Faculty and Staff Notes

Team Reviews Administrative Processes

A steering team appointed Oct. 20 will investigate ways to streamline university travel reimbursement, grant reporting, EPA hiring, document scanning and other processes. The team, led by Ernie Murphrey, associate vice chancellor for financial services, is following up on several months of work by a budget reduction team, Chancellor Jim Woodward said.

The team’s initial review will focus on increasing efficiency and effectiveness for the following seven processes:

• Alcohol policy approvals for university-sponsored events
• Scanning software for university-wide document management
• EPA hiring
• Post award project management and reporting
  
• Graduate student processes
• Telephone plans
• Travel reimbursement

The budget reduction team suggested an additional 23 processes for steering team members to examine after they complete the initial review.

Sign up for Free Accident Policy through Friday

Review your insurance coverage online and sign up for $10,000 in free accidental death and dismemberment core coverage before the open enrollment period ends on Friday. You must choose the coverage to receive it; enrollment is not automatic. Changes made online at http://www.ncflexonline.org will take effect Jan. 1, 2010.

During open enrollment through Oct. 30, you can enroll, change or cancel coverage. Flexible spending accounts require re-enrollment each year, while all other benefits continue unless you make a change. Visit http://www.fis.ncsu.edu/hr/benefits/annualenrollment.asp for details about annual enrollment, including online enrollment, and enrollment forms.

Dr. Joseph DeSimone, a polymer expert, is the winner of the North Carolina Award for Science.

DeSimone to be Honored Today

Dr. Joseph DeSimone, William R. Kenan Jr. Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering, will receive the North Carolina Award for Science from the governor today.

DeSimone, a recognized polymer expert, focuses on green manufacturing and applications in gene therapy, drug delivery and medical devices. He was cited for nanotechnology research in polymer chemistry, pharmacology and biomolecular engineering with “revolutionary results for cancer treatment, green chemistry and photovoltaics.”

He joined the NC State faculty in 1994 and the UNC-Chapel Hill faculty, where he is a Chancellor’s Eminent Professor of Chemistry, in 1990. DeSimone is the third person with ties to the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering to receive the award.

Feitshans To Lead American Agricultural Law Association

Theodore A. Feitshans, a faculty member in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, was confirmed as president of the American Agricultural Law Association during the organization’s annual meeting in Williamsburg, Va. He will serve a one-year term.

With more than 600 members, the American Agricultural Law Association is a national professional organization focusing on the legal needs of the agricultural community. Members include both attorneys and non-attorneys with an interest in agricultural law.

Last Shot at Free Seasonal Flu Immunization

Don’t miss the last seasonal flu shot clinic on campus. State Health Plan members can receive free shots from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 12, in the Talley Student Center ballroom. Register online at http://www7.acs.ncsu.edu/hr/benefits/enrollment/flushots. Be sure to bring your insurance card to the clinic.

W-2 Smackdown Starts Friday

Payroll needs your help to make tax time greener. The goal: to save paper and time spent printing and mailing those W-2 earnings forms. The IRS requires employers to issue a paper W-2 unless the employee consents not to receive one. You can opt for an electronic W-2 by checking the box on the payroll site.

To make it more interesting, payroll has started a competition, the W-2 Smackdown. Each Friday from Oct. 30 through Dec. 18, Payroll will post a standings list online. Units with the highest percentages will be recognized. Questions? Send an e-mail to hr_payroll@ncsu.edu or call Joanie Aitken at 513-3548.

Subscribe to DELTAwire for Distance Ed Updates

Stay up to date with the latest on learning technologies and distance education through DELTAwire, a site recently launched by Distance Education and Learning Technology Applications (DELTA).

DELTAwire, a staff-written blog, provides the group’s perspective on news, events and trends in distance education and learning technologies. Visit the blog for updates on the campus learning management system, tips on how to flu-proof your course and information about technologies that can support both campus and distance education courses. An RSS feed is available. Comments and additions to the DELTA staff blog entries are welcome at http://deltawire.delta.ncsu.edu.