We're in the full swing of summer, and so is this July edition of the UCPath Connection! This monthly newsletter is your go-to source for all the comprehensive information you need as a transactor, initiator, and approver.

Approve Pending Transactions

To ensure a smooth transition to the upgraded environment, please complete all pending AWE approvals by noon on Friday, July 11, 2025.

UCPath Office Hours

The UCSB UCPath Team holds office hours every other Wednesday at 1:00pm via Zoom. Be sure to subscribe to the office hours calendar by clicking here. The next office hours will be held 7/16/2025. Join by clicking here.

The final Instructor-Led UCPath Training sessions will be held August 4–7, 2025. See full communication here. This will be the last chance to attend the current live format. A heartfelt thank you to our dedicated trainers who have been leading live sessions since before UCPath went live in 2018. Your hard work and commitment have made a lasting impact, and we truly appreciate all that you do.

New Training: Rehire Retirees in UCPath

A new course on hiring and managing rehire retirees is now available in the Learning Management System (LMS). This training is strongly encouraged for anyone involved in hiring or overseeing rehire retirees to ensure compliance with UC policies. Register for the training here.

Rehired Retirees Benefits Key Takeaways

  • Benefits eligibility rules for rehired retired staff and recalled academics (“rehired retirees”) change on July 1, 2025
  • UC will assess all rehired retirees for faculty/staff benefits eligibility
  • UC will offer rehired retirees, if eligible, the Mid-level faculty/staff benefits package. Rehired retirees will need to take action to enroll
  • UC will suspend retiree medical enrollment for rehired retirees eligible for both retiree and faculty/staff benefits, and Medicare will no longer be assigned to UC
  • The policy changes apply to retirees rehired/recalled into 0% FTE positions with no salary (but not to Emeriti Without Salary-only appointments). These positions must be entered in a specific way to ensure the rehire receives the UC contribution to benefits
  • Most rehired retirees will be able to return to retiree medical after a period of time, which is variable depending on hire date

July Release: As a reminder, the UCPath July release is scheduled to go live on July 14, 2025. This release includes the 2025 UCPath Upgrade, Modernized UCPath Portal Landing Page, and Improve Employee & Manager Self-Service.

Key Changes

  • New UCPath: A modern interface with improved navigation
  • Menu: Navigation will move from the left-hand side to a new top-level menu. Transactors will find the redesigned UCPath and portal resources in the new Transactor Hub, top-level menu, and the Workcenter & Resources tabs
  • Bookmarks: Existing bookmarks to UCPath portal landing pages will stop working when the new interface launches. If you have bookmarks saved, be sure to update them in your browser
  • Improved benefits enrollment: A guided life event process and downloadable benefits summaries will be introduced

Important Visual Change! 

In addition to updates on the landing page, you’ll notice a new look during the authentication and login process. This change is intentional and part of ongoing security enhancements. Rest assured—the page is secure and fully authentic. 

System Downtime: UCPath will be unavailable from Friday, July 11, at noon through Monday, July 14, at 6:00am to support this release. Please complete or approve all transactions before the system goes down.

Project Office Hours: To support this change, the UCPath Project Team will hold Office Hours from July 14–18 (M-F) from 9:00–10:00am PST, for personalized support with the Improve Self Service project.

Subscribe to our calendar for Zoom invite information or join the office hours here.

Resources 

As a reminder, the UCPath Direct Retro tool is now retired (effective July 1, 2025).

We are pleased to announce the new Technology Insider section of the UCSB UCPath website! There are now two pages, UCPath Projects @ UCSB, a tabbed format designed to keep you informed about individual projects, and UCPath Fixes & Features, which is entirely new.

The Fixes and Features page provides a centralized summary of recent UCPath system fixes, enhancements, and monthly sprint releases identified by UCSB teams as most relevant to campus transactors. Key updates and improvements will also be highlighted in this newsletter to ensure you remain informed about changes that may impact your daily responsibilities.

 

UCPath Monthly Connection Newsletter Schedule: The next newsletter will be sent on 8/12/2025.