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Communication for the staff and faculty of
The University of Texas at Dallas |
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Wednesday, November 17, 2021 |
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COVID-19 Information, Resources
During the disruption of regular services due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Office of Communications is maintaining a collection of information and resources for staff, faculty and students. Visit the COVID-19 website, which will be updated frequently with the latest information.
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Sign Up To Receive Your W-2 Electronically
The UT Dallas Payroll office will issue W-2s by Monday, Jan. 31 to current and former employees who had wages in calendar year 2021. If you would like to receive your W-2 electronically instead of having to wait for it to be printed and mailed, please follow the steps below before Monday, Jan.10. Your election remains in effect for all future calendar years, it does not need to be renewed each year.
- Log in to Galaxy.
- Click “NavBar: Navigator” in the upper right corner, under Main Menu select “Gemini HCM.”
- Under “Self Service,” select “Payroll and Compensation.”
- Select “W-2/W-2c Consent.”
- Check the box that says, “Check here to indicate your consent to receive electronic W-2 and W-2c forms.”
- Click “Submit.”
You will receive a confirmation email at your UTD email address when the change is made.
Benefits of the electronic W-2 include earlier receipt of the form and the ability to access and reprint the form at your convenience. If you will be accessing your W-2 from an off-campus computer, you will be required to sign up for NetID Plus. Former employees can still access Galaxy for up to three years from their last day of work to access paystubs and W-2 forms.
For more information, email [email protected].
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Volunteers Needed for Commencement Ceremonies
Staff members interested in volunteering at the Fall 2021 Commencement Ceremonies are invited to sign up by Monday, Dec. 6. Commencement roles include greeters, ushers and shuttle guides. Available shifts include:
Wednesday, Dec. 15
Thursday, Dec. 16
- 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (JSOM-2, AH, JSOM-3)
- 12:30-3:30 p.m. (JSOM-3, ATEC, JSOM-4)
- 3:30-7:30 p.m. (JSOM-4, BBS)
Friday, Dec. 17
- 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (ECS-1, EPPS, ECS-2)
- 12:30-3:30 p.m. (ECS-2, IS, ECS-3)
- 3:30-7:30 p.m. (ECS-3, NSM)
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Employee Wellness News
UTD Wins Walktober’s Traveling Trophy
Human Resources thanks everyone who participated in the UT System Fall Wellness Challenge, Walktober, and congratulates participants for taking steps to live healthy every day. Together, UT Dallas logged a total of 49,116,910 steps or about 24,500 miles during the monthlong challenge.
Team UTD finished first place overall and first place for the medium-sized institutions. UTD also had the highest increase of completion rate, the percentage of participants who achieved the program goal. HR hopes everyone enjoyed the Walktober challenge and will continue to keep moving toward a healthier you.
Holiday Gatherings & November EAP Newsletter
Holiday gatherings offer us opportunities to strengthen family bonds and celebrate the joy of the season. They also can bring differences and conflicts to the surface. Deer Oaks EAP provides tips on balancing health and safety with close family relationships and how to navigate differences in belief to create a gathering that is safe while preserving family harmony.
In this month’s EAP Newsletter, the following topics are discussed:
- Online Seminar: Caring for Our Elders — Find out more about the aging process and how to both practically and emotionally care for elderly relatives.
- COVID-19: Vaccine Conflict and Holiday Gatherings.
- Communicating With Relatives Who Provide Child Care.
- The Sandwich Years (Part 1): Tackling Finances.
Visit Deer Oaks EAP and enter utdallas for the username and password to access the online seminar.
The Great American Smokeout Event
Quitting smoking isn’t easy. It takes time and a plan. You don’t have to stop smoking in one day. Start with day one. Join the Student Wellness Center, Employee Wellness and the Center for Students in Recovery for the Great American Smokeout, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 18, SU Green (lawn behind the food trucks and Student Union Food Court). The annual tobacco prevention event and learn about the resources and support you or someone you know need to quit.
Sign Up for Mobile Mammography
The UT Southwestern mobile mammography unit will visit the loading zone north of the Activity Center from 8 a.m.-3 p.m., Friday, Dec. 10. 3D scans will be available, and most insurance plans will be accepted. To schedule an appointment, call 214-645-2560 or 866-277-0710 and have your health insurance information handy. For more information, download the flyer or email Taylor Tran.
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Contribute Pandemic Memories to UTD Time Capsule
The Eugene McDermott Library and University Archives are launching the Comets Endure Digital Time Capsule, a digital memory project to honor students, faculty and staff who have endured through the COVID-19 pandemic.
We have collectively experienced a dramatic moment of UTD’s history unlike anything before or possibly yet to come. This digital collection will preserve stories and memories of this time so future UTD classes will remember. The time capsule will be opened in 2041.
If you would like to contribute your pandemic memories, please complete the submission form. Submissions will be accepted through the end of the 2021-22 academic year. Comets United. Comets Endure!
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DFW Labor Market Update
The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex experienced a net gain of 25,800 jobs in September, bringing the region a mere 2,400 jobs short of the pre-pandemic peaks in February 2020. Unemployment rates have continued to see an overall decline across the region, state and nationwide. For more details, see this month’s DFW Labor Market Update.
For more information on how UT Dallas and the local economy affect each other, please contact the Economic Development team. You can also subscribe to biweekly updates with the latest analysis and news from the Economic Development team.
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Dr. Lin Lin
Dr. Ian Robertson
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Center for BrainHealth Events
Intersections of the Brain and Technology, noon, Friday, Dec. 3 — Dr. Lin Lin’s research looks into intersections of mind, brain, technology and learning. Specifically, she has published in areas including creativity, virtual reality, media multitasking, multimedia design, CSCL, critical thinking, computational thinking, and learning in virtual spaces. She serves as director for the Texas Center for Educational Technology (TCET), and development editor-in-chief of the journal Educational Technology Research and Development.
The Confident Brain: The Science of Self-Belief, Sponsored by Bank of Texas, 7 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 9 — Confidence can empower you to reach heights you never thought possible. But if you don't, it can have a devastating effect on your future. Confidence lies at the core of what makes things happen. Dr. Ian Robertson, co-leader of the BrainHealth Project, is a leading researcher on how we can harness the mind’s attention systems to maximize the brain’s capacity to reshape itself and to give every person a sense of control over their own emotions and cognitive function.
Information Sessions: Inside the BrainHealth Project, noon, Thursday, Nov. 18 and Thursday, Dec. 16 — Attend these information sessions to learn how you can be your best self with the BrainHealth Project.
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Center for Vital Longevity Event
7th Biennial Dallas Aging & Cognition Conference, Jan. 29-31 — The DACC is focused on the cognitive neuroscience of aging and is organized by the Center for Vital Longevity with co-sponsorship by the Office of Research and Innovation and the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences. The conference will honor the scientific contributions and impact of the CVL’s founding director, Dr. Denise C. Park. Reflecting her diverse interests, the platform presentations will be along four themes: Culture and Social Class Sculpt the Mind; Transitions to Cognitive Frailty with Increasing Age; New Advances in Theories of Cognitive Aging; and Interventions to Maintain Cognitive Vitality.
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Office of Research and Innovation Events
Comet Corner Series: Aging and Psychosis, noon-1 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 17 — Contributions of aging to complex brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease or psychotic disorders are influenced by myriad factors and is difficult to predict. Dr. Kristen Kennedy, associate professor in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences and Center for Vital Longevity, will explain her research around the health and lifestyle modifiers of brain aging and their cognitive consequences. Joining her will be Dr. Elena I. Ivela, director of the Early Psychosis Research and Clinical Program at UT Southwestern Medical Center, whose research and clinical practice focuses on untangling the effects of aging in psychotic disorders in hopes of finding novel interventions and improved disease outcomes. For more information, visit the Comet Corner listing or email Anricka Ziller.
Opportunities and Challenges of Social Media Panel, noon-1 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 17 — Join the Office of Research and Innovation and Dr. Bhavani Thuraisingham for a discussion on the opportunities and challenges young adults face with social media. A panel of UTD professors including computer scientists, social scientists and psychologists will talk about the negative and positive impacts of social media on society. For more information, visit the Social Media Panel listing or email Dani Lamb.
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Reminder
Staff Council Selling Poinsettias, Cactus, Bears
The UT Dallas Staff Council is taking orders for its annual poinsettia, cactus and bear sale. Proceeds benefit the Staff Council Staff Scholarship Fund.
- Cactus: $9; orders are due by noon, Nov 19.
- Red poinsettia: $10; orders are due by noon, Nov. 19.
- Stuffed bear: $8, $9 and $13; orders are due by noon, Dec. 17.
For more information and to order by credit card online, visit the Staff Council holiday giving site or download the flyer. Orders also can be made by cash, check or cost center by contacting committee members:
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About This Newsletter
InterCom is the official University-wide newsletter for UT Dallas faculty and staff members. This periodic publication is designed to provide University employees with important information necessary for the workplace, as well as community news that supports the University's mission. Guidelines about content and submissions can be found here or contact Robert Tracy at [email protected] or ext. 3521. |
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