Andy Robinson

Thank you to all for attending the Open Enrollment Fair yesterday.  The prize winners were drawn and are listed below. 

If you were unable to attend the Open Enrollment Benefits Fair, forms can be found on the Open Enrollment webpage.  Please contact Human Resources if you need any assistance.

The WAICU Retirement Readiness Plan in partnership with Transamerica is pleased to offer a series of live webinars designed to help you take full advantage of everything the Retirement Readiness Plan has to offer. To register, please click on the title of the webinar and follow the on-screen prompts to register for the live webinar of your choice.

Get Ready to Retire
Date: November 17, 2021
Time: 12:00 PM CST

A review of five key areas to consider as retirement approaches: Lifestyle, Investments, Income, Healthcare, and Legacy.

On Tuesday, November 9, 2021, at 2:00 pm Vice President of Finance and Administration Mary Alma Noonan will be holding a Town Hall to provide an overview of the 2020-2021 budget and financial position of the University.  All are welcome to attend and participate in the Q&A session at the conclusion of the presentation.

Please click this link to join the Town Hall:

Meeting ID: 949 0862 8626

Passcode: 854103

Did you know our Employee Assistance Program, ERC, provides free webinars and live talks on various topics? Here is what’s coming up this month:

• Resiliency Today: Bounce Back Stronger  – November 4th from 12:00 – 1:00pm
  • Learn tips and techniques to use daily to become more resilient no matter what life throws at you. Participants will leave feeling empowered with the knowledge of what steps to take to become more resilient.
• Parenting a Child with Special Needs/Disabilities: Effectively Communicating – October 9th from 12:00 – 1:00pm
  • This month’s talk will offer insights, tips, and tools for building and maintaining successful conversations to improve the results of communication in any relationship or setting you may find yourself.
• Financial Wellness: Mind Over Money – October 10th from 12:00 – 1:00pm
  • This month’s talk will help participants understand why they spend, why they save and what money means to each person. The “neuroscience of money” is explored and participants will learn how to leverage money value systems to reach financial goals.
• Parenting Your Teen: Parent/Teen Relationships– October 11th from 12:00 – 1:00pm
  • Adolescence is a time when peer relationships intensify, teacher and work relationships grow in significance and parental relationships are routinely challenged. This month’s talk will define teen relationships, review best strategies and discuss conflict resolution techniques to share with your teen
• Your Healthy Lifestyle: Stick with It –October 15th from 12:00 – 1:00pm
  • What dreams/goals do you harbor that seem out of reach? In this month’s talk, participants will learn tips and insight about making those dreams a reality. You will do this through the use of plans, anticipation, saying “yes”, identifying obstacles and their accompanying myths, determining techniques for starting and exploring motivators, flexibility, and how to keep going.
• Caregivers Network: Caregiver Relief Plan – October 17th from 12:00 – 1:00pm
  • Studies show that depression and anxiety have increased, especially among younger generations. This month’s talk provides insights into how to build resiliency and positivity even when challenged by caregiving.
• Succeed at Work: Be Positive – October 18th from 12:00 – 1:00pm
  • Today scientists understand how attitude can impact behavior, experiences and relationships. In this month’s talk, participants will discuss their ability to benefit from the power of positive thinking by making changes in their thought processes and perspectives.
• Strong Parents, Strong Families: Teaching Kids about Money– October 24th from 12:00 – 1:00pm
  • Surveys repeatedly show that most teenagers do not understand basic financial concepts. This month’s talk will cover how to teach children about money by looking at money values and how people communicate about money. Participants will discuss parental attitudes about allowances and working, how to set goals, and create spending and saving strategies with children.

Click here to register for any of the upcoming monthly talks. To login to their website and view more resources, use the following credentials:

• Username: ERC
• Password: ERC

If you see them on campus, please welcome them to Lawrence!

New Employees:

Alex Liddell – Assistant Men’s Soccer Coach

Ryan Naprallo – Assistant Football Coach

Grant Meerdink – Assistant Men’s Soccer Coach

JJ Seghers – Assistant Men’s Soccer Coach

Emilia Jackson – Assistant Softball Coach

Wasonu Allen – Assistant Football Coach

Jennifer Jacobsen – Assistant Women’s Soccer Coach

Luke McDiarmid – Assistant Hockey Coach

Peter Chang – Admissions Diversity and Inclusion Fellow

Alicia Fiers – Director of Special Projects (Facilities Services)

Catherine Stern – Assistant Director of Campus Services, Conferences and Events

Jason Garvin – Custodian (Campus Services)

Sean Facio – Teacher of Guitar (LCMS)

Amanda Beuscher – Admissions Event Coordinator

Zachary Dalessandro – Technology Specialist (IT)

Katherine Voecks – Custodian (Campus Services)

Stephan Palubicki – Groundskeeper (Facilities Services)

Promotion:

Mackenzie Huber – Associate Director of Digital Communications

Did you know our Employee Assistance Program, ERC, provides free webinars and live talks on various topics? Here is what’s coming up this month:

• Resiliency Today: Overcoming Burnout – October 7th from 12:00 – 1:00pm
  • If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the pressures of everyday life, this month’s talk will help bring your life back into balance. Learn to identify the symptoms of burnout and strategies for coping with and avoiding it
• Parenting a Child with Special Needs/Disabilities: The importance of Self Care – October 12th from 12:00 – 1:00pm
  • This self-care refresher is designed to help parents of a child with special needs/disabilities so they can be a positive support to everyone in their family. Participants will explore basic wellness, time management and getting support from professionals, as well as finding childcare resources to give needed time for rejuvenation.
• Financial Wellness: Holiday Budgeting – October 13th from 12:00 – 1:00pm
  • Even people who have their budgets under control during the rest of the year may find them blowing up during the holidays. This month’s talk teaches participants how to rein in spending at the holidays and strategies to re-examine expectations of the holidays to stay out of deb
• Parenting Your Teen: Resiliency for Working Parents– October 14th from 12:00 – 1:00pm
  • Today’s working parent needs to build resiliency in order to prevent burnout. This month’s talk will give participants the tools to manage stress while maintaining a sense of work and family life balance
• Caregivers Network: Sandwich Generation Juggling Act –October 20th from 12:00 – 1:00pm
  • Work-life balance is never easy. Caregiving often presents even more challenges for the Sandwich Generation, those who are caring for both children and older loved ones. This month’s talk offers resources and tips on how to survive and thrive at work and at home while caregiving for two generations.
• Succeed at Work: Strategies for Working Couples – October 21st from 12:00 – 1:00pm
  • This month’s talk discusses how to successfully manage family and work responsibilities. Participants will explore the advantages/challenges of dual-earner relationships, how to develop a work/life plan and strategies for combining career and work.
• Strong Parents, Strong Families: Working Parents, How to Achieve Balance – October 27th from 12:00 – 1:00pm
  • This month’s talk offers strategies to help parents and guardians triumph in managing family and work responsibilities. The discussion will include: developing a work/life plan, improving organizational skills, finding quality time for loved ones, tips for on the job, commuting and transitioning from work to home, travel and overtime, self-care, and stress management.
• Your Healthy Lifestyle: Living a Healthy Life – October 28th from 12:00 – 1:00pm
  • This month’s talk provides tips on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle by reducing stress, better managing responsibilities and getting proper nutrition and exercise. Participants will explore the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, the importance of a good night’s sleep, the power of positive thinking and more.

Click here to register for any of the upcoming monthly talks. To login to their website and view more resources, use the following credentials:

• Username: ERC
• Password: ERC

Appointments are still available to complete your PHA.    

Who is eligible to participate?

All staff and faculty are welcomed and encouraged to participate in the PHA process. Participation is also encouraged for the following individuals covered under the Lawrence University medical plan: spouses/domestic partners of employees, retirees and spouses/domestic partners of retirees. 

Note for Medical Plan Participants

Participation by employees, retirees covered under the medical plan, and spouses/domestic partners covered under the medical plan will provide the discounts to the medical plan premium.  All participants must complete both the biometric screening and the lifestyle questionnaire to receive the premium discount. The questionnaire can be completed through Wellworks portal (ThedaCare’s new platform) while signing up for your biometric screening appointment.  Discounts are provided based upon participation and are not scoring or results based.

Along with their new platform, Wellworks, ThedaCare will be switching to a finger stick blood collection as opposed to an arm draw. This process is less invasive and gives instant results.

If you or your spouse/domestic partner is pregnant or within 6 months post-partum during the time of the assessments, participation by the pregnant/post-partum individual will not be required to obtain the discounts on medical plan premiums. Human Resources must be notified if this is applicable to you or spouse/domestic partner by October 15, 2021.  

How do I sign up?

Scheduling directions can be found in the 2021 PHA Instruction Sheet or click here to sign up: www.wellworksforyoulogin.com. The PHA schedule books quickly.  To ensure you receive your preferred appointment time, do not delay in scheduling your appointment.

What is the PHA schedule?

All appointments will be held in the Warch Campus Center – Hurvis & Mead Witter rooms. Appointment time and dates are as followed:

• Wednesday, October 6th at 6:00am – 10:30am
• Thursday, October 7th at 6:00am – 10:30am
• Friday, October 8th at 6:00am – 10:30am
• Monday, October 11th at 6:00am – 10:00am
• Tuesday, October 12th at 6:00am – 10:00am
• Wednesday, October 13th at 6:00am – 10:00am
• Thursday, October 14th at 6:00am – 10:00am
• Friday, October 15th at 6:00am – 10:00am

Please contact your HR Representative if you have any questions regarding the PHA process including scheduling your assessment.   

Thank you,

Human Resources