Updates from UBC
- June 21: UBC Bulletin: COVID-19 rapid testing clinic now open to faculty and staff
- June 18: President’s Blog: The Anti-Asian Racism Forum is Over, But Our Work is Just Beginning
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 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.
- July 5: QPR Suicide Prevention Training: An internationally recognized suicide intervention program designed to help you question, persuade, and refer.
- July 13: Self and Community Care Facilitated Webinar: This 2-part facilitated webinar focuses on increasing mental health literacy for individuals.
- July 19: Strengthening Resilience: Learn about evidence-informed strategies to strengthen resilience, as well as resources that are available to support resilience and wellbeing.
Operations updates
Facilities
Building Operations, Energy & Water Services and Infrastructure Development
- Asset Replacement & Improvements (AR&I): The AR&I division, including the Transition Team and Construction Office, has started the process of joining with Infrastructure Development to form a new, unified, project delivery team for the Facilities Group. For more information, visit the Facilities website.
- UBC Annual Water Quality Monitoring Report 2020 now available: The report outlines UBC’s Water Quality Monitoring program and the results for the year 2020 and re-affirms UBC’s commitment to deliver safe and high-quality drinking water. For more information, visit the Energy & Water Services website.
Finance
Comptroller, Finance & Operational Excellence and Treasury
- Update on Air Canada Refunds for UBC: New information is available on the UBC Finance website for members of the community who cancelled flights with Air Canada due to COVID-19.
- Claiming unidentified payments: Please check through the list of unidentified wire transfers and direct deposits (updated as of June 8) to see if any payments belong to your department.
- Procurement Modernization Update: A reminder that Financial Operations’ service delivery levels are now available to the community.
Operations & Advising
Communications & Engagement, Human Resources, and Safety & Risk Services
- Where are you really from: To promote the National Forum on Anti-Asian Racism, UBC invited prominent Asian Canadians and allies to share their perspectives on anti-Asian racism. Kim’s Convenience Actor and creative Andrea Bang shares how she feels when she is asked, “where are you really from?”, available on the VPFO EDI webpage.
- 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 any questions, please contact Senior HR Manager, Arvind Kang.
- June 21: Rachel Lau, Matt Furgal
- June 22: WFH
- June 23: Kasia Burza, Arvind Kang
- June 24: WFH
- June 25: WFH
- Submit a proposal to hire a temporary work/learn student: The program is currently accepting proposals for winter term, September 1, 2021 – April 30, 2022. Submit your proposal by Monday, July 5.
- New guide and checklist to support onboarding: To support your local onboarding, the new employee checklist and orientation webpage [CWL required] features two new resources: a Manger’s Onboarding Guide and a New Hire Onboarding Checklist template.
Other notable updates
In memory of Bivenly Cayad-An
It is with great sadness that we share with you of the passing of Bivenly Cayad-An. Bivenly was a valued member of our Custodial Services Team for over 5 years, who was currently working as a part-time custodian assigned to the Scarfe Building.
Bivenly was a strong person who continued to work at UBC after being diagnosed with cancer. She was known to be a true team player, an engaged worker and a dedicated mother and will be dearly missed by many.
Cybersecurity tips & tricks: Protect your password
At UBC, we are responsible for substantial amounts of personal information, and protecting this information is everyone’s responsibility. This week we’ll share tips on how to manage your passwords.
- Use a strong passphrase or password. A passphrase should contain a minimum of 16 characters. A simple suggestion is to choose a sentence or a line from a favourite book, movie or song. Something that is easy for you to remember but difficult for anyone to guess. Alternatively, use a password that must contain a minimum of 10 characters including upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, and symbols.
- Guard your password carefully. Do NOT share passwords or write them down. Use of a password safe/manager is highly recommended.
- Personal life and work don’t always mix. Never use UBC passphrases or passwords for personal accounts
Learn more on the UBC Privacy Matters website
Save the Date: VPFO All Staff Town Hall
Join Peter Smailes, Vice-President Finance & Operations, and your teammates from across the VPFO portfolio to look back on our experiences over the past year and half and look forward to a brighter fall and beyond. More details will be shared as we get closer to the event date.
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.
- There’s something about waking up to sunshine and warm air that puts many of us in a better mood. In celebration of the start of summer, here are three scientific reasons why we’re happier in the summer.
- Research estimate that the average person makes up to 35,000 decisions on a daily basis. Try these four tips to combat decision fatigue and boost your productivity!
Have an article for the VPFO team? Email communications@vpfo.ubc.ca.
Thank you to all for your continued hard work and dedication to enabling excellence at UBC. From the VPFO Senior Leadership Team.