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Alyssa Bugbee |
Tad Henggeler |
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Allen Langely |
Terri Parman |
While counseling services are key to helping support students with mental health needs, our campus community plays a critical role in overall student wellness. Because of the increasing prevalence of mental health struggles, student success is being increasingly affected. The purpose of C.A.L.M. in Crisis is to build skills across our campus community for students and employees. The training focuses on improving awareness of the risk factors and warning signs for suicide, how to recognize and respond when they occur, when and how to refer to available resources, ways in which to offer hope and the importance of managing personal wellness throughout the process. Participation in the training will help align our various roles on campus to bring evidence-based interventions to our ongoing support of student well-being.
The training includes an approximate one-hour Canvas-based Training Camp as well as a 2.5-hour, in-person training. Access to the Training Camp will be provided two weeks before the in-person training. To register, click here.
The Office of Diversity and Inclusion will host its annual MLK Peace Brunch to start the week of honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The brunch will be 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, Jan. 15, in the J.W. Jones Student Union and feature performances, the Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion Awards, and a keynote address.
Kick off the spring semester on Wednesday, Jan. 3, and join Northwest colleagues for the All-Employee Breakfast, served by the Northwest Leadership Team, from 8:15 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. in the Carl and Cheryl Hughes Fieldhouse. Parking will be available on the east and south sides of the building, which may be accessed through corresponding doors.
After breakfast, the Faculty Professional Development Day will be 9:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in Valk Center. Faculty may choose breakout sessions at http://cite.dzxliu.com/workshops/Login.aspx.
Northwest's Vector SafeColleges trainings are to be completed by Monday, July 1, 2024. These trainings are related to a variety of topics throughout the 2023-2024 academic year.
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. Interested employees may sign up by clicking here.
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.
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Contact Giselle Greenidge ggreenidge@dzxliu.com |
Contact Elyssa Ford ebford@dzxliu.com |
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Contact ALLY@dzxliu.com |
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These employee-led groups aim to foster a diverse, inclusive workplace. Contact each group individually.
Northwest Staff Council represents a unified voice for all Northwest staff. To learn about staff, upcoming events or voice concerns, visit Northwest Staff Council.
Employee Engagement Survey
Northwest’s Employee Engagement Survey was administered in October by Workforce Science Associates. Thank you to everyone who participated in the survey.
Presentations of the results will be scheduled for January and February 2024.
Well-being and perks:
Health care:
Compensation
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.
The University has established a partnership with Family Guidance Center to provide a crisis counselor on site. Holly McMillen, a certified licensed professional counselor, is available Monday through Friday to respond to any crisis or resource needs.
This service is confidential. Contact Holly directly to schedule an appointment at hmcmillen@fgcnow.org or 660.853.8196.
For more information, contact the Office of Human Resources at 660.562.1127.
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.
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.
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.
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@dzxliu.com.
Flu shots are available through Wellness Services
Employees may receive a flu shot at Wellness Services by calling 660.562.1348 to schedule.3-Part Mental Health Support Series
Northwest continues its three-part series on Mental Health Support on the Employee Wellness website. The series includes information and resources on the topics of sleep, relationship health and financial wellness. This series will remain available on the Employee Wellness Website through the end of the calendar 2023 year.
Immune support
A new learning module, titled “Immune Support,” is being added to the Employee Wellness website. The information is designed to support you with palliative care home remedy ideas as we head into the cold and flu season.
Upcoming holiday wellness challenge
Based on employee feedback, Northwest is trying a new holiday wellness challenge this year. While the University previously organized a challenge based on maintaining or losing weight during the holidays, this year's challenge will measure overall body composition (muscle mass versus fat mass) with a competition based on body fat percentage. The challenge began Thanksgiving week and continues through early January.
Upcoming holiday fitness challenge (via MoveSpring)
A new 6-week fitness challenge, titled “Island Oasis” and using the MoveSpring App, began the week of Thanksgiving break and continues through the holidays. While encouraging movement (steps and any other converted physical activity), this challenge emphasizes mindfulness and meditation as we move through the bustling holiday season.
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 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 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.
Newer Employees and MOSERS Webinars: Start learning about the state benefits administered by MOSERS.
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.
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, please see MOSERS' FAQs on termination and reemployment rules and its termination and reemployment rules flyer.
Please note, 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.
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.
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.
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.
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 program, click here.
Blue365 is a free health and wellness discount program offered to Blue KC members for year-round discounts on gym memberships, fitness gear, healthy eating options and more. To register and browse available discounts, log in to your mybluekc.com portal and select Health Programs in the Health and Wellness menu. For more information about the program, click here.
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.
Mosaic Medical Center-Maryville offers a personalized weight management program called Healthy Lifestyles. The program is designed to help people of all ages and sizes achieve an improved quality of life through medical nutritional counseling, teaching and lifestyle changes. For additional information about the program, visit Healthy Lifestyles: Personalized Weight Management Program.
Home Chef is recognizing our nation’s educators and school support personnel with a 50 percent discount on their first scheduled Home Chef meal kit and a $10 discount on five subsequent deliveries. Simply use code EDU50 at checkout to begin receiving your education discount.
Home Chef makes home cooking simple. Their fresh, weekly meal kits are customized to your liking and delivered straight to your doorstep. Minimize your trips to the grocery store and distress your evenings with delicious, pre-planned meals starting at just $6.99 per serving. Here’s how it works:
Your education discount is available at //homechef.com/edu and, if you already are a customer, you can verify with ID.me on the payment page of your account to begin receiving 10 percent off all future orders.
The Office of Human Resources has generic Northwest cards to use as needed to show recognition and appreciation for other employees. These also may be used during the holiday season. Visit the Office of Human Resources on the first floor of the Administration Building to pick up some cards.
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.
http://3owxr4d.dzxliu.com/intranet/employee/web/paperless-billing.htm
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 Tuesday, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.; Thursday, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday 10 a.m. to noon.
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 (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@dzxliu.com or visit 3owxr4d.dzxliu.com/international/services/friends/.
Visit the “How to Purchase Office Supplies” guide. Various binders, hanging file folders and other office supplies are available at no cost to departments at Central Receiving.
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.
It is important for employees to apply good ergonomic practices. To view a complete list of ergonomic suggestions, visit Workstation safety guidelines.
