Dialog, UA Faculty and Staff News

March 8, 2004

HRD Training

Building Community
Computer Courses
Continuous Quality Improvement
Customer Service
The Management Project
Personal Safety
Policy and Procedures
Performance Management and Development
Professional Development Series
Job Openings
Miscellaneous

Personnel Update — Individual Counseling Services
Benefits Update — Increased Tax Sheltered Annuity Limits for 2004
Campus Mail Service Quick Tips
Human Resource News — Nominations for Prestigious Awards Deadline Approaching

Building Community

Building Community: Human Relations for the 21st Century — Human Relations for the 21st Century is designed to develop human relations skills, heighten awareness of others and foster a sense of community throughout the UA campus. Workshops that bear the Building Community logo are available to UA employees.

The Diversity Experience — HRD Team, date TBA
Sexual Harassment Awareness and Prevention — HRD Team, date TBA
Conflict Management/Resolution — Dr. Lee Keyes, Counseling Center, March 8, 9-11 a.m.
Understanding the Role Personality Plays at Work — HRD Team, March 15, 2-4 p.m.

Computer Courses

E-Course — HRD Team, March 8-10, 8:30 a.m.-noon
Windows for E-Course — HRD Team, March 8-10, 8:30 a.m.-noon
Advanced Computer Classes — HRD, dates TBA

Continuous Quality Improvement

CQI Leadership Seminar Series. CQI workshops are part of the Leadership Seminar Series designed for people in academic and administrative organizations, such as deans, department chairs, directors, managers, assistant and associate directors and faculty who lead projects, or plan on moving into leadership roles. All workshops will be facilitated by John Dew, director for Continuous Quality Improvement. Contact the CQI Office at 348-9831 to schedule workshops, which are designed for 2-4 hours.

Customer Service

Advanced Connections — Moving Quality Service Beyond the Basics — HRD, date TBA

The Management Project

Register now for The Management Project — an in-house management certificate program for UA managers. This course is a comprehensive training program designed to give participants practical knowledge and skills enabling them to effectively manage within the University's work environment. It was created to assist managers with the increasing challenges they are facing and to prepare potential managers to accept future challenges.

Course Modules for Spring 2004

Employment Law and UA Policy — March 10 and 11
Performance Management, Development and Resources — March 23 and 25
Effective Communication II — April 6
Customer Service and Quality Principles — April 15
Collaborative Work Environments — May 6 and 7

For information about this opportunity contact Teresa Faulkner at tfaulkner@fa.ua.edu or 348-8212.

Personal Safety

Right to Know — Janie Fowler, Health and Safety, March 9 at 1 p.m. and March 25 at 3:45 p.m.

Policy and Procedures

Accounting and Reporting Procedures — Tina Dorroh/Accounts Payable and Julie Shelton/Accounting and Reporting, Level two, March 11, 1-3 p.m.
Independent Contractor Procedures — Michelle L'Etang, Financial Accounting, March 16, 9-11 a.m.
Effective Processing of the INS Form I-9 — Shirley Davis, Human Resources, March 22, 2-4 p.m.
On-Line Purchasing System Procedures — Susan Petty and Judy Voss, UA Purchasing, March 24, 1-4 p.m.
Personnel Action Procedures — Patty Kelly, Human Resources, date TBA
Conducting Effective and Legal Interviews — HRD, date TBA
Ten Danger Zones for Supervisors — HRD, date TBA
The Front of the Class — Learning to Lead — HRD, March 24, 9:30-11:30 a.m.

Performance Management and Development

Four Step Performance Plan — HRD Team

The message of the workshops below is simple: Managing performance is the responsibility of managers and supervisors. Careful planning, coaching, and goal setting are key skills that must be developed and utilized in order for supervisors to help staff reach their full potential. In addition to covering Conducting Performance Reviews, these sessions cover the following:

Delegation and Follow-Up — March 19, 8:30-10
Coaching and Feedback — April 23, 8:30-10
Retention and Recognition — May 21, 8:30-10

Professional Development Series

HR Development is pleased to offer the following training and development programs intended to benefit UA employees, departments and customers by enhancing the professional development of office employees.

Legal Issues and Workplace Safety — HRD Team, March 17, time TBA

Job Openings

The University of Alabama is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. For the latest job updates, call the UA job line, 348-7780. For a full line listing of available positions, visit http://hr.ua.edu/employment. Remember that office, technical, clerical, maintenance and service positions stay on the Job Line only five days. Faculty positions are listed under the appropriate college or school.

Miscellaneous

New Employee Orientation introduces all new UA employees to campus life and provides them and employees with a status change (regular, part-time or temporary) an opportunity for benefits advisement and enrollment. New employees and employees with status change must pre-register and attend a New Employee Orientation session within the first 30 days of employment to be eligible for health insurance. Sessions are offered every Monday.

Three Ways to Register and to Check Out Training Material: call 348-7125, fax to 348-2072 or e-mail dharbin@bama.ua.edu.

Human Resource Development Training Sessions will be conducted at G54 Rose unless otherwise stated. Persons with special needs should contact Daphne Harbin.

The Training Resource Center (TRC) offers videos for a staff development "lunch and learn" program. The TRC accommodates six to eight people.

The website for Human Resource Development Training offers the current Staff Training Calendar.

Personnel Update — Individual Counseling Services

Are you planning to retire within three years? TRS representatives will be available to counsel members at selected locations through April. Appointments may be scheduled contacting TRS at 1- 800-214-2158; press 9 on the menu. Be prepared to provide your Social Security number and sick leave balance.

Appointments will be scheduled in date order. Therefore, no appointments will be made to a certain date if openings exist on an earlier date at that same location.

These are 20 minute appointments with a TRS Retirement Counselor. To speak directly to a TRS Counselor, call 1-800-214-2158; press 3, then press 7. The last date for this semester follows: DATE — April 6-7; DEADLINE — April 1; LOCATION — Tuscaloosa County Board of Education. For questions to or information from UA Human Resources, call the service center at 348-7732 or go to http://hr.ua.edu.

Benefits Update — Increased Tax Sheltered Annuity Limits for 2004

The Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 changed several rules applicable to tax-sheltered annuities and the state deferred compensation plan. In general, the following changes are applicable for 2004:

The contribution limits to the 403(b) tax-sheltered annuities and state 457 deferred compensation plan increased from $12,000 to $13,000 in 2004. Note that an individual can use both plans which would permit an individual to shelter 100% of salary up to at least $13,000 in the 403(b) program and another $13,000 in the 457 deferred compensation plan.
Participants who will be age 50 or older by December 31, 2004, may make additional contributions of up to $3,000 in 2004 to their 403(b) and/or 457 plan, thereby sheltering $16,000 (per plan) instead of the $13,000 general limit.
Employees who have worked 15 or more years at UA may be eligible for a catch-up provision that allows for additional contributions of up to $3,000 per year. Special calculations provided by TIAA/CREF are needed to determine if you are eligible for the special "catch up" provision.

Individual questions concerning tax-sheltered annuities or the state deferred compensation plan may be addressed to Sandra Abrams at sabrams@fa.ua.edu or 348-7732. TIAA/CREF and VALIC are 403(b) plans. RSA-1 is 457, a deferred compensation plan.

Salary reduction changes are effective the first of the month. You must submit a completed salary reduction agreement form to: HR Service Center, G-69 Rose Administration Building or mail forms via campus mail to: Benefits, Box 870174.

Campus Mail Service Quick Tips

by Mike Butts, Manager, Campus Mail Services

Certified Mail vs. Registered Mail — Certified Mail provides you with a receipt at the time of mailing and a record of delivery. Certified is a good choice when you want to prove that you mailed something and that it was received. Items travel as First-Class Mail.

Registered Mail is a highly secure form of delivery that is documented at each step of the way. Registered mail is best for sending documents or items that have an intrinsic value, where security is important. This mail is kept under lock and key during its journey. As a result, it takes longer to reach its destination.

Because of misunderstandings, Registered Mail is sometimes used by mailers who really do not require such a high level of security. Consequently, registry fees are spent and can inflate postage budgets over a period of time.

Rate Shop — When shipping letters and packages, you should "shop" for the best rate based on your service level needs. Ask yourself, "What day do I need this package to be delivered?" and then "shop" for the best service based on the date and time you need the package to arrive at its destination. Approximately 80 percent of shippers overpay for shipping because they do not compare service levels and transit times.

Remember, no single carrier is the most cost effective in all categories. Every carrier has its niche. Campus Mail Service has the ability to "rate shop" your shipment for the best rate.

Human Resource News — Nominations for Prestigious Awards Deadline Approaching

Nominations are being accepted for two of the University's most prestigious awards presented to faculty and non-faculty personnel: The E. Roger Sayers Distinguished Service Award honors faculty and exempt administrative personnel who have performed in an exemplary manner to further the mission of The University of Alabama. The Dr. Minnie C. Miles Endowed Excellence Award honors exempt, non-faculty administrative employees who have performed in an exemplary manner above and beyond their normal duties and who have furthered the mission of The University of Alabama. Both awards will be presented at the spring faculty and staff and State of the University meeting April 21. The deadline for nomination forms to be submitted is March 19. For more information about these awards and to print forms, go to http://hr.ua.edu/empl_rel/index.htm and follow the links.

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