University of Evansville

AceNotes Today

Thursday, April 9, 2020

* Correction to Withdrawl Date. Last day to drop with a "W" is Wednesday April 29

Wednesday, April 29, is the last day to drop a class with a "W". You will not be able to drop your class online. You MUST email academicservices@evansville.edu. In the email include your name, student ID, and specific class you wish to drop. Please copy your instructor and advisor on the email.

Teresa Haller
academicservices@evansville.edu

 
* Employee Benefit Enrollment Online through Friday, April 10

During the period of March 30 through April 10, benefit-eligible employees may enroll or make changes in the University’s health, life, disability, dental, and ACES flexible spending account benefit plans. It is the only chance for benefit-eligible employees to enroll or make changes until the next open enrollment period unless you have a qualifying change in status.

Highlighted below are announcements, important changes, and reminders about the University’s benefits (premium changes will be effective May 1 and benefit changes will be effective June 1). For more information, please review the open enrollment documents at: https://bit.ly/2wPBKLn

Everyone wishing to participate in our benefit plans will be required to enroll, so please read the remainder of this document carefully.

On-line Benefit Enrollment

We will once again be using an on-line enrollment process, eliminating all paper enrollment forms for health, life, dental, and long term disability insurance, as well as the ACES flexible spending account. This ensures the accuracy of your enrollment elections and maintains records electronically regarding your current and future participation. Enrollment/changes to your TIAA and Emeriti VEBA retirement plan salary deferral will continue to be processed on forms available from the Office of Human Resources. Therefore, you do not need to re-enroll in either of these benefit plans.

ALL benefit eligible employees (including those who do not want to make any changes to their current coverage) must enter their elections by April 10. As all employees have now utilized this system either during last few years’ open enrollments or as a new hire, most should find this to be an easyto- follow process. Simply log in to WebAdvisor following the instructions below, affirm your current benefit elections (or make changes to coverage if you wish), enter dependent information for family coverage, and beneficiary information for life insurance. If you previously entered your dependents/beneficiaries via online benefit enrollment, those entries will already be pre-populated for you. Please review this information and make changes as necessary. If you do not wish to be enrolled in our insurance plans, please check the “opt out” button for those benefits.

Please review the On-line Benefit Enrollment FAQ and Manual, at: https://bit.ly/2wPBKLn, which should answer many of the questions you might have. Please contact the Office of Human Resources if you need assistance with your on-line enrollment. We recommend to print your “Current Benefits” to have available for reference as you make your elections for the new benefit year.

On-line Benefit Enrollment Log-in Instructions:

  • Log in to WebAdvisor at: https://webadvisor.evansville.edu
  • Click on the “Employees” button (highlighted in purple)
  • Click on “Current Benefits” and print this screen for your reference
  • Click on the “Benefit Enrollment” link (located in the “Employee Profile” section)
  • Follow the instructions in red located at the top of the Benefit Enrollment page.

Health Insurance Premiums

Premiums for the upcoming plan year can be found at: https://bit.ly/2wPBKLn. The increase in premiums is 2.5% and premium adjustments will be made beginning with the first payroll in May for coverage beginning June 1.

In addition, the following premium levels are for employees enrolled in the HRA plan based participation in the University’s wellness program for coverage effective June 1 (and premiums beginning in May):

  • For members that choose not to participate in a wellness screening at the UE Medical Clinic: premiums will increase $23 per bi-weekly pay
  • For members that are tested as tobacco users: premiums will increase $14 per bi-weekly pay
  • For members with two or more risk factors: premiums will increase $7 per bi-weekly pay

If your spouse is covered on the UE health insurance plan, both of you need to participate and have one or less risk factors to avoid an increased premium. However, if both the employee and spouse choose not to participate, both are tobacco users, etc., there will only be one premium increase.

Only the most recent screening results will be used in April 2020 to determine premium charges that will be effective May 2020. Most employees and spouses enrolled on the HRA plan have already completed their screening.

For those employees who were unable to get a screening before the UE Medical Clinic was closed for wellness screenings due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the University will not increase premiums. However, once the campus is re-opened and the UE Medical Clinic is accepting appointments for wellness screenings, the University will provide an update with a new deadline to get a screening so that these employees can avoid the additional premium.

Health Insurance Plan Design Changes

Please note the following changes that will take effect May 1 to supplement the free medical services already provides through UE’s onsite medical clinic:

  • Employees and dependents will have access to Teladoc: a free service that provides access to licensed physicians 24/7, 365 days a year. You can get medical advice and treatment by phone, online video or with the Teladoc mobile app. You can use Teladoc for medical advice and care, including:
    1. For non-emergent medical issues, questions or concerns
    2. When your primary doctor is not open
    3. When you are at home, traveling or do not want to take time off work to see a doctor
    4. When you need prescription refills (please note, there is no guarantee you will be prescribed medication).
  • Employees and dependents can utilize CVS MinuteClinics at no cost. MinuteClinic makes it easy for you to get the care you need, when and where you need it. And now you can get access to all covered MinuteClinic services at no cost:
    1. MinuteClinic is a walk-in clinic inside select CVS Pharmacy and Target stores, and is the largest provider of retail health care in the United States—with over 1,100 locations in 33 states, including locations in Evansville.
    2. It’s open every day, including evenings. MinuteClinic offers both walk-in and scheduled appointment options.
    3. MinuteClinic health care providers treat a variety of illnesses, injuries and conditions. They can also write prescriptions, when medically appropriate.

On-Site Medical Clinic

As a reminder, the UE Medical Clinic is available for employees and family members covered on UE health insurance. It is in the same location as UE’s Student Health Center in Sampson Hall. All services offered by the clinic are provided at no cost.

The medical clinic is open 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday, staffed by a Registered Nurse and Certified Medical Assistant. Eighteen of those hours also include staffing by a Nurse Practitioner. Along with the Student Health Center and Xtra Care 4U (see below), we will have a Nurse Practitioner available 32 hours per week. We strongly encourage the scheduling of an appointment at our clinic to ensure the staff is prepared to serve you. However, they will do their best to accommodate walk-ins.

In addition to the UE medical clinic, Tri-State Community Clinics offers Xtra Care 4U. This service provides an additional four hour time period (7:00 am until 11:00 am) each Friday for employees and family members who are eligible to use the UE Medical Clinic to obtain care for acute/urgent care needs from a nurse practitioner. Xtra Care 4U is available at Tri-State Community Clinic’s main office located at 8601 N. Kentucky Avenue, just off Hwy 41 and Mt. Pleasant Road. Appointments are not required. Patients are seen on a first come, first served basis. Just like the UE Medical Clinic, all services provided by Xtra Care 4U are at no cost. However, this service will not provide refills on any maintenance medications or perform routine physicals or wellness exams.

Dental Insurance

There will be no changes to dental insurance premiums or benefits for this year.

Life and Long Term Disability Insurance

There will be no increase in premiums for Group Life, Voluntary Life, or Long Term Disability insurance. You may purchase for the first time or increase current Voluntary Life Insurance coverage by $10,000 per year for employee and $5,000 per year for spouse. You may elect a coverage amount of Voluntary Life Insurance for your spouse for no more than 50% of your coverage amount. The total of Group Life and Voluntary Life Insurance amounts cannot be greater than 6x your annual salary amount.

ACES Flexible Spending Account

If you would like to participate in this program for 2020-21, you will need to enter the amount of your annual ACES election in WebAdvisor Benefits Enrollment On-line. A detailed ACES flexible spending account packet and debit card summary can be found at: https://bit.ly/2wPBKLn. ACES participants may carry over up to $500 in unused health care flexible spending account dollars into the new plan year. ACES participants can receive reimbursements via direct deposit to their bank account. A flexible spending account direct deposit authorization form can be found at: https://bit.ly/2wPBKLn.

TIAA Retirement Plan

This is a reminder that eligible employees may enroll, change salary deferrals, change investment elections, or waive participation at any time in the TIAA 403(b) retirement plan. If you wish to enroll, change your salary deferral, or waive participation, please submit the following form to the Office of Human Resources: https://bit.ly/2FjUdkW If you wish to change your investment elections, please contact TIAA at 1-800-842-2776 or http://www1.tiaa-cref.org/tcm/universityofevansville/.

No Open Enrollment Meetings

As the campus is closed to meetings in compliance with Governor Holcomb’s Stay at Home Directive, we will not be offering open enrollment meetings this year. However, a WebEx meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday, April 1 at 10:00 am with a representative from Meritain Health, who will provide additional information about Teladoc and CVS MinuteClinics, and will be available to answer any questions you might have about the health insurance.

When it's time, join your WebEx meeting here.

Meeting number (access code): 713 939 941
Meeting password: GVq6M674yz$
Join Meeting:
https://aetnacca.webex.com/webappng/sites/aetnacca/meeting/info/156703940959834164?MTID=m90128ae1eeda77039f00fd8fb8f5ae77

Please select ‘Call Me’ or ‘Call Using Computer,’ as these are the most cost-effective audio solutions.

Join by phone

Tap to call in from a mobile device (attendees only)
8447123250 US Toll Free
+16466321149 US Toll

Join by video system, application or Skype for business

Dial 713939941@webex.com
You can also dial 173.243.2.68 and enter your meeting number.

Questions

If you have any questions about open enrollment and/or the University’s benefit plans, please contact the Office of Human Resources at hr@evansville.edu or 812-488-2943.

 

Upcoming Events

* UE Spirit Week is Next Week

pep and vim logo.

UE Pep and Vim Spirit Week starts next week, and we encourage everyone to take this time to remember why we love UE and to share that spirit with others. University Advancement and the Office of Alumni and Parent Relations invite the campus and UE Community to unite together #fortheAces and to support each other and our University.

You can do your part by supporting our Aces while staying in your places! The University needs our help sharing positive messaging on social media. Each day we encourage you to share one of these messages on your social media:
* “Why You Heart UE”
* “How You’ve Been Impacted by Philanthropy at UE”
* “Why You Give Back to UE”
When sharing to your social media platform, please be sure to make your post public, tag the UE Alumni Office @UEAlumni, and use the hashtags #UEPepandVim and #FortheAces.

Students are also invited to play along in the week long online scavenger hunt to learn more about how UE's campus has been shaped by philanthropy over the years. Each day, a clue will be emailed out and posted in AceNotes, leading you to a page on the UE Website. Follow the clue to find the philanthropy fact posted each day. Once you do, submit your information daily to be entered into a drawing for UE swag bags to be handed out daily. One grand prize winner will receive a $100 gift card to the UE book store, and two runner-ups will receive a $50 gift card.

Together, we will get through this crisis. We will show our resiliency as Aces and come out of this stronger because of it. Remember that the University is here to support you in your needs, so let us give back to our beloved university any way that we can. We are all in this #fortheAces.

 
* UE Employees Gather for Virtual Purple-Pop

Feeling disconnected?

The Powerful Moments Taskforce Invites all UE faculty, staff and administrators to join in our virtual Purple Pop-Up! 

Please find us on Facebook at: UE Employees – Positively Purple

 
* Happy Easter!

Have an egg-cellent and bunny-tastic Easter! Rejoice for a new life and renewed vitality. Don't forget that Easter break starts on Good Friday (4/10/2020). Enjoy a long and restful weekend.

 
* Next Week is Pep & Vim

pep and vim logo.

Next week is Pep and Vim Spirit Week, and UE’s Day of Giving is Friday, April 17!

“Pep and Vim” is derived from UE’s fight song and means “lively spirits, high energy, enthusiasm.” Next week, we can show our Pep and Vim in many ways and share our purple pride with the world.

Ways you can participate:

Follow @UEvansville and @UEalumni on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram
Add the “Pep and Vim 2020” Facebook frame to your profile picture
Invite others to follow UE social media
Share UE social media posts on your own pages
Post on your social media
Tag @UEvansville, @UEalumni, and UE alumni and friends
Attach UE pictures or videos
Use hashtags #UEPepandVim #FortheAces
Include UE’s online giving page – www.evansville.edu/give
Start today and post often
Visit and promote UE’s online giving page – www.evansville.edu/give
Remind everyone that Pep and Vim, UE’s day of giving, is Friday, April 17!

Jennifer Calderone
jj130@evansville.edu

 

Info You Should Know

* The Confident You Lunch and Learn - now virtual

The office of Counseling and Health Education is continuing our spring lunch and learn series virtually!
April's lunch and learn topic is "Confident You" and it all about improving our self-confidence. Click this link to a watch a prerecorded YouTube video session: https://youtu.be/aGgIEU1YKRU.

Jennifer Hargus
jh693@evansville.edu

 
* Economics 101/102 (Online) in Summer I

Do you need a non-major course to fulfill one of your general education requirements for outcome 9? Then take Economics 101 (Principles of Macroeconomics) and/or Economics 102 (Principles of Microeconomics) online during the first summer session from May 18 to June 19.

For more information, contact Dr. Omer Bayar (ob19).

Omer Bayar
ob19@evansville.edu

 
* Online Concert Series

The University of Evansville, Department of Music's Online Concert Series continues this week with the UE Jazz Ensemble I under the direction of Professor of Music, Dr. Timothy Zifer. Enjoy great jazz standards made famous by the big band leader Count Basie in the UE Jazz Ensemble's album, "Basically Basie." Under the auspices of the University of Evansville Music Management Association, the UE Jazz Ensemble I recorded this album during the 2018-2019 academic year in Krannert Hall of Art and Music. Enjoy this online concert!

 
* Important Voucher Request Process Changes

To facilitate remote work for Accounting staff, we will be implementing some immediate changes to our voucher request process. Please forward this to personnel in your areas who are responsible for entering vouchers in WebAdvisor.

1. Voucher request must be submitted through WebAdvisor as normal. Once complete, you will need to save a PDF copy of the voucher screen to submit with your documentation.
2. Any invoices, receipts or other documentation should be submitted as one PDF with the voucher page as the first page. This is very important because of the large volume of emails and trying to manage them remotely. All full-time employees have access to download any Adobe creative product using your university credentials. https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/using/sign-in-activate-creative-cloud.html NOTE: If you need to save the voucher screen as a PDF, you can right click and select print….select "Save as PDF" as the printer.
3. With a PDF application installed, you can combine files to create a single PDF without a scanner. https://acrobat.adobe.com/us/en/acrobat/how-to/merge-combine-pdf-files-online.html If you have problems with the PDF software, you can put in a request at help@evansville.edu and they will assist you.
4. Send an email to accountspayable@evansville.edu with the combined PDF file attached. The PDF must include the voucher and any backup documentation. Vouchers without proper supporting documents will not be processed.
5. Enter VOUCHER NUMBER and Payee in the subject line of the email.
6. Please retain all original copies of documents submitted. While we are taking copies at this time, you may be asked to submit original documents once we return to campus.

Please follow all of these instructions carefully. Any requests that do not have the proper approvals and or documentation cannot be processed. At this time, we are only able to process one check run per week while working remotely so there may be a delay in your payment being processed if this procedure is not followed.

 
* Refunds Currently Processed via Direct Deposit Only

Due to COVID-19, refunds will be processed via direct deposit only at this time. Students anticipating a refund (for housing, meal plans, or from excess financial aid), are encouraged to confirm or enter bank account information within WebAdvisor

Once logged in to WebAdvisor, select Students. From the Students menu, go to Financial Information and select Bank Information. Enter your bank’s routing number and your personal account (savings or checking) number.

Refunds will be direct deposited into the bank account that is entered.

Note: Due to offices working remotely at this time, students receiving refunds via paper check should be aware that the check writing process might be delayed up to 90 days.

Amy Sowders
as560@evansville.edu

 
* Advising and Registration Dates

Advising: begins on March 30 Please schedule an appointment your advisor.

Registration: begins on April 6

  • Monday, April 6: Graduates, Seniors
  • Tuesday, April 7: Honors and Juniors
  • Wednesday, April 8: Sophomores
  • Thursday, April 9: Freshman 
 

Congratulations

* John David Lutz Endowed Professor Chuck Meacham Named Chair of Theatre and Performance Studies at Kennesaw State University

The University of Evansville Theatre sends congratulations to Professor Chuck Meacham on his being named as the new Chair of Theatre and Performance Studies at Kennesaw State University, in Marietta, Georgia.

Chuck joined the UE faculty in 1998 as the Technical Director, and, over the past 22 years, he has taught a wide array of classes in scenic production techniques (carpentry, welding, rigging, drafting), production and stage management, senior seminar, portfolios, and sound. In 2010, he helped established the degree in Stage Management at the University of Evansville, a program which he heads and also serves as the Production Manager for the Department of Theatre. In 2018, Chuck was invested as the John David Lutz Endowed Professor of Theatre.

Mr. Meacham has been highly active with the United States Institute for Theatre Technology, serving on the leadership team of the Technical Production Commission since 2012. In the summer of 2019, he finished a three-year term as the USITT Commissioner for Technical Production. In addition, he has also been heavily involved on a local, national, and international level with Habitat for Humanity.

UE Department Chair Eric Renschler said, “Chuck has been a valued friend and colleague from the moment I stepped onto campus. His kind manner and generous spirit made him a constant joy to work with. Our great loss is Kennesaw’s indescribable gain. I look forward to watching the great things they do together in the years to come.”

The University of Evansville faculty, students, and alumni have enjoyed the privilege of having Chuck and his wife Karen, as well as their children (Kate, Conor, and Colleen), as part of the UE Theatre family for the past 22 years, and we wish him the greatest success in this exciting new chapter of his career.

 

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