Summer Enrollment 2008

As you know this year’s Benefits Summer Enrollment began July 28 will and continue through August 22, 2008. This is the time of year when you can change your benefits elections. Such as adding and or dropping dependent medical or dental coverage. Changes made during open enrollment will become effective on September 1, 2008. You also can apply for disability insurance and life coverage. However, in order to add or increase disability and life coverage you must go through the Evidence of Insurability (EOI) process. For more information please click here.

ERS will be mailing a benefits statement to your home address. Benefits statements will show your current benefits elections. Open enrollment changes must be done online. Faculty/staff can get their password at www.ers.state.tx.us by following the instructions below.

Once on the ERS site:

• Click on the ERS ONLINE box to the right of the screen.
• When you go to the next screen, click on NEED A PASSWORD. You will then be prompted to enter your USER ID which is your social security number.
• Next, enter your date of birth. Once you have entered your date of birth, a password will be emailed to you. NOTE: If you do not have an e-mail address on file with ERS, your password will be mailed to you within 3 business days.

You don’t have to wait for your benefits statement to see your current benefits elections. Simply, visit ERS Online and view your benefits. Your current benefits elections, including TexFlex, which will rollover to the next fiscal year if you do not making any changes online.

New this year Caremark will be replacing Medco as our prescription drug carrier effective September 1, 2008. Your drug copayments, deductible, and covered drug list (formulary) won’t change. Plus, you can still get your prescriptions from your local pharmacy, or mail order. For more information please click here.

Who:
Cheryl L. Pleasant
Assistant Director, Facility Operations

Years of UH Service:
8 years 3 months

Department:
Campus Recreation

How to Contact Me:
713.743.0218 or crclean@uh.edu

Where to Find Me:
Room 1018 - Campus Recreation

When to Call Me (What you do):
Call me when you notice something that facility operations is doing well or when you see an area
where we can improve. Your input helps us to provide a high level of customer service – a facility that is safe, clean and well maintained at all times.

Helpful Hint:
To optimize efficiency, it is still a best practice to properly balance the utilization of man, material
and machine.

What I Like Best About My Job:
As an Industrial Engineer, by profession, who graduated from the UH Cullen College of
Engineering, I am glad that I was able to return and give back to the University after working in
the private sector. I enjoy working with people and processes. I have such a great operations
team. I am motivated by my hardworking and dedicated staff.

To learn more about PASS, go to http://www.uh.edu/adminservices/PASS/index.htm, or call the Administration and Finance Customer Service Center at 713-743-3988 where a friendly voice is ready to assist you.

1. Go to the University of Houston website at www.uh.edu or go to www.uh.edu/directory and skip to number 3.

2. Click on Directory link located at the right upper corner of the page.




3. On the UH People Search Page, enter your first name and last name.

4. Click Search.




5. On the Results Page, review your information.




If any information is missing or outdated, please follow the directions below to correct the contact information in PASS.

Click here for instructions on how to designate your Business Email Address.

Click here for instructions on how to designate your Business Phone Number.

Click here for instructions on how to designate your Work Address.


To learn more about PASS, go to http://www.uh.edu/adminservices/PASS/index.htm, or call the Administration and Finance Customer Service Center at 713-743-3988 where a friendly voice is ready to assist you.

• Name
• Phone number (s)
• E-mail address
• Emergency contact (s)

The information provided in PASS is used for a variety of purposes including:

• Informing you of campus updates and closings
• Letting us know who to contact in case of an emergency
• Providing the contact information in the campus phone directory
• Assisting customers when there is a need to contact individuals.

Please take a few minutes to go online and check your information in PASS Here are a few simple steps to follow:

1. Go to the University Portal website at http://my.uh.edu

2. Select the P.A.S.S. link on the left-hand side of the page.

3. Click on Personal Information.




4. Click on Personal Information Summary.




5. Once the Personal Information Summary page comes up, review your current personal information.




If you need to make any changes to your information, please visit the PASS Help website at http://www.uh.edu/adminservices/PASS/index.htm for step-by-step instructions.

If you have any questions, difficulties, or need assistance with PASS please contact A&F Customer Service at 713.743.3988.

Tax-Free Weekend

Texas shoppers get a break from state and local sales taxes on August 15, 16 and 17 - the state's annual tax holiday. Lay-away plans can be used again this year to take advantage of the sales tax holiday.

The law exempts most clothing and footwear priced under $100 from sales and use taxes, which could save shoppers about $8 on every $100 they spend. Backpacks under $100 and used by elementary and secondary students are also exempt. A backpack is a pack with straps one wears on the back. The exemption during the sales tax holiday includes backpacks with wheels, provided they can also be worn on the back like a traditional backpack, and messenger bags. The exemption does not include items that are reasonably defined as luggage, briefcases, athletic/duffle/gym bags, computer bags, purses or framed backpacks. Ten or fewer backpacks can be purchased tax-free at one time without providing an exemption certificate to the seller.

A word of caution: If you sell items that do not qualify for the exemption, you may not advertise or promise that you will pay your customers' sales tax. Additionally, you are prohibited from advertising that you will not collect sales tax on items that do not qualify. You may advertise that tax is included in the sales price of the taxable items that you sell, however.

For information on how to report tax on these sales, please visit Reporting Sales Tax on Tax-Free Items or call us toll free at (800) 252.5555.

Below is a selected list of items and their exemption status during the sales tax holiday.
 

TAX-FREE	TAXED
Baby clothes	Accessories (generally) - barrettes, elastic ponytail holders, wallets, watches
Backpacks for use by elementary and secondary students	Backpacks - unless for use by elementary and secondary students
Belts with attached buckles	Baseball cleats and pants
Boots - cowboy, hiking	Belt buckles (without belt)
Caps/hats - baseball, fishing, golf, knitted	Boots - climbing, fishing, rubber work boots, ski, waders
Coats and wraps	Buttons and zippers
Diapers - adult and baby	Cloth and lace, knitting yarns, and other fabrics
Dresses	Dry cleaning services
Gloves (generally)	Football pants
Gym suits and uniforms	Golf gloves
Hooded shirts and hooded sweatshirts	Handbags and purses
Hosiery	Handkerchiefs
Jackets	Hard hats
Jeans	Helmets - bike, baseball, football, hockey, motorcycle, sports
Jerseys - baseball and football	Ice skates
Jogging apparel	Jewelry
Neckwear and ties	Laundering services
Pajamas	Leather goods - except belts with buckles and wearing apparel
Pants and trousers	Pads - football, hockey, soccer, elbow, knee, shoulder
Raincoats and ponchos	Personal flotation devices
Robes	Rented clothing (including uniforms, formal wear, and costumes)
Shirts	Roller blades and skates
Shoes - sandals, slippers, sneakers, tennis, walking	Safety clothing, glasses
Socks (including athletic)	Shoes - bicycle (cleated), bowling, golf
Shorts
Suits, slacks, and jackets
Sweatshirts
Sweat suits
Sweaters
Swimsuits
Underclothes
Work clothes and uniforms

98-490

Starbucks

ROCK THE VOTE AND UH BOOKSTORE

The national organization Rock the Vote partners with the UH Bookstore to give students the opportunity to support youth voting with graphic t-shirts bearing the company logo “ROCK THE VOTE”. Two dollars of every sale will go directly to rock the vote. Their mission is to engage and build the political power of young people to achieve progressive change in America.

Click here to get yours.

AUGUST CALENDAR