June 6, 2023

In This Email:

1. Latest News - View the Spring 2023 Issue of For Your Benefit 

2. Professional Development Opportunities and Continuing Education

3. June Observance Calendar

4. Employee Spotlight - Meet Our New Employees

Please note that effective immediately, HR Connect will be transitioning to a summer schedule and will be distributed the first Tuesday of each month. For more information on how to submit information, please contact Melissa Tindell at mtindell@tennessee.edu.

The state of Tennessee has officially recognized Juneteenth as a legal state holiday. Thank you to Gov. Bill Lee and our Tennessee General Assembly for passing this meaningful legislation. As a result of this state recognition, the University of Tennessee System will now observe Juneteenth as a systemwide paid holiday beginning June 2023. This means our offices, campuses and institutes will be closed on June 19, in recognition of this national holiday. This holiday also provides employees an opportunity to honor the present and reflect on our shared history and tradition.

Read more

Mike Gregory, Executive Director of Emergency Management

The spring issue of For Your Benefit is out! While a copy has been mailed to the home addresses of every UT employee, a digital version is available online. Visit the HR website to read the newsletter. 

Applications will be accepted for new enrollees in the Knoxville-area sick leave banks until June 30. This includes the Institute for Public Service, UT System Administration, UT Foundation, UT Knoxville, UT Space Institute and UT Institute of Agriculture. View the application form. 

For more information regarding the sick leave bank visit Sick Leave Bank | Human Resources (utk.edu). An informational on-demand session is available at SLB Information Session on Demand - YouTube. 

For questions, or to submit your application, email sickleavebank@utk.edu.

The UT System's Division of Communications and Marketing won big at Tennessee College Public Relations Association annual conference this year. 

Of note, the UT Health Science Center won golds for media relations and events (seven days or less) for the UTHSC "Everywhere You Look" tour. The UT System Division of Communications and Marketing was included on the nomination forms, as it was a joint effort between the UT System and UTHSC.

The UT System, its campuses and institutes took home a total of 21 awards. There were 301 entries from 19 institutions across the state.  

New resources are now available on the Friends of DASH website! If you aren’t sure where to start, check out our latest video on the Resource Hub with our friendly employee “Jane” as she finds out all the Friends of DASH website has to offer. You can also find our latest Dose of DASH podcast. We cover a hot topic right now – travel policy changes. Listen to our interview with Blake Reagan as he shares insights about improved and streamlined policy changes. The conversation is so packed with great information, we split it into two episodes! Don’t forget to sign up to become a Friend of DASH to stay up to date with all the latest information about the project!  

The Department of Technology Solutions has a new password manager tool called Keeper which is now available to UT System Administration employees.  If you or your team needs a password vault solution, please contact Tonya Sartin for more information at Tonya@tennessee.edu.

Kendyl Mashburn joined the UT System on May 22 as an accounting specialist with the Office of Finance and Administration, Accounts Payable department. Mashburn is from Knoxville and has prior experience as a small business owner of a women’s retail store for eight years and a hairstylist. When Mashburn is not at work, she enjoys spending time with family, being outdoors and crafting.

Kusum Rathore joined UT System on May 30 as the executive director and vice president of Multi-Campus Office with the UT Research Foundation. Rathore is from India and has a doctorate in life sciences from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. In Rathmore's spare time, she enjoys spending time outdoors and gardening.

Sarah Jones joined the UT System on May 15 as the ERP project schedule coordinator with the Department of Technology Solutions. She is from Knoxville and has a bachelor’s degree in political science. When not working, Jones enjoys reading, kayaking and hiking with her dogs.

Chris Stinnett joined the UT System on June 1 as the senior director of financial/treasury operations. Stinnett is from Knoxville and has a bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He has a background as a senior analyst, investments and risk management along with 23 years of experience in financial analysis, modeling, banking and custody operations. When not at work, Stinnett enjoys sports and activities with his kids.

Stephen Capps joined UT System on June 1 as an IT software developer with the Department of Technology Solutions. Capps is from Knoxville and has an associate degree in computer science. He also has 35 years of database experience, primarily with Oracle. When not working, Capps enjoys photography, piano, drawing and bicycling.

Skylar Stout joined the UT System on May 15 as a human resources specialist. Stout is from Columbia, Tennessee, and graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. When he’s not working, he enjoys playing guitar.

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