@PimaNews

May 6, 2009

Contents

• College Updates  
  • 2008-09 Outstanding Staff and Faculty Nominations
  • Training: Banner and Pima Reports
  • MyPima Account Activation Reminder
  • Carbon Copy
• Benefits
  • Benefits Open Enrollment May 11-22
  • Open Enrollment Benefits Meeting via Webinar
• College Plan
• Best Practices: Financial Aid
• Inside Story: Graduation, May 21
• Upcoming Events

College Updates

2008-2009 Outstanding Staff and Faculty Nominations
The Outstanding Staff and Faculty Awards recognize employee accomplishments and honor regular non-exempt and exempt staff and faculty for their commitment and major contributions to the College during the past fiscal year.

Nominations for these awards are due in the Human Resources, Employee Relations office no later than 4 p.m., Friday, May 15.  Additional information, including the nomination form, is available online.

Training: Banner and Pima Reports
The following technology workshops are scheduled and open for registration through ED. Contact Professional Development at 206-4706 if you have questions or need registration assistance.

* These workshops have been combined.

MyPima Account Activation Reminder
Students can activate their MyPima accounts within 1 hour after completing the online admission application. Students do not need to register for classes prior to activating their account.

For account activation problems, call the MyPima Helpdesk at 206-4800 24 hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week.

Carbon Copy
A new software tool, Carbon Copy, is currently being tested at the District Office and M&S. Carbon Copy is a tool that allows IT staff remote access during computer trouble shooting after permission has been granted by the user. Currently, the College is using SMS (Systems Management Server) Tools. After the testing is completed and successful at District Office and M&S, there will be a scheduled rollout to each campus. Your local IT staff will have these new tools available to them this summer.

If you have any questions, contact the IT Helpdesk at 206-4900 or Helpdesk@pima.edu.

Benefits

Benefits Open Enrollment May 11-22
All eligible employees must complete open enrollment for benefits between May 11 and 22. The dates and times for campus informational meetings is given below. Guides and forms will be available online during open enrollment. The pre-enrollment hot line is open, 800-401-4041. Highlights this year:

• Medical: Cigna is the new provider. Watch for a CIGNA health informational packet in the mail this weekend to your home.
• Medical and Dental flexible spending accounts: ASIFlex is the new administrator. It offers a debit card, as well as a 90-day grace period beyond the end-of-plan year to incur claims.
• Pharmacy Benefits: Medco will not increase its employee premiums or co-pays. (Mail-order generic prescriptions are $10 for 90-day supply; $55 for brand names.)
• Dental: United Concordia remains the provider and has no increase in premiums or co-pays. It has added a veneers benefit. Other additions: a full-mouth debridement benefit; Preventive Incentive program; and a Smile for Health maternity dental program. Employers Dental Service has added a veneers benefit and has no increase in premiums or co-pays.
• Optional life insurance: Sun Life Financial remains the provider. It is not increasing premiums or rates.

Open Enrollment Benefits Meeting via Webinar
Dialogue Live is a webinar providing access to learning from any internet connection. Employees unable to attend one of the campus open enrollment sessions may log into ED and access a Dialogue Live (webinar) from your work station. You will be able to hear and see the presentation. Your questions may be submitted through keyboard and the presenter will respond as if you were in the presentation room. Links will be provided to access forms that may need completing. No registration for the webinar is required.

Webinar Description:  The College has contracted with Cigna Health Care to provide employee medical benefits for the 2009-2010 Benefit Plan year.  The College will offer two plan designs that are very similar to the current HMO Buy-up and PPO offerings, entitled Cigna Open Access Plus In-Network and the Cigna Open Access Plus.

Session: Mon., May 11, 2009     9:00 – 11:00 a.m.

The session will open by 8:30 a.m. on May 11 to verify your connectivity.

College Plan
Pima Community College has used comprehensive college-wide plans to shape and guide its decision-making since 2004. The 2008-2011 plan is proceeding on schedule. Three strategies were due for completion in April: Strategy 1.4, Value and support effective teaching to develop community through learning; Strategy 1.5, Develop and enhance learning and educational resources to support student learning and effective teaching; and Strategy 4.3, Expand and Develop Community Connections.

Planning and Institutional Research is finalizing the documentation of the activities being carried out in support of the strategies.

Best Practices: Financial Aid
The PCC Financial Aid Office established July 1 as the deadline for financial aid applications for the coming school year. Previously, there was no deadline.

PCC Financial Aid made the change to help students avoid panicking when their financial aid package isn't in place by the start of the semester. “We are trying to encourage them to be proactive,” states Terra Benson, program manager.

Students must have turned in all requested documentation prior to this date in order to guarantee that their financial aid file will be completed prior to the fall semester. The office will continue to process financial aid applications turned in after the deadline, but won't promise students that a decision will be made on eligibility by the time classes start.

The new deadline appears to be working. The office has received nearly 10,000 financial aid applications for next school year, compared to only 3,500 at the same time last year.

Inside Story: Graduation, May 21
It takes 100 people four months of planning to pull off PCC’s graduation ceremony each year. A core committee of 18 begins meeting in January. The committee utilizes a variety of subcommittees and community partners to plan for and set up the event. Set up for the ceremony begins two days prior to the event at the Tucson Convention Center’s Arena.

This year, 2,953 students will receive a total of 4,669 degrees or certificates. Each year, between 575 and 700 participate in the nearly two-hour ceremony.

Upcoming Events

• May 7–9: PCC Dance performs “A Dancer’s Life” and “A Bug’s Adventure,” CFA Proscenium Theatre at 7:30 p.m. For information and tickets, call 206-6986
• May 9: Meet Jennifer J. Stewart, Professional Writer, East Campus Community Room (L-101) at 10 a.m.
• May 9: Celebration of Kathy Curley’s Life, Downtown Campus Amethyst Room from 10 a.m. to noon. For more information, contact Bill Scurrah
• May 11-22: Benefits Open Enrollment for 2009-10
• May 13: PCC Fashion Design and Clothing Department Fashion Show, CFA Proscenium Theatre at 7:30 p.m.
• May 14: Multicultural Convocation at 6:30 p.m., West Campus Gymnasium
• May 16-17: PCC Digital and Film Arts Screening: “Esteban’s Ride” and “Todas Almas,” CFA Proscenium Theatre at 7 p.m.
• May 21: Graduation, Tucson Convention Center Music Hall at 7:00 p.m.
• May 26: Summer Session A classes begin
• May 26: Summer Session C classes begin
• May 28: GED Graduation at 7 p.m. at the Tucson Convention Center Music Hall
• May 29–31: Pima Writers’ Workshop, West Campus
• June 29: Summer Session A classes end
• July 1: Financial Aid Application processing deadline

@PimaNews is an electronic newsletter for employees of Pima Community College. It is published by the Pima Community College Public Information Office. @PimaNews is published weekly during the semester and bi-weekly during the summer. Back issues are available at www.pima.edu/pimanews. Please send announcements and news items to pimanews@pima.edu by Monday at noon.