Hello MTASers:

Yes, I’m a little late in getting you last week’s update. I can give you excuses, instead I’ll just offer my apologies.

So, onto other business. I spent last week in the Nashville office going around to various state agencies and meeting the folks at the offices where we have a lot of collaboration. Jim Thomas was so gracious to spend the majority of the week with me and assist with introductions to the external dignitaries. I look forward to getting to each of the offices and learning about all the great work we do across the state.

Also, I’ve done some research into travel policies regarding lodging at conferences close to official duty stations. If your official duty station (AKA office) is close to a conference location, and due to conference schedules with early mornings and/or late evenings, it would be a hardship to commute; you can request from me (preferably in writing) an exception to the policy that states that “Expenses incurred at an employee's official station will not be reimbursed by the university and are considered personal.” So, you may ask, “what is close?” I also found in UT travel policies that a 75 mile radius is considered “local travel.” Just to be clear, UT policy doesn’t mention “close” – that is my word and the 75 mile radius is my interpretation. If you need me to get an official interpretation, please ask me to do so and I’ll gladly assist; otherwise, this is how we’ll handle this type of situation in the future.

Next, I am embarrassed to admit that I omitted some IPS Annual Conference award winners in the last MTAS Mustard. Again I express my apologies; and I want to fully recognize all our staff that was honored:
Michelle Buckner, Excellence in Public Service Award
Warren Nevad and Dana Deem, Collaboration of the Year for Asset-Based Planning Initiative for Rural Distressed Counties
Pat Hardy and Cyndy Edmonds, Five Franklins Award
Cyndy Edmonds, Vice Presidential Citation for K@TE Team
Sherri Brown, 10 year Service Award
Way to go Team MTAS! Congratulations to our winners.

Finally, here are the time sensitive matters of which I want to remind you:
· Please complete the Conflict of Interest Form by the end of the month. In case you need the link, here you go:
https://app.perfectforms.com/PresentationServer/Form.aspx/Play/rcdkAgAJ?f=rcdkAgAJ&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Conflict%20of%20Interest&utm_campaign=tntoday
· Securing the Human (security awareness) is due October 27. The link to access the training is:
https://univtn.securingthehuman.org
· The Campus Chest campaign began this week. Kudos to Armintha for chairing our efforts again this year. Here is a link to the campaign’s website for more information:
http://campuschest.utk.edu/make-a-pledge/
For all of these efforts, please help me be able to say that 100% of MTAS participated. If you have any questions, please let me know.

I hope you had a fabulous short week last week and that this one (that’s now half over) is going well too.
Margaret