Did the groundhog see his shadow? Somehow I missed that! We have had a very busy start to the spring 2009 semester, not the least of which has been the visit by three presidential candidates to our campus!
The new calendar year and upcoming income tax filing requirement remind us to get our financial houses in order. By now you should have received your 2008 W2. If you find that you over or under-withheld, you may want to fill out a new W4 form to make an adjustment to the number of exemptions you are claiming.
Shortly, you will receive a 2008 Total Compensation Statement. In 2007 we distributed the 2006 statements for the first time with plans to do so every two years. We hope you will find the information helpful. Feedback is always welcomed.
Caldwell College will host a TIAA CREF plan administrators workshop in March for HR directors in the metropolitan area. There will also be an opportunity for employees to meet for a group update on our retirement plan and investment options, tentatively scheduled on March 23rd. You will receive notification as soon as it is finalized.
HR will conduct a Supervisors Forum / Skills and Competencies Workshop on March 10th for supervisors of non-exempt office staff. This is an initiative that is a part of the Sibson compensation project on which we have been working for over a year now.
Performance evaluation season is right around the corner. HR will conduct new-hire and supervisor training at the end of March and beginning of April. Calendars will be posted on-line and emailed to supervisors.
There has been some confusion about the number of courses allowed in our tuition remission program for employees taking courses at Caldwell. The policy states that employees may take up to nine undergraduate or six graduate credits per semester. Please note that this means eighteen and twelve credits respectively per academic year. Summer sessions are not counted as semesters. If an employee takes fewer than the maximum during the fall and spring semesters, (s)he may take additional credits in the summer up to the annual maximum. We hope that clears up any confusion there may have been. Also, please note that the value of the tuition for graduate courses must be taxed as imputed income. Payroll will begin to deduct applicable taxes after the add/drop period until the course is complete.
Every year, we are required to remind you of certain annual notification requirements. Please visit the HR website http://www.caldwell.edu/hr/ to review the Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998, Conscientious Employee Protection Act, Drug Free Workplace Act, and Annual COBRA notification.
Presidential Service Awards will be presented to employees with ten or more years of service, in five year increments, on Founder’s Day, Wednesday, March 25th. A list of recipients is in circulation. If you believe you are eligible, please send an email or give HR a call to ensure that your name has not been overlooked. Due to breaks in service and changes in status, there is always room for error. We wish to avoid leaving anyone out.
The next Brown Bag Luncheon, "A Day in the Life of Campus Ministry" is scheduled for Thursday, February 26th in the Student Center gymnasium. Bring your lunch and enjoy beverages and desserts compliments of HR. Hear about the wonderful things our colleagues in Campus Ministry are doing.
To encourage employees to peruse the new policy manual on the HR website, we are having an ongoing E-scavenger hunt. The first five employees to respond to mflynn@caldwell.edu with the correct answers to the following random questions will receive a prize. We will have new questions with each issue of INSIGHTS.
1. In what volume can the telephone number for an extreme weather emergency be found and what is the Emergency Hotline’s telephone number?
2. In what volumes can the acronym HIPPA be found and what does the acronym stand for?
3. In what volume are the student honor societies listed and how many of them are there?
Mark your calendars for the annual St. Patrick’s Day Party! This year we will celebrate right before Spring break on Friday, March 13th from 2:00 – 4:00. Come enjoy the festivities.
And the goodwill continues to be spread through emails to KeepThePromise@caldwell.edu;
"Thank you very much for the efficiency with which you worked…Your attention to detail and expertise really made the…process a pleasure!"
"You are always so diligent and responsive to my requests. Just wanted you to know how much I appreciate you."
"You consistently make seemingly difficult obstacles disappear! Thank you for your support of our efforts!"
"Terrific job…! You accomplished a difficult task with ease and grace and did a remarkable job. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication."
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The Campus Newsletter of Caldwell College
The Education Division hosted its first Welcome Luncheon for newly admitted education major students. The students are currently taking their second education course. At the luncheon, they received an official welcome letter and were introduced to their education division advisor. All the full-time faculty in the division attended the event. Students were given their field placement forms for their next course, which will be ED331 Introduction to the Education of the Exceptional Child.
Parents, religious educators, clergy and Caldwell College students came out to a workshop focusing on Autism and Faith on Saturday Jan. 31 at the College. They wanted to learn how to empower faith communities to include people with Autism and other Developmental Disabilities into their congregations.
Caldwell College Students for Life teamed up with the Youth and Young Adult Ministries Office of the Archdiocese of Newark to attend the March for Life in Washington D.C. 
