Statewide Human Resources hosted the first ever Summer Kickoff BBQ on Thursday May 22. More than 100 employees attended.

Chief HR Officer Erik Seastedt used the occasion to thank employees for their hard work—and took advantage of the attentive audience to remind staff of the upcoming deadlines for earning the health plan discount (June 30) and a request to use direct deposit for payroll.

UAF dining services cooked up the barbecue, and staff brought in plenty of salads, chips, desserts and drinks. No one left hungry! Thank you, Statewide HR.

This past semester OIT made available a new updated and enhanced version of Elive called Blackboard Collaborate. Both products were available for faculty and staff to use this semester.
What is OIT changing?
OIT is replacing Elive with the newer enhanced product (Blackboard Collaborate) and will end access to Elive and the website, http://elive.uaf.edu
When is this change happening?
The Elive service and website (http://elive.uaf.edu) will no longer be available as of June 1, 2014.
What do I need to know?
If you have saved recordings in previous Elive sessions, they must be exported if you wish to use them in a Blackboard Collaborate session. Please review the how to guide for exporting your Elive course: https://www.alaska.edu/files/oit/Elluminate-Live-Publish-Quick-Starting-Guide.pdf
Where can I go for more information?
Please contact the OIT Support Center if you have questions or concerns. The OIT Training Calendar has available appointment slots if you'd like to receive training on how to use Blackboard Collaborate, or the software “Publish,” to extract your Elive recordings before June 1, 2014.
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A new web-based system is replacing the Risk Management Information System (RMIS) used by the System Office of Risk Services. This new application will better manage worker’s compensation and insurance claims and consolidate all incident reporting for employees, students, visitors and contractors through a single web portal with access links on UAF, UAA, UAS and Statewide websites. Web-based reporting will replace paper incident and accident forms system-wide. Incidents that will be reported through the new system include:

• UA employee injuries
• Non-employee injuries (including students)
• Unsafe conditions
• Damaged property
• Damaged vehicles

Watch for details and training information.
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The political campaign season is upon us again, and questions will come up regarding candidate appearances and political communications.

By law, university employees may not use or permit the use of email or other university property or resources for partisan political purposes. Partisan political purpose is defined by law as “anything done with the purpose of differentially benefiting or harming a candidate or potential candidate, political party or group.” (See AS 39.52.120(b)(6).)

The following are some general guidelines. However, because the Ethics Act and other applicable laws are complex and because some issues may involve constitutionally protected speech or matters of academic freedom under Board of Regents’ policy, please seek advice through your supervisor, Human Resources and the General Counsel’s office if you have questions regarding a specific case.

Generally impermissible activities:

• Students or employees using university networks to send bulk email supporting a candidate or party;
• Employees hosting partisan gatherings using university facilities or resources without payment for the use;
• Students or employees using university resources to reproduce or distribute partisan campaign materials; and
• Displaying or distributing partisan political material while engaged on official business. (AS 39.25.178(3))

Activities generally not considered partisan use of university resources:

• Hosting an all-candidate forum or debate as a public service;
• Faculty inviting a candidate to a class to address matters related to the class;
• Authorized student clubs using their funds to host a partisan gathering on campus or participate in a partisan event;
• University spokespersons, students or UA advocates informing legislators, candidates and the public about university priorities, requested budgets, positions, programs and/or research activities; and
• Employees standing at a corner on campus during lunch waving a partisan sign.

The university encourages and respects personal participation in political activity, including partisan activity. Please, however, do not use resources entrusted to us by the public for partisan purposes. At the same time, bear in mind that it is not feasible or in the university’s interests to attempt to regulate minor personal use of phone or email. Potential violations should be addressed after careful consideration of the circumstances and consultation with your supervisor, Human Resources and the General Counsel’s office.

Recently Bragaw 205 became an open access instead of a controlled use room. Certain controlled location reservations can be cancelled at any time if the Board of Regents, President or Video Conferencing Services need access. Most of us don’t know all the restrictions on locations and changes can be difficult to track, but thankfully a great tool exists so that you don’t have to.

Information on room availability, restrictions, controls and scheduling for UA Statewide and UAF can be found in a single location: Google calendar resources. (https://www.alaska.edu/google/calendar-instructions/resources/)

The site lists all UA rooms and other resources (projectors, laptops, media converters and other items) included in the Google Apps @ UA system along with contact information for schedulers of controlled use locations. Reasons for controlled use as well as provisions on who can change room schedules and why are also included for each location. Along with each listing is a viewable calendar. Users can subscribe to a particular resource calendar if they want it to be readily viewable through their own Google calendar.

If you need to add a resource or change control information you can use the Google Calendar Resource Request Form. (https://spreadsheets.google.com/a/alaska.edu/viewform?hl=en&formkey=dE41TkxnWExQTkVUNTl4NTh5bGRWNHc6MA)

If you are a resource controller and need help managing it see the Resource Custodian guide(https://www.alaska.edu/google/calendar-instructions/resources/controlled/) for assistance.

The UA College Savings Plan is giving away free T-shirts to celebrate 5/29 College Savings Day.
The shirts have an arrow pointing up and say “Is Going to College.” Shirts are available on a first-come, first-served basis and limited to two per mailing address. Fill out this form to request a T-shirt for your kid(s). When your shirt arrives, please take a picture of your child wearing it and upload it to Facebook. Share the post with the UA College Savings Plan (http://www.facebook.com/ak529) or tag it #ak529Day.

The Plan invites you to attend the following events on May 29:

Anchorage
5/29 Party at Kaleidescape Play Studio, University Center Mall, 3 - 6 p.m. Free admission, refreshments, kids' T-shirts, and a copy of the book, “Everybody Freaks Out! But it’s going to be okay.” Employees are invited to bring their children for kid-friendly activities and opportunities to win door prizes.

Fairbanks
5/29 celebration at the Butrovich Building, 109 Butrovich, 10 a.m. - 1 pm. Free admission, refreshments, kids' T-shirts, and a copy of the book, “Everybody Freaks Out! But it’s going to be okay.” The Fairbanks Children’s Museum will bring their new "Imagination Playground." Employees are invited to bring their children for kid-friendly activities and opportunities to win door prizes.

This event is open to UA employees and the public. Participants who sign up for a UA College Savings Plan account, elect payroll deduction and/or increase their contribution amounts will also receive prizes. All related forms will be available on-site.

Performance Appraisal Form

All employees will be evaluated by July 1 using the new performance appraisal process. Since this is the first look at the new tool, evaluations will be limited mostly to orientation to the form and the establishment of future goals. This new evaluation is developmental. It is designed to help marginal employees become better, good employees to become great, and great employees to become singularly exceptional.

In a continuing effort to consolidate services and reduce costs, the UA email server, Communigate Pro, will cease to operate on June 15, 2014. All remaining email accounts on this server will need to be transitioned to alternate services before then.
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How do you know if this affects you? If you use or manage a UA Statewide departmental email “SY” account, or “SD” group account, this affects you.

What should you do now?� Contact the OIT Support Center to schedule time to discuss moving your departmental email account or group to an alternate service.�

Alternate services include:

• Single departmental email account on Google Apps @ UA (similar to student, faculty, and staff individual email accounts (can be used via UA Google web mail or email client such at Mozilla Thunderbird or Outlook)
• Google Apps @ UA Groups
• UAF List Serv

OIT is ready to work with you in your transition. We can come to your location and work with your department or can provide one-on-one consulting.
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Will your UA Statewide email account be forwarded? Yes, we will set a lifetime forward for your SY or SD email address to any alternate email or listserv address.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact the OIT Support Center.

Thanks to all who voted during the recent SAA elections! An especially large shout of thanks goes to the candidates for accepting the nominations. Our system governance process would not be successful if not for volunteers like you!

The newest SAA two-year term members are:

Anchorage:

• Kathleen Miner

Fairbanks:

• Britton Anderson
• Tanya Coty
• Linda Hall
• Tom Langdon
• Buffy Kuiper

Our newest alternates to serve a one-year term are Christi Eickholt and Karesa Kramer.

Members continuing their term from last election are Dory Straight, Monique Musick, Tina Holland, Alex Amegashie and Chrystal Warmoth.