Investment in management talent

Davis campus Human Resources chief Karen Hull says, “Of the many fine programs that UC offers, the MSAP program continues to receive the highest praise.”

MSAP stands for Management Skills Assessment Program, which UC regards as an investment in management talent. Applications are now being accepted for the next northern California session, May 1 to 4, at the Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove.

“Many staff who have attended and now moved on and upward in their careers talk about MSAP as one of those defining moments,” said Hull, an associate vice chancellor.

The residential program is designed to assess the skills of new managers, supervisors and project managers — and staff members who aspire to these roles. The curriculum takes into account the complexities of being a manager in the UC system.

The program provides feedback on each participant’s managerial competencies and potential.

The program fee is $875, including lodging and meals. Applications are due by noon Feb. 23. More information, including the application packet, is available online.

For more information, contact Marla Dolcini at Staff Development and Professional Services, (530) 752-9682 or mtdolcini@ucdavis.edu.

Social Security withholding corrected

Remember when Congress and the president, in late December, authorized a two-month extension of the payroll tax cut? And it came too late to be reflected in monthly paychecks Jan. 1?

As a result, UC withheld too much of your pay for Social Security — collecting 6.2 percent. It should have been 4.2 percent, the rate that was in effect for all of 2011 and then extended to January and February.

To make up for the 2 percentage point difference, UC withheld only 2.2 percent from Feb. 1 checks. (This deduction is labeled OASDI, which stands for Old-Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance, or, what we call Social Security; the assessment applies to your federal taxable earnings you’re your retirement plan contribution.)

Come March 1, the rate will revert to 6.2 percent — unless Congress and the president further extend the payroll tax cut. Stay tuned.

Boredom Busters, April 9-13

Campus Recreation is busting the boredom of spring break, once again, for children in kindergarten through sixth grade. One day they might be rock climbing in the ARC or playing Frisbee, another day they could be doing arts and crafts, another day exploring the campus.

This year’s Boredom Busters program is scheduled from Monday through Friday, April 9-13. Full- and half-day programs are available: 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. or 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

More information, including a link to the online enrollment system.

Campus Rec also is gearing up for children’s programs this summer. You can get a preview at the annual Children’s Activity Faire, presented by UC Davis and the city of Davis, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 10, at the Farmers Market at Central Park, Second and C streets. (An e-mail announcement from Campus Rec this week gave an incorrect date.)

A guide to this year’s schedule will be mailed to former participants. Add your name to the mailing list by clicking here.

Registration is scheduled to begin at noon Thursday, March 15, via Campus Rec’s Online Store. Each user needs a profile, so, if you have not already set one up or if your profile needs updating, you can save time by doing it now

For more information, contact Youth Programs, (530) 754-4304 or
youthprograms@campusrec.ucdavis.edu.