August 23, 2012
Chancellor Increases CAPE Awards to Six from Four
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Chancellor Paula
Allen-Meares, with APAC Chair Michael Moss. The Chancellor
decided to increase
the number of CAPE Awards conferred from four to six.
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THE TWO additional awards
will be given to nominees from the existing pool of exemplary Academic
Professionals who were nominated for a CAPE Award.
THE CAPE Award, established
in 1988, recognizes the demonstrated excellence of Academic Professional staff,
encourages their professional development, and indicates the institution's high
regard for the contributions of this key segment of the academic community.
THE AWARD provides a $1,000
permanent increase to the individual's salary, along with a $2,000 one-time
cash award.
THE AWARDS will be presented at
the UIC Employee Recognition Award Program ceremony and reception Thursday,
Nov. 1, at 11 a.m. at the UIC Forum.
FOR MORE information, contact William S. Bike, Chair, 2012 CAPE
Selection Committee, billbike@uic.edu, (312) 996-8495.
New Limitations on the Re-employment of Retirees
AT THE
close of the Spring legislative session, the Illinois General Assembly passed a
bill calling for new restrictions on the re-employment of retirees. Governor Patrick Quinn is expected to
sign this bill, House Bill 4996. While rehired retirees are a small proportion
of the University’s workforce, HB 4996 is expected to have a significant impact
on University hiring policies and procedures, employing departments, and on
retirees who may wish to return to work.
HB 4996 will limit the re-employment of individuals receiving an annuity from the State Universities Retirement System (SURS) to 18 paid weeks and 40% of pre-retirement salary. When service and compensation exceed those limits, the University will be required to pay SURS a contribution equal to the amount of the individual’s annual annuity. Re-employed annuitants paid from Federal, trust, foundation, or corporate funds, or from a State grant in which they have been named the principal investigator, will be exempted from these restrictions.
A UNIVERSITY-WIDE work group has been formed to review policies, processes, systems, and reports that may need to be revised to comply with HB 4996. This group will work with University colleges and departments, as well as with SURS, to identify effective and efficient ways to achieve compliance.
IF YOU have questions or concerns about the impact of HB 4996, contact UIC Human Resources at uichrhelpdesk@uillinois.edu or email uihr@uillinois.edu for assistance.
HB 4996 will limit the re-employment of individuals receiving an annuity from the State Universities Retirement System (SURS) to 18 paid weeks and 40% of pre-retirement salary. When service and compensation exceed those limits, the University will be required to pay SURS a contribution equal to the amount of the individual’s annual annuity. Re-employed annuitants paid from Federal, trust, foundation, or corporate funds, or from a State grant in which they have been named the principal investigator, will be exempted from these restrictions.
A UNIVERSITY-WIDE work group has been formed to review policies, processes, systems, and reports that may need to be revised to comply with HB 4996. This group will work with University colleges and departments, as well as with SURS, to identify effective and efficient ways to achieve compliance.
IF YOU have questions or concerns about the impact of HB 4996, contact UIC Human Resources at uichrhelpdesk@uillinois.edu or email uihr@uillinois.edu for assistance.
Retirement Numbers Shoot Up
 |
Lucy Marquez of the
College of Dentistry was one of
many retirees who left the University this
year.
|
ACCORDING
TO figures provided
at the most recent University of Illinois Board of Trustees meeting, there have
been 1,107 retirements in 2012 to date. In 2011, there were 726; in 2010, 550;
and in 2009, only 91.
No Pension Changes Passed During Special Session
 |
(Photo courtesy
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers)
Governor Quinn showed
his support for International Association of Machinists
and Aerospace Workers
in Joliet recently (above), but he also has been
criticized by State employees
unions for pushing pension changes.
|
THE HOUSE decided not to address University and
teacher pensions, and debated only a provision that would have scaled back
legislators’ pensions. But even that failed to come to a vote due to lack of
support.
HAD A bill passed the House, it would have
been weeks before it was even addressed by the Senate, as that body was not in
session.
EXPERTS NOW speculate that nothing will be done
about changing Illinois State and University employee pensions until after the
Tuesday, Nov. 6 election.
Berger Joins SURS Board of Trustees
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Jacqueline Berger, new
SURS Trustee.
|
BERGER
ALSO is one of three
APAC representatives to the University Senate.
THE
SURS Board of
Trustees comprises 11 members: four elected participating (active) SURS
members, two elected annuitant (retired) SURS members, four members appointed
by the Governor, and the chairperson, also appointed by the Governor and who
serves as the chair of the Illinois State Board of Higher Education.
THE
BOARD meets at least
quarterly, and there are additional committee meetings throughout the year.
Regular board meetings are scheduled in March, June, September, and December.
APAC Meetings Scheduled; All Invited
ALL APs are invited to the monthly APAC meeting at 12:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of the month. Meetings are held either in Room 5175 of the College of Medicine Research Building, 909 S. Wolcott, or Room 2750 of University Hall on the East Campus.
SCHEDULED MEETINGS are Sept 12 in Room 2750 UH, Oct. 10 in Room 5175 CMRB, Nov. 14 in Room 2750 UH, Dec. 12 in Room 5175 CMRB. For information, call (312) 996-0306.
UIC United Hosts Fall Forum on Pensions and Revenue
UPDATED - WATCH THE VIDEO OF THE EVENT ABOVE!
 |
Ralph Martire, Executive Director, Center for Tax and Budget Accountability,
will be a speaker at the
UIC United Fall Forum.
|
PARTICIPANTS WILL be Eric Zorn, moderator and discussant and Chicago Tribune columnist; Katherine “Kappy” Laing, Executive Director, U of I Office of Governmental Relations; Ralph Martire, Executive Director, Center for Tax and Budget Accountability; and John Tillman, CEO, Illinois Policy Institute.
TO RSVP or for more information, contact Karen Scherman at Karen.uiciunited@gmail.com or Debbie Matthews at Debbie_uicunited@yahoo.com.
Office of Special Programs Events Scheduled
THE FOLLOWING is a schedule of
campus events produced by the Department of Human Resources, Office of Special
Programs:
CAMPUS CHARITABLE Fund Drive (CCFD),
Wednesday, Oct. 3, through Wednesday, Dec.
5.
CCFD KICKOFF Breakfast and
Charity Fair Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2012 Student Center East, Illinois Room, 9 to
11 a.m.
EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION Award Program, Thursday,
Nov. 1, UIC Forum, 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
RETIREMENT LUNCHEON, Tuesday, Feb. 12,
2013 (date pending), Student Center West, Thompson Rooms, 2nd floor,
11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
RETIREMENT PLANNING Conference, Saturday,
April 6, 2013, Student Center East, Illinois
and Dearborn Rooms, 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
FOR MORE information, contact Rebecca Fortier at rfortier@uic.edu
or (312) 413-2960.
APAC Profile
 |
Colleen Piersen.
|
By Ivone DeJesus
COLLEEN PIERSEN is the Assistant Head for Administration in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy--the fifth most active research unit on campus as measured by Fiscal Year expenditures. She also is a Research Assistant Professor, contributing to the unit's research programs and Director of Research Services for the College of Pharmacy.
AS
ASSISTANT Head for
Administration of a complex department, her responsibilities span finance,
human resources, and academics with a strong emphasis on research
administration and compliance. There is “never a dull or static moment” as
Piersen interacts with a network of about 200 individuals. She enjoys the
challenge of managing the department's resources and staffing to optimize
research and academic performance, as well as mentoring junior faculty members,
postdocs, and staff committed to progress in biomedical science. Being
able to truly facilitate research is another reason that she enjoys her role at
UIC. In broader perspective, the opportunity to be able to improve the
quality of science education/literacy in the United States makes the hard work
worthwhile.
HAVING
BEEN at UIC since
2000, Piersen previously served as Program Coordinator and managed research
activities for the UIC/National Institutes of Health Center for Botanical
Dietary Supplements Research. Throughout the years, she attended APAC
events and meetings but it wasn’t until this past spring that she became an
elected member. She was prompted to become involved due to the UIC Job
Analysis Project. Piersen stated that she perceived a “need to preserve
and recognize the value to the University of valid AP positions.”
IN THE upcoming year, she would like APAC to “continue to voice concerns and propose rational solutions to problems as they arise in the new job matrix” and “observe the introduction of new job families and their potentaial impact on the campus research enterprise.”
IN THE upcoming year, she would like APAC to “continue to voice concerns and propose rational solutions to problems as they arise in the new job matrix” and “observe the introduction of new job families and their potentaial impact on the campus research enterprise.”
PIERSEN’S
COMMITMENT to APAC is
apparent, as she said, “as one of your representatives, I will attempt to
convey the collective knowledge and concerns of APs on campus.”
SHE ALSO gives some “words of wisdom” to non-APAC members: “Academic Professionals play a vital role in coordinating and synthesizing various functions (Finance, HR, etc.), and the preservation of flexible AP positions or the substance thereof during the job analysis/conversion process is in the best interest of the University.”
WHILE HER work at UIC keeps her quite busy, she makes the time to be involved in volunteer activities such as being a Science Olympiad event coach at the junior high level and a Girl Scout troop leader. Her children’s school and sports activities as well as her enjoyment of travelling native landscape gardening also fill her free time. Piersen has three children -- two boys and one girl -- ages 14, 12, and 8 in high, middle, and elementary school this Fall. She is married to Russell McLaughlin, an anesthesiologist whom she met while they we were both training at Vanderbilt School of Medicine.
SHE ALSO gives some “words of wisdom” to non-APAC members: “Academic Professionals play a vital role in coordinating and synthesizing various functions (Finance, HR, etc.), and the preservation of flexible AP positions or the substance thereof during the job analysis/conversion process is in the best interest of the University.”
WHILE HER work at UIC keeps her quite busy, she makes the time to be involved in volunteer activities such as being a Science Olympiad event coach at the junior high level and a Girl Scout troop leader. Her children’s school and sports activities as well as her enjoyment of travelling native landscape gardening also fill her free time. Piersen has three children -- two boys and one girl -- ages 14, 12, and 8 in high, middle, and elementary school this Fall. She is married to Russell McLaughlin, an anesthesiologist whom she met while they we were both training at Vanderbilt School of Medicine.
AP RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT: Dental Care
 |
Oral healthcare is
available for adults and children at the UIC College of Dentistry.
|
THE UIC College of Dentistry offers a range of
care for adults and children at its student teaching clinics, post-doctoral
clinics, and faculty practice clinic. All clinics are fee for service, but fees
generally are less than those charged by dentists in private practice. Student
dentists are fully supervised by faculty dentists.
AFTER
A complete evaluation of your dental needs, you will receive an
estimate of the costs of treatment. Payment is required at the time of
treatment for patients treated in the student clinics.
SCREENING
FOR the college’s Comprehensive Care program is by appointment only. Call
(312) 996-1265 Monday through Friday, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Because of the high
volume of calls received, it may be necessary to call several times to connect
with scheduling personnel.
ADULTS
(15 and above) may be seen for treatment for urgent problems by
appointment only. To schedule an Urgent Care appointment call (312) 996-8636
between 8 and 9 a.m. Monday through Friday. Your appointment will be scheduled
for the following clinic day. Because of the high volume of calls received, it
may be necessary to call several times to connect with scheduling personnel.
IN THE Allen W. Anderson
Faculty Dental Practice, general dentists and dental specialists from the
college’s faculty (not students) provide an extensive range of state-of-the-art
services for individuals of all ages in a setting similar to private practice.
Fees for treatment in the Allen W. Anderson Faculty Dental Practice are
comparable to those of a private dental office in the area. For the Allen W.
Anderson Faculty Dental Practice, call (312) 413-2835.
SPECIALTY/ADVANCED
clinics provide advanced treatment in the following areas: Comprehensive Dental
Implant Center (CDIC), Endodontics, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Oral
Medicine Clinic, Orthodontics, Pediatric Dentistry, IL Health Connect Pediatric
Clinic (by referral only), Periodontics, and Prosthodontics and Implants.
FOR
PEDIATRIC dental care, call (312) 996-7532.
ORTHODONTIC,
ENDODONTIC, Periodontic, Prosthodontic, and Oral Surgery treatment is available
in post-doctoral clinics. Treatment is provided by dentists and faculty who
have chosen to specialize in one of the above areas. Call the main number at
(312) 996-7555 and listen for the appropriate prompt.
THE CONTINUING CRISIS
FORMER JUDGE files suit against retiree insurance
premiums. See State Journal-Register of
July 9: http://www.sj-r.com/top-stories/x537699250/Former-judge-files-suit-against-retiree-insurance-premiums.
CHICAGO TRIBUNE takes U of I Trustees to task for
paying large salaries to fired officials, July 9:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-u-of-i-20120709,0,812902.story.
UIC, FACULTY union to begin collective bargaining.
See UIC News, July 11: http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/uicnews/articledetail.cgi?id=16510.
CHANNEL 2 reported on July 11 that U of I is
giving raises. See http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/07/11/u-of-i-giving-raises-to-faculty-members-despite-financial-woes/.
FUTURE OF health care payments to State retirees
uncertain, said Progress Illinois July
16. See http://progressillinois.com/news/content/2012/07/16/illinois-state-retirees-dont-know-what-they-have-pay-health-care?utm_source=PI+Extra+7.16.12+&utm_campaign=PI+email+7.16.12&utm_medium=email.
RETIREMENT SPIKE in Illinois due to pension changes,
said Inside Higher Ed July 16. See http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/07/16/retirements-spike-illinois-universities-due-pension-changes.
PENSION CHANGES scare away potential public employees,
said Progress Illinois July 16. See http://progressillinois.com/quick-hits/content/2012/07/17/pension-reform-scares-away-potential-public-employees.
SALARY INCREASES approved, says UIC News July 18. See http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/uicnews/articledetail.cgi?id=16531.
U.S. AUSTERITY empties student pockets, harms public
universities, says Common Dreams July
19. See http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/07/19-1?utm_source=PI+Extra+7.20.12+&utm_campaign=PI+email+7.20.12&utm_medium=email.
EMPLOYEE RETIREMENTS on the rise, says UIC News, June 24: http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/uicnews/articledetail.cgi?id=16537
UNIVERSITY DENIES it is attempting to break Urbana AP
union, says News-Gazette of Aug. 2: http://www.news-gazette.com/news/education/2012-08-02/ui-denies-attempt-break-visiting-academics-union-after-terminating-bargain.
PSYCHOPATHS WANT to take our money, says Common Dreams, Aug. 3: http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/07/27-4.
HOSPITALS WANT lawmakers to overturn some Medicaid
exclusion, say State Journal-Register of
Aug. 12: http://www.sj-r.com/top-stories/x1489226131/Hospitals-want-lawmakers-to-overturn-some-Medicaid-exclusions?utm_source=PI+Extra+8.13.12+&utm_campaign=PI+email+8.13.12&utm_medium=email.
GOVERNOR CONSIDERS ‘grassroots’ effort to alter pensions.
See Progress Illinois, Aug. 20: http://www.progressillinois.com/quick-hits/content/2012/08/20/quinn-s-grassroots-gambit-pensions?utm_source=PI+Extra+8.20.12+&utm_campaign=PI+email+8.20.12&utm_medium=email.
Vol. 5, No. 7, August 2012
ISSN 1946-1860
Editor: William S. Bike
Staff: Ivone De Jesus
Chair: Michael Moss
Vice Chair: Yair Rodriguez
Secretary: Kathleen Engstrom
Treasurer: Virginia Buglio
Web Chair: Jeff Alcantar
Web Chair: Jeff Alcantar
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