Two new Anchorage Orthopedic clinics have recently contracted with Premera.�

Rhyneer Caylor Clinic �- this group contract effective 8/2
Providers:
George Rhyneer MD
Mark Caylor MD
Jeff Parker MD
Jonathan Metzger PA

AK Hand Elbow Shoulder Surgical Specialists – this group contract effective 7/6
Providers:
Michael McNamara MD
Kevin Paisley DO
Robert Thomas PA

The first of our FY17 Challenges is open for enrollment!

Enrollment is now available, with the Challenge itself starting in October.

A link is provided at the top of the UA benefits/wellness page to access your Healthyroads account, and you can locate the Walk Denali Challenge within the ‘Challenges’ tab and then ‘All Challenges’.

Log-on to Healthyroads today to sign-up!

UAs on-site program manager from Healthyroads, Sara Rodewald will be covering the FY17 wellness requirements, sharing where you can locate wellness resources, and detail what wellness events you will have to look forward to! Attend this session to learn all about the ins and outs of the FY17 wellness program to earn your FY18 wellness rebate.

Need more incentive to attend? UA will be raffling-off 6 Fitbit Zips to those who participate! To be entered into this raffle, you must first register for the session (link below) and then attend either in-person or remotely. Those who attend in-person will be required to sign-in, and attendance will be collected from those calling-in remotely.

Where: UAF, Bunnell 122 (or remotely by utilizing the registration link provided below)

When: Friday, September 16 from 12-1pm

Registration: Use THIS link to register for the session. Upon successful registration you will receive an email containing additional meeting information and a link to use when it is time to join. Please be sure you have both phone and computer access to fully participate!

Additional Questions? Contact Sara: (907)450-8203 or sararo@ashn.com

The Zika virus is mosquito-borne and transmitted primarily by the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes (which do not thrive in Alaska). The secondary transmission form of the Zika virus is through the exchange of body fluids (unprotected sex).

The biggest risk of the Zika virus is to pregnant women in the first trimester. The Zika infection during pregnancy can cause serious birth defects and is associated with other pregnancy problems.�

The most common symptoms are fever, rash, joint pain and conjunctivitis, which can occur from 3 to 12 days after exposure. The illness is usually mild, with only one out of five infected people developing symptoms. Symptoms usually last less than one week.

There is no vaccine at this time, so…in Alaska…the best way to prevent infection is to practice safe sex.�� MORE....

Have a passion for health and wellness and want to share with those around you? Would you like to be more involved with the wellness program, but don’t know how? How about you just want to promote a change towards a healthier work environment? Then plan on attending the Wellness Champion Call-Out!

Sara Rodewald, UAs on-site program manager from Healthyroads will discuss just what being a Wellness Champion is all about. She will also share her vision for the group, answer any questions you have, and be open to hearing feedback on how you think the group can affect the wellness culture at your campus.

• Day: Thursday, September 1
• Time: 11 a.m.- 12 p.m.
• Place: UAF, Butrovich 207B, or you can use THIS link to join the meeting remotely when it is time. You will just need a phone/computer to fully participate.

Intrigued, but still have questions? Attend anyway to learn more! Or you can contact Sara directly: (907)450-8203 or sararo@ashn.com.

The Statewide Administration Assembly held a regular business meeting on Wednesday, August 17. These are highlights from the meeting:

August SAA Highlights

1.� Members reviewed changes to public testimony at Board of Regents’ meetings. Members of the public can now testify via distance using an audio call-in line. The Regents’ will employ this method of public testimony for the first time on Sept. 6 from 4-6pm . Additional information is included in the information sheet HERE.

2. Members approved the list of events SAA will host/sponsor/coordinate over the course of the year. Events include the Thanksgiving Potluck, a summer picnic, and annual longevity and outstanding employee awards. A full list is attached.

3. Members continued to discuss an online SW forum and how to identify the best platform/tool to host the forum. Several different programs/platforms were discussed, however, further development is needed before moving forward.

4. Members voted to move their September meeting to 9/20 (from 9/21) and their October meeting to 10/12 (from 10/19).

5.� SAA members agreed to form an ad hoc bylaw review committee to help address some of weaker sections of their bylaws. Some of the issues they will look into include make-up of the awards committee, the need for an events committee, membership and terms, and officer duties. The ad hoc committee will be chaired by Buffy Kuiper.

SAA will meet next on Tuesday, September 20 in Butrovich 109 in Fairbanks and Bragaw 205 in Anchorage. All staff are welcome and encouraged to attend. You can also reach out to SAA members between meetings to share ideas and concerns. Additional information about SAA meetings is available on their website.

Dear Colleagues,

It’s fitting that the UA College Savings Plan takes a moment to reach out and remind UA employees that September is a good time to start saving, review investments and/or increase systematic contributions. September is national College Savings Month! The UA College Savings Plan is the nation’s only 529 plan located within a university, which gives us the unique ability to help students with more than just their college savings plan.

Students requesting distributions to pay for educational expenses are always grateful for the money saved on their behalf. UA employees with college-aged children are equally thankful that they are able to supplement the Employee Tuition Waiver with money saved for their child in a college savings plan account. As the benefits of savings come to fruition for families, we celebrate. We are happy to make saving for college easy for UA employees and Alaska families.�� MORE....

It's time to renew your parking permit!

Annual UAF Parking permits are due to expire August 31. In order to keep lines down in the Bursar's office, and to save Butrovich employees the trip down to get their parking permits, they added a new pick-up location in Butrovich 209. They will deliver the permits daily.

The Butrovich pick-up option is now available when you purchase parking through the online system: http://www.uaf.edu/bursar/parkingservices/

Both sustainable and regular annual permits purchased through the online system are eligible for this delivery option.

Statewide employees working on the Fairbanks campus have multiple reporting options through UAF. Whether reporting slippery sidewalk to facilities, submitting a fraud or ethics report through the confidential hotline, reporting discrimination, or reporting a Title IX violation, convienient links can be found on the report incidents page: http://uaf.edu/uaf/contact/reporting/

Looking for information on benefits, budget updates, employee news or past announcements? The "Search Articles" box in the left menu of Statewide Voice pages is an easy to use portal for accessing older publication content. Use the power of Google to instantly bring up past Statewide Voice publications by name, topic or other search term. After 110 issues you'd be amazed at all the information available for review!