News in Brief
Penn State Intercom......April 19 , 2001

Help for Habitat

The University Park campus chapter of Habitat for Humanity, a student-run organization, is seeking faculty and staff assistance in its biggest-ever endeavor. Members of the organization are putting themselves up for hire in an effort to raise $40,000 to build a Habitat House.

In a program called Rent-A-Worker, the students will go out in the community to do yard work and odd jobs for donations. This program takes place on the weekends at times arranged by the donors and the volunteers. For information on how to hire the students, e-mail Sean Meyercheck at smm300@psu.edu.

The group also is partnering with its local Habitat affiliate, Tri County, to take part in Housewalk 2001, a five-mile walk where participants take pledges to raise funds. All money earned by the students in this way will go directly toward reaching the $40,000 goal.

For information on the walk, which will take place April 22, e-mail Tri County Habitat for Humanity at habitat@vicon.net or call (814) 238-3113. For information about the campus group or other donation opportunities, e-mail Colleen Morrissey at cjm226@psu.edu or Jason Moyer at jtm197@psu.edu.

Extended library hours

The University Libraries announce their hours for the final exam period, Friday, April 27, through Saturday, May 5.

There will be extended hours on floors two through five of Paterno Library and the ground and first floors of Pattee Library for studying and in-house use of materials only. The schedule for Pattee Library and Paterno Library is as follows:

* Friday, April 27: 7:45 a.m. to 9 p.m., with extended hours to midnight;

* Saturday, April 28: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., with extended hours to midnight;

* Sunday, April 29: 9 a.m. to midnight, with extended hours to 2 a.m.;

* Monday-Thursday, April 30-May 3: 7:45 a.m. to midnight, with extended hours to 2 a.m.;

* Friday, May 4: 7:45 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and

* Saturday, May 5: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Pollock Laptop Library and Branch Libraries will continue regular hours during final exams. For information on hours of library service, call (814) 865-3063, visit the libraries' Web site at http://www.libraries.psu.edu/, or type "HELP HOURS" when using the non-Web version of LIAS.

Direct deposit update

Beginning May 1, employees who currently have their payroll checks direct-deposited into their bank accounts will begin having other payments and reimbursements direct-deposited to their bank accounts as well.

These payments include travel reimbursements, travel advances, flex benefit reimbursements, group meal reimbursements and refunds, among others. Employees will be notified by e-mail when a payment has been direct-deposited to their accounts. Normally, amounts will be available in employees' bank accounts within two business workdays of notification.

Employees who do not currently have their payroll checks directly deposited or those who do not have a Penn State user ID and e-mail address will continue to receive these types of payments by check. Employees who wish to begin direct deposit of all Penn State checks should contact their Human Resources representative or campus business office for the appropriate form.

To obtain a Penn State user ID, complete an "Access Account Application for Faculty and Staff" form and submit it to: Accounts Office, Penn State University, 101 Computer Building, University Park, Pa. 16802. An Acrobat version of this form is available at http://cac.psu.edu/accounts/access.html listed under the faculty and staff section. Applications also may be faxed to (814) 865-9289.

LIAS changes coming

Faculty and graduate students with teaching and research responsibilities need to know that LIAS, the Library Information Access System, will change May 23 at all University Libraries locations.

Changes may affect course Web-page links. Benefits include expansion of inter-library loan services, speedy circulation notices via e-mail, easier and more direct access to full-text databases, improved access to electronic course reserves and more hotlinks via libraries electronic re-sources to quickly access what readers need.

For information, visit http://www.libraries.psu.edu after May 23 or call any of the University library locations.

Faculty representatives sought

The University Park Campus-Community Partnership (UPCCP) is looking for faculty representatives to become involved in its initiatives.

The organization was formed in 1998 and involves 45 representatives from the University and the Centre Region working together to reduce the negative consequences of high-risk alcohol use through awareness and education, social and alternative programming, policy and enforcement, and standards and expectations. For information on UPCCP, visit http://www.psu.edu/ATOD/uphomepage.html on the Web, or call Susan Kennedy, associate director of University Health Services, at (814) 863-0461 or e-mail slk5@psu.edu.

Absence policy reminder

Faculty and students are reminded of Penn State's policy regarding students' requests for absence from class for the purpose of observing a religious holiday. The University Faculty Senate Policy on Class Attendance (42-27) states that instructors should provide, within reason, opportunity to make up work for students who are obliged to miss classes for legitimate reasons.

As further clarification, the Academic and Administrative Policies and Procedures Manual (R-4) states that while the University makes every effort to avoid conflicts with religious holidays, when conflicts are unavoidable, the policy is to try to make special arrangements for the students affected.

The Faculty Handbook says that "Faculty members are encouraged to entertain re-quests for exemptions from class attendance for purposes of religious observances."

A list of holy days of the major world religions that may require students to depart from their normal routine is published by the Center for Ethics and Religious Affairs at http://www.sa.psu.edu/cera/relhol.html. The Faculty Handbook can be found on the Web at http://www.psu.edu/oldmain/prov/fachand/index.html.

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