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July 30, 2020

Contents

  • A Note to @PimaNews Readers
  • College Updates
    • Info for Students, Employees and Community on Pima’s COVID-19 Web Page
    • Chancellor Lambert’s Article Appears in Community College Daily
    • IRS Extends the Claim Period for FSAs and HRAs
    • Verify Your 2020/2021 Benefit Elections
    • Fall 2020 Virtual Unconference Aug. 7 and 8
    • Save the Date for 2020 Virtual All College Day: Aug. 14
    • One-on-one Retirement Planning Meetings with Fidelity Available
    • UA Special Offer for Taking Arizona Online Courses
    • COVID-19 Temporary Accrual and Accumulation of Annual Leave Expired July 3
    • Campus Library Book Drops Now Open to Accept Returns
    • New LibGuide Commemorates 75th Anniversary of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
    • Pima Library Online Book Club
    • Campus and Faculty Resource Centers Available Weekdays
    • Donate Annual or Sick Leave to Pool
    • @PimaNews Summer Schedule
  • Employee Wellness
    • Sign Up for Employee Wellness Virtual Workshops
    • Employee Wellness Book Club
    • Employee Wellness Resources and Program Info

A Note to @PimaNews Readers

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, until further notice, @PimaNews will focus on recent COVID-19-related policy and procedure changes most affecting employees. These will be revised and updated as the situation warrants.

College Updates

Info for Students, Employees and Community on Pima’s COVID-19 Web Page
The latest information and employee notices at pima.edu/covid19 include a link to FAQs about the self-reporting requirement under the temporary COVID-19 personnel policies, plus a link the Employee Handbook.

College leadership is committed to communicate with you early and often during this uncertain time. However, they realize all of that information and details sometimes can be overwhelming. Chancellor Lee Lambert no longer is sending daily updates, but you can get the most current information on the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the College at pima.edu/covid19, which also has a Student Notices page. Also, regularly check your College email.

For health-related info visit:

The Chancellor’s most recent communications to employees can be found online.

Chancellor Lambert’s Article Appears in Community College Daily
Read “In a post-COVID world, community colleges must bridge the gap between education and employment,” by Chancellor Lee D. Lambert, J.D.

IRS Extends the Claim Period for FSAs and HRAs
Participants with unused funds in their Health Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA), Limited Purpose FSA, Dependent Care FSA or Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) plans at the end of FY 2020 may continue to file eligible claims through Dec. 31, 2020. This means participants have “extra time” to actually incur expenses and submit claims.

All claims must be filed by March 31, 2021. If you have questions, contact the Employee Service Center, esc@pima.edu or ASIFlex, asiflex.com.

Verify Your 2020/2021 Benefit Elections
Employees are encouraged to verify that their Open Enrollment election decisions that began July 1 are correct. To review your elections, log in to MyPima, go to Employees » @Work Tab » My Benefits Statement and select July 1. If you have questions or need to make corrections, contact the Employee Service Center, esc@pima.edu.

Fall 2020 Virtual Unconference Aug. 7 and 8
Pima employees and faculty are invited to attend "Beyond Imagination: The Fierce Urgency to Claim the Heart of Education," virtual unconference Aug. 7 and 8, from 9 a.m.-noon. The tentative schedule is:

Aug. 7
8:45-9 a.m.: Check-in
9-10 a.m.: Laura Rendón, Ph.D.: Contemplative Pedagogy & Student Engagement
10-10:30 a.m.: Q & A with Rendón
10:30-10:45 a.m.: Break
10:45 a.m.-noon: Faculty breakout sessions

Aug. 8
8:45–9 a.m.: Check-in
9-10 a.m.: Ibram X. Kendi: Toward Becoming Antiracist Educators
10-10:30 a.m.: Q & A with Kendi
10:30-10:45 a.m.: Break
10:45 a.m.-noon: Faculty breakout sessions

All employees are encouraged to register. To prepare for these events, please read Rendón’s "Realizing a Transformed Pedagogical Dreamfield: Recasting Agreements for Teaching and Learning,” and Kendi’s "This is what an Antiracist America Would Look Like. How do we get there?” Faculty who participate in this virtual event will be compensated by the Teaching and Learning Center (TLC). If you have questions, contact Mays Imad, mimad@pima.edu.

Save the Date for 2020 Virtual All College Day: Aug. 14
This year’s All College Day will be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Aug. 14, on YouTube. The theme for 2020 Virtual All College Day is “Reimagining the Future.”

The tentative agenda is posted on pima.edu/acd. Postcards and emails with details are going out to employees. If you have any questions, contact College Events, collegeevents@pima.edu.

One-on-one Retirement Planning Meetings with Fidelity Available
College employees can schedule one-on-one telephone or Zoom appointments with Fidelity’s Certified Financial Retirement Planner Nick Maly between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Aug. 26. Learn more about the complimentary services and call 800-642-7131 or go online for scheduling.

UA Special Offer for Taking Arizona Online Courses
The University of Arizona is partnering with the College to offer 15% tuition discounts on online bachelor programs and 10% tuition discounts on online graduate programs and an application fee waiver for Pima employees, their dependents, spouses and domestic partners taking Arizona Online undergraduate and graduate courses. Classes begin Aug. 24. Learn more online.

COVID-19 Temporary Accrual and Accumulation of Annual Leave Expired July 3
Employees who are over the maximum accrued vacation leave of 320 hours must bring their vacation balance below the maximum by Dec. 31, 2020. On Jan. 1, 2021, any unused annual leave above 320 hours will be removed. Employees will not accrue any additional hours until the use of leave results in available hours falling below 320.

If you have questions, contact the Employee Service Center, esc@pima.edu.

Campus Library Book Drops Now Open to Accept Returns
Although campus libraries remain closed, the library book drops located outside the main entrances at the Northwest, Desert Vista, East, West and Downtown campuses now are open to accept returns. Please be aware that items dropped off in the return boxes will remain on your account for several business days while they are quarantined for the health and safety of staff. After the quarantine period, items will be checked-in and removed from your account. While the libraries are closed, current due dates will continue to be extended and no fines or overdue charges will be applied.

New LibGuide Commemorates 75th Anniversary of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
This August marks the 75th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. To commemorate this anniversary, a virtual display/LibGuide has been put together that contains books, ebooks, videos and journal articles about the cities, the atomic bombings, testimonies of the “hibakusha” (surviving victims of the bombings) and more.

Pima Library Online Book Club
Are you reading “How to be an Antiracist,” by Ibram X. Kendi as part of the initiative by the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the Teaching and Learning Center? Continue the conversation, take time to reflect and respond in an asynchronous discussion, read or watch related materials on the topic of racial justice and hear more from and about the author by signing up for the Pima Library Online Book Club. To register, sign into D2L using your Pima credentials and click on Self Registration. The Library’s Book Club then will show up in your list of classes in D2L. The discussions and resources can be found under the Content tab.

Campus and Faculty Resource Centers Available Weekdays
Campus and Faculty Resource Center staff are available 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday to assist faculty with support, resources and referrals. Call 520-206-6055 or email wc-frc@pima.edu and staff will respond as soon as possible.

Staff can help with a variety of College-related topics:

  • Instruction and services, including deadlines, resources and attendance
  • Technology basics of D2L Tier 1 support, including uploading documents, locating topic resources, copying course components and gradebook
  • Assistance with Google Meet, Google Drive and related applications

Donate Annual or Sick Leave to Pool
Consider helping your colleagues by donating your excess sick or annual leave to the College’s Donated Leave Bank. Donation limits apply. Your donations will help support Pima employees who are out due to an FMLA-qualifying reason. Donations are anonymous and cannot be returned to the donor. Only the period of medical and parental FMLA that is supported by medical certification is eligible for donated leave. Email completed donation forms or questions to Employee Service Center, esc@pima.edu.

@PimaNews Summer Schedule
The next edition of the @PimaNews summer publication is Aug. 13. Weekly publication resumes Aug. 20. Please send announcements and news items to pimanews@pima.edu by noon on the Monday prior to the publication date. Length limit is 75 words.

Employee Wellness

Sign Up for Employee Wellness Virtual Workshops
Sign up online for Employee Wellness virtual workshops:

  • Free Yoga Classes: All virtual sessions are free and appropriate for all levels.
  • Spring, Jump, Leap: Just Move!: Learn the health benefits and recommended activities of staying active at any age. Pima Healthy Rewards participating employees can earn two Pima Wellness Activity points.
  • Eating Healthy on a Budget: Learn the cost difference between eating out and eating at home, how to plan and prepare meals, and new recipes that are sure to please the whole family. Pima Healthy Rewards participating employees can earn two Pima Wellness Activity points.
  • Healthy Cooking Demo: Learn how to cook healthy one-pot recipes that are full of fiber and have plant-based protein, and how to modify recipes with healthy substitutions.
  • Obtaining and Maintaining Optimal Bodyweight: Learn how developing a fitness plan with cardiovascular fitness and strength training can help you lose weight or maintain a good body weight. Pima Healthy Rewards participating employees can earn two Pima Wellness Activity points.
  • Instant Energizers: Learn healthy instant energizers to recharge your body and mind. Pima Healthy Rewards participating employees can earn two Pima Wellness Activity points.
  • My Stress Tools: Learn how to reduce your stress and build your resilience.
  • Health Coaching: In a 30-minute one-on-one appointment, you can get advice on nutrition, fitness, stress and disease management, self-care and financial guidance.

Employee Wellness Book Club
Register now to join Employee Wellness in reading “The Power of Habit,” by Charles Duhigg. The first 25 people who register are eligible to receive a free book. Online weekly sessions will be offered Mondays at noon and Thursdays at 3 p.m., Aug. 3-28. Pima Healthy Rewards participating employees who attend one session each week can earn four Pima Wellness Activity points.

Employee Wellness Resources and Program Info
Visit the Employee Wellness Intranet page for free resources and tools. Employees also are encouraged to visit the Employee Wellness website for additional resources, news and information on the Pima Healthy Rewards Program and wellness-related activities that qualify for Pima Wellness Activity points. You also can keep current on the latest wellness news.

 

@PimaNews is an electronic newsletter for employee news of Pima Community College. It is published by the Pima Community College Marketing office. @PimaNews is published Thursdays, except when the College is closed, during the semester and every other week during the summer. Please send announcements and news items – 75 words or fewer ─ to pimanews@pima.edu by noon on Monday. Back issues are available on the @PimaNews Web page. The newsletter also accepts submissions about Pima employee accomplishments.

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