April 2, 2009

IN THIS ISSUE

1. Employees will be surveyed for The Chronicle’s Great Colleges to Work For

The university periodically surveys its employees as part of the ongoing effort to offer a positive work environment. In 2006 The Business Journal of Milwaukee recognized Marquette as a Great Place to Work. Last year, again based in part on an employee survey, MRA/Milwaukee Magazine selected Marquette as the only educational institution named among its Best Places to Work in southeastern Wisconsin.

This year Marquette will participate in The Chronicle of Higher Education’s Great Colleges to Work For Program. Part of the program involves an employee survey distributed to a sample of each institution’s full-time faculty, administrators and professional staff. The 60-question survey was designed specifically for higher education.

Within the next day or two (April 2-3), 600 randomly selected employees will receive an e-mail invitation from ModernThink, the HR consulting firm working with The Chronicle, encouraging participation in this survey. If you receive the invitation, please take a few minutes to share your feedback.

The results of the survey will be factored into the overall scoring process that will ultimately determine the institutions recognized. After The Chronicle publishes the findings this summer, Marquette will receive a report that summarizes responses to the survey questions.

This is an anonymous survey that measures the strength of certain organizational competencies and relationships that most directly impact and influence an institution’s culture. Your participation and honest feedback is critical to the assessment process. A high response rate helps ensure accurate results and demonstrates the commitment of our employees.

Marquette will not be given any information that would enable the university to trace survey data back to any one individual.

Contact Cas Castro, assistant vice president/director of human resources, at 8-7305 for more information.

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2. Hunger Clean-Up registration is open

Hunger Clean-Up is celebrating its 20th anniversary and all Marquette community members are invited to participate Saturday, April 18, by forming a team. Team leaders can register online through Wednesday, April 8. Commemorative 20th anniversary T-shirts and special Hunger Clean-Up Blend Stone Creek Coffee are also available for purchase to support this landmark year. Order forms are available in the Office of Student Development, AMU 329. Monetary donations are also accepted. Contact Laura Skaife, assistant dean for community service, at 8-1412, or David Quam or Brittany Gurgel at 8-2122 for more information.

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3. Robotics courses for young students offered during spring break

The Engineering Outreach Program is offering a series of classes for children April 13-17. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, students can learn to design, build and program their LEGO Mindstorms RCX and NXT robots.

Students ages 8-18 will work with computer-controlled LEGO bricks that they program to come to life and perform various functions. Working through a number of challenges, such as moving cans and climbing mountains, students learn how to reprogram and advance their robot designs.

Classes are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Space is limited. Call 8-6720 for more information and to register.

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4. Take a walk, win a prize

The Employee Wellness Program will enter all employees who participate in World Day for Physical Activity into a prize drawing for a Rec Center membership.

To participate, employees can take a walk during lunch Monday, April 6, or participate in some type of physical activity throughout the day. Participants need to report their activity to Mandi Weis, wellness coordinator, at 8-4581 by April 8 to be eligible for the prize drawing.

Marquette’s Employee Wellness Program provides programming and resources to help Marquette employees live healthy lifestyles.

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5. New IRS withholding tables to affect take-home pay

The Internal Revenue Service’s new withholding tables went into effect April 1 and will result in more take-home pay for millions of American workers, according to the IRS. The new tables incorporate the new “Making Work Pay” credit, one of the tax provisions included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Eligible workers will receive this benefit without any action on their part, meaning that workers don’t need to fill out a new W-4 withholding form. Individuals and couples with multiple jobs may want to submit revised W-4 forms to ensure enough withholding is held to cover the tax for the combined income. Publication 919 provides additional guidance for tax withholding.

Employees who do not want their federal tax deductions reduced may want to file a new W-4. They may claim fewer withholding allowances on line 5 or request additional amounts to be withheld on line 6. Additional help is available from the IRS Withholding Calculator.

W-4 changes may be submitted through MyJob. Contact Payroll at 8-7264 for more information.

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6. Free blood pressure screenings tomorrow

The Marquette Student Nurses’ Association will provide free blood pressure screenings tomorrow, April 3, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in AMU Ballroom A. Nursing students who have passed competency testing will administer the screenings with faculty oversight.

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7. LGBT students and Catholic faith discussed at Soup with Substance

The Rev. Bryan Massingale, S.J., will present “The Stone Rejected by the Builders: A Place at the Table for LGBT Students in the Catholic Faith,” at a Soup with Substance tomorrow, April 3, from noon to 1 p.m. in AMU 163. A free meal of soup, bread and water will be served.

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8. Bella movie tells story of a soccer star and waitress

Marquette Students for Life will present the film Bella tomorrow, April 3, at 7 p.m. in Cudahy 001. The film is the story of how an international soccer star (Edwardo Verastegui) whose career comes to an abrupt end, and a beautiful waitress (Tammy Blanchard) who is faced with a life-changing decision are brought together into a healing experience.

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9. Palm Sunday Masses begin with solemn processions

Campus Ministry Masses on Palm Sunday, April 5, will begin with a solemn procession and blessing of palms. For the 4 p.m. Mass at Gesu, attendees are asked to gather at the St. Joan of Arc Chapel at 3:40 p.m. For the 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Masses at the Chapel of the Holy Family, attendees should gather in the AMU rotunda 20 minutes before the scheduled beginning of each Mass.

For more information contact Emily Schumacher at 8-6873.

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10. Interfaith Prayer Service for Peace is Monday

The second annual Interfaith Prayer Service for Peace will be held Monday, April 6, at 4:30 p.m. in the AMU Chapel of the Holy Family. The service will include readings and elements from diverse faith traditions. The Office of International Education and Campus Ministry are co-sponsoring this service.

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11. Law School holding session about part-time program

The Law School will host an information session about the Program in Part-Time Legal Education on Tuesday, April 7, at 6 p.m. in Sensenbrenner 239. Law School and admissions representatives will discuss the law school curriculum, day/evening class schedules, course streams, admission requirements, application timetable and financial aid.

Registration is required.

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12. Neuroscience center holding colloquium

The Integrative Neuroscience Research Center is hosting Dr. Bonnie Dittel, associate investigator from the Blood Research Institute of Wisconsin, Tuesday, April 7, from 3:30 p.m. to 4:40 p.m. in Schroeder Complex 256. Dittel will present “Immune-Mediated Mechanisms of Neuronal Dysfunction."

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13. HAVEN hosting relationship violence discussion

HAVEN (Helping Abuse and Violence End Now) will host a discussion “Should Love Hurt? Rihanna, Chris Brown and Dating Today,” Tuesday, April 7, at 5 p.m. in the Walter Schroeder Residence Hall multi-purpose room. The program will address celebrity couples, frequency of dating violence and what relationship violence means to Marquette couples.

HAVEN is a partnership of university departments and students committed to providing a safe environment for those affected by relationship violence, sexual assault and stalking.

For more information, contact HAVEN at 8-5746.

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14. Discounted Summerfest and Great America tickets available

Human Resources has arranged for discounted Summerfest tickets to be available to Marquette employees. General admission tickets are $12 each ($15 at the gate) until May 1. After that they will be $13. Power Lunch Tickets (weekday admission from noon to 4 p.m.) are $6 ($8 at the gate). Tickets can be printed at home. The promotion ends at 6 p.m. June 5. For more information, call (414) 291-5320.

Human Resources also has discounted Six Flags Great America tickets available in Human Resources, Straz Tower 185. General admission tickets for those age three and older cost $32 ($56.64 at the gate for adults and $36.04 for children under 48 inches tall). Children age 2 and under are free. Spring operations are from April 3 to May 10. Regular summer hours begin May 13.

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15. Meet with alumni when traveling abroad

The Marquette Alumni Association is looking for assistance in reaching out to the 1,400 alumni who live outside the United States.

According to survey results from an article in the fall 2008 issue of Marquette Magazine, alumni would love to meet with faculty and university staff members who are traveling to their countries.

Alumni Relations asks faculty and staff interested in meeting alumni during their travels to contact Alumni Relations about their plans. Alumni clubs are established in Malaysia and Indonesia, while alumni in France, England, Spain and other countries are eager to get something started. No matter what country faculty and staff are traveling to, Alumni Relations is willing to help connect with alumni there.

Contact Martha Moore, senior alumni relations officer, at 8-0398 for more information.

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16. I-94 construction updates now available online

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation has launched a Web site to provide updates about the 35-mile reconstruction of I-94 that will take place between 2009 and 2016.

Commuters can also subscribe to construction and traffic alerts.

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