Archive for January, 2023

As announced last October, for the birth or adoption of a child (after Jan. 1, 2023), ACU will award six weeks of paid leave for both the mother and father. Employees will have one year to use their parental leave, which can be taken intermittently. We believe bonding with children is critical for both the mother and father and encourage all eligible employees to utilize this benefit. (Parental leave will run concurrently with FMLA.) Employees who foresee taking parental leave should complete an application as soon as possible.

Applications and abstracts for the 2023 Undergraduate Research, Creativity, and Innovation Festival at Abilene Christian University are due on Friday, February 3, 2023 by 5 p.m. The ACU Undergraduate Research, Creativity, and Innovation Festival is scheduled for Tuesday, April 11, 2023 in the Hunter Welcome Center. For additional information and to submit a proposal, visit this link. If you have questions, you may contact the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs at orsp@acu.edu or the Office of Undergraduate Research at uresearch@acu.edu.

Last year, the Office of Spiritual Life, OISVS, and SOAR partnered together to provide casual tea time for ACU students. Mainly we hope this to be a place for students to be able to take a break from their busy schedules and enjoy meeting other people within the ACU community. Hospitali-tea is each Wednesday at 3:30 pm, and we would like to invite other ACU departments to partner with us by hosting HospitaliTea one week. Hosting is rather simple and inexpensive. We provide the space (lower level of the campus center) and set up for the event. Hosts will provide one box of tea and biscuits/pastries for 15-20 students. We would also like for 2-4 members of your department to attend to interact with students. If you are interested, please fill out this form.

The Asian Students Organization would like to extend an invitation to all ACU Faculty and Staff to join us in celebrating the Lunar New Year on Saturday, January 28th at 6pm at the Hillcrest Church of Christ MPR (gym). Tickets are free but limited, so please RSVP here if you would like to attend.

UCM telemedicine has replaced Wildcat Care for all ACU faculty and staff. UCM allows you to access a doctor from your home, office or anywhere — 24/7/365 — and is a convenient and cost-effective way to receive health care for common conditions. UCM’s licensed providers can diagnose any non-emergency medical condition with a short phone or secure video visit. They can also prescribe medication and send prescriptions to the pharmacy of your choice. UCM also provides mental health counseling. Access UCM by visiting their website www.goseesam.com/login or by one of their two apps UCM Now or Sam by UCM.

January is National Eye Care Month! Practicing good eye care and visiting the eye doctor regularly are essential to healthy lives for people of all ages. Start the new year off right by scheduling your annual eye exam with a VSP network doctor today!

All employees covered under ACU’s medical plan were mailed new medical ID cards in December. You must show your new card when picking up prescriptions for the first time in 2023.

Student Life has delivered the Braggin’ Wagon to Wildcat Central. Student Life wanted Wildcat Central to know they do a phenomenal job working with our students. They are also grateful for the massive support they feel from Wildcat Central through their collaboration and encouragement. See photos & keep up with the Braggin’ Wagon here.

From RightNow Media, “How do you love people when you disagree with them? We live in divided times. The tension of disagreement can be felt at dinner tables, board rooms, church gatherings, and in our communities. It can be hard to know how to engage with each other when the gap between us feels like it’s widening. Jesus lived in divided times, too. He modeled for us what it looks like to love across political, gender, religious, and cultural lines. Jesus’s life was marked by loving people wildly different from him, and he calls us to do the same. This four-part group study tackles topics such as curiosity, humility, and justice.” Explore with a small group, your department, or on your own what it means to love like Jesus when you disagree. Check out the trailer for more information. If you need an account with RightNow Media, email humanresources@acu.edu.

All employees should see zero hours in their Holiday and Personal Day leave balances for 2023 at this time. Those hours will be added while processing the January 20th Payroll.

When you submit your timesheets and leave reports for January 1-14, which will include the January 2 holiday, you will see a warning that you have an insufficient leave balance. Please go ahead and submit your holiday hours as you normally would.