State Employee Charitable Campaign
 
 

Contribute today! Your commitment and generous donations have always positively impacted the lives of children, students, families and other individuals in our community. Without you, our State Employee Charitable Campaigns (SECC) would not be successful and our community would go without many of the resources it needs.


Dear UT Health San Antonio faculty and staff,

 

Many within our community continue to struggle: families are trying to achieve financial stability, military and veterans’ families continue to need our support and assistance, and our children are trying to regain the momentum they lost during the pandemic. 

 

We ask you once again to do Everything it Takes to help make the 2022 Campaign a success.

 

We are pleased to serve as co-chairs of the UT Health San Antonio 2022 State Employee Charitable Campaign in support of our community and the many nonprofit agencies, including a few related to our own university, which are guided by missions to assist those in need. We hope that we can count on your support.

 

We encourage you to review this listing and support an organization that aligns with your personal giving philosophy. 

 

When you are ready to designate your agency/agencies, please indicate your support here

 

Thank you. 

 

Sincerely,
Mary and Bill Henrich​
2022 SECC Co-Chairs
UT Health San Antonio

 
 
 
Lowry Mays remembered for steadfast support of cancer patients
 
 

"The Mays Cancer Center mourns the passing of Lowry Mays, a wonderful philanthropist and pillar of the San Antonio community. The transformational confidence and generous support of our mission against cancer by Lowry, Peggy and the entire Mays family is making a strong, favorable impact on cancer research and care for San Antonio and South Texas every day."  - Dr. Ruben Mesa


 
 
Applying Discoveries Through Translational Research | The New Cancer Quest
 
 

Kate Lathrop, MD, explains the advantages of being able to collaborate as an NCI-designated Cancer Center and produce translational research to improve patient care.


 
 
Message from the Chief Medical Officer - COVID-19 and Influenza Vaccine Update
 
 

Based on new FDA approvals and updated CDC recommendations for boosters, UT Health will begin administering the Pfizer Bivalent vaccine to faculty, staff, and patients 12 years and older who completed their primary vaccine series or received a monovalent booster at least two months earlier starting Monday, September 19.


 

Dear Faculty and Staff,

 

On August 31, 2022, the FDA emergency authorized the bivalent COVID-19 boosters from Pfizer and Moderna. Subsequently, the CDC updated its Recommendations for Boosters with the bivalent booster now replacing prior booster recommendations for individuals >12 years of age.

 

Beginning Monday, September 19, 2022, UT Health will begin administering the Pfizer Bivalent vaccine to faculty, staff, and patients 12 years and older who completed their primary vaccine series or received a monovalent booster at least two months earlier.

 

  • The Pfizer bivalent COVID-19 booster will be available in the Medical Arts & Research Center (MARC) lobby on weekdays on a walk-in basis from 8:00 am – 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm – 3:30 pm or by appointment.
  • For adults and pediatric patients ages 5-11 years of age who have not completed their primary series, the MARC vaccine clinic will continue to provide Pfizer monovalent vaccine as well by appointment.
  • Individuals wishing to receive Novavax vaccines as a primary series will be able to receive doses on Wednesday afternoons from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm by appointment as well.  Novavax is not an mRNA vaccine and is produced using more traditional vaccine development methods.  Details of the COVID-19 vaccines can be found on the CDC webpage.
  • Appointments will be available Monday, September 19, 2022 on the UT Health Vaccine/Test Scheduling Webpage.

 

Wellness 360 will be providing influenza vaccines through their annual Pop-up clinics at the MARC and various campus locations.  Employees and students can book appointments for these sites through the Wellness 360 vaccine webpage.  Individuals scheduling an influenza vaccine will also be offered a Pfizer bivalent COVID-19 vaccine as well.  Co-administration of the two vaccines has been approved by the CDC.

 

Primary care patients will also soon be able to schedule their COVID-19 boosters and influenza vaccines at any of the UT Health San Antonio primary care locations.  We will plan to notify providers and patients once vaccines become available at these sites.

 

Clinical studies as well as real-world experience have proven the benefits of COVID-19 vaccines and subsequent boosters.  As the cold and flu season approaches, please encourage your patients, families, and friends to “Get Vaccinated and Boosted” and remind all to bring their vaccine cards to their visit.

 

 

Chatchawin Assanasen, MD, MBA

Interim Chief Medical Officer, UT Health Physicians Ambulatory Services

Professor and CCRI Distinguished Chair in Pediatric Oncology

UT Health San Antonio Joe R. & Teresa Lozano-Long School of Medicine

 
 
Flu Shots Available through Wellness 360
 
 

Annual Flu shots are being offered at various locations on campus. Visit the Wellness 360 website for details and schedule.


 
 
New faculty members join the Mays Cancer Center
 
 

Please welcome and learn about the six new providers joining the Mays Cancer Center!


 
 
Long School of Medicine celebrates Women in Medicine Month
 
 

Meet your 21 women colleagues who are being recognized for changing the face of health, medicine and science.


 
 
UT Health San Antonio kicks-off its second season as the Official Health Care Partner for UTSA Athletics
 
 

Our world-class staff and providers care for UTSA's student athletes’ medical needs - helping them succeed both on and off the field. Learn about our exclusive partnership, how to support the Roadrunners and where you can find discounted tickets.


 
 
New Staff Advisory Council members
 
 

Your vote counted! Meet your new Staff Advisory Council members. Thank you to our staff employees who nominated and voted for these new outstanding members starting their two-year term. 


 
 
 
Take One Get One vacation payout option renewed for fiscal year 2023
 

Employees can take personal or vacation leave and get paid for an equivalent number of personal or vacation hours.


This program provides an option for employees to use their existing personal or vacation leave balances that were carried over before the new Comprehensive Leave Program was implemented on Sept. 1, 20221. It does not apply to Paid Time Off leave balances for either new or existing employees. 

 

Take One Get One (TOGO) will be paid quarterly in fiscal year 2023 during the months below.

  • December TOGO payout - The December TOGO payout will be for vacation or personal leave taken Sept. 1 through Nov. 30, 2022. Requests must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Nov. 30, 2022.
  • March TOGO payout - The March TOGO payout will be for vacation or personal leave taken Dec. 1, 2022 through Feb. 28, 2023. Requests must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Feb. 28, 2023.
  • June TOGO payout – The June TOGO payout will be for vacation or personal leave taken March 1 through May 31, 2023. Requests must be submitted by 5 p.m. on May 31, 2023.
  • September TOGO payout – The September TOGO payout will be for vacation or personal leave taken June 1 through Aug 31, 2023. Requests must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Aug. 31. 2023.

Important: To qualify for TOGO, leave must be entered in Kronos as vacation or personal leave, not Paid Time Off (PTO).

 

Here’s how TOGO works:

  • Employees can opt in to take up to 40 hours of personal and/or vacation leave and get paid for an additional equivalent number of personal and/or vacation hours.
  • Employees must have enough vacation and/or personal leave hours accrued to cover both the time away and the additional leave payout.
  • Employees can use TOGO all at once or in full or half-day increments for a total of 40 hours per year.
  • The TOGO payout will be:
    • Paid in December, March, June or September in the month after the end of the fiscal quarter when the leave is taken
    • Paid at the employee's current hourly rate at the time of payout
    • Issued in a supplemental paycheck with taxes deducted at a higher federal income tax withholding rate as with all supplemental wages​

How do I take TOGO?

  • Complete and submit a TOGO request form. Find this form anytime on the Comprehensive Leave Program website in the TOGO section.
  • Request vacation and/or personal time in Kronos for approval by your supervisor.
  • After you take the requested time off, you will be paid for the equivalent amount of time in a supplemental paycheck in the month after the end of the fiscal quarter. Important: Paid Time Off (PTO) cannot be used for TOGO; only vacation and personal leave hours. 
  • When you are paid for the equivalent number of hours, your vacation and/or personal leave taken will automatically be deducted from your leave balance in Kronos after you take the time off. You do not need to take any additional action. 

TOGO Example - An employee opts in to use TOGO who has 200 hours of accrued vacation and earns $20 per hour. 

  • They take 40 hours of accrued vacation Feb. 22-25.
  • They are paid for an additional 40 hours in the next TOGO supplemental payout in March. If their current pay rate is $20, they receive $800, minus applicable taxes.
  • They have taken 40 hours of time off, and their vacation leave balance is reduced by 80 hours. The vacation leave balance is now 120 hours.

Questions? If you have questions about TOGO, please email or call Ask HR at 210-567-8847.

 
 
Free Care.com membership helps employees find background-checked providers
 

Need quality child or adult care? Looking for a reliable pet sitter? Need help cleaning your home? Benefits-eligible employees can access Care.com for free to view profiles and references of background-checked providers or consult experts to find the help they need. 


A new benefit for the 2022-23 fiscal year provides affordable options if you face hurdles growing your family.

 

The benefit, offered via Progyny, is designed to give you your best chance of fulfilling dreams of family. It bundles individual services, tests and treatments into a Progyny Smart Cycle to ensure you won’t run out of coverage mid-treatment.

 

Coverage includes:

 

 

Who may want to consider this coverage?

 

  • Couples struggling with infertility
  • LGBTQ couples
  • Single parents by choice
  • Parents with genetic disorders that possibly could be passed on to children

 

A person receiving fertility treatment must be enrolled continuously for the prior 12 months in the UT SELECT medical plan to have access to the Progyny benefit.

 

Affordability: Smart Cycles

 

Smart Cycles are much like currency. They provide options and choices when identifying the right type of benefit for you. Coverage may be subject to copayments.

 

Next steps

 

Contact a Progyny patient-care advocate (PCA) for a free consultation to ask questions and, when you’re ready, to activate your benefit.

 

PCAs are available throughout the process at no additional cost. They’re available at 844-535-0711, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Central time.

 

The benefit is available to employees enrolled in the UT Select medical plan. Signing up during annual enrollment is unnecessary.

 

More information