Winter 2015 Employee Newsletter
A Word from the President
December is a month of celebration at Liberty, as we mark the end of the semester on Dec. 18 and our students start their Christmas break. But most importantly, it is a time when we get to celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ together, as a university family.
The campus has undergone its annual holiday transformation. From the lighting of our Christmas tree to the sound of carols being sung all across campus, the entire university is getting into the Christmas spirit.
We hope you will also join us for the annual employee Christmas reception on Friday, Dec. 18. Becki and I look forward to this event every year — we love to hear the stories of how God is blessing your time here and how Liberty, in turn, is being blessed by your service.
But even before December, the Liberty family came together to celebrate our outstanding faculty and staff. Thank you for joining us on Employee Appreciation Day at the Liberty vs. Coastal Carolina game and for supporting our players as they defeated our top conference rival.
Football season may be over, but Liberty hockey is well underway with our first hockey game played in the renovated LaHaye Ice Center on Oct. 23. Thanks for helping to fill the building to its capacity of 4,000 fans on opening night, and be sure to catch our team in action on the ice if you get the chance. (View the schedule at www.Liberty.edu/ClubSports.) The Vines Center is also heating up as Liberty men’s and women’s basketball move into their second month of competition. I hope you’ll purchase tickets and come out to support Flames Basketball.
No matter the season, we have much reason to celebrate at Liberty University. God continues to bless us, and we are eternally grateful.
Wishing you and your families a Merry Christmas,
Jerry Falwell
President
President’s Christmas Reception
You are warmly invited to attend the annual President’s Christmas Reception hosted by President and Mrs. Jerry Falwell.
- Friday, Dec. 18
- 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
- Reber-Thomas Dining Hall
We look forward to seeing each of you at this special event. As we celebrate the gift of Christ this season, we are reminded of what a gift it is to work among such committed faculty and staff.
More details to follow
What You Need to Know Is On the Board!
On any given day, there is so much happening at Liberty University that sometimes it’s difficult to keep up with everything!
To help employees stay informed, the Marketing Department has created the Employee Bulletin Board — a central Web page for university offices to share information with employees. Now, when you want to see what’s going on across campus, all you have to do is log into your myLU portal and check out the board or simply bookmark the page in your browser.
Offices or departments wanting to post an announcement to the Employee Bulletin Board should submit the information to their Marketing Department project coordinator. Announcements submitted by Tuesday will be posted on Monday of the following week.
Winterfest 2015
Liberty University’s Winterfest 2015 is coming up Dec. 30-31. This annual New Year’s Eve celebration never fails to rock the campus. Artists performing this year include Casting Crowns, NEEDTOBREATHE, For King & Country, and Matthew West. Attendees will also hear from speakers David Nasser and Clayton King.
All-Event tickets include:
- Performances by popular Christian musicians
- Artist Q & A sessions
- Activities at the LaHaye Student Union, including ice skating, indoor soccer, rock climbing, swimming, and basketball
- Skiing, snowboarding, and tubing at Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre
This is a great way to ring in the new year with your kids, so purchase your All-Event tickets today at www.LibertyWinterfest.com.
Spreading Christmas Cheer and Life-Giving Hope
This time of year people begin eagerly scanning the radio for the music of Christmas, but they don’t need to look further than The Journey FM!
All the way through Christmas Day, The Journey is hosting “The Journey Hometown Christmas.” With the best variety of Christmas music and touching holiday stories from artists, hosts, and listeners, “The Journey Hometown Christmas” is spreading cheer and sharing the life-giving hope of Christ with others. Tune into The Journey this holiday season for Christmas favorites such as “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby, “Silent Night” by Nat King Cole, and many more.
But “The Journey Hometown Christmas” is about more than nostalgia and holiday cheer — it’s about shining the light of Christ into people’s lives. Christmas can be difficult and lonely for many, and the holidays have a way of magnifying people’s hurts and needs. What better time to reach out to others to share God’s love than during the season we celebrate Him reaching out to us through Christ?
Don’t simply tune into “The Journey Hometown Christmas;” invite your friends and neighbors to listen as well. As people who don’t normally listen to Christian radio enjoy “The Journey Hometown Christmas,” perhaps they will discover a hope they’ve never heard before and keep listening in January.
Deliciousness Comes at a Great Price — Affordable
Liberty University Dining Services offers plenty of ways for employees to get delicious food at an affordable price. Order online from Doc’s Gourmet To Go — open Sunday-Thursday, 3:30-9:30 p.m. — and you won’t even need to leave your vehicle when you pick up your meal in the convenient drive-thru lane! Swing by Farmer’s Field — the new tossed-to-order salad venue in the Tilley Student Center — and enjoy fresh salads that can be upgraded to include even more toppings for only $2. Got a craving? Check out Cravings, the Sodexo food truck parked between the Hill Residence Halls and DeMoss Hall weekdays until 3 p.m. Offering a rotating menu of hot, made-to-order meals prepared with local ingredients as well as a specialty breakfast menu, Cravings is sure to become one of your favorite on-campus eateries.
And don’t forget, employees receive discounts when using Flames Cash at all Liberty dining locations!
The Numbers Are In
As Liberty University continues to grow, so do the responsibilities of the Financial Aid Office. During the 2014-15 year, Financial Aid processed $1.1 billion in student aid!
To account for these funds, Liberty is required to undergo a federal audit known as the Financial Aid A-133. This is an extremely important process that has a major impact on the university. In the last five months, Liberty provided federal auditors with thousands of pages of information representing 1,436 documents, and we are proud to report that the audit returned zero errors or discrepancies!
This is an amazing accomplishment, and those involved deserve to be recognized for their tireless efforts. Key staff members include:
- Angie Helmintoller and team – handle withdrawal calculations and SAP (Systems Applications and Products)
- Patrick Hinckley and team – maintain a thorough knowledge of Liberty’s aid policies as well as details on state approvals
- Tim Parry and team – monitor attempted student-aid fraud and liaison with government agencies
- Angie Travis – assists with federal work-study and reconciliations
- The grants and loans teams (under Dan McClanahan, Lauren Buckner, and Thomas Usewicz) – certify loans and completes federal verifications
Additionally, there are many employees who work quietly behind the scenes to help Financial Aid in their efforts, including Guin Klous, Rachel Myers, Lauren Zinecker, Jessica Thomas, and Matt Skinner.
Congratulations to the entire Financial Aid Office and to everyone who helped in this process — your work is greatly appreciated.
Only $30 for a Season of Flames Hoops!
As a Liberty University employee, you are eligible for discounted season tickets to Liberty men’s and women’s basketball games! You also get an additional $25 combo discount when you purchase both men’s and women’s season tickets at the Ticket Office window or over the phone.
MEN’S SEASON TICKET PRICES
Premium*
Regular Price: $100
LU Employee Price: $50
General Admission
Regular Price: $75
LU Employee Price: $30
WOMEN’S SEASON TICKET PRICES
Premium Seat*
Regular Price: $75
LU Employee Price: $50
General Admission
Regular Price: $50
LU Employee Price: $30
*Requires a Flames Club membership. To join the Flames Club, call (434) 582-CLUB (2582) or visit www.LibertyFlames.com/FlamesClub.
Order your season tickets online or by calling (434) 582-SEAT (7328).
See you in the Vines Center — Go Flames!
Employees of the Month
Congratulations to our Employees of the Month. You are a tremendous blessing to this university, and we are thankful for you. This recognition is proof that you go above and beyond normal expectations to consistently produce excellent work with a Christlike attitude and spirit. Thank you for all you do to make Liberty a shining light.
October: Russell Darnell, Brad Davis, Steven Ferro, Tim John, Elliott Miller, Mark Miller, Melissa Osterkamp, Dawn Sandas, Terri Sipantzi, Rob Slaughter, Trey Smith, and Nathan Valle.
November: Diane Austin, Ashley Gryder, Micah Johnson, Bobby Lamb, George (Russ) Smith, Scott Spear, Kaitlin Thompson, Angela Travis, and Randy Willis.
December: Josh Miller, Heidi Covington, Matthew DeSantis, Tiffany Jackson, Cheryl Knight, Tommy Mason, David Miller, Austin Reddington, Robert Scoville, Michelle Smith, Clifford Stumme, and Jamie Swyers.
You Stand Out
University senior leadership has been looking for staff members who exemplify exceptional commitment to Liberty’s customer service standards. Last month, tickets* were handed out as our way of thanking those whose hard work and dedication (often behind the scenes) made a difference.
Congratulations to You Stand Out recipients: Jacki Wilson, Heidi Sneed, Amy Milano, David Miller, Tatiana Harman, Julie Parrow, Allison Brooks, Sherri Martin, Joseph Marshall, Erin Lobaina, Michael Marrano, Kimberly Witt, Luke Smith, Andrew Carroll, Rebecca Rumsmoke, Thomas Starchia, Elisa Rollins, Austin Woods, Matthew Hoppes, Tom Hinkley, and Adam Wittcop.
*Remember, these tickets are redeemable for a Barnes & Noble gift card. Be on the lookout — you never know when someone might notice that You Stand Out!
Send Us Your Feedback
God has been doing great things around Liberty. We would love to hear your thoughts about how the You Matter campaign is affecting Liberty’s campus. Feel free to send us your feedback and ideas.
Email us at youmatter@liberty.edu