VC's Corner
News and Notes
Employee Resources
Recycling tip of the month
Recyling tip of the Month
There’s a high level of excitement on campus now that students are back for in-person learning. We are enjoying events and gatherings again, and the football season is in full swing. The start of a new school year can also be a reminder to affirm our intent for our individual actions to make a positive difference. An easy and highly effective way to make a positive difference is to properly sort your recyclables and compostables from trash, and place items in the proper bins.
Recent policy changes require that the compostables we provide for downstream markets be free of contamination. We’re facing hefty fines if our compost loads are too contaminated and the entire load unfortunately will have to be landfilled. Working together to keep unacceptable items out of the compost bin will make a tremendous impact on the success of our campus waste diversion program. More training for I&S staff is in the pipeline so stay tuned. In the meantime, staff are invited to learn more about our work at the Recycling Operations Center to become more proactively involved.
Safety Hatter Chatter
Are you ready for a full campus?
With the fall semester underway, more than 7,000 new students will arrive on campus for the first time. These students (and parents) are unfamiliar with the grounds. They may not be focused on where they are walking, biking, or skateboarding. Unnecessary accidents can happen. As a collateral of incoming students, additional buses are on the roads; we need to be extra careful where we are driving and where buses are loading and unloading people. Look up, look around, look both ways and be aware of your surroundings!
Safety kudos
On the afternoon of July 26, Doug Graniero returned to the West Main campus satellite shed located near the Armory building. When he parked his utility vehicle, he noticed a car parked in the small parking lot that is reserved for Outdoor Services vehicles; it was blocking the area so other utility vehicles couldn’t park. Doug parked behind the car and called CUPD. Two individuals got into the car and tried to back out of the parking area, repeatedly bumping into two utility vehicles, and then fleeing the site before CUPD officers arrived. Doug stayed on site to assist the officers. This is a great example of “see something, say something.” Congrats to Doug for being proactive!
Class change periods – fall 2022
For the safety of our campus community, please don't drive on sidewalks, multi-use paths, or Colorado Avenue/18th Street between Libby Drive and Euclid Avenue during class change periods.
Safety Committee updates
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, reach out to our Safety Specialist Don Fitzpatrick.
Exploring with ISIEC
Did you know the Infrastructure and Sustainability Inclusive Excellence Committee (ISIEC) works to make I&S more inclusive? Here are some examples of a few programs we are working on and ways we support you:
Attend ISIEC's "It'S Friday on a Thursday" event at EH&S on Sept. 22
Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) and ISIEC invite you to attend our upcoming “It's Friday on a Thursday” event on Thursday, Sept. 22 from 11:30AM - 1:00PM at the EH&S Building (EHSC; 1000 Regent Dr). The event is a fantastic opportunity to get together with different work groups and meet new people in I&S while learning about some of the work the EH&S team does for our campus. In case you need another reason to attend, FREE refreshments will be served! ISIEC and EH&S staff members will be present to answer questions you may have.
The Environmental Health & Safety team does vital work for the campus, so you will NOT want to miss this event! Thank you, everyone, for everything you do to make CU Boulder one of the best universities in the country! We look forward to seeing you on the 22nd.
ISIEC GED training program coming this fall
ISIEC is developing a program to assist I&S staff to prepare for and take the General Education Development (GED)/High School Equivalency (HSE) test and earn their State of Colorado high school diploma equivalency. ISIEC’s program will help program participants navigate the preparation process and connect them with community resources for tutoring and testing as needed. If you are interested in learning more about the program please contact isiec@colorado.edu.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness
ISIEC helps spread the word about CU resources that may be helpful to you. For example, you may qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) — a program that rewards college graduates who work in the public sector. However, figuring out if you qualify can be tricky. Savi is a tool to help you determine eligibility, understand your choices, and lower your monthly payments. You must act by Oct. 31, 2022 to take advantage of this program. Explore CU’s Savi webpage or TIAA’s student loan information page.
Find more information and ways to get involved on the Infrastructure & Sustainability Inclusive Excellence Committee (ISIEC) website.
