UPbeat

News for and about University of Portland faculty and staff.

12-05-2016

2016 Holiday Payday Information

bag_of_moneyPayroll will be processing paychecks on an accelerated pay schedules due to the Christmas holiday and the winter break. Please be informed of the following important dates, times, and instructions.

Monthly (exempt) employees must submit their time records for any exception hours such as sick and vacation hours by 3 p.m. on Monday, December 19, for the entire month of December, and will be paid on Friday, December 23. Please note that monthly employees are being paid early and will not receive another check until January 31, 2017.

Semi-monthly staff employees must submit time cards by 3 p.m. on Wednesday, December 14, for the Decem­ber 1-15 pay period and will be paid on Tuesday, December 20.

Semi-monthly staff employees must submit time cards by 3 p.m. on Friday, December 23 for the Decem­ber 16-31 pay period, and will be paid according to the usual schedule on Thursday, January 5, 2017. Please note that most semi-monthly employees will have holiday time from December 24 through the end of the month as well as New Year’s day.

Student employee timecards for December 1-15 are due by Friday, December 16, by noon, so students can be paid on Friday, Decem­ber 23.

The following student payroll, for hours worked from December 16-31, is due on Friday, December 23 by noon, and will be paid on Tuesday, January 10, 2017.

Please be sure to have all timecards submitted by employees so supervisors have time to approve them prior to the 9 a.m. deadline the morning after timecards are due.

The 2017 payroll processing calendars are available on the payroll webpage at http://www.up.edu/payroll/. For more information, contact payroll at x8338 or payroll@up.edu.

Visio Divina Contemplative Prayer, Wednesdays in Advent

visiodivinaGive yourself the gift of quiet meditation this Advent through Visio Divina, contemplative prayer focusing on one of the stunning illuminations from The Saint John’s Bible. Join with members of the community as we gather on Wednesday, December 14, from 12:45-1:15 p.m., in the Chapel of Christ the Teacher. Co-sponsored by Campus Ministry and the Garaventa Center. For ADA accommodations or more information, contact x7702 or garaventa@up.edu.

For more information please contact Karen Eifler, Garaventa Center, at eifler@up.edu or Beth Barsotti, Campus Ministry, at barsotti@up.edu.

Lunch Hour Learning: “Holiday Stress,” Dec. 13

stressed-out-copyThe human resources office will host a lunch hour session on “Holiday Stress,” presented by Cascade Centers EAP, in the Beauchamp Recreation & Wellness Center classroom on Tuesday, December 13, from noon to 1 p.m. The presentation will be just in time for the busy and often stressful holiday season. Join us! For more information contact Nicole Bresnahan, human resources, at x8752 or benefits@up.edu.

Come Watch PFA Students’ Final (Singing) Exams!

singersPlease join performing and fine arts students and faculty for the Lyric Theater Workshop final exam, arguably the only final exam compelling enough to observers to warrant an audience. Students will perform solos from music theater and opera beginning at 4:10 p.m. on Monday, December 12.  The performance will most likely last an hour. For more information contact Nicole Hanig, performing and fine arts, at x7228 or hanig@up.edu.

Mass of the Immaculate Conception, Dec. 8

maryimmaculate-copyCampus Ministry will offer Masses on the Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception on Thursday, December 8, at 12:05 p.m. and 5 p.m., in the Chapel of Christ the Teacher. The Feast of the Immaculate Conception celebrates the conception of Mary, who became the mother of Jesus Christ.  It is one of the most important Marian feasts celebrated in the liturgical calendar of the Roman Catholic Church and so all Catholics are encouraged to attend Mass as a part of the celebration.

For more information contact Campus Ministry at 7131 or ministry@up.edu.

#GivingTuesday Marks Largest Day of Giving in UP History

wally-giving-tuesday-heart-150x150Last Tuesday, the Office of Development launched the University’s first Giving Tuesday. In just 24 hours, 258 gifts were raised totaling $56,506 in support. This tremendous show of support marks the largest number of gifts made in one day in University history. This achievement was largely influenced by the investment in our new online giving platform, giving.up.edu, with 182 donors giving online.

Giving was inspired by $15,000 in generous matching funds provided by the Aplet Family and the Demorest Family Foundation, which matched $100 to each of the first 150 gifts. These gifts support student scholarships and the Immediate Assistance Fund for Students – a fund specifically designed to meet emergency financial needs for students facing unexpected hardships.

Along with the impressive results, the collective participation of 76 parents, 71 alumni, 61 students, and 16 faculty and staff is a testament to the heart of our community – a community that is eager to come together and make a difference in the lives of University of Portland students.

The Office of Development would like to extend our gratitude to the 16 faculty and staff members who made a gift on Giving Tuesday, the Office of Marketing for multi-channel graphic design and social media, the participation of the Senior Class Gift Committee, the Office of Alumni Relations, and the Athletics Department, and everyone who liked, shared, and promoted #UPGives and #GivingTuesday on social media.

In its fifth year, Giving Tuesday is a global day of philanthropy following Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday. Giving Tuesday 2016 resulted in $168 million dollars and 1.56 million gifts raised across the globe. The Office of Development’s new giving platform vendor, iModules, is a partner in the Giving Tuesday data project which means that our efforts are included in this global tally.

To see the office UP Giving Tuesday Results Infographic, visit giving.up.edu.

 

Stay Safe Online This Holiday Season 

cybercrimedtIt has already been a record breaking year for online holiday shopping based on Black Friday and Cyber Monday trends. December is sure to bring even more shoppers to websites across the internet. How can you tell if a shopping site is safe, if your wi-fi connection is secure, or if a mobile shopping app is a fake? What steps can you take to protect your private information while online? Answers to these important questions and additional security tips are available in the December issue of UP’s Cybersecurity Blog. Please visit the blog here to learn how you can stay safe online this holiday season.  

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Dec. 12

our-lady-of-guadalupe2Campus Ministry invites the campus community to celebrate the Feast of our Lady of Guadalupe on Monday, December 12. A Mass in Spanish (homily in English) will be offered at 4:45 p.m. in the Chapel of Christ the Teacher. After Mass the celebration will continue in St. Mary’s lounge with traditional food and a reenactment of the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe. All are welcome.

For more information contact Campus Ministry at 7131 or ministry@up.edu.

TLC from the TLC: Helping Students Utilize Services

gangle-copyDo you wonder why some students eligible for accommodations through accessible education services (AES) do not actually use their accommodations?  According to Melanie Gangle, accessible education services, in a recent qualitative study, students identified six key reasons:  (1) Desire for self-sufficiency, (2) Desire to avoid negative social reactions, (3) Insufficient knowledge about their accommodations, (4) Quality and usefulness of DSS and accommodations, (5) Negative experiences with professors, and (6) Fear of future ramifications.

Gangle has the following suggestions for faculty who would like to support more students in utilizing their AES accommodations and demonstrating their competencies in course assessments:

  1. On the first day of the semester when reviewing the syllabus, spend a moment highlighting the section about AES and make a brief statement such as: “If you have an AES accommodation plan, please schedule an appointment with me soon so we can plan ahead for your accommodations in this class.” This simple statement creates a welcoming atmosphere while reminding students of their responsibility to communicate proactively with you about their AES accommodations.
  2. During the semester when you announce a general reminder about an upcoming exam, include a statement such as: “And if you have AES exam accommodations, remember to talk with me no later than X date (1-2 weeks in advance of exam) so we have time to make arrangements for accommodations.” This strategy helps reduce last-minute accommodation requests while encouraging students to communicate with you.
  3. Would you like support in reserving space for exam accommodations that involve extended time and/or alternative setting?  Contact your dean’s office for assistance reserving exam space.
  4. The traditional time-limited exam format assesses course competencies while simultaneously assessing how quickly your students can read, write, analyze, etc. If reading speed, writing speed and analytic speed are not essential learning outcomes for your course, consider exam alternatives such as take-home exams; online exams (via Moodle – contact academic technology services for more information); cumulative papers, projects, or presentations; outside-the-box formats such as creating a content-rich video, or a Wiki with appropriate citations.
  5. Talk with a colleague in your department or across campus to explore new strategies for assessing student mastery of course learning outcomes.

The AES office thanks faculty for all that you do to create a welcoming, supportive learning environment for all students, every day. Would you like to discuss these ideas further? Contact Gangle at gangle@up.edu or x8236.