A UC Davis alumna, Jennifer Gray Golick, was one of the three women killed Friday (March 9) at the Pathway Home on the grounds of the Veterans Home of California in Yountville, Napa County.

She graduated from UC Davis with a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1998 and received a master’s degree in counseling psychology at Sonoma State University in 2000.

The Pathway Home board of directors announced that it will hold a service in memory of the women at 6 p.m. Monday (March 19) at the Napa Valley Performing Arts Center at Lincoln Theater, 100 California Drive, Yountville.

Newly taxable income, under federal law

Accounting and Financial Services announced policy changes under which relocation payments to employees (or relocation payments made on their behalf), achievement awards and some gifts to employees are now being reported as federal taxable income.

The university revised the policies to comply with tax legislation (Public Law 115-97) approved by Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump in late December.

Under the revised policies, effective Jan. 1, 2018:

• All employer-provided relocation expenses, including moving expenses paid directly to a third party (e.g., a moving company), are reportable as taxable income.
• Achievement awards for safety and length of service are taxable, independent of the award value (these awards can be in the form of gift cards, and one-month parking permits and transit passes). 
• Recognition awards provided in the form of gift cards are taxable when they exceed $75, or if more than three are awarded during a calendar year.  

Further revisions to UC policies related to the tax legislation are pending guidance from the Internal Revenue Service and the California Franchise Tax Board.

Accounting and Financial Services has posted complete information here. The page includes links to the applicable UC policies (which have not yet been updated).

Questions? Contact the Tax Reporting and Compliance Team by email.

Let’s call it ‘Unitrans Appreciation Day’

Unitrans personnel deserve our thanks every day for getting us to school and getting us home — and they especially deserve our thanks this Friday through Sunday (March 16-18), coinciding with international Transit Driver Appreciation Day, although we like to think of it as Driver and Conductor and Maintenance and Administrative Staff Appreciation Day.

Most of those workers are students — as Unitrans has been student-run since it began 50 years ago as a unit of the Associated Students of UC Davis.

“Everyone here at Unitrans appreciates all of their hard work and effort, particularly during the winter months when buses are most crowded, and, of course, with finals week just a few days away,” said Teri Sheets, assistant general manager for administration.

So, let the drivers and conductors know how you feel! And consider expressing your appreciation to the maintenance and administrative staff, too, by email or phone, 530-752-2877. Or write a note — you can obtain a blank card from Unitrans staff who will be on hand this Friday at the Memorial Union Terminal.

Soaring to New Heights: Tickets on sale

Tickets went on sale this week for the 28th annual Soaring to New Heights — the university’s premier celebration of diversity — to be held from 11:15 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 11, in The Pavilion at the Activities and Recreation Center.

This year’s theme is “Soaring Boldly for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion,” a nod to Chancellor Gary S. May’s strategic planning process, “To Boldly Go.”

Raquel Aldana, associate vice chancellor for academic diversity, will deliver the keynote address. The luncheon event also will include music by Lorena and the Saints, a resource fair with tabling by departments and constituency groups, and the presentation of Diversity and Principles of Community Achievement Awards, Disability Awareness Achievement Awards, and the Calvin E. Handy Leadership Award,

Rahim Reed, associate executive vice chancellor, Office of Campus Community Relations, said department/unit representation is highly recommended, and release time with supervisory approval is appropriate.

The UC Davis Ticket Office is handling sales. Tickets are $10 and will be available until Friday, March 30, or when they are gone. No tickets will be sold at the door. Here’s how to get them:

• Individual tickets — Buy them online or by phone, 530-752-2471; or go to the ticket office (north end of Aggie Stadium), open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Personal credit or debit cards are acceptable for payment.
• Department recharge — Account managers can order tickets via this Google doc. 
• Ticket pickup — At the ticket office (north end of Aggie Stadium), but call first, 530-752-2471, to confirm your tickets are ready.

New e-certificate coming for eduroam

This task might sound familiar, because you’ve almost certainly done it before.

UC Davis faculty, students and staff who use the campus wireless network, eduroam, might get prompted to accept a new electronic security certificate the first time they use their smartphone or other mobile device on the network after 8 a.m. Monday, March 26.

The updated certificate, which Information and Educational Technology will install at that time, tells your device that it’s connecting to eduroam. Certificates expire periodically, and therefore need to be replaced. Learn more in this Knowledge Base article.

Your device might accept the new certificate automatically, or you might need to manually accept the certificate after you see a prompt on your screen. The experience will vary, depending on your device, model and operating system.

If you experience problems or have questions, please connect with the IT Express Service Desk.

Read the TechNews article.

Flexible spending account deadlines

Important deadlines are approaching for employees who were enrolled in flexible spending accounts in 2017 — for dependent care or health expenses, or both.

• Dependent care FSA — March 15 is the last day to spend your dependent care FSA balance, if any, from your 2017 account. April 15 is the last day to file claims for expenses to be charged to your 2017 account, including claims incurred during the grace period ending March 15. You cannot carry over remaining funds past your grace period, even if you renewed your dependent care FSA.
• Health care FSA — April 15 is the last day to file claims for expenses incurred through Dec. 31, 2017. You may carry over up to $500 in unused funds for one year, to the end of 2018, with those funds available for reimbursement in early May. Unused funds greater than $500 will be forfeited. If you did not renew your health care FSA, you must have at least $25 remaining in your account after the April 15 deadline to be able to carry over funds to the next plan year. Funds under $25 will be forfeited.

Log in to your WageWorks account to get immediate access to your FSA activity, account balances and reimbursement information.

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