During the disruption of regular services due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Office of Communications is maintaining a collection of information and resources for staff, faculty and students. Visit the COVID-19 website, which will be updated frequently with the latest information.

The Office of Human Resources will host its next HR Forum from 10-11:30 a.m., Wednesday, March 2, as a Microsoft Teams live event. Please install Microsoft Teams prior to joining. If you need assistance, contact the Help Desk. Unlike a traditional Teams meeting, you are not able to “dial in” to a live event. Audio will stream from your computer. Please ensure your speakers are on or use a headset connected to your device. Closed captioning is available, and there will be a moderated Q-and-A forum. If you have questions for the HR Forum, send them to [email protected].

The IRS 1095-C forms (Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage) for 2021 are now available on Galaxy to those who provided online consent by Jan. 14. All full-time employees, employees who averaged 30 or more hours per week and others enrolled in the UT Medical Plan will have a form. It includes information about health insurance coverage offered to employees, retirees and their dependents.

To access the form online, log in to Galaxy, go to Gemini for Departments, select Self Service then select ACA Form 1095-C. Click on the Download button on the bottom left-hand side of the screen, click on Open with and then print the form. Please do not click on the Postal Mail button to avoid additional charges for mailing. Do not download and print 2020 or any forms from prior years as you will be charged. If you need a copy of a prior year’s form, email [email protected].

If you did not consent to access the form online, it will be mailed to your home address on file. Forms are being mailed from outside of Texas, so it might take a few days to receive them. Please note that you do not need to include this form to file your taxes. However, you may want to have it for your tax records.

Please review your 1095-C Form carefully. If you find any discrepancies, please email [email protected] immediately so that we can make corrections before sending all forms and the UT Dallas Form1094-C report to the Internal Revenue Service on March 31.

If you have further questions regarding Form 1095-C, email [email protected], visit the IRS website or the UT System Office of Employee Benefits website.

The UTD Scholarship Golf Tournament is a yearly event run by UT Dallas volunteers and organized by the Office of Facilities & Economic Development to raise money for student scholarships.

This year’s tournament will be Friday, April 29, at Firewheel Golf Park in Garland.

If you would like to volunteer for the tournament, please contact Shirley Dial at [email protected] or call 972-883-2256.

The latest edition of The Connection highlights some of the lesser-known workforce statistics that could help you better understand the region, including labor force participation rates and commuting maps. For more information or a custom report for your organization, please email Cody Gibbs.

For more information on how UT Dallas and our local economy affect each other, contact the F&ED Economic Development team. You can also subscribe to biweekly updates with the latest analysis and news from the Economic Development team.

The Center for Teaching and Learning invites you to attend Beyond Meets Expectations: Strategies for Delivering Effective Feedback as an Academic Professional at 3-3:45 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 10, on Microsoft Teams.

Dr. Salena Brody, CTL assistant director, and Kathleen Denicola-Prechtl, researcher in the Developmental Neurolinguistics Laboratory, will offer specific strategies for giving and receiving feedback as an academic professional that helps create a culture of regular feedback in your role. The presenters will explore why giving constructive feedback can be challenging and how to deliver feedback in a way that is well-received and actionable. This talk is applicable to those who manage others in an academic setting, including faculty, staff and graduate students.

To RSVP, click “I'm interested” in the Comet Calendar listing. For more information or special accommodations, contact [email protected].

Staff members are invited to help Staff Council rebrand by submitting new, original artwork. A prize will be awarded to the person whose art receives the most votes.

Requirements and details:

• The art must use UT Dallas’ color palette.
• Artwork should promote love for UTD staff and community.
• Digital submissions can be made using any software (e.g., Canva).

The deadline to submit your artwork is Feb. 14 (Valentine’s Day, naturally). Winner(s) will be announced by Friday, March 11.

For more information, email the Staff Council Communications Committee at [email protected].

BCBSTX, Well On Target Fitness Program
The fitness program through UT SELECT and UT CONNECT will be waiving the enrollment fee (a value of $25) for eligible new members who sign up in February. Members will be asked to enter the code FEBFIT22 at checkout to qualify for the waived fee.

The fitness program offers flexibility, convenience and ease for just one low monthly fee. Members have access to a nationwide network of more than 10,000 facilities. Other features include:

• Online enrollment and tracking.
• Automatic monthly payment withdrawal.
• A choice of gym networks and studio classes to fit your budget and preferences.
• Access to thousands of digital fitness videos, live classes and fitness programs.
• Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) discounts through the WholeHealth Living Choices Program.

To enroll, members can log in to Blue Access for Members at bcbstx.com/ut or bcbstx.com/utconnect and click "Fitness Program" in the Quick Links section. They can also enroll by calling 888-762-BLUE (2583) Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

For more information, download the UT SELECT flyer (pdf) or UT CONNECT flyer (pdf).

UT System Heart Walk
Join the 10-minute UT System-wide walk for heart health on campus or at home at 10 a.m., Thursday, Feb. 10. Tag your pictures or videos of you wearing red on social media with #utheartwalk.

Join your colleagues virtually to raise awareness to adopt healthy lifestyles to prevent heart disease and wear red to support women’s heart health.

Email your pictures or videos to [email protected] to receive the 2022 heart pin.

EAP Newsletter & Online Seminar: Navigating Through Grief and Loss
Deer Oaks EAP provides information on a variety of topics such as stress management, health and wellness, financial issues, and work/life balance. Employees and their family members have access to confidential counseling, newsletters and trainings.

In this month’s EAP Newsletter (pdf), the following topics are discussed:

• Online Seminar: Navigating Through Grief and Loss.
• Available on-demand starting Feb. 17. Enter utdallas for the username and password to access the online seminar.
• Breaking the Rumination Cycle.
• American Heart Month: February 2022.
• Be Prepared to Stay Safe and Healthy in Winter.

Mobile Mammography
The UT Southwestern mobile mammography unit will visit the Loading Zone North of the Activity Center from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., on Friday, March 4. Call 214-645-2560 or 866-277-0710 with your health insurance information to schedule an appointment. 3D scans will be available, and most insurance plans are accepted.

CDC safety precautions will be followed. Patients must wear a mask and wait in the dressing room until they are called by the technologist. All areas will be sanitized in between patients.

The Callier Center for Communication Disorders will host several virtual events during its FLASH Lecture Series — Friday Seminars in Speech, Language and Hearing. Speakers from all areas of the field, local and from other institutions, will present their research and expertise with discussion following each presentation. The lectures are part of the Bruton Conferences, sponsored by the David Bruton Jr. Endowed Lecture Series on Communication Disorders. These lectures are held on designated Fridays, from noon-1 p.m.

The speakers and dates are:

• Feb. 11: Dr. Pamela Rollins, UT Dallas professor
• Feb. 25: Dr. Ted Mau, UT Southwestern professor
• March 11: Rana Moustafa, UT Dallas PhD student
• March 25: Dr. Crystal Engineer, UT Dallas assistant professor
• April 8: Dr. Shruthi Ravi, UT Dallas research associate
• April 22: Language in Motion Lab, UT Dallas
• May 6: Neurolinguistics Lab, UT Dallas
• May 20: Dr. Adrianna Shembel, UT Dallas assistant professor

For more information, visit the FLASH Series listing or email Lynne Perler.

Brain Aging & Alzheimer's Disease: New Insights from New Technologies, Thursday, March 3, 4:30-7 p.m., Davidson-Gundy Alumni Center (DGA) — The Center for Vital Longevity is partnering with the Texas Instruments Alumni Association to bring Dr. William Jagust to Dallas. Jagust, professor of public health and neuroscience at University of California, Berkeley, is one of the world’s leading experts on Alzheimer’s disease. Please RSVP to secure your seat.

The Future of Well-Being with Dr. Deepak Chopra, 7-8:10 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 10 — Founder of the Chopra Foundation, Dr. Deepak Chopra is a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation. Hear his vision of well-being and personal transformation, which can help unlock potential through improved brain health. Sponsored by the Container Store.

BrainHealth Roundtable, noon-1:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 16 — Engage in lively discussions on what you can do for your brain health during this luncheon. The Center for BrainHealth will share its latest breakthroughs, key focus areas and ways you can get involved.

Meta-Research Computing, Brain Health and Neuroimaging, noon-1 p.m., Friday, Feb. 18 — Reproducibility is a core tenant of science. However, the vast majority of research products that use computation are unable to be replicated. Dr. Christopher Simmons, director of Cyberinfrastructure Researcher Support at UT Dallas, will discuss his research and the infrastructure that he is developing to help address these and other common issues in research computing.

NSF CAREER Spotlight Series: Dr. Shiyi Wei, noon-1 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 9 — Dr. Shiyi Wei, assistant professor of computer science and NSF CAREER recipient, will share his experience and timeline for developing the CAREER proposal, and insights into how the CAREER differs from other proposals. For more information, email Tiffany Willoughby.

Research 411 Talk Show: Environment-Related Disparities in Brain Aging as a Risk Factor for Alzheimer’s Disease, 3-4 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 16 — In the United States, one in nine people ages 65 and older is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. There is an increased prevalence of Alzheimer's disease among individuals that are socioeconomically disadvantaged. Dr. Gagan Wig, associate professor in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, will discuss his Alzheimer's research and how lifestyle and environmental factors play a role a role in the disease's progression. For more information, email Tiffany Willoughby.

COVID-19 Year 3: Variants, Vaccines and Your Questions Answered, noon-1:15 p.m., Wednesday, February 22 — What’s the state of COVID-19 in North Texas? How do variants occur? Can vaccines help stop variants? What about the boosters? Fertility concerns? Medical professionals and professors from UT Southwestern Medical Center, UT Dallas and UT Arlington collaborate to answer your COVID-19 questions. For more information, email Dani Lamb.

Broader Impacts: Sustainability, Environment, Equity and Economy, noon-1 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 23 — Join the Office of Research and Innovation as it partners with the Office of Sustainability, RCE North Texas and the RCE Global Network to share the importance of education for sustainable development and an overview of sustainability resources for researchers. For more information, email Tiffany Willoughby.

Coverage for COVID-19 At-Home Test Kits, Medications
Consistent with guidance released by the federal government, coverage for COVID-19 at-home test kits and antiviral medication is provided under the UT SELECT and UT CONNECT prescription drug program for free FDA-approved COVID-19 diagnostic over-the-counter test kits. For more information, visit the UT System website.

CPR-Trained Employees Are Encouraged To Fill Out Form
University Emergency Medical Response (UEMR) at UT Dallas is working toward earning HeartSafe Campus designation from the National Collegiate Emergency Medical Services Foundation.

One requirement for the recognition is reporting the number of CPR-trained individuals at UT Dallas. Staff, faculty and students who have received CPR training in the last two years are encouraged to fill out a short self-report form; proof of certification is not required. For more information, email Sheila Elliott.