I&S Employee Newsletter - May 2022

Dear Infrastructure and Sustainability team,

It is with honor and gratitude that I begin my journey as interim vice chancellor following Dave Kang’s departure. The torch he has passed is burning brightly and I am excited to keep it well-lit during my tenure.

Over the last six years, Dave successfully led multiple transformative campus-wide initiatives, including the recently approved Campus Master Plan. He guided the development of numerous major capital construction projects, including both new builds and renovations, and was able to double funding for our deferred maintenance program. He has made great strides in the area of sustainability with the establishment of the sustainability council and kickoff of the climate action plan initiative. He was instrumental in ushering into development the Conference Center and Hotel and securing state funding for the upcoming renovations of the Hellems Arts and Sciences building and the Mary Rippon Theater. And through his leadership we ensured continuity of the university’s operations while navigating the pandemic.

I have also been impressed with Dave’s devotion to issues of diversity, equity and inclusion and in prioritizing the creation of a welcoming community within I&S. He has developed close relationships across the university, the city of Boulder and the state that have been instrumental in CU Boulder’s success, and I plan to continue nurturing those relationships to ensure our future success in supporting our campus mission.

My first goal in this role is to make the transition seamless and to continue the great work we have all been doing. Dave is leaving I&S in a great place and I want to keep that momentum going. I deeply believe in the initiatives Dave started and where he leaves us today. I look forward to executing his well-thought-out plans and meeting many of you in the coming weeks and months as we chart our future together.

I want to extend my thanks one final time to Dave, who embodies leadership and places others above himself. He has set expectations high and I look forward to taking this strong team to the next level.

To our continued success,
Chris Ewing, interim vice chancellor for infrastructure and sustainability

A year after the Call to Climate Action by Chancellor Philip DiStefano, the 29th Annual Campus Sustainability Summit showed how CU is answering the call. The day before Earth Day, multiple undergraduate, graduate, PhD students, faculty, and staff came together to showcase their research and ideas for a more sustainable future. Congratulations to the Distribution Center and Facilities Management Outdoor Services for their Departmental Achievements. 

Jodie Ferrera, a CU Boulder staff member for 14 years, has been named interim director of Infrastructure & Sustainability Business Services effective Monday, April 18. She will take the helm from longtime director Ron Ried, who will be retiring in May, having served 26 years at the University.

The I&S IT group has reorganized how they deliver help desk and technical services to the department. The new structure streamlines technical support while focusing on customer service, consulting, and process improvement. Read more.

Thanks to the partnership between the Environmental Center and Facilities Management, compost bins were available at the graduation event venues where previously there were none. Since we completed our compost expansion in bathrooms of all academic and administrative buildings, we are now focused on preventing compost from getting into the landfill, where it turns into methane, one of the most potent greenhouse gasses. All campus affiliates can do their part by separating compostables from recycling and trash, and properly disposing of sorted waste. Your small actions make a big difference!

How long have you been working at CU?

I have been a CU employee for 2.5 years and I have enjoyed the time spent with the university.

What is your favorite thing to do outside of work? 

My favorite activity outside of work is spending the day at the lake with my family. We love to swim, fish, and build sandcastles in the swim area. 

Tell us something that might surprise us about you.

Believe it or not I know my way around the kitchen. I love to cook and try new recipes. 

What do you love about CU Boulder?  

CU Boulder has become a second home to me. My favorite thing to do is catch the sunset on campus - it's an amazing view.  

Are you a die-hard fan of anything? 

One thing I am passionate about is youth sports. I like to volunteer my free time coaching.

CU Boulder has expanded the Bright Horizons benefit to include back-up care. Permanent faculty, staff and graduate students on appointment now have access to an added back-up child, adult and elder care benefit through CU's existing Bright Horizons partnership.

Congratulations to faculty member Donna Mejia, associate professor of dance (and honorary I&S team member), for being awarded the CU President’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award during an April 25 reception in Denver. In conferring the award to Mejia, the president’s office recognized her “far-reaching and deeply impactful” contributions to the CU community and beyond. Recently, for example, Mejia shared her “Fumble Forward'' teachings with a group of Denver 7 employees during a staff “lunch-and-learn” session at the local ABC affiliate’s downtown Denver offices. Mejia, a faculty fellow and member of the Renée Crown Wellness Institute’s executive committee and the chancellor’s inaugural scholar of health and wellness, received the award for her leadership in support of the recruitment, retention and development of students, faculty and staff from historically underrepresented groups and community outreach “that inspires collaborative learning across race, culture, language, history and more.”

If you haven’t yet, take some time to explore the Campus Culture Survey results. Visit the Survey Results dashboard and click on various topic titles to dig into the data.

Find more information and ways to get involved on the Infrastructure & Sustainability Inclusive Excellence Committee (ISIEC) website.

NEW HIRES

• Susmita K C Karki, Custodian, Campus Building Services
• Jay Cartwright, Custodian, Campus Building Services

PROMOTIONS/TRANSFERS

• Jon Sherman, Assistant Director, Distribution Center
• Tom Christian, Assistant Director, Transportation Services
• Sandy Skorcz, Supervisor, District Energy Plant Operations
• Claire Stecker, Transportation/Construction Accountant, Business Services
• Jarod Davies, Custodian III, Campus Building Services
• Erik Jesinski, Structural Trades Planner/Scheduler, FM Operations
• Hopeton Willis, Junior System Administrator, CUPD
• Jodie Ferrera, Interim Director, I&S Business Services
• Sandy Thrapp, Client Representative Supervisor, I&S IT

MOVING ON

• Soay Phommanchanh, Custodian, Campus Building Services
• John Gessell, Bus Driver, Transportation Services
• Jessica Gardner, Project Manager, PD&C
• German Soto-Castillo, Custodian, Campus Building Services
• Boyce Burford, Preventative Maintenance Mechanic, FM Operationss
• Pete Records, Transit Manager, Transportation Services
• Alberto Rodriguez, Custodian, Campus Building Services

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