In this October 2025 issue:
The University of Nebraska at Kearney is committed to providing a safe environment for all members of the UNK campus community. In accordance with the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act, UNK creates an annual campus security and fire safety report and makes it available to members of the campus community by October 1st of each year. The 2025 report is now available at: 2025 Annual Campus Security and Fire Safety Report.
The UNK Annual Campus Security and Fire Safety Report contains the university’s crime and fire statistics for the previous three years (2024, 2023, 2022) and includes resources available for victims of crimes, campus policy statements, tips on personal safety, information on how to report crimes, campus programs related to safety prevention, information about drugs/alcohol, as well as fire safety and evacuations.
A request for a free paper copy of the report can be made in-person at UNKPD located at 2501 19th Avenue, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or by sending an email to unkpd@unk.edu.
To learn more about the Clery Act at UNK or additional campus safety information visit UNK Police Department
For a list of resources go to Helpful Resources
The Finance Office maintains the UNK financial approver tables for both Ariba purchase requisitions and SAP travel requests. If a requisition or request does not appear to be routing to the correct financial approver, please contact Karen Labenz at labenzk@unk.edu.
Certain departments routinely provide goods and services to customers resulting in accounts receivable. The Finance Office can assist with the collection of accounts receivable balances through a collection agency if certain criteria are met. Writing off an accounts receivable balance as uncollectible requires the approval of the Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance. For further information, see the Cash/Money Handling and Accounts Receivable Policy.
Training on the financial reports that are recommended in the Fiscal Responsibility and Review of Financial Reports Policy for BI and SAP will be held on Tuesday, October 21, 2025. Financial reports can assist you in managing your department or grant budgets and viewing detail transactions posted against your budgets. Firefly Business Intelligence reports are web based, and SAP reports require installation of SAP on your laptop. The classes will be held in the UNK Library LIBR 011 and require you to bring your own laptop for hands on learning. Please contact Karen Labenz at 8785 or labenzk@unk.edu or Heather Foradori at 8540 or foradorih@unk.edu for questions. Please register for class or both classes here:
Tuesday, October 21, 2025
Firefly Business Intelligence financial reporting, 1:30pm -2:30pm BI Registration
SAP financial reporting, 2:30pm – 3:30pm SAP Registration
Annual NUFlex Benefits Enrollment began on Monday, October 27th and will end Friday, November 14th, 2025 at 5:00pm. Employees will be able to make any changes to their benefits plan during this time. We encourage you to enroll early to avoid any last-minute complications.
Reminders:
For a complete list of the benefits, please visit https://nebraska.edu/faculty-and-staff/health-benefits.
Human Resources will be available to answer questions regarding NuFlex Benefits Enrollment. For any questions, please call Erica Oliver at (308) 865-8522 or email benefitsunk@unk.edu.
The annual Employee Benefits and Wellness Fair will be held on Wednesday, November 5th, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Ponderosa Room of the Nebraskan Student Union. Come explore the wide range of benefits and wellness resources available to you! Connect with insurance vendors, community partners, and wellness experts to learn more about your options and discover new tools to support your well-being. We hope to see you there!
Please consider donating to the crisis leave program. This program allows any employee who earns vacation leave to donate up to five accumulated vacation days per calendar year. The donated leave goes to a pool of crisis leave hours that are used to help an employee who is experiencing a crisis and does not have sufficient leave to cover their absence period. Donation forms can be accessed through SAPPHIRE or the following link:
https://sapphire.bravais.com/adminportal/document/38097
Please submit completed forms to the Human Resources Office.
Since 1922, the NFPA has sponsored the public observance of Fire Prevention Week. In 1925, President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed Fire Prevention Week a national observance, making it the longest-running public health observance in our country. Fire Prevention Week is observed each year during the week of October 9th in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire, which began on October 8, 1871, and caused devastating damage. This horrific conflagration killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures, and burned more than 2,000 acres of land.
“Not Every Hero Wears a Cape. Plan and Practice Your Escape!” works to educate everyone about the small but important actions they can take to keep themselves and those around them safe.
In a typical home fire, you may have as little as one to two minutes to escape safely from the time the smoke alarm sounds. Escape planning and practice can help you make the most of the time you have, giving everyone enough time to get out.
Plan ahead for your escape. Make your home escape plan and practice today.
In 1984, the National Crime Prevention Council designated October Crime Prevention Month. Every year since then, government agencies, civic groups, schools, businesses, and youth organizations have reached out to educate the public, showcase their accomplishments, and explore new partnerships during this special month. Since then, McGruff the Crime Dog® has taught millions of people that the police can’t fight crime alone – crime prevention is everybody’s business, and everyone can help “Take A Bite Out Of Crime®.
Through television commercials, comic books, live appearances, and more, McGruff has encouraged Americans to take common-sense steps to reduce crime. Some of his favorite messages are:
Employees and Departments/Groups of Employees can be nominated for different awards. The awards are presented monthly during the Staff Senate meetings.
Please consider nominating a staff member or group who has demonstrated excellence. It’s time to show our colleagues how much we appreciate what they do and why we’re so very proud to be Lopers!!
