� http://www.foodpantries.org/ci/ak-fairbanks; http://www.foodpantries.org/ci/ak-anchorage

Want to make a real difference in a student's life? Make a donation to a scholarship fund or support a UA campus throughh the University of Alaska Foundation. http://www.alaska.edu/foundation/

Looking for other ideas? Check out this list of all charitable organizations in the Fairbanks area:
http://nccsdataweb.urban.org/PubApps/geoShowOrgs.php?id=c02090&code=c02090&v=cf

Or in Anchorage:
http://nccsdataweb.urban.org/PubApps/geoShowOrgs.php?id=C02020&code=C02020&v=cf
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This month receptions for high school seniors receiving a UA Scholar award were held at the main campuses in Fairbanks, Anchorage and Juneau--celebrating the hard work of over 1,000 eligible scholars.

The UA Scholars Award is an $11,000 scholarship to students in the top 10 percent of their graduating classes at every qualified high school in Alaska. Started in 1999 by former UA President Mark Hamilton, the goal of the program is to slow the percentage of college-bound Alaskans who'd go Outside for higher education. Since it began, the program has since helped over 6,000 Alaskan students attend college at UA, with over 2,600 degrees earned. Prior to the program, it was estimated approximately 100 students in the top 10 percent enrolled at a UA campus. Today, UA attracts over 430 Alaska high school graduates in the top 10 percent.

The program is funded out of UA's natural resources fund and requires no general fund support.

The annual receptions in Fairbanks, Anchorage and Juneau are often joyous occasions, with students� and their families recognized for their hard work in high school. They heard speeches from campus chancellors, Vice President of Academic Affairs Dana Thomas, current UA Scholars and Program Director Lael Oldmixon. Each speaker encouraged the students to come to the University of Alaska campus of their choice.�

Each student was recognized on stage. A portrait of them was taken along with the chancellor, vice president or provost. Following the formal part of the program, scholars and their families spoke with representatives from the three main universities about the many options, majors and educational programs available to them in the UA System. Scholars may also use their award at any of UA's dozen community campuses, from Ketchikan to Kotzebue.

Congratulations to all the UA Scholars from the Statewide Voice!

There is a new way to access the University of Alaska from your smart phone. “Ellucian Go Mobile” service now includes the University of Alaska. The company that powers UAOnline now provides mobile access to a variety of campus and system services including Google Apps, People directory searches, grades, courses and schedules. For each campus there are links to news, events, emergency contacts, maps, shuttle routes and many other services.

To use:
1) Download the "Ellucian Go" app to your mobile device:
��� iOS -� appstore.com/elluciango
��� Android -� play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ellucian.elluciango
2) Launch Ellucian Go
3) Select University of Alaska
4) Log-in with your UA username and password to see your courses and grades

Note: You do not need to log-in to use many of the features.

Friends and colleagues,
Alaska finds itself in more trying times than our more optimistic estimates place us. The economics of the state have and will continue to require us to tighten our belts and look to save valuable financial resources wherever possible.
As a result, I must regretfully cancel the holiday parties scheduled to be sponsored by the system in both Fairbanks and Anchorage. As important as our mutual relationships are, more importantly, we must be fiscally responsible in what is going to prove to be conservative spending times.
I have, however, approved Friday, December 27th as an administrative leave day for all Statewide employees, who will not have to use their own leave time for the day. I encourage you to celebrate the season in your own way, and look particularly to helping those less fortunate than yourself.
I do wish you the best of the season. Thank you for your continued work to make the University of Alaska System a strong, viable partner in the state of Alaska.
Best wishes and regards,
President Gamble

With our official holidays falling in the middle of the week this year, UA Statewide regular, benefitted employees are advised of the following dates for break and closure:

Monday, December 23rd:���
Regular work day, soft closure permitted (see definition below).� Use of annual leave or leave without pay (LWOP) required if not working.

Tuesday, December 24th:���
Regular work day, soft closure permitted.� Use of annual leave or LWOP required if not working.

Wednesday, December 25th:
Winter holiday, all offices closed.� Non-exempt employees claim Holiday leave on time sheet.

Thursday, December 26th:
Winter holiday, all offices closed.� Non-exempt employees claim Holiday leave on time sheet.

Friday, December 27th:
Administrative leave day, all offices closed.� No charge to annual leave. Use earning code ‘465’ on time sheet.

Monday, December 30th:���
Hard closure, all offices closed.� Use of annual leave or LWOP required if not working.

Tuesday, December 31st:���
Hard closure, all offices closed.� Use of annual leave or LWOP required if not working.

Wednesday, January 1st:
New Years holiday, all offices closed.� Non-exempt employees claim Holiday leave on time sheet.

Thursday, January 2nd:
New Years holiday, all offices closed.� Non-exempt employees claim Holiday leave on time sheet.

Friday, January 3rd:
Regular work day, soft closure permitted.� Use of annual leave or LWOP required if not working.


In addition, December 16th - 20th have been designated as soft closure, or ‘discretionary’ work days.� During this time, departments may reduce business hours or have a soft closure.� All time used will need to be claimed as annual leave or LWOP.

During all dates above, individuals whose services are deemed by their supervisor as ‘essential’ must work unless appropriate backup is designated.�

Employees in PERS retirement (Tiers I, II, or III) should contact HR if taking LWOP because your retirement credit could be affected.

Contact Human Resources at 450-8200 with any questions.