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Proposed overtime pay changes — The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Wage and Hour Division is proposing a change to current regulations that would extend overtime pay to employees who had not previously qualified. An employer is required to pay hourly, or non-exempt, employees an hourly rate, compensating them for hours worked above 40 hours in a week at a rate of time and a half the regular rate of hourly pay. For employees to be considered salaried, or exempt, their positions have been evaluated on both a minimum salary test and a duties test, which considers the nature of the work and other factors. The DOL has proposed raising the salary threshold for exempt, or salaried, positions from $23,660 to $50,440 per year. Along with the salary requirement, a position must also meet the duties exemption, and it is not yet known how the new proposal will affect these duties. Wartburg Human Resources is monitoring the proposal and will inform the campus community as soon as more information or finalized regulations are available. For more about the proposed changes, click here.
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NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS
Dining Service hours for May Term – Click here to see a list of May Term hours for Mensa, the Den, Konditerei, and and Zesty Orange.
Staff and faculty with graduating seniors — Staff and faculty members who have a child at Wartburg graduating in May are welcome to congratulate their child after receiving their diploma at Commencement on May 22. Please contact Janeen Stewart for reserved seating and other details if you have not done so.
Submissions for Knightline — Send in your news/events for the next edition of Knightline, our monthly e-newsletter that goes out to Wartburg alumni, parents and friends. The May edition will be going out Thursday, May 5. Please complete the “Knightline Submission Form” (click here) by the end of the day Monday, May 2, or contact Steph Boeding with questions.
Open house for Dining Services retirees — Dining Services will host an open house to honor retirees from the Dining Services Department on Friday, May 6, from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Castle Room. Retirees are Sheryl Tiedt, Mary Goetzinger, and Beth Engelbrecht. There will be a brief program at 2:30 p.m. to recognize their service at Wartburg.
Open house for Alumni Office retirees — A retirement open house to honor and thank Bev Saathoff and Jane Lindner for their years of dedicated service will be Thursday, May 12, from 2 to 3 p.m. in the Castle Room.
SOAR parent reception – Thanks to everyone who participated in this year’s first SOAR day on Saturday. During each SOAR event, the Parent & Alumni Office will host a parent reception in the Castle Room from 2:15 to 4:30 p.m. Faculty and staff are invited to stop by and talk with parents about their departments and all that Wartburg has to offer. The remaining SOAR dates are June 6, 20, and 27. Click here to see parent and students schedules.
Presidential Forum notes — Notes from the final Presidential Forum of the academic year are now posted on the Info Center under President’s Reports.
Blood drive — TriBeta will sponsor a LifeServe blood drive 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Monday, May 9, in Chapel Commons. Sign up Tuesday, May 3, or Wednesday, May 4, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. or 5-7 p.m. near the northwest entrance of Saemann Student Center. You also can arrange to donate by emailing Tri-Beta@wartburg.edu.
VAC appreciation reception — The Volunteer Action Center invites all students, faculty, staff, and community members who participated in our activities this year to join us for snacks and refreshments Wednesday, May 11, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in the McCoy rooms. Students who would like to learn more about our organization also are welcome.
Submit your calendar events — Remember, you can submit your campus events or modify existing events on the Wartburg website calendar; click here to do so.
Course adoption materials — Your effort to submit course adoption materials earlier is appreciated and will yield textbook savings to your students and Wartburg campus. As of April 22, the course adoption completed rate is: May Term, 100 percent; Summer Term, 85 percent; and Fall Term, 81 percent. The Wartburg Store is sourcing a higher percentage of used textbook for this year, and many of the Fall Term textbooks are already on the shelves for freshman students to purchase during SOAR. Parents and students have given feedback that they want to purchase much earlier than July 1, and this year that option is available for many sections.
The Vikings are coming! – A new course will be offered during Winter Term 2017. HI 351: Topics in European History will explore the history, language, and culture of the Vikings. Learn about runes, the art of shipbuilding, tales of violence and intrigue, and the wide-ranging impact of Viking attacks. The class will meet noon to 1:05 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and fulfills Interconnected Humanities/Fine Arts and is writing intensive. Contact Dr. Erika Lindgren for more information.
College calendar — Stay up to date with campus events by following the college's official calendar.
PREVIOUS ANNOUNCEMENTS
Mindfulness skills for students — Koru will be offered during May Term for students. This course, consisting of four classes, is designed to help college students learn mindfulness through the practice of meditation and other skills that facilitate relaxation and increased focus. The free classes (participants will need to purchase one book) will be held Tuesdays from 5:30 to 6:15 p.m. Click here for information about Koru. Please pass the word along to students you think might benefit from this class. Students can register or get more information by contacting Dr. Cynthia Bane, professor of psychology.
SAFE 5K run — Join SAFE (Suicide Awareness for Everyone) in spreading awareness about mental health. SAFE will hold the Stampede the Stigma 5K color run/walk on Saturday, May 14, at 10 a.m. The route will begin and end on Warburg's campus. The cost is $10 and includes a t-shirt if you register by May 4. Click here to download the registration form. Contact Kaitlyn Behnken for more information or with any questions.
New director of undergraduate research — After many years of distinguished service by Dr. Roy Ventullo, Dr. Shawn Ellerbroek will assume duties as the director of undergraduate research beginning in the fall of 2016. Congratulations to Dr. Ellerbroek on this new responsibility and many thanks to Dr. Ventullo for his stewardship of the program.
Business plan competition — Wartburg students Krystal Graves, Andre Greene, Ashlee McGrown, Lindokuhle Simelane, and Cassie Ward competed as finalists in the Neeley Entrepreneurship Center Values and Ventures Business Plan Competition at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas, on April 8-9. The team developed its business plan, “Best Trucking Burritos,” under the guidance of Dr. Allan Bernard, assistant professor of business administration, and was sponsored by Wartburg alumnus Michael Murphy '89.
Leadership & Service Awards — Congratulations to the winners of this year’s Leadership & Service Awards, which were presented April 2. Click here to see the winners and descriptions of the awards.
Visit the InfoCenter for details on the following:
- Employee break clarification
- Equipment and technology requests
PROFESSIONAL NOTES
Kim Folkers, associate professor of marketing, presented as part of a panel at the MBAA annual conference April 13-15 in Chicago. The panel topic was In an Ideal World, What Should Constitute Scholarship and Research for Business Faculty? What Most Benefits Students, Institutions, and Faculty Professionally?
Todd Coleman, assistant vice president for admissions, and Tara Winter, director of student recruitment, are finalists for the Iowa Association for College Admission Counseling’s 2016 Admissions Professional of the Year. The winner will be announced May 16.
Dr. Kunihiko Terasawa, assistant professor of world religions, was one of the organizers and facilitators for “Know Your Neighbors Beyond Tolerance,” the program for an interfaith dialogue among various religious congregations at the Islamic Center in Waterloo on April 10, presented by the Cedar Valley Interfaith Councils.
Todd Coleman, assistant vice president for admissions, was invited to Fossil Ridge High School in Fort Collins, Colorado, for its Case Studies District Program and college fair April 25. The program is an opportunity for parents and students to learn how colleges make admissions decisions.
Dr. Jennifer Larson, associate professor of music, and Dr. Eric Wachmann, professor of music, in collaboration with Sean Botkin, associate professor of music at UNI, performed April 14 as part of the Salisbury House Artist Series in Des Moines. They performed music by Meyerbeer, Vaughan Williams, Spohr, and Seiber, among others, including Der Hirt auf den Felsen by Franz Schubert.
PERSONNEL CHANGES
Welcome (new arrivals)
Jordan Batey, Interlibrary Loan and evening supervisor, Vogel Library, March 29
Hope Elbert, office coordinator for Institutional Advancement, April 26
Vicki Foelske, gift processor, Institutional Advancement, April 13
Jill Thrasher, Student Life office coordinator, April 4
Farewell (departures and retirements)
Cherie Newhard, Dining Services cook, April 4
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