Updates from UBC
- July 5: UBC Bulletin: Killam Accelerator Research Fellowships and Faculty Research Awards — call for nominations
- June 30: UBC Broadcast: Reminder of the requirement to use UBC email system
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.
- 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.
- August 10 (Part 1) & 18 (Part 2): Understanding Mental Health: This session aims to increase mental health literacy while providing tools and skills to respond effectively in a caring and respectful way.
Free group counselling to help navigate change
As more changes come along our way, it can be helpful during this time to get support to navigate through these changes.
Visit the UBC HR website for some recommended group counselling options from our Employee and Family Assistance Program.
Operations updates
Facilities
Building Operations, Energy & Water Services and Infrastructure Development
- Project list for Infrastructure Development/Properties Trust: July 2021 construction project list is now available on the Facilities website.
Finance
Comptroller, Finance & Operational Excellence and Treasury
- UBC’s Financial Results for 2020/21: The university’s Audited Financial Statements for 2020/21 were approved by the Board of Governors on June 24 and are now available on the UBC Finance website.
- A reminder about a new form of payment being piloted in Financial Operations: Our Financial Operations team is piloting Visa Payables with select Canadian suppliers. Learn more on the UBC Finance website.
Operations & Advising
Communications & Engagement, Human Resources, and Safety & Risk Services
- New COVID-19 Return to Campus Guidelines released: On July 5, 2021, the BC Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training released the new COVID-19 Return-to-Campus Guidelines. For more information, visit the SRS website.
- Safety & Risk Services launching Welcome Back online series: SRS has put together a series of online sessions that will launch the week of July 26-30, 2021, to support everyone’s transition to a more vibrant and busy campus environment. Learn more on the SRS website.
- Rapid COVID-19 Testing clinical trial program: A reminder that the rapid COVID-19 testing clinic in Orchard Commons Residence is now open to all students, faculty, and staff. Learn more on the Student Housing & Community Service (SHCS) website.
- The Centre for Occupational Health, Safety & Wellbeing reopened its doors: The Centre in the University Services Building (USB) reopened its doors for individual exercise as of Monday, July 5, 2021. Learn more on the SRS website.
- Why isn’t hard work enough: Vicky Sunohara, two-time Olympic gold medalist and ice hockey coach, discusses her and her family’s experiences, with a look forward for future generations, available on the VPFO EDI webpage.
- Tracy Wong joins VPFO Communications & Engagement: Tracy joins us as the maternity leave coverage supporting our Finance Group. She’ll work in concert with Annie Mullins to orchestrate a smooth transition to the start of Annie’s maternity leave on August 3. Full information available on the VPFO 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 any questions, please contact Senior HR Manager, Arvind Kang.
- July 5: Gregor Macdonald, Matt Furgal
- July 6: WFH
- July 7: Rachel Lau, Arvind Kang
- July 8: WFH
- July 9: WFH
Other notable updates
Cybersecurity tips & tricks: Backup your data
Computer hard drives can crash, computers and smartphones can be lost or stolen, soup can be spilled on laptops, and software viruses or malware can delete or encrypt your files.
At UBC, we are responsible for substantial amounts of personal information, and protecting this information is everyone’s responsibility. Please make sure to:
- Back up your data on a regular basis.
- Test the backups every few months to check that you can recover your data.
Learn more on the UBC Privacy Matters website.
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.
- As we anticipate the re-opening of workplaces and schools, It’s normal to feel anxious about going back. In this UBC Beyond article, Dr. Lynn Alden from the Department of Psychology provides some practical tips on how to adjust to a new, uncertain routine.
Have an article for the VPFO team? Email communications@vpfo.ubc.ca.