From: Lori Anne Kirk, Schiffert Health Center

On July 7th 2009, the Charles W. Schiffert Health Center launched a new online appointment request service. Virginia Tech students who are eligible for services at Schiffert Health Center can register to use this service at no additional cost. The new service found at https://healthcenter.vt.edu/osh provides an online interface for selecting appointment types and times and will complement the current methods for making appointments. Before making an appointment using the online service, students must register using their Virginia Tech PID and password.

Contact Lori Anne Kirk at lorianne@vt.edu or 540/231-3070.

From: Human Resources

Changes to VSDP Short-Term Disability effective July 1, 2009

Any employee hired or rehired on or after July 1, 2009 will need to satisfy a one year waiting period before being eligible for VSDP short-term disability benefits. This waiting period is for new employees only -- current employees, hired prior to July 1, 2009 have immediate access to the benefit.

Any employee hired or rehired on or after July 1, 2009 who is eligible for VSDP will receive no more than 60% of their creditable compensation for the first 60 months of continuous employment with the state. This is for new employees only--current employees hired prior to July 1, 2009 will continue to have the gradual reduction from 100%, 80% and 60%.

Any employee who returns to work on or after July 1, 2009 and then goes back out on short term disability for the same condition within 45 days of being back at work will continue on the same short term disability claim. This is a change from the 14-day policy previously in place. This change will apply to all employees.

The printed, revised VSDP handbook will not be available until October, however, here is the link to access it online: http://www.varetire.org/Pdf/Publications/VSDPhdbk.pdf

For more information, please contact the HR Service Center at 231-9331 or perserv@vt.edu.

From: Jerry Palmer, Records Management Services

Electronic Records Workshop
This Friday, 4-4:45pm in Room 1020 Torgersen Hall. Presentation by the University Records Manager, Jerry Palmer will focus on E-mails. For reservations, email Jerry at gepalmer@vt.edu

From: Transportation and Campus Services

Beginning July 20, 2009 Mail Services will take new measures to increase their efficiencies and reduce their operating costs by delivering and picking-up mail once per day for most offices on campus.

The new procedure will allow Mail Services to participate in reducing Virginia Tech’s carbon footprint while allowing more time to accommodate new mail stops that have been requested. There will be some on campus who will continue to receive two per day deliveries/pickups. Those departments/offices are listed below and were selected according to the following criteria:

1. Currently receive two per day deliveries/pickups.
2. High volume of outgoing mail as measured by $12,000 or more spent on postage through Mail Services.
3. High volume of incoming mail as measured by 200 first class letters/flat mail or 20 packages daily.

The University President and Provost offices as well as all Vice President’s offices will continue to receive two per day deliveries/pickups.

If you were not selected and feel that your department or office may meet the above criteria please email Mail Services by July 17 at mailservices@vt.edu with a justification for two per day deliveries/pickups. We will evaluate each request on a case-by-case basis. Additionally, we will annually review mail volume and usage to confirm which departments/offices may merit two per day service.

Mail Services is also pleased to announce a new Courtesy Mail Courier service starting on July 20th. If you have an occasional need for a pickup in the afternoon, Mail Services will provide a Courtesy Mail Courier. To ensure we can answer requests on the same day, you must call 231-6909 before 1pm. Additionally, we will only be able to book a request within 24 hours of the pickup time. You may also drop your mail at the Virginia Tech Post Office on Main Street by 2:30pm in order to be processed that day.

Please note that the switch from four mail routes to three will require Mail Services to restructure their mail room. In order to accomplish this task there will only be a morning delivery on July 16 and there will be no mail delivery on July 17. If your department has a need to send mail, you may bring your outgoing mail to the Virginia Tech Post Office downtown.

The University President and Provost offices as well as all Vice Presidents will continue to receive two deliveries per day. In addition, the following departments will continue to receive two per day delivery service:

Admissions (0202) Athletic Department (0387, 0388, 0394, 0502) Bursar’s Office (0143) College of Veterinary Medicine (0442 and 0443) Controller’s Office (0312, 0339, 0340) Financial Aid (0222) Graduate School (0325) Hokie Passport (0268) Human Resources (0153, 0318) Internal Audit (0328) Office of Sponsor Programs (0170) Police Department (0523) Purchasing (0333) Registrar (0134) Soil Testing (0465) University Development (0290, 0336, 0474, 0486) University Legal Counsel (0121) Virginia Tech Foundation (0142, 0172, 0354)