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I&S Employee Newsletter - October 2021

autumn at CU Boulder

VC's Corner

David Kang

A major milestone and new beginning

Dear Infrastructure and Sustainability team, 

I hope this letter finds you well and that you’re settling into the new semester and enjoying the opportunities to see colleagues and students on campus.

I want to take a moment to highlight a significant campus priority that’s been in the news a lot this semester, the annexation of CU Boulder South. For those unfamiliar with the project, CU Boulder South is a 308-acre parcel of land on the southeast edge of the city that the university bought in 1996 to help ensure we could continue to meet our campus mission well into the future. In 2017 the city requested CU Boulder submit an annexation application, which allows connection to city utilities. On Sept. 21, Boulder City Council approved annexation of CU Boulder South by a 6-1 vote.

Approval of this annexation was a huge milestone for both the city and the university that encompasses a number of community benefits that align with our shared values. In addition to flood protection for downstream Boulder residents and the preservation of new permanent open space, the agreement gives the university the ability to build roughly 1,100 new housing units for students, faculty and staff to help more of our folks live where they work and study. We will also have the ability to build some nonresidential spaces to meet other campus needs. And we’ll incorporate a multimodal transportation hub to ensure sustainable mobility between our campuses.

While our own detailed planning for the site remains a few years out, the approval of the annexation was years in the making and marks a significant step forward for us. In addition to the many campus colleagues past and present who played leading roles, there are many people in Infrastructure and Sustainability who deserve major kudos for their efforts in helping to bring the annexation to fruition. They include Director of Strategic Initiatives Ida Mae Isaac; Executive Director of Real Estate Services Rebecca Fell; Campus Landscape Architect Richelle Reilly;  Civil Engineer Jonathan Akins; and Assistant Director and Spokesperson Joshua Lindenstein. The expertise and involvement from each of them was vital over the course of several years, and I know there were many more of you who played roles at one time or another. This is just the beginning. Going forward, Infrastructure and Sustainability will play a leading role for the university as plans for CU Boulder South take shape. I’m excited for what’s to come and look forward to working with you and many of our partners across the campus and the Boulder community as this effort evolves. 

Vaccination requirement 

I also want to take this opportunity to thank all of you for meeting the campus’s call to complete the university’s vaccination requirement. I can proudly say that all active Infrastructure and Sustainability employees have met the requirement to report their vaccination status. Thank you so much for doing your part to keep our campus safe and enable university leaders to make decisions based on robust data about our campus community. This organization continually rises to the occasion in support of our university, and I couldn’t be more proud to work with you.

Campus Culture Survey

Finally, employee engagement, inclusion, affinity and professional development have been and continue to be priorities for I&S. I want to let you know that during the week of Oct. 18, you will be receiving an email asking you to participate in the Campus Culture Survey. This is a secure, anonymous survey. Please take the time to take the survey and provide your honest responses. Results from this survey will be used to better understand our existing campus culture and to identify both strengths and areas of concern in order to make recommendations for creating and sustaining a just, equitable and inclusive culture at CU Boulder.

With gratitude for all you do,

David Kang, vice chancellor for infrastructure and sustainability

 

News and Notes

trumpet ensemble performing in front of music building

CU Boulder College of Music unveils long-anticipated building addition

On Sept. 17, CU Boulder students, faculty, staff and community members gathered in person to celebrate the opening of a state-of-the-art, $57-million addition to the Imig Music Building that will enhance the College of Music’s standing as a national leader in comprehensive music education, performance, composition and research. 

The grand opening was a year in the making following social distancing restrictions on campus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, despite the 64,000-square-foot addition opening to students and faculty for the fall 2020 semester. See a video recap from the event.

electric bike

Discounted BCycle memberships for CU staff

BCycle is going fully electric by 2022! New or renewed annual memberships for CU staff are now $75; that’s 50% off the annual fee. To get the discount, visit their website, select the Annual Pass and use the promo code CURIDES and your colorado.edu email address.

bike to work day at CU rec center

Bike to Work Day a huge success!

More than 300 cyclists rolled up to our two breakfast stations to celebrate Bike to Work Day. The chilly morning was complete with burritos and freebies on East Campus and in front of the Rec Center. Thanks for riding!

aashe logo

Free access to Global Sustainability Conference for all students, faculty and staff

CU Boulder faculty, staff and students will have full access to the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s (AASHE’s) virtual Global Conference on Sustainability in Higher Education. The conference is the largest stage to exchange effective models, policies, research, collaborations and transformative actions that advance sustainability in higher education and surrounding communities.

recycling logo

Recycling tip of the month

The three chasing arrows that form the ubiquitous recycling symbol represent the ideals of reduce, reuse, and recycle. We tend to focus on recycling more than reducing and reusing. In fact, reducing consumption and reusing the items we do choose to consume, after carefully pondering our true needs, are the most significant keys to unlocking a Zero Waste lifestyle. Do you know about the resources offered by Buff Surplus, the “secondhand store” originally created by Green Labs? Additionally, you can browse Facilities Management’s Property Services website for a plethora of crazy-cheap surplus university property to purchase for either individual use or for your department use. Check it out! 

Employee Spotlight

Jessica Napp

Jessica Napp - Administrative Assistant, Outdoor Services

How long have you been working at CU?  

I’ve been at CU for a little over two years

What is your favorite thing to do outside of work? 

Explore! I’m still relatively new to CO. On weekends I like to get on the road and discover new hikes, new towns, new restaurants.  

Tell us something that might surprise us about you.  

I’ve never been downhill skiing. I’m from Wisconsin and grew up cross country skiing. Every year my family travels to northern WI to watch my brother compete in the American Birkebeiner, the largest cross country ski race in the US. 

What do you love about CU Boulder?  

The people are great, the landscape is beautiful and there is always a great energy on campus. 

Are you a die-hard fan of anything?   

Wisconsin sports. GO Badgers, Brewers, Packers!

Exploring with ISIEC

National Hispanic American Heritage Month (Sept. 15 – Oct. 15)

Some 57.5 million U.S. citizens and residents call themselves Latino, Latina and/or Latinx, the largest ethnic minority group in the country. See which CU Boulder academic experts are exploring the array of political, cultural, social, educational and other issues impacting the Latino/a/x community in Colorado and beyond.

Buffs One Read is a program to foster intellectual community and cultural exchange among students, faculty and staff. This year's selection is America Ferrera's “American Like Me," which explores multifaceted views of American life, all with the underlying message that diverse identities are superpowers, not obstacles. Ferrera is an award-winning actress, producer, director and activist and now best-selling author.

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

September comings and goings

NEW HIRES

  • Abigail Jordan, Campus Bus Driver, Transportation Services
  • Sabastion Fresquez, Painter, Structural Trades
  • Jonathan Tulley, Carpenter, Structural Trades
  • Nor Chanthivong, Recycling Collections, Campus Business Services
  • Seth Andersen, Recycling Collections, Campus Business Services
  • Eric Kelly, Bus Driver Trainee, Transportation Services

PROMOTIONS/TRANSFERS

  • Kimberly Pepitone, Real Estate Leasing & Development Associate, Real Estate Services
  • Sandra Grover, Real Estate Specialist, Real Estate Services
  • Erin Hetherington, Finance & Accounting Manager, School of Education
  • Steven Stasica, Assistant Director of Finance & Operations, Real Estate Services
  • Robert Hart, PM Mechanic, Facilities Management Operations and Services

MOVING ON

  • Harlan Julian, Mover/Surplus Property, Distribution Center
  • Christopher Shorts, Service Dispatcher, Operations Control Center
  • Eugene Vigil, Custodian, Campus Business Services
  • Jeremy Joyce, PM Mechanic, Preventative Maintenance Shop
  • Adam Gibbs, Materials Handler, Distribution Center
  • Souvanny Phivong, Custodian, Campus Business Services
  • Andrew Lilly, Pipefitter, Pipe Shop
  • David Crawford, Capital Project Manager, Planning, Design & Construction
  • Leah Six, Equipment Operator, Solid Waste
  • Ed Dloughy (retired), Pipefitter, Pipe Shop

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Infrastructure & Sustainability

University Administrative Center
914 Broadway
Boulder, CO 80309
E-Mail: vcis@colorado.edu
Phone: 303-492-7523

 

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