Monday update

September 27, 2021

A note from VPFO Communications & Engagement

Over the past few weeks, some of you may have noticed some changes to our weekly newsletter.

The VPFO Monday Update started last year as a way for our portfolio to stay connected and share important operational information during COVID-19.

Things have changed so much since we distributed our first newsletter, and we want to ensure that the VPFO Update adapts to your changing needs while continuing to deliver content that is informative and relevant to your work at the VPFO.

Fill out a brief one-minute survey to tell us what you think about these new changes and how we can better serve your needs.

Thank you and have a great week!

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Updates from UBC

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

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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.

Return to campus: Supporting your mental health

Have you signed into LifeWorks? Do you know you can access psychological professionals through your extended health benefits? Have you thought about becoming a Not Myself Today ambassador?

As we start a new academic year, many who are returning to campus will experience excitement, while others may have concerns and feel some anxiety. UBC offers a range of mental health resources to support you and your team.

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Operations updates

Facilities

Building Operations, Energy & Water Services and Infrastructure Development

  • Brock Commons Phase 2 North building approved by UBC Board of Governors: The Brock Commons Phase 2 North building received approval from the Board and started construction on September 22, 2021. Learn more

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Finance

Comptroller, Finance & Operational Excellence and Treasury

  • September Period-End Dates: Reminder that the September (Q2) period-end dates are now available for the community as a PDF and on the UBC Finance website.

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Operations & Advising

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

  • UBC Library and UBC Campus Security launch Theft Prevention Pilot campaign: To support the safety and security of students, the library has partnered with UBC Campus Security to launch a Theft Prevention Pilot campaign that will run throughout the fall term. Learn more
  • Distributing reusable non-medical masks for campus: In alignment with the mask mandate, Safety & Risk Services has been distributing non-medical masks to the appropriate groups on campus.
  • Staff communications tools available: When reaching out into the university, we all represent the VPFO and UBC. We have a variety of templates that will help you put your best foot forward, available on the VPFO Communications website.
  • VPFO HR on-site support schedule: Starting in October, the HR team will be in the office from Tuesday to Thursday. For any questions, please contact Senior HR Manager, Arvind Kang.

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People in motion

Please join us in welcoming those who are joining us, celebrating promotions, and saying goodbye to team members who are moving on to their next steps.

  • Keiko Okabe joined as Payroll Representative, Payroll Operations on Sept 7.
  • Gardenia Honorio is joining Facilities as Manager, Business and
    Support Services today.
  • Django Lehner has been promoted to People & Process Manager, Mechanical Maintenance in Building Operations.
  • Audrey Liu is joining as Finance Manager, ID/SRS/FO on October 1, 2021.
  • Rakhee Raj Bharamaraj is joining ISC as Senior Manager, Change Management and Communications on October 4.
  • ISC R1 Completion Program
    • Lilian Luo as HR Functional Analyst on Sept 13.
    • Shelley Chin joined as Configuration Analyst, ISC R1 Completion Program on Sept 13.
    • Amita Parmar joined as HR Functional Analyst on Sept 22.
    • Fei Peng joined as Senior Financial Analyst on Sept 27.
  • ISC Product Management
    • Sabrina Basra joined as HR Support Analyst on Sept 20.
    • Kelvin Chan joined as Functional Support Analyst on Sept 20.
    • Heather Mckie joined as Functional Support Analyst on Sept 27.
  • Farewell to Ruslan Prisajny, Senior Procurement Officer, Procurement Services, Juliet Ho, Financial Processing Specialist, Accounts Payable, and Suzanne Poohkay, Director, Capital Planning & Strategic Project Development. Thank you all for your contribution!

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VPFO job openings

All positions at UBC are available on the UBC HR Careers website, or through the career application in your Workday account. The following VPFO positions are currently open:

  • Lead Privacy & Information Security Advisor (JR2674) – closing Sep 28
  • Custodial Assistant Storekeeper (JR4274) – closing Sep 28
  • Trades 2 – Metal worker (JR4391) – closing Sep 28
  • Manager, Finance Services (JR4348) – closing Oct 1
  • Service Centre (ISC) Representatives (JR4271 & JR4273) – closing Oct 1
  • Payroll and Benefits Support Analyst (JR4355) – closing Oct 4

Please remember to apply as an internal candidate. This ISC Knowledge Base article shows how: How do I apply for an internal job posting?.

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Other notable updates

Getting ready for Canada’s new National Day of Truth & Reconciliation: Understanding Truth and Reconciliation & Orange Shirt Day

In the past month, in honour of Orange Shirt Day and the newly introduced National Day of Truth & Reconciliation, the VPFO’s EDI Committee has been sharing a series of blogs to drive awareness of the legacy of residential schools and help us all foster a commitment to reconciliation.

Join us as we wrap up this series with a deeper dive into the history and meaning behind Truth & Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day.

Read the series on the VPFO EDI website:

Keeping you safe as we return to campus

Safety & Risk Services has summarized information about the measures UBC is taking to help you feel comfortable in all our campus spaces.

Visit the COVID-19 Return to Campus web page on the Safety & Risk Services website.

Supporting VPFO team members through the transition back to campus

A few reminders to support our team members in this transition as we approach our planned October 4 deadline for VPFO staff to return to campus.

Mandatory training for new staff   

A reminder to all new hires and staff to complete the mandatory training to meet UBC and WorkSafe BC requirements.

For instructions on how to complete these courses on UBC Workplace Learning (WPL), please refer to this Workday Knowledge Base article.
Keeping your contact information current  

A reminder to make sure your contact information, including emergency contact, is up to date in Workday. This ensures you receive important communication, especially during times of emergency.

Relevant Workday Knowledge Base articles

Need a parking spot?

Parking at UBC fills up quickly! If you drive 3 or more people to campus UBC has a dedicated parking lot for you!

Start carpooling today or learn more.

Fall 2021 Staff Pension Plan Workshops now available

Understanding Your Staff Pension Plan (UYSPP) is an informative online workshop for members of all ages to learn about their UBC pension plan, pensions in general, and things to consider for future retirement.

Register for an upcoming workshop.

EDI: Understanding and Overcoming Language Barriers in the Workplace

English is the business language of the world, yet there are only 360 million people who speak English as their first language. Here are some tips on how you can overcome language barrier at the office as a non-native English speaker.

Read more

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Helpful news

Some interesting news articles our team members 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.

Have an article for the VPFO team? Email communications@vpfo.ubc.ca.

Be Part of the VPFO Monday Update

Each Monday we capture a snapshot of important university updates, the work across our departments, and other resources relevant to the VPFO team. This will be reposted, along with all past issues, at vpfo.ubc.ca/news.

Additions or questions can be sent to communications@vpfo.ubc.ca at any time.