I&S Employee Newsletter - May 2018

Dear Infrastructure and Sustainability team,

I’m excited about the work being done in our organization in the wake of the release of the campus engagement survey results. My hope is that by now everyone has had an opportunity to read through the results for the Infrastructure and Sustainability organization. The survey highlighted several areas where our team is well-engaged and others where we can do better.

Based on initial focus group results, three specific areas of recommended focus have been identified: 

Develop an internal communications strategy.
Renew the focus on employee training and development.
Create a culture of innovation within I&S.

Our staff want to feel connected to the decision-making process, with a particular emphasis on in-person communication with leadership. They want opportunities for promotion and professional growth, as well as stability in leadership. And they want an organizational culture that doesn’t just talk the talk about encouraging innovation but that backs it up by using failure as a learning experience so that employees aren’t afraid to take risks to improve upon established processes or ways of thinking. 

Our VCIS areas of focus align well with those identified at the campus level and with those of Senior Vice Chancellor and CFO Kelly Fox’s Strategic Resources and Support organization. These areas of focus also fit well within our VCIS Strategic Plan, where employee empowerment is a core value and developing a healthy organizational culture is one of our key strategic goals.

Analyzing the results and identifying areas where we can improve is only the beginning. There is plenty more work to come. I want to thank Nancy Portner and Tim Golden for facilitating the first round of focus groups. They will continue soliciting feedback from additional groups, including Facilities Operations and Services, to flesh out key points of emphasis in these areas of focus. Subsequently, we will continue to engage staff as we create a plan for addressing our objectives that allows us to continually measure success, track engagement levels and ensure that we’re making progress. 

I appreciate the efforts of everyone who has participated in the survey and focus groups so far and look forward to working with you all to create solutions that help our employees thrive and feel connected to the VCIS organization, as well as the mission of the university as a whole.

Sincerely,
David Kang, vice chancellor for Infrastructure and Sustainability

Our VCIS staff were well represented during the Campus Sustainability Awards presentations at April 25th’s Campus Sustainability Summit. A slideshow of our winners and descriptions of their awards is available on the VCIS employee website. From Campus Building Services to the Distribution Center to EH&S and PD&C, kudos to the great work of all of our staff who are finding innovative ways to advance sustainability on campus. 

CU Green Labs, a program jointly funded by Facilities Management and the Environmental Center, has released a case study showing that a single shared lab facility in the Jennie Smoly Caruthers Biotechnology Building provides millions of dollars in savings to the university and individual researchers over time. CU Green Labs Program Assistant Christina Greever was lead author of the study, working closely with Green Labs Program Manager Kathy Ramirez-Aguilar and Cell Culture Facility Manager Theresa Nahreini. Kudos to the team on highlighting the wide-ranging sustainable benefits of this space.

Curious what the buzz about electric vehicles is all about? Want to get a taste of the wind flowing through your hair as you zip down the street on an e-bike? Parking and Transportation Services is hosting an Alternative Fuel Vehicle Ride and Drive event on Friday, May 18 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Sustainability, Energy and Environment Community (SEEC). Full details on the PTS website. 

Sure, in the Office of Infrastructure and Sustainability, the roles of many of us are tied directly to maintaining the beautiful campus on which we work. But do you know the story of how our campus architectural style came about? In his centennial update of the book Body & Soul, which was released last month, Campus Architect Emeritus Bill Deno takes a look at the history of the "University of Colorado Style" and provides a roadmap for all of us to follow in continuing CU Boulder's architectural legacy. The icing on top? Proceeds from the new edition will benefit students in the Planning, Design and Construction mentorship program thanks to a generous donation from Bill.

How long have you been working for CU?
Including my time as a student worker, it’s been nearly 11 years! I’m celebrating my one-year anniversary in Planning, Design and Construction this month. 

What is your favorite thing to do outside of work?
I love to ski. When the snow is gone, I grow food for my friends and family. I have a 400-square-foot community garden plot. I grow garlic, shallots, basil, tomatoes, peppers, spinach, lettuce, cilantro, peas, chard, kale, squash, pumpkins, zucchini, cucumbers, beets, carrots, zinnias, raspberries and chives. There’s even a butterfly bush for the pollinators! This year, I hope to plein air paint in my garden. The colors are spectacular!
 
Tell us something that might surprise us about you.  
I’m from a small, mountain town in Colorado, but in 2007 moved to New Zealand to follow a dream. I went solo with only a backpack, digital SLR and a working visa. I fell in love with the ocean, got certified in scuba diving, worked on a vineyard, skydived, and made amazing friends.

What has been the most important innovation you have witnessed in your lifetime?  
The smart phone camera (not the most important, but pretty awesome). In college, I remember spending hours in the photography studio and darkroom to get the perfect photo. It’s so easy now!

What three traits define you?
Positive, resourceful, grateful.

Leaving on a jet plane for your summer vacation this year but dreading hitchhiking or begging a friend for a ride to DIA again? In case you didn't know, CU employees can get discounted parking at several lots near the airport. Just view the list, pick a lot and follow the individual instructions for purchasing a spot. And don't forget that you can also skip the car altogether. Your EcoPass gets you free access to RTD's SkyRide routes to DIA.

Facilities Management is offering a CPR and First Aid training session for staff from Outdoor Services, Trades Services and Campus Building Services. The session is Monday, May 21, from 8 a.m. to noon in ARCE room 620. Space in the class is limited. Those interested in taking the class should check with their supervisors and contact Thomas Roller at thro9344@colorado.edu no later than Monday, May 14, by 4 p.m. The plan is for separate sessions to be held each month.

Campus is hosting multiple sessions in the coming weeks that are open to all Infrastructure and Sustainability staff, including: 

• May 14, 16 & 18, 5 Choices of Extraordinary Productivity
• May 15, The Unofficial Project Manager
• May 17, New Employee Welcome Experience
• May 17, Strengths Introduction
• May 21 & 23, Crucial Conversations
• May 22 & 24, Leading at the Speed of Trust
• May 29, Developing Intercultural Competence
• June 11, Strengths Introduction

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 I&S Human Resources with questions at 303-735-6176 or kelsey.p.draper@colorado.edu.