Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Join the Taylors Dec. 6 for the Annual President's Christmas Reception

Please join Beck and Julie Taylor as they celebrate the season by hosting the annual President’s Christmas Reception on Monday, Dec. 6, from 2-4:30 p.m. in the Hixson Union Building. To view the official invitation, please click on President’s 2010 Christmas Reception.

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

The Snow Has Got to Go: Please heed the “No Overnight Parking” lot designations

In order for the snow crew to properly clean the "No Overnight Parking" lots, the lots need to be empty at night. Even if a couple of cars are left in the lots, the plow trucks have a very difficult time maneuvering around them and usually end up leaving snow next to the parked cars, which limits the number of usable parking spots. If the lot is empty, the snow can be pushed to the end of the lot and then pushed up on the lawn. This also aids in drainage when the snow begins to melt.

Please click on the Whitworth Public Parking Areas map to view the red and green designated parking areas on campus. The red lots are the “No Overnight Parking” lots. These lots have signs, usually at the entry points to each lot, which state “No Overnight Parking.” The No Overnight Parking lots are designated as such because the majority of the people parking in these lots are users that come during the day and leave at night. The designated green lots on the map allow 24-hour parking and are used primarily by residents who live on campus.

We also have designated parking areas for cars that remain on campus during Christmas and Spring Breaks. Anyone wishing to leave a car on campus during these times needs to call Campus Security at 777.4444 for information on the best place to park.

Thank you for your cooperation with our parking designations.

Facilities Services

Meet Your Colleague: A Q&A with Custodian Terri Batt

Name: Terri Batt

Job title: Custodian

Department: Facilities Services

How long have you worked at Whitworth? Ten years

What do you like best about your job? Serving and interacting with the students

In what ways do you feel your job fulfills your sense of vocation? My ability of hospitality to give the students a fun and clean environment.

Favorite book: The Bible

Favorite movie: “Dragonfly” – I’m a Kevin Costner fan

Favorite food: A good salad with all the trimmings

Favorite quote: “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”

Favorite music: Jazz & Christian

Favorite animal: Dog

Guilty pleasure: Coconut cream pie

Hobbies: Hiking, fishing, scrapbooking, canning

Best vacation ever: Canada & Lake Louise

Birth place: Seattle, Wash.

We’d be surprised to know that…I like to fly fish.

I collect…inspirational quotes and CDs/DVDs with Christian messages (I love to share them!).

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? Ireland and Scotland

If you could try anything and not fail, what dream would you attempt? Public speaking

What is your favorite sound? A babbling brook

What is your life motto? “If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.”

Favorite childhood TV show: “JP Patches”

Least favorite words: I can’t do it.

If you could go on a road trip with anyone (from the past or present), who would you choose and where would you go? The Redwood Forest in California with my husband

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Meet Your Colleague: A Q&A with Stephy Nobles-Beans, coordinator for ministry and multicultural affairs

Name: Stephaine (Stephy) Nobles-Beans

Job title: Coordinator for Ministry and Multicultural Affairs

Department: Chapel

How long have you worked at Whitworth? 14 years

What do you like best about your job? The students that I meet

In what ways do your gifts and abilities help meet the needs of the campus community you serve? My gifts and abilities help the campus community in the areas of spiritual support, prayer and mentoring.

Favorite book: The Bible

Favorite movie: “The Color Purple”

Favorite food: Jumbo shrimp (deep-fried)

Favorite quote: “I can, I will, I did!”

Favorite music: Instrumental smooth Christian jazz (I love to write poetry to jazz)

Favorite animal: Cat

Guilty pleasure: Peanut M&Ms

Hobbies: Writing poetry and plays

Best vacation ever: Caribbean

Birth place: Dallas, Texas

We’d be surprised to know that…I’ve written hundreds and hundreds of poems (for real!)

I collect…journals and butterfly pins

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? Aruba – I want to walk on the white sands

What cartoon character best describes you? Minnie Mouse (she loves to talk, and so do I)

If you could try anything and not fail, what dream would you attempt? To fly a jumbo jet

What is your favorite sound? A waterfall

What is your life motto? “Live Life Like it’s Real!”

If the whole world was listening, what would you say? “Love one another as Christ has loved you.”

Favorite childhood book: Mother Goose nursery rhyme book

Favorite childhood TV show: “The Ed Sullivan Show”

Least favorite word: Can’t

If you could go on a road trip with anyone (from the past or present), who would you choose and where would you go? Jesus, and I would love to go with him to Jerusalem and take a swim in the Jordan River

Best high school class subject: English

Winter Weather Communication Protocol

Dear Campus Community,

During adverse weather, please keep in mind that decisions about campus closures or changes to the regular operating schedule will be announced the following ways:
  • An e-mail message to your Whitworth e-mail account
  • An announcement posted to the campus news section of the Whitworth home page (http://www.whitworth.edu/)
  • A recording on the Whitworth phone switchboard (509.777.1000)
  • Local news media broadcasts
Our primary concern is to ensure the safety of students and employees. In the event of bad weather, please be sure to check these sources of information for announcements. If no announcement is posted, you can assume campus is open and operating on regular schedule. Decisions about day classes will normally be made no later than 6 a.m. and evening class decisions will be made no later than 3 p.m., but given the unpredictability of weather, these times are general guidelines to help you plan your time.

Your judgment and awareness of your personal situation may require a different course of action than we’d choose for the whole university, so if that is the case, please contact your instructor or supervisor about your situation.

May you all enjoy a safe winter!

Michael Le Roy
Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty

Monday, November 22, 2010

Human Resource Services: Take part in Commute Trip Reduction "Find Another Way" campaign

Take Part in the Commute Trip Reduction “Find Another Way” Campaign

Win a Safeway gift card on Wednesdays in November by Finding Another Way to work, such as carpooling, riding the bus, vanpooling, working from home, walking or bicycling. Every Thursday a drawing will be held for everyone that participates on Wednesday and filled out their commute calendar at http://www.mycommute.org/. For assistance on filling out your online commute calendar, please click on My Commute Calendar.

By participating on Wednesday or any other day in November, you’ll be eligible to win one of six $25 Safeway gift cards or one $150 Safeway gift card. Plus, you’ll save money and wear and tear on your car, reduce stress, and help reduce air pollution and traffic congestion in our community.

For more details, please visit http://www.mycommute.org/ or contact JoAnn Fox, employee transportation coordinator/assistant director for benefits, at jfox@whitworth.edu.