P&S Council President's Message

Nov. 4, 2009

Your Benefits, Your Choice. Don't Miss Out

NOTICE - THE ANNUAL OPEN CHANGE PERIOD FOR 2009:

BEGINS:  MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2009, at 8 a.m.
CLOSES:  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2009, at 5 p.m.

As you have heard and read, our university is in the Open Change period for university employee benefits. With this comes the opportunity to learn more about changes to the plans, rate adjustments, employer contributions and how you can best utilize these benefits for your own unique situation. There will be two opportunities in the coming weeks to hear information about the changes.

Open Forum

As a means to inform staff, the Council will host an open forum in the Memorial Union at noon on Nov. 11 with Mike Otis from HRS Benefits. Mike will present changes, then be available for questions and dialogue.  

Connect Web Cast Event

In case the forum does not work for your schedule, the other opportunity is available from your computer.
To learn more about open change and benefit options, there is going to be an Adobe Connect event scheduled on Friday, Nov. 6, from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m. At the meeting time, simply enter this URL: http://connect.extension.iastate.edu/benefits/. Then you will find yourself at a login page. Enter your name under the "Enter as a Guest" heading. Then click on "Enter Room." The audio will be over your computer speakers, so make sure you have your volume on and turned up. Anytime before the meeting you can visit the following URL to confirm your ability to connect to the Connect server: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/testconnect/.

Please note: To support efforts to reduce paper and save mailing costs, no notices on Open Change will be mailed to home addresses this year.

For questions on the Open Change and to find materials online, go to the Benefits web page. Under Open Change Period Information, click on the Faculty, Professional & Scientific, and Supervisory Merit link.

We hope that you will take advantage of these opportunities in order to make the most informed choices during the Open Change.

Best,

Camille Sloan Schroeder
President, ISU Professional and Scientific Council