Columns::July 15, 2002

Bulletin board

CURO-Apprentice mentors
The Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities invites research faculty to join in the Honors Program’s mentoring program for academically talented first- and second-year students. Students are competitively selected from the incoming first-year class and most continue through their second year at UGA. They carry out 10-12 hours of research each week for their faculty mentor, for which they receive $1,000 each semester.
Faculty application forms must be submitted to Pam Kleiber in the Honors Program (203 Moore College) by Aug. 1. An orientation session for students and faculty will be held Aug. 19 at 4:40 p.m. in Moore College.
For more information about the apprentice program, call 542-3240.

Web financial procedures
Budget amendment and personnel documents are now produced by university departments using a Web-based application called WebDFS. Further Web-based deparmental financial systems applications will be developed in coming years.
Training classes for WebDFS are being offered by the Training and Development Center, from 9 to noon the mornings of July 23, Aug. 23 and Sept. 18. Information and registration materials are available from the Training and Development Web site (www.busfin.uga.edu/staff/courses). Questions may be directed to Departmental Financial Systems staff at 542-6763 or webdfs@uga.edu.

LTC grants
Learning Technologies Grants proposal guidelines are available on the Web site for Instructional Support and Development (www.oisd.uga.edu/about/index.html) or by calling 542-1355. The deadline for submission of proposals is Sept. 6.

Subscribing to “Archnews”
All faculty and staff receive occasional e-mailed news announcements called “Archnews.” They are sent to the e-mail address that the employee has indicated is preferred.
If no e-mail address has been registered as preferred, the ARCHES address associated with the employee’s UGA MyID account is used.
Employees who do not regularly check their ARCHES e-mail address should register their preferred e-mail address at www.emailinfo.uga.edu/.

Working on an accent
UGA’s American Language Program is offering a class in accent reduction and oral communication skills on Mondays and Wednesdays, 7-9 p.m., Sept. 4-Nov. 27, at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education. For information or to register, call 542-4095.

Library reserve lists for fall
The deadline for instructors to submit materials to be placed on course reserve at the main and science libraries for fall semester is July 17. Materials submitted by that date will be ready for use by the first day of classes.
Materials received after that date will be processed as quickly as possible, in the order in which they were received. Reserve lists may also be submitted electronically (www.libs.uga.edu/maincirc/onlinereserve.html).
For further information, contact the main library at 542-0639 or mainresv@uga.edu or the science library at 452-4535 or sciresv@uga.edu.

Welcome new students
UGA faculty and staff are invited to volunteer to help greet new students and their families during the annual “Hunker Down with Housing” moving-in procedure, being held this year on Tuesday and Wednesday Aug. 13 and 14 (rather than on a weekend as in the past).
New students and their families will be greeted by volunteer “welcome teams.” More than 200 upperclass students and Housing staff will participate. Interested faculty and staff can volunteer for one three-hour shift on Aug. 13 between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. Most volunteers work outside, greeting parents and students, answering questions, giving directions for parking, and assisting with moving in.
There will be a training session for volunteers on Aug. 12, 6-8 p.m., in Georgia Hall of the Tate Student Center.
To volunteer, or for further information, contact Heather Rice (542-6533; hunkerdn@uga.edu).

Saving for higher education
The Georgia Higher Education Savings Plan under Georgia Section 529 makes it possible for any employee who receives a UGA payroll check--including student employees, temporary employees, and benefit-eligible employees--to open a college savings account.
College savings accounts may be opened with as little as $15 per month made through payroll deduction. Employees not wishing to use payroll deduction may open an account directly with TIAA-CREF Tuition Financing, Inc. TFI has contracted with the Georgia plan to provided investment and management services. At this time, the Georgia Section 529 plan is the only plan available to UGA employees via payroll deduction.
When the time arrives for the beneficiary to attend college, withdrawals to pay for qualified expenses--including tuition, fees, required books, supplies, room and board, and other related expenses--will be exempt from both federal and Georgia income tax.
The Employee Benefits Department will arrange information seminars about the higher education savings plan this fall. Prior to those sessions, employees wishing to open a Georgia Higher Education Savings Plan account may contact TFI directly by calling the toll free number (877) 424-4377.
Plan details are available on the Employee Benefits Web site (www.busfin.uga.edu/benefits under “summary of benefits”).
For further information, call Employee Benefits at 542-1814.

Retirees plan trips
The University of Georgia Retirees’ Association is sponsoring two trips next month.
On Aug. 4 at 10 a.m., they will travel to Marietta to see the musical Smoke on the Mountains, written by UGA alumnus Alan Bailey. Cost is $60 and includes bus, lunch and show tickets. To reserve a place send a $60 check made out to the UGA Foundation to Paula Smith, Alumni Relations/UGARA, Wray-Nicholson House.
On Aug. 8 at 10:15 a.m. UGARA will tour the Georgia Club off Highway 316. The tour is followed by lunch at the Club (on your own). The only cost is lunch, but reservations for the trip should be made with Bob Bowen at 543-6187.
For additional information about either trip contact Roland Brooks at 548-2629.

Swimming lessons
Recreational Sports is offering summer swim lessons at the Ramsey Student Center. Beginner and stroke-analysis classes are available in July for adults. Private lessons for adults and children are offered throughout the summer. Private lessons consist of a half hour of one-on-one instruction.
For more information, visit the Web site at www.uga.edu/recsports or call Libby at 542-5060. Register at the cashier’s desk in the Ramsey Student Center, Mondays-Fridays, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

UGA Technology Expo 2002
This year’s UGA Technology Expo will be held at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education on Nov. 11 and 12. The Expo is open to all UGA students, faculty, and staff. There is no cost to attend.
This year’s theme is “Technology in Higher Education: Making It Work for You.” Faculty and staff are invited to submit a presentation proposal in support of the theme by going to the Expo’s Web site (techexpo.uga.edu) and selecting “Call for Presentations.”

University System contest
The University System of Georgia is holding a contest for the best 50-word statement in response to the question “What do you enjoy about working in the University System of Georgia?”
Answers must be 50 words or less.
The best answers will be used in a video to be produced this year to welcome new employees to the University System. Employees who submit the winning entries will be credited in the video.
Send contest entries, including name, title, office address, phone and e-mail address, to Support Services Contest: by e-mail (BOR-SS@usg.edu), by fax (404-651-9444), or by U.S. mail (Office of Support Services, Board of Regents, 270 Washington St. S.W., Atlanta GA 30334).
All entries must be received by 5 p.m. Aug. 5, 2002.

Delta Prize nominations
Nominations for the 2004 Delta Prize for Global Understanding are now being accepted. The Delta Prize recognizes individuals who have significantly contributed to better relations among peoples and nations.
Nominations should be submitted to the Center for Humanities and Arts by Sept. 1. UGA’s Foundation Fellows will review the nominations during fall semester. Nomination forms are available online at www.uga.edu/news/deltaprize/ or may be requested by phone (542-3966) or e-mail (prize@uga.edu).

Columns publication schedule
The publication and deadline dates for Columns for the coming academic year are now posted on the Web site (www.uga.edu/columns).

Bulletin board is limited to announcements from campus-based organizations whose membership includes UGA faculty and/or staff.