I&S Employee Newsletter - July 2019

The roles you perform every single day matter. For the Infrastructure and Sustainability organization, customer service is at the core of how we support the mission of education and research. When we do our work, we’re not just providing world-class facilities or sustainability initiatives. We’re enabling our customers--whether an academic unit, a professor, an administrator or a student--to create groundbreaking innovation and research and teach the next generation of citizens and community leaders.  We literally are changing the world with the work we do here at CU Boulder.

That’s why the Infrastructure and Sustainability strategic plan includes “customer-focused” as one of its five core values. As stated in the plan: “We listen to our customers and focus on building relationships through trust, confidence, professionalism and performance.”  Focusing on the customer helps us be timely and effective with our projects, execute to a high level, remain cost conscious, and ensure that our customers are always updated on project status.

It’s easy sometimes to see our day-to-day activities and projects as mundane or just another deferred maintenance issue that needs to be fixed. When we keep a laser focus on our customers and their perspectives--the impact these issues are having on our customers and how what you do every day enables the university mission--that is when our best work shines through.

I continue to be grateful for all you do for our customers and this great university.

I also want to welcome Mike Turman to our team as the new director of design and construction. You can read more about Mike’s background below. I know he’ll be a great addition to I&S, and hope you’ll have the chance to stop by and introduce yourself.

Sincerely,
David Kang, vice chancellor for infrastructure and sustainability

The Association of University Architects (AUA) recently honored Campus Architect and Director of Planning and Design Bill Haverly with the organization’s Distinguished Service Award, placing him in rare company. The AUA’s Distinguished Service Award is given to members whose careers have made significant contributions to buildings and planning in higher education. Since its founding in 1955, the AUA has bestowed the honor on just 43 members. Please congratulate Bill when you see him! Read more about Bill’s award.

Mike Turman has been named director of design and construction. He began his new role on Monday, July 1. He replaces Bill Ward, who retired last year after 21 years of service at CU Boulder. As director of design and construction, Turman will oversee the construction project management team in the Office of Planning, Design and Construction. Turman joins our team from the Auraria Higher Education Center where he served as director of projects, safety and security. You can read more about Mike on the I&S website.

Please join us on Friday, July 19 for the Infrastructure and Sustainability summer staff picnic honoring and celebrating our team. The picnic is from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Varsity Lawn in the northwest corner of Main Campus. Be sure to bring your Buff OneCard for check-in. There will once again be great door prizes. A water bottle refill station will be available, so bring your own bottle to help make this a zero-waste event. Don’t forget a hat and sunscreen. And walk, ride or take the bus to the event if you can as there is limited parking nearby.

About 20 members of the Transportation Services team took time on June 19 to clean up trash along a portion of Colorado Highway 119 in Boulder Canyon. Transportation Services has an agreement with the Colorado Department of Transportation to “adopt” this portion of the road. For about 15 years, this has provided an excellent opportunity for our staff to give back to the community and build camaraderie. Our Transportation staff could also be seen out and about last month showing off a Buff Bus at the City of Louisville’s “Touch a Truck” event. Kudos to all who participated in these events!

A pair of campus buildings recently achieved major milestones. The Village Center Dining and Community Commons, which opened on the Williams Village campus in 2017, received LEED Platinum certification from the United States Green Building Council for the myriad sustainability features incorporated into the building. The Ramaley Biology addition, meanwhile, saw the final piece of structural steel raised into place during a topping-off celebration on June 27. Congratulations to all of our I&S staff who have helped make these projects successful.

Please join us for our CU Boulder I&S staff Day of Service on Thursday, July 25. This is an annual opportunity for our staff to assist with the beautification of our campus. Read the full volunteer job descriptions. Pick the one you like; then sign up! Deadline to register is Thursday, July 18. Please make sure to get approval from your supervisor to participate. 

How long have you been working at CU?  
I started at CU back at the turn of the century, so coming up on 19 years. I’ve been in the CAD/GIS and Document Management Office for 13 years this month.

What is your favorite thing to do outside of work? 
I enjoy many outdoor activities, hiking, swimming, canoeing, fishing, hunting/target shooting, building things and of course playing with my grandkids! They are learning to enjoy most of what Papa enjoys doing, too!

Tell us something that might surprise us about you?  
I have a license plate collection displayed in my garage of plates that have been on family vehicles. It includes my grandfather’s historic car plate that he would put on his Model T’s when we would ride in parades when I was growing up. It is Pennsylvania plate number “287”. 

What do you love about CU Boulder?  
I love the people I work with. I’ve worked at a lot of different places in my career and the people in my office, department and everywhere on campus are a pleasure to work with and a joy to know. I have built some awesome friendships here.

What has been the most important innovation you have witnessed in your lifetime? 
I would have to say the “smart phone”. The limitless number of applications that can be downloaded to a device that fits easily into a pocket with a battery that lasts all day is really amazing. I can still remember seeing my first push button phone back in the 60’s (when rotary dial was the standard). We’ve come a long way since then!

***Know someone doing great work? Nominate them for the next VCIS newsletter employee spotlight.***

Remember the famous Shakespeare line? "All the world’s a stage, and you have a 25 percent discount." … Ok, well, maybe that’s not how it goes, except for when you’re spending your summer nights at the Colorado Shakespeare Festival at the beautiful Mary Rippon Outdoor Theatre on the CU Boulder campus. CU Boulder staff can get 25 percent off up to four tickets for each performance. Shows run through July and early August. More information on the CU Presents website. 

Since 1987 the University Perspectives Program has enhanced the knowledge base of the University of Colorado staff. With over 562 graduates, the University Perspectives Program engages participants with campus and university leaders to provide an in-depth understanding of the inner workings of the University. The program is sponsored by Organizational and Employee Development (OED) in the Department of Human Resources. Applications are being accepted for the 2019-20 program, and are due July 15.