I&S Employee Newsletter - July 2023

Dear Infrastructure and Sustainability team,

The heat of the summer is finally here and our I&S team is staying busy. I am thrilled to see the successful changeover from FAMIS to AssetWorks, a huge lift that was years in the making. A special thank you to all of you who worked so hard on this implementation.

I have been reflecting on how much work needs to be done over these months while also acknowledging that this is a popular time to use annual leave. I want you to feel empowered to work with your supervisor to take time off when you need it.

We have started working on implementing the Campus Master Plan and focusing on how we can achieve our sustainability goals; these are just two of the initiatives I spoke about in the interview process this spring. I look forward to the ongoing progress of this work. 

Last week, several of our capital construction projects were approved by the Board of Regents, including the conversion of the existing steam distribution piping system to heating hot water at Williams Village. This project in particular will push us closer to our energy and sustainability goals for the campus. We are also working on renovations, transportation upgrades and our I&S DEI Action Plan.

I am excited to share the promotion of two of our interim leadership positions to permanent this past month. As of June 8, Holly Gates-Mayer is the assistant vice chancellor for Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) and Brian Lindoerfer is the associate vice chancellor for Facilities Management. Congratulations, Holly and Brian!

I appreciate all you do for our campus and for our students. Please make sure you take time for yourself this summer, and join us for our I&S staff appreciation picnic on July 27 to honor and celebrate with our team. I look forward to seeing you there.

With gratitude,
Chris Ewing, vice chancellor for infrastructure and sustainability

Please join us for the I&S staff appreciation picnic to honor and celebrate with our Infrastructure & Sustainability team!

• Who: You and the rest of the I&S team! (Sorry, no guests.)
• What: Food, drinks, raffle prizes and darn good times
• Where: West Varsity Lawn, Main Campus
• When: Thursday, July 27 from 11:30am - 1pm
• Why: Because you’re awesome!
• Bring: Buff OneCard, refillable water bottle, weather-appropriate clothing

At the beginning of the spring semester, I&S lost a cherished colleague. Campus Architect Emeritus Bill Deno, 94, passed away on February 20. Read more here.

During July and August, Regional Transportation District (RTD) will offer "zero fares" across its system as part of the Zero Fare for Better Air initiative. This collaborative, statewide initiative is designed to reduce ground-level ozone by increasing the use of public transit.

Current RTD customers will also benefit as they will not have to use or purchase fare products from July 1–Aug. 31, during Colorado’s high ozone season. 

Effective June 8, Holly Gates-Mayer is the assistant vice chancellor for Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) and Brian Lindoerfer is the associate vice chancellor for Facilities Management. Both had been serving interim roles.

Gates-Mayer joined the CU Boulder EH&S office in 2012 as the campus biosafety officer after working at the University of Idaho for 18 years as an industrial hygienist and biosafety officer. 

“I look forward to continuing to work with EH&S to oversee the safety of our campus community,” said Gates-Mayer.

Lindoerfer has worked at the university since 2018. He holds a master’s degree in civil engineering from CU Boulder and is a U.S. Navy retiree with extensive experience in facilities and public works. 

“I am thrilled to continue to lead our Facilities Management team and oversee the daily operations that make our campus thrive,” said Lindoerfer.

Sign up now to volunteer for Fall Welcome! Help create a positive, engaging experience for our new Buffs and their families during move-in and signature events. Get all the details and sign up here.

Since 2003, the Buffalo Bicycle Classic has raised $3.3 million dollars in scholarships for CU Boulder students. Join on Sunday, Sept. 10 for an incredible ride through Boulder County and help continue the legacy of the last 21 years supporting the College of Arts & Sciences BBC Scholarship Fund. With nine routes and one virtual ride, the Buffalo Bicycle Classic has an experience for everyone. Find your favorite and register for the event today. I&S staff members can use code CUSTAFF for $15 off registration (valid through Sept. 1).  If you don’t want to ride, but still want to support the scholarship fundraiser, you can donate directly to the BBC here. 

We received a call from the OCC, after hours, regarding a possible safety issue with a large tree on campus. Zac Cameron and the OCC were able to get ahold of Eric J, as he was on duty that evening, and ask him to do a visual check on the situation. Eric happily agreed to do so and was able to confirm that the situation did not currently represent a risk to the public. It took him away from his evening work plan, but it saved us a lot of trouble to come back onto campus and go to the site. Plus, he could get over there quickly before it got dark which would have made things much more difficult to assess. Thanks a lot, Eric!

Raphael was driving a bus on a charter out to the eastern plains and on the return trip, the bus picked up an object in a tire. As he was driving back on I-70, the tire started losing air. This caused the tire to overheat and start to come apart rapidly. As he was traveling at highway speeds this could have caused a serious incident, however his driving skills got the bus safely to the shoulder. After contacting his supervisor and arranging alternative safe transportation for the passengers he checked around the bus to see what damage had occurred. Rafael located an object he believed came off the bus, which was correct. This was part of the transmission braking system. The pictures he sent allowed the garage to ascertain what needed done to repair the bus onsite as it could not be towed with the damage. His diligence saved the garage hours of travel, time and costs to the Transit operation. Awesome job, Rafael!

Did you know we have an app available that allows I&S staff to contact anyone on our I&S staff phone list? You can download the app onto your cell phone - it works on both CU issued cell phones and personal cell phones. Here's the info: https://www.colorado.edu/fm/2019/07/03/get-phone-directory-app

Here are some bear safety tips that you can share with your family and friends: https://www.colorado.edu/today/2023/05/10/bears-are-active-again-get-bear-safety-tips

The FM safety committee meets the third Tuesday of every month to discuss general safety concerns, review safety reports, on-the-job injuries and recommend training needs and resources. If you are interested in attending a meeting or bringing an issue or idea that is safety related, please reach out to your area representative on the FM safety committee or contact our Safety Specialist Don Fitzpatrick.

Community Cycles was one of eight organizations statewide to receive a Community Access to Electric Bicycles Grant from the Colorado Energy Office. The grant allowed them to award 60 electric bikes to front-line employees at CU Boulder and several other partners. Of the 60 bikes distributed to participants, 14 went to CU staff members. This grant follows the university’s successful participation in the 2021 pilot of this program. Click here to read more about this exciting initiative.

If you want more information on ISIEC, or want to get involved, visit the Infrastructure & Sustainability Inclusive Excellence Committee (ISIEC) webpage and/or email us at ISIEC@colorado.edu.