I. Benefits Summaries for Prospective Employees

The benefits summaries – those easy-to-reference benefits lists for prospective employees – are updated and available for your use. The summaries are valid for the calendar year since there are no anticipated changes for the remainder of 2005. If something were to change, we would of course update them and alert you to the change.

As we continue to evaluate all our communications, I'd like to know how useful you find the summaries. Are they used? What about the benefit charts? Do you find them useful? I'd appreciate your responses on these questions and other comments about how you use the summaries and how to improve them. (OK, I know I've set myself for the obvious response — get them out before the start of the year! I promise that I will do that next year.) Please send your comments to me at b-gilc@umn.edu.

II. UPlan Wellness

Energy Quest, the UPlan Wellness program's spring campaign, begins February 7. Eight topics on the quest for energy through healthy eating and activity will be highlighted over eight weeks: physical activity, beverages, fruits and vegetables, whole grains, meal planning and shopping, eating out and fast foods, healthy snacks, and dairy and meats. Keep a log, see how small changes can make a big difference, and get a campus bookstore coupon at the end. Read more about Energy Quest in the UMNnews (Brief).

The Energy Quest posters will be arriving soon in your campus mail.

III. MinuteClinic — Coffman

It's that flu-season time of the year, and MinuteClinic-Coffman is available for the treatment of flu, strep throat, bronchitis, sinus infections, and much more. Located on the first floor in the Commuter Lounge Area of Coffman Memorial Union, MinuteClinic-Coffman provides care for basic treatments, screenings, and vaccines. MC-Coffman is an in-network provider for all UPlan options and the copay is $5. The clinic offers services during the academic year - October through April - and is open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. You don't need a referral or an appointment; visits usually take about 15 minutes.

For more information on treatments, vaccines, and screenings available through MC-Coffman, go to Employee Benefits and click on MinuteClinic.

IV. Brown Bag Lunch Series

Looking for more control over your investments? Find out how at the Financial Brown Bag Lunch Series beginning on February 2. All of the sessions will be held on Wednesdays, from 12 to 1 p.m., in 215 Donhowe. Sponsored by Office of Human Resources, this series of four seminars will focus on the following topics:

• February 2, Vanguard — Taking Control of Your Financial Life
• February 9, TIAA-CREF — Five Habits of Highly Successful Investors
• February 16, Fidelity — Creating an Investment Strategy
• February 23, Minnesota Life — Market Madness

For more details on the sessions, go to the Benefits Events.

V. Upcoming Events

Reminder:

Should you leave a department, the University, or change jobs, please let us know so that we may update our database. And if you know of the replacement DEBCP, we would be thrilled to have that information.