News for Employees
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A reminder: UW policies on employee campaigning
Per UW System policy, political campaign activities by employees are restricted by Board of Regents policy and state law in three ways: (1) employees may not engage in political campaign activities, including solicitation of signatures for petitions, during work time or in their work unit; (2) they may not use university resources to engage in political campaign activities at any time; and (3) they may not solicit contributions or services for a political purpose from other university employees while they are engaged in their official duties.
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Academic Staff district change options
All academic staff are invited to attend informational sessions to learn about proposed changes to Academic Staff Assembly Districts, which would be in two areas — number of districts and the method by which staff are assigned to districts. Informational sessions will be held from: 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 28, at Union South; and from noon to 1 p.m. Friday, March 3 at 1345 Health Sciences Learning Center. A vote on this issue is scheduled to take place at the March 13 Academic Staff Assembly meeting. If you have any questions, please contact your ASA representative or send an email to asa_district_changes@lists.wisc.edu.
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Info about health self-insurance proposal
In an effort to provide up-to-date information regarding the proposed self-insured health insurance, the UW–Madison Office of Human Resources (OHR) will be posting questions received and adding answers as they become available. The Group Insurance Board (GIB) voted to move Wisconsin to a self-insured health insurance model for state workers effective Jan. 1, 2018. The proposed change still requires approval by the State Legislature. The Department of Employee Trust Funds (ETF) has stated that the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee needs to approve self-insurance contracts by May 1, 2017 in order to implement the change by January 2018 as planned. If approved, OHR will hold educational sessions for UW-Madison employees.
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IT tip: Do right by copyright
Did you know that photos are protected by copyright, even if they are posted on the internet? With a few exceptions, it’s illegal for you to reuse a photo taken by another person without permission. The penalties for photographic copyright infringement are severe. To safely find and use photos, try the UW Campus Photo Library, which contains thousands of recent low and hi-res photos depicting the UW-Madison campus and the people there. Or try WikiCommons, a collection of over 36 million freely usable media files.
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Celebrate Diversity Inventory Program launch
Stop by Gordon Commons at 12:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17, and hear Vice Provost for Diversity and Climate Patrick Sims speak, learn about the Diversity Inventory Program, and hear what it’s been up to. It’s sponsored by the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Educational Achievement. Refreshments will be served. To register, go to http://go.wisc.edu/2k8xbg.
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Progress report outlines strides on campus climate
UW-Madison is committed to providing a welcoming environment that enables all students, faculty and staff to thrive. The latest campus climate progress report shares important updates on campus initiatives toward that goal. For instance, Chancellor Blank has asked all units across campus to engage in discussion and training on issues of inclusion and diversity. She will ask deans and other campus leaders to report back on what their units have done and challenge campus leaders to think about next steps the following year. In addition, a ceremony Feb. 28 will mark the opening of the Black Cultural Center in the Red Gym. For updates on all the initiatives, read the full report at campusclimate.wisc.edu/initiatives.
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Self-insurance included in budget proposal
The Group Insurance Board (GIB) voted to move Wisconsin to a self-insured health insurance model for state workers effective Jan. 1, 2018. The GIB projects this move to save $60 million over the next two years while providing the same level of benefits to employees and retaining access to 98 percent of our current medical providers. Instead of the state paying health insurance companies a fixed amount for employee health insurance, the Department of Employee Trust Funds (ETF) would maintain funds in a reserve to pay individual health care claims. Gov. Scott Walker’s 2017-2019 proposed budget incorporates the anticipated savings. The proposed change still requires approval by the State Legislature.
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State insurance board reinstates gender reassignment exclusion
The board overseeing Wisconsin state employee health insurance has dropped coverage of gender reassignment services. As a result, effective Feb. 1, 2017, surgical services, procedures, hormones and supplies related to gender reassignment are no longer covered for participants in the State of Wisconsin Group Health Insurance Program. UW-Madison employees with questions or concerns are urged to contact the Office of Human Resources at 265-2257. More information
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Nominations sought for Wisconsin Idea seminar
Nominations are being sought for UW-Madison faculty and academic staff who want to take the Wisconsin Idea Seminar, a five-day tour that introduces them to the geography, culture and history of Wisconsin. “This foundational philosophy (the Wisconsin Idea) runs deep and reminds us that the teaching and research we do on this campus benefits and serves the people of Wisconsin and beyond,” wrote Chancellor Rebecca Blank in her call for nominations, which are due Feb. 15.
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Blank tells Regents that new investment in UW needed
UW-Madison has maintained high quality in education and research, but further efforts, including new state investment and flexibilities that will allow campus to act entrepreneurially, are essential to securing continued excellence in the future, Chancellor Rebecca Blank told the UW System Board of Regents last week. The governor is scheduled to release his budget proposal at 4 p.m. Feb. 8. For updates, visit budget.wisc.edu.