BENEFITS

ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL BENEFITS

Computer Access

        The Office of Information Technology is located in Webb Hall, Room 125. This department provides all technology related systems and services for the University community. All faculty and staff members are eligible for a personal account. To activate an account, one must complete a request form in the Office of Information Systems. Off campus faculty and staff may request an account via email to sysadmin@uwa.edu. Registered students are automatically granted an account upon acceptance to the University. To activate the account, students must visit http://www.uwa.edu/myaccount. Accounts provide access to various technologies, including access to the UWA WiFi network, email, Blackboard, and WebAdvisor. Accounts are removed upon termination of employment (faculty and staff) or failure to continue enrollment (students). 

Leave and Financial Assistance for Professional Development/Research

        The University of West Alabama encourages scholarship in the form of research and creative activity among its faculty, understanding that such activity generally enhances the performance of the faculty member in the classroom as well as the faculty member’s overall contribution to the University. 
        Thus, the University strives, within the constraints of budget and program demands, to provide time and financial assistance for professional development/research activities by faculty and staff. Release time, as well as financial support, is available in specific situations for faculty and staff. 
        Each academic area has modest funding budgeted for professional development. In addition, grant awards of up to $1,000 annually are available through the University Research Grants Program for approved research projects. 
        The University also provides a Sabbatical Program to facilitate scholarly and creative activities. Details about eligibility and application procedures can be found in the Sabbatical Policy in the Handbook for Faculty and Professional Staff. 
        Other forms of professional leave, such as reduced teaching loads, are also available. Requests for such must be approved by the chairperson, the dean of the college, and the Provost.

The Julia Tutwiler Library

The Library offers the following:

1. Provides a fully automated library environment.

2. Provides orientation for new faculty and staff.

3. Allows faculty and staff to check out books for one semester, with renewal for two additional semesters.

4. Provides full image/full text delivery to articles in over 4,000 newspapers and journals.

5. Provides over thirty subscription databases.

6. Provides a wide range of reference services online and CD Rom.

Livingston Press

        The Livingston Press of the University of West Alabama currently publishes ten books annually, usually works of fiction and local history. As a service to faculty and staff it will provide information concerning copyright procedures, potential publishers, and similar matters. It will also consult with University faculty and staff who have written publishable works in any field. Livingston Press publications are available to University faculty and staff for half price. For more information, contact the Director of the Livingston Press.

Institutional Effectiveness

        The Office of Institutional Effectiveness provides the following services:

1. Collects, analyzes, and reports data for administration, faculty, and staff.

2. Coordinates college-wide assessment activities to support strategic planning.

Office of Sponsored Programs

        The Office of Sponsored Programs is located in the Choctaw Tavern on the campus. The Office is service oriented, providing assistance in developing funding sources for programmatic and research ideas. The mission is to support the faculty, administration, and staff with all phases of the external funding process. Services offered to the faculty include the following:

1. Researching and locating funding opportunities.

2. Creating and developing programmatic and research ideas.

3. Developing teams, intra- and cross-discipline, and community partners. 

4. Hands-on assistance in developing grant applications. 

5. Assistance in the electronic submission process. 

6. Conducting grant writing workshops. 

7. Negotiating grant awards, including contract completion. 

8. Serves as clearing house for grants and maintenance of related data. 

9. Serving as the intermediary in compliance issues related to grants. 

10. Oversight in development and management of grant budgets.

ATHLETIC AND RECREATIONAL BENEFITS

Athletic Training and Sports Medicine Center

        The Athletic Training/Sports Medicine staff and the Athletic Training & Sports Medicine Center are available as a service to the faculty and staff. Services include injury evaluation, treatment, rehabilitation, referral and education. These services exist primarily for the varsity athletic program, but are available upon request to the University community. There is generally no charge for these services unless supplies and equipment are used. Faculty/staff desiring the use of these services should make arrangements with the Director of Athletic Training and Sports Medicine located in the James P. Homer Fieldhouse.

Campus Activities Board

        Faculty/staff members are admitted for free to all lectures, dances and other special events sponsored by the Campus Activities Board (CAB). Children of faculty/staff members are admitted to CAB events for free, if accompanied by the faculty/staff member.

City of Livingston Recreational Program

        The City of Livingston sponsors a year-round recreation program that is available to the faculty/staff and their families. This program involves the use of the Jaycee Park. For further information, contact the Director of Parks and Recreation at the City Hall in Livingston.

Jogging/Hiking/Nature Trails

        There are several jogging and nature trails around the campus. All are available to the University employees at no charge. The trails are located primarily in the Lake LU area and around the “Loop Road.”

Lake LU and Picnic Area

        At Lake LU, fishing is available without charge to faculty and staff upon presentation of a UWA identification card and a valid Alabama fishing license, according to the specified schedule for Lake operations. Dependents may also obtain a Lake pass in the Financial Affairs Office, Webb Hall, Room 203.
Picnicking facilities, including pavilions, are also available. A faculty/staff family may host one family; however, picnic shelters for groups may be reserved by calling the Lake Manager at (205) 652-9266. The shelter rental fee for 25 people or less is $10.00. There is a charge of $.50 for each additional person. The maximum capacity for each picnic shelter is 50 people.

University Tennis Courts

        The University maintains tennis courts which are available to students and faculty/staff. These courts may be used on an as-available basis.

Varsity Athletic Program

        The University of West Alabama offers a full varsity athletic program that competes in the Gulf South Conference on the NCAA Division II level. Faculty/staff and their families are welcomed at all athletic events. Passes and tickets can be purchased in Foust Hall Room C. For further information, contact the Director of Athletics at 3652 or 3784 or go to http://www.uwaathletics.com.  

Wallace Union Building (SUB) 

        The Union Building houses the University Fitness Center which includes the swimming pool, game room, weight room and dressing room facilities. The guidelines for use of these facilities by faculty/staff are outlined in the Handbook. 
        The basement of the Union Building is often used for University aerobics and other fitness activities, in addition to other programs. Facility passes may be purchased at the Office of Student Activities in the top of the SUB.

Union Building Hours
School in Session:
Mon. - Fri.-----------------------6:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sat. - Sun.----------------------1:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Between Semesters and Vacation:
Mon. - Fri.------------------------8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Pool Hours
(Monday - Sunday)
Fall Semester -------------------1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Spring Semester ----------------1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Summer Semester------------12:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
During Semester Breaks:
Mon. - Fri.------------------------1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

FINANCIAL/RETIREMENT BENEFITS

Insurance

1. A. Medical coverage, including major medical payable at 80%/20% after $200 deductible, up to $1,000 out-of-pocket expenses; afterwards, 100% of covered charges payable.

2. Dental coverage

3. Disability Income Protection

4. Term life coverage with accidental death/dismemberment rider for one times salary, not to exceed $50,000 coverage

5. $15,000 life coverage provided by the State Legislature for active members of the Teachers' Retirement System
   * A portion of the premium for family coverage is paid by the University, as well as all of the above insurance being provided for the employee at no cost.

Flexible Benefits Plan 

        This plan allows employees to pay pre-tax for medical and dental insurance premiums, dependent care expenses, and other medical expenses not paid by health insurance. Refer to plan document for more details.

Tax Deferred Compensation Plans 

             In addition to the retirement plan with Teachers' Retirement System of Alabama, UWA offers its employees retirement savings plans with RSA-1 and VALIC. 

• RSA-1  =  IRS 457 Deferred Compensation Plan - Contact Payroll Office or www.rsa-al.gov

• VALIC  =  IRS 457(b) and 403(b) Retirement Savings Plans - Contact Paige Lombardy, VALIC Financial Advisor [paige.lombardy@valic.com] , 205-310-6224, 205-967-8974 or www.valic.com.  To schedule an appointment with a VALIC representative, call (205) 523-5230.

Retirement 

        The retirement plan for UWA employees is with the Retirement Systems of Alabama. Effective January 1, 2013, TRS will identify the retirement benefit plan as Tier 1 and Tier 2 based on the member’s hire date. 

Tier 1 Employee

• Date of employment prior to January 1, 2013

• Member contribution rates are 7.5% regular employee, 8.5% FLC employee

• Retirement eligibility with 25 years of service at any age or 10 years of service at age 60

• A member with at least 10 years of creditable service may apply for disability

• Members have a vested status after accumulating 10 years of creditable service

• Sick leave conversion allowed for service retirement but not to meet the 10 years required for vesting

• FLC bonus year allowed

• Average final salary is average of the highest three years out of the last ten years

• Formula = Average final salary x Service Credit x 2.0125%/12 = Monthly retirement benefit

Tier 2 Employee

• Date of employment on or after January 1, 2013 (with no prior service credit)

• Member contribution rates are 6% regular employee, 7% FLC employee

• No 25-year retirement benefits

• Retirement benefits for regular members with at least 10 years of service at age 62

• Retirement benefits for FLC members with at least 10 years of service at age 56

• Members have a vested status after accumulating 10 years of creditable service

• New disability standards for new hires

• No sick leave conversion

• No bonus years for FLC

• Average final salary is average of the highest five years out of the last ten years

• Formula = Average final salary x Service Credit x 1.65%/12 = Monthly retirement benefit 

Tuition Remission 

All full-time members of the faculty and staff are eligible immediately upon employment for remission of one-half of the University of West Alabama tuition on on-campus undergraduate, masters and education specialist courses for themselves, their spouses and their children.

After six years of full-time service- i.e., at the end of the sixth full academic year or, for those originally employed at some time other than the beginning of the academic year, an equivalent amount of time - the tuition is waived in full for on-campus undergraduate, masters and education specialist courses. This waiver of tuition is also available for any former full-time employee and/or the employee’s spouse and children if the employee retired after serving 25 or more years at the University.

This tuition waiver applies only to the on-campus general tuition fee for undergraduate, masters and education specialist programs, SGA fee, medical fee, and audit fee, and does not affect other required fees, such as special course fees and laboratory fees.

For online courses, partial tuition remission is available. Students, however, must pay the cost of the instructor fee and any special online course fees. For more information concerning online tuition remission rates, please contact the Division of Online Programs.

For doctoral level courses, partial tuition remission is available for a limited number of full-time employees, spouses, and children per term. For information regarding tuition remission and space availability, please contact the School of Graduate Studies. For more information concerning tuition remission rates, please contact the Business Office. Tuition remission does not include other required fees, such as special course fees, lab fees, and online course and instructor fees.  

Individuals who qualify for both tuition waiver plans and a scholarship may accept both awards up to the point that the combination of the two covers the student’s financial liability to the University’s student accounts receivable. No cash payment will be made to the student. 

Individuals must apply formally to receive tuition remission. Forms for this purpose are available from the Student Accounts Office. Employees who receive tuition remission for themselves, their spouses and/or children at the Master’s level or above will be obligated to continue employment at UWA for a minimum of three years, or pay back to the University the full cost of benefits received.

For more information regarding financial benefits available for employees of the University of West Alabama, or the services provided, please contact the Office of Financial Affairs, Webb Hall, Room 203. (Financial benefits are subject to change without notice.)