Benefits corner

Jul 27, 2013 | Intercom

Tuition Waiver for Dependents

NMC offers a tuition waiver based on the employee’s appointment percent for regular employees and their dependents covering the cost of tuition for courses offered by the College (D-711.00), and for adjunct instructors and their dependents based on the number of contacts they taught in the previous year (D-712.00).  If any of your dependents age 19 or older are planning to take classes, you must confirm their dependent status is in accordance with the Internal Revenue Code’s definition of dependency each semester that they enroll.  (This does not apply to spouses.)  According to IRS Publication 501, a qualifying child must meet the five tests of relationship, age, residency, support and joint return. The age requirements are detailed here:

  • Under age 19 at the end of the year and younger than you (or your spouse if filing jointly),
  • A full-time student under age 24 at the end of the year and younger than you (or your spouse if filing jointly), or
  • Permanently and totally disabled at any time during the year, regardless of age.

(Please note that the age requirements for dependency differ from the age requirements for health benefits through the NMC health care plan.)

If you have a dependent 19 or older enrolled for Fall Semester, or if you have other questions about the tuition benefit, please contact Cheri Paul at 995-1026.

Position vacancies

Jul 27, 2013 | Intercom

For information on positions currently open at NMC, please visit NMC’s web page at https://jobs.nmc.edu/  Information on internal postings has been emailed.

Strategy Retreat to take place July 31

Jul 25, 2013 | Intercom

The Strategy Retreat planned for Wednesday, July 31 will kick off NMC’s process to update our strategic plan. This year’s retreat will focus on the external environment and building a common understanding of the change that is afoot within higher education. Additional work on goals development and refinement will take place during the weeks following this initial session. A high level planning calendar is available on the ORPE planning pages on the intranet located here.

The Strategy Retreat is attended by the Leadership Group which includes: President’s Council, Planning & Budget Council, Policy Council Chair, Employee Group Chairs, Educational Services Instructional Management Team (ESIMT), and department directors. Additional information on the role of Leadership Group and others across campus in the planning process can also be found on the ORPE planning pages located here.

Work on revising the strategic plan will continue for several weeks following the retreat. If you have input to the plan (which can be found here) please share your feedback with a member of Leadership Group – ideally your department director.

For more information about the planning process visit the planning homepage. Questions about the process or planning roles can be directed to Karen Ruedinger at 5-1032.

Welcome Anthony Rupard to NMC!

Jul 25, 2013 | Intercom

Anythony Rupard joined NMC in the position of Director of Development on July 22, 2013. He can be reached at 995-2822 or arupard@nmc.edu.

Anthony and his wife Natalie Rupard moved to Traverse City from Lexington, Kentucky. Natalie and Anthony left Michigan in 2002 after meeting in college in Grand Rapids and are very excited to return to Michigan.  Their two children Anna Mae (6) and Owen (4) keep them busy and as a family they enjoy volunteering, hiking, and reading Dr. Seuss books.  Prior to moving to Traverse City, Anthony and Natalie both worked at Georgetown College, a 4-year private liberal arts institution, Anthony as the Director of Development and Natalie as the Associate Director for Academic Enhancement.

 

Free summer band outdoor concert series continues through August

Jul 24, 2013 | Intercom

The NMC Concert Band’s annual free outdoor summer concert series features four performances of music with American roots. Bring a lawn chair for a toe-tapping good time:

  • June 27 – on the lawn of the Music House Museum in Acme, 7:30 p.m.
  • July 1 – National Cherry Festival’s Heroes Day celebration. 12:30 p.m. at the Cherry Blast stage.
  • July 18  – Hull Park, on the shores of Boardman Lake, 7:30 p.m.
  • August 1 – Grand Traverse Pavilions, 7 p.m.

Musical selections will include a “Musical Tribute to George Gershwin,” “Beguine for Band” by Michigan composer Glenn Osser, excerpts from “The Music Man,” several marches, and patriotic selections.

The NMC  Concert Band was formed in 1973 and now includes 50 members. It is comprised of young, energetic high school and college students learning side-by-side with experienced adults. The summer concert series is under the direction of John Beery.

 

For More Information Contact:
Jeffrey Cobb
Director, NMC Music Programs
jecobb@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1338

Benefits corner

Jul 24, 2013 | Intercom

Deductibles on NMC’s medical plans

If you are covered on either the NMC Core Plan or the NMC High Deductible Health Plan, you are responsible for meeting an annual deductible amount on certain services.  This means that you will have to pay out of pocket expenses before any benefits from your health insurance plan can be used.  Some services such as preventive care or ambulance services, are paid at 100% with the deductible waived.  What’s the difference between the deductibles for the two plans?

Core Plan

  • If any individual covered on your plan pays $200 out of pocket for reasonable and customary expenses, the Core Plan will begin paying 80% of costs with the individual paying 20%.
  • If you have 3 or more covered on your plan and you collectively pay $400 out of pocket for reasonable and customary expenses, then the Plan will begin paying 80% of costs for the entire family and the covered members will pay 20%.  This applies to all covered family members, even if they did not contribute toward the family deductible.
  • There is an out-of-pocket maximum of $1,500 per individual or $3,000 per family each calendar year, which includes the deductibles already paid.  If these maximums are reached, the Core Plan pays 100% of covered services for the remainder of the year.
  • You will always pay for pharmacy on the Core Plan, even if you have met the out-of-pocket maximum for services, using the prescription plan costs of $2.50 for generic drugs and 40% of the cost of brand name drugs, with a $20 minimum and a $40 maximum.

High Deductible Health Plan

  • If you are in the individual or single HDHP, you will pay $1,250 out of pocket for reasonable and customary expenses, including the full cost of pharmacy.  Once you reach your deductible, the HDHP will pay 100% for covered medical services.
  • If you are in the family HDHP, you will pay $2,500 out of pocket for reasonable and customary expenses for all covered members, including the full cost of pharmacy.  Once you reach the deductible, the HDHP will pay 100% for covered medical services.  This applies to all covered family members, even if they did not contribute toward the family deductible.
  • Once you meet your deductible in either high deductible plan, you will then use the Core Plan prescription costs of $2.50 for generic drugs and 40% of the cost of brand name drugs, with a $20 minimum and a $40 maximum.
  • If you pay $1,500 on the single HDHP or $3,000 on the family HDHP in prescription costs after you meet your deductible, then even pharmacy is covered at 100%.

For more information on services covered on your NMC medical plan, you can access the applicable Schedule of Medical Benefits and Prescription Coverage summary located on the Intranet Open Enrollment page at https://intranet.nmc.edu/depts/human-resources/open-enrollment/index.html.

If you have any questions about this or other benefits, you can contact Human Resources at 995-1362 or 995-1025.

 

 

Kudos

Jul 23, 2013 | Intercom

Fred Cook and Steve Fewins have always done an excellent job making the Great Lakes Campus building look great. They just completed refinishing the floors in the lab and offices and they have not looked this good in years. They value the perception people have of our campus.

Position vacancies

Jul 22, 2013 | Intercom

For information on positions currently open at NMC, please visit NMC’s web page at https://jobs.nmc.edu/  Information on internal postings has been emailed.

Employee anniversaries

Jul 22, 2013 | Intercom

The following employees are celebrating anniversaries soon. Please join us in congratulating them!

Steve Egeler                            Custodian                                                                         4 years

Constanza Hazelwood             Water Studies Institute Education & Outreach Coordinator       6 years

Val Reynolds                           Custodian                                                                         5 years

Darrell Rogers                                    Training Specialist – Training Department                   25 years

Karen Ruedinger                     Coordinator of Research & Market Understanding      10 years

Alice Sluss                               Office Manager – Humanities Academic Area               8 years

 

Sending thanks…

Jul 17, 2013 | Intercom

It is comforting to know that I have an amazing work place that not only provides time to grieve over the loss of my mom but that has a supportive, kind and loving staff.  Your notes of comfort, words of encouragement and presence at a time when we have lost the most beautiful person in our world mean so much me and my family.  Thank you NMC for the lovely plant and the time to heal.

 

Kay Hall

Office Manager Auxiliary Services

Zero Tolerance Standard established in respect to acts of intimidation or threats

Jul 17, 2013 | Intercom

NMC has established a Zero Tolerance Standard with respect to acts of intimidation, threats of violence, or acts of violence relating to the campus or classroom. A safe and secure campus is essential to carrying out the mission of the College; the campus and its community are committed to working together to create and maintain a campus that is as free from forms of harassing and threatening behaviors.

 

Definitions

Intimidation: An intentional act toward another person, causing the other person to reasonably fear for his/her safety or the safety of others.

Threat of Violence: An intentional act that threatens bodily harm to another person or damage to the property of another.

Act of Violence: An intentional act that causes bodily harm, however slight, to another person or damage to the property of another.

NMC prohibits acts of intimidation as well as actual or threatened violence against co-workers, fellow students, visitors, or any other persons who are either on campus or have contact with the NMC community in the course of their duties. The following are examples of these types of behaviors:

  • Unwelcome name-calling, inappropriate language or behavior
  • Intimidation through direct or veiled verbal threats
  • Throwing objects with the intent to cause harm regardless of the size or type of object being thrown, or whether a person is the target of the thrown object
  • Physically touching another person in an intimidating, malicious, or harassing manner, including such acts as hitting, slapping, poking, kicking, pinching, grabbing, and pushing
  • Physically intimidating others including such acts as obscene gestures, shouting, and fist shaking.

Any NMC person who is the subject of, or a witness to, a suspected violation is strongly encouraged to report the violation to Campus Security. Any emergency, perceived emergency, or suspected criminal conduct should be immediately reported to Campus Security. Any supervisor, manager, or other person in authority who receives a report of a suspected violation shall consult with the Behavioral Intervention Report Team (BIRT) as appropriate.  Any NMC person found to be in violation of this policy shall be subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal, pursuant to applicable Personnel or Student Policies and, if appropriate, shall be prosecuted. No NMC person shall be retaliated against in his/her employment for reporting intimidation, threats or acts of violence.

 

 This information along with a comprehensive list of other topics can be found at

https://intranet.nmc.edu/depts/emergency-mngt-plan/

Benefits corner

Jul 17, 2013 | Intercom

Supplemental Retirement Accounts through NMC

Do you currently have a 403(b) or 457(b) supplemental retirement account to which you contribute pre-tax through payroll?  Did you have an account previously with NMC?  If so, you need to know that the College has a third-party administrator called TSA Consulting Group which acts as our compliance agent for record keeping and administration of our plan, especially as it relates to ever changing IRS regulations.

When you get to the point where you are ready to request a transaction with your annuity (distribution, rollover, withdrawal, loan), you will have to work with both your annuity vendor and TSA in order to accomplish this.  The Transaction Routing Request form is located on the Intranet at https://intranet.nmc.edu/forms/index.html under Human Resources, Benefits.

If you have any questions about this or other benefits, you can contact Human Resources at 995-1362 or 995-1025.

Peer guide training

Jul 17, 2013 | Intercom

Do you remember life as a new employee? Could you help a new employee adjust to a new position at NMC? If yes, we need you!

We are looking for new Peer Guides who will connect new NMC employees with experienced NMC employees. Guides provide new employees with support during their transition to NMC, befriending them, answering questions and introducing them to colleagues from outside their immediate work area.

The next training to become a Peer Guide is scheduled for Thursday, August 1, 10:00-12:00pm.

If serving as a Peer Guide sounds rewarding, please click the link below to review more information and to complete the informational sheet to get started. Intranet Peer Guide Site

Please return completed sheets to lhodek@nmc.edu / Lori Hodek in Human Resources.

TEDx Traverse City speaker’s film to be included in 2013 TC Film Festival

Jul 16, 2013 | Intercom

Thomas Morgan who spoke at TEDx Traverse City this year on the topic of “Put on your Underoos It’s Time to Save the World!” will have his film included in the 2013 TC Film Festival. Waiting for Mamu tells the story of the impact of children serving out prison terms with their parents in Nepal.  The 40 minute film is offered as a free showing on July 31st at Noon in the new Bijou By the Bay location. Information can be accessed here.

Position vacancies

Jul 16, 2013 | Intercom

For information on positions currently open at NMC, please visit NMC’s web page at https://jobs.nmc.edu/  Information on internal postings has been emailed.