Cariloop Webinar – New Education Service

Join us to learn about Education Support – a new service line offered through Cariloop your dedicated Caregiver Support Service.

You have access to unlimited support from experienced Care Coaches who can guide you through all parts of your unique caregiving journey now including the Education System! These coaches can guide you through K-12 and Higher Education all at no cost to you.

Wednesday, February 21st at 11:30 AM

Registration Link: https://cariloop.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_CtAtnBWxT_ijXE_WwyiApQ#/registration

 

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United Way Giving Campaign Recap

Wow—this is just incredible!

You truly made all the difference. Today, we are celebrating SMU’s successful end to our Annual Giving Campaign for United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. We are proud of everyone’s dedication and commitment to create lasting change in North Texas.

SMU surpasses its goal of $35,000 for 2023! It was our University’s largest United Way campaign since pre-COVID some five years ago. Your generosity truly inspires us and it will, in turn, help so many North Texans. Thank YOU!

You should be proud as well. Your generosity helps improve access to education, income and health—the building blocks of opportunity—for all North Texans. Very simply, thank you!

With warm regards,
Sincerely,

David Sedman (dsedman@smu.edu)
Co-Chair, United Way Campaign
President-Elect, Faculty Senate
Associate Professor of Film and Media Arts
Meadows School of the Arts

Christopher Ham (cmham@smu.edu)
Co-Chair, United Way Campaign
SMU Staff Association President
Director of Dance Production
Meadows School of the Arts

P.S. The work doesn’t end today. we encourage you to sign up to receive the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas’ newsletter. Stay connected throughout the year to be part of the change in our community.

Thank you for being a supporter of United Way.
United Way of Metropolitan Dallas 1800 N. Lamar, Dallas TX 75202

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Bank of America Banking Benefits for SMU Employees

Bank of America Homepage

Banking Benefits for SMU Employees

SMU employees now have special access to enroll in the Bank of America Preferred Rewards® program.  Learn more

Questions about the program? Visit bankofamerica.com/contactme to ask a dedicated specialist to call you to discuss the program or your financial goals and priorities.

Additional information may be found on the SMU HR website.
Questions may also be directed to BenefitsU@smu.edu.

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Spend Your Healthcare Flexible Spending Account Funds by Year-End!

Healthcare Flexible Spending Account  

Qualified  healthcare expenses incurred  between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023 must be submitted to SMU’s vendor, Wex, no later than March 31, 2024 to be considered for reimbursement.

This year, up to $610.00 of unused funds will automatically roll over to your 2024 FSA account if you are enrolled in a 2023 FSA account.

Please be aware you can go to www.fsastore.com to spend unused F.S.A dollars on F.S.A eligible products to be delivered to your door.

Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account 

Qualified dependent care expenses incurred  between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023 must be submitted to SMU’s vendor, Wex, no later than March 31, 2024 to be considered for reimbursement.

More information on FSA accounts may be found on the HR website.

 

Questions regarding your FSA account(s)  may be directed to BenefitsU@smu.edu or directly to Wex at www.wexinc.com or 1-833-225-5939.

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Submit a Tuition Benefit Request for Academic Year 2024

A Tuition Benefit Request will need to be submitted before the start of the Fall 2024 term if you, your spouse, and/or dependent(s) are a continuing student or new student for the 2024 Academic Year (Fall 2023 – Summer 2024) .


How to submit your tuition benefit request online:

Log into my.SMU > Employee Self Service > Tuition Benefits

  1. Read the attestations, click the button stating they have been read, and click Save.
  2. Choose AY24 in the table and click Save a second time.

HR will follow your account for the entire academic year, and award the tuition benefit.

Visit the Tuition Benefit website for eligibility requirements, program details, and grad tax information.

If you have any questions please email TuitionBenefits@smu.edu.

 

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Request a Catapult Health Screening Home Kit by May 12, 2023

SMU has partnered with Catapult Health to provide you with a health checkup at no cost to you, as part of your health care benefits.

There is still time to order a virtual kit.

To begin the process, request a Home Kit at www.VirtualCheckup.com/SMU

  • Collect your sample at home in just 10 minutes
  • Return your sample in the pre-paid UPS overnight envelope, then watch for an invitation to schedule your consultation
  • Live video consult with a nurse practitioner, on your device, at a time chosen by you
  • Review your results, then create a personal action plan with your nurse practitioner while learning about fully-covered wellness programs that may benefit you

Virtual kits can be requested now through May 12, 2023.

 

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2023 SMU HR Staff Compensation Study

January 30, 2023

SMU Staff Compensation Study

SMU will soon launch a compensation study that will include a review of most all benefit-eligible staff job descriptions and other related information to ensure the positions are titled and compensated appropriately. The University conducts these periodic reviews to ensure staff positions are classified correctly and that compensation is comparable and competitive to other similar positions in the job market.

How will the study be conducted?

The analysis will compare staff job responsibilities and salary to our national higher education peer and aspirant institutions as well as other top employers in the DFW region.

Who is conducting the study and when will it be completed?

SMU’s Human Resources Department (SMU HR) will lead the study and will be assisted by Segal, a national employee benefits and compensation consultancy. The staff compensation study will begin on March 1 and wrap up by October 1.

What do managers and supervisors need to do to prepare for the compensation study?

Managers and supervisors will soon receive the current job descriptions of positions within their departments that are currently on file in SMU HR.

For the compensation study to be effective, departments must ensure that all position descriptions are accurate and reflect the current responsibilities and requirements for each position. Managers will have until February 28 to update any job descriptions and submit them to SMU HR.

It is also important to note that any adjustments to staff compensation beyond the current merit FY 2024 budget process should not occur during the compensation study review period (January 30 through October 1). This is to ensure that the compensation analysis captures the most accurate information for benchmarking purposes.

Where can I learn more about the study?

For more information about the staff compensation study, including FAQs and how Managers and Supervisors can update their job descriptions, please visit this dedicated website.

Thank you for all you do to help make SMU a special place to live, learn and work.

Frequently Asked Questions regarding the Compensation Study

 

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Announcing a New Vendor Platform (Vector Solutions) for SMU Employee Required On-line Training Modules

Vector Solutions recently purchased Everfi and their Foundry platform necessitating a transition to the Vector Platform

HR and OIT have been working for several months to prepare for the transition to a new vendor platform for the employee required training on the following topics:

  • Harassment and Discrimination Prevention
  • Youth Protection under the Program for the Protection of Minors
  • Data Security and Privacy
  • FERPA for those requiring access to student record date in PeopleSoft for the work role.

Preparations are completed and the transition to Vector will occur in the coming days.

What does the transition mean to SMU employees?

If you are current on your assigned training, you will not be required to do anything until you receive an email from Vector announcing you have a training assignment either a first-time assignment or a scheduled refresh assignment.  Following are the refresh schedules for each training topic:

  • Harassment and Discrimination Prevention – every 3 years
  • Youth Protection under the Program for the Protection of Minors – every 2 years
  • Data Security and Privacy – no refresh
  • FERPA- every 3 years

If you have a current incomplete assignment with the previous vendor, whether you have made forward progress in the course or not, the assignment will be re-created in the Vector platform.

How will I access my training in the new Vector platform?

Upon creation of new or refresh assignments, you will receive an email from the Vector platform announcing your assignment is available.  You may click on the link in that email to enter your SMU SSO credentials (SMU ID and password) and follow the instructions from there to access the training.

You may view your Vector dashboard at any time by entering the following into a browser window:  smu.edu/vector.

You may also view your training assignments and completions in my.SMU>Learning & Development>View Training Summary.  Status will be indicated as Enrolled or Completed.

The IT Training Team has created a short video with information on accessing the new platform and viewing your training modules.  You may view it here: https://www.smu.edu/oit/services/vector-solutions.

After the transition is complete, you should direct your questions to the OIT Help Desk at help@smu.edu or 8-2194.

 

 

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Supervisor Checklist for Hiring Student Workers

Hiring student workers for the Spring 2024 Semester?

Here are four things supervisors can do to provide a seamless on-boarding process for student workers.


Verify the Form I-9 is Complete

SMU is required by federal law to complete an Employment Verification Form (Form I-9) for all employees, including student workers. The student worker must complete Section 1 of the Form I-9 on or before their start date.

  • Student workers should not begin working until the Form I-9 is complete.
  • Don’t assume a student worker already has a Form I-9 “on file” OR that a Form I-9 completed previously is acceptable.
  • To verify the student is I-9 compliant, supervisors should verify directly with HR or verify that HR has signed off that the student is I-9 compliant
  • Supervisors hiring International Student Workers must follow the instructions provided by the International Scholars & Students Office (ISSS) and verify that HR has signed off that the student is I-9 compliant on his/her On-Campus Work Eligibility Form.
  • Supervisors must provide new student workers the New Student Employment Packet, which includes the list of acceptable documents to complete the Form I-9.
  • Student workers needing to complete or update a Form I-9 should schedule an appointment. Students will need their SMU ID and anticipated start date to book an appointment.

Complete the ePAF to Ensure Your Student Worker is Paid on Time

As employees of the University, it is essential for each student worker to be set-up correctly in the payroll system in order to receive timely pay.

  • Supervisors must submit an electronic Hire/Rehire Forms (formerly called “ePAFs”) for each student worker. The Hire/Rehire Form documents the information necessary to establish or update a student workers job record. The electronic forms are available under Manager Self Service > Hire/Rehire Employee tile in SMU.edu.
  • End date for Hire/Rehire Form: Work study program jobs must end on or before May 3, 2024. Regular student worker jobs must end on or before May 17, 2024.

 International Student Workers: The student’s Hire/Rehire Form start and end date must stay within the ISSS-authorized dates and scheduled work hoursFailure to do so could endanger your student worker’s ability to remain within the U.S. to complete his/her education and/or to work in the U.S. after graduation.

Manage Student Worker Schedules to Remain Within Weekly Limits

The tax benefits student workers are eligible to receive are contingent on SMU limiting these recipients to no more than 20 hours of work per week. Supervisors must ensure each student worker’s schedule abides by the 20 hour per week limitation. This applies to any student being paid under a student worker.

Engage Your Student Worker

Student workers are a vital resource to the University. Students should be on-boarded and orientated to work expectations similarly to the on-boarding our regular employees’ experience. Introduce your student workers to the work team, make sure they understand the role your team/department plays in achieving the University’s goals. Share dress codes and culturally specific information so they feel included. Set clear expectations for the work they will do as well as how and when to notify you when they are ill or have conflicts with their work schedule. Provide regular feedback about the work they are doing and the impact they are having. Doing so will ensure your student is engaged and providing maximum support to your team.

Questions?  Email us at smuhr@smu.edu

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Required Training Modules for Student Workers

Training Requirements for Student Workers

Did you know that student workers (both undergraduate and graduate) are required to complete two training tutorials upon employment and to refresh on these topics at scheduled intervals?

The following tutorials are automatically assigned after student workers begin their first day of employment and their employment information is recorded in my.SMU:

  • Data Security and Privacy (no refresh requirement) per SMU’s Chief Security Officer
  • SMU Program for the Protection of Minors:  Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse; per SMU Policy 7.26 (two year “refresh” requirement)

Student workers are notified via email to their SMU email account that the training has been assigned.  The email contains a link to access the training with SMU’s single sign on  (SSO) feature.  Alternately, students may enter the following into a browser winder and utilize the SSO feature to enter their SMU SSO credentials:  smu.edu/vector.
Email reminders are sent every two weeks until the training is completed.

Students should complete these training assignments as soon as possible after beginning employment and  should be paid for the time required to complete the training.

If you supervise student workers, please ensure they are aware of the training requirement and that they have completed the training in a timely manner.

Students with previous work engagements with SMU will not be reassigned training until they has passed the refresh timeline outlined above.  To ensure training is complete ask your student to log into the training platform and print a certificate of completion to verify they have completed the training.  Refresh assignments are automatically made by the system and your student worker should complete these as soon as possible and provide you with the certificate of completion for your records.

Questions may be directed to DevelopU@smu.edu.

Additional training requirements:

In addition to the above training, student workers may be required to complete additional training assigned by the Office of Enrollment Management, the Office of Risk Management, the IT Security Team,  The Office of Diversity and Inclusion and others as they come available.

Requests for FERPA training for students who will require access to student records for their work responsibilities should be forwarded to the OIT Help Desk at help@smu.edu. Please include the student’s name and SMU ID#.   A Help Desk representative will make the training assignment, monitor completion and grant access to student records upon completion of the training.  The refresh schedule for FERPA is every three years.

Please ask your student worker to log into smu.edu/vector and use single sign on feature to access their dashboard and complete their training.  You may request that they provide a certificate of completion for each training assigned to ensure they have completed their requirements.

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