Welcome to the UHS Staff News Page

For this edition of the newsletter, we’re going to cover the Alternate Work Location Arrangement Pilot Program.

Tip of the Week:

Alternate Work Location Arrangement Pilot Program:

• FSU defines the Alternate Work Location Arrangement (AWLA) as a flexible worksite arrangement on a temporary or fixed basis that serves both the employee and the University's needs. The University recognizes that under limited circumstances working from an alternate location can improve productivity and job performance. An AWLA can also promote administrative efficiencies (e.g., reducing office and parking space), reduce traffic congestion and transportation costs, support continuity of operations plans, and sustain the recruitment and retention of a highly skilled workforce by enhancing work/life balance.
• This program applies to A&P, USPS, and OPS employees.
• Telework agreements are not guaranteed and may be terminated at any time by the department or Central HR.

Eligibility:

• Unless an exceptional circumstance is present, employees will not be approved for telework until they have completed at least their probationary period (for USPS employees) or six months of service (for A&P and OPS employees). Additionally, the employee must demonstrate sustained high performance, the ability to organize and manage their time successfully, and is capable of working independently and productively with minimal supervision, as determined by the supervisor and the Director.
• Employees with disciplinary action within the last year from the date of request, or that are actively under investigation for performance or misconduct, are not eligible for telework unless an extenuating exception is granted.
• Employees remain responsible for all job duties, and allocation of their weekly work hours.
• The University worksite remains the official worksite as the primary location for the performance of the employee’s job duties.
• An employee with supervisory responsibility may not conduct telework in a full-time capacity, unless an extenuating exception is granted.
• Telework eligibility will be limited in situations where the job duties require the employee’s physical presence or require access to information or materials only available at the official worksite.
• Broad categories of positions that are not eligible for telework may include, but are not limited to, on-campus direct service and place-specific positions such as police officers, facilities support staff, parking support staff, student health staff, residence life staff, athletic support and operations positions, receptionist/front desk positions, library direct support staff positions, and IT direct desktop support positions. Central HR reserves the right to identify other positions that are not eligible for telework.
• The Director will determine if the AWLA would result in an increased workload for other employees, reduce the service quality, or negatively impact the University operations. If this is determined, then the operational needs of the department are not met, and the request should not be approved.
• Supervisors/Directors may require employees to report to the official worksite (on-campus) as needed to attend work-related meetings or other events.

Partial Telework:

• Any request to work at an alternate work location for an amount of time that is no more than two (2) days of the employee’s work week should be reviewed and approved by the employee’s supervisor and the Director.
• Requests may be approved for a fixed day or flexible day telework schedule, dependent upon the employee’s, department’s, and college’s business needs. Employees should maintain their regularly scheduled work hours and may be approved for up to two days per week taken in full-day increments, prorated by FTE.
• The supervisor should document the telework request and review it with their respective Director for final approval. Requests should be submitted by the employee here.

More information about the Alternate Work Location Arrangement Pilot Program can be found here .

Quote of the Week

“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.”

Theodore Roosevelt

Have a great day!  

Directors Corner

January 2025

A fresh new year brings excitement, possibilities, and opportunities, and we have a lot in store this year at UHS. We started off the year with a bang, experiencing our largest spike in flu cases on record. Thank you so much to everyone who assisted our students during this very busy time. I know many of you had to adjust your schedules and assist more students than usual. Please know how much I appreciate your efforts and how much our students value the exceptional care you provide. We've been actively informing our students about ways to take care of themselves during this infectious season, including getting their flu shots. Thankfully, we have already started to see a decline in flu cases, and we hope this trend continues.

Next, we faced a historic snowstorm that closed the university for a week. Another tremendous thank you to everyone who came to UHS the morning before the storm to care for our students in need of healthcare services. I am so glad we were able to do this because who would have thought that the university would be closed all week due to the unprecedented amount of snow and ice that Tallahassee and the surrounding community received.

We are now back after our winter break(s!) and moving full force into the Spring semester. We are navigating our first Spring semester with the new health insurance requirement, but having successfully made it through Fall, we are tweaking our processes to make this even smoother. Thank you to everyone involved in assisting our students with this new process. Many students are experiencing this for the first time, and your patience with them is greatly appreciated.

You may see a few more check-in kiosks pop up in the Health and Wellness Center this semester as we continue to streamline access and services for our students. Thank you to the staff involved in this initiative and to those assisting our students through the check-in process. We will continue to monitor student access to appointments, scheduling, and check-ins, and will make adjustments to keep this process efficient. Thank you for your patience and flexibility as we work through these new processes.

We will continue to provide the highest quality and most efficient care for our students. Thank you for all you do. Students consistently rank us as a top health center, and their feedback reinforces how valuable each staff member is. I am grateful to be part of such an amazing team.

Best,
Amy

Staff Accolades

Here are notable awards/events from UHS team members

Mike Stewart-Meza

November 2024: presented “Crossroads of Ethics and Medicine: Ethical Considerations in the Out-of-Hospital Care of the Dying” at the HCA Florida Capital EMS Symposium.

Amy Magnuson, Ph.D.

June 2024:  serving on the  American College Health Association (ACHA) Administration Section Leadership Board , appointed June 2024.

Tony Cline

June 2024:  graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors of Science in the FSU Interdisciplinary Social Sciences program, with a specialization in Public Service. Tony has also obtained 2 undergraduate certificates: Emergency Management & Homeland Security and U.S. Intelligence Studies.

Submit your success to uhs-marketing@fsu.edu

All Staff Retreat Awards

The awards ceremony for the All Staff Retreat Awards has concluded, and the list of recipients will be provided below!

Here are the awards and their descriptions for reference:

• Above & Beyond This award recognizes a staff member that consistently performs beyond the duties in their job description. Provides exceptional service with a positive attitude without expectation of recognition. Nominee must be employed at least half-time status.
• Calmer of Storms demonstrates consistent exceptional customer service and has the ability to keep customer relations smooth. Exhibits a positive attitude towards students, staff, and their work. Nominee must be employed at least half-time status.
• Visionary Employee is innovative and committed to the vision of UHS. Initiates ideas and engages in projects that produce a positive change in the Department, Division and/or University. Nominee must be employed at least half-time status.
• Helping Hand Demonstrates a cooperative and collaborative workstyle. Fosters teamwork and displays willingness to help others throughout UHS. Nominee must be employed at least half-time status.
• Impact Recognizes service contributions to the community. Employee has made a positive impact on the local community through service projects either at work or in their personal life. Nominee must be employed at least half-time status.
• All for One & One for All This award recognizes a team or work group that demonstrates cooperation, collaboration and teamwork that reflects the mission of UHS. These individuals pull together, encourage & support one another through challenges, both large & small. Nominee must be employed at least half-time status.
• Leadership This award recognizes an employee who demonstrates initiative by seeking opportunities to assist other staff members who may be new or less experienced, through training and mentor-ship. Nominee must be employed at least half-time status.
• Behind the Scenes For the “Unsung Hero”. Recognizes an employee who works hard every day to make sure students and/or staff have a great experience at UHS. This staff member may take on roles and complete tasks that others may not always see, but are important none the less. Nominee must be employed at least half-time status.
• Carolyn McCain Sunshine This award is in honor of Carolyn McCain, LPN; it recognizes a staff member who is approachable and demonstrates an optimistic “can do” attitude towards patients, staff and their work. This employee has the ability to motivate & encourage others, even in the most difficult situations. Nominee must be employed at least half-time status.
• Project with a Purpose A team or individual project that builds bridges and strengthens relationships within UHS and FSU to create a culture of well-being.

Here are the recipients of each award:

Congratulations to all the recipients of the All Staff Retreat awards! Thank you, your hard work and dedication are truly commendable. You embody the values of UHS and contribute significantly to our success :) Thank you for your outstanding contributions, and here's to the entire UHS staff for their ongoing commitment and passion. Well done!