December 10th, 2009

From Jim Tuttle, Business Office: Please note that paychecks for the B1-26 (12/12/09-12/25/09) work period for salaried employees will be available to those who pick their pay checks up on campus on Wednesday, December 23. The Direct Deposit pay date for this B1-26 pay period will be Thursday, December 24. Please be aware that these salaried checks will be dated 12/24/09. We ask those who pick up their checks not try to cash or deposit them until Thursday, December 24. This updated schedule and holiday pay information is available on the Business Office website.

If you have any questions about pay dates during this holiday season, please call or e-mail Jim Tuttle (8-2482).

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From Jim Tuttle, Business Office: Please note that paychecks for the B1-26 (12/12/09-12/25/09) work period for salaried employees will be available to those who pick their pay checks up on campus on Wednesday, December 23. The Direct Deposit pay date for this B1-26 pay period will be Thursday, December 24. Please be aware that these salaried checks will be dated 12/24/09. We ask those who pick up their checks not try to cash or deposit them until Thursday, December 24. This updated schedule and holiday pay information is available on the Business Office website.

If you have any questions about pay dates during this holiday season, please call or e-mail Jim Tuttle (8-2482).

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From the Business Office: The final Accounts Payable check run before the holiday break will be on Monday, December 21. This will be the final check run of the month of December, and also of calendar year 2009. If you require a payment to be in hand, or mailed out to a vendor before the break begins, all relevant paperwork must be received and approved in Accounts Payable no later than 2 p.m. on Friday, December 18. In order for a check to print in this final 12/21/09 run, the “Payment Due” field must reflect a date of 12/26/09 (or prior).

There will be no check runs at all during the week of December 28-January 1. Though KSC itself will be closed on Monday, January 4, 2010, the normal check-run schedule resumes on that day (which will encompass “Payment Due” dates from 1/03/10-1/09/10). During the short week beginning on December 21, the Petty Cash windows will observe regular hours. Have a happy and restful holiday season!

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From Jim Tuttle, Business Office: The USNH and Keene State College continually strive to provide sustainable services that are also cost effective, of the highest quality, and efficient. One simple and reliable service allows employees to receive net pay via direct deposit. As was recently announced, on September 18 USNH will change how they communicate payroll information to employees on direct deposit. Instead of receiving a paper pay stub, employees will receive an e-mail notification each pay period with a link to the pay stub detail through USNH WISE (Web Information System for Employees).

To provide smooth implementation and transition into this new method of communication, we are requesting that employees log onto the WISE website and update your current e-mail address. If you have never used WISE or have forgotten your password, call the USNH Call Center Help Desk for assistance at 1-603-862-4242.

Using e-mail direct deposit notifications to employees will provide sustainable paperless services, contributing to campus goals by reducing trash generated by the use of paper and envelopes and the gas used to deliver these documents to campuses. Everyone, including the environment, benefits. If you have any questions about this, you may reach me at 8-2482 or jtuttle1@keene.edu.

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From Karen Crawford, Human Resources: The President’s Commission for the Promotion of Wellness (PCPOW) celebrated Walk NH Week 2009 and launched the KSC Moves program with a 2.25-mile campus walk on June 1. Twenty-three staff participated in the event, which is designed to promote walking and help keep New Hampshire residents on a healthy path. The KSC Moves program hopes to inspire participants to continue walking as part of a healthy lifestyle. For more information, contact Karen Crawford at 8-2487.

KSC Faculty and Staff gathered on a beautiful day for a campus walk on June 1 (courtesy photo).

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From Karyn Kaminsky, Human Resources: Given the current economic environment, it is more and more important to stay on top of your retirement investments. Chris Greeley, retirement counseling representative from Fidelity Investments, will be coming to Keene State to meet with employees on Thursday, March 12, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. He will hold one-on-one consultations with employees in the Fiske Annex Conference Rm 33.

Whether you are currently enrolled in a retirement plan or thinking about enrolling, this is an opportunity for you to meet privately with Chris to discuss your current retirement portfolio, develop long-tem strategies, and learn about investment choices available and find the right investment mix for you. To schedule a time to meet with Chris, please call the Fidelity reservation line at 1-800-642-7131. For additional information or assistance, please contact Karyn Kaminski at 8-2486 or kkaminsk@keene.edu.

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From Kim Harkness, Human Resources: New Hampshire passed a law effective last January that provides access to a legal civil union for same-sex couples, and USNH will be adjusting its Domestic Partner Benefits policy to require either marriage or civil union, as these are both now available to couples.

Because federal law doesn’t provide the same recognition as New Hampshire state law, USNH is still required to tax the value of any benefit provided to a same-sex spouse or partner and his/her dependents.

To make USNH employees whole, we are very excited to clarify that USNH will begin to provide “additional compensation” for those employees who have benefits extended to their spouse/partner and dependents through a same-sex civil union. The “additional compensation” will offset the tax impact required by federal law.

If you have a civil union and have not previously enrolled your spouse or partner in our benefits because of the adverse tax impact, you can now make changes to your 2009 enrollment by declaring your civil union and enrolling your spouse/partner. Then USNH will apply the “additional compensation for tax relief” starting January 1, 2009. To do this, contact Karyn Kaminski at kkaminsk@keene.edu or 8-2486, or visit the Aliquant enrollment website. The deadline for enrollment for a 1/1/09 effective date is 11/21/2008. After January 1, any employee entering a civil union or legal marriage will be allowed to enroll their spouse or partner within thirty days of the event.

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From President Giles-Gee: I am pleased to announce that Ms. Maryann Lindberg has been named Vice President for Advancement at Keene State College after successful completion of a national search that yielded a strong applicant pool. This appointment is pending formal Board of Trustees approval, expected this month.

Ms. Lindberg has 24 years of experience in development, most recently having served as the executive director of the Bloomsburg University Foundation and as vice president for First Side Partners, a development and campaign-planning consulting firm serving higher education and other organizations. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree from Bucknell University and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from The Pennsylvania State University. She is a certified fund-raising executive, and has served as both president and member of the Planned Giving Council of Central Pennsylvania and the Northeast Pennsylvania chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

I commend the Search Committee under the leadership of Dean Gordon Leversee for serving the College well with exemplary diligence and commitment. I also extend my thanks to faculty, staff, and students for their participation in the interview process of our campus finalists.

Please join with me in wishing Maryann well in her new position as she begins her work at Keene State College in early January.

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From Karyn Kaminski, Human Resources: Human Resources is pleased to announce the winners of the raffle items at the 2008 Personnel Benefits and Personal Services Fair:

Richard Gunawardane HPHC ice scraper
Elizabeth Nieckoski Neck pillow and relaxation CD
Sean Gillery Soup basket
Cristi Carson Cookbooks/potholders
Shelley Craiglow 2009 Earth calendar and plant
Therese Seibert MetLife Snoopy
Martha Doyle Healthy in a Hurry cookbook
Patrick Eggleston Citizen’s Bank duffle bag
Bette Whitney TIAA/CREF mug holder
Chuck Week TIAA/CREF calculator
Robert Huston TIAA/CREF sport shirt
Tim Garland TIAA/CREF mug holder
Pauline Dionne TIAA/CREF umbrella
Ron Whippie TIAA/CREF tote bag
Linda Vermouth Dental Dental care kit
Kathryn Bottomley NHFCU gift card
Michael Hanrahan Bentley Commons dinner

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From Kim Harkness, Human Resources: This October, faculty and staff participated in two Lunch ‘n’ Learn workshops held for KSC employees and sponsored by KSC Human Resources.

The first, presented by Public Service of New Hampshire, provided information about how to make your home more energy efficient. Here are three great tips PSNH shared with KSC folks:
• Use energy-saving compact fluorescent bulbs if you’re lighting particular areas for over three hours a day. Compact fluorescent bulbs come in a variety of sizes and should help to lower energy costs.
• A programmable thermostat lets you control the temperature in your house automatically and can make a significant impact on your household expenses. You can program the thermostat according to your schedule, and it will automatically turn the heat down during the night or when you are not at home and turn it up just before you get up in the morning or come home from work, so your house is comfortable only when you need it to be.
• PSNH also suggested that you consider having an energy audit. PSNH offers Energy Saver Audits through the Home Energy Assistance Program. For those who qualify, PSNH will help you identify and understand your high electric use and recommend how to use energy more efficiently, which includes insulation, air sealing, electric hot water measures, health and safety measures, and more. More information on cost savings and the many programs offered by PSNH can be found on their website.

Consumer Credit Counseling Services of NH & VT conducted the second program. The presenter challenged folks in these tough economic times to be prepared by making a budget and sticking to it. The “budget do’s” include budgeting for savings, establishing long- and short-term financial goals, and reviewing your budget regularly. The best place to start is to track your expenses for a full month to learn where your money actually goes.

We also learned about credit scores: what can help improve a score, what can hurt your score, and how doing something to improve it isn’t always in your best interest financially. The CCCS rep recommended that anyone choosing to use a credit counseling service make sure that the counselor is licensed by an organization such as the New Hampshire Banking Department. More information and helpful financial tools can be found on the CCCS webpage noted above.

Watch for more Lunch ‘n’ Learn opportunities, including sessions on Wills and Estates, Elder Law, Real Estate Law, and Parenting Issues.

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From Karyn Kaminsky, Human Resources: Important Open Enrollment dates to remember:
• Enrollment Packets will be mailed to employees’ home address beginning 10/20/2008.
• Effective 10/27/2008, employees can log onto http://www.myusnhbenefits.net and select “Open Enrollment.”
• You do not need to do anything if you are making NO changes to your current benefit package and DO NOT want to enroll in an FSA for 2009; your current benefit selections will continue for 2009.
• If you are making changes to your benefits (Medical/Dental/Life/LTD), enrolling in a Flexible Spending Account for 2009, enrolling a dependent, or updating and/or listing beneficiaries for the first time, you will need to log onto http://www.myusnhbenefits.net to make these changes or updates during the scheduled dates of 10/27/08 – 11/7/08.

If you need help with your on-line enrollment, the Human Resources Staff will be available at the Continuing Education Computer Lab, located in Rhodes Hall on the following dates:
Monday, October 27 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Tuesday, October 28 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Friday, October 31 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Tuesday, November 4 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Thursday, November 6 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Friday, November 7 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. and 1 p. m. – 3 p.m.

Any questions? Please contact Karyn Kaminski at 8-2486 or Karen Crawford at 8-2487.

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From Karyn Kaminski, Human Resources: Please welcome Timothy Caspersen, HVAC Technician, Physical Plant, to KSC. Barbara Preston, has transferred to Student Affairs, where she is Sr. Administrative Assistant.

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From Kimberly Harkness, Human Resources: Our Open Enrollment Benefits and Personal Services Fair will be held on Friday, October 17, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Mabel Brown Room.

The event is co-ordinated with a Wellness Fair at the same time, allowing you to talk to our benefit providers, chat with local businesses and organizations that offer services that might be of interest to you, and remind yourself of the importance of taking care of yourself. The Wellness component is being sponsored by Nancy Puglisi from USNH with Harvard Pilgrim’s Healthy Returns health screenings available at that time. Look for more information on all of this coming soon.

And after a long break, we are pleased to announce a return of Lunch ‘n Learn! Lunch ‘n Learn invites guest speakers to campus to present on topics of interest to you in your personal life. Future sessions will include legal topics (i.e., wills, estate planning, trusts, family law, and elder-care issues); financial planning (retirement, social security, budgeting); parenting; and more. Come spend your lunchtime and learn with us! Light refreshments and water will be provided.

Upcoming Lunch ‘n Learn Programs:
Friday, October 3: “How to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient,” presented by Public Service of New Hampshire. To be held in the Madison Street Room of the Student Center, offered from 12 to 1 p.m. and again from 1 to 2 p.m.

Friday, October 24: “Be the Boss of Your Own Budget!”, presented by Credit Counseling Services of New Hampshire, offering helpful information and ideas about building and sticking to a budget and managing your debt in these tough economic times. Rhodes Hall N120, offered from 12 to 1 p.m. and again from 1 to 2 p.m.

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