BECOME RETIREMENT READY  To assist faculty and staff in planning for their future, the University’s Benefits & Wellness Department invites you to attend an on-campus Financial Wellness presentation. Sessions are free and open to all benefits-eligible employees.
Food, along with raffles for amazing prizes, will be provided at each session. Come join us for a chance to win a $200 Visa gift card grand prize! You will also have the opportunity to meet with vendors from each of the UH System’s four key Retirement Savings Plan vendors - Fidelity, TIAA, VALIC and Voya, as well as speak with Human Resources representatives. Attendees must register in advance as space is limited. Please click the presentation time of your choice to RSVP. Date: Friday, October 4, 2019
Location: Farish Hall, Kiva Room 101 Morning Session: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (lunch provided)
Afternoon Session: 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. (refreshments provided) Review Your 2019-2020 benefits reminder 
Thank you for participation in the University of Houston/ERS benefits program. While the 2020 Plan Year Open Enrollment window has now closed, it is still important to review your benefit elections for accuracy by accessing your ERS benefits account. Please review ALL of your enrollment elections (including life insurance) and beneficiary designations. If you identify an error, have questions or concerns about your elections, you must contact an ERS Representative no later than Tuesday, October 15. You will not be able to make changes to your elections after this date unless you have a family status change (e.g., a birth or marriage, etc.) or during the Summer Open Enrollment. Please note: the UH HR Service Center and Benefits teams are not authorized to make Open Enrollment changes in the ERS portal. To better assist you with getting your issue resolved, please contact an ERS Representative at 1-877-275-4377 between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. CT, Monday through Friday before October 15. Weight Watchers at work works! 
A new 12-week series of UH WW (Weight Watchers at Work) will be held weekly onsite beginning Thursday, October 17 to Thursday, January 30 from 12:15 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center. Membership is open to staff, faculty and students and provides weekly onsite workshops, program materials and access to online digital tools. Registering during the first two weeks of October equals savings for you! With the special WW “Deal Days” promotion the cost will be discounted to $132.60 for the 12-week series (regularly $156). Joining is easy and can be done at the first meeting of the new series or in advance by contacting Court Stein, Wellness Administrator, at POWERUP@uh.edu or 713-743-1991. Payments may be made in full by credit card or check, or in three separate checks of $44.20 each. Feel free to stop by a class on any Thursday to learn more, ask questions, meet other members and see if the program is right for you. For additional information, contact Court Stein, Wellness Administrator, at POWERUP@uh.edu or 713-743-1991. lunch & learn: a better night's sleep 
Getting sufficient sleep is much more important to overall health than most people realize. Join Dr. William Elder, Professor and Chair of Behavioral and Social Sciences at the UH College of Medicine, to learn all about sleep and what it can do to improve your health. Bring your lunch and come get your questions answered during this informative presentation. Register here,
- Thursday, October 17, 12 -1 p.m., in the MD Anderson Library, EDR Pavilion, 2nd Fl., or
- Friday, October 25, 12 -1 p.m., at the UH Technology Bridge (ERP), Building 1, Room 210
uh day at the corp 5k - 3 
Join the University of Houston Team at the third annual Hess Houston Corporate Run 5K, Tuesday, October 22 through Thursday, October 24 at Memorial Park anytime between 4-7p.m. The cost of registration is $40. However, if you are one of the first 75 employees to register, UH will cover 50% off your registration fee! To register, visit the UH team page online today. TUESDAY, OCT. 22 will be UH Day at the Corp 5K. Employees are encouraged to participate by either WALKING or running the course. Wear your Cougar Red and come socialize with us and others from across the city! We will meet at 4p.m. near the registration tent prior to setting out for the run/walk. This year, buddy up with a co-worker or make it a fun office team activity by forming a group. UH won the “Top Participating Education Team” award two years in a row. Join us and help the University win again this year! Proceeds benefit the Memorial Park Conservancy. For more information, visit the Houston Corporate 5K website or send an email to POWERUP@uh.edu. annual faculty/staff tailgate & Football game 
UH Faculty Senate, UH Staff Council and HR will host Oktoberfest, the Annual Faculty/Staff Tailgate and Football Game event for all UH faculty and staff. Bring your family and friends and join us Thursday, Oct. 24, from 4-7 PM, at TDECU Stadium, Shasta's Square/Gate 4. The Annual Faculty/Staff Tailgate will precede the UH vs. SMU game beginning at 7 PM. Enjoy free food (smoked turkey legs, pretzels, bratwurst and housemade sauerkraut, and an assortment of beverages and libations), music, a photo booth, and prize-drawing for some really cool swag! Plus, the first 500 employees to attend will receive a free t-shirt! To attend the Tailgate event, please RSVP here. Employees must present their Cougar Cards for entry and bring a driver's license or other government-issued photo ID if they wish to consume alcoholic beverages. Staff employees can also receive a FREE ticket to attend the game at 7 PM and purchase additional tickets for family and friends at a discounted price of $15 here. On Thurs., Oct. 24, wear your Cougar red and JOIN US for this fun social event as we cheer on the UH football team to victory! GO COOGS! yoga opportunities on campus 
Experience yoga in the great outdoors! Mark your calendars for Mindful Coogs’ two upcoming “Yoga by the Fountain” events! Open to students, faculty and staff, these free yoga sessions offer relaxation and stress-relief on the lawn near the University fountains.
- October 24 at 6:00 PM
- November 14 at 6:00 PM
To learn more and stay current on yoga and mindfulness opportunities, visit Mindful Coogs online via Instagram/Twitter @MindfulCoogs or Facebook! Interested in doing yoga on campus weekly? Free Faculty/Staff Yoga occurs every Wednesday, 5:30 – 6:30 PM, in the Health 2 Building, Rm. 2216. No registration required. Just bring your mat and join in! Get the 411 on retirement 
UH Human Resources is partnering with The Teacher Retirement System (TRS) of Texas and Employees Retirement System (ERS) to host a day of retirement workshops for employees on Friday, October 25, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the EDR Pavilion of the MD Anderson Library. TRS will provide detailed information about retirement benefits including how the TRS retirement plan works, what qualifies you to retire, and how the plan will benefit you in retirement. ERS will discuss your medical benefits options in retirement, including dependent coverage, post-retirement life insurance and disability benefits as well as Medicare preparation. Attendees can also learn about the Texa$aver 457 Plan. To see the day’s schedule and description of workshops, click here. It’s never too early to learn about and prepare for your retirement benefits! REGISTER today to ask your questions and gain the information you need to make fully informed decisions about retirement. public art walks 
Get to know your campus better with Public Art Walks! Learn about the groundbreaking public art the University of Houston has to offer by participating in this fun fall activity. Open to students, faculty and staff, the student-led walks will last approximately 30 minutes. Walks will start at the fountain in front of the M.D. Anderson Library at 5 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays between September 10th and November 13th! No registration needed, just meet the group there to join the walks! For more information on public art events and tours, visit the Public Art University of Houston System online.
save on your commute 
Interested in commuting to campus without a car and potentially saving on parking costs? If so, come COAST with us Monday, November 11, 2019, for the inaugural UH Alternative Transportation Day! Mark your calendars today as several fun events will be held throughout the day for the UH community. Join us for the following:
- Bike to Work/School event, 8:00 – 9:00 AM, Student Center South. Register here. Enjoy breakfast tacos, swag and more while learning about the new COAST cycling incentive!
- COAST Summit, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM, MD Anderson Library, EDR Pavilion. Learn about the different ways to commute to campus and the many new incentives provided.
- MetroRail Ride, 1:30 – 3:00 PM, METRO light rail station on Scott St outside TDECU Stadium. Register here. Experience a fun guided tour and experience how easy it is to commute via the light rail!
Don’t miss these great opportunities to learn about the many ways the COAST program can help you save money and enjoy a more sustainable commute. mamava nursing pod 
The University of Houston College of Optometry (UHCO) has added a state-of-the-art Mamava nursing pod to its University Eye Institute (UEI) clinical facility. This modern nursing suite offers mothers-on-the-go a comfortable and private location to feed children or pump breast milk. It comes complete with two spacious benches, a fold-down table, and power outlets and is located near the pediatric clinical service, just down the hall from the patient registration counter. To access the Mamava pod, download the Mamava app and additional instructions will be provided. To learn more about the University’s Workplace Lactation/Breastfeeding policy and lactation accommodations, visit the Women and Gender Resource Center. There you’ll find information regarding the accommodation process as well as the location of available nursing stations located across the campus. health matters 
This fall don’t miss the College of Medicine’s popular radio series “Health Matters” on KUHF News 88.7. Upcoming episodes will provide practical health care information on important topics including food insecurity, loneliness and signs of opioid addiction. The segments air routinely throughout the week, so tune in weekly or access them anytime online. soccer interest poll 
As part of an effort to create a healthier campus community, POWER UP Employee Wellness is exploring ways to provide more free physical fitness activities on campus for faculty and staff. Please complete this survey if you would be interested in playing soccer on campus! celebrating the 2019 staff award winners 
The annual President’s Excellence Awards ceremony for UH staff was held August 28th to recognize the winners of the McElhinney and President’s Excellence Awards, as well as those staff members with 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40+ years of service! During the celebration, President Renu Khator spoke about the many contributions staff continually make to the University, and personally congratulated each award winner. Houston Public Media’s Ernie Manouse emceed the event. Please click here to see a list of this year’s winners! Do be sure to congratulate and commend this year’s winners for their exceptional service to the University of Houston!
Thank you, Court Stein
HR Wellness Administrator
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