Dialog, UA Faculty and Staff News

February 7, 2005

HRD Training
Alabama Credit Union Issues Consumer Alert
Benefits Review — New Name, Same Coverage for Dental Benefits Plan

HRD Training

Building Community: Human Relations for the 21st Century

The Diversity Experience — TBA
Advance Connections — Moving Quality Service Beyond the Basics — TBA
Assertiveness Skills and Communication — TBA
Understanding the Role Personality Plays at Work — Feb. 28, 1:30-3:30 p.m.

Communication

Written Communication Basics — Feb. 7, 2-4 p.m.

Computer Courses

Library Orientation for New Faculty and Staff — Feb. 4, 3-5 p.m., Osburn Instruction Area, first floor, Gorgas Library
E-Course — Feb. 23-25, 8:30 a.m.-noon
Advanced Computer Classes — TBA

Customer Service

Customer Service and The University of Alabama — Feb. 15, 2-4 p.m.

Library Centered Workshops

Partnership for Active Learning: Faculty and Librarians — Feb. 10, 3-4:45 p.m.

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.

Effective Communication I — Feb. 16, TBA

Performance Management and Development

The FRONT of the CLASS — Learning to Lead — Feb. 21, 1:30-4 p.m.

Personal Safety

Right to Know — Feb. 17, 8:15 a.m.

Policy and Procedures

On-Line Purchasing System Procedures — Feb. 16, 1:30-3:30 p.m.
I-9 Process and Procedures — Feb. 24, 2-3:30 p.m.

Professional Development Series

These programs are intended to benefit UA employees, departments and customers by enhancing the professional development of office employees.

Effective Communication Techniques and Skills — Feb. 11, 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.

Alabama Credit Union Issues Consumer Alert

The Alabama Credit Union, which serves some 3,500 UA employees, has issued a consumer alert to members. Many computer users have recently received e-mail memos supposedly from financial institutions including banks (national and local) and credit unions or associations. The ACU has pointed to one in particular on its website at www.alabamacu.com. From the home page, click on "A New Phishing Scam" under Today's News for complete information.

A scam from "Forum Credit Union" was reported Jan. 27 and was asking for private consumer financial information. Here is part of that message: "Dear User, 'Forum' Credit Union, is committed to maintaining a secure environment for our clients. To guard the safety of your account access, employs some of the most progressive safety online systems in the world and our anti-fraud groups hourly scan the Bank system for fraud activity. Banking Service are remind you that our Online Review Team identified some uncommon activity in your account. Sign on to Online Account. Please understand that this is a safety measure meant to help protect you and your account. Thank you for your attention to this problem. Customer Support apologize for any inconvenience. Yours, Forum CU, Online Account Support."

The ACU offers a list of red flags to watch for when getting such messages. In this one the language and grammar signal that the message is not legitimate. The ACU warns that "if you receive an e-mail of this type, it has nothing to do with your membership in Alabama Credit Union or your participation with our secure ACUiBranch online account system. E-mail addresses are easily purchased by scammers or 'guessed' by programs the scammers use; however, you can be assured that disclosure of your e-mail address did not come from Alabama Credit Union."

The ACU also provides tips on how to protect yourself from Identity Theft and steps to take if you become a victim of Identity Theft.

Benefits Review — New Name, Same Coverage for Dental Benefits Plan

Sandra Abrams, Manager of Benefits

This year, University employees are receiving dental benefits through DentaBenefits. DentaBenefits is underwritten and administered by United Concordia and marketed by Mutual of Omaha. This plan provides the same dental benefits received under the 2004 Mutual of Omaha plan.

Subscribers have received new dental ID cards issued by United Concordia featuring a new look, a new group number and a new subscriber number. If you are a dental plan subscriber and you have not yet received a new card, please contact 1-866-454-3190.

Our new dental provider network is different from last year's provider network under Mutual of Omaha. There a few additional local dentists and a few dentists who no longer participate. Using dentists who are part of the network will usually result in lower out-of-pocket expenses. Subscribers can encourage their dentists to join the DentaBenefits network. Visit the DentaBenefits website at www.dentabenefits.com to access information about the new plan. If you need additional information please contact the HR Service Center at 348-7732.

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