Last week’s updates from UBC
- May 21: President’s Weekly Update: Plans for Fall 2021
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 your ups and downs. Our VPFO HR staff is always available for a confidential conversation.
- Self-guided: Self and Community Care: Building skills to manage stress: Learn to integrate relaxation and your personal needs into your daily life in this self-paced webinar.
- Self-guided: Wellbeing in the Workplace: Learn tools and skills to support wellbeing while working within changing environments in this self-paced webinar.
- June 1, 2, 3, 4 & 7: 5 days of Mindfulness: Join your community for 5 days of mindfulness to feel more connected while working from home and improve your ability to manage stress.
- June 3, 10, 17, 24: 4-week Self-Compassion Series: Explore different practices, teachings, discussion or writing exercises all designed to help you build a foundation of mindful self-compassion.
- June 8 & 16: Positive Coping Strategies: Join this two-part webinar to explore a variety of positive coping strategies you can apply to improve your overall mental health and wellbeing.
- June 10 & 17: The Working Mind: Virtual Mental Health Training for Managers: Join our evidence-based training program designed to address and promote mental health and reduce stigma in a workplace setting.
- July 10: Self and Community Care Facilitated Webinar: This 2-part facilitated webinar focuses on increasing mental health literacy for individuals.
Operations updates
Finance
Comptroller, Finance & Operational Excellence and Treasury
- An update on importing goods to UBC: The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is introducing a new online client portal on May 25. At this point there are effectively no changes for our community to action, and the ordering of international goods should continue as normal. For more information, please visit the UBC Finance website.
- Audited Financial Statements: The Financial Reporting team is busy finalizing UBC’s audited financial statements for 2020/2021, which will be presented to UBC’s Board of Governors in June.
Operations & Advising
Communications & Engagement, Human Resources, and Safety & Risk Services
- The release of the UBC Campus Security Review: UBC commissioned an external independent review of campus security policies and procedures in 2020. The review has made a number of findings and recommendations, available on the UBC Security website.
- Communication tips & tricks: Whether it’s an official part of your role or not, communicating is something we all do. Understanding the online environment at UBC can help you communicate your message more effectively. For resources on ways to use UBC websites to your advantage, including session slides & recording, visit the VPFO Comms website.
- VPFO HR on-site support schedule: Due to increased safety measures, the VPFO HR team will be working from home on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday for the month of April. For any questions, please contact Senior HR Manager, Arvind Kang (arvind.s.kang@ubc.ca).
- May 24: Hope you had a nice Victoria Day!
- May 25: WFH
- May 26: Sonia Lachar and Rachel Lau
- May 27: WFH
- May 28: WFH
Other notable updates
Leadership one-on-one interview with our Comptroller, Karamjeet Heer
Our Comptroller, Karamjeet Heer has been featured in the UBC Today Leadership One-on-One interview series. As UBC’s Comptroller, she is responsible for ensuring the university’s fiscal sustainability by providing financial intelligence and strategy.
Read the interview on UBC Today to learn more about Karamjeet and the important work she does for the university.
Join the Vaccine-Nation
On May 14, President Santa Ono shared a message about COVID-19 vaccinations.
Everyone aged 12+ in BC can now register to get vaccinated. UBC encourages all members of our community to support the provincial vaccine program. Vaccines are the best way to protect yourself – and everyone around you – from COVID-19.
Register on the BC Government website
Survey to gather feedback on HR / finance administrative processes
On June 1, over 6,000 randomly selected faculty and staff across the UBC community will be asked for their insight into how selected Workday processes have stabilized, improved, or require attention post go-live.
A survey, conducted by the Integrated Renewal Program (IRP) and Integrated Service Centre (ISC), will measure the user experience of six HR/Finance administrative processes against an identical survey conducted in April 2020 evaluating pre-Workday systems and processes.
One week away from Go By Bike Week: May 31st – June 6th
Looking for a way to get healthy while reducing your carbon footprint? Go by Bike Week returns May 31st – June 6th!
Log your trips online through the HUB Cycling website for a chance to win HUB’s daily giveaways, track your kilometers, and see how many greenhouse gas emissions you’ve saved.
You’re also encouraged to gather your colleagues and compete as a team for a chance to be awarded the coveted UBC trophy.
In memory of Cornelia Oberlander
Cornelia Oberlander, a renowned landscape architect and honorary professor of UBC School Of Architecture And Landscape Architecture (SALA), passed away over the weekend.
She helped design the landscapes for the Museum of Anthropology and the C.K. Choi Building. She and her family lived in the University Endowment Lands and helped shape the university we know today.
She will be both in our thoughts and missed very much.
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.
- In these last months before something resembling normality returns, we might ask ourselves, “What do I want ‘normal’ to look like?” This interesting read from The Atlantic argues that we have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to start over and not return to normal. How can we start preparing for a new and better normal than what we took for granted until a year ago?
- Is your work email causing you stress? Here are some helpful tips from Google’s productivity adviser to help you combat your email fatigue.
Have an article for your peers? Email communications@vpfo.ubc.ca.