Weekly Bulletin

Directory update cards

     Telephone Directory Update Cards (yellow cards) will be distributed with employee paychecks on Sept. 21. The cards are collected and used by Telecommunications to publish the 2001-02 Faculty and Staff Telephone Directory.The information shown on the directory cards comes from the Human Resources' employee system. Employees are asked to verify the accuracy of this information and correct the following items directly on the card: work location, work phone number, home address and home phone number. Contact the Human Resources Information Center, 5-6111, for procedures on changing employee name or working title.

     E-mail addresses ending with "umass.edu" are pre-printed on the cards. Employees who do not want their e-mail address published in the telephone directory may simply cross it out on the card. Keep in mind that these e-mail addresses are accessible through an Internet directory search on the University's homepage.

     Directory cards also include a notation that alerts employees as to whether they have restricted their home address and phone number from being disclosed or published. Employees who have not restricted this information and wish to do so must file a directive form with Human Resources. The form is available online (www.umass.edu/humres/fipal.htm) and should be submitted by Oct. 5 to the Human Resources Information Center, 3rd floor, Whitmore Administration Building, in order to have the request reflected in the forthcoming directory.

     Anyone who does not receive a card should call 5-2171. All cards should be signed, updated if necessary, and returned to Phil Pelletier, Telecommunication Services, Trailer #2, by Oct. 5.

     Questions about the phone directory and directory cards should be directed to Phil Pelletier, Telecommunication Services, 5-2171.

Blood drive

     The Hampshire County Chapter of the American Red Cross is holding a blood drive on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. in 174 Lincoln Campus Center.

     UMass Arts Council grant applications
The deadline for student groups, academic departments and other campus organizations to apply for single events/projects grants from the UMass Arts Council is noon on Wednesday, Sept. 26.

     Grants up to $2,000 are available to support arts events that feature music, dance, poetry, theater, visual arts, film and other related art forms. The current round of grants is for events happening after Oct. 9.

     Individuals are not eligible to apply.

     Grant guidelines and application forms are available at the UMass Arts Council office in 101-103 Hasbrouck, the Campus Activities Office in the Student Union and online (www.umass. edu/fac/artscouncil). Assistance for applicants may be arranged by calling the council at 5-0202.

Jazz history workshop

     Tom Reney, host of "Jazz a la Mode" on WFCR-FM, is offering a new session of "A Listener's Guide to Jazz History," beginning Sept. 30.

     The eight-session workshop meets Sundays, 6-8:30 p.m. at the Broadside Bookshop, 241 Main St., Northampton.

     The cost is $250-$200 (sliding scale) and enrollment is limited to 12.
For further information or to pre-register, call 586-1764.

Information on anthropology Intersession course in Peru

     An information session about the January 2002 program in biocultural diversity in the Peruvian high Amazon region is being offered on Thursday, Sept. 27 at 4 p.m. in 301 Herter Hall.

     The program is linked to Smith College's anthropology 242J, "Andean-Amazonian Spirituality and In-Situ Biodiversity." The course is open to Five College students. Information is available online (www.smith.edu/anthro/peru/regeneration.html).

Diversity seminar and luncheon

     The first of a series of Hewlett faculty seminars on dynamics of diversity in our classrooms will be Tuesday, Sept. 25, noon-2 p.m. in 162-175 Lincoln Campus Center.

     This organizational meeting is an opportunity for faculty to discuss classroom issues that emerge when students are ethnically, culturally, religiously diverse, and/or the course topics focus on diversity. A light lunch will be served at noon, and the seminar runs 12:30-2 p.m. Respond by e-mail to Sheri Schmidt (sschmidt@educ.umass. edu) or by phone to Joanne Provost (5-3610) to hold a place at the luncheon or for further information.

Volunteers needed for riding program

     The Pioneer Valley Therapeutic Riding Association, a non-profit organization which offers horseback riding lessons for children and adults with disabilities, needs volunteers to assist riders and to lead horses.

     Lessons times are Monday and Tuesday afternoons at 3 p.m. at Wooden Horse Farm in Thorndike, Tuesdays at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. and Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. in Belcher-town, and Monday and Wednesday mornings 10 a.m. to noon at the Hadley Farm.

     For information call 549-3259.

Whipple, Rudy top Sports Luncheon lineup

     Football coach Mark Whipple and women's soccer coach Jim Rudy will be the featured speakers at the Weekly Sports Luncheon on Wednesday, Sept. 26 at noon at McGuirk Alumni Stadium.

     The buffet lunch costs $6.50. Call 5-4289 for reservations.

Physiology seminar

     James A. Cherry of Boston University will speak on "Neural Correlates of Differential Responses to Pheromones in Mice" on Monday, Sept. 24 at noon in the Physiology Seminar Room, S4-308 of the Medical School in Worcester.

HRTA taking reservations for student-prepared meals

     Students in the Department of Hotel, Restaurant and Travel Administration this semester are offering a series of seven meals as part of their work in the course "Advanced Food Production Management."

     The meals, served on Wednesdays at noon and 5:30 p.m., are open to the public by reservation. The cost is $7 per person.

     The menu entrees are as follows:
     Sept. 26, lamb shish kebab.
     Oct. 3, poached breast of chicken with tarragon sauce.
     Oct. 17, London broil with mushroom sauce.
     Oct. 24, beef stroganoff.
     Oct. 31, baked stuffed pork chop.
     Nov. 7, Italian meatloaf.
     Nov. 28, spicy shrimp saute.

     All meals include soup, bread, salad, side dishes and dessert and are served in the Howard Johnson Dining Room, Chenoweth Lab.

     For reservations, call Karen Mann at 5-0877.

Guidelines for employees activated for military duty

Personnel administrator James H. Coopee this week issued the following information regarding the employment rights for members of the armed forces (Reserves and National Guard) who are being called to active duty.

     According to Coopee's memo, while such employees do not receive pay during their absence for military service, the University must take the following steps to comply with various federal and state laws governing employees called to active duty:

     (a) The department must process a personnel action placing the employee on Military Leave Without Pay.

     (b) Employees will continue to accrue sick leave, vacation leave and personal leave during their absence and upon return to their positions shall be credited with all such leave as if they had been on the payroll during the absence for military leave.

     (c) Active service will not affect an employee's seniority under the various collective bargaining agreements.

     (d) Once released from active duty, employees have statutory re-employment rights which entitle them to reinstatement to the positions they left. Applications for re-employment must be made within 90 days from the release date from active duty. (Longer re-employment periods apply in certain situations).

     (e) Employees who are on leave of absence due to active military service in the U.S. armed forces may drop their health insurance coverage for the duration of their leave of absence. Upon return to active employment, the health insurance coverage shall be restored on the same terms as would be in effect if the leave of absence had not occurred. The effective date of the health insurance shall be the date of the em-ployee's return to active employment.

     In the alternative, employees may continue their health insurance during military leave of absence on the same terms as active employees. The month-ly premiums will be payable by part- cost direct billings which will be sent to the employee's address on file with the Commonwealth's Group Insurance Commission.

     Deans, directors and department heads are asked to share these guidelines with departmental staff.

     Questions concerning these matters may be referred to Cheryl C. Daggett, senior benefits specialist (5-6115), or to Jim Coopee (5-0380).