Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Meet Your Colleague: A Q&A with Resident Director CyBelle Rose Barthelmess

Name: CyBelle Rose Barthelmess

Job title: Resident Director

Department: Student Life

How long have you worked at Whitworth? Since August 2010

What do you like best about your job? Listening to colleagues’ and students’ stories and being invited into this season of their lives.

In what ways do your gifts and abilities help meet the needs of the campus community you serve? I have been blessed and honored to work alongside young adults around the globe from vastly different walks of life, and with varying ideologies, worldviews, and passions. Each and every one of these unique stories has further formed the woman, servant, leader, advocate, teacher, student, and child of God I am today. Daily I am learning to ask harder questions, refrain from giving trite answers, suspend judgment, and love others deeply. The things I have learned, the roads I have traveled, the stories I have heard, the lives that have humbled and touch my own – these are the gifts I hope to share with the community here at Whitworth University.

Favorite books: Buenos Noches, Luna and Crime & Punishment

Favorite movie: “The Power of One”

Favorite food: Sushi

Favorite quote: “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, love.” – St. Augustine

Favorite music: Joshua Radin’s Pandora station

Favorite animal: Elephant

Guilty pleasure: “Glee” TV show

Hobbies: Salsa dancing, painting, photography, x-country skiing, swimming, cycling

Best vacation ever: Paid vacation to South Africa

Birth place: Strong, Maine

We’d be surprised to know that…in 7th grade I won a science fair, a spelling bee, and a regional speech competition, with a speech entitled “Sex Can Wait.” I mean, seriously, what 7th grader even says the word “sex,” let alone in front of hundreds of people?

I collect…I used to collect keys and my mother reprimanded me for taking every key around the house.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? Next on my list…Istanbul

What cartoon character best describes you? This is a no brainer…I am Belle!

If you could try anything and not fail, what dream would you attempt? Audition for a movie

What is your favorite sound? My little nephews laughing

What is your life motto? “Everyone has a story.”

If the whole world was listening, what would you say? I’d say nothing…our world could use a moment of reflective silence and perhaps in that silence someone would hear the voice of God.

Favorite childhood book: Grandpa Bunny

Favorite childhood TV show: “The Cosby Show”

Least favorite word: Quiche

If you could go on a road trip with anyone (from the past or present), who would you choose and where would you go? I’d take my Fab5 girlfriends and head down the coast of California…it’s one of my favorite road trips!

Best high school class subject: AP English – there were only seven senior girls in the class and my favorite teacher from high school

Taxes Made E-Easy: Sign up to receive your W-2 tax forms electronically

Dear University Employees,

In our continued effort to streamline processes, provide more convenience to employees, and increase efficiencies, we plan to start generating electronic W-2 tax forms as of calendar year 2010. This new process will allow you to view and print your W-2 forms instead of having to wait for the mailed version. For the year 2010 and after, you will be able to view your current and future W-2 information via WhitNet.

To start the new electronic process, please log into your WhitNet account and click on the
W-2 Electronic Consent option under Employee Profile. By consenting to receive your
W-2 electronically, you will not receive your 2010 form in the mail. We will notify you in January when year-end processing is complete and your form is securely posted to your WhitNet account. Alternatively, by choosing to not give your consent, you will receive your 2010 W-2 via mail, postmarked no later than Jan. 31, 2011. You have the option to change your consent status at anytime, other than during the year-end processing period.

Please note that all employees need to indicate “yes” or “no” in their WhitNet profile. Failure to do so may result in delays in the generation of the W-2 forms.

If you have questions, please contact Senior Accountant Tara Lambert at x4435. We thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Luz Merkel
Associate Vice President, Finance and Administration
Business Affairs

Recording Your Timecard Hours During the Holidays

Dear Whitworth Employees,

Whitworth will be closed Dec. 23, 24, 27 and 31 for the Christmas and New Year's holidays. If applicable to your position, please record this time in the timecard column for “other time hours” and choose holiday from the drop-down menu under “other time types.” Also, Dec. 22 is an additional day off that was approved by the Cabinet. These hours should be recorded as regular hours on your timecard.

If you are working during the Christmas holidays, please do not change the hours that you would normally record. When working on a holiday, employees and supervisors should confirm in the timecard comments section that the employee did work on the holiday.

Thank you for your assistance!

Payroll Services

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Coming Soon: Online 403(b) Quarterly Statements

Your retirement plan statement from The Principal Financial Group will now be provided online! You will be notified when your next scheduled statement is available; you can view or print your statement by logging into www.principal.com/retirement/statements to access your account information.

For assistance with your PIN/password:
If you have forgotten your password or wish to make a change, select “Your Profile” from the left navigation bar. You may also contact a representative of The Principal Financial Group for assistance at 1.800.547.7754.

Notify The Principal if your e-mail address changes:
To help ensure that you continue receiving timely e-mail notification as soon as your statement becomes available, please let The Principal know if your e-mail address changes.

To update your e-mail address online:
Visit http://www.principal.com/ and log in to your account to view your account information. Choose “Your Profile” from the “Tools” section on the left to update your e-mail address.

To change how you receive your statement:
You have a right to receive a paper copy of your statement free of charge. If at any time you would like to change how you receive your statement, go to the “Make Changes” tab and indicate your mail preference under the “Account Basics” section, or call 1.800.547.7754.

Please contact JoAnn Fox at x4413 or Rick Scott at x4219 if you have further questions.

Check Out the Fall/Winter 2010 Issue of "Whitworth Today" Magazine

Check out the fall/winter 2010 issue of Whitworth Today magazine, featuring a Q&A with Beck Taylor, an article about how students, alums and professors are charting journalism's brave new world, and pieces by faculty members Pamela Corpron Parker and Andrew Hogue. Plus, the latest Whitworth news and alumni bios and notes.

Whitworth Weekly Holiday Publishing Schedule

Following is the publishing schedule for upcoming Whitworth Weekly newsletters and Friday events supplements:

  • Newsletter: Whitworth Weekly will be published Dec. 14 and 21. The newsletter will not be published on Dec. 28. The newsletter will resume its regular publishing schedule with the Tuesday, Jan. 4 issue.
  • Events supplement: A Friday events supplement will be e-mailed Dec. 17. The next events supplement will be e-mailed Friday, Jan. 7.

Meet Your Colleague: A Q&A with Thom Caraway, lecturer and editor-in-chief of "Rock & Sling"

Name: Thom Caraway

Job title: Lecturer, editor-in-chief of Rock & Sling, Whitworth’s literary arts journal

Department: English

How long have you worked at Whitworth? This is my third year

What do you like best about your job? That sometimes my day goes like this: meet with creative- writing student and help her see the potential in a story she wasn’t so sure about, then spend two or three hours reading insightful and eloquent work by other students, go to class where still other students are engaged and writing about wide-ranging and interesting topics, stay after class to answer a few questions about detailed elements of writing craft, visit with colleagues and share good ideas, good music, and general good feeling, head out for the day and run into to former students making a parkour/poetry video behind the art building. I’ve worked at several schools, and the level of student engagement, colleague camaraderie, and shared mission at Whitworth is truly rare, and greatly appreciated.

In what ways do your gifts and abilities help meet the needs of the campus community you serve? I’m not sure, but I hope that they do. I’ve been able to do a lot of different things here, from Core D-groups, to composition classes, to creative-writing workshops, lit classes for Continuing Studies, planting flowers and bulbs in the Westminster/Lied commons, to Script, and now Rock & Sling. The opportunities are amazing, and I hope the services I provide are needed.

Favorite book: The Great Fires, by Jack Gilbert

Favorite movie: “Amadeus”

Favorite food: Soup

Favorite quote: “I believe Icarus was not failing as he fell / but just coming to the end of his triumph.” ~ From the poem “Failing and Flying,” by Jack Gilbert

Favorite music: Radiohead

Favorite animal: Elk

Guilty pleasure: Facebook

Hobbies: Backpacking, hunting

Best vacation ever: Camping with my wife and kids

Birth place: Redlands, Calif.

We’d be surprised to know that…I’m an NRA-certified professional marksman.

I collect…airplane emergency evacuation cards.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? Santorini

What cartoon character best describes you? Space Ghost

If you could try anything and not fail, what dream would you attempt? Professional baseball player

What is your favorite sound? Elk bugling

What is your life motto? “Do. Or do not. There is no try.”

If the whole world was listening, what would you say? “Read more poetry.”

Favorite childhood book: The Story of King Arthur and His Knights, by John Knowles

Favorite childhood TV show: “Star Blazers”

Least favorite word: No

If you could go on a road trip with anyone (from the past or present), who would you choose and where would you go? I’d go to Troy, Montana, with poet Richard Hugo.

Best high school class subject: English

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Taxes Made E-Easy: Sign up to receive your W-2 tax forms electronically

Dear University Employees,

In our continued effort to streamline processes, provide more convenience to employees, and increase efficiencies, we plan to start generating electronic W-2 tax forms as of calendar year 2010. This new process will allow you to view and print your W-2 forms instead of having to wait for the mailed version. For the year 2010 and after, you will be able to view your current and future W-2 information via WhitNet.

To start the new electronic process, please log into your WhitNet account and click on the
W-2 Electronic Consent option under Employee Profile. By consenting to receive your
W-2 electronically, you will not receive your 2010 form in the mail. We will notify you in January when year-end processing is complete and your form is securely posted to your WhitNet account. Alternatively, by choosing to not give your consent, you will receive your 2010 W-2 via mail, postmarked no later than Jan. 31, 2011. You have the option to change your consent status at anytime, other than during the year-end processing period.

Please note that all employees need to indicate “yes” or “no” in their WhitNet profile. Failure to do so may result in delays in the generation of the W-2 forms.

If you have questions, please contact Senior Accountant Tara Lambert at x4435. We thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Luz Merkel
Associate Vice President, Finance and Administration
Business Affairs

Payroll Services: Timecard deadlines and information for December payrolls

Dear Campus Community, 

We are asking for your assistance in observing the following deadlines to ensure the timely and accurate processing of the last three December payrolls. 

The last payday of the year for student workers will be Tuesday, Dec. 21; faculty and staff will be paid on Thursday, Dec. 30.

New Honorariums, Stipends and Adjunct Contracts:
All new honorariums, stipends and adjunct contracts that need to be paid through the December 2010 payroll must be received in Human Resource Services by 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 10.

Exempt, Monthly Staff:
Employees must complete their web timecards by noon on Friday, Dec. 10; supervisors may approve cards until 5 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 13. There will not be employee or supervisor access to these timecards after the dates and times specified above. 

Non-exempt, Semi-monthly Staff:
Employees must complete their timecards by 5 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 16; supervisors may approve timecards until 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 17. There will not be employee or supervisor access to these timecards after the dates and times specified above. Please note: To avoid potential errors and to ensure timely processing, we are asking that employees record their hours daily for the 12/1-15 dates.

Students:
Students have been notified of their deadlines in a separate email. Students must complete their web timecards by noon on Wednesday, Dec. 15; supervisors may approve web cards until 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 15. There will not be employee or supervisor access to these timecards after the dates and times specified above. Please monitor and approve timecards as they are completed; they may be signed and approved prior to the due date. 

Please note: Paydays will occur as usual in January. The first payday for students will be 1/12/11; non-exempt employees’ first payday will be 1/14/11; and the exempt employees will be paid on 1/31/11.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation! We wish you a blessed Christmas season.

Payroll Services

Human Resource Services: Wellness newsletter & tips; Qualified Default Investment Notice for 403(b) Participants

Employee Wellness Newsletter and Tips for Healthing Living

Human Resource Service regularly shares information provided to us by recognized organizations who promote health and wellness. Below are the pieces shared with us for December.

Employee Wellness Newsletter from the Spokane Regional Health District
Employee Assistance News

Qualified Default Investment Alternative Notice for 403(b) Retirement Plan Participants:

Whitworth University is required to provide benefits-eligible employees with the Qualified Default Investment Alternative Participant Notice one month before the start of the new plan year, on Jan. 1, 2011. Click on the links below for information about default investments and for information on the current funds available for employees’ investments. 
If you have any questions, please contact me by phone or e-mail. I would be happy to answer any questions you have about the paperwork.

JoAnn Fox
Assistant Director for Benefits
Human Resource Services
509.777.4413
jfox@whitworth.edu

Sodexo Staff Members Tapped to Share Skills, Expertise throughout Region

Whitworth’s Sodexo food-service staff is gaining a widespread reputation for excellence, according to Associate Dean of Students Dick Mandeville. Executive Chef Jess Dozier is considered district chef and helps train chefs at colleges and universities in Washington, Idaho and Montana. Dozier is teaming with baker Ginny Cogle to provide training on baking district-wide. Their work has been so well received that they may be asked to share it nationally.

Operations Manager Dan King provides training on food and kitchen safety at all schools in the district, and General Manager Jim O’Brien, who recently returned from leadership in the workplace training in Denver, Colo., is one of the regional “go to” persons for catering and sustainability.

“It’s like our Sodexo staff consists of the all-stars for the entire region,” says Mandeville, “which translates into Whitworth’s food-service staff being exposed to Sodexo’s best training and ideas, while our Sodexo senior staff members are providing great publicity for Whitworth.”

Way to go, Whitworth Sodexo!

Recent Datatel Update May Have Affected Access to Budget Records

Regretfully, a Dec. 4 Datatel update may have taken away or modified some employees’ access to My Budget in WhitNet or budget reports in Colleague. As a result, some of you may not be able to view departmental budget activity that you had been able to view or report before. This is not a general problem. We suggest that you verify your current access, and if you encounter difficulties accessing data for accounts you could view earlier, please e-mail or call Kris Zimbelman at x4322 or kzimbelman@whitworth.edu or Rita Johnson at x3771 or ritajohnson@whitworth.edu so we can research the issue. Thank you for your understanding.

The Business Affairs Office

Notice for Retirement Plan Participants: New reports now available online

The 2009 Summary Annual Report and the Annual Return/Report of Employee Benefit Plan (Form 5500) for our retirement plan through Principal Financial Group have been posted to the Human Resource Services Benefits & Wellness web page.The links are located in the Retirement Plan Documents section at the bottom of the page. They are titled Summary Annual Report and Annual Return/Report of Employee Benefit Plan (Form 5500).

You are encouraged to view these documents and follow the instructions in the Summary Annual Report for copies. Thank you.

Human Resource Services

Meet Your Colleague: A Q&A with Associate Director of Admissions Lara Thompson

Name: Lara Thompson

Job title: Associate Director of Admissions

Department: Admissions

How long have you worked at Whitworth? Four years

What do you like best about your job? I get to play a role in helping high-school students decide where they will spend their next four years. It’s such an important time in their lives and I love that I can share my passion and love for Whitworth with them.

In what ways do your gifts and abilities help meet the needs of the campus community you serve? I had such a wonderful experience as both an undergrad and grad student at Whitworth that it makes my job easy. I love meeting new people and traveling to new places, so any chance I get to share my enthusiasm for Whitworth and all that it offers is truly a blessing to me. I also tend to be very detail-oriented and organized, so I enjoy putting together large group visits and events on campus for prospective students and their families.

Favorite book: The Power of One

Favorite movies: “Elf” and “Anchorman”

Favorite food: Everything but tofu. I love food!

Favorite quote: “Walk as if your next step would carry you across the threshold of Heaven” –
Jim Elliot

Favorite music: Anything, but I have a special place in my heart for 80s music

Favorite animals: It’s a tie – cats and dogs

Guilty pleasure: Starbucks peppermint mochas

Hobbies: Soccer, tennis, dodgeball, softball, board games, backyard sports, anything competitive

Best vacation ever: Jan Term international business trip to Australia

Birth place: Daytona Beach, Florida

We’d be surprised to know that…I’ve moved houses 17 times in my life and I have traveled to five of the seven continents. I’m also getting married to Whitworth Head Baseball Coach Dan Ramsay next summer.

I collect…Starbucks mugs and Brewery pint glasses from the places I visit

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? South America, to check off the sixth continent on my list

If you could try anything and not fail, what dream would you attempt? Buy a lottery ticket?

What is your favorite sound? The heater kicking on

What is your life motto? “Let go and let God”

If the whole world was listening, what would you say? Nothing. I’d let everyone enjoy the silence.

Favorite childhood books: The Boxcar Children and Nancy Drew mysteries

Favorite childhood TV shows: “Full House” and “The Price Is Right”

Least favorite words: lol, brb, btw

If you could go on a road trip with anyone (from the past or present), who would you choose and where would you go? Visit all the MLB ballparks around the country with my fiancé.

Best high school class subjects: P.E. and math