Staff Senate Newsletter Masthead

Staff Senate Newsletter • March 5, 2021

 

Scrappy the Eagle mascot sitting in front of the University Union building on a brown bench with green eaglesStaff Senate Vacancies

Staff Senate has openings in the Divisions of Finance & Administration and Enrollment. Please consider completing the Nomination Form to nominate yourself or a colleague in one of these divisions. For more information about the Staff Senate and how it operates, check out our Bylaws and Procedures. Please note that if you are nominating yourself, you are required to submit a completed Supervisor Approval Form with your nomination.

 

March is Staff Appreciation Month Presented by DATCU

UNT's Staff Appreciation Month is being brought to you by DATCU. Learning sessions, which run throughout the month, began Monday with an introductory look at designing in 3D. In addition to celebrating the staff and presidential award winners being honored, you’ll have the chance to win door prizes — even a virtual format can’t stop that cherished tradition. Check out the full month’s schedule of events including Wellness Week March 15-19, Virtual Networking Week March 22-26 and the Service Awards Ceremony March 30. All staff, students and faculty are invited to share their thanks on the Thank a Staff Member Kudoboard this month. We appreciate the dedication, care and resilience you continue to show, especially over the last year.

University building with a pool in the front and the tower lit with the color greenStaff Appreciation Award Winners

18 staff and presidential award winners were recognized at the Staff Appreciation Awards Ceremony. Check out a video playlist to hear what their supervisors had to say about them. If you missed the event, you can watch the archived stream. Congratulations and thank you to all of the award recipients for being such outstanding examples of how UNT cares.

Picture of meal from Mean Greens Cafe featuring green beans, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes and a corn muffinStaff and Faculty Appreciation Meals

Enjoy March Madness Meals!  Dining Services is offering $5 all-you-care-to-eat meals for staff and faculty for the entire month of March. Enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner at Bruceteria, Champs, Kitchen West and Mean Greens Café. Simply present your valid UNT ID card and pay $5 + tax at the door. Find hours of operation at dining.unt.edu/hours.

 

First Chair Chats Logo - A Digital Music Collective Series @ UNT LibrariesFirst Chair Chats: Womxn Leaders in Music

The next episode of First Chair Chats is titled Womxn Leaders in Music. This episode is on March 11 from 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. Registration is required for this event, and can be found at http://bit.ly/untlib-fcc-womeninmusic.

During this First Chair Chat, the UNT Music Library will discuss the role of women in the music industry as leaders and how it has changed or been affected by the pandemic. Honoring International Women's day for this First Chair Chats, the invited experts will explore the role of women identifying figures involved in different aspects of the music industry. During this conversation, the UNT Music Library will discuss how the current scene has changed for women and continues to evolve under the lens of the pandemic.

If you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability to fully participate in this event, please contact the UNT Music Library at musicref@unt.edu.  Please make the request as soon as possible to allow sufficient time to arrange the accommodation.

AHA: At Home Academy Logo with green lettering on white background with green light bulbAt Home Academy: Let’s Talk About Retirement Savings

Mary Atkins, UNT Human Resource's Retirement Specialist, will share information about the voluntary retirement savings plan benefits available to UNT employees on March 18 from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

The "best-kept secret" is a benefit that you can easily use to start saving to supplement your retirement plan income. All employees are invited to attend the Staff Senate At Home Academy events. Sign up to attend the webinar!

UNT World Town Hall logo with gray and green chat bubblesUNT World Town Hall

As part of our continued efforts to keep faculty and staff informed of the UNT System’s priorities and key projects, Chancellor Roe will be hosting this quarter’s UNT World Town Hall on March 23 at 2 p.m. As part of the program UNT System Chief Communications Officer Paul Corliss will moderate Q&A with UNT System Vice Chancellors Sheraine Gilliam-Holmes (Chief Human Capital Officer), Chris McCoy (Chief Information Officer) and Jack Morton (Government Relations). 

The Town Hall will be held virtually via Zoom and will be streamed lived (and later archived) at UNTSystem.edu/MarchTownHall. If you have specific work-related questions you would like us to address during the Town Hall, please email communications@untsystem.edu.

Rescheduled for: March 23, 2021 - White letter on white and green mountains with blue backgroundNew Equity & Diversity Conference Date

We are happy to announce the 2021 Equity & Diversity Conference Presented by Hilti is rescheduled for March 23, 2021! If you missed the previous registration deadline, you can now register until March 16, 2021. If you have already registered, you do not need to re-register. Join us for a full day of workshop sessions, a virtual networking room, and keynote presentation by Jeff Chang. Register now at edc.unt.edu/registration!

 

Promoting Ethics and Reporting Issues

Please watch the president’s message about promoting UNT’s ethical reputation and how to report issues. If you don’t feel comfortable reporting concerns about unethical or illegal conduct to your supervisor or manager, the confidential 24-hour UNT Trust Line is available. Reports made online or via telephone at 877-606-9187 can be anonymous. Don’t forget that UNT’s Ethics and Standards of Conduct online course must be completed by April 2.

Blue glove holding a vial of COVID-19 vaccineCOVID-19 Vaccine Information

The Employee's Retirement System of Texas encourages everyone to get vaccinated as soon as a vaccine is made available to you. For information on when and where you can get a COVID-19 vaccination, contact your health plan, primary care provider other health care provider, or the county links below. You may register to receive the vaccine in any county, not just the one you live in. 

Avoid COVID-19 Vaccination Scams!

COVID-19 Testing

In good news from the weekend, the FDA issued emergency use authorization for a third vaccine — the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine — and the CDC endorsed its use for people 18 and over. As a reminder, UNT has not received vaccines or notification of when they will arrive.

In the meantime, don’t forget that COVID-19 testing is stongly encouraged and available on campus:

  • Curative, Inc. – Faculty, staff and students can get a free COVID-19 test through Curative, Inc. The free testing is available 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday, 1 – 5 p.m. Sunday in the University Union, Room 381, and 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday-Friday in the Gateway Center, Room 52. To sign up for the free testing, visit cur.tv/UNTunion or cur.tv/UNTgateway.
  • WellHealth – Register at gogettested.com by searching for Denton or Frisco on the map and following the “Book Now" links. Include the group code "UNT," which allows positive test results to be sent directly to UNT's COVID response team. The free testing is offered 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sundays, except holidays.

Join Us at Our Next Meeting!

Meetings are open to all UNT staff members. The next meeting will be held on March 9, 2021 at 3 p.m. 

For meeting agendas, minutes and recordings, please visit the Agendas and Minutes page. 

Contact Us!

If you have an article, announcement or suggestion relating to this newsletter, email staffsenate@unt.edu to have it included.