Skyline News

A Publication of UHD Public Affairs

July 21, 2010

Submit news items to skylinenews@uhd.edu.

A Green Events and Meetings (G.E.M.) workshop and luncheon from noon to 1 p.m. Friday, July 23, in room C-100.

Benefits Office is extending office hours until 7 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays.

"Get the Scoop" benefit information session will be from 10 a.m. to noon Thursday in the Library Event Room.

Volunteer and help welcome students back to campus Aug. 23 and 24

The Planning Committee is seeking volunteers to welcome new and returning students back to campus Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 23 and 24, for the Fall 2010 semester.

UHD's Center for Computational Sciences acknowledged students who completed the Houston PREP summer enrichment program for area middle and high school students.

Houston PREP attracts 350 students to summer enrichment program at UHD

UHD's Center for Computational Sciences held its Houston PREP summer program for 350 area middle and high school students July 6 -15.

Closing ceremonies featured Houston City Council Member Melissa Noriega and recognized students and their accomplishments in the intensive, mathematics-based activities. Program Co-director Sangeeta Gad said Houston PREP is attracting more participants. This year's program included 50 dual credit students and 50 students who participated in classroom space provided at the Houston Community College-Northwest Town and Country Campus.

Students from numerous area school districts participated along with more than a dozen corporate sponsors and organizations.

Houston City Council Member Melissa Noriega was the guest speaker at the Houston PREP Closing Day Ceremonies.
Prep grad 2

UHD Young Sounds members performed at the Houston French Consulate's Bastille Day celebration at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston.
UHD Young Sounds perform for French Consulate's Bastille Day celebration

Members of the UHD Young Sounds of Houston jazz ensemble, directed by Robert Wilson, performed as part of the Houston French Consulate's Bastille Day 2010 celebration at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston July 14.

This is the third year that the Young Sounds have collaborated with the Texan-French Alliance for the Arts and the French Consulate for this event. College of Humanities and Social Sciences Dean Susan Ahern said the Young Sounds performance was well received, and the university was recognized with its logo prominently displayed.

Sports and Fitness Center adds Boot Camp class to its Sneak Peek programs

The Sports and Fitness Center has added a new class, Boot Camp, to its schedule.

Boot Camp is designed to encourage the average person to push themselves beyond their perceived limitations.The class is led by Barry Bune, one of the center's personal trainers, who is a former active duty U.S. Army and current National Guard service member.

Whether participants are striving to lose, gain or maintain weight, they can start the class this summer and continue throughout the year. The summer classes meet in the Student Life Center Studio:

July 28, Wednesday, noon - 1 p.m.,SLC Studio

Aug. 2, Monday, noon - 1 p.m.,SLC Studio

Aug. 4, Wednesday, noon - 1 p.m.,SLC Studio

Other classes offered during the Sneak Peek fitness programs on Monday, Wednesday and Friday noon - 1 p.m., include Hip Hop, Pilates, Martial Arts, Pi-Yo and Yoga.For best results, add variety to your workout!

For information, visit the UHD Sports & Fitness website at www.uhd.edu/sportsandfitness.

BikeHouston and METRO's cycling club met Monday morning at UHD's light rail stop for METRO's announcement.
METRO makes announcement for bike commuters at UHD's METRORail stop

METRO officials and members of Bike Houston and METRO's cycling club gathered Monday morning at UHD's light rail stop to announce expanded hours when cyclists can board light-rail cars with their bicycles.

Effective Monday, excluding peak passenger hours of 6:30 to 9 a.m. and 3 to 6 p.m., bike riders can board rail cars Monday through Friday, and all service hours on weekends. Bikes are limited to two per rail car. Additional information is available at ridemetro and bikehouston.

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Green Events and Meetings workshop and luncheon will be Friday, July 23

A Green Events and Meetings (G.E.M.) workshop and luncheon from noon to 1 p.m. Friday, July 23, in room C-100 will discuss ways to make events and meetings hosted on campus more sustainable. The workshop is open to all staff members.

Participants will learn how to incorporate sustainable and green practices into staff meetings, luncheons and other campus events. In addition, the workshop, itself, will demonstrate many of those practices.

Those interested in attending the workshop may RSVP online here or send an e-mail to sustainability@uhd.edu. Please see the event flier for more information.

Stories from previous Skylines

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Benefits Office extends hours Wednesdays and Thursdays

The Benefits Office is extending office hours until 7 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays to allow employees additional time to make changes during the FY 11 Summer Enrollment.

The extended hours will continue through Thursday, July 29.

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West Bound San Jacinto Exit on I-10 Closed through Oct. 20

The San Jacinto exit ramp from I-10 westbound will be closed continuously for construction until 5 a.m. Oct. 20. The detour route is to take U.S. 59 south to the Jackson Street exit and go west on Commerce Street to San Jacinto. Note this is a change from earlier editions. Franklin Street is one-way eastbound in that area.

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'Get the Scoop' on changes to employee benefits, new morning sessions added

Pending changes to the Employees Retirement System (ERS) benefits will be explained during a series of "Get the Scoop" information sessions and the next session will be from 2 to 4 p.m. today in the Library Event Room.

UHD's summer enrollment for employees to make changes to their group insurance coverage runs from July 5 to 30 this year, so the Get the Scoop meetings offer good opportunities to better understand benefit changes and to ask questions about the pending changes to the FY 2011 benefits.

Get the Scoop sessions will help employees make informed decisions. Scoops of ice cream will be served. Information sessions are also scheduled for 2 to 4 p.m. on:

Tuesday, July 20, Library Event Room
Monday, July 26, Library Event Room

New morning sessions from 10 a.m. to noon have been added to the schedule:

Thursday, July 22, Library Event Room
Friday, July 23, Library Event Room

Graduate Record Exam preparation DVDs available at library, Urban Ed.

Graduate Record Exam (General) preparation DVDs are available in the W. I. DykesLibrary in the One Main building and Urban Education office in C-440, Commerce Street Building.

This DVD set is appropriate for anyone interested in becoming familiar with this test and gaining a quick overview of strategies that might be helpful in passing the three sections of the GRE - verbal reasoning, analytical writing, and quantitative. This DVD set includes the material from a workshop conducted in December 2009 and was designed to assist individuals who plan to apply for admission to graduate programs.

Students interested in checking out the GRE DVDs may do so at the library's 5^th floor check-out desk. Students can borrow the materials for up to 4 hours. Non-students and students may also check out the DVDs for in-house viewing between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday-Friday at the Urban Education office.

Contact Anjoo Sikka, Urban Education professor, at Sikkaa@uhd.edu for more information. To learn more about the GRE, please visit http://www.ets.org/gre/.

Giveaways help advertise your department during Welcome Week

UHD Welcome Week will be Aug. 23 and 24 and planners invite departments to provide giveaways to advertise during the festivities.

Contact Debora Evans at 713-223-7990 or email evansd@uhd.edu for more information.

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Office of Community Engagement adds books, invites reviews for website

The following titles have been added to the Office of Community Engagement's collection and Jean DeWitt, Director of Community Engagement, invites faculty members to write brief reviews for the office's website.

Growing a Soul for Social Change

Service eLearning Education for Citizenship

Teaching for Experiential Learning

New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education

Service-Learning and Community Engagement

Service-Learning and Social Justice

New Directions for Higher Education

In Safe Hands

Service-Learning in Theory and Practice

Summer enrollment for employee benefits continues through July 30

Summer Enrollment this year continues through Friday, July 30. During this period, you will be able to log into the Employees Retirement System (ERS) website at www.ers.state.tx.us to make changes to your current enrollment. For assistance with user name and login password, please call ERS toll free at 877-275-4377.

The Benefits Office will be happy to assist you with your changes. Please stop by to complete a Summer Enrollment form. Deadline to submit Summer Enrollment forms to the Benefits Office for processing is 5 p.m., Thursday, July 29.

Below are the changes ERS has made to group health benefits that will affect you and your family for academic year 2011, Sept. 1, 2010 to Aug. 31, 2011:

CURRENT BENEFITS BENEFITS ON SEPT. 1

PCP Office Visit Co-pay $20 $25

Specialist Office Visit Co-pay $30 $40

In-Patient Hospitalization $100 + 20% coinsurance $150 + 20% coins.

Out-Patient Co-pay $100 + 20% coinsurance No Change

In-Network Coinsurance Maximum $1,000 $2,000

Out-of-Network Coins. Maximum $3,000 $7,000

Out-of-Area Coinsurance Maximum $1,000 $3,000

Radiology tests (CT scan, MRI, Nuclear...) 20% coins. $100 Co-pay + 20% coinsurance

Emergency Room Co-pay $100 + 20% coins. $150 + 20% coinsurance

Urgent Care Facility 20% coinsurance $50 Co-pay + 20% coins.

Prescription Drug Co-pay $10/$25/$40 $15/$35/$60

Chiropractic care coverage will be limited to 30 visits per year, and a maximum charge of $75 per visit.

You will be able to purchase more than 30-day supply of maintenance drugs at some participating retail pharmacies with no retail maintenance fee.

For additional information, please contact Van Le at 713-221-8443 or Betty Powell at 713-221-8072. Thank you.

Career Services offers information on summer job opportunities, internships

Career Services is often an untapped resource for college students. Students can use Career Services starting their first day of school continuing throughout their college experience, even beyond graduation.

New students - We provide help in choosing a major and narrowing down a career path. Assessments can be given to determine majors and careers that best fit the students skill set and personality.

Current students - Continued career counseling may be given. Assistance in finding career related internships, part-time or full-time jobs.

Upper classmen - Job search preparation: resume reviews, mock interviews, expanded job search assistance, one-on-one career counseling

All students - Services are available to all current students and UHD alumni. Resume workshops, interview workshops, Career Expos, access to jobs4gators, career assessments & counseling, & participation in employer events.