To all UC ANR employees:

Beginning March 1, 2024, the UC ANR Wellness Reimbursement Program will begin accepting applications for reimbursements of personal wellness expenses up to $75.

Administered by UC ANR Staff Assembly Council and its Wellness Committee, and also supported by Academic Assembly Council, the program reimburses UC ANR staff and academics for a variety of wellness items, including but not limited to: exercise equipment, clothing, classes, memberships, personal training, gardening supplies, and books related to health and well-being.

Note that food, medicine, supplements and pet items are not eligible for reimbursement.

To apply, fill out the Wellness Reimbursement Program application, attach appropriate receipts and email the documents to Andrea Rayray at arayray@ucanr.edu.

The application period opens at 9 a.m. on March 1, 2024. Applications submitted prior to the official starting time will not be considered and will be returned to the applicant.

Receipts dated between January 1, 2024 - March 30, 2024, will be accepted.

Applications are due no later than April 1, 2024, and must be submitted for reimbursement in the Aggie Travel system by May 1, 2024.

Applications will be reviewed on first-come, first-served basis and employees are encouraged to submit their applications as early as possible.

The first reimbursements will be announced in mid-March.

For more information, visit: https://staffassembly.ucanr.edu/Subcommittees/Wellness_Committee/?story=2582.

Nominations are being accepted for the 2024 ANR Distinguished Service Awards, which are sponsored by UC Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Academic Assembly Council.

Take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to recognize outstanding achievement by yourself or your colleagues. The biennial ANR Distinguished Service Awards recognize service and academic excellence in UC Cooperative Extension over a significant period of time. Awards highlight the use of innovative methods and the integration of research, extension and leadership.

The purpose of these awards is to recognize and reward outstanding accomplishments in six areas:

• Outstanding Research
• Outstanding Extension
• Outstanding New Academic
• Outstanding Team
• Outstanding Leader
• Outstanding Contribution to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Winners of individual awards will receive a certificate and $2,000. Winners of the team award will share $5,000. Complete award criteria and instructions for submitting nominations are at http://ucanr.edu/sites/UCAAC.

To nominate someone, fill out the online survey at 2024 ANR Distinguished Service Awards and submit all materials in the nomination packet by 5 p.m., April 1, 2024 to Daniel Obrist (dobrist@ucanr.edu).

For more information, feel free to contact the Academic Assembly Council Program Committee:

• Daniela Bruno, dfbruno@ucanr.edu
• Safeeq Khan, msafeeq@ucmerced.edu
• Keith Nathaniel, kcnathaniel@ucanr.edu
• Susie Kocher, sdkocher@ucanr.edu
• Nicole Marshall-Wheeler, nmarshall@ucanr.edu
• Giuliano Carneiro Galdi, gcgaldi@ucanr.edu

For more information about Academic Assembly Council, visit its website at http://ucanr.edu/sites/UCAAC.

Academic Assembly Council's call for Professional Society Meeting Travel Funds requests closes Dec. 8, 2022.

These funds support travel to meetings with professional societies which are recognized organizations that hold regularly scheduled meetings primarily for the reporting and exchange of knowledge among members. They publish peer-referred journals and/or edit proceedings of meetings to promote professional growth.

Who can apply?

Cooperative Extension Advisors, Academic Coordinators and Specialists are eligible for one meeting approval per fiscal year (July 1 – June 30).

How does the program work?

The AAC Program Committee approves up to $650 for travel expenses related to the event(s) on awarded applications. Within 30 days of completing your trip you must complete the Travel Reimbursement Form and submit your receipts in AggieExpense.

To apply, complete the Professional Society Meeting Travel Application at https://surveys.ucanr.edu/survey.cfm?surveynumber=39355.

Calls for applications open twice a year and cover a six-month travel period.

For more information, contact Committee Chair Susie Kocher, UCCE Central Sierra forestry/natural resources advisor, at sdkocher@ucanr.edu or (530) 542-2571, or Leslie Lipman, Statewide Programs and RECs, at lalipman@ucanr.edu or (530) 750-1254.

Please join us on Tuesday, March 22, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for our second Coffee With the Assemblies!

During this session, we will briefly share the three priorities that Staff Assembly Council identified from the ANR@Work and Council of UC Staff Assemblies (CUCSA) surveys. Then we will give participants a chance to break into discussion groups to discuss the priorities, including developing solutions-oriented actions to help Staff Assembly Council address the priorities. 

AllANR staff and academics are welcome to join us. We hope to see you on Zoom. See the link below. 

Coffee with the Assemblies are monthly drop-in “chats” with leadership from Staff Assembly Council (SAC) and Academic Assembly Council (AAC).

Zoom Connection:

https://UCOP.zoom.us/j/91096841748

Meeting ID: 910 9684 1748

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