Special Edition: April 3, 2008

• Wear your orange-and-blue to Final Four events
• Read important health messages from State of Texas
• Are you saving enough for your future?
• UTSA employees can take time off to vote
• UTSA volunteers will be honored at April 11 event
• Faculty inventors have new funding resource
• Male faculty, staff invited to health education event for male students

Wear your orange-and-blue to Final Four events

With thousands of visitors expected to attend downtown events during the NCAA Men's Final Four Basketball Championship, UTSA President Ricardo Romo encourages students, faculty and staff to show their Roadrunner Spirit by wearing their UTSA orange-and-blue at the numerous free concerts and family activities April 4-7 in downtown San Antonio. As the Final Four host institution, UTSA teamed up with the San Antonio Local Organizing Committee and the City of San Antonio to host the championship.

Read more on UTSA Today.

Read important health messages from State of Texas

The Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 85, Sections 111-115, requires distribution to UTSA employees of these messages.

• Download an educational brochure on HIV/AIDS, other sexually transmitted diseases and the workplace (PDF format).
• If you have questions regarding HIV/AIDS, call the Texas HIV/STD InfoLine at 1-800-299-2437 (English/Español) or visit the Texas Department of State Health Services HIV and STD Program Web site.
• Read UTSA's workplace guidelines and policies on HIV/AIDS and other STDs in the UTSA Handbook of Operating Procedures, Chapter 9.
• Download the UT System Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) privacy notice (PDF format).
• Download a brochure, Health Risks of Alcohol and Drugs, as required by the Drug Free Schools and Communities Act of 1989 (PDF format).

Are you saving enough for your future?

The Office of Human Resources will host the seminar, "Tax Smart Ways to Save and Invest," at the UTSA Tri-campuses. Representatives from AIG Valic, Fidelity Investments, ING, Lincoln Financial Group, MetLife Resources and TIAA-CREF will be on hand to provide financial planning information and answer questions.

Enroll for a class at the Training and Development Web site.

UTSA employees can take time off to vote

The 2008 Joint Primary Runoff Election is just around the corner and employees should take advantage of early, extended hour voting opportunities to avoid long lines on Election Day, Tuesday, April 8. Early voting began Monday, March 31 and runs through Friday, April 4. When an employee cannot vote before or after normal working hours, supervisors may grant employees a reasonable period of time off for voting during business hours. Employees should be currently registered voters in order to qualify for the time off. Time off for voting should be requested in advance and approved by the supervisor.

Read the details on UTSA Today.

More information: Employee Relations, 458-7891

UTSA volunteers will be honored at April 11 event

UTSA students, faculty and staff are invited to the "Your Time Counts at UTSA" awards ceremony at 11 a.m., Friday, April 11 in the Business Building Richard Liu Auditorium (2.01.02) on the 1604 Campus. Twenty-four UTSA students, faculty and staff will be honored for their 2007 volunteer service. Hosted by UTSA President Ricardo Romo and Carl Mica, UT System director of business relations, the U.S. Presidential Medal of Service Volunteer Awards will be presented by Sonya E. Medina, deputy assistant for domestic policy for President George W. Bush and director of projects for First Lady Laura Bush.

Read more and see the list of honorees on UTSA Today.

Faculty inventors have new funding resource

South Texas Technology Management (STTM) recently announced a request for proposals from faculty inventors as the inaugural round of grants from the POCsparc (Proof of Concept: Short Proposal to Accelerate Research Commercialization) program. POCsparc awards of $10,000 and $25,000 will help advance inventions toward commercialization. STTM is the regional technology transfer office that serves UT Brownsville, UT Pan American, UTSA and UT Health Science Center at San Antonio. Applications for POCsparc awards must be submitted to STTM, which reviews the proposals, makes the final selections and manages the awards. Proposals should be brief, objective-driven, capable of being accomplished in six months or less, and should make a direct impact on the commercial appeal of the subject invention. Proposals are due Friday, April 18.

Read application guidelines and download the application at the STTM Web site.

More information: Penny Rothberg, 567-0084

Male faculty, staff invited to health education event for male students

UTSA Student Health Services and the student organization SHADES (Sexual Health, Alcohol and Drug Education for Students) will host "Guys' Night In: Playing the Game" from 6 to 9 p.m., Wednesday, April 16 at the Chisholm Hall theater/activity room on the 1604 Campus. Male faculty and staff members are encouraged to participate in the free student-focused event. The event is to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS and other STDs, Hepatitis and alcohol/substance abuse. The inaugural event focuses on male students, as the popular event, "Girls' Night Out," focuses on female students. There will be free food and music and a chance for a spot in the Guitar Hero Tournament.

More information: Matthew Torrez, 458-6808

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Editor: Tim Brownlee, Assistant Director of Public Affairs