myHR Archives
myHR: February 5, 2014
Take the Next Step to Be in the Know about Your Health!
It’s time to be “in the know” about your health! Take the next—and final—step in this year’s Be in the Know wellness program so you can earn your reward.
There are two steps in this year’s Be in the Know program: 1) submit biometric screening results and 2) complete an online health assessment. Complete both steps by the program deadlines, and you’ll receive a cash incentive ($100 less applicable payroll taxes) in your last paycheck in April 2014.
Nearly 5,200 faculty and staff already completed step one last fall by attending on-campus biometric screening sessions or submitting results on their own. If you didn’t participate, it’s not too late—we’re giving you another chance. You can still submit your screening results to AreUFit by February 21, 2014 to finish step one. Please note: If you completed this step last fall, you do not need to resubmit your results.
Now it’s time to take the next step and complete an online health assessment by March 7, 2014. Visit Penn’s new wellness portal, managed by StayWell Health Management, to take a quick, easy, and confidential health assessment. The 10-minute questionnaire focuses on your overall health and health habits. It gives you an instant, personalized report on your health, insights into potential risks, and ways to make positive changes.
Remember, you need to submit your biometric screening results by February 21, 2014 and complete the health assessment by March 7, 2014 to earn your $100 award (less applicable payroll taxes) in your last pay in April.
Don’t forget to explore the useful health tools and information available through the wellness portal, including tracking tools, calculators, videos, and news articles.
Rest assured that your test results, health assessment, and everything on the StayWell portal is maintained confidentially. Penn will never see your individual information.
Active, full- or part-time benefits-eligible faculty and staff can participate. For complete details, visit the Be in the Know webpage. If you have questions or would like more information, contact StayWell Health Management at 1-855-428-6324.
Models of Excellence 2014
Since 1999, the Models of Excellence Program has honored staff member accomplishments that reflect initiative, leadership, collaboration, and a deep commitment to service. In 2007, Penn introduced the Model Supervisor Award for distinguished leadership. This year, the new Pillars of Excellence Award gives special recognition to non-exempt, weekly-paid staff members. Penn simply would not function without their daily commitment and exceptional acts of service, and the University is proud to recognize their efforts with this new honor.
Across the award categories, this year's honorees represent excellence. Nominated by coworkers and chosen by a rotating selection committee of campus leaders, the winning individuals and teams have made major contributions to Penn’s standing as a world class institution.
Models of Excellence, Pillars of Excellence, and Model Supervisor Award winners will receive $500.00 and a crystal award. Noteworthy staff who have earned Honorable Mentions will receive $250.00 and a crystal award. Join the 2014 honorees at the award ceremony and reception on April 3 at 4:00pm in Irvine Auditorium. All members of the Penn community are invited to the celebration. If you’d like to attend the festivities, contact Human Resources online or at 215-898-1012.
Learn more about the winners of this year’s Models of Excellence and Pillars of Excellence Awards below. We’ll announce the Model Supervisor Award finalists in March, and the winner will be revealed live at the award ceremony in April. Congratulations to this year’s winners and nominees!
Models of Excellence Award Winners
Travel and Expense Management Initiative Team: The Travel and Expense Management Initiative Team will receive an award for successfully implementing a new and improved travel and expense system by improving processes, collaborating with stakeholders, and communicating with their customers.
- Audit, Compliance & Privacy: Sean Stickel
- Business Services: Sandra Ardis, Michele Dolce, Hilary Easley, Do Hyun Kim, Barbara Lea-Kruger, Jennifer Miller, Mark Mills
- Finance: Roxanne Bataitis, James Horstmann, David Ishmael, Kristy Owen, Michael Popko, Thomas Slavinski, Paul Weidner
- Information Systems & Computing: Kalyani Balasubramanian, Jeanine Kleba, Teresa Leo
- Office of the Executive Vice President: Janet Plantan
Penn's Move-in Team: Penn's Move-in Team has earned an award for creating new and innovative ways using online check-in, social media, and campus resources to make the Move-in experience more efficient and welcoming for students and their families.
- Business Services: Nathan Cockrum, Dennis Daly, Paul Forchielli, Elizabeth Hartzell, Derek Hunsberger, Thomas MacDonald, Michelle Majeski, Holly Marrone, Sarah McFarlane, Wilma Smith, Kevin Thurwanger, Lenny Zeiger
- Division of Public Safety: Cherie Heller, Gary Williams
- Information Systems & Computing: Renee Jordan
- University Life: Maria Fumai-Dietrich
Models of Excellence Honorable Mentions
Robert Ditto, Jr.: Robert Ditto, Jr. receives an honorable mention for his leadership and expertise during the selection and implementation of Instructure's Canvas, a new online course management system for teaching and learning for all of Penn's schools.
National Resource Centers Outreach Team: The National Resource Centers Outreach Team receives an honorable mention for their creativity and collaborative approach to delivering outstanding programming and increasing services to their constituents during financial cutbacks.
- School of Arts & Sciences: Melissa DiFrancesco, Labaron Palmer, Raili Roy, Anastasia Shown
Programs & Special Events Making History Campaign Team: The Programs & Special Events Making History Campaign Team receives an honorable mention for the conception, design and implementation of Penn's Making History end-of-campaign celebration.
- Development & Alumni Relations: Mirka Cortes, Josh Durando, Susan Eagar, Lauren Graham, Andy Holman, Orna Rosenthal, Cindy Rossi, Scott Sharpe, Maureen Stridick, Emily Valciukas
Ernest Wright: Ernest Wright has earned an honorable mention for his initiative and creativity in developing a series of web videos to help end-users navigate the University's budget application, Hyperion Planning.
Pillars of Excellence Award Winners
Laura Farrington: Laura Farrington will receive an award for successfully launching the PennReady Blue Book Program and applying extraordinary talent, expertise, cooperation, coordination and drive.
Ruth Kelley: Ruth Kelley has earned an award for her inexhaustible energy, cheerfulness, and enthusiastic administrative support to the staff in SAS Finance and Administration.
Pillars of Excellence Honorable Mentions
Lucyna Fortuna: Lucyna Fortuna receives an honorable mention for creating an outstanding work environment for Human Resources staff through an extraordinary personal commitment to her custodial duties.
Service Excellence Transition Team: The Service Excellence Transition Team is given an honorable mention for extraordinary initiative in creating an outstanding shared system to effectively respond to student residential needs.
- Business Services: Elizabeth Apthorp, Jeremy Estrada, Rebecca Golpe, Michelle Majeski, Sarah McFarlane, Jane Pablos, Maureen Stanton
- Development and Alumni Relations: Stephen McElwee
Deborah Small-McCord: Deborah Small-McCord receives an honorable mention for her leadership, professionalism, and exemplary customer service as a Senior Barista at Penn's Starbucks restaurant.
Make the Most of Performance Appraisals
Performance appraisals aren’t just a requirement, they’re a real opportunity to recognize accomplishments and plan for improvement. That’s why we’re offering two performance appraisal workshops—one for staff and one for supervisors—to help everyone make the most of this important staff development process. Whether you’re assessing your own performance or you want to give useful performance reviews to your staff, you can benefit from expert guidance.
On March 5 at 11:00am, Conducting Performance Appraisals for Supervisors prepares managers for the appraisal process. You’ll focus on methods that allow you to evaluate performances accurately, communicate your expectations, set objectives with your staff, and maximize future results.
On March 11 at 1:00pm, Participating in Performance Appraisals for Staff will show you how to use Penn’s self-appraisal process to your best advantage. You’ll learn how to evaluate your efforts, report your contributions, share your goals with your supervisor, and prepare for a more productive year.
Register for these practical one-hour workshops now and get ready to make this year’s appraisal experience more meaningful and valuable than ever!
Are Target-date Funds Right for Your Retirement Plan?
Target-date or lifecycle funds are a common option for the Tax-Deferred Retirement Plan and the Supplemental Retirement Annuity 403(b) plans managed by Penn’s investment carriers, TIAA-CREF and Vanguard. These “set it and forget it” retirement investments work well for many people, but are they right for you?
Your Asset Mix
With TIAA-CREF’s Lifecycle Funds and Vanguard’s Target Retirement Funds, your asset allocation—the mix of different asset types, such as stocks and bonds, in an investment portfolio—automatically changes over time. It starts with a more aggressive approach in your younger years and grows more conservative as you near your target retirement year.
The Breakdown
If all this investment talk is outside your comfort zone, don’t worry. TIAA-CREF and Vanguard break everything down for you on their websites. There you’ll find interactive charts, videos, online calculators, and other guides to help you understand your options.
Your Choice
Are target-date funds a smart choice for you, or would you rather take a more hands-on approach? Either way, both TIAA-CREF and Vanguard offer a wide range of investments to fit your retirement goals. You can update your plans at any time at the online retirement plan enrollment site.
To learn about other Penn retirement savings programs, visit the benefits website or contact the Retirement Call Center at 1-877-PENN-RET (1-877-736-6738).
The more you know, the more confident you’ll feel about planning for a financially secure future.