NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

COVID-19 Campus Updates

To catch up on all information communicated to campus related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including a list of campus resources and spring 2020 grading information, visit montevallo.edu/coronavirus-information.

Please also stay tuned to the UM official social media channels linked below.

Check out these special projects while you’re at it:

Campus Zoom Backgrounds
Campus is blossoming, the birds are chirping and the bricks wish you were here. We know you’re probably missing the beautiful campus views, so we’re bringing campus to you! Browse and download the virtual backgrounds we’ve created with you in mind at montevallo.edu/zoom.

Student Encouragement
We asked UM faculty and staff to submit their words of encouragement and support for students during this time and they showed up in a big way. (No surprise there.) Falcon family, we can do this together. Let’s finish this semester strong! Wherever you are, #YouBelongAtMontevallo. View video here.

COVID-19 Student Relief Fund

Many students are struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn how you can support the COVID-19 Student Relief Fund at montevallo.edu/annual-giving.

Students looking to apply for relief funding should email Kelli J. Holmes.

We are All Counting on You: Census 2020

Make your voice heard in the 2020 Census. It’s a safe and secure way to obtain federal funding for our state’s future. This money means better health care, schools, roads, job opportunities and more.

Every 10 years, the U.S. Census is sent to every household in the country. The Census is a count of everyone residing in the U.S. The Census counts every person living in Alabama once, only once, and in the right place. It contains 10 simple questions and only takes six minutes to complete. Please complete the Census here.

Students are counted where they spend most of their time, which means that the majority of University of Montevallo students will be counted in our community. Per the Census Bureau’s residence criteria, Montevallo students temporarily living away from campus due to the COVID-19 pandemic should still be counted for the state of Alabama.

Learn more at montevallo.edu/2020-census.

UM Post Office Hours (UPDATED)

The UM post office main window will be open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8 a.m. to noon. Departmental mailboxes are accessible weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Central Receiving package pickup and drop off will be available Monday, Wednesday and Friday from noon to 2 p.m.

Sick Leave Bank Semi-Annual Open Enrollment April 6-24

It’s that time of year again to enroll in the UM Sick Leave Bank (SLB). The purpose of the Sick Leave Bank is to provide eligible UM employees with an emergency pool of sick leave days to mitigate the impact of lost wages during a time of illness or injury, or due to a medically-necessary procedure.

Definition of Catastrophic Illness
A catastrophic illness or injury is defined as a severe condition or combination of conditions that (a) affect the health of the employee and/or immediate family (spouse, child and parent — does not include in-laws); (b) result in a life-threatening or life function altering condition; and (c) require an extended period of absence from work. A medically-necessary procedure does not have to be life threatening, but is likely to require an absence from employment for an extended period of time.

Eligibility for Initial Enrollment
To participate in the Sick Leave Bank, an employee must:

1. Be eligible to accrue sick leave;
2. Have completed one (1) year of continuous service to the University;
3. Complete a Sick Leave Bank Enrollment Form during the semi-annual enrollment periods and submit to Human Resources, according to the dates indicated on the enrollment form;
4. Have accumulated a minimum combined total of 40 hours of sick and/or vacation leave at the time of enrollment in the Sick Leave Bank.

At enrollment, each participating employee will be required to donate a minimum of eight hours of sick or vacation leave to the SLB (or prorated amount if employed less than full-time). Eight hours will automatically be deducted annually from sick leave/vacation accrual unless membership is cancelled during the enrollment/cancellation period.

Any employee may contribute any number of sick or vacation leave hours as long as that employee (a) maintains a minimum combined balance of 40 hours in his/her own accrued sick or vacation leave accounts or (b) is exiting employment and wishes to donate unused sick leave to the SLB.

A completed enrollment or cancellation form is necessary only if an employee wishes to join or terminate membership in the Sick Leave Bank.

For questions or to submit the form, please email hr@montevallo.edu.

Special Summer 2020 Tuition Rates

Special summer tuition rates are available for undergraduate courses during May, Summer I and Summer II terms. Learn more at montevallo.edu/summer-classes.

If a student received financial aid for the 2019-2020 academic year, they could also be eligible for summer. Please note, in most cases, the student must take six or more credit hours during the summer term(s) to receive aid, and federal aid is determined based on each individual student’s eligibility.

Students should contact the UM Student Aid Office at 205-665-6050 if they have any questions once they have received their summer financial aid offer notification. The Student Aid Office is located on the first floor of Palmer Hall.

Faculty/Staff Highlights

Susan Hayes, previously UM Controller, has accepted the roll of CFO and Treasurer. Hayes will be responsible for oversight of the following areas: accounting (including grant accounting), budget, purchasing, student accounts, accounts payable, payroll, University events, contracts and compliance, tax compliance, policy administration and outsourced services, including internal and external auditing firms.
 
Dr. Eun-Hee Park, assistant professor of music, performed at the Music by Women Festival at Mississippi University for Women on March 8. She presented a piano solo work, “Doremi Variation” by Juri Seo (assistant professor of music at Princeton University), as well as collaborated with soprano Lydia Beasley on Pouline Viardot’s song cycle.
 
Dr. Brittney Patterson and Dr. Eun-Hee Park, assistant professors of music, presented the world premiere of Scenes — Short and Sweet by Allen Molineux at the Composers’ Concert during College Music Society’s Southern Conference on March 1, at Vanderbilt University.