As part of the Statewide Transformation, human resources transactions for statewide employees will be performed by UAF Human Resources. �

• Effective April 25, 2016, the human resources contact for advice on employee relations matters and new recruitments for Statewide employees is Margo Griffith, UAF Human Resources Consultant.� Margo can be reached at 474-7700 or Margo.Griffith@alaska.edu
  �
• Effective July 1, 2016, payroll and data entry for statewide employees will be performed by UAF HR. �

However, please note the following: �

• For payroll related questions, please continue to contact your PPA, Elaine Main emain@alaska.edu (Butrovich 2nd floor and Anchorage) or Laura Frisone� lfrisone@alaska.edu (Butrovich 1st floor). �

Submit open enrollment forms to Statewide Human Resources by May 16, 2016. �

Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding during this transition.

Supervisors are given discretion in approving employee requests for flexible work hours during June, July, and August.�Changes to an employee’s schedule for the summer should be requested using the Change of Work Hours Request form HERE.��

Revised schedules must encompass full pay periods only and may begin starting Sunday May 29 and end no later than Saturday August 20.

Please be aware that a revised schedule may affect pay for the two holidays that occur in July.�A benefits-eligible employee who is working, for example, a four 10-hour day schedule for the summer would have to charge both the full holiday plus two additional annual leave hours eachday to receive full pay if not working on the 4th or 5th of July this year.

Please contact Margo Griffith, HR Consultant at UAF HR at extension 7700 if you have any questions about scheduling or would like assistance in developing your options.

Submit completed forms to Statewide Human Resources.

Open Enrollment at UA is a great time to initiate or increase your college savings approach. University employees have the added ease and benefit of utilizing payroll deduction to save automatically into a UA College Savings Plan account. The UA College Savings Plan is a top ranked 529 plan, offering investments that grow tax deferred, and earnings that are tax-free if used for qualified education expenses.

“Payroll deduction is convenient way for university employees to fund their college savings accounts,” said Lael Oldmixon, director of the UA College Savings Plan. “The employee tuition waiver is a wonderful employee benefit, but tuition represents only about half the cost of an education. Families need to plan for other costs such as room, board and fees.”

To participate in payroll deduction, employees should first set up an account in the UA College Savings Plan. Register online at www.uacollegesavings.com�or by calling 1-800-478-0003. Then, fill out the Salary Reduction form (FORM) and return it to the UA College Savings Plan�office. Oldmixon also encourages participants “to review their investments and increase their systematic contributions whenever possible.”

Visit�www.uacollegesavings.com�for more information about saving for college including a college cost calculator. �

If you would prefer to talk to someone in person, the plan has an office in Fairbanks in Suite 207 of the Butrovich Building and in Anchorage in Suite 209 of the Bragaw Office Building.

Follow the UA College Savings Plan on Facebook for updates, upcoming events and college savings tips.

Open Enrollment runs through May 16 this year. This is your annual opportunity to change health plans, add or drop dependents, elect or increase supplemental life and enroll in accidental death and dismemberment for you and your family.

All the information you need is found online from our main benefits web site at www.alaska.edu/benefits.� We will not be mailing packets to the home to save paper, printing and postage costs. You did get a letter sent to your home (HR) address, with information about this year’s open enrollment.

Do you need to turn in a form? If you don't want the FSA or HSA, and are not changing life insurance, health plan or enrolled dependents, you do not need to turn in any forms. However, if you want either FSA starting July 1, you do need to enroll since those plans don't roll into the next year. Also, the payroll deduction for the HSA ends at the end of the fiscal year so you'll need to complete the HSA form for payroll deduction to continue.�

Other Changes:

• Split up forms, only complete the ones you need
• New Flexible Spending Account (FSA) administrator
• New life insurance company Securian
  • Lower rates for the supplemental life insurance
  • Expanded coverage for employees age 65 and over

For the complete article on Open Enrollment, forms and plan changes read HERE.

This spring more than 4,600 students will graduate from the University of Alaska. Join a commencement celebration near you and cheer on our UA students.

April 29 - UAS� Sitka Commencement
��������������� UAA� Military Ed at JBER

April 30 - UAS� Ketchikan Commencement
�������������� UAA�� Prince William Sound (Valdez) Commencement

May 1 - UAS� Juneau Commencement
������������ UAA� Anchorage Commencement

May 2 - UAF� Kuskokwim (Bethel) Commencement

May 5 - UAA� Kenai Commencement
������������ UAF� Northwest Campus (Nome) Commencement

May 6 - UAA� Kodiak Commencement
������������ UAA� Mat-Su Commencement
������������ UAF� Chukchi (Kotzebue) Commencement

May 8 - UAF� Fairbanks Commencement

May 14 - UAF� Bristol Bay (Dillingham) Commencement

May 17 - UAF� Tok Commencement

On Monday, April 25, staff gathered in Butrovich 109 and Bragaw 205 to recognize Statewide employees for their hard work and dedication to the University of Alaska. Entertainment and amazing home-made refreshments were provided. Employees who completed 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 35 years of service were recognized.�

Also recognized were employees who went above and beyond in their jobs and were selected for the Outstanding Department and Employee Peer awards. This year's outstanding employees were Laurie Fowler, Alison Hayden, Mary Jo Skaggs and outstanding department the UA College Savings Plan. PHOTOS and MORE....

The Statewide Staff Giving Campaign ends on Saturday, April 30. As of the last week of the month, staff participation rates are at 45 percent. This is higher than the national average of 24 percent. Together, we have collectively demonstrated that we believe in the mission of the University and that Alaska needs a strong university. However, the need is still great and we encourage your continued participation throughout the month. The financial challenges we face as a university make philanthropic support more important than ever!

This year’s campaign has incorporated some fun activities. From the kick-off of the Soup-er Scholarship Feed to the first-ever building scavenger hunt. (Click HERE for some fun scavenger hunt pictures!)

To learn more about how staff participation helps, please visit the Statewide Staff Giving Campaign webpage, http://alaska.edu/foundation/staff_campaign/.

Remember, everyone who participates in the campaign through April 30 is invited to a pizza party in May.

Thank you for your continued support and participation. �

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. This year’s campaign focuses on ways that individuals, communities, and the private sector can help prevent sexual violence. Sexual assault is always a serious issue, especially on college campuses. The month of April is a reminder for everyone to take a stand against sexual assault and bring awareness to the issue. UA’s campuses have activities planned throughout the month.

President Jim Johnsen wrote in a letter to Gov. Bill Walker, “The University of Alaska is better trained in sexual assault prevention and reporting than we have ever been. Our students are better and more trained than ever. We have staff trained in Title IX at our rural campuses for the first time. We are more connected to partners across the state than at any time in our history. These achievements are in addition to the difficult work our Title IX teams do every day-investigating complaints of sexual assault, supporting victims while providing due process to the accused, providing educational programs and tracking our overall progress.”

The month of April is a reminder for everyone to take a stand against sexual assault and bring awareness to the issue. UA is very committed to the long-term project of combating sexual assault and protecting students across Alaska.

Take a stand against sexual assault today and spread the word about National Sexual Assault Awareness Month.