1. Be Careful Crossing the Street!

While our Memphis campus is lucky to be positioned in the heart of the Medical District, there are a few challenges that come with this urban location. One of which, is the fact that our campus is positioned across several busy streets, including Madison Avenue and Union Avenue, and crossing those streets can be risky if the pedestrians and drivers are not both paying attention.

Last week, one of our students was hit by a car as they were crossing Madison Avenue in the crosswalk in front of the Pharmacy Building. The student was quickly transported to Regional One Health just a few feet away, and thankfully will be ok. However, this accident could have been much worse.

Faculty, staff, students, and patients – please make sure you have activated the pedestrian crossing light system on either side of the crosswalk on Madison prior to crossing the street, and that you wait for the "walk" signal when crossing Union. Please continue to watch the traffic carefully when crossing these busy streets. Ideally, pedestrians should be able to easily walk across the street, however, distracted driving is prevalent, and we should exercise caution for the duration of a walk across any street.

The university will continue to position our Campus Police officers strategically across campus so that they may monitor and deter motorists from speeding on our campus. Likewise, please continue to be vigilant as we cross the streets as pedestrians, as well as when we drive down the same streets as motorists. Together, we can take precautions to ensure that our campus remains a safe, walkable place!

2. Virtual Benefits Fair for Employees is This Week

In preparation for the upcoming Open Enrollment Period (October 1–15) the Benefits Office is hosting a Virtual Benefits Fair this week with sessions through Friday, September 24. 

Employees are encouraged to attend sessions in the comfort of your own home or office to gain a greater understanding of the benefits available to you. All sessions are approximately one hour. Choose your sessions below, and register via the link to get the Zoom information:

Optum (FSA/HSA)
Wednesday, September 22, 10:30 am
Optum Bank will manage medical, limited purpose (L-FSA) and dependent care FSA (DC-FSA) programs. Learn more information on eligible medical FSA/HSA expenses, claim filing documentation and dependent care FSA reimbursement.

Davis Vision
Wednesday, September 22, 2:30 pm
This review will cover the plans, benefits, services, and changes for the upcoming year.

Cigna (Medical and Dental)
Thursday, September 23, 10:00 am
An overview of the 2022 medical and dental plans, any upcoming changes/enhancements, and teledentistry.

Optum (EAP and Behavioral Health)
Thursday, September 23, 3:00 pm
An Optum representative will discuss a wide range of services, including: Employee Assistance Program, work life services, behavioral health, and substance use treatment.

MetLife Short-Term Disability
Friday, September 24, 11:00 am
An overview of the short-term disability plan offered through the State of Tennessee. The sessions will review plan design options and claim examples.

Minnesota Life
Friday, September 24, 2:00 pm
Life Insurance 101: What do I need to know? An overview of life, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, and what benefits are available to you through the State of Tennessee.

3. Tomorrow, September 22, is Deciphering Dialects: When Words Vary Amongst Spanish Speaking Populations

The Office of Inclusion, Equity, and Diversity presents Deciphering Dialects: When Words Vary Amongst Spanish Speaking Populations a virtual conversation to commemorate National Hispanic Heritage Month tomorrow, Wednesday, September 22 at 12:30 pm CDT.

Join us as we have a panel of language experts to discuss their work and/or experiences navigating, interpreting (medical), and researching Spanish cultures, dialects, and more!

This event is FREE, but registration is required.

4. Enroll Now in the Social Determinants of Health Co-Curricular Certificate

The Community Engaged Care Program (our Quality Enhancement Plan for SACSCOC accreditation) invites students, faculty, and staff to enroll in the Social Determinants of Health co-curricular certificate. This certificate program is designed to be completed at your own pace and is open to all UTHSC campuses. It is free of charge to all participants. The lectures, workshops, and community engagement opportunities that make up the certificate will teach participants core content knowledge about how the conditions in which people live, work, and play impact health outcomes.

For more information, visit our webpage. To enroll in the program, fill out this form on Engage or email Alison Brown at abrow267@uthsc.edu. Visit Engage to view the schedule of events.

5. Employees: Take the UT Survey

The University of Tennessee Employee Survey is open for completion. Please share your input in order to make the University of Tennessee an even better place to work. 

UTHSC employees should have received an email from McLean & Company on September 15 with a link to the survey. The survey should only take 15-20 minutes to complete and will be closed on Tuesday, September 28, at 11:45 pm EDT. 

McLean & Company, the vendor administering this survey, will ensure that your data and your answers are kept confidential. All data will be housed with McLean & Company, and the University of Tennessee will only have access to the final reports generated by McLean & Company. Reports will be generated in an aggregate format to ensure your privacy is maintained. Therefore, it is important to be honest in your answers, whether that is positive or negative. 

If you have any questions about this survey, please send an email to survey@mcleanco.com.