Volume 8, #145

     

New in this Issue

       

Loch Shop and LakerCard Center Closed; 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Dec. 17

The Loch Shop and LakerCard Center will be closed on Tuesday, Dec. 17, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Happy Holidays from the staff of Auxiliary Services!

Seventh-Ranked Lakers Host Heritage Bank Holiday Classic, Dec. 20 and Dec. 21

Led by senior center Shay Jackson, the seventh-ranked Clayton State women’s basketball team will host the annual Heritage Bank Holiday Classic this coming weekend.

On Friday, Dec. 20, the Lakers host Southern Poly in a 5:30 p.m. game, which is about as close as the Lakers can now come to playing old rival Kennesaw State. On Saturday, Dec. 21, the Lakers take on long-time power Lenoir-Rhyne in a 3:30 p.m. start.

In case you’re keeping score, Jackson is currently averaging 15 points, 7 rebounds, 4.5 blocked shots (third in the nation) and 2.3 steals per game.

Two Desk Units Available in the Warehouse Justin Parkerson reports that he has two “fairly decent” desk units up for grabs in the warehouse. If you’re interested, contact Parkerson at justinparkerson@clayton.edu.

Clayton State Posts New Videos on You Tube

The official Clayton State University You Tube channel (ClaytonSTNews) has a series of new videos available for viewing.

Highlighting the new You Tube postings is footage from the groundbreaking for the new Science Building; “Clayton State University Breaks Ground on New Science Building.”

Also included are four interviews in conjunction with the recently-concluded 2013 Faculty/Staff Fund Drive – clips of Heidi Benford, Dr. Eric Bridges, Dr. Donna McCarty and Bob Ward discussing the Fund Drive.

Legos at Clayton State, Jan. 11

The First Lego League (FLL) Super Regionals are once again returning to Clayton State University.

This year’s version of the popular competition for regional young STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) whizzes ages nine to 14 will be an all-day event held in Clayton State’s James M. Baker University Center on Jan. 11, 2014, once again under the sponsorship of the College of Information and Mathematical Science (CIMS). Directing the program will be Assistant Professor of Mathematics Dr. Scott Bailey.The public is welcome to attend, free of charge.

The competition will be the Championship Qualifying Round for 32 teams of regionally-local students. According to CIMS Dean Dr. Lila Roberts, this year’s competition will have a timely focus -- on bringing awareness toward helping people affected by natural disasters. “Nature’s Fury” will explore the awe-inspiring storms, quakes, waves and more. Teams will discover what can be done when intense natural events meet the places people live, work, and play. The FLL Challenge has three parts - the Robot Game, the Project, and the Core Values.

As always, the FLL competition will also highlight student understanding of: the STEM disciplines with a focus on computer science and robotics, as well as a common civility through teamwork, core values, basic research methods, scholarly competition and fun.

Volunteers Still Needed for First Lego League Super Regionals, Jan. 11

Jarrett Terry reports that volunteers are still needed when Clayton State University hosts the 2013 First Lego League Super Regionals on Jan. 11, 2014, an all-day event in the James M. Baker University Center.

Below, you will find two websites that can give you a great deal of information on this year's topic "Nature's Fury," how the topic will be integrated into this season, and Georgia's calendar regarding the season.

Some of you have volunteered before, so you know how much effort and preparation is required to host the event well. We will need a plethora of volunteers this year and help in fundraising and advertising. We have a great set of sub-topic leaders returning to get us moving forward, but there is plenty of work to do.

The website for this year’s FLL topic:

http://www.firstlegoleague.org/challenge/2013naturesfury

The website for Georgia's events:

https://fll-ceismc.gatech.edu/

You have initiated a poll "FIRST LEGO LEAGUE SUBCOMMITTEE INTEREST AREA" at Doodle. The link to your poll is: http://doodle.com/6ba5vnrsw8mqre3s

For more information, contact Terry at jarrettterry@clayton.edu. He also has a listing of the support positions needed.

Student Academic Research Conference, Mar. 28 Faculty -- please save the date, Friday, Mar. 28, for the Student Academic Research Conference. Let your students know and recruit them as presenters for the poster or paper sessions. They can register now on the website. Dr. Diane Fulton reports that she will need faculty judges for the event as well. Research made real…    

This Week

    Biweekly Payroll Reminder

Notice to all employees and managers/supervisors:

Due to the holiday break, approvals of all biweekly time must be estimated and approved by 6 p.m., Monday, Dec. 16, for the payroll ending on Dec. 20, 2013.

Hours for Dec. 17 through Dec. 20 must be estimated. Please submit a paper timesheet if any corrections to the estimated time need to be made. Corrections will be processed on the following payroll.

If you have any questions, including password resets, while attempting to approve or update a time card, please contact our SSC Customer Support Team.

Important Update: December Pay Date Information

Last week, I wrote to you regarding the December 2013 pay date for monthly-paid faculty and staff.  As you recall, I immediately sent out a follow-up email stating that all contracted fulltime and part-time faculty (this will include adjuncts) will be paid on Dec. 13.

Additionally, I indicated that all other monthly-paid employees are to be paid on Dec. 31, the last business day of the month in 2013. As you know, monthly-paid employees have been paid prior to the holiday break in previous years. This is because Clayton State University was closed through the remainder of December.

The good news! We spoke to the Shared Services Center and proposed changing the Dec. 31 pay date prior to the holiday break. Shared Services agreed to allow us to change the pay date to Friday, Dec. 20, which will apply to all non-faculty monthly-paid employees.

In accommodating our request, Shared Services asked that we convey to everyone that there is ongoing discussion about establishing a pre-set centralized payroll calendar for all USG institutions regardless of individual institution’s holiday closings; therefore, pay dates may be pre-set to the last business day of each month, including December, and not subject to change.

In summary, the December schedule for pay dates is as follows:

·         Dec. 13: All fulltime and part-time faculty and adjuncts.  This is the first biweekly pay date.

·         Dec. 20: All non-faculty monthly-paid employees.

·         Dec. 27: Second biweekly pay date.

Thomas E. Gausvik Chief Human Resources Officer Clayton State University

PeopleSoft Financials Downtime from Dec. 12 to Dec. 16

The PeopleSoft Financials (PSFIN) Foundations PeopleTools 8.52 Upgrade will take place from Dec. 12 to Dec. 16. As a result, PeopleSoft Financials will be down beginning at noon on Thursday, Dec. 12, and is expected to be back on-line on Tuesday, Dec. 17.

The Travel & Expense portion will go down at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 11. Budget reports will remain available until noon on Dec. 12.

The campus community will be notified when system functionality resumes.

Accounting Services Payments Schedule

Due to the university closing for the Holiday break, Accounting Services will continue to process all payments to vendors, employee reimbursements and cash advances until 11 a.m. on Dec. 20.  We must have the necessary documentation in our office by close of business Thursday, Dec. 19. We will begin processing payments again on Dec. 31.

If there are any questions or concerns please feel free to contact Accounting Services.

No Access to Parking Lots G and H on Dec. 20

Next Friday, Dec. 20, contractors will be installing a sewer line along the roadway that connects Caldwell Drive and Snelling Drive adjacent to the chiller building. They will begin the work about 7 a.m. with completion estimated about 6 p.m.

During these hours, access to parking lots G and H will only be available for emergency purposes; police, fire and ambulance. Anyone requiring a more direct disability access to Edgewater Hall should contact Public Safety to facilitate same.

All employees who work overnight Thursday, Dec. 19 and those working day shift on Friday who usually park in lots G and H should use lots C or D on that day.  Parking During the Holidays

Since there are no classes on campus again until Monday, Jan. 13, there will be open parking on campus until that date. The exceptions are specially designated areas such as those for disability, visitors, emergency parking, and the Baker Center lot. The dental hygiene clinic is closed for the holidays, so that row of parking is also open until Jan. 13.

Auxiliary Services Semester Break Hours

During the semester break, the units of Auxiliary Services will have the following operating hours:

Loch Shop/LakerCard Center – Dec. 10 – Dec. 20 and Dec. 30 – Jan. 3

Monday – Thursday:  8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Friday:  8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

NOTE:  On Tuesday, Dec. 10, The Loch Shop will be open until 7 p.m.

The Loch Shop and LakerCard Center will be CLOSED Dec. 23 to Dec. 27, and Jan. 1, 2014. 

            Dining Services

            Jazzman’s

            Monday – Friday:  8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

            Subconnection

            Monday – Friday: 10:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.

            Note: SubConnection will be closed Dec. 30 and Dec. 31

            All other dining locations will be closed during semester break.

All dining locations will be closed New Year’s Day, Jan. 1, 2014. 

   

Upcoming

   

2013 Required Employee Training

It’s that time of the year for all faculty and staff to complete training required by Clayton State University, Board of Regents, and the State of Georgia. The Right to Know (RTK), Ethics, Security Awareness, Campus Vehicle Use and Sexually Harassment courses must all be completed on an annual basis.

During this time period, we ask that you also take a moment to review the updated Clayton State University Employee Handbook and complete a new Employee Handbook Acknowledgement Form. The signed Acknowledgement Form and five required courses should be completed by Dec. 31, 2013.

Here are the instructions to access and complete these trainings:

·                 Use your current Clayton State user name and password to log into Employee Training.

·                 Review the Employee Handbook – Complete the Employee Acknowledgement Form and forward to HR.

·                 Required Trainings

o   Right to Know (RTK) – At the end of the session, enter the requested information and submit.

o   Ethics – Presentation, Assessment and Compliance Agreement

§  Basic – New Faculty/Staff

§  2013 Refresher  – Faculty/Staff active as of Dec. 31, 2010

o   Security Awareness – Review the presentation and complete the assessment

o   Campus Vehicle Use Training – Review the videos, complete assessments, and forward the Acknowledgement Form to HR

o   Sexual Harassment – Review the policy, responsibilities, and video content, then take the assessment/quiz.

A score of 80 percent is required to receive credit for the assessments.

For instructions on navigating the new Employee Training platform, please visit Desire2Learn Support.

Bookstore Bucks Start Jan. 6

Bookstore Bucks (formerly Financial Aid Book Money) will be available from Jan. 6 to Jan. 22, 2014. Up to $1,000 of your unused Financial Aid will automatically be deposited in your Bookstore Bucks account on Jan. 6 for you to purchase anything in the Loch Shop.

Remember…your LakerCard is required for all purchases. After Jan. 22, any unused Bookstore Bucks are returned to your student account and refunded in late January based on your refund preference through Higher One. 

SBDC to Hold Starting a Business Workshop at Griffin-Spalding Chamber of Commerce, Jan. 9

The Clayton State University Small Business Development Center is bringing its popular “Starting a Business Workshop” to Griffin on Thursday, Jan. 9.

The workshop will be held from 9 a.m. to noon at the Griffin-Spalding Chamber of Commerce/Griffin Welcome Center, 143 N. Hill St., Griffin.

Clayton State students and staff receive 50 percent off the full registration price of $69. Contact Heather Chaney at heatherchaney@clayton.edu for the discount code.  Individuals can also receive 50 percent off each additional person with the purchase of one registration at the full price. All registrations must be made at the same time in order to receive this discount. This discount cannot be combined or used with any other discount or coupon. For more information, please contact Chaney at (678) 466-5100.

Drs. Howell and Zeller Participating in Peach State Opera Performance, Jan. 11 

Clayton State University professors Dr. Christina Howell, performing the role of Despina, and Dr. Kurt-Alexander Zeller, director, are both involved in Peach State Opera's upcoming performance of Mozart's Cosi fan tutte, being performed locally at the Avondate First Baptist Church, 47 Covington Rd., Avondale Estates, Ga., at 3 p.m. on Jan. 11, 2014.

Ticket prices are $22 (adult general admission), $20 senior (over 60), $10 students (including college students with ID) and are available at the door or at the website:  www.peachstateopera.org.

Clayton State Sets Events for King Celebration 2014

The 2014 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Celebration at Clayton State University begins in a little more than a month. This year’s celebration is titled: We Dream the King’s Dream.

The Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration at Clayton State University will run from Jan. 19, 2014 to Jan. 25, 2014 and is a collaborative effort between the Department of Campus Life, AmeriCorps, Diversity Education Experiences for Peers (D.E.E.P.) Educators, the Tau Epsilon Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the Sigma Sigma Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Clayton State University NAACP, Student African American Brotherhood, and Student African American Sisterhood and commemorates the life of the ultimate dreamer of the 20^th Century, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and significant events that occurred during the Civil Rights movement.

The highlights of the 2014 celebration of those dreams being made real are; King’s Sunday Supper, the Day of Service, and an MLK March in Atlanta. The King’s Sunday Supper and the dialogue discussion on Jan. 21 are open to the public.

Sunday, Jan. 19, King’s Sunday Supper

Student Activities Center (SAC) Ballroom

4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Inspired by the legacy of Dr. King, America's Sunday Super has been an annual event on the Clayton State campus for several years, inviting people from diverse backgrounds to come together to share a meal, discuss issues that affect our community and highlight our shared values and strengths. This is a ticketed event and free for Clayton State students. Tickets for all others are $10 and will be available beginning Monday, Jan. 6, 2014 in the Clayton State Department of Campus Life, located in the Student Activities Center, Ste. 223. Both Clayton State University and Non-Clayton State participants must have a ticket for admission.

Monday, Jan. 20, MLK Day of Service, Rally & March

Atlanta

8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Clayton State campus community will engage in a series of volunteer projects in the Atlanta area to pay tribute to Dr. King. After volunteering, students will participate in the annual MLK Rally and March in downtown Atlanta. Transportation will be provided for 50 participants. To register, go to the Campus Life website: www.clayton.edu/campus/life.  

Tuesday, Jan. 21, a Dream Deferred

SAC Ballroom C

7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

A dialogue discussion focusing on recent social injustices, including the Trayvon Martin case; Department of Family and Children Services and Emani Moss; as well as immigration reform in Georgia. Participants will have a conversation regarding these issues and hone in on action steps that can be taken to eradicate these injustices.

Saturday, Jan. 25, Cultural Immersion Trip: A Day with Dr. King

Atlanta

9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The 2014 Cultural Immersion Trip: A Day with the King will give participants the opportunity to explore historical landmarks in the greater Atlanta area associated with Dr. King and the American Civil Rights movement. The trip will also include a special tour of Dr. King’s birth home and lunch at Thelma’s Kitchen. Twenty-five Clayton State students will be selected to participate on this trip. All students must complete a trip turn in a completed application form by Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2014 to the Department of Campus Life, located in the Student Activities Center, Ste. 223. Selected participants will need to have $10 to $15 in cash to cover the cost of their lunch.

For additional questions regarding Clayton State’s Annual MLK Celebration, contact Lakiesa C. Rawlinson, associate director, Campus Life, at (678) 466-5433 or visit http://www.clayton.edu/campus-life.

Clayton State to Launch Digital Film Technician Certificate Program in February 2014

The Center for Continuing Education at Clayton State University will be launching a new program in February 2014 that will have a major impact on individuals, economic development and a growing industry in metro Atlanta… and provide another way to make dreams real.

The Digital Film Technician Certificate program is a two-course program with day and evening classes that is designed to introduce students to production of digital media and film. Digital Film Tech Training I, scheduled to launch on Feb. 18, 2014 for the evening course and Mar. 3, 2014 for the day course, is designed for students with no background in digital media, as well as those students with some experience or coursework in the field. Digital Film Tech II, which will start in the summer of 2014, is a follow-up course designed to help students achieve a level of film/media production skills that will promote employability and/or the ability to become independent contractors.

Both courses are designed, and will be taught by, Barton Bond, who comes to Clayton State from New Mexico with 45 years of experience working in electronic media, the last 25 years being teaching on the college level.

 

Loch Shop News  

 

Shop for the Holidays at ClaytonStateGear

Looking for a unique gift for the holidays? Consider logging on to www.claytonstategear.com, where you can literally get one-of-kind Clayton State-themed gifts. Everything from golf equipment to tailgating items to bleacher chairs.

More Deals from The Loch Shop

We’ve added additional items to our Loch Shop Clearance Sale! Come by and see the new discounted styles. Look for the stickers – Orange is $5, Yellow is $10, Pink is $15 and Green is $20.

Just arrived – looking for a new hoodie? Do we have a deal for you. Buy the sweatshirt for $29.99, get the matching t-shirt for $5 (normally a $50 value). This deal is too good to pass up!

There’s a free Clayton State mug promotion, valid through Dec. 26, 2013, on www.claytonstategear.com.

   

Announcements

   

December 2013 Grants Management Newsletter Available On-line

The December issue of the Office of Grant & Contract Programs monthly newsletter can be found at http://www.clayton.edu/grantcontractprograms/newsletters. December’s newsletter features: 2013 Year-End Review, 8 Common Mistakes & Important Reminders for Grant Writers and Spotlights Dr. J. Yvette Gardner’s Clayton State/Clayton County Public Schools Mathematics and Science Partnership grant award.

Earlier editions of the Grants Management Newsletter can also be found at this link. If you would like to request a topic for coverage in upcoming issues of the newsletter, contact RhondaGibson@clayton.edu.

Student Media Set to Release Yearbook for 2014

Clayton State University Student Media is set to release the University’s first yearbook in 40 years. 

Set for release in time for spring 2014 graduation, Clayton State University students are already busy putting together both a print and a digital yearbook called “Loched in Time.”  “Loched in Time” will be the third yearbook produced by Clayton State, the 1973 and 1974 Clayton Junior College “Centurion” yearbooks being the first two, and the first edition to have a digital component.

Both yearbooks will include photos and articles of campus events, student organizations, and senior spotlights, among other things. The digital yearbooks, which will be distributed on a DVD, will have additional video footage. The 152-page print yearbooks will cost approximately $60 and the digital yearbooks will cost approximately $25. The yearbooks will also have space for ads from graduating seniors, student organizations, and businesses. These will cost $40 for a quarter page ad, $60 for a half page ad, and $100 for a full page ad in the print publication and $100 in the digital edition.

More information about ordering yearbooks will be available mid-January. Please contact Jennifer DeMond, student media advisor for more information at jenniferdemond@clayton.edu.

W2s Processing and Address Verification

Do you have your mailing address and email current in ADP? It is important that you keep your mailing and email current. This contact information is used for W2s, open enrollment, medical cards, announcements, etc.

Log into the APD Portal, click “Employee”, then the “Personal Information” dropdown menu to access your personal contact information.

Go Paperless… Enroll to receive your annual W2 statements electronically. You can enroll at any time; however, to ensure you receive your 2013 W2 statement electronically, you will need to enroll by Dec. 31, 2013. You only need to enroll once.

Click the “Pay and Taxes” dropdown menu, then “Annual Statements “. Click “Go Paperless”

Follow instructions to complete form.

The FBI Says… Beware of Scams this Holiday Shopping Season

The FBI has a lot on its plate these days — everything from interstate crime to terrorism watch to video piracy. Even so, they've taken a moment this week to remind you about the risks inherent in the holiday shopping season.

In a news bulletin released just before Black Friday, the FBI advises consumers that scammers will be on high alert for the next few weeks, using a variety of techniques to defraud you of your money. These approaches include fraudulent online auctions, reshipping merchandise purchased with stolen credit cards, and old-fashioned phishing.

Specifically, here are some things to be wary of this season:

Fraudulent sales and auctions. The most important advice is not to give your credit card information to anyone in conjunction with an online sale; don't trust the seller unless you can use a legitimate payment service to protect your purchase and your credit card.

Gift card scams. Purchase gift cards directly from retailers — don't buy them secondhand through auctions or private sales. If the cards are fraudulent, the merchant will deactivate the cards and they won't be honored.

Phishing. Be especially careful with email at this time of year; your bank and other financial institutions should never ask you for personal information or passwords in email, and you should never click links in email to go to websites; enter the URL in the address bar manually to be sure you're not redirected to a fraudulent site.

Here are some of the top tips offered by the FBI to help you protect yourself this holiday season:

Don't respond to unsolicited mail.

Never click on links within unsolicited mail — navigate there yourself by typing the address or using your saved favorite.

Don't fill out forms in email that request personal information regardless of the source.

If you receive email from a business, contact the business to ensure the email is genuine.

Requests to react quickly or urgently are typically scams.

360 Hour Vacation Accrual Limit in eTIME and Winter Break

Payroll Services would like to remind all employees who are close to or above the 360 hour vacation accrual that eTime vacation balances will reset to 360 hours effective Jan. 1, 2014.

Also, please note, Clayton State University’s winter holidays are Monday through Friday, Dec. 23 through Dec. 27. The campus will be open for business on Dec. 30 and Dec. 31. 

If you do not wish to work Dec. 30 and Dec. 31, you must have your supervisor’s prior approval, and a vacation request must be submitted through eTime.