It's possible to save some health care dollars

With open enrollment drawing near, Human Resources is advising employees about a tax-saving benefit they can sign up for — the Health Care Reimbursement Account.

With this option, employees estimate their health care expenses for the year and have them deducted on a monthly, pretax basis. Payments for health care are then paid from employees' individual accounts. Under the existing system, employees pay up-front for health care costs and then file forms for reimbursement. New in 2007 will be the use of debit cards, saving employees from paying up-front costs out of pocket.

Officials reminded participating employees that they must sign up annually for Health Care Reimbursement Accounts.

Open enrollment is scheduled from Nov. 1 to 21, a shorter period than previous years. Human Resources officials said all of UC Davis' health, dental and vision plan options are the same as last year, with no changes in benefits, co-payments or access, so employees are not likely to need a full month for open enrollment. Most employees will be able to take care of open enrollment via computer.

Human Resources announced a series of information meetings about open enrollment, all in the Mee Room at the Memorial Union. Registration is not required. The dates and times: Nov. 2, 8:30 a.m.; Nov. 7, 10 a.m.; Nov. 8, 10:30 a.m.; Nov. 14, 1:30 p.m.; Nov. 16, 3:30 p.m.; and Nov. 20, 1 p.m. This year's Benefits and Wellness Faire is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 15 in the ARC Ballroom.

More information, including all health plan premium rates, is available online: http://atyourservice.ucop.edu.

Going mobile? Try this faire

A trip to the Silo next week could earn you a pair of round-trip tickets for two on Amtrak's Capitol Corridor route. At the very least, you can learn more about Amtrak service and other alternative forms of transportation, like carpooling and vanpooling.

The occasion is UC Davis' Air Quality and Transportation Faire, held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Oct. 24 on the Silo patio — rain or shine, unless rain is pouring down, said Ann Davies-Nesbitt, alternative transportation coordinator on the main campus.

She said Amtrak is providing the tickets to be given away in a drawing. Other transit agencies also are due to be represented at the fair, along with vanpool vendors and AlterNetRides, a ride-matching service. The program also lists participation by the Institute of Transportation Studies, and the Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering.

Davies-Nesbitt said the main campus's sixth vanpool went into service Oct. 1, serving Yuba and Sutter counties. Two other vans serve north Natomas, and one each serves Elk Grove, Placer County and El Cerrito. For details about starting a vanpool or seat availability, contact Davies-Nesbitt: (530) 752-6453 or amdaviesnesbitt@ucdavis.edu.

Senate seeks data on promotions, merit raises

The Academic Senate's Representative Assembly decided at its Oct. 12 meeting that numbers are not enough when the senate's academic personnel committees present their annual reports. The senate wants analyses of "patterns and experiences" that may crop up as committee members review promotions, merit pay raises and appeals.

History professor Bill Hagen sparked the discussion by noting that the raw numbers alone indicated that the academic personnel oversight subcommittee was "consistently more negative than the departments or deans." For example, in the category of promotion to associate professor, the subcommittee reviewed 49 cases and recommended approval of 44 promotions, whereas all 49 had been approved at the department level and 47 had been approved by deans. Hagen asked for some kind of explanation of the subcommittee's rationale, and the Representative Assembly agreed.

South entry detours delayed again

Road closures and detours for utility work at the main campus's south entry will not begin until late winter or spring, the Architects and Engineers office announced. The closures and detours had first been planned from July through December. Officials then pushed back the starting date to September and then October at the earliest. Julie Sams, project manager, said the proposed schedule now in place calls for the closure of the California Avenue bridge between Old Davis and La Rue roads from June 25 to Sept. 17 next year.

Sneak peek at UC Davis

About 3,500 prospective students and their parents as well as school counselors are expected to explore UC Davis tomorrow on Preview Day. The all-day event, beginning at 7 a.m., will include campus and residence hall tours, information sessions, and a majors and activities fair. Campus tours will begin at 7:30 a.m.

Presentations — covering topics from financial aid to academics — start at 8:30 a.m., and visitors may speak with faculty, staff, and students at the Majors and Activities Fair from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The day concludes at 4 p.m. Admission is free, and parking is free until 11 a.m. For more information, visit http://admissions.ucdavis.edu/previewday.

Academic Senate seeks nominations for awards

The Academic Senate is seeking nominations for this year's Faculty Research Lecturer Award. The award is the highest honor the Davis Division of the Academic Senate accords its members. The deadline for nominations is Nov. 2.

The senate also welcomes nominations for these awards:

• Distinguished Scholarly Public Service Award (deadline Nov. 30);
• Distinguished Teaching Award for Undergraduate Teaching (deadline Jan. 10);
• Distinguished Teaching Award for Graduate and Professional Teaching (deadline Jan. 10);

Visit the Academic Senate's Web site at academicsenate.ucdavis.edu for more information on the forms and awards. All nominations must be submitted electronically to ksvonrummelhoff@ucdavis.edu.

For questions, contact Kathy von Rummelhoff at (530) 752-3920.

Breast cancer session

The UC Davis Cancer Center and the American Cancer Society will sponsor a free public lecture offering insights into the latest technologies for breast cancer detection and tumor surgery from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 16 in the UC Davis Cancer Center auditorium, 4501 X St., Sacramento.

Speakers are John Boone, professor and vice chair of radiology at UC Davis Cancer Center and John McGahan, professor of radiology. A breast cancer patient will also speak during the lecture.

To reserve a seat for this free lecture, call (916) 446-7933, option 3, ext. 335, or e-mail libertine.delrosario@cancer.org with the subject line, "breast cancer."

Blood drives in November

The Associated Students of UC Davis will hold two blood drives next month. The first takes place from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 6 in Freeborn Hall. The second is from 10:30 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. on Nov. 7-8.

Participants will receive free T-shirts. Staff will have a separate section on the stage for donation in order to avoid wait periods. Please eat and drink plenty of fluids before donating. BloodSource of Sacramento can provide water prior to donations, if requested.

For more information, call Angela Tarricone at (916) 376-6007 or e-mail angela.tarricone@bloodsource.org.