Sick of waiting weeks or months to see a physician? Banner's new Fast Pass program, which begins Monday, will allow UA employees to be seen within three business days of their call. Employees can select from more than 550 Banner primary care and specialty physicians, all faculty members of the UA College of Medicine – Tucson.

The factors that determine salaries, strategies for evaluating pay equity, and ways to support women in pursuing high-level positions at the University were among the topics covered in a presentation organized by the Commission on the Status of Women. Allison Vaillancourt, vice president for business affairs and human resources, opened the discussion by noting there is a growing national demand for pay transparency. "I think we're lucky here that pay is public," she said.

Guillermo "Bill" Felix, a supervisor in FM's HVAC/mechanical shop, died unexpectedly on Feb. 20. "He was just a really open, genuine and honest person, and wanted to do well for the UA and Facilities Management," recalls Chris Kopach, assistant vice president for facilities management. Felix had worked at the UA since 2000.

Professor Emeritus of Optical Sciences Stephen F. Jacobs, the UA's first "laser man in the desert," died Feb. 24 at the age of 90. Jacobs, who joined the UA in 1965, will be remembered for his dedication to teaching and his creative ways of sharing his excitement for optics. "In the early 1970s, it seemed that no one in optics was better known than Steve," says Professor Emeritus James C. Wyant, founding dean of the College of Optical Sciences. The hospitality that Jacobs and his wife, Kathy, showed to faculty recruits, he recalls, "was legendary."

How would you like to receive urgent care without having to actually go to an urgent care facility? UA employees can now do just that with the Doctor on Demand service, which connects patients to doctors, psychologists and psychiatrists via their computer, smartphone or tablet. "It's like Uber for urgent care," says Thomas McDonald, director of strategic initiatives in the Division of Human Resources. The service, which is open to anyone, is discounted for benefits-eligible UA employees.

Proposals are being accepted for the third round of International Research and Academic Program Development grants. The program was launched last year by the Office of Research, Discovery and Innovation and UA Global to support international transdisciplinary research collaborations and the development of new academic programs with international partner institutions.

A dozen enterprising undergraduate students are taking part in an internship program focused on gathering rich, detailed and authentic student feedback and then applying what they learn to solve real-world University challenges. "For me, I liked that the program specifically sought out students with different backgrounds and perspectives," says Vanessa Ojeda, a sophomore majoring in law and Mexican American studies. "It felt like a genuine opportunity to encounter a truly new way of thinking."

A celebration of life will be held Friday for Rebekah Hoppel Salcedo, executive director of the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid, who died unexpectedly on Feb. 16 at the age of 36. Colleagues will gather to remember Hoppel Salcedo at 10 a.m. Friday in Crowder Hall. The event is open to the UA community.

The next time you're at the grocery store, consider grabbing extra cereal, peanut butter or canned food. Then bring them to work for UA4Food, the University's annual food drive. The drive, which began Monday and runs until April 3, will benefit the UA Campus Pantry and the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona.

Two University policies addressing leave benefits for employees have been updated. An update to the UA's Paid Parental Leave policy reduces the number of days an employee must continue working at the UA after taking the leave to avoid a requirement to reimburse the University. Updates to the Compassionate Transfer of Leave policy were made to streamline the request and administrative procedures.