Updates from UBC
- February 24: President’s Update: Statement on Russia and Ukraine
- February 24: UBC Broadcast: 2022 President’s awards for staff: Call for nominations
Updates on UBC’s response to COVID-19 are at covid19.ubc.ca.
Operations updates
Facilities
Building Operations, Custodial Services, Customer Services & Informatics, Energy & Water Services, Infrastructure Development, and Municipal Services
- Construction begins for University (UNY) Substation Upgrade: This $11M project emerged out of a feasibility study in 2018 and consists of replacing the entire high voltage electrical distribution equipment providing power to the majority of the UBC campus. The project is anticipated to complete by late 2023.
- Generator replacement for University Services Building (USB): Starting this week, the traffic flow in the USB yard — loading/parking area at the rear of the building (Lower Mall) will be impacted until May 2022. Please take caution when entering this area.
- Building Management Systems (BMS) projects: The following BMS projects are anticipated to be completed in the 2022/2023 fiscal year — Direct digital control system upgrades in Asian Centre, Frank Forward Building, and Life Sciences Centre; and building controls update and system unification upgrades in the School of Population & Public Health.
- Energy Conservation (EC) projects: The following EC projects are anticipated to be completed in the 2022/2023 fiscal year — Aircuity ventilation in Pharmaceutical Sciences Centre; lab exhaust fan turndown in Earth & Ocean Sciences and the Centre for Comparative Medicine; heat recovery chiller expansion at the Life Sciences Centre; installation of heat recovery chiller in Chemistry D Block; and installation of heat recovery coils in Chemistry E Block.
Finance
Comptroller, Finance & Operational Excellence and Treasury
- T4/T4A Tax Slips Are Now Available for UBC Faculty and Staff through Workday: Full information, including how to access the tax slips and request support, is available on the UBC Finance website.
- T2200S Forms Are Now Available for UBC Faculty and Staff: Full information about both options, including how to access the forms, is available on the Claiming Employment Expenses page.
- Claiming Unidentified Wire Transfers and Direct Deposits: Please check through the list of unidentified payments (updated as of Feb 17, 2022) to see if any payments belong to your department.
Operations & Advising
Communications & Engagement, Human Resources, and Safety & Risk Services
- Communications toolkit for 2022 tax slips available: These toolkits contain ready-made resources that can help you share information about how to access the T4/T4A tax slips and T2200S forms, and where to find further information. Learn more on the VPFO Communications 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.
- Julissa Zapata and Lourdes Amigo joined as Auxilliary Service Workers on Feb 14.
- Akhila Mudela and Harsha Yakkali joined as Congifuration Analysts on Feb 21.
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:
- Sr Advisor, Information Security Compliance (JR4942) – closing Mar 2
- Supplier Setup Clerk (JR6424) – closing Mar 3
- Labourer 2 (JR6416) – closing Mar 3
- Tax Analyst (JR6379) – closing Mar 9
- Lead Advisor, Privacy and Information Security Risk (JR6451) – closing Mar 17
- Lead Advisor, Information Security Compliance (JR6557) – closing Mar 31
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
Thank you for participating in VPFO Pink Shirt Day 2022
On February 23, 2022, we gathered across UBC to celebrate Pink Shirt Day across the portfolio to talk about fostering equity, diversity and inclusion and reflect on what we can do to lift each other up.
The recordings and resources, including speech transcripts, are now available on the VPFO website.
New to VPFO? Here is how to access your Lean Six Sigma White Belt program
All VPFO team members are strongly encouraged to complete their Lean Six Sigma White Belt training.
In July 2021, we began to roll out Lean Six Sigma White Belt training across the portfolio to empower VPFO team members with the tools to drive operational excellence at work.
This training is free for VPFO team members and only takes 90 minutes to complete.
Register for the Lean Six Sigma White Belt training
- Access the Online On-Demand program learning portal
- Create your learner account
- Use Course ID – LEAN
- Complete your program within 30 days
Learn more about Lean Six Sigma on the Operational Excellence website.
How to stay Social Media Secure
If you log in to one of your social media accounts and notice posts, photos, or direct messages that were definitely not posted or sent by you, or you receive an alert that your account password has been changed without your knowledge, your account has most likely been compromised.
The Privacy Matters @ UBC team has prepared a list of steps to take if you suspect your account has been compromised. As well as simple measures to employ to prevent future security issues on any of your social media accounts.
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.
- The concept of “imposter syndrome” was developed in the 70s in a study that focused on high-achieving women. This Harvard Business Review article argues that we should stop telling women they have imposter syndrome and instead create a culture that addresses systemic bias and racism. Read more
- Your go-to password might be easier to guess than you think. Here are the top most hacked passwords and some tips on how to make yours more secure. Read more
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.
- Until Mar 9: Weekly mindful sessions with Aisha Tejani
- February 28: Mindful Movement with Melissa Nkomo
- Self-guided: Wellbeing in the Workplace
- Self-guided: Preventing Burnout: Managing stress, emotions and our tendency to give
To view more workshops, webinars and events visit the HR event listing.
As many of us prepare to return to campus again, some will experience excitement, while others may have concerns and feel some anxiety. Learn more about the mental health resources available for UBC staff & faculty.