Human Resources Newsletter ~ July 2023

JULY 2023

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Pg. 1 - Overview

From the Office of HR

Pg. 2 - Important Updates

Out of Office Reminders United Educators Training New Fiscal Year

Pg. 3 - Core Values Work Summary

Pg. 4 - Health & Wellness Initiative

Health New England Wellness Events

Local Hiking Trails

Magellan Healthcare Webinars

Pg. 5 - Professional Development

TIAA Financial Education Webinars

Pg. 6 - Human Resources Team Profile

Pg. 7 - Contact Us

FROM THE OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES

Happy July, Bay Path! As we are well into the swing of summer and so many of you are participating in summer hours and taking well-deserved vacation time, be sure to remember to set your "Out of Office" emails to let your colleagues know when you will be unavailable and who is the best contact person to reach out to during your absence.

Please note, that as of July 1, 2023, we are now beginning a new fiscal year. As a reminder, the University's vacation policy allows for up to 5 days of carryover into the next fiscal year. Please coordinate the use of your accrued time with your supervisor.

Linked here is the updated holiday calendar for 2023-2024. Be sure to save this for future reference. As always, the Human Resources department will continue to send holiday reminders via the HR general email.

Be sure to read pages 4 and 5 for our healthcare and financial education webinars available at no cost to employees thanks to our partners at Health New England, Magellan Healthcare, and TIAA!

We hope you enjoy this month's issue of the Human Resources Newsletter. Enjoy the warm weather and remember to take time to get outside and spend time with friends and loved ones. Thank you for your attention and happy reading!

IMPORTANT UPDATES

OUT OF OFFICE REMINDERS

With so many folks using up their vacation time and for those that are participating in Bay Path summer hours, it is important to be mindful of staffing coverage when you and/or your teammates are taking time off.

We encourage you to work out your PTO with your supervisor and co-workers to ensure that your department maintains adequate coverage. This can be accomplished by rotating or alternating schedules. We also recommend marking days off on your Google calendar so others are made aware of your modified availability.

Be sure to remember to set your out-of-office messages and indicate who the best point of contact would be in your absence to keep the needs of your fellow community members in mind while you are away. This way we can maintain service standards during the slower summer months.

NEW FISCAL YEAR

EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2023

Departments' FY24 budgets are now available to cost center directors on the My Bay Path budget portal. FY24 requisitions can be processed at this time. Please note that FY24 purchases can not be received until July 1, 2023 or later. Note that certain line items may have been adjusted to bring expenditures in line with available revenues. If you have questions about adjustments to your budget, you may reach out to your divisional vice president or Mike Giampietro.

All goods to be expensed in FY23 should have been received. As the FY23 purchasing deadline has passed, FY23 requisitions can no longer be processed. If you have received an invoice for an FY23 expense that does not have a coordinating FY23 purchase order, please forward the invoice with a properly approved check request to Sally LaValley, Accounts Payable Specialist. Contract requirements remain in effect.

UNITED EDUCATORS TRAINING

Please be advised that the HR department has been sending out bi-weekly email reminders to employees regarding the mandatory bi-annual United Educators training: "Workplace Harassment PreventionFaculty and Staff." If you receive this reminder, we do not yet have record of your training completion. It must be completed by August 1, 2023.

If you already have a United Educators account, be sure to sign in and select "Forgot My Password" in the event that you need to reset it. If you have yet to make an account, please do so using your Bay Path email address as the user name For questions or concerns, please contact ccabral@baypath.edu.

Remaining FY23 invoices, check requests, and travel reimbursements should be sent to Sally LaValley by Friday, July 14, 2023. Invoices not submitted timely, may be charged to the respective department's Fiscal Year 2024 budget. Please review FY23 purchase orders to ensure that purchase orders with a remaining unspent balance are closed. Amanda Santos, Senior Accountant, can be contacted for questions regarding requisitions or purchase orders.

Requisitions for goods and services must be submitted and a purchase order must be issued, prior to ordering a good or service from a vendor. Service contracts, software agreements and other contractual agreements with terms and conditions must be reviewed in advance by the Finance Department and signed by the Chief Financial Officer.

Wex card purchases must be approved and reconciled within two weeks of a charge. June 2023 Wex charges must be reconciled by July 14, 2023.

Thank you for your attention and please contact jorourke@baypath.edu if you have any questions.

CORE VALUES WORK SUMMARY

Fiscal Year 2022-2023

The Core Values Committee, established on October 6, 2023, embarked on a mission to uphold and promote our Core Values. Recognizing the importance of focused efforts, the committee determined that it would be advantageous to divide into four subcommittees: Our Learners Come First, DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging), Health and Well-Being Matter, and the Visibility Committee.

The committee, comprising dedicated individuals from various backgrounds, initiated comprehensive research to gain insights and enhance their understanding of the University’s Core Values. They launched a survey, invited key stakeholders to meetings, and reviewed current data available to them. This feedback played a vital role in informing the committee's recommended action items and strategies for the upcoming 2023-2024 academic year.

The subcommittee titled "Our Learners Come First" prioritizes the educational experience of learners and aims to create an environment that supports their growth, development, and success. Staff, faculty, and students worked together to develop a Student Engagement Program that will hold student focus group listening sessions which will launch in Fall 2023. All students will be invited to participate in different modalities and the feedback will be shared with key stakeholders in student and academic services.

The DEIB subcommittee places a strong emphasis on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. The group discussed professional development opportunities and other activities that promote an inclusive campus. They will continue to collaborate with other key stakeholders across the campus to support this work in the upcoming year.

Recognizing the significance of holistic well-being, the Health and Well-Being Matter subcommittee focuses on promoting physical, mental, and emotional wellness. They launched a Wellness Activity Survey and the Kickback Corner, an in-person (Hatch Library) and digital resource hub for wellness education and activities. Based on the survey results, they have put together an action plan that will launch when everyone returns to campus in August.

The Visibility Committee endeavors to go beyond effectively communicating and celebrating the committee's efforts and accomplishments. It also aims to recognize and celebrate the achievements of the staff and faculty within the community. In the past year, they launched Hatch Library Research Padlet for books and materials that relate to each Core Value of the Month, brought Core Values banners to our campuses, and created two award programs to highlight staff and faculty: the monthly Golden Compass Award and the annual Core Values Award.

Looking ahead, the Core Values Committee and its subcommittees have set ambitious goals for the upcoming year. They aim to implement the recommended action items derived from their research and feedback collection. By fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement, the committee seeks to make significant progress in advancing the Core Values.

HEALTH

& WELLNESS INITIATIVE

HEALTH NEW ENGLAND WELLNESS EVENTS

July 7, 2023 - Global Forgiveness Day

Forgiveness can help you and your audience hold onto connections and feel a little lighter.

July 18, 2023 - World Listening Day

When you spend more time listening, laughing and sharing with others, it can help improve your relationships and well-being.

July 24, 2023 - International Self-Care Day

Find time to pamper yourself! Try the Keep Stress in check by watching the Stress Less webinar to get help putting your well-being first. Anyone who watches the webinar by July 27th will be entered to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card. Be sure to fill in Bay Path University as your employer to receive credit and turn all trackers into MFritz@hne.com.

July 30, 2023 - International Day of Friendship

Use this day to reconnect with an old friend or make a new one! If you need some support, try the Acts of Kindness Challenge! Submit trackers to MFritz@hne.com by July 31st to be entered into a raffle contest to win a $25 gift card to Target!

LOCAL HIKING TRAILS

July marks the start of hiking season! With longer days and warmer weather, these are the ideal conditions for getting outside and exploring your local hiking trails. Visit AllTrails at the link here for some of the top rates backpacking trails in Massachusetts!

MAGELLAN HEALTHCARE WEBINARS

Tuesday, July 11, 2023, @ 12:00 PM & 3:00 PM Student Loan Repayment Strategies

For many employees, especially in the first half of their careers, student loan payments are a significant monthly expense. This class helps attendees consider repayment options that meet their individual goals. TIAA will discuss repayment options and explain forgiveness programs. They will also include how you might lower monthly payments or pay off loans faster.

CLICK HERE to register for the 12:00 PM session!

CLICK HERE to register for the 3:00 PM session!

Wednesday, July 12, 2023, @ 2:00 PM

The Pursuit of Happiness Using Positive Psychology

Although “the pursuit of happiness” is one of our longstanding inalienable rights, modern life might just call for an updated mindset where happiness is concerned. In this session, you will learn how to define happiness and the role of positive psychology, will discuss the barriers to happiness, and will practice strategies to improve your overall wellbeing.

CLICK HERE to register!

Thursday, July 27, 2023, @ 12:00 PM & 3:00 PM

Investing: Risk Considerations and Taxes

This class reviews five types of investment risks. It also explores tax implications of investing, plus investment examples and possible risks to consider. The webinar also recommends action steps for those who wish to learn more.

CLICK HERE to register for the 12:00 PM session!

CLICK HERE to register for the 3:00 PM session!

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL EDUCATION WEBINARS

Quarterly Economic Market: Update with TIAA Executive

Thursday, July 13th, 12:00 PM (ET)

Take a closer look at our views on the financial markets, including the U.S. economy, key market drivers policy and politics, and investing in public markets. This seminar will also cover the challenges that investors face and offer tips on how to navigate them.

CLICK HERE to register!

Invest for Success: 5 Principles You Need to Know

Tuesday, July 18th, 3:00 PM (ET)

No matter where you are in your career journey, this webinar can help you understand the key principles of investing for retirement. From compounding to taxes to choosing investments, you’ll learn that how you invest for retirement is just as important as how much you save. In this session, you will learn how to:

Take advantage of time

Make use of tax-advantaged savings options

Commit to regular contributions and stick to them

Choose an appropriate investment mix

Review your strategy and investments regularly

CLICK HERE to register!

Write Your Next Chapter: 5 Steps to Setting Your Retirement

Thursday, July 20th, 1:00 PM (ET)

For anyone starting to think seriously about when to retire, this webinar takes you through five steps for deciding when the time is right. This includes estimating retirement expenses, closing any income gap and understanding key milestones that can impact your retirement finances. In this session, you will learn how to:

Estimate what you'll need

Estimate what you'll have

Adjust as needed

Consider Key Milestones

Protect Your Savings

CLICK HERE to register!

Take Control of Your Financial Life: 5 Steps to Managing Money and Debt

Wednesday, July 26th, 12:00 PM (ET)

If you’re just starting out or want to improve your day-to-day financial skills, this webinar will help you learn how to manage your money and balance your priorities so you can enjoy life now and save for the future. We’ll discuss how to balance income and expenses, prioritize spending, create a spending plan, use debt wisely, get debt under control , and build your credit score.

CLICK HERE to register!

HUMAN RESOURCES TEAM

Ashley Pereira

Interim Director of HR

Responsible for:

Strategy

HR Operations

Compensation

Employee Relations

Core Values

Meghan Rosenberger

HR Business Partner

Responsible for:

Recruitment

Onboarding

Performance Evaluations

Training

Employee Relations

Maddy Liu

HR Generalist (Temp)

Responsible for:

Employee Handbook

Professional Development

Offboarding

Unemployment

Employee Verifications

PSLF

Ann Reilly

Benefits Specialist

Responsible for:

Medical, Dental, Vision & Voluntary Insurances

403(b) Retirement Plan

Educational Assistance

Workers Compensation

Leave Management

Finance Department

Monica Roche

HR Support Specialist

Responsible for: & Events

Mass Communications

HR Community Updates

HR Newsletter

Special Projects

General Assistance

Lisa Berezin

HR Assistant (PT)

Responsible for:

Job Postings

Onboarding New Hires

New Adjunct Faculty

Background Checks

I-9's Compliance

Colby Cabral

HRIS Specialist

Responsible for:

HR Information Systems

Reporting

Collecting Employee Data

Data Requests

HR Metrics Assistance

Lori Moccio

Payroll Supervisor

Responsible for: and Process Updates

Payroll Procedures

Adjunct Contracts Payroll Management

Direct Deposit Requests & Changes

Paid Time Off (PTO)

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact HR@Baypath.edu