I&S Employee Newsletter - December 2017

Dear Infrastructure and Safety team,

It’s an exciting time on the CU Boulder campus, as initiatives like Academic Futures and our own Strategic Facilities Visioning process aim to create a roadmap for where the university is headed five, 10 and even 30 years into the future. As those visions take shape, it’s important for our organization of Infrastructure and Safety to have its own clearly defined goals that are aligned with the chancellor’s strategic imperatives and the university’s overarching mission of education and research.

My leadership team and I have recently crafted the core structure of an Infrastructure and Safety Strategic Plan that will help guide our work. I’ll be embarking on a “road show” in early 2018 to meet with individual departments to further discuss the plan, but the core concepts include:

Mission: To deliver and maintain a safe, sustainable and resilient infrastructure that enhances the university’s operations and enables our campus community to meet its mission of education and research.

Vision: We enhance the university experience through innovative service delivery, customer service, stewardship of resources and community engagement.

Values: Teamwork; engagement and passion; integrity; empowerment; and customer-focused.

Strategic goals: Advance safety; drive sustainability and resiliency; enhance campus appearance and functionality; develop a healthy organizational structure; and promote business excellence.

We’ll dive into what each of these values and goals mean when I meet with your departments. I also want to hear from you about the specific ways your departments can help us achieve these objectives and what metrics we can use in each area to track our success. It’s through this type of collaboration that we’ll be able to enact sound strategies for achieving measurable results that improve life on campus and create a sense of pride within our organization. 

Sincerely,
David Kang, vice chancellor for Infrastructure and Safety

Effective Dec. 1, the Distribution Center has moved back under the purview of our Business Services division in Infrastructure and Safety. Tim Golden, associate director of the Distribution Center, will once again report to Business Services Director Ron Ried. The Distribution Center had moved in July from Business Services to Facilities Operations and Services. However, the procurement and supply chain aspects of the organization make it a better longterm fit for Business Services. Outside of the recent change in reporting structure, others in Infrastructure and Safety and around campus shouldn't notice a difference in Distribution Center operations.

Don't forget that CU Boulder Chancellor Phil DiStefano recently announced that CU Boulder employees have the option to take either Wednesday, Dec. 27, or Friday, Dec. 29 as a holiday in addition to the previously scheduled Dec. 25 and 26 holidays. As the CU Boulder campus will remain open on both Dec. 27 and 29, please work with your supervisor to determine which day works best. Essential Services employees who are required to work both days will receive holiday leave to be used on an alternate day. Further guidelines and leave reporting requirements for this additional holiday can be found in a recent letter to the campus from the chancellor.

In case you missed the recent CU Boulder Today story, Infrastructure and Safety's own Ed von Bleichert was named one of three Chancellor's Employees of the Year for 2017. Ed is the sustainability and resiliency manager for Facilities and Operations Services. In more than 23 years at CU Boulder, he has played a significant role in programs such as the automated cardboard collection program, Integrated Pest Management Program (IPM) and Stadium Zero Waste initiative. Please join us in congratulating Ed for this great honor!

Just a reminder that Infrastructure and Safety is the sponsor of this Friday's (Dec. 8) CU on Friday event at The Connection in the University Memorial Center. And if you've got some sick gingerbread house decorating skills, you just might want to show them off. The event, from 4-6 p.m., includes not only the gingerbread decorating contest but also $5 all-you-can-play bowling and billiards, a free hot chocolate bar, and a great chance to hang out with your colleagues and connect with others from across campus. CU on Friday is open to all students, faculty and staff. RSVP on CU on Friday's Facebook page.

How long have you been working for CU?
I’ll have been with CU for a year this December.
 
What is your favorite thing to do outside of work?
Spending time camping with family and friends.
 
Tell us something that might surprise us about you.
I hope to someday become a published author. I blame this on reading too many Robert Heinlein novels growing up.
 
What has been the most important innovation you have witnessed in your lifetime? 
Watching SpaceShipOne win the Ansari X Prize in 2004 was incredible. Seeing private industry create a brand new vehicle design and start pushing into space was great.
 
What three traits define you?
I’m laid-back, have a dry sense of humor, and don’t take myself very seriously.

How long have you been working for CU?
I have been working with CU Boulder for the last 10.5 years.
 
What is your favorite thing to do outside of work?
I enjoy fishing when I have a little spare time.
 
Tell us something that might surprise us about you.
Most people don't know that I was born and raised on St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. (And yes, we share the same president as Puerto Rico and the United States.)
 
What has been the most important innovation you have witnessed in your lifetime? 
An innovation during my lifetime is that everyone now carries a cell phone.
 
What three traits define you?
I have been told that my best traits are my sense of humor, my loyalty, and I have been called a jack of all trades.

Anybody on your holidays shopping list been worthy of a new laptop this year? No? Well, perhaps you're thinking of treating yourself instead. Either way, you should know that CU Boulder employees, through the CU Book Store, receive educational pricing and discounts on computers from brands like Apple, Dell and Lenovo. That's not to mention perks like free software and discounted accessories. Picture it now: That new MacBook you've been eyeing all tricked out with a Ralphie mouse, Ralphie mousepad, Ralphie headphones, Ralphie carrying case, Ralphie ... You get the idea. You can find all the discount details here. 

Year-end is just around the corner. Follow these three steps on the CU system website to ensure your Social Security number, addresses and paychecks are correct. This will help ensure you receive an error-free W-2, allowing you to file taxes without delay.

University of Colorado Law School professor Violeta Chapin, director of the Immigration Law Clinic, is available to CU Boulder employees and others who have questions about the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s recent announcement that Nicaraguan immigrants will no longer be able to renew their Temporary Protected Status (TPS). Those who need personal assistance, or assistance for friends or family, can call or email Chapin directly to schedule an appointment to discuss free or low-cost legal assistance. More details are on the I&S employees website.

Campus Human Resources is hosting several sessions in the coming weeks that are open to all Infrastructure and Safety staff, including: 

• Dec. 6, Emotional Intelligence Seminar
• Dec. 12, Crucial Conversations
• Dec. 14, Crucial Conversations
• Dec. 14, New Employee Welcome Experience
• Dec. 15, Introduction to the Ombuds Office
• Jan. 19, Ethics and Compliance at CU Boulder
• Feb. 2, The Highly Effective Manager
• Feb. 6, Crucial Conversations
• Feb. 7, Crucial Conversations

Please work with your supervisors to attend these or future trainings. Online registration is available at www.colorado.edu/hr/employee-learning. You can also contact Kelsey Draper in Human Resources with questions at 303-735-6176 or kelsey.p.draper@colorado.edu.