Now that 2010 is fast approaching, it is time to think about your New Year’s resolutions. Your pension and benefits status is important to you and your family. It’s time to clear out some cobwebs and begin the New Year organized and informed. Make this your time to resolve to:

Review your beneficiary designations for your group life insurance coverage. Make sure the person or persons you previously selected are still the ones you wish to receive this benefit. You may update your beneficiaries by completing a paper application or through the MBOS system (more about that later).

Make sure you are saving enough for retirement. If not, sign up for additional voluntary payroll contributions (403b or 457 plan) which will add to your financial security in retirement. These monies are federally tax-deferred so you will be saving money on your income taxes now. If you are already contributing to a 403b or 457 plan, make sure you are contributing the most you are able to afford. The maximum contribution amounts will remain unchanged in calendar year 2010 - $16,500 ($22,000 for those employees over age 50).

Sign up for Member Benefits Online System (MBOS): a great way for PERS, TPAF and PFRS members to directly access their pension and benefits account to apply for a pension loan, view and change beneficiaries, request retirement estimates, etc. If you are interested in signing up to be a registered MBOS user, instructions can be found on the Division’s web site:

http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/pensions/mbosregister.htm.

If there has been a recent change in family status (birth, adoption, marriage): keep in mind you only have 60 days from the date of the event to add that dependent to your health, prescription drug and dental coverage. If you miss the 60 day window, you will have to wait for the next Open Enrollment (October of each year) in order to add that dependent. In the event of a loss of a dependent through divorce or death, you should notify the Benefits Office immediately.

Please accept our best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year to all. Contact a benefits staff member, Susan Piccirilli x2624, Diane Kaiser x2124 or Debbie Zayas x2884 for any additional information or assis-tance.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

VOLUME 12 , I SSUE 4 W INTER 2009

RING IN THE NEW YEAR

Human Resources

Review

TOP STORIES

Ring In The New Year

Meet Your Colleagues

Service Award and

Perfect Attendance Honorees

Welcome New Hires

Retirees

Eye On Ethics

Second Jobs And

Volunteer Activities

NJ State Employee

Charitable Campaign

Performance Evaluation

System

Telecommunications

Announcement Health Corner

CONCERN EAP

WPUNJ CARES

CARES Alumni

Lunch & Learn

Conservation Corner

Energy & Money Saving

Tips

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http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/pensions/mbosregister.htmhttp://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Backgrounds

Page 2 Volume 12, Issue 4

MEET YOUR COLLEAGUES

Photo by: Bob Verbeek

Sandra Bembry Director

Years with WPUNJ: 3 Dept: Student Accounts Division: Administration and Finance What makes your department special? Our office receives phone calls and in-person traffic from students and parents per-taining to all departments within the University. My staff always goes beyond the call of duty to provide assistance regardless of the request. I believe our com-mitment to customer service is exceptional. What are your main responsi-bilities in your role at the Uni-versity? I oversee all aspects of student tuition billing process, payment plans, refunds, collec-tion activities and the resolution of unusual student problems. I also work directly with Business Services regarding the recon-ciliation of accounts. What do you do for fun? I enjoy traveling, going to the movies and rollerblading in Cen-tral Park. What do you want your col-leagues to know about you? I like volunteering and helping people. I love the outdoors and appreciate each of the seasons, especially Winter, for the snow.

Imafidon Olaye Associate Dean

Years with WPUNJ: 25 Dept: College of Arts and Communications Division: Academic Affairs What makes your department special? We consider our unit the epicenter of cultural activi-ties at the University. Our col-lege is the home of the Univer-sity Performing Arts Center, Black Box Theatre, University Galleries, WPTV6, WP 88.7 FM “Brave New Radio,” Pioneer Times, and the colorful design wonder COAC Newsletter. What are your main responsi-bilities in your role at the Uni-versity? I am responsible for a variety of student related issues including but not limited to ad-justment to degree require-ments, complaints and national student exchange and inde-pendent study applications. What do you do for fun? I enjoy going to the movies, thea-tre, and concerts. I listen to all genres of music to discover their contributions to popular culture. I am also an avid Chess player. What do you want your col-leagues to know about you? I enjoy antique shopping and collect rare objects that I hope will be worth millions of dollars someday.

Yuri Marder Web Information Manager

Years with WPUNJ: 6 Dept: Marketing and Public Relations Division: Institutional Advance-ment What makes your department special? We have a fast-paced creative environment where students collaborate with staff to develop new technologies for the web. What are your main responsi-bilities in your role at the Uni-versity? I manage electronic communications strategy for the University, oversee University web design, and handle day-to-day operations for the website. What do you do for fun? Vig-orous debate, reading Dr. Seuss, hiking, running. What do you want your col-leagues to know about you? I’m not just the “technology guy,” I’m curious about everything, and most of all I’m approach-able.

Emma “Peggy” Thompson Principal Clerk

Years with WPUNJ: 41 Dept: President’s Office Division: President’s Office What makes your department special? My co-workers; the location is a meeting place for diverse groups and guests. How we look, act, and what we say represents WPU. What are your main respon-sibilities in your role at the University? I began employ-ment in Admissions as a recep-tionist in 1968 under the direc-tion of Frank Zanfino. I recall the President as a Chemistry Professor. In 1997 I trans-ferred to the President’s Office continuing the same responsi-bilities I like doing. What do you so for fun? I am an avid Giants fan (lifelong), Crochet, traveling, and enjoy playing the slot machines. What do you want your col-leagues to know about you? I love people and am passion-ate about WPU. My time here flew by! I love listening to the music of Barbara Streisand, Nancy Wilson, and Ray Charles. My favorite song is Ray Charles’s version of “Somewhere Over The Rain-bow.” I respect where we work and mention WPU is a great place to work.

December 2009

Arthur Grimes Physical Plant Operations

Page 3 Volume 12, Issue 4

Correction to the spelling of a retiree’s name from the Fall Issue - James Wilkerson

September 2009

Jennifer A. Hacker

College of Education

October 2009

David G. Ferrier

College of Science and Health

Olga R. Ricaldi

Financial Aid

Della O’Malley

Library

Maria Dininno

Center for Student Services

November 2009

Anna-Kay D. Thomas

Provost’s Office

Amy Nemery

College of Arts &

Communications

Milestone Years

Perfect Attendance

On October 15, 2009 the Univer-

sity honored employees who

achieved milestones of 20 or more

years of service. Honored guests

were treated to a buffet luncheon

and, in addition to their selected

gift, received a commemorative

certificate of appreciation signed

by President Speert.

Employees who maintained per-

fect attendance during the previ-

ous year were also recognized for

their dedication to the University.

The Office of Human Resources

extends our appreciation to all

award recipients for their time, ef-

forts and dedicated service to the

University.

EYE ON ETHICS

As a reminder, all employees are required to disclose and seek approval prior to engaging in secon-

dary employment or volunteer activities. If you take a second job or start a new volunteer activity,

please call Veronica Ruiz at ext. 3594 or email ruizv6@wpunj.edu for instructions on how to com-

plete and/or update your Outside Activities Questionnaire.

You must provide the Ethics Liaison Officer (ELO) with current information on secondary employ-

ment and outside activities. The ELO will review the information to ensure that there is no conflict

with your State employment at the University, and remind you that you cannot use State time or re-

sources for any second job or outside activities.

GIFTS

Second Jobs and Volunteer Activities

As the holiday season approaches, please keep in mind that the Uniform Ethics Code prohibits University em-ployees from accepting gifts or items of value from individuals or organizations doing business with the Uni-versity. All non-perishable gifts received by an employee in his/her official capacity must be immediately re-ported and sent to the University’s Ethics Liaison Officer (ELO). The ELO is responsible for returning the item (s) to the appropriate vendor.

Perishable items received as gifts should be reported immediately to the ELO and subsequently donated to a local soup kitchen or charity rather than simply being placed out for all employees to eat. If the item cannot be returned without spoilage, the item should be given to a local charity and send a note to the individual or firm who provided the gift, explaining why it could not be accepted and that it was donated to charity. The Univer-sity’s ELO must receive a copy of that note.

Gifts or benefits received of nominal or trivial value, such as complementary calendars, pens or pencils, of-fered to the general business public through mass mailings, need not be reported or returned if their use does not create an impression of an endorsement. For example, displaying a calendar with a vendor’s name em-blazoned on it could be a conflict if it is visible in an office.

Additionally, since attendance at holiday parties/receptions sponsored by vendors, consultants, and other in-terested party organizations primarily serves a social purpose, employees should refrain from attending those events. Attendance at such functions could create an ethics appearance problem. Attendance may create the perception that the employee is too closely connected to particular vendors, consultants, etc.

If these simple rules are followed regarding gifts and parties, then we should be able to maintain the public’s trust and confidence in the University and avoid any ethics violations.

If you usually receive gifts from certain vendors or if you anticipate receiving gifts from any vendors, please notify them that the Uniform Ethics Code prohibits acceptance of gifts, meals and attendance at holiday func-tions.

Please direct any questions about gifts and holiday parties to John Polding, ELO at ext. 2133. In addition, please contact Veronica Ruiz at ext. 3594 if you would like a sample letter to send to vendors.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Page 4 Volume 12, Issue 4

mailto:ruizv6@wpunj.edu

This year has been extremely difficult for many people. We are sure that the current economy has touched every person in some way. Think about the family that had to move into a homeless shel-ter, the soldier who returned home and now needs a helping hand, the single parent who lost a job and can’t afford to take a sick child to the doctor. These may be the people who stand in line at the supermarket with you; they are your neighbors, friends and colleagues.

Your contribution to the New Jersey State Employees Charitable Campaign can:

help feed hungry families

provide disabled veterans with the care and counseling they deserve

give illiterate adults the opportunity to learn how to read and write

fund research for treatment of countless diseases, or assist your favorite charitable organization in fulfilling its mission.

William Paterson University is once again joining with employees of colleges, universities and gov-ernmental departments state-wide to participate in this year’s campaign. There are hundreds of worthwhile organizations to choose from and 90% of every dollar you contribute goes directly to the organization you select.

A special thanks to all who have contributed in the past for your continued commitment to improving the lives of others. Please encourage your co-workers to join us this year, we need your support. Let us pull together to exceed last year’s contributions!

You may make your donation by personal check or by convenient payroll deduction. You can re-view the Code Book on line at http://njsecc.org/codebook.cfm, select one or more organizations, make a commitment and complete the pledge card today. Be sure to complete the white and pink portion of the pledge card, sign the pink portion, then return the whole pledge card to Sue Piccirilli in the Office of Payroll & Benefits by December 23, 2009.

To designate to a specific organization, your minimum pledge must be $52, that’s just $2 per pay-check for 12 month employees and $2.50 per paycheck for 10 month employees. Pledges under $52 will be distributed evenly to all charities that received designations.

The economy has caused us to tighten our belts, but we have the potential to raise over $50,000 for charity if each employee donates $1.00 per week. Please join us and complete your pledge card today! If you have questions or need a Code Book, contact Sue Piccirilli at extension 2624.

Page 5 Volume 12, Issue 4

NJ State Employees Charitable Campaign for 2009/2010

http://njsecc.org/codebook.cfm

Page 6 Volume 12, Issue 4

TELECOMMUNICATIONS ANNOUNCEMENT

Sign up for the Emergency Notification Service. This Emergency Notifi-

cation Service will be utilized for Weather related class cancella-

tions/closures in addition to Emergency Announcements. It will NOT be

utilized for general announcements. A test message indicating it is from

WPUNJ will be sent to all who are signed up.

To sign up, please go to https://wpconnect.wpunj.edu and login to WPConnect.

Click on Emergency Notification Service Sign Up under Campus Announcements.

For additional questions or concerns regarding this service, please contact the Office

of Telecommunications at Telecom@wpunj.edu.

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION SYSTEM (PES)

The evaluation cycle for Facilities Classified employees ends December 31st. Supervisors should have met with their direct reports to discuss job performance and goal achievement over the rating year. At the conclusion of the process, the employee must be provided with a fully signed copy of the document.

For non-facilities employees the interim evaluation period ends January 31st. Supervisors should meet with their direct reports to discuss and assess performance during the first half of the rating cycle. Once the process is concluded, the employee must be provided with a fully signed copy of the document.

Supervisors must forward a copy of the appropriate evaluation which has been signed by the Rater (supervisor) Ratee (employee) and Reviewer (rater’s supervisor) to the Office of Human Resources, College Hall, Room 150. Since the cycle is continuous, Expectations for the new rating cycle must be established.

The distribution remains as mentioned above.

Access to additional information and a tutorial guide to the PES are available at https://webapps.wpunj.edu//emps/default.cfm. Once logged in, under Human Resources se-lect Appraisals then select Classified Performance Evaluation. The resources are located in the header box. Questions can be directed to Karen Blessing at extension 2723.

http://wpconnect.wpunj.edu/mailto:Telecom@wpunj.edu

Your partner in finding solutions to work,

family, and personal matters CONCERN provides professional and confidential assistance

with:

➡ Marital and Relationship Issues ➡ Parenting

➡ Alcohol and Substance Use ➡ Stress

➡ Depression and Anxiety ➡ Job Concerns

You and your household members can access

service free of charge. We are a phone call away.

Call us at:

1-800-242-7371

CONCERN provides the Employee Assistance

benefit on campus on Thursdays by appointment.

Concern has six other office locations for your con-

venience: Montclair, Teaneck, Summit, Morris-

town, Somerville and Hackettstown. Appointments

are confidential and may be made by calling 800

242-7371.

January 12 - Trigger Point Therapy

February 2 - Women’s Heart Center Educational Program (free blood pressure screenings available)

BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR TIMES AND LOCATIONS OF THESE SCHEDULED WORKSHOPS

Page 7 Volume 12, Issue 4

Will there be a record placed in your personnel file?

In no case is any personal information from your counseling ses-sion placed in your personnel file.

CARES ALUNMI December 2009

Campus Activities

Vickie Colman

Office of Field Experiences

Nancy Elshahawi

Office of Human Resources

Sara Magee

Naomi Lynyak

Residence Life—Facilities

Safet Mustafoski

WPU—Bookstore

Carlos Sime

What's Lurking in Your Attic? Probably cold air. Seal air leaks around your home to keep the cold air out and the warm air in. The biggest air leaks are usually in the attic or basement, but also around doors, windows, vents, pipes, and electrical outlets. Use caulk, spray foam, or weather stripping to seal the leaks. Add more insu-lation to prevent heat loss and make your home more comfortable this winter.

Don't Be Left in the Dark Now that daylight savings is here, remember to swap out those old incandescent lights with new, en-ergy-efficient ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) that use 75 percent less energy and last 10 times longer. Also, start preparing for the holiday season with ENERGY STAR qualified decorative light strings, utilizing LED technology for extra savings, long-life, and du-rability—plus they're just as pretty.

Don't Waste Your Heat By using your programmable thermostat properly you can ensure that you're not heating the home unnecessarily when you're away or asleep. Programming a lower temperature for when you go to work or run errands throughout the week and/or when you go to sleep at night can save you up to $180 a year in energy costs. Check out EPA's new and fun Programmable Thermostat Tool to learn how easy it is to set for savings.

Reduce the Chill with a Ceiling Fan By switching your ceiling fan to pull air upward versus pushing air downward, you'll actually be help-ing circulate the warm air down into living spaces. This will make better use of your heating and al-low you to lower the thermostat to save energy while maintaining your comfort.

Don't Be Left Alone

If you want to get involved with EPA’s ENERGY STAR Pledge, visit our In Your Community page

and learn how you or your family can participate in fall activities that help prevent global warming—

either through your local schools or with the Boys & Girls Club of America. Join the movement today!

Adapted from Energy Star, a program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy and helps us all save money and fight global warming through energy-efficient products and practices. Learn more. Visit www.energystar.gov.

Energy & Money Saving Tips

Page 8 Volume 12, Issue 4

http://t.lt01.net/m/409GdHolS7b8Y5pJcGQSIsawjkAn0NzxKQfC2SGRt8lJQPw26Ahttp://t.lt01.net/m/327GdHolS7b8Y5pJcGQSIsawjkAnOXYufNndnMDqpLxNnVVrAghttp://t.lt01.net/m/729GdHolS7b8Y5pJcGQSIsawjkAnUjWs9kmS1CyXLWGih24aHAhttp://t.lt01.net/m/d73GdHolS7b8Y5pJcGQSIsawjkAnCcBCUy0Yw7W4M_VpINacmwhttp://t.lt01.net/m/6b5GdHolS7b8Y5pJcGQSIsawjkAnhyg5T25A2I5iuOYIheMccghttp://t.lt01.net/m/d26GdHolS7b8Y5pJcGQSIsawjkAncmQ63tW9aVmkq8Skm1ezkAhttp://t.lt01.net/m/ee0GdHolS7b8Y5pJcGQSIsawjkAn3uOaMXFV5bhfZxbbrizxhQhttp://t.lt01.net/m/44aGdHolS7b8Y5pJcGQSIsawjkAn51SoK1i4GiJT3av0RGOsbg

The Office of Human Resources 358 Hamburg Turnpike

College Hall – Room #150 Wayne, NJ 07470

Office Hours: Mon.- Fri 8:30 am - 5:00 pm

Phone: (973) 720-2605

Fax: (973) 720-2090

OFFICE OF THE ASSOCIATE VP- HUMAN RESOURCES

John Polding Associate VP - Human Resources 973-720-2133

EMPLOYEE SERVICES

Denise Robinson Lewis Director - Human Resources 973-720-2723

Julia O'Neill Technical Program Assistant 973-720-2287

Karen Blessing Program Assistant 973-720-2723

Myrna Torres Personnel Aide 973-720-2887

Naomi Lynyak Clerk Typist 973-720-2605

Sara Magee Senior Clerk Typist 973-720-2123

EMPLOYEE RELATIONS

Veronica Ruiz Professional Services Specialist II 973-720-3594

PAYROLL & BENEFITS OFFICE

Lou Szucs Director - Payroll & Benefits 973-720-2860

Ramzi Chabayta Associate Director 973-720-2835

Colette McNally Payroll Manager 973-720-2826

Faith Mutch Technical Assistant 973-720-2888

Deborah Anderson Technical Assistant 973-720-2191

Ingrid Montoya Principal Payroll Clerk 973-720-2885

Deborah Lago Supervising Payroll Clerk 973-720-2886

Diane Kaiser Personnel Assistant 973-720-2124

Susan Piccirilli Technical Assistant 973-720-2624

Debbie Zayas Technical Assistant 973-720-2884

Page 9 Volume 12, Issue 4