The University of Alberta’s Margaret-Ann Armour has won many awards for her work in improving the situation of Canadian women in science and technology.

For sheer enthusiasm and passion for learning, the students who impress Armour the most are folks over 50. It’s why she relishes being an instructor for the Edmonton Lifelong Learners Association (ELLA) which offers more than thirty courses each May to about 400 students in the U of A Education Centre.

“It’s just wonderful,” says Armour who has told ELLA students she’d like to put them in a first-year chemistry class to show what engagement in a course really means.

ELLA’s roots go back a long way. In 1972, the U of A Faculty of Extension began offering an annual spring program for adults 50+. In 2001, when budget constraints forced the Faculty to terminate the spring sessions, the students stepped up. The volunteer-driven ELLA now runs the program in a unique partnership with the University.

ELLA is always seeking high-quality instructors. Courses are non-credit, with no exams or required homework. The 70-minute classes run Monday to Friday for three weeks. Instructors receive $1,250 per course. Several double-period art instruction courses are also offered.

Interested instructors are encouraged to contact the appropriate Sub-Committee Chair for further information: Jill Swann-Lussier (Humanities) jilllussier@yahoo.ca; Dawna Dey-Harrish (Fine Arts) dawnadey@shaw.ca; Liz McCord (Sciences) lizmccord@shaw.ca.

Please be sure to bring your own copy of the agenda package as only a very limited number of copies will be provided at the meeting on a first come, first served basis.

RSVPs for the FA AGM and Jerry Zdril’s farewell are needed by Monday, April 30. A reminder that the AGM and the farewell will be taking place:

Wednesday, May 9, 2012
9:00 a.m. – Meeting starts (coffee/tea and juice only available)
12:00 noon – Lunch provided
3:00 p.m. – Farewell for Jerry
St. Michael’s Ukrainian Orthodox Parish Hall (12918 – 121 Street)

Please confirm your attendance with Celine at millerc@macewan.ca or 780-497-5068.

The agenda for the meeting will be distributed via e-mail by May 2.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012
3:00 p.m. (following the FA AGM) – light refreshments to be provided
St. Michael’s Ukrainian Orthodox Parish Hall (12918 – 121 Street)

If you plan to attend the social, please RSVP to Celine (millerc@macewan.ca or 780-497-5068) by Monday, April 30.

• Executive Committee Members at Large – 3 positions total – 1 Centre for the Arts and Communications, 1 Health and Community Studies, 1 Professional Resource Faculty
• Finance Committee – 2 positions
• Grievance Committee – 2 positions
• Faculty Development Committee – 2 positions total – 1 Arts and Science, 1 Health and Community Studies
• Professional Ethics and Conduct Committee – 3 positions
• Governance Committee – 2 positions
• Faculty Evaluation Committee – 2 positions total – 1 Arts and Science, 1 Health and Community Studies
• Constitution Committee – 2 positions

Further details, including the nomination form, are available by clicking on the file below:

FA Notice of Elections – Spring 2012

Further information about these positions/committees is available by clicking on the link below:

FA Constitution – Updated May 2011

Please note that the deadline for nominations is Wednesday, April 25. Positions not filled as of this date will be filled from the floor at the AGM on Wednesday, May 9.

Questions regarding the above may be directed to Celine at millerc@macewan.ca or 780-497-5068.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012
9:00 a.m. (lunch to be provided at 12:00 noon)
St. Michael’s Ukrainian Orthodox Parish Hall (12918 – 121 Street)

Further details regarding constitutional changes, elections, and more will be provided over the coming weeks.

Please confirm your attendance with Celine at millerc@macewan.ca.

• President (remainder of a two-year term ending AGM 2013)
• Vice President Executive (two-year term ending AGM 2014)
• Treasurer (two-year term ending AGM 2014)
• Vice President Communications and Research (two-year term ending AGM 2014)

• What is the deadline for submitting Health Spending Account claim forms (for 2011 expenses) to Alberta Blue Cross?
• What is the deadline for submitting Executive Committee nomination forms to the FA Office?
• What is the deadline for submitting nominations to the FA Office for the ACIFA Award for Innovation in Teaching?

Submit your answers to Celine Miller in the FA Office at millerc@macewan.ca. The draw for the Oilers tickets will be made on Friday, February 10. Good luck!

Faculty who have Health Spending Account claims for 2011 must get their forms filled out and sent to Alberta Blue Cross by Saturday, March 31st in order to get reimbursed; members who would like to claim as much as $450 for their health and dental premiums need to fill out the necessary form and to send it to MacEwan payroll by March 10th. This form must also be sent to Alberta Blue Cross by March 31st (see details below).

Alberta Blue Cross administers your HSA. Receipts submitted in March will be reimbursed in April. You can obtain a form for HSA claims in person at Human Resources at the downtown campus (University Service Centre, 10-600) or directly from the Alberta Blue Cross website.

Download the form called Health Spending Account Claims (ABC 30676) and fill it out. Scroll down this page to find out more information about who qualifies for HSA reimbursement. Term faculty will also find information that applies to them.

Expenses Covered Under HSA
The Canada Revenue Agency sets out the expenses that are eligible for coverage under the HSA.  Any medical expense that you can claim on your income tax return is eligible for coverage by your HSA.

You can find the current list of eligible expenses at the Canada Revenue Agency website.

Alberta Blue Cross administers our health and dental plan. Any claims you made under this plan that are not covered by the plan (e.g. basic dental costs above the 80% covered by our plan) are automatically transferred to your HSA for future reimbursement.

Some of the typical medical expenses people claim through their HSA include:

• vision care (including laser eye surgery)
• paramedical practitioners (including acupuncturists, chiropractors and physiotherapists)
• expenses not covered fully by the extended health and dental plans
• employee’s share of health & dental plan premiums

This last item is important as many members may not have many medical expenses that the HSA would cover.  If you don’t have any expenses to claim, you can at least get reimbursed for the $450 in premiums you paid last year for your health and dental plan.

The process of filling out forms can seem daunting, especially if you wish to get your health and dental plan premiums reimbursed. Getting these premiums reimbursed is worth the effort, however, so that you can put money in your pocket.

The following information breaks down what steps you need to take to do this. There are different deadline dates and forms to fill out. It can seem confusing because of all the details to sift through. Please read closely.

Claim Forms for Health & Dental Plan Premiums

You must obtain a separate claim form from Alberta Blue Cross if you wish to claim your health and dental plan premiums. You can find more information about it under a link on the Alberta Blue Cross website called Health/Dental Plan Rate Reimbursement Form.

This means you have TWO forms to fill out and to submit to Alberta Blue Cross:

1. Health Spending Account Claims form AND
2. Health/Dental Plan Rate Reimbursement Form

The image below shows you the Alberta Blue Cross webpage where you will find both forms.

Completing the Health/Dental Plan Rate Reimbursement Form

With this separate form for health and dental premiums, all you have to fill in is your employee information.

Once you’ve done that, you must send this form to MacEwan Human Resources; staff there will fill out the rest of the form.

You must submit this form to MacEwan Human Resources BY MARCH 10TH so that Human Resources staff can complete the form and RETURN IT TO YOU.

After you get this form back, you must submit both it and the Health Spending Account Claims form to Alberta Blue Cross by March 31st.

Who at HR should I contact to get my Health & Dental Premiums Form signed?

There are TWO WAYS to send your Health/Dental Plan Rate Reimbursement Form to MacEwan’s Human Resources:

1. send by internal mail to Payroll, Human Resources, University Service Centre
   10-600, 10930-104 Avenue NW, Edmonton, AB T5J 4S2
2. deliver in person at City Centre Campus at the above address

Be sure to advise payroll how to return the document to you: either Payroll should hold the document for you to pick up at the building address above or Payroll should send the document to you through interoffice email (provide your name, campus and office number information in this case).

Who Has Access to HSA
All continuing, probationary and sessional faculty have access to a personal Health Spending Account (HSA) to cover expenses not otherwise covered under the Health Care and Dental plan at MacEwan.

The rules surrounding the HSA are governed by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and include a number of requirements to ensure that your HSA remains non-taxable, thereby allowing you to access all of the HSA funds in your account.

HSA Limits and Carry Forward Rules
Each month, the university deposits $37.50 into your HSA.  This provides $450 per year for eligible medical expenses.  You can also carry forward funds in your HSA for one year.

Under CRA rules, any unused funds will forfeit after that one year carry-forward; for example, any unused funds in your HSA for 2011 will carry over into your 2012 HSA.  However, if you have still not used any of those 2011 funds by the end of 2012, you will forfeit that amount.  Of course, you retain access to all of your 2012 funds until the end of 2013.

Faculty on the Family Plan
If you are on the family plan for health and dental, your 20% share of the premium costs is $49.24 per month, or $590.88 per year.  Through the HSA, you can be reimbursed for $450 of this cost each year.

Term Faculty and Health Benefits Stipend
Term faculty members are not eligible for the HSA; however, those who qualify for the health and dental plan (those who teach 270 instructional hours or the equivalent hours in other faculty positions) will receive the Health Benefits Stipend each year.

This stipend, in the amount of $300 per member, will be paid in January of each year.  Because this is not a CRA-approved HSA, this stipend will be subject to income tax.  However, this also means there are no restrictions on what you may spend your stipend on.  You should have  received this stipend on your second paycheck in January.

Need Help? Contact Information

If you have any other questions, please contact:

• Joe Childs (780-633-3594, childsj2@macewan.ca) OR
• Alberta Blue Cross directly at 780-498-8000 or 1-800-661-6995.