Last week’s updates from UBC
- January 22: President’s Blog: Weekly Update, February 1, 2021: Black History Month
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.
- February 17: Mindfulness Made Simple
- January – March: Through the Lens: A series of interactive workshops designed to enhance UBC’s understanding of diversity, while offering practical ideas for creating a more equitable and inclusive campus.
- February 19, 22, 25: Adaptive Resiliency by Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute
- February 25: Cops in the Head: The Enforcers of Imposter Syndrome
Operations updates
Facilities
Building Operations, Energy & Water Services and Infrastructure Development
- Projects completion: The Charles P. Fipke Integrated Neuroimaging Centre and the Cyro-Electron Microscope Laboratory in the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health (DMCBH) are now completed. These complex projects involved the fit-out of basement space with the necessary infrastructure to support highly sensitive imaging equipment. Congratulations to the project teams. The researchers were very happy with the final results.
- Infrastructure Development/Properties Trust project list: The February 2021 project list is now available on the Facilities website.
Finance
Comptroller, Finance & Operational Excellence and Treasury
- Year end: Development of the 2020/21 Year End Timelines and Procedures schedule is underway. While this is still a work in progress, it will be available for download on the UBC Finance website once finalized, and the complete schedule of dates will be included on the Important Dates page.
- Quarterly financial reporting: Work on the Q3 financial report is underway, which will serve as the basis for the 2021/22 budget.
- Reminder – registering new suppliers: A knowledge base article in the ISC Self-Service Portal is available for external audiences (i.e. without the need to log in with a CWL) to support new suppliers in registering with the university. Those using new suppliers should share this information with their supplier contacts to facilitate their registration process.
- Operational Excellence team starts to take shape: Joining the team this week, Alex Fiuza, service excellence transformation senior manager, will help lead the delivery of projects and continuous improvement knowledge transfer and Debbie Howorko, benefits realization manager, will help lead the development of measures and reports to realize project benefits.
Operations & Advising
Communications & Engagement, Human Resources, and Safety & Risk Services
- COVID-19 Rapid testing pilot project: SRS has been assisting in the launch of a rapid testing initiative that will be piloted to voluntary first year students in Totem Park Residence, and voluntary first year students and staff in Orchard Commons beginning February 9, 2021. The COVID-19 rapid testing pilot is a collaboration between Health Canada, Providence Health Care, as well as Vancouver Coastal Health, UBC’s School of Nursing and Student Housing and Community Services.
- SRS Strategic Plan: The SRS Strategic Plan is near completion and is currently receiving and reviewing feedback from campus stakeholders.
- VPFO HR on-site support schedule this week:
- February 1: Arvind Kang, Rachel Lau
- February 2: Matt Furgal, Gregor Macdonald
- February 3: Kasia Burza
- February 4: Sonia Lachar, Rachel Lau
- February 5: Arvind Kang, Gregor Macdonald
Other notable updates
Get to know a bit about our new Operational Excellence department
UBC is experiencing a moment of extreme change. Some changes, like Workday, are planned, while some, like COVID-19, are not. But change provides us with an opportunity to improve our collaboration and service delivery by identifying and enhancing activities that generate the most value while identifying and reducing waste activities.
Our new Operational Excellence team has been created to help us navigate these changes. By committing to operational excellence and continuous improvement we can work smarter, reduce costs, enhance services, and increase revenues in support of UBC’s academic mission and vision.
The team is just coming together now under Janice Weigel, senior director strategic and operational performance, and will share more about the team’s role in coming months.
UBC planning $315 million facility expansion of medical research and nursing schools
The Vancouver Urbanized blog shared an overview of some key projects planned for the Point Grey campus, including new health sciences facilities located at the main gateway into the campus.
Helpful news
Some interesting news articles people have found informative, helpful, or fun! These are provided for information and entertainment only. Unless noted, UBC doesn’t specifically endorse or supply this content.
- One of the biggest challenges as we change and bring on new people during COVID-19 is how do we keep and share our culture. The Harvard Business Review shares some of their research into how working from home doesn’t have to dilute your corporate culture.
Have an article for your peers? Email communications@vpfo.ubc.ca.