By Brad Duncan

"Creating a workplace that allows employees to more effectively balance their work and off-the-job lives is an integral part of my vision for the University of Kentucky."

-- Lee T. Todd Jr.,
president,
University of Kentucky

Sept. 11, 2002 (Lexington, Ky.) -- The University of Kentucky Work-Life Task Force will begin holding its biweekly meetings from 1 to 3 p.m. Monday, Sept. 16 in 102 Mining and Minerals Resources Building. Subsequent meetings will be held every other Monday on Sept. 30, Oct. 14, Oct. 28, Nov. 11 and Nov. 25 at the same time and location. All meetings are open and employees are encouraged to attend.

The Task Force also has added four new members: preparing to begin regular meetings in an effort to better the work lives of UK employees, four new members Zelia Holloway, Commission on Diversity; Russ Pear, athletics; Jim Rider, physical plant division; and Jami Kring, student representative.

President Lee T. Todd Jr. has appointed Jennifer E. Swanberg, assistant professor, College of Social Work, as advisor to the task force. Swanberg, who has helped gear up this effort from the beginning, is the co-author of "The 1997 National Study of the Changing Workforce." The study was a research program of the Families and Work Institute, a non-profit New York-based center that provides data on the changing workplace, family and community.

"Creating a workplace that allows employees to more effectively balance their work and off-the-job lives is an integral part of my vision for the University of Kentucky," Todd said.

In an effort to help employees keep up to date on the progress of the task force and to give input, the task force opened its web site Monday, Sept. 9. The site provides information in the following categories: charge and mission, task force members, progress report, resources, contact information and a meeting schedule. It can be accessed by clicking here.