Briefs for January 13, 2003

New form needed for school taxes
All BGSU employees who live in a school district with an income tax that went into effect in January, 2003, need to complete a new IT-4 form. Contact the Payroll Office at 2-2201.

Syllabi can guide students when severe weather forces faculty to cancel classes
Recently, the severe weather policy has been updated. Under the revised policy, the decision for a day closing of the University will be made by 6:30 a.m. and a decision for an evening closing will be made by 4 p.m. A decision to close the University will affect all classes and offices except those staffed by designated essential employees. The decision to close will be made separately at the BGSU Firelands campus.
It is understood that faculty will make every effort to meet their classes when the University is open. However, individual circumstances may make it impossible for an individual to travel safely to campus. Through Undergraduate Student Government, students have advised the provost’s office of the frustration that results after a student has made a special effort to travel to campus in difficult circumstances, only to find that a class has been canceled.
In an effort to avoid such situations, faculty are asked to include on their syllabi mechanisms they will use to communicate with students in the event they must cancel class. Communication channels could include an electronic announcement on Blackboard, a message using MyBGSU, a message on the faculty member's office telephone, messages distributed via listproc, a message left with the department secretary, or other suitable means. Whatever means of communication are to be used, students would appreciate as much lead time as possible.

Mary Holley wins ‘Spirit of BG’ Award
The latest classified staff Spirit of BG Award winner is Mary Holley, human resources. Holley designed and implemented a process in which external applicants will be notified of their status via the Internet instead of by letter. As a result, the department will save an estimated $3,000 in postage and an additional $3,000 in staff hours annually.
Holley received $75 in appreciation of her creativity on behalf of the University.