The American Heart Association awarded Living Well at Texas A&M University the national gold level for its commitment to employee health in the 2023 Workforce Well-being Scorecard™. This recognition underscores the dedication to implementing best practices for workforce health by focusing on behavior-changing initiatives and fostering healthier, more engaged and productive employees. This achievement reinforces the positive impact of wellness on employee quality of life, health care costs and organizational success. 

Nominations for the annual President’s Meritorious Service Awards (PMSA) for staff and Student Employee of the Year will open in January 2024. Texas A&M presents these awards in recognition of outstanding staff and students who have demonstrated their commitment to the Aggie Core Values of Excellence, Integrity, Leadership, Loyalty, Respect and Selfless Service.  

Details will be shared via email once the nomination period opens and will also be posted on PMSA website.

After serving as interim president since late July, The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents confirmed General (Ret.) Mark A. Welsh III as the 27th president of Texas A&M on Dec. 12. 

During his State of the University address, then Interim President Welsh discussed efforts to reestablish transparent communication and remove barriers to such communication. He shared an update on the organizational structure for the President’s Cabinet and the Office of the President on Dec. 7. The newly announced structure ensures the right people are accountable and responsible for their areas of focus, which should help eliminate confusion and enhance communication across the university.

Texas A&M System Retirees: New Medical Plan Announced 
Effective Jan. 1, 2024, Medicare-eligible retirees and dependents will transition to a new plan for medical coverage, the 65 Plus Medicare Advantage Plan (PPO). There will be no changes to the retiree medical premiums nor the prescription coverage of the Express Scripts Medicare Part D prescription drug plan. If you are looking at retiring soon and would like to review the details of this new medical plan, visit the 2024 Texas A&M University System retiree medical benefit highlight comparison.  

Qualifying Life Events
Changes can only be made to your benefits within 31 days of a qualifying life event (QLE). Examples include marriage, divorce, birth or adoption, or an eligible change in employment or residence. To submit all known QLEs, enter the Benefit Change task into Workday. You will then be prompted to securely upload the required documentation in the HRConnect Legacy system. Contact benefits@tamu.edu with any questions regarding a QLE 

Upcoming Retirement Planning Events
Planning for retirement or making decisions about money can feel difficult but these aren't things you have to do alone. Human Resources and Organizational Effectiveness (HROE) is partnering with Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA) for Free Employee Financial Consultations with TIAA in person on Jan. 31, Feb. 1, Feb. 28 and Feb. 29. Come to a virtual Pre-Retirement Counseling Workshop offered in partnership with the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) and Optional Retirement Program (ORP) on Jan. 9 and Jan. 18, and in person on Jan. 24. Registration is available online.

Taking Your Leadership Skills to the Next Level
Join our Leading Self and Leading Others informational sessions to unlock your leadership potential. These programs enhance your leadership skills with a Texas A&M-customized curriculum. Sign up for Leading Self to boost your success as an employee or Leading Others for effective team leadership. Enroll by Jan. 10 for the Leading Others spring cohort and Jan. 29 for the next Leading Self cycle.

Aggie Dining Offers Free Weekly Meal with Spring 2024 Plans
Take advantage of Aggie Dining’s FREE meal deal for the spring semester. Purchase a meal plan for spring 2024 and receive one free meal every week. Aggie Dining offers a wide range of meal plan options for faculty and staff at Texas A&M. Meal plans are designed to help employees budget and save money while dining on campus. To learn more, visit tx.ag/fsmealplans.

University Closed Dec. 25-29 and Jan. 1 
Many campuses and locations throughout The Texas A&M University System will be closed Dec. 25-29 and Jan. 1, 2024 as official university holidays. However, some campuses and locations follow alternative holiday schedules.  

Holiday Pay Reminder  
When applicable, employees should be in a paid status the day before and the day after a university holiday in order to be eligible for holiday pay. Upcoming holidays include winter break, Dec. 25–Jan. 1, per System Regulation 31.04.01: System Holidays. Example: If you are on unpaid time off on Friday, Dec. 22, you will not be eligible for holiday pay on Monday, Dec. 25. If you are on vacation before a university holiday, you will be eligible for holiday pay.

Texas A&M joined Employee Learning Week supported by the Association for Talent Development Dec. 4-8. The organizational development team offered four face-to-face courses to approximately 500 employees both in College Station and Galveston, and 300 on-demand courses were made available to employees in our remote locations at no charge. 

Thank you to all who participated. We look forward to Employee Learning Week 2024 and hope you will be able to join us! 

HROE is hosting a part-time student job fair for off-campus employers in the Bryan-College Station area. Students seeking a part-time, off-campus job this spring are encouraged to attend the job fair on Thursday, Jan. 11, from 2-4:30 p.m. at the Memorial Student Center Bethancourt Ballroom. Students will have an opportunity to connect with a variety of off-campus employers that are actively hiring for spring. Questions? Email jobsforaggies@tamu.edu.

Living Well programs are available to Texas A&M full-time, benefits-eligible faculty, staff and retirees. We strive to ensure that Texas A&M is a place where everyone can live well and thrive as a whole person — and together as a whole community.

Your BlueCross BlueShield of Texas (BCBSTX) comes with more than just medical coverage. As employees of the Texas A&M System, you have access to not only medical benefits, but also wellness benefits. Join us for a review of the BCBSTX wellness programs that work to improve employee health and wellbeing hosted by Cindy Quinn, Texas A&M wellness coordinator, on Tuesday, Jan. 30, at 2 p.m. 

Interim Schedule: We have a limited movement schedule until Thursday, Jan. 14. There are many formats during the winter break that are not available on our regular schedule, making it a great time to try a new class. The spring semester schedule begins on Monday, Jan. 8. Check out our Classes & Events tab for new programs and offerings added regularly. Visit the Living Well YouTube channel for previously recorded classes and programs to watch at your convenience.

Doctoral Education Program Application Now Open: Have you been wanting to pursue furthering your education, but haven’t had the opportunity for one reason or another? Texas A&M offers a program to help eliminate one of the major barriers people face: funding. Full-time budgeted employees at all Texas A&M System universities, agencies and offices are qualified for payment or reimbursement of tuition and mandatory fees. The spring application period runs through Tuesday, Jan. 2.

We are grateful for the support each of you brings to help Living Well be our best. And our success wouldn't be possible without a lot of behind-the-scenes work and help from fellow departments, individuals, Campus+ partners and community support. We want to thank the following partners for helping us take action and demonstrate the importance of faculty and staff well-being this semester:

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