University Times

There may be no such thing as a free lunch, but the Pittsburgh campus’s new Lunch Money program might be the next best thing.

Pitt employees register online for the dining services program by designating a set amount of money to be deducted from their monthly paycheck, according to Rachel Zisman, Sodexo representative, who presented details of the program to the Staff Association Council (SAC) last week.

Participants receive “free money,” Zisman said, depending on the deduction level. For example, deducting $15 per month nets $16 in available spending money; deducting $100 per month nets $115.

Lunch Money participants also receive a $2 discount on lunches purchased at Market Central in Litchfield Towers or The Perch in Sutherland Hall.

Participants can choose from 19 on-campus dining locations and use their Pitt ID cards like a debit card; cash is not needed. (Lunch Money also works at the University Club for club members.)

Zisman noted that unused dollars automatically roll over into the following month. “You won’t lose any of your money,” she said. Participants also can change the amount of their payroll deduction at any time online.

“Meal plans are not activated until after the first payroll deduction occurs,” Zisman said. “You will receive an email notifying you of when your plan is activated.”

To register for the Lunch Money program or for more information, including daily menus at each of the dining locations, visit www.lunchmoney.pitt.edu, or call 4-2347.

Also at the Sept. 8 SAC meeting, President Gwen Watkins announced the appointment of SAC representatives to the Board of Trustees standing committees.

They are: Barbara Mowery, academic affairs/libraries; Watkins, affirmative action; Carmela Rizzo, athletics; Deborah Walker, audit; Monika Losagio, budget; Monica Costlow, health sciences; Yuolanda Murray, institutional advancement; J.P. Matychak, investment; Jonah McAllister-Erickson, property and facilities; Rich Colwell, risk and compliance, and Elisabeth Hilf, student affairs.

SAC members serve as non-voting members of the trustees committees.

In other SAC developments:

• Hilf was elected SAC vice president for marketing and communications. She will serve the remainder of Annabelle Clippinger’s term; Clippinger resigned from SAC for personal reasons. Hilf’s term runs through next June.

Matychak succeeds Hilf as chair of the marketing and communications committee. Committee vice chair Kathy Kraus is the new coordinator of the SAC e-newsletter, succeeding Hilf.

• Matychak reported that his committee is working to provide an audio transmission of SAC’s monthly meetings to the regional campuses via Skype or WebEx conference services. He expects to report on plans at the next SAC meeting, set for Oct. 13.

• Marissa Arlet, chair of the program and planning committee, reported that the SAC fall assembly, “Pitt Staff Gives Back,” will be held noon-2 p.m. Oct. 20 in the William Pitt Union Ballroom and Assembly Room.

The assembly will be a marketplace of local vendors. Part of the event will be geared to staff who do event-planning, either for their departments or outside the University, Arlet said. A token admission charge will be required.

“People can donate a dollar or a used book, which will be given to charity,” she said.

For more information, contact the SAC office at 4-4236.

Arlet’s committee also is planning brown bag lunch presentations for November (“Safety on Campus”) and February (“Overcoming Educational Obstacles for Staff”), on dates to be announced.

Arlet also reported that for the first time all 2,000 tickets were sold for last July’s SAC-sponsored Pitt Kennywood Day.

—Peter Hart