Blog@Case Topics: staff

121 Fitness, Human Resources Encourage Better Health with Sponsored Programs

2011-03-31T14:20:18Z

By now, you’ve heard about—and hopefully signed up for—the CWRU Spring Activity & Walking Challenge, which starts April 6. But 121 Fitness and the Department of Human Resources are doing more than simply challenging you to get fit—they’re giving you the tools to do it, through programs like the Get “Fit For Life” Challenge, the CWRU Employee Wellness Program and the soon-to-launch Weight Watchers Discount Program.

“Case Western Reserve University is committed to providing our employees with resources to make healthy decisions,” said Carolyn Gregory, vice president of human resources. “As part of this commitment, we want to make it easy for our employees to have access to a variety of wellness activities and programs.”

The Get “Fit for Life” Challenge is about to enter its third round, beginning April 4. More than 80 employees have taken part in the program since its introduction last fall. With Get Fit, employees can sign up for one of four different eight-week programs from 121 Fitness, and the university covers half of the costs for the first 20 employees who sign up for each program, explained Jamie Ryan, senior director of benefits in the Department of Human Resources.

Get Fit is divided into four tiers: the Basic Tier, which provides full access to the fitness center, without personal training or nutrition coaching; Take It Off, a nutrition-based program for those hoping to lose more than 20 lbs.; Choose to Lose, an exercise-based program ideal for people looking to lose 5-15 lbs.; and Get Active, designed for individuals wanting to tone up, build muscle or just become more regularly active, explained Sarah Ziance, program manager at 121 Fitness. All participants get full access to 121 Fitness Center for eight weeks, plus a health risk assessment, weekly weigh-ins for weight-loss tiers, special classes and meetings, weekly motivational emails with tips, and prizes. Additionally, with Take It Off, individuals meet one on one with coaches once a week to discuss portion control, food pairings and more, while participants in Choose to Lose and Get Active work with fitness trainers once per week to develop workout guidelines to meet their goals, be they weight loss or building/toning muscle.

If you’re looking for overall health information, the CWRU Employee Wellness Program provides—completely free of charge to employees—monthly wellness seminars hosted by local health care professionals, cooking demonstrations led by Bon Appetit chefs, monthly activity classes and special programs and events. A monthly newsletter, which individuals can sign up for online, highlights all the month’s activities in addition to providing other wellness information.

The university will begin offering discounted rates for employees participating in Weight Watchers at Work on campus, with more details to be announced soon. Two groups currently meet on campus—on Wednesdays at Thwing Center and on Thursdays in the School of Nursing. Contact MaryAlice Grassa or Audrey Meier at Weight Watchers for information about joining.

The university is committed to improving the health of faculty and staff members, Ryan explained, because healthier employees are happier and more productive employees.

Additionally, Ziance pointed out, statistics show that when individuals eat well and exercise regularly, their productivity in the workplace is up and absenteeism is down. Plus, exercise has proven stress-relief benefits, which are extremely beneficial in the workplace. For example, 80 percent of workers feel stress on the job, and workers lose 550 million days due to stress.

For more information on the programs or to register, visit onetoone.case.edu or click here.

New Employee Wellness Challenge Kicks Off

2011-03-25T14:22:38Z

With warm weather just around the corner in Cleveland—and it will be here soon enough—it's time to get moving. The Office of Human Resources and 121 Fitness are joining forces to present a new employee wellness challenge. Based off last fall’s successful 10,000 Steps Challenge, this year’s CWRU Spring Activity & Walking Challenge invites all employees to get active this spring in any kind of exercise.

From April 6 to May 6, employees can log on to MyStart! to begin tracking their daily activities, from walking and running to dancing and yoga. There’s even a way to calculate energy expended in everyday activities like vacuuming and gardening. This program focuses more on the time spent exercising and being active, rather than the actual amount of steps walked. Participants can receive a free pedometer—pick it up at 121 Fitness Center—but it is not required with this new program.

There will be a competition aspect to the challenge: Employees can sign up in teams of four or five or as individuals. Prizes will be awarded to the individual and team with the most activity and the school/college or university-general office with the highest percentage of participation. Additionally, there will be raffle prizes for employees averaging at least 30 minutes of activity each day, explained Bryn Mota, director of 121 Fitness Center.

But the competition shouldn’t be the driving force behind participation, explained Jamie Ryan, senior director of benefits in the Department of Human Resources, and Sarah Ziance, program manager at 121 Fitness. “We want you to do something—get active, start trying to change some of your behaviors in your life,” Ryan said.

Exercising regularly helps individuals get into a routine, Ziance said, which “makes you set a schedule and makes for better time management.”

Additionally, Ziance noted, exercising and eating well are two key components in increasing employee productivity and decreasing absenteeism, which are two reasons Case Western Reserve University is backing such employee wellness programs.

More than anything, though, Ryan said: “We as a university want to try to encourage folks—if there are healthier behaviors you can put in your life, then we want you to do that because we care about you as a person.”

For more information and to register, visit the ThinkFit website . When registering, you must check the box that allows your employer to view your activity totals in order to participate. If you have not received a welcome email within 24 business hours of registration, please ensure this box is checked on your profile.

University Architect Margaret Carney Leaving CWRU for Temple

2011-03-11T14:26:07Z

Margaret Carney

University Architect and Planner Margaret M. Carney announced today that she has accepted a new position at Temple University in Philadelphia. She leaves Case Western Reserve University at the end of this month.

“Case Western Reserve is an outstanding institution located in an arts and cultural district that is unique in the nation,” Carney said. “It has been a privilege to work with so many talented individuals at the university and in the greater Cleveland community, especially at a time when collaboration among neighborhoods and institutions has produced such dramatic results.”

As Temple’s first-ever Associate Vice President, University Architect, Carney will play a leadership role in advancing Temple 20/20: Destination Temple, a $1.2 billion plan to enhance and expand the university’s physical campus. Last spring Temple’s trustees approved issuing $175 million in bonds to finance initial stages of the effort. Early projects include a 45,000-square-foot architecture building to provide studio space for students, a 140,000-square foot addition to existing recreation space, and a major new residential complex that will house an additional 1,400 students while at the same time providing student dining and retail options.

“Temple 20/20 will transform the campus in a way that energizes students and engages the surrounding neighborhoods,” Carney said. “The university is committed to a building program that supports its academic and research mission, reflects its history and aspirations, and inspires the people who will experience this campus for generations to come.”

Carney said the opportunity to take part in such an ambitious, comprehensive effort—particularly in an urban setting—aligned perfectly with her skills and interests. During her time at Case Western Reserve, she has participated actively with The Cleveland Foundation’s Greater University Circle Initiative, a multipronged effort that includes investments in housing, economic development and local renewal. She also is a member of the Design Review Committee for the City of Cleveland’s Planning Commission. These experiences have deepened her commitment to the power of thoughtful planning to improve the quality of life for the institutions involved, as well as the broader community.

Carney became Case Western Reserve’s first Associate Vice President, University Architect and Planner in 2003, just as the university was amid the initial stages of crafting its own campus master plan. Released in 2005, the plan has guided the development of the Mandel Center for Nonprofit Organizations, Uptown District Development, West Campus Master Plan Development and housing within the North Residential Village. More recently, Carney led the design and renovation of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center in Thwing and the preliminary planning for The Milton and Tamar Maltz Performing Arts Center at The Temple – Tifereth Israel.

“Margaret possesses great creativity and a commitment to excellence,” President Barbara R. Snyder said. “We are grateful to her for all of her contributions to Case Western Reserve, and wish her the very best in Philadelphia.”

President Snyder said that she and other senior administrators have taken interim steps to ensure that The Temple project maintains its momentum in coming months. In addition, the university soon will launch a national search for a new university architect.

Suzanne Rivera Joins University's Research Management Team

2011-01-04T13:07:47Z

Suzanne M. Rivera

Today, Suzanne M. Rivera joined Case Western Reserve University as its new associate vice president for research. Rivera comes from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, where she served as vice president for research administration and as an assistant professor in the division of ethics and health policy.

“Dr. Rivera possesses an impressive breadth of experience as a scholar, administrator and leader of research programs,” Provost W.A. “Bud” Baeslack said.

At Case Western Reserve, Rivera will be responsible for managing sponsored projects’ administration, overseeing sponsors' funds and complying with external regulations. She hopes to increase and enhance research programs by bringing together faculty, external sponsors and others to develop proposals that build on the research strengths of the university.

“I am pleased to join an institution with such a wide-ranging record of research achievement,” Rivera said. “I am eager to contribute to Case Western Reserve’s efforts to increase research, in particular in interdisciplinary areas.”

At UT-Southwestern, Rivera oversaw policy development and implementation, regulatory affairs, grants and contracts, scientific core facilities and other aspects of UT-Southwestern’s research programs. She also taught courses on research regulation and public policy and medical ethics.

“Sue Rivera has a very successful track record and vast research administration experience,” said Mark E. Coticchia, vice president for economic development, industry research and technology management at Case Western Reserve. “We are fortunate to have her lead and manage this function for the university.”

Rivera earned her doctorate at the University of Texas at Dallas, where her dissertation focused on social inequality in biomedical research. She also has a master’s degree in social welfare from the University of California at Berkeley and a bachelor’s degree in American civilization from Brown University.

UMC Web Designer Takes Nearly 1 Million Steps to Win Wellness Challenge

2010-12-13T07:33:05Z

University Marketing & Communications team members (from left) Amy Raufman, Melissa Evans, Jacqueline Fitch and Gina Prodan won the November 10,000 Step Challenge. Photograph by Susan Griffith.

What is it like to walk almost a million steps in a month?

Just ask Gina Prodan from University Marketing and Communications. She was the top stepper in November with 979,603 steps in the pilot run of the 10,000 Step Challenge, sponsored by Office of Human Resources as part of the Case Employee Wellness program.

“If I had known that I was just 21,000 steps away from a million, I would have walked them,” said Prodan, the senior web designer/developer whose goal was to reach that milestone.

Few things stop Prodan when she gets in the competitive spirit. She even accomplished this feat after recovering from stress fractures in both legs from running a summer marathon (which she finished).

Prodan walked and ran her way to first place in this competition of 300 individuals from the Departments of Finance (38) and Administration (240) and UMC (22).

Not far behind were Katie O’Keefe (UMC), 808,955; Nick DeGeorge (Finance), 684,107; Joe Nikstenas (Administration), 630,348; and Glenn Bieler (UMC), 622,874.

Prodan’s team, composed of members Paula Baughn, Melissa Evans, Jacqueline Fitch and Amy Raufman, took first place in the team competition by logging 2,606,152 steps.

Not far behind were Team Captain DeGeorge’s team from finance with 2,136,543 and Captain Anna Dubnisheva’s administration team with 2,104,537.

“I think the participants took the challenge to a level that even we didn’t expect,” said Sarah Ziance, 1-2-1 Fitness Center program director.

Ziance kept weekly tallies from team captains and periodically sent out encouraging messages about how to keep moving. She’s pleased with the success of the pilot.

“It had been designed to bring a little bit of friendly competition to campus and to encourage our employees to increase their daily amount of physical activity,” Ziance said.

She added that it was encouraging to see captains urge team members to increase steps by having “walking meetings” or noontime walks.

Ziance is also hearing from walkers that the competition was just what they needed to jumpstart a consistent exercise routine and that they plan to continue.

Early next year, the campus community will have the opportunity to step it up for good health as the competition opens for everyone, said Carolyn Gregory, vice president in the Office of Human Resources.

Individuals and team winners of the challenge receive a variety of prizes including lunches, goodie bags and passes to 1-2-1 Fitness Center.

The Case Employee Wellness program also offers a variety of activities from cooking classes to health seminars to help staff and faculty learn how to live healthier lives. For more information, visit http://www.case.edu/finadmin/humres/benefits/wellness/.

LEAD Program Enters Second Year

2010-08-18T15:52:21Z

LEAD participants

Are you a campus supervisor looking for a way to enhance your skills, meet new colleagues and discover additional ways to support your department?

The Learn, Engage, Achieve and Develop (LEAD) Certificate Program for Supervisors could be just the right fit for you.

Sponsored by the Department of Human Resources, the LEAD program explores the relationship between team effectiveness and departmental success. The program, which launched as a pilot project in 2009, enrolled its first class earlier this year. The next session is scheduled for October through May.

Erica Merritt, director of organizational development and learning, says assessments such as Kolbâ€™s Learning Style Inventory, Kolbâ€™s Adaptive Style Inventory and coaching sessions are just a few of the tools utilized as a way for participants to learn more about their management style–and themselves. They also take the Emotional and Social Competency Inventory, and supervisors participate in team building exercises with their staff.

Tech Transfer Resident Affiliate Ermes Mestroni Taking Lessons Learned Back to Cancer Research Institute in Italy

2010-08-18T14:52:50Z

Ermes Mestroni

The sixth international resident affiliate of the universityâ€™s Technology Transfer Office will take fresh knowledge about creating pathways for research into global business markets back to the National Cancer Institute (CRO â€“ Centro di Riferimento Oncologico) in Aviano, Italy.

He arrived at Case Western Reserve on June 14 and his last day is Monday, Aug. 23.

University Maintains Strong Undergraduate U.S. News Ranking; Engineering Improves, Climbing Five Spots

2010-08-17T14:29:06Z

Case Western Reserve University maintained its position as one of the nationâ€™s top 50 universities this year in U.S. News & World Reportâ€™s annual â€œBest Collegesâ€ issue. The magazine also reported that the Case School of Engineering climbed five notches to rank 40th this year.

â€œI am pleased that U.S. News &World Report continues to recognize the strength of our academic programs and dedication to providing undergraduates a rich learning experience,â€ President Barbara R. Snyder said. â€œWe have begun making significant strides in admissions, research and alumni outreach, and I am confident that this progress will be reflected in coming years.â€

Case for Community Day is Set for Friday, Sept. 17

2010-08-13T13:31:15Z

Case for Community Day volunteers

The Case Western Reserve University campus has an opportunity to pay it forward when hundreds of volunteers give their time to make a difference during Case for Community Day on Friday, Sept. 17, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The annual campus-wide day of service begins at 11 a.m., with registration in Thwing Center atrium, followed by lunch and a short program at 11:30 a.m. in the ballroom. At noon, volunteers will board buses or walk to volunteer sites on and off campus to work until 4 p.m. The day concludes with a social and music on the oval at Kelvin Smith Library.

Men's Basketball Team Travels to Brazil

2010-08-11T14:44:02Z

Members of Case Western Reserve Universityâ€™s menâ€™s basketball team will spend almost two weeks in Brazil sharpening their hoop skills and creating lifelong memories.

The teamâ€™s 12 returning players will be accompanied by Sean McDonnell, head coach; Jeff Gorski, assistant coach; and Kevin Carduff (CWR â€™93; MGT â€™96 ; PhD, MGT â€˜10), the teamâ€™s faculty affiliate. The group will travel to several locations in Brazil through Aug. 22.

â€œWe traveled to Brazil in 2007 and it was the first time Case Western Reserveâ€™s basketball team had made a foreign trip since 1985 when Coach Bill Sudeckâ€™s team traveled to Jordan and Bahrain,â€ McDonnell said. â€œThe NCAA allows teams to travel overseas once every three years and Iâ€™m thrilled that weâ€™re traveling this summer.â€

Bradley W. Fralic Named University Controller

2010-08-05T14:27:46Z

Interim since fall, Fralic quickly improved processes, accuracy and timeliness

Bradley W. Fralic
Photo: Susan Griffith

President Barbara R. Snyder announced today that she had appointed Bradley W. Fralic as Case Western Reserveâ€™s permanent Controller. An experienced financial administrator and Certified Public Accountant, Fralic had served as interim Controller since October.

â€œFrom his first days here, Brad has distinguished himself as a highly professional, effective and strategic leader,â€ President Snyder said. â€œHe already has made significant progress in the office, and I look forward to even greater gains in the future.â€

Fralic came to the university from Skoda Minotti, a Northeast Ohio firm that provides accounting, consulting, tax and other services to organizations and individuals. He also has worked with KPMG, where he advised Chief Financial Officers, and spent a dozen years at Deloitte & Touche, where he consulted with a broad range of public and private entities nationwide. Fralic also has taught graduate-level courses on financial management and accounting at Kent State and Cleveland State universities. He earned a Masters Degree in Accountancy from Case Western Reserve in 1991.

Kickball, Dodgeball Players Needed for Sept. 25 Community Event

2010-08-03T21:49:11Z

Campus members will have an opportunity to kick, pitch and run for a good cause during the Third Annual Open Doors Kickball and Dodgeball Tournament on Sept. 25.

Open Doors Academy, â€œOpen Doors,â€ is an out-of-school enrichment program that promotes educational, emotional and social enrichment for middle-school students. The nonprofit organization serves 150 students at sites in Cleveland Heights, Cleveland, University Heights and Euclid.

Based on a connection through Business Volunteers Unlimited, Case Western Reserve Universityâ€™s Center for Community Partnerships added the organization as a new community partner. Open Doors also will be a new service site during Case for Community Day on Sept. 17.

Fundraising Grows for Third Straight Year

2010-08-02T16:02:59Z

Contributions total $115.5 million, second-highest in university history

Case Western Reserve Universityâ€™s alumni and friends continued their extraordinary support in 2009-2010, providing $115.5 million in philanthropy. The figure represents an increase of more than 6 percent over the previous year and the second-highest amount ever received. The results also marked the third consecutive year that the university exceeded $100 million in contributions and pledges.

â€œThis support is a testament to the remarkable work that takes place on our campus,â€ President Barbara R. Snyder said. â€œI am deeply grateful to all of the individuals and organizations who recognize our efforts and are willing to help us realize our goals.â€

This yearâ€™s totals also set some best-ever records, including for annual fund giving ($7.9 million), average gift ($6,540) and unrestricted giving ($44.7 million).

Fresh from the University Farm to Tomlinson’s Cafe

2010-07-29T14:36:36Z

The Farm Food Program. Photo: Susan Griffith

As tomatoes and other produce are harvested from the University Farms' new gardens in Hunting Valley, the yield provides fresh products for Bon AppÃ©titâ€™s cafÃ© in Tomlinson Hall.

The Farm Food Program, a pilot project now in its 15th week, is sending as many as 11 products weekly to the main campus, according to University Farm Director Ana Locci.

The farm has become one of the locally grown food sources for Bon AppÃ©tit, which now purchases about 27 percent of its food products from vendors within 150 miles of campus, according to Bon AppÃ©tit Director of Operations David Apthorpe.

From the basil in the homemade pizzas to the leafy greens in salads, the farm contributes to green eating on campus.

Case Western Reserve Names Interim LGBT Center Coordinator, Advances on LGBT Campus Climate Index

2010-07-21T14:47:01Z

Liz Roccoforte

Case Western Reserve University continues to show its commitment to an inclusive campus community with a new Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center slated to open soon — and an experienced new coordinator at the helm.

Elisabeth â€œLizâ€ Roccoforte, diversity program manager in the universityâ€™s Office of Inclusion, Diversity and Equal Opportunity, was recently named interim coordinator of the LGBT Center. She is expected to lead the center for at least a year.

â€œI want to do high-quality programming and events that will reach faculty, students, staff and alumni,â€ Roccoforte says.

Roccoforte had a similar position at the University of Cincinnati, where she also served as an undergraduate instructor in womenâ€™s studies. She also served as the program director of adult and professional development at the Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio.

She plans to work with campus departments and student organizations. â€œThe goal is to lay the foundation and get the center up and running as both a resource for the broader community and a safe place for the LGBT community,â€ she explains. Plans include the establishment of an LGBT library, as well as conversation groups.

Water, Water Everywhere for 2010 Year of Water Celebration

2010-07-13T13:05:20Z

Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink...is this the fate humans face in the future as oil leaks, pollution and other environmental changes impact clean drinking water?

From Fall Convocation on Aug. 25 with the free, public talk by Elizabeth Royte, the author of Bottlemania: How Water Went on Sale and Why We Bought It, to events on and off campus, the university will celebrate the Year of Water.

Sponsoring Year of Water, the exploration of one of earthâ€™s most important resources, are the Division of Student Affairs, CWRU Climate Action Plan, CWRU Plant and Facilities Services, Engineers Without Borders, Squire Valleevue Farm, Student Sustainability Council and the Sustainability Alliance.

SmartCART Online Purchasing Tool Up and Running

2010-07-12T15:03:27Z

When administrators in Procurement and Distribution Services and Information Technology Services implemented the new SmartCART online e-procurement tool last month, they anticipated $470,000 in purchases over the course of 30 days.

Instead, theyâ€™ve experienced more than double that amount of purchases through SmartCART traffic from campus end-users.

â€œWeâ€™re very happy about it. We are recognizing the benefits of the tool that weâ€™d hoped for," said Melinda Boykin, interim director of Procurement and Distribution Services.

SmartCART (Convenient Advanced Requisitioning Tool) is an online software tool designed to consolidate the ordering process. Benefits include one-stop-shopping, greater visibility into spending habits, capitalization on ERP investment, and university-wide cost savings and process efficiencies, Boykin said. The program also supports the universityâ€™s strategic goals.

Case Western Reserve’s NYSP Receives $75,000 from Cavaliers Youth Fund

2010-07-08T13:03:54Z

National Youth Sports Program
Photo: NYSP website

The good news keeps on coming for Case Western Reserve Universityâ€™s chapter of the National Youth Sports Program.

Organizers recently learned they were the recipients of a $75,000 grant from the Cavaliers Youth Fund, a fund of the McCormick Foundation. Itâ€™s among one of the largest grants the universityâ€™s NYSP chapter has received for a single year.

The money will go toward expenses for this yearâ€™s summer program, where nearly 500 youths between the ages of 10 and 16 are on campus receiving educational, athletic, medical and nutritional offerings.

Case Western Reserve Announces New University Librarian

2010-07-02T14:28:21Z

Arnold Hirshon

Case Western Reserve University has selected a new university librarian. Arnold Hirshon, who has more than 30 years of experience in the management of nonprofit organizations, academic libraries and information technology, will begin his new duties on August 16. He also will hold the title of associate provost.

â€œWeâ€™re very enthusiastic about him,â€ said Lynn Singer, deputy provost and a member of the search committee. Several search committee members cited Hirshonâ€™s international experience as a plus.

Hirshon succeeds Joanne Eustis, who retired last December after 11 years as university librarian.

Hirshon is currently the chief strategist and executive consultant for LYRASIS Inc., the nationâ€™s largest library consortia organization serving libraries and information professionals in the United States and abroad.

Nursing School Human Resources Manager Receives President’s Award for Distinguished Service

2010-06-17T13:00:52Z

President Barbara R. Snyder
and Kathleen O'Linn
Photo: Dan Milner

Kathleen O'Linn, who joined the university in 1994, is supportive of causes and programs that have a transformational effect on people's lives.

Her efforts are being recognized with a 2010 President's Award for Distinguished Service.

O'Linn, along with two other employees, received the recognition during the Staff Service Awards. The event, held last week, also recognized employees with 10, 25 and 35 years of service with the university.

The program was a collaborative effort between the Department of Human Resources, the Staff Advisory Council and the Office of the President.

Learn more about O'Linn: