CU Engineering Employee News & Resources - April 5, 2022

Open to all members of the college, these discussions are both broad and practical. Each will open with a faculty champion presenting on a special topic and then will branch outward. Hosted by William Kuskin, associate dean for digital education.

Exploring Peer-Based Grading

Thursday, April 7. 4 p.m. | Join the Zoom
Professor and External Chair for the Department of Computer Science Bobby Schnabel helped lead the creation of the Master of Science in Data Science on the Coursera platform and created a course on ethical issues in data science for both online and on-campus learning.

Screencasting Magic

Thursday, April 27. 4 p.m. | Join the Zoom
Charles Nuttelman has created the most popular University of Colorado online courses on the Cousera platform - Excel/VBA for Creative Problem Solving. Join Proffessor Nuttelman for a discussion of how he builds effective courses with stunning speed and amazing quality.

Join CU Boulder Staff Council and Vitalant for the April blood drive to save lives and support our community. Every little bit counts in this time of need! Two drives will be held, one on Main Campus and one on East Campus. For more information, visitStaff Council Blood Drive and sign up for an appointment date! All donors and volunteers will receive a CU Staff Council winter hat.  

• Main Campus: April 12-14, 9:30 a.m.–3 p.m., CU Recreation Center, Ice Rink Overlook 
• East Campus: April 13, 9 a.m.–2:30 p.m., Bloodmobile in front of Administrative and Research Center (ARCE)

Wednesday, April 13. 8:30-9:30 a.m., Aerospace Engineering Sciences Lobby on East Campus
Join Engineering Staff Council and staff from across the college for a monthly “Welcome Wednesday” event to socialize and start the day strong. We will also be celebrating birthdays and recent award winners.

Want to join Engineering Staff Council? The Engineering Staff Council is seeking nominations for new members. The deadline to nominate yourself or a peer to serve a two-year term is this Friday, April 8.

​​Thursday, April 14. 5-8 p.m., ECCS 201
Join the College of Engineering and Applied Science for a free film screening of This is [Not] Who We Are, winner of the Boulder International Film Festival 2022 People’s Choice Award. In the film, directors Katrina Miller (Jour’07) and Beret Strong (Engl’83) spotlight race relations within Boulder. 

The campus is offering an opt-in tenure clock stoppage. Tenure-track faculty members who began their appointments before the 2021-22 academic year are eligible to request a tenure clock stoppage due to mitigating circumstances (e.g., caregiving responsibilities, insurmountable challenges, delays, or closures as it relates to their research, scholarly, and creative work). This stoppage will take place in between the faculty member’s comprehensive review and the tenure review. Visit this Faculty Affairs site for process details.

Faculty must make this request before the start of the academic year of their mandatory review. For information about your review timeline, please contact Robyn Sandekian, director of faculty advancement.

A new staff employee recognition program is here! Kazoo is an online platform that enables employees to receive recognition from colleagues, celebrate others through recognition, and redeem recognition points for rewards. Log in to explore the Kazoo platform and send your first recognition to someone who has recently exemplified integrity, inclusive excellence, innovation, collaboration or good communication.

Check out the CU Boulder Kazoo webpage for more information and FAQs. If you have additional questions, please contact Campus HR for assistance.

Save the date! Staff Professional Development Week, sponsored by Engineering Staff Council, is set for May 23-26. There will be skill workshops, wellness sessions and social events. Watch for more details coming soon!

• Casey Darmody, Associate Director, CEAS Communications and Marketing - Mar. 28

• Cam Chalmers, Electronics Specialist I, ECEE - Apr. 1

• Karyl Christopher, NCWIT Operations Coordinator, NCWIT - Apr. 4

• Mo Woods, Engineering Project Consultant III, ITLP - Apr. 1

• Susan Legler, Degree Audit and Graduation Coordinator - Apr. 1

20 Years of Service

• Stephanie Morris, Finance Manager, CS - April 1

10 Years of Service

• Teresa Hogan, NCWIT President and CTO -  April 15

February 2022

• Shirley Chessman, Lab Engineer, ME

March 2022

• Nicole Simmons, Graduate Program Manager, AES

February 2022

• Stephanie Weber, NCWIT Collective Impact Programs Manager

March 2022

• Lori Meehan, Senior Graduate Academic Advisor, ECEE

Dominique de Vangel

Dominique de Vangel has been going above and beyond in graduate student recruiting efforts, even driving one student to the airport after they slept in and missed their flight. We don’t understand how one person can get so much done!

The entire Comms team

The entire Comms team did incredible work to support our inaugural Women in Engineering event for our students, alumni, faculty, and prospective students. The alumni engagement team is grateful for their creativity, professionalism, and partnership to help bring our events to life!

Make a co-worker’s day. Think of a co-worker who has been doing a fabulous job lately or someone who has helped you out. Send your shout out to CEASHR@colorado.edu to have it included in our next newsletter!

The program is a 3-day workshop with customer interviews designed to help scientists and engineers of all types find a market for their innovations. The core concept encourages inventors to get out of the lab and talk to industry decision-makers to find out what problem the industry needs their product to solve. This is the shortest, “introductory” version of the National Science Foundation’s I-Corps™ methodology, which helps inventors build a customer discovery toolkit and learn to talk to industry and business founders about their technologies.

Join us for three half-day virtual lectures on the following days. 

• Thursday, April 7. 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
• Thursday, April 14. 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
• Thursday, April 21. 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

Friday, April 15. 12-1:30 p.m., virtual
This 90-minute training offers instructors a comprehensive overview of Canvas features and functionalities, such as course navigation, communicating with students, managing course content, using the gradebook, Canvas support, and more. Time will be devoted to the discussion of applying these technologies into our own classroom with a teaching and learning focus.

Register for Introduction to Canvas

Getting Things Done training isn’t just about getting more things done. It’s about learning how to be more appropriately engaged with your work and life. In this workshop, participants will learn powerful methods to capture, clarify and organize incoming requests to increase their focus on their most meaningful work, creating mental space for innovation, and the conditions to achieve stress-free productivity.

Join us in-person at the Administrative & Research Center (East Campus) 346 on the following days.

• Tuesday, April 19. 12:30-4:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, April 20. 12:30-4:30 p.m.

Register for Getting Things Done

Thursday, April 21. 12-7 p.m. at the University Memorial Center (UMC)
In collaboration with campus partners, CU Environmental Center and CU Boulder will showcase research, programs and innovations related to sustainability, climate and the environment throughout campus. Faculty, staff and students are invited to share, learn and celebrate the wide array of sustainability leadership and accomplishments at CU Boulder. A detailed schedule and ways to get involved are on the CU Environmental Center website.

Employee Management and Compliance Essentials is a blended course that provides managers and supervisors with a comprehensive overview of legal guidelines, campus policies, and CU Boulder practices related to employee management and development.

Join us in-person at the Administrative Research Center (East Campus) 346 on the following dates.

• Thursday, April 21. 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Tuesday, April 26. 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Register for Employee Management and Compliance Essentials

In 2021, Engineering Staff Council and CEAS Human Resources developed a new process for awarding professional development funds to staff in the College of Engineering and Applied Science.

Any classified or university staff employed in the college may apply for funding for exam fees, training sessions, workshops, conferences, certification programs or other activities that enhance their professional skills. The request may be directly related to the individual’s current job or may enhance general professional development and should be in alignment with CU Boulder’s strategic emphasis on leadership, innovation and positive impact. Funding of up to $500 per staff member per fiscal year and is available on a first come, first served basis. A 1:1 or greater cost share is expected from the staff member’s unit.

Apply now for funding

In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Health and Wellness Services will be partnering with OIEC, CUSG, the Center for Inslucion and Social Change as well as the Residence Hall Association to host a variety of free events and activities, including a 5K, self defense workshops, speaking events and more. Check out the full schedule of events.

The University of Colorado’s Open Enrollment for the 2022-23 plan year takes place from April 18 – May 6. This three-week period is a great opportunity to determine any changes you need to make to your medical, dental, vision and other benefits coverage. A virtual course is available now. Start planning today to be aware of your options ahead of Open Enrollment.

CU Boulder has partnered with Bright Horizons to help employees better manage work, family and personal responsibilities. As of April 1, permanent faculty, staff and graduate students on appointment now have access to an added back-up care benefit through our existing Bright Horizons partnership.

Every Tuesday in April from 12-12:45 p.m., CU Museum of Natural History
Take a break amongst the fossils at the CU Museum Paleontology Hall. Recharge with an inward journey into movements and poses designed to soothe the nervous system and stimulate the natural healing response. Whether you are old, young, flexible, stiff, or “don’t do yoga,” this is a modern yoga practice for you. Wear comfortable clothes and bring a yoga mat or towel.

Wednesday, April 13. 12-1 p.m., virtual
Are you experiencing sneezing fits, nasal congestion, itchy eyes, and low energy? If you suffer from seasonal allergies you may dread springtime. This year, find relief! Allergies result from an overactive and confused immune system. Learn which foods and nutrients calm your immune system and which foods and habits can aggravate it. Plus the interesting connection between your digestive function and your allergies symptoms. Register for this virtual event.

This hotline helps all CU employees find support, resources for mental health issues. The University of Colorado is offering all employees a new option for quick access to mental health services – The Real Help Hotline at (833) 533-CHAT (2428).

SilverCloud offers secure, immediate access to online CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) programs, tailored to your specific needs. 

It’s time for some trivia! Each month, your college HR team will post a trivia question to test your knowledge about our campus and college community for your chance to win some fun prizes. You’ll have an opportunity to win CEAS-branded items by answering a trivia question correctly. The winner can choose between a notebook, CU hat, tailgate gear, keychains, Buffalo socks, and other fun accessories.

Which came first: Colorado becoming a state, or the founding of CU Boulder?

Submit your answer to CEASHR@colorado.edu for your chance to enter the drawing!

Last month’s answer: Stegosaurus

Did you read the newsletter?  Don’t forget to claim your points in Kazoo. Login today!