MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR:
Welcome to a new school year featuring a new reality and new challenges. We will get through these unprecedented times together. Know that members of Professional Staff Council continue with our mission to actively engage with UToledo leaders to continue making this university a great, inclusive and safe place to work.
In this month's edition of the PSA Voice, meet your new 2020-2021 Professional Staff Council and PSA scholarship winners. If you or someone you know would like to be featured in our monthly "Spotlight" staff feature, fill out the webform on the PSA homepage to get on the list.
We also invite staff to participate on our committees to assist us with our annual programming and fundraisers, as well as outreach and communication, including this newsletter.
We welcome your emails at utpsc@utoledo.edu and confidential comments.
Stay safe and go Rockets! |
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UToledo utilizes dashboard to report positive COVID-19 cases on campus
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UToledo Interim President Gregory Postel, MD, discusses the dashboard data and how this information is being used by University leadership to make decisions to keep our campus community safe and healthy.
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The University of Toledo launched a public dashboard to provide transparent information about the prevalence of COVID-19 within the UToledo community.
Updated weekly, the dashboard provides information about the number of positive cases among faculty, staff and students across the University. It also includes a snapshot of the University’s current cleaning and disinfectant supplies, as well as enhanced cleaning procedures.
UToledo’s dashboard is part of a refreshed coronavirus website that details the University’s response to the pandemic. |
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Keeping Campus Safe
 As we continue to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, please keep in mind Rocket Prevention Principles:
- Monitoring for symptoms.
- Requiring face coverings.
- Practicing social distancing.
- Keeping a clean workspace.
- Limiting travel.
Learn more about Rocket Prevention Principles
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Remember to monitor yourself daily for symptoms of COVID-19. The Campus Clear app is a voluntary self-screening tool that prompts you to complete your daily health screening. The most common COVID-19 symptoms are fever, tiredness and a dry cough.
Employees and students who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever, tiredness, dry cough or changes in their sense of taste or smell, should call The University of Toledo Medical Center’s testing line at 419.383.4545 to schedule an appointment.
Event Registry
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, The University of Toledo has placed restrictions on events, meetings and social gatherings held on campus. All events with more than 10 participants must have prior approval. Learn more. |
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Watch this video on why social distancing is important.
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Professional Staff Development opportunities
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The Professional Development Committee is hard at work planning monthly development opportunities for you.
September Webinar: Fixing Our Broken Sleep
Presented by: Rick Clerici
In this webinar, you will learn techniques for overcoming common sleep problems like trouble falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, excessive thinking, waking too early, Sunday night insomnia, chronic insomnia, shift-work difficulties and daytime sleepiness. You will hear about the latest population studies and the latest scientific discoveries of the foundational relationship between sleep and all areas of health. This hands-on presentation has helped many people begin getting better sleep almost immediately. Guided relaxation exercises teach techniques for initiating sleep and returning to sleep.
To watch this webinar, visit http://www.myimpactsolution.com/, use UT as your member login username, then scroll to the bottom and select login. Once signed in, click the webinar button at the topic under Featured this month: Healthy Sleep Habits. (Click "no completion certificate" to view the webinar, or click "completion certificate" to provide proof that you viewed this webinar.)
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Ideas for Professional Development
We're looking for ideas for the 2020-2021 school year!
Email PSAEvents@Utoledo.edu with Professional Development
topics you're interested in. |
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Students awarded scholarships from PSA
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Congratulations to the winners of the 2020-21 PSA Scholarship! We had 37 highly qualified candidates and awarded $1,700 in book scholarships to four deserving students: Azedean Abdel-Khaliq, Ethan Jessing, Ryan Strausbaugh, and a student wishing to remain anonymous.
Below we have included photos and messages from the scholarship recipients:
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Azedean Abdel-Khaliq
Thank you so much for believing in me and my studies. I am very excited to continue school with diligence, confidence, and with a high achieving attitude. I am so grateful for this scholarship because I can continue another semester of furthering my studies and one day being able to do what I love most. This scholarship also gives me the opportunity to have more time to focus on my schoolwork, so I am forever grateful. Thank you for choosing me, and I know I will use this wisely and make you guys proud!
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Ethan Jessing
Your commitment to student success is appreciated more than you may truly understand. As a senior in my final year here at the university, I am incredibly grateful for your organization that continues to provide opportunities and push students, like myself, further. Thank you for supporting our academic career goals and making higher education a reality for people like me.
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Ryan Strausbaugh
Thank you so much for selecting me as a recipient Scholarship. The contribution that you have made toward my professional education will make a tremendous difference in my ability to focus on my education and worry less about the financial stresses of college. This is especially true now, with so much uncertain regarding university tuition and the format of course delivery during the pandemic. Receiving this scholarship has greatly reduced my financial burden as I head into my third year in the Pharm. D. program, and I cannot thank you enough for your generosity.
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Again, congratulations to all of our awardees!
Thank you so much to our committee members Lisa Bollman, Kari Dilworth, Jessica Faber, Melissa Gleckler, Sherri Kaspar, Deb Krohn, Carol Stamm, and Jessica Weigle for your hard work!
Supporters interested in contributing to the PSA Scholarship are invited to do so via the Professional Staff Association Scholarship donation page set up in conjunction with the UToledo Foundation. Please note that this site is open for your convenience throughout the year.
We’re excited to offer the scholarship for the 2021-22 academic year – stay tuned for additional information in the next newsletter!
Susan Edinger
PSA Scholarship Chair
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UToledo Open Enrollment begins Oct. 1
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Each year during open enrollment, employees may choose to change their medical/prescription drug plan and other benefit options based on their specific needs. Although several plan changes have been made for 2021, UToledo announced that premiums for most employees will not increase.
Other 2021 benefits changes include:
- There will be a slight increase to deductible, copay and co-insurance responsibilities.
- The Healthy U HSA incentive will no longer be available.
- Prescription drug copay changes.
- Urgent Care Telemedicine being offered to employees and dependents through UTP.
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Learn more about 2021 Plan Changes by watching this webinar
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Consider donating to the Sick Leave Bank during Open Enrollment October 1-31
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Once again, our PSA Sick Leave Bank will be holding our Open Enrollment period in alignment with the University’s Open Enrollment for Healthcare Benefits during the month of October.
Established in 1998, the University of Toledo Professional Staff Association’s Sick Leave Bank has proven to be a very worthwhile effort. This Sick Leave Bank (SLB) provides help for all members who have exhausted their own vacation and sick hours due to a personal catastrophic illness or injury. Beginning in 2010, the Sick Leave Bank was expanded to also include Professional Staff on the Health Science Campus and in 2017, the University agreed to allow this valuable resource to continue.
Full-time PSA employees may make a one-time donation of 16 hours; part-time PSA employees may donate 8 hours.
Please consider joining the Sick Leave Bank and helping your coworkers who may need assistance now or in the future. This is one bank from which we truly hope you will never need to make a withdrawal!
For links to more information, the SLB policy, and the current member list, please go to the Sick Leave Bank website.
The donation form is available online and must be submitted from October 1 to October 31, 2020.
Thank you. Please take care and be safe out there!
PSA Sick Leave Bank Committee,
Deb Sobczak, Chair
Lisa Bollman
Kari Dilworth
Dan Kall
Sherri Kaspar
DeMya Wimberly
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Rocket Suit Up event scheduled for online and in-store shopping Sept. 25-27
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The University of Toledo Career Services, in collaboration with JCPenney, will host The University of Toledo Rocket Suit Up Event. Participants will be able to shop online or in-store throughout the weekend, using their special JCPenney Rocket Suit Up discount coupon.
The event is Friday, Sept. 25 through Sunday, Sept. 27, online or in-person.
During this event, UToledo students, alumni, faculty, and staff will be able to purchase everything they need to finish their look for that next interview or job- including suits, dresses, sports coats, dress pants, shoes, and accessories at an additional 30% off!
All UToledo students, alumni, faculty, and staff are encouraged to attend.
To receive your Extra 30% off coupon, text TOLEDO to 67292.
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Expanded telehealth services available for UToledo students and employees
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The University of Toledo is now offering expanded access to on-demand telemedicine services for students, employees and their beneficiaries through a partnership with University of Toledo Physicians.
University of Toledo Physicians is providing convenient and secure virtual care services for urgent care needs, such as sprains and strains, earaches, sore throats, headaches and infections. Appointments are available from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, including weekends.
Speak with an on-demand health provider.
The service began Sept. 1 and is currently limited to enrolled students, faculty, staff and their beneficiaries. |
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Meet the 2020-2021 Professional Staff Council
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James A. Molnar, Davlon Miller, Alana Malik, Christina Bentlage, Allie Berns,
Joshua Drossman, Jessica Faber, Ceana Glover, Stacy Jenkins, Nikki Russell,
David (Andrew) Seese , Rachel Stanford, Jessica Weigle. DeMya Wimberly and Alex Zernechel.
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It's a new year and a new council. Please join us in welcoming our 2020-21 council, which features some returning faces and some new.
The Professional Staff Council (PSC) is the elected body that represents Professional Staff Association (PSA) to the administration on topics such as the past PSA compensation study, changes in health benefits, assisting with the Outstanding Staff Awards and other various issues.
PSC is made up of 15 PSA members representing all campuses. We are poised and ready to represent you and respond to your questions and concerns as they relate to your work life here at The University of Toledo.
Join us in congratulating the following members elected to lead the council:
- James A. Molnar, Chair
- Davlon Miller, Vice-chair
- Alana Malik, Treasurer
- Christina Bentlage, Secretary
Thank you to all of the professional staff who participated in the elections this past spring. We would also like to thank those who were nominated for the Council and thank them for their willingness to serve.
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Our Spotlight feature will return in October!
Want to be in the Spotlight, or know someone who should?
Nominate yourself or a colleague for a Spotlight feature
in an upcoming newsletter with our web nomination form.
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Get involved, join a committee!
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You made it to the end of the newsletter! Thank you for reading the PSA Voice. We hope you enjoyed the content.
We hope that you become active in the PSA and join us in our efforts to advocate for all professional staff employees. Please feel free to contact any of the PSC members directly to learn more.
Please consider joining a committee (see the full list of committees below).
Watch for our next newsletter in October!
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The Professional Staff Association (PSA) of The University of Toledo consists of all classified exempt, classified salaried, and unclassified administrative and professional employees who do not belong to a bargaining unit and do not have faculty rank. The group of approximately 1,200 employees
was officially recognized by the University in 1992.
The Professional Staff Council (PSC) is the elected body that represents PSA to the administration on topics such as the past PSA compensation study, changes in health benefits, assisting with the Outstanding Staff Awards and other various issues.
Please contact PSC with any questions, concerns and ideas.
There is also an anonymous feedback form.
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