I&S Employee Newsletter - December 2021

Dear Infrastructure and Sustainability team,

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. The holiday season is always a time for me to reflect on how thankful I am to be a part of this great team. Thank you for all you do to make CU Boulder great! With the holidays and the end of the year ahead of us, I hope you will have a chance to take some much deserved time off, recharge and take care of yourselves.

Next week, we will show our gratitude at our annual Infrastructure and Sustainability Winter Appreciation Luncheon and awards ceremony. Unlike last year when we were unable to gather in person, this event marks the first time since before the pandemic for our team to come together, share a meal and celebrate our staff. This is one of my favorite events of the year. It gives us all a chance to connect with our colleagues from across the organization. I hope you are able to join us from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 8 in the Glenn Miller Ballroom at the University Memorial Center.

Lastly, I am pleased to report that 66% of our Infrastructure and Sustainability staff completed the Campus Culture Survey. Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences working at CU Boulder so we may work to create an inclusive environment where students, faculty and staff can thrive.  Over the next several months, the campus will be reviewing and analyzing your feedback and I hope to be able to share the results with all of you next semester.

From the bottom of my heart: Thank you. I can’t express enough how much I appreciate the dedication you show for this university every day, and I look forward to seeing you next week.

With gratitude,

David Kang, vice chancellor for infrastructure and sustainability

Parking Services will continue offering a special daily parking rate of $5 to CU Boulder faculty and staff. Use the promo code “SAVE5” to take advantage of this special rate.  Individual days may be purchased up to one month in advance through the website.

We will all celebrate the holiday season in our own unique ways, and our growing diversity is a source of great pride and strength here at CU Boulder. One thing we have in common is living on the blue planet we all share while we enjoy the spirit of giving and the company of loved ones and friends—old and new. You might find utility in some of the ideas offered by the CU Boulder Environmental Center, and EcoCycle, as you make your holiday preparations and attend to the aftermath. Seasons Greenings, and Go Buffs!

Join us for our I&S Employee Appreciation and Annual Awards Luncheon:

• Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
• ​Join us in the Glenn Miller Ballroom in the UMC
• I&S staff and student employees only
• Bring your Buff OneCard for entry

We look forward to seeing all of you there, to celebrate with and recognize you for all the work you do for the university.

We recognize the importance of taking time away to recharge for the new year. To support this, Vice Chancellor Dave Kang has granted all Infrastructure and Sustainability employees 16 hours (prorated for part-time appointments) of administrative leave to be taken between Dec. 25 to Jan. 1. In addition, the Governor granted 12 additional hours (also prorated for part-time appointments) of paid leave. These hours can be taken any time between Dec. 1, 2021 and Jan. 31, 2022. Holiday hours can be submitted/tracked in FAMIS using the code TADLV:

• The pay code will default to ADLV in FAMIS; do not change that default.
• ​Add the comment “winter break leave” into the comment field.

Sadly, we learned of Anne McCollom’s passing on Tuesday evening, Nov. 2. Anne was a valued colleague who made a substantial contribution within Design and Construction as a project coordinator over the past 18 months. A celebration of Anne's life was held on Nov. 16th.

It is with great sadness that we share the passing of our friend and colleague, George Adams. George worked in our Utility and Energy Services division as a utility plant mechanic for the past 2.5 years. George passed away on Oct. 29. A private memorial service was held by his family.

How long have you been working at CU?  

I will begin my fourth year the first week of February.

What is your favorite thing to do outside of work? 

My best friend Sam (my dog) and I love to spend time at our Wyoming cabin hiking, fossil hunting and sitting on the porch watching all the wildlife. We also enjoy watching Netflix now and again; the Sopranos is one of our all-time favorites. 

Tell us something that might surprise us about you. 

Being born and raised in Southern California I began skateboarding in 1974 at the age of nine. My grandmother bought me a Black Knight skateboard at the local five-and-dime store and it’s been in my blood ever since (this board is still with me). Skateboarding is still one of my favorite past times and Colorado is both rich in skateboard culture and terrain.

What do you love about CU Boulder?  

WOW where to start!!! First, our campus is without question the most insanely beautiful campus in the world. I often take a stroll when work gets stressful and the Flatirons have a way of making me put things into perspective and realize that I am beyond fortunate to be a part of this institution. I love both the diversity of our Boulder community as well as the vibrant student population. It’s a privilege to work with folks who genuinely love this place and are proud to be BUFFS. 

What is your favorite type of music?

70’s ROCK

A quick reminder to double check your essential personal information in the MyCUinfo portal before the end of the year. An incorrect mailing address, mistyped Social Security number or mistake on your W-4 can result in delayed tax documents, insufficient withholding and other headaches.

All CU Boulder students, faculty and staff who submitted non-medical exemptions for the COVID-19 vaccine are now required to submit new exemptions or proof of vaccination through the MyCUHealth portal by Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. Personal exemptions will no longer be accepted. Please make sure you share this with your units as noncompliance is subject to disciplinary action, including but not limited to ineligibility for compensation increases and/or being placed on unpaid administrative leave effective Jan. 1.

A new staff to staff employee recognition program is being launched this December! Kazoo is an online platform that enables employees to receive recognition from colleagues, celebrate others through recognition, and redeem recognition points for rewards.

The Infrastructure & Sustainability Inclusive Excellence Committee (ISIEC), in partnership with VCIS David Kang and the esteemed professor Donna Mejia, invites you to “A Seat at the Table” as we resume our diversity, equity and inclusion series for 2021/22.

“A Seat at the Table” is an opportunity for you to learn more about your colleagues across Infrastructure & Sustainability (I&S). We will hear directly from our staff and learn about their heritage, culture, and how they arrived at CU. “A Seat at the Table” is a four-part series that launches Dec. 16th from 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and will be held at the Chancellor’s Hall and CASE Auditorium. The other dates for the program are:

• Jan. 11, 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., CASE Auditorium

• Feb. 16, 3:30 p.m. – 5 p.m., CASE Auditorium

• March 1, 3:30 p.m. – 5 p.m., CASE Auditorium

 This event will be held hybrid, and the Zoom link can be found here: ISIEC DEI Series

NEW HIRES

• Nicholas Gardner, Carpenter, Structural Trades Shop
• Ethan Paxton, Integrated Pest Management Technician, Campus Business Services
• William Roberts, Plant Operator, Utilities
• Stan Evangelista, Metal Worker, Structural Trades Shop
• Saraswoti Lama, Custodian, Campus Business Services
• Dil Moktan, Custodian, Campus Business Services
• Monica Verdin, Campus Bus Driver, Transportation
• Trent Weigel, Accountant, Business Services
• Joshua Hollingshead, Grounds & Nursery, Outdoor Services
• Alejandro Aviles, Custodian, Campus Business Services
• William Worster, Service Dispatcher, Operations Control Center

PROMOTIONS/TRANSFERS

• Bryan Browne, Safety Engineer, LASP
• Marni Wheaton, Assistant Project Manager, PD&C
• MyKala Keuter, Facilities Project Manager, Housing
• Dillon Senger, Structural Trades, Facilities Management Operations

MOVING ON

• Jeff McClellan, Facilities Safety Officer, Facilities Management Operations
• Maribel Serrano, Custodian, Campus Business Services
• Val Monrose, Project Manager, PD&C
• Brice Hawley, Custodian II, Lead, Campus Business Services
• Collin Dean, Custodian III, Supervisor, Campus Business Services
• Guadalupe Ramos, Custodian, Campus Business Services
• Daniel Landon, Custodian, Campus Business Services

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