Monday Update

Last week’s updates from UBC

Updates on UBC’s response to COVID-19 are at covid19.ubc.ca.


Managing your mental health

HR has collected mental health resources to help you manage our ups and downs. Our VPFO HR staff is always available for a confidential conversation.


Operations updates

Facilities

Building Operations, Energy & Water Services and Infrastructure Development

  • Facilities payroll issues: For all pay related issues, please send to Tracy He in payroll (tracy.he@ubc.ca). Tracy will collate issues for Facilities, and work with HR and UBC Finance to investigate, correct, and respond directly back to the employee. Please be specific about the issue you are submitting (e.g. double pay on overtime, short payment on a Head premium, etc.).
  • BRDF Air Quality Permit: Energy & Water Services (EWS) is seeking an amendment to its air emissions permit for the Bioenergy Research and Demonstration Facility (BRDF) to reflect recent process changes and optimizations. The public is invited to submit comments by December 28, 2020. For more information, visit the EWS website.
  • D.H. Copp Building: Demolition work is scheduled to begin today, Dec. 7. This will remove an aging, seismically deficient facility to make way for the development of the planned new School of Biomedical Engineering Building on the site.
  • Undergraduate Life Sciences Teaching Labs (ULSTL): Building Operations and Project Services are actively working together to resolve numerous outstanding deficiencies associated with this project. After a considerable delay, Building Operations has now agreed to have this project handed over to them to maintain, and respond to service requests. An updated list of extended warranties and service contracts will be available soon. For service request related questions, please contact Blue zone Facilities Manager, Sean McGregor: sean.mcgregor@ubc.ca.
  • Hebb Building Renewal: Hebb Building receives LEED Gold Certification from Canada Green Building Council. This existing building retrofit was completed earlier this year. For more information, visit the Infrastructure Development website.
  • Planon Training: Planon step-by-step training demonstrations are now available online. For more information, visit the EMMS website.

Finance

Comptroller, Finance & Operational Excellence and Treasury

  • Hyperion 2.0: The new instance of UBC’s planning system went live on December 1. The system is currently in read-only mode, with data to the end of September.
  • Budget Process for fiscal 2021/22: A series of strategic budget meetings with each faculty and administrative unit has begun, and will run until Dec 14.
  • The following call-in event may be of interest to the VPFO:
    • Finance 301: Procurement, Receiving & Supplier Invoices in Workday
      Date: Monday, December 14 Time: 10:30 am to 12:00 pm
      Register via Zoom

Operations & Advising

Communications & Engagement, Human Resources, and Safety & Risk Services

  • Campus Security Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) review near completion: Over the last few months, Campus Security has been reviewing their SOP’s to better reflect today’s challenges, and improve their operating procedures. The updated SOP’s are currently being shared with Supervisors and Patrol Officers during their daily morning meetings for feedback.
  • Daily self-assessment: A reminder — as part of the recent Public Health Orders, faculty, staff, and contractors working on campus are required to directly confirm to a supervisor (or designate) that they have completed a daily self-assessment for symptoms of COVID-19 on arrival at their workplace. For more information, visit the SRS COVID-19 website.
  • Environmental Services Facility Audit: The annual Environmental Services Facility Audit was recently completed by SLR Environmental Consulting, and is required annually under our Hazardous Waste Operating Permit.
  • VPFO HR on-site support schedule this week:
    • December 7: Gregor Macdonald
    • December 8: Rachel Lau
    • December 9: Kasia Burza
    • December 10: Gregor Macdonald
    • December 11: Sonia Lachar, Rachel Lau

Other notable updates

Our Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Journey Begins Next Week

The VPFO is about to begin working more mindfully on equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI). Our EDI Committee is now working with Adeline Huynh of The Commons Consulting to capture a snapshot of where we are and design a training plan to help the portfolio begin a thoughtful and careful EDI transformation. Watch your inboxes next week for an invitation to a survey that will help us capture attitudes and opportunities for EDI change work.


Helpful news

Some interesting news articles people have found informative or helpful at work. These are provided for information and entertainment only. Unless noted, UBC doesn’t specifically endorse or supply this content.

Have an article for your peers? Email communications@vpfo.ubc.ca.