Programs
Sam Houston State University is committed to providing programs that promote healthy work-life balances, professional growth, and financial incentives.
Employee Wellness
| Name | Details |
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| Wellness Release Time | |
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The Sam Houston State University Wellness Program consists of various voluntary wellness related activities that qualify as eligible for release time. Employees approved for participation in the Wellness Program shall receive a maximum of two and one-half (2.5) hours of release time per week, taken in increments of no greater than one (1) hour per day. Eligibility Only current full-time employees who have been with the University a minimum of six (6) months and are not currently approved for education or teaching release time are eligible to participate in the Sam Houston State Wellness Program. Wellness, education and teaching release time are mutually exclusive and a supervisor may not approve leave for more than one of these activities. Activities Activities that qualify for release time are:
Approval Approval from the appropriate authority must be secured prior to participation in the Wellness Program. The approval authority is the employee's current supervisor and department head. If the employee's supervision changes, the employee will need to request approval from the new approval authority. Approval Form Read Policy |
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| Sick Time | |
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Full-time benefit eligible employees accrue 8 hours of sick time each month. Part-time benefit eligible employees accrue proportionate to their appointment. Sick leave begins with the first day of employment. More about Time Off |
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| Vacation Time | |
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Full-time benefit eligible employees accrue at least 8 hours each month. Part-time benefits eligible employees accrue proportionate to their appointment. To be eligible to use vacation leave employee must have six months of continuous employment with the State of Texas. More about Time Off |
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| EAP Your Worklife Solution | |
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A self-help website full of information to help balance work-life issues related to relationships, career and workplace, and other resources. Use “SHSU” for the username and password. Login to Your Worklife Solutions |
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| ERS Wellness Events | |
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Being in good health is important to everyone. A healthy lifestyle can improve your quality of life and increase your longevity. The Texas Employees Group Benefits Program routinely hosts events to help you on the road to wellness. Upcoming Events Past Event Recordings |
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| Elevate Program | |
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Elevate is the SHSU Healthy Campus initiative to prioritize the health and wellness of students, faculty and staff. Elevate promotes the “healthy choice as the easy choice” by utilizing the 8 dimensions of wellness model. More about Elevate |
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| Fitness Center | |
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The Department of Recreational Sports and Activities offers a wide variety of recreational programming and provides facilities for students, faculty and staff. More about Recreational Sports |
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| Parent's Rooms | |
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Sam Houston State University is pleased to provide multiple Parent’s Rooms across campus to meet the needs of parents with babies. Parent’s Rooms provide a private place to nurse, pump, bottle feed, and change a diaper. Find a Room |
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| Wellness Training on LinkedIn Learning | |
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As an employee, you have access to the Linkedin Learning library that contains wellness related video courses. Once logged in with your SHSU credentials, you can connect your Linkedin profile. A few suggestions include: Login to LinkedIn Learning |
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Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Sam Houston State University contracts with the University of Texas Employee Assistance Program to provide assistance to faculty, staff and family members to help resolve issues related to marriage and family, stress and anxiety, grief or bereavement, finances, legal concerns, conflicts at work, and alcohol and drug problems to name a few.
Eligibility
EAP services are available to faculty and staff employees, their spouse, live-in partner, and eligible dependent children.
Cost
EAP provides up to five free counseling sessions per issue along with many other services and unlimited referrals.
Services
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Legal
Through the EAP, you have access to a free 30-minute face to face or telephonic consultation per issue with a network attorney. If you wish to retain the attorney after the initial consultation, you will receive a discount on the attorney's normal hourly rates. Many online resources are also available, including an interactive Online Will Program that provides you with a resource to create your own state-specific Simple Will privately in an online, secure environment.
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Financial
All employees are also entitled to a no-cost telephone consultation with one of the financial counselors. Typical matters include credit counseling, debt and budgeting assistance, tax planning, retirement, and college planning questions.
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Family
Consultation and referrals for a wide range of work-life referrals are available through the EAP. The EAP can help you find real solutions for child care, elder care, care for persons with disabilities, and other convenience and wellness issues.
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Counseling
EAP provides counseling sessions and support for all types of life concerns. Some of the most common reasons that employees contact the EAP are:
- Stress & Anxiety
- Alcohol/Drug Problems
- Couples & Relationship Issues
- Anger Management
- Work Conflicts
- Depression
- Parenting & Family Concerns
- Grief or Bereavement
- Change & Life Transitions
- Communication Skills
Request Help
Request an appointment online or call (800) 346-3549. The EAP is available to employees whether they participate in the ERS health insurance plan or not.
Help Yourself
EAP offers a website, Your WorkLife Solution, full of information to help you balance your work-life. Information includes, but not limited to, managing your relationships, family, mental health, and career. To access the website, use “SHSU” for the username and password.
Monthly Reads
Monthly newsletters are available to help steer your growth.
Employee Education Assistance
The Sam Houston State Employee Education Assistance Program releases an eligible employee to take one course during regular work hours and waives local fees and tuition. The employee is only responsible for statutory (state) tuition.
Eligibility
This program is for full-time (1.0 FTE) benefits-eligible staff and faculty employees, through the rank of Professor, who desire to enroll in university credit courses at SHSU. Applicants must have a minimum of six (6) months full-time continuous employment at SHSU by the first day of class.
Coursework
Coursework must relate directly to the employee’s current or prospective job duties within their department. Participants must meet all admission and registration requirements and maintain a minimum 2.0 grade point average (GPA) for undergraduate courses. Graduate students must maintain a 3.0 GPA.
Approval
Each semester, staff employees seeking release time must submit an Employee Development Participation & Teaching Request Form to their department head for consideration. Department heads will complete the approval section and retain the form in department files. Submission deadlines are as follows:
Fall Semester – August 1st
Spring Semester – December 1st
Summer Semester – May 1st
Request Approval Read PolicyEmployee Dependent Undergraduate Student Scholarship
The Sam Houston State Employee Dependent Scholarship Program provides undergraduate tuition scholarship assistance to the eligible dependent children and spouse of full-time, benefit eligible employees.
Eligibility
An eligible employee is a full-time (1.0 FTE) benefits-eligible staff or faculty member employed at SHSU for at least one year. The eligible employee must have a minimum of one-year full-time continuous employment at SHSU by the dependent’s first class day.
Assistance Amount
Program participants will receive a scholarship in an amount equal to the undergraduate designated tuition incurred for their enrollment in the term. Program participants are responsible for payment of all other institutionally assessed charges related to their enrollment.
Program participants may receive up to a maximum benefit not to exceed successful completion of an undergraduate degree or 150 undergraduate semester credit hours attempted, whichever occurs first.
Application
The dependents of eligible employees must first apply for undergraduate admission, and be accepted through SHSU’s student admission process. An employee applying for dependent scholarship must complete a separate application form for each dependent participant each semester. Forms must be submitted to the Human Resources Office no later than the following deadlines:
Fall – 20th Class Day
Spring – 20th Class Day
Summer – 15th Class Day
Apply Read PolicyEmployee Discounts
The vendors below offer discounts to you as an employee of Sam Houston State University! A few discount programs are exclusive to employees that works at least 20 hours a week (0.5-1.0 FTE) and elects ERS coverage.
| Name | Eligibility | Details | ||
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| HealthSelectShoppERSSM | ERS Eligible Employees | |||
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HealthSelectShoppERSSM is an incentive program that allows you to save money and rewards when shopping for certain medical services and procedures. This program allows you to
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| BENEPLACE | ERS Eligible Employees | |||
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The BENEPLACE Discount Purchase Program is the exclusive savings and discount benefit site for Employees Retirement System of Texas participants. This program is an online marketplace administered by Beneplace and offered to employees and retirees participating in the Texas Employees Group Benefits Program (GBP). See Discounts |
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| Apple & Dell | All Employees | |||
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You can purchase laptops, tablets, and desktops at a discounted rate through education discount programs provided by Apple and Dell. Navigate to our online education store to view pricing and checkout. |
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| Fast Park | All Employees | |||
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Enjoy Special Savings for the Relax for Rewards program from Fast Park. See Details Program Enrollment |
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| MindBar Therapy & Coaching | All Employees | |||
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Change your life from the inside out. Mindbar provides therapy and coaching on demand so you can learn the tools of therapy to end negative thought patterns, improve relationships, and manifest your future all at your own pace. Explore MindBar |
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| PerksConnect | All Employees | |||
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The PerksConnect program is a lifestyle product and service discount savings program enabling employees, retirees, and their families, to find great deals on items and services they need and use every day. Perks users have access to: local discounts, national retailer discounts, discounted gift cards, daily deals and more. Activate Your Accounts Click "Activate Your Account Now" on our PerksConnection site and use group code “SHSU”. A Printable Card is available for download after you complete your registration under your account icon at the top right corner of the page. See Perks |
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| SHSU Merchandise | All Employees | |||
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Enjoy 10% off regular-priced SHSU products and apparel at the campus bookstore. To redeem, shop in store and show your faculty or staff Bearkat OneCard at checkout. This discount is exclusive to swag with the SHSU logo such as shirts, lanyards, and hats. Find Store |
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| SHSU Dining | All Employees | |||
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Enjoy 10% off your meals when you eat at an official on campus dining hall or restaurant. Show your faculty or staff Bearkat OneCard at checkout. Find Food |
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| Spot Pet Insurance, LLC | All Employees | |||
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Enjoy 10% off on all pets and additional 10% multi-pet discount on all added pets. See Details Explore Spot Pet |
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| United Airlines | All Employees | |||
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Enjoy up to a 10% discount on your global personal travel through United Airlines program called “Break from Business” when you book by December 31, 2023. How to Book
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New Featured Discount Vendors
Vendors seeking to offer discounts/services to Sam Houston State University (SHSU) employees and to have such offers featured on the SHSU website must submit an application for review. Download instructions for eligibility, deadlines, and more.
New Discount Vendor Application Featured Discount Vendor Instructions