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Tuesday, January 9, 1996
It's not snowing . . . much
Southern Ontario continues to escape
the blizzard
that has swept across
the eastern United States over the past two days,
making news in every field, including higher education.
Dozens of colleges and universities were shut down yesterday -- and it
would have been worse except that many institutions are still in the
middle of the January break between semesters. "Stay off the roadway
Monday and use Tuesday for a travel day," said a recorded message at
West Virginia University in Morgantown,
where the new term was supposed to start yesterday.
In downtown Philadelphia,
the University of Pennsylvania
is closed for the second day in a row today, and emergency news
is being distributed through an optimistic phone number: 898-MELT.
Details on health benefits
Staff and faculty will be getting "pay-direct" and "travel assistance"
cards in the mail this week. At least, those who have filled out their
enrolment forms for Prudential Insurance Co. of America will be getting
them. Prudential took over the employee extended health program for UW
as of January 1.
Sandie Hurlburt of the human resources department explains how the
plan works, with changes that were approved last fall:
Your pharmacist will enter your numbers from the pay-direct card a
nd electronically bill Prudential for 80% of
the cost of the eligible prescription drugs; you
must pay the pharmacist the other 20%. After you have reached
your out-of-pocket cap ($100 single/$200 family per calendar year), the
plan will pay 100% of the cost of drugs
for the rest of the calendar year. (The out-of-pocket
cap applies to both prescriptions and paramedical services.)
If your pharmacy does not have pay-direct capabilities, you can
use a Prudential
claim form to seek
reimbursement. The Prudential claim forms will be available early in 1996.
A Preferred Provider Network (PPN) has been established with
local pharmacies.
The use of pharmacies in the
PPN is voluntary; you save money and the costs to the health plan
are also less.
A list of the "preferred provider" pharmacies is being sent out along
with the pay-direct card.
Hurlburt adds: "If you have any medical claims up to December 31, 1995,
you must submit them on a Liberty Health claim form no later than
February 29, 1996. Prudential is not responsible for any claims incurred
prior to January 1, 1996."
Notes for (mostly) students
A couple of highlights:
- Clubs Days take place in the Student Life Centre today and
tomorrow. "This is a great opportunity," says Trish Mumby in the
Federation of Students office, "to learn about a club, join a club,
or even start a club of your own!"
- Registration begins today for
campus
recreation instructional programs. Highlights of the process: "Go to
the lower level Blue South corner of the PAC by Gym 3 on Tuesday, January
9, between 8:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. only to pick up a ticket that
will indicate a time on Tuesday . . . or Wednesday . . . that you are
to register. . . . Return to the Blue South corner of Gym 3, at least
5 minutes before the time indicated on your ticket to line up."
- Work reports for students returning from co-op work terms in the fall
are due at 4:30 today. And, looking ahead to the spring work term,
"peer resume proofreading" begins today in the co-op department in
Needles Hall.
Meeting on faculty unionization
The
faculty association holds
its open meeting about union certification tomorrow afternoon -- from 3:30
to 5 p.m. in Physics room 145. Everybody, members and non-members alike, is
welcome.
"The UW faculty's upcoming decision on certification could lead to
fundamental changes in the governance of our university which could
have a substantial impact on the day-to-day work of faculty," one
professor told me in a memo this week. "The meeting of January 10 will
provide an opportunity for open debate among all faculty before any
card-signing process begins. Come out and participate in this critical
discussion."
And that's it for today
Except, of course, that I want to wish a happy birthday to Gail
Cuthbert Brandt, principal of Renison College!
Chris Redmond
Information
and Public Affairs, University of Waterloo
(519) 888-4567 ext. 3004
credmond@watserv1.uwaterloo.ca
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