11-24-2014
Flex Plan Participants Take Note
As a reminder to all Flex Plan participants, the U.S. Treasury Department has modified the Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA) “use-it-or-lose-it” provision to allow carryover of Health Care FSA funds. Beginning with the 2014 plan year, all savings under the plan must be used by December 31, 2014, with the exception of up to $500, which can be rolled into the 2015 plan year and used throughout 2015. There will no longer be a 2.5 month grace period as in years past.
For more information contact HR at hr@up.edu.
Interfaith Dialogue Opportunity
Student diversity coordinators are compiling a list of students, faculty, and staff members who are interested in engaging in interfaith programming and dialogue. Possible ideas include “speed-faithing,” religious and interfaith site visits, interfaith dialogues, interfaith and community service projects, interfaith literacy, interfaith cooperation, and more. If you are interested in participating, please contact Elvia Gaona, lead student diversity coordinator for interfaith programming, at gaonaman15@up.edu with your name, e-mail, and religious or non-religious identification with the subject heading “Interfaith.”
For additional information, go to http://www.ifyc.org/about. With questions, contact diversity coordinator Bethany Sills, student activities, at 7470 or sills@up.edu.
UP Speech & Debate Union
The University of Portland Speech and Debate Union competed at the 84th Annual R. D. Mahaffey Memorial Speech and Debate Tournament at Linfield College over the weekend of November 15-16. Senior biology major Elizabeth Hartley earned first place honors as Best Speaker in Open/Senior International Public Debate. She was also one of two of UP quarterfinalists in Senior International Public Debate. Junior global business major Anna Murphy won a Top 11 Speaker award in Open/Senior International Public Debate, and was the second UP team member to win a quarterfinalist award.
For the first time in many years, the University of Portland Speech and Debate Union competed in not only the International Public Debate Association (IPDA), but also through the National Parliamentary Debate Association (NPDA). The University’s NPDA team was made up of freshman political science major Alex Parini and freshman education major Pat Johnson. They debated in the Junior tier of NPDA debate and placed in the octofinals, competing against debaters with more collegiate debating experience.
For more information contact UP speech and debate co-director Bohn Lattin, communication studies, at 7352 or lattin@up.edu.