Top Stories
Improvements to the shutdown process: testing starts January 26
The Shutdown Enhancement project team is happy to announce that James Bellavance, Kevin Phelan and David Kosub we will be trialing the new minor fire protection impairment procedure starting on Tuesday, January 26, 2016 for one month. Darko and his crew are all trained and ready to go. We are hoping to iron out any kinks in the process before full implementation.
This new procedure is outside of the PeopleSoft shutdown process and we are hoping this will not only expedite the processing time, but will also improve lines of communication and ensure that we adhere to our safety protocols.
A huge thank you to the project team – Darko Jelic, David Kosub, Kevin Phelan, James Bellavance, Francois Desmarais, Chris Newell and Greig Samodien. The project team would also like to acknowledge Ellen Grande who was instrumental in creating a user friendly Minor Fire Protection Impairment form!
Congratulations, Marcus Drozdzik from the Electrical Shop, on receiving the 2015 Staff Excellence Awards for Customer Service
Marcus Drozdzik, Electrical Project Coordinator, alongside Doug Booth, featured in last week’s issue, received the Customer Service Award at the 2015 Staff Excellence Awards. As a project coordinator, Marcus takes the time to understand the complexities and technologies involved in a project allowing him to make informed decisions in the best interest of not just the clients but of the university as a whole. His indefatigable nature and persistence propelled him to excellence. His reputation exceeds him.
Congratulations, Marcus!
History department thanks Mike Che for saving the day…
Jocelyn Smith’s hero of the day is Mike Che, who retrieved her mother’s engagement ring before it washed down 12 stories of Buchanan Tower. The History Department’s administrator was very delighted when she got her ring back in excellent shape.
Thanks Mike. And thanks to Marie Newell for her quick response upon receiving the service call.
Shop Renovations On Track…check out chart for progress
View this chart to see how the renovations are coming along. Project Services and the consultant team are staying on top of things and are keeping the project on schedule!
Classroom maintenance opportunity during reading week
Reading Week is from February 15 – 19. It’s time to consider performing maintenance work. Take advantage of the week to get into classrooms and do maintenance work without being disruptive.
Updated list of buildings served by the DES as of January 20 is now available
Check out the latest DES updates to know which buildings are running on the district energy hot water heating system and which buildings will be coming online soon.
It’s time to update your shared contacts on your smartphones
Follow these instructions to update shared contacts in Outlook.
Reminder…block off calendars when going away on vacation
To avoid being invited to meetings on your flex day or when you are away on vacation, mark your calendar and show as “Out of Office”.
Trial for the coffee machine along USB hallway is nearing its end
We will not be leasing this coffee machine after its trial period due to the inadequate mug size and coin calibration complications.
Thank you for all your feedback and patience during time.
Stay tuned as we look into alternative options.
Wear Orange on January 27 for Suicide Awareness Day
Each year, a number of UBC students, faculty and staff consider suicide. Reaching out early and preventing suicide requires the help of everyone in the UBC community. Here’s how you can help:
- Learn about suicide warning signs, find out how to talk about it, and familiarize yourself with available support and resources.
- Wear orange on Wednesday, January 27, UBC’s Suicide Awareness Day, to show your support for those who have been affected by suicide, and those who are struggling with suicidal thoughts.
- Reach out and connect with resources like the Employee and Family Assistance Program for faculty and staff, or 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433), if you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or are concerned about someone else.
Whether you’re thinking about suicide yourself, or you know, hear, or see someone who might be, the most important thing you can do is reach out. Learn more Thrive UBC.