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October 2024 | HR Monthly Bulletin

Annual open enrollment

The annual open enrollment period begins Wednesday, Oct. 30, and ends Friday, Nov. 15. Check your Northwest email for details about open enrollment.

Welcome our new Bearcats!

Christopher Colvin

Custodian
Facility Services

Joe Connelly
Part-time Instructional Aide
Horace Mann Laboratory School

Lilly Cook
Multimedia Specialist
Office of University Marketing and Communication

Taylin Hunter
Staff Nurse - Registered Nurse
Wellness Services

Erin LaMaster
Purchasing Coordinator
Office of Purchasing

Amiere McNeal
Academic Advisor and Success Coach
Office of Academic Success and Retention

Renee Schlag
Executive Secretary
Office of University Advancement

Melissa Wellhausen
Chief Financial Officer for Northwest Foundation Inc.
Office of University Advancement

Shelby Wolters
Printing Specialist
Mail and Printing Services

EMPLOYEE ANNIVERSARIES

Congratulations to these employees for their milestone years of service
in October 2024!

5 YEARS

Dan Haslag Assistant Vice President of Facility Services Facility Services

10 YEARS

Shandy Beck Instructor of Accounting Melvin D. and Valorie G. Booth School of Business
Samantha Cole Project Assistant Regional Professional Development Center
Linda Guess Billing Coordinator Wellness Services
Julie Johnson Associate Director for Advising and Coaching Office of Academic Success and Retention
Jose Palacios Perez Associate Professor of Modern Languages Department of Language, Literature and Writing
Rachel Peter Staff Nurse - Registered Nurse Wellness Services

15 YEARS

Joseph Geller HVAC Technician Facility Services

Transfers and Promotions

Promotions

Brandy Brady Director of Library Services and Operations B.D. Owens Library
Dustin Greenlee IT Security Analyst Office of Information Technology
Gabriel Mura Software Developer Office of Information Technology
Joel Harderson Endpoint Device Management Administrator Office of Information Technology

Upcoming Events

Employee Appreciation Football Event

Saturday, Nov. 2
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Carl and Cheryl Hughes Fieldhouse

Employees and guests should use the doors at the south entrance of the facility to access the reception. Snacks will be provided and employees will receive one free Northwest T- shirt.


Employee Holiday Meal and Years of Service Awards

Tuesday, Dec. 10
5:30 a.m. breakfast or noon dinner
J.W. Jones Student Union Ballroom

More details and RSVP will be emailed to employees in November.


Student Employment Supervisor Leadership Training

Northwest has added dates this fall for Student Employment Supervisor Leadership Training. It is critical that all student employment supervisors attend this training, as the student employment job description template is changing and all job descriptions must be updated to the new template to post positions.

Register by clicking this link.


Career Pathing Events

"Effectively Engaging Across Differences"

Dr. Shalon Malone, Assistant Vice President of Institutional Excellence and Global Engagement
Office of Diversity and Inclusion
Northwest Missouri State University

Dates: Thursday, November 7, 2024
Time: 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. 
Length: 60 Minutes
Location: Student Union Boardroom

Professional staff is successful when we can work with and lead others in a culturally diverse workforce. Diversity crosses cultural, global, gender and generational issues. This interactive workshop will provide ways to understand and collaborate with your colleagues by examining communication, teamwork, feedback and being supportive and appreciating diverse perspective.

"EQ & Bright, Dynamic Energy: Mastering Emotional Intelligence for College Success"

Dr. Claire Muselman, Coach and Speaker
CM Advising
www.drclairemuselman.com

Date: Monday, November 18
Time: 10 a.m., noon or 3 p.m.
Length: 60 minutes
Location: Student Union Boardroom

College life is a whirlwind of experiences, challenges and opportunities, all fueled by the bright, dynamic energy that defines this stage of your life. But how do you harness this energy to make the most of your time in college and beyond? The answer lies in mastering Emotional Intelligence (EQ). This session will show you how to channel your vibrant energy into effective decision-making, building meaningful relationships and achieving your goals with confidence and positivity.

Discounted Athletics Tickets

Discounted football tickets available to employees

Northwest employees are eligible for discounted single-game football tickets during the 2024 season. This discount is applicable to any Northwest employee and immediate family members for up to four tickets per home game when purchased prior to game day.

The discounted ticket rate is available for seating in two sections at Bearcat Stadium:

Discounted employee tickets must be purchased online no later than 11:59 p.m. on the day prior to home games. Discounted employee tickets will not be sold on game days.

How to purchase discounted tickets

Click here to purchase game tickets and select the game you want to attend.

To apply the employee discount, scroll down on the web page and click “Have a passcode?” Enter your 919 number to unlock the employee ticket discount and purchase up to four tickets per game.

When selecting reserved seats in Section A:


Discounted basketball season tickets available to employees

Northwest employees may purchase 2024-25 Basketball Reserved Season Tickets at a discounted price of $162 (originally $189) each for chairback seats or $135 (originally $162) each for railback seats.

Faculty and staff should use Passcode NWSTAFF24 to activate this option when selecting their seats.

Season tickets are available to purchase through 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15.

Click here to purchase season tickets and select seats.

Opportunities to get involved

Bearcat Diversity Book Club

Bearcat Diversity Book Club chooses one book each semester to stimulate discussions about varying subject matters related to cultural differences and inclusion. Through open dialogue, Northwest employees learn to have brave conversations, build community, embrace differences and become engaged, diverse leaders on campus. 

Sign up for the book club


Women of Color

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion encourages all employees to sign up for the Women of Color network. It focuses on advocating, supporting and understanding the experiences of women of color at higher education institutions.

Sign up for Women of Color network


Northwest affinity groups

Affinity groups are designed to create safe spaces for members to share and process experiences. As allies, our affinity group also allows participants the opportunity to identify ways in which we can appropriately use our privilege to bring about social change. For more information, visit Northwest affinity groups.

Association of Black Employees Logo

Contact Giselle Greenidge ggreenidge@caminal-equip.com 

LGBTQIA Logo

Contact Elyssa Ford ebford@caminal-equip.com 

ALLY Affinity Group Logo

Contact ALLY@caminal-equip.com 

Community-Connections-logo

Contact Maryvillecommunityconnections@gmail.com


Employee resource groups

These employee-led groups aim to foster a diverse, inclusive workplace. Contact each group individually. 

Diversity Groups

Staff Council

Northwest Staff Council represents a unified voice for all Northwest staff. To learn about staff, upcoming events or voice concerns, visit Northwest Staff Council.

Mental health and wellness resources

The Office of Human Resources highlights the following resources that employees may use as necessary. Mindful by BlueKC, the EAP and TAO are completely confidential.

Mindful by BlueKC

Mindful by BlueKC is a behavioral health initiative dedicated to reducing stigma around behavioral health in our communities while making care accessible and affordable for members. Mindful by Blue KC is a commitment to covering the health needs of the whole person and comes to life as a set of tools and resources to address stress, depression, anxiety, substance use and more. This ensures that members can access and afford the behavioral health care they need. 

Mindful Advocates are available 24/7 and are licensed behavioral health clinicians who match members to providers and guide care plans. Mindful Advocates may be contacted at 833.302.6463. For more information, visit Mindful by BlueKC initiative.


Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

All Northwest employees are eligible to use Ability Assist Counseling Services sponsored by The Hartford. Click here to read about the benefits this program offers.


TAO-Therapy Assistance Online

This is a private online library of behavioral health resources. It is a free and confidential resource available to Northwest employees and students. For more information, visit TAO-Therapy Assistance Online. 

Wellness Services is offering a variety of online programing. Follow Wellness Services on Twitter and Instagram at @nw_wellness for updates.


New Directions resource program center

The center provides reliable information about a variety of mental and behavioral health topics. For more information, visit New Directions Health Resources.

For information about a specific substance use, visit New Directions Substance Use Disorders Center, or call the Substance Use Disorder Hotline at 877.326.2458.

If you have questions, email healthybearcat@caminal-equip.com.

Benefits & Wellness Information

Updates to Employee Wellness Coordinator

Northwest's employee wellness coordinator, Dr. Melissa Van Buren, has shifted to remote work. She is still available for meetings and consultations and addressing concerns regarding your Blue Cross Blue Shield plan or general health and wellness. Dr. Van Buren cannot legally provide “medical advice” in her role with Northwest, but she can provide general medical education, assist in “connecting the dots” after appointments with your primary care provider or specialist and point you toward evidence-based medical resources. 

Visit the Employee Wellness website to view Dr. Van Buren’s schedule and use the Calendly link to book a meeting with her.


BlueKC Premium Prescription Drug List Updates

The Blue KC Medical and Pharmacy Management Committee reviews and maintains a Prescription Drug List (PDL). The Committee, consisting of practicing physicians and pharmacists in the Kansas City area, holds quarterly meetings to evaluate new drug therapies and review drug utilization issues. Medications are evaluated based on drug safety and costs. Click this link to view drug list updates, effective July 1, 2024 PDF Logo.

How BlueKC Will Communicate These Changes

Blue KC is taking proactive steps to limit disruption, including:


Benefits Resource Center

USI's Benefits Resource Center is a free resource service for employees and encourages you to reach out for any information, questions or help with insurance or benefits.

Click this link to download a flyer with more details and contact information


BlueKC SmartShopper

BlueKC is partnering with Sapphire Digital to offer SmartShopper, an incentive platform that can save members money on healthcare expenses every time they select a reward-eligible, lower-cost care for qualifying procedures such as MRIs, colonoscopies or blood work. 

SmartShopper is embedded within the provider finder and cost estimator tools in your mybluekc.com portal. Click here to watch a short video about SmartShopper.


MOSERS educational programs

MOSERS offers educational programs to help members learn information about their benefits as they progress through their careers and experience different life events along the way. 

Mid-Career Webinar: Learn how different career and life events may affect your pension benefit.

Ready to Retire Sessions: Learn about the retirement process and how different decisions may impact your pension benefit.

Stay up to date and visit www.mosers.org/education frequently for more information, including schedules and how to register. 


MOSERS termination and reemployment rules

For employees in a MOSERS-eligible position and nearing retirement, keep in mind the termination and reemployment rules. Those rules state that before receiving a benefit payment from MOSERS, IRS rules require a “bona fide termination” of a member’s employment. For purposes of MOSERS Board Rules, a "bona fide termination" occurs when:

For more information, view MOSERS' FAQs on termination and reemployment rules and its termination and reemployment rules flyer.

If an employee does not have a bona fide separation of service, their retirement will be null and void, meaning they will not receive their pension payments.


MO Deferred Comp Retirement Plan

The MO Deferred Comp plan is a supplemental retirement savings option available to employees. Visit www.modeferredcomp.org to learn more about the plan, register for upcoming education sessions or find financial planning options.


MyBlueKC mobile app includes virtual care

Blue KC offers members digital tools to allow quick access to health insurance plan information to support them along their health journey.

Today, many members enjoy the convenience of Blue KC Virtual Care from their mobile devices or laptop computers. Virtual care offers a fast, simple way to see a doctor 24/7 for sick care or to make an appointment with a behavioral health provider.

The Blue KC Virtual Care has moved from its own, standalone app to the MyBlueKC mobile app. This change means virtual care is now a feature in an app that members frequently use. With just a few taps, members can have a video visit with a doctor as well as get benefit information, view claims, download digital ID cards, and connect to health and wellness programs – all in one place. Make sure you have updated to the latest version of the MyBlueKC mobile app through your device settings for the virtual care functionality.

Click here for instructions to get the MyBlueKC app.


Beware of financial planning emails

Some employees have received emails from financial planning companies implying they are partnered with MOSERS. The content of the emails suggests that members must pay for a meeting with a retirement counselor and that they can learn how to increase their retirement savings. This is inaccurate. MOSERS has not authorized any outside financial planners to advise our members on their MOSERS benefits. 

As a reminder, the services offered through MOSERS and MO Deferred Comp are provided to MOSERS members at no cost. In regard to increasing their retirement savings, MOSERS members have the ability to meet with MO Deferred Comp financial education professionals to help make savings decisions as they prepare for retirement.

Northwest advises all MOSERS members to stay vigilant and double-check the addresses of email senders before clicking any links. 


A Healthier You (AHY)

The A Healthier You program gives you convenient online and mobile access to wellness tools that you can use to live your healthiest life. Plus, you’ll earn points that can be redeemed for chances to win gift cards to some popular retailers. For more information about the AHY program, click this link.


Campus recreation offerings 

The Foster Fitness Center, Student Recreation Center and Hughes Fieldhouse walking track are free for all employees and spouses to use. Employees and spouses must complete the assumption of risk and waiver of liability form on CatPAWS before using the Foster Fitness Center. Take a tour of the Foster Fitness Center, and find hours and amenities online

The Hughes Fieldhouse walking track is available for employee use, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Employees should enter through the south doors, and parking is available in the south lots. Kids are welcome but must be accompanied by an adult at all times while on the track. Click here to view a listing of when the walking track is not available.

Miscellaneous

Family and Medical Leave Act

The University provides family and medical leave in accordance with the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993. FMLA requires covered employers to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave to eligible employees. The University requires that employees substitute (run concurrently) accrued paid leave to which employees may be entitled to cover the employee’s FMLA leave, before using unpaid leave under the FMLA.

If an employee is away from work for three or more consecutive days due to medical reasons, contact the Office of Human Resources regarding FMLA and leave requirements.


Workers’ Compensation

If an employee is injured at work, injuries must be reported immediately to the employee’s supervisor and the Office of Human Resources. Employees must contact the Central Accident Reporting Office (CARO) at 800.624.2354 before medical treatment is sought. For any questions regarding workplace injuries, contact Human Resources.


Paperless billing

All Northwest employees now receive an e-bill to their University email, rather than a mailed paper bill. To opt out of an e-bill, complete the Paperless Billing Opt-Out form in MyNorthwest under Employee Resources -> Finance & Administration -> Billing.


Bearcat Food Pantry

The mission of the Bearcat Food Pantry is to provide a source of food and necessities for Northwest students and employees experiencing food insecurity and hunger. The food pantry is located in the J.W. Jones Student Union and is accessible from 2 - 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursdays. 

Northwest accepts food donations for the pantry at the Student Engagement Center and the Office of Student Affairs located on the second floor of the Student Union. For a list of most needed items, visit Bearcat Food Pantry. Monetary donations to support the food pantry should be directed to the Northwest Foundation and are tax-deductible.


Friends of International Students

Friends of International Students (FIS) is a community-based organization established to match interested area individuals and families (friends) with international students at Northwest. The program goals are to provide support to the students as they become adjusted to their new home and to promote friendship and understanding between people of different nationalities.

FIS is recruiting friends to connect with international students. Friends are asked to make contact with assigned students at least once a month during their year-long commitment to the program. Contact can take many forms, including family dinners, attending sporting events, pumpkin carving and various other activities involving two-way cultural tradition sharing. For more information or to apply, contact board members at FIS@caminal-equip.com or visit caminal-equip.com/international/services/friends/.


Does your department need office supplies?

Visit How to Purchase Office Supplies. Various binders, hanging file folders and other office supplies are available at no cost to departments at Central Receiving.


Purchase requisition training videos

Purchasing has created instructional videos explaining how to create a purchase requisition and a Central Stores purchase requisition in Banner/INB. The videos are available in MyNorthwest, Employee Resources - Finance.


Workstation safety guidelines

It is important for employees to apply good ergonomic practices. To view a complete list of ergonomic suggestions, visit Workstation safety guidelines.