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Communication for the staff and faculty of
The University of Texas at Dallas |
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Wednesday, December 18, 2019 |
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Reminder: Winter Break Begins Dec. 20
The winter break will begin with “At the Speed of Bright Day” on Friday, Dec. 20. This administrative day off is in recognition of the exemplary work the faculty and staff provide to UT Dallas. Winter break is Dec. 23-Jan. 3.
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Collect Cans, Create Art for Comet Cupboard
The Comet Cupboard invites you to create a team and participate in the 8th Annual Raising Cans food drive art competition. UT Dallas’ food pantry serves over 300 students per week. So donations are greatly needed.
The Raising Cans art building event will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 20, in the Visitor Center Atrium. RSVP online to compete. Deadline to register is Thursday, Feb. 13.
Competing groups will gather nonperishable food, school supplies and personal care items leading up to the event in order to construct creative sculptures on the day of Raising Cans. Groups can have more than one team if they wish.
For more information about Raising Cans or Comet Cupboard, email [email protected] or call Whitney Vela at ext. 2709.
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Discount for The Brain Lecture Series Ends Dec. 31
Learn about groundbreaking brain health research from renowned leaders during The Brain: An Owner's Guide 2020 Lecture Series.
The annual series is held at 6:15 p.m. each Tuesday in February at the Center for BrainHealth, 2200 West Mockingbird Lane, Dallas, TX 75235.
There are two ticket options for seating. Auditorium tickets ($60) offer a view of the speaker and presentation slides live. Food and drink are not allowed in the Auditorium. Reception Hall tickets ($50) provide a view of a live video feed of the speaker and presentation slides. Food and drink are allowed in the Reception Hall.
This year’s topics are:
- “Music and the Brain — A Window into Creativity,” Tuesday, February 4.
- “When to Eat to Sleep Better,” Tuesday, Feb. 11.
- “Unlocking Human Potential: Inside The BrainHealth Project,” Tuesday, Feb. 18.
- “The Therapeutic Potential of Cannabis: Fact vs. Fiction,” Tuesday, Feb. 25.
Register early and receive 10% off. Use code 2020BHEARLY.
For full lecture descriptions, visit the Event Details section on the ticket sales page.
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Year-End Giving to UT Dallas
As we approach the end of the calendar year, the Office of Development and Alumni Relations will accept a number of gifts made to the University for 2019 income tax purposes. During the campus closure — Dec. 20-Jan. 2 — call the department’s main phone number at ext. 2295 for information regarding on-call personnel.
Checks
In order to process contributions made via checks in 2019, we must be able to provide proof that the gift was postmarked by Dec. 31. For any checks received through the month of January, please make sure the mailing envelopes are attached to the checks before delivering to the development office. According to IRS rules, the postmark is the deciding factor and must be dated by Dec. 31, regardless of what date is listed on the check.
Credit Card
Credit card gifts are counted in the tax year charged to the donor account. For gifts via credit card, please direct individuals to give online at utdallas.edu/development. Gifts made online by Dec. 31, will be processed automatically before midnight and thereby count as 2019 gifts.
Wire Transfer or EFT/ACH
Gifts via wire transfer or EFT/ACH are counted in the tax year they are credited to the UT Dallas account. Contact [email protected] for instructions.
Stock Transfer
All stock transactions benefiting UT Dallas are handled through the UT System Office of Development and Gift Planning Services. It is best if the donor’s broker/financial consultant speaks directly with one of our UT System contacts:
Please advise any donor wishing to make a stock gift to connect with a UT System representative as soon as possible. Requests made after Dec. 20 may not be processed until 2020.
If you have any questions, please call ext. 2295 or email [email protected].
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Comet Honey Sells Out; Sign Up for Sustainability News
The Office of Sustainability and UT Dallas Dining Services recently partnered to provide Comet Honey for a $5 donation at the last Pop-Up Farmers Market.
Despite freezing temperatures, the 140 bottles quickly sold out. Honey was harvested by Dr. Scott Rippel with the help of Eco Reps. The donations will help fund future Eco Rep projects.
Find out when the next batch will be sold by following the UTD Sustainability on Instagram and Facebook. For more news from the Office of Sustainability, subscribe to its email newsletter.
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Sips & Science Explores Cognitive Biases’ Effects on Finances
A neuroscientist and a hedge fund manager will look behind the curtain of your conscious mind and take a deep dive into cognitive biases that impact your financial success at the next Sips & Science.
The lecture titled “Money and Your Brain: How Cognitive Biases Impact Investing” will be at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 23, at the Ellipse at the Brain Performance Institute. Tickets are $25.
Dr. Daniel C. Krawczyk, deputy director of the Center for BrainHealth, and George Baxter, president of Sabrepoint Capital Management, will identify strategies to slow you down so you avoid unnecessary risk and make better decisions.
The talk is sponsored by the Bank of Texas. For more information, visit the event page.
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Save the Date for Next Book Club Discussion
The Center for Translation Studies invites you to discuss the first book of the 2020 Reading the World Book Club series: Go, Went, Gone, by Jenny Erpenbeck, translated from German by Susan Bernofsky.
The brown-bag discussion will be from noon to 1 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 11, in the Eugene McDermott Library (exact location to be determined). The book is available for loan from McDermott Library and will be available for purchase from the campus bookstore. The book club is free and open to students, faculty, staff and members of the larger community.
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Online Consent to Receive Form 1095-C for Calendar Year 2019
In accordance with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) provisions, UT Dallas will have the 2019 Form 1095-C available on or before Jan. 31, 2020. Form 1095-C includes information about the health insurance coverage offered to employees, retirees and their dependents. You will receive Form 1095-C if you were enrolled in the UT Medical Plan or if you worked an average of 30 or more hours per week or were considered a full-time employee in 2019. Graduate student employees who are covered under the UT Student Health Insurance Plan will receive form 1095-B directly from Blue Cross Blue Shield.
If you provide consent, you can access your Form 1095-C online through Galaxy. If you provided consent in 2017 or 2018, you do not have to do so again. The deadline to provide online consent is Jan. 16, 2020. If you do not provide online consent, you will receive the form in the mail on or before the IRS deadline. The forms are expected to be available online on or before Jan. 31, 2020.
If you need to provide online consent, log in to Galaxy with your UT Dallas NetID and password. Then, go to Staff Tools, select ACA Form 1095-C and follow the on-screen instructions. Written instructions and FAQs are posted on the HR website for your reference.
If you have any questions, email [email protected] or contact the Office of Human Resources - Employee Benefits Team. If you have additional questions about your Form 1095-C, you may also visit the IRS website and the UT System Office of Employee Benefits website.
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Register for Discounted Employee DART Pass
UT Dallas Parking & Transportation Services and Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) are partnering to provide affordable access to public transportation for UT Dallas faculty and staff members who wish to purchase an annual DART pass at the discounted rate of $360 for the 2020 calendar year. The discounted price for employee DART passes will be available until Feb. 14, 2020. After that date, faculty and staff may purchase a DART pass at the DART corporate rate.
To purchase an annual pass, download and complete a Faculty/Staff DART Annual Pass Application and send it to [email protected]. You should receive an email confirmation from our office within one business day. Payment must be made via credit or debit card at the Parking Office located in Parking Structure 3. Applications received after Nov. 21, 2019, may not be processed by DART until after the winter break. To ensure your DART pass is ready by Jan. 1, 2020, you must apply by Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019. Payment must be made by 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec.18, 2019.
For 2020, faculty and staff have the option of selecting a DART GoPass App or a GoPass Tap Card. Both options allow for DART Local service. The GoPass App is a digital pass available through the DART GoPass phone app. The GoPass Tap Card is a physical card that requires the user to tap at DART kiosks prior to boarding. The main benefits of the GoPass are that replacements are free since it is registered directly to your cell phone number, and it does not require tapping at the DART kiosks before boarding. Replacement Tap Cards need to be purchased at the prorated rate at the time of reissue or issuance.
Faculty and staff selecting the app option will have their pass automatically activated on their cell phone effective Jan. 1, 2020. Those selecting the card can pick them up at the Parking Office.
For more information, please visit our website or call (972) 883-7777.
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Purchase 50th Anniversary Socks, Legacy Lane Bricks
Celebrate The University of Texas at Dallas’ 50th anniversary with limited-edition 50th anniversary Temoc socks. Purchase a pair and include your mail stop in the comments.
Also in celebration of UT Dallas’ 50th anniversary, all new Legacy Lane bricks will include a 50th anniversary emblem. Visit giving.utdallas.edu/legacylane to order your brick.
For more information, please contact Brennae Wright at ext. 6962.
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Take Advantage of Zipcar Discount, Expanded Gas Service
Car-sharing service Zipcar is celebrating UT Dallas’ anniversary with a new promotion. Zipcar members can receive $5.50 in driving credit via promo code UTD50 through midnight, Jan. 1.
For more information including campus locations, visit the Zipcar page.
Car-fueling service Booster Fuels has expanded service at UT Dallas. On-demand fuel delivery is now available Monday through Friday with free same-day delivery if ordered by 10 a.m. (delivery is made by 4:30 p.m.). New Booster customers can get $20 in free gas with code SAVE20.
For more information, visit the Booster Fuels page.
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Center for Vital Longevity Event
Fifth Biennial Science Symposium, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31, CVL headquarters — This half-day event for the neuroscience academic community features nationally renowned researchers discussing “Advances in Human Brain Simulation and Cognitive Enhancement.” Seating is limited and lunch will be served. Visit the registration page for a list of program speakers and to register.
For a complete listing of CVL events, visit Comet Calendar.
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About This Newsletter
InterCom is the official University-wide newsletter for UT Dallas faculty and staff members. This periodic publication is designed to provide University employees with important information necessary for the workplace, as well as community news that supports the University's mission. Guidelines about content and submissions can be found here or contact Robert Tracy at [email protected] or ext. 3521. |
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