Updates from UBC
- January 12: UBC Broadcast: COVID-19 — Update on Winter Session, Term 2
- January 12: President’s Update: At the University of British Columbia, we are committed to doing our part to address the climate crisis
- January 12: UBC Bulletin: Submit your comments as part of an external review of UBC IT
Updates on UBC’s response to COVID-19 are at covid19.ubc.ca.
Operations updates
Facilities
Building Operations, Energy & Water Services and Infrastructure Development
- Focusing our resources at the frontline: Our new Facilities organizational structure will enable us to work better together as an integrated Facilities team, and allow for more efficient planning, decision-making and communications. Read AVP, Facilities, John Metras’ full message.
- Launching the new Facilities Weekly newsletter: The new, consolidated newsletter is distributed every Tuesday to team members across the Facilities group and partners. For more information and past editions, visit the Facilities website.
- UBC Gateway project received the 2021 Canadian Architect Award of Excellence: The design intends to express commonalities between Musqueam values, culture, and learning and the UBC Gateway environmental and wellness goals. This project is nearing the end of the design process and should start construction in spring, targeting Board 3 approval in March. Read more
- Road closures on UBC Vancouver campus: Please see below for the road closures planned for this week due to construction:
- Chancellor Boulevard & 16th roundabout – Jan 16 & 17 (10pm – 6am)
- Laneway between War Memorial Gym & Gateway construction site – Jan 17 & 18
- West Mall & Agriculture Road – Jan 17-20
- West Mall & Crescent Road – Jan 17-20
- Lower Mall & Memorial Road – Jan 17-20
- Facilities teams supporting extreme weather events and keeping our community safe: A big thank you to team members across Facilities who support extreme weather such that the university can continue to operate in a safe and functional capacity. Read more
Finance
Comptroller, Finance & Operational Excellence and Treasury
- Claiming Your Personal Tax Credits: For details about claiming your personal tax credits, as well as relevant resources and contact information, visit the UBC Finance website.
- Reminder to Set Up Your Supplier Early in Workday: As we head towards the end of the fiscal year, there is an increase in the volume of financial transactions and requests. A reminder to ensure your supplier is set up on Workday in advance of the invoice being issued. Learn more
- Lean Six Signa Green Belt training: The first cohort of the Lean Six Sigma Green Belt training is taking place on Jan 24, 2022. Operational Excellence has added some helpful resources, including checklists and templates, that will guide you in producing a comprehensive Lean Six Sigma report. Learn more
Operations & Advising
Communications & Engagement, Human Resources, and Safety & Risk Services
- Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) Rapid Antigen Testing distribution centre available at the Life Sciences Centre: This testing facility will be managed and staffed by VCH, and COVID-19 PCR testing will not be available. Visit the VCH website for up-to-date information prior to visiting the testing site. Learn more
- Updated COVID-19 information for UBC: Safety & Risk Services has updated the COVID-19 Safety Plans, Return to Campus, Return to Campus FAQ, and Contact Tracing pages on the COVID-19 section of the Safety & Risk Services website.
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.
- Winston Feliciano has been promoted to Mechanic Apprentice in Building Operations, Facilities.
- Florante Navarro has been promoted to Sub-Head, Stores in Municipal Services, Facilities.
- David Rowswell joins Facilities Information and Inventory Systems as Programmer Analyst in Infrastructure Development, Facilities for the next six months.
VPFO job openings
All positions at UBC are available on the UBC HR Careers website, or through the career application in your Workday account. Please note that applications will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. on the day prior to the posting end date. The following VPFO positions are currently open:
- Facilities Manager (JR5777) – closing Jan 20
- Suh-Head Millwright (JR5870) – closing Jan 21
- Assistant Manager, Capital Projects (JR5758) – closing Jan 24
- Assistant Manager, Capital Projects (JR5758) – closing Jan 24
- Project Manager (JR5779) – closing Feb 5
Please remember to apply as an internal candidate. This ISC Knowledge Base article shows how: How do I apply for an internal job posting?.
Other notable updates
Staff — submit your Professional Development Fund claims by March 4
A reminder to staff and research associates to use available Professional Development (PD) funding and submit your claims in Workday by Friday, March 4, 2022.
PD funds are intended to support learning activities that will enhance your workplace knowledge or skills and support your career growth at the university. Claims will be accepted in Workday on a first-come, first-served basis, until the annual funding pool is exhausted or by Mar. 4, whichever comes first.
This February, explore the many ways to Move More, Move Well, Move Anywhere & Move for the Planet!
This February, explore ways to fit physical activity into your day (wherever you are) during Move UBC Month! Small changes can add up to big impacts—moving more can help improve mental health and resilience, boost your creativity and productivity, improve your sleep, and even help our planet!
Check out the Move UBC event calendar for lots of great ways to get moving in ways that are empowering, comfortable, and motivating for you.
Legislative sick leave in effect
Effective January 1, 2022, the BC government has implemented five (5) days of mandatory paid sick leave for all workers in BC. Eligible UBC employees are entitled to these five days (adjusted based on full-time equivalency (FTE)) at the start of each year.
For details, including eligibility, visit the UBC HR website.
Viewing your 2022 Vacation Balance in Workday
When viewing your vacation balance in Workday, you may not see a whole number due to how Workday calculates your vacation balance. This will not impact your ability to take your full vacation. Your 2022 vacation will appear under Accrued Year To Date in your Absence Balance.
You can check your annual vacation entitlements on the HR website.
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.
- In order to gain its independence, this young penguin must become used to interacting with its peers. Start your week off right with this heartwarming video from BBC Earth.
- Is climate change making tornadoes worse? Here are 3 things that scientists know — available on TED Ideas.
Have an article for the VPFO team? Email communications@vpfo.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.
- Thursday, Jan. 13 & 20: Understanding Mental Health
- Tuesday, Jan 18: Gratitude with LifeWorks
- Jan 19 – Mar 9: Weekly mindful sessions with Aisha Tejani
- Wednesday, Jan 26 (Part 1) & Thursday, Feb 3 (Part 2): Self and Community Care: Building Skills to Manage Stress
- Self-guided: Wellbeing in the Workplace
- Self-guided: Preventing Burnout: Managing stress, emotions and our tendency to give
- Self-guided: Feeling safe and engaged returning to the workplace
To view more workshops, webinars and events visit the HR event listing.