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Feature Articles  |  UC People  |  Briefs  |  Benefits Q&A

Pride and Teamwork Made Obama Visit Possible
UC Merced's first four-year graduating class made national news with its successful campaign to bring First Lady Michelle Obama to campus as commencement speaker.

Less well-known is the incredible behind-the-scenes effort from employees that helped make her visit - and the resulting swell in guests -- possible. Prior to Obama's decision to speak at the ceremony, the campus planned for about 5,000 guests; more than 12,000 attended.
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Berkeley
Dishing Diversity At the Dinner Table
Back in the 1970s, Abby Rincón was one of just two Latinos at San Lorenzo High School in the East Bay. Her guidance counselor never once suggested college to her; she studied nursing at vocational school instead.
That was some 30 years ago, the dark ages when it comes to ideas about advancing diversity in higher education. Or so one might think. But Rincón's 25-year-old daughter, Erika, can tell you that in some ways not much has changed.
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San Diego
A Man of Noble Causes
Alonso Noble is a model representative of UC San Diego, officials said in presenting the recycling guru and longtime volunteer with a Staff Impact Award from the UCSD Staff Association.
Noble, an assistant superintendent in Facilities Management, has worked with the campus' Housing, Dining, Hospitality division to collect non-perishable food donations for Brother Benno's Foundation, an organization that assists the local homeless population.
He also volunteers with the Prison Ministry, North County Solutions for Change, a shelter for battered women and children, and the St. Thomas and Elizabeth Hospice.
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California Personal Income Taxes Increase for 2009
An increase in California's personal income tax rate could mean some employees owe taxes at the end of the year.

Direct Deposit: Sign up today!
You can avoid a special trip to the bank or paying high check-cashing fees by having your paycheck deposited directly to your bank account.

Child Turning 23?
UC-sponsored health and welfare plans cover dependent children until they reach age 23. When covered children turn age 23, UC automatically de-enrolls them, and their coverage ends at the end of the month they turn 23.

Have You Considered Your Supplemental Disability Waiting Period Lately?
If you have enough accrued sick leave to cover a longer waiting period, you can reduce your Supplemental Disability insurance monthly premium.

Q. I recently received two mailings from UCOP, the first telling me I would soon be receiving a survey on health care and the second was the actual survey with return postage. The survey was conducted by an external firm hired by UC. My concern is the amount of money UC spent not only on the two mailings and return postage for those who completed it on paper, but also in hiring a firm to conduct the research. In these times of extreme budgetary problems for all UC campuses, I think it sends the wrong message to waste money on surveys. The money spent on the survey may be a drop in the overall budget bucket, but every little bit counts, right? Anon. UC Davis
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Do you have a question about your benefits that you’d like to have answered here? Send your questions to HRBBriefing-L@ucop.edu or UC HR, HRB Briefing editor, 1111 Franklin St., 12th Floor, Oakland CA 94607. We will provide answers in a future issue of HRB Briefing.