Monday Update

April 26, 2021

Last week’s updates from UBC

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.

Operations updates

Facilities

Building Operations, Energy & Water Services and Infrastructure Development

  • School of Biomedical Engineering Building (SBME) site will soon be clear: The Demolition of the DH Copp Building began last month for the development of the new SBME Building. For photos of the demolition and more information about this project, visit the Infrastructure Development website.
  • Water Restrictions: Metro Vancouver’s Drinking Water Conservation Plan, Stage 1 watering restrictions will come into effect on May 1, 2021, to manage the peak demands for drinking water during the summer period. For information, visit the Energy & Water website.
  • Adjustments to pH and alkalinity of regions drinking water: Metro Vancouver is planning to increase the pH and alkalinity of the region’s drinking water through the use of natural minerals in early June 2021. This an important step in a long-term program to reduce pipe corrosion from naturally occurring elements in drinking water. Learn more on the the Facilities website.

Finance

Comptroller, Finance & Operational Excellence and Treasury

  • UBC’s budget for 2021/22: UBC’s budget for the 2021/22 fiscal year has been approved and is now available to read on the UBC Finance website. More information is available on the UBC News website.
  • Month end dates for April: Please note that the month end dates for April have been adjusted slightly, and continue to be available as a PDF and on the Important Dates feed on the Finance website.
  • ISC call-in session on Payroll: The ISC is hosting a call-in session on Payroll on April 28 at 10 am. For more information, including registration, visit the ISC website.
  • Year end milestone: The Appendix C (government reporting requirement) was submitted to the Ministry on April 22. A special thanks to all the teams involved for their teamwork and dedication.
  • Dawn Irmscher joins UBC as Director of Payroll: We are pleased to welcome Dawn Irmscher to the Finance & Operational Excellence team as UBC’s new Director of Payroll, reporting to AVP Elana Mignosa effective May 3. Full information is available on the UBC Finance website.

Operations & Advising

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

  • What is UBC Broadcast?: UBC Broadcast’s are used by the university’s senior leadership to communicate key, time-sensitive, campus-wide messages. Learn about what UBC Broadcast is and when it may be used to communicate important messages, on this VPFO Communications & Engagement page.
  • 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 the month of April. For any questions, please contact Senior HR Manager, Arvind Kang (arvind.s.kang@ubc.ca).
    • April 26: Matt Furgal , Gregor Macdonald
    • April 27: WFH
    • April 28: Arvind Kang, Kasia burza
    • April 29: WFH
    • April 30: WFH

Other notable updates

Millennium Line UBC Extension

Planning for an extension of the SkyTrain from Arbutus Street to UBC is underway. This project is part of the long-term vision for an integrated transportation system that ensures Metro Vancouver continues to be a great place to live, work, learn, play and visit.

Visit TransLink’s engagement site to get involved and show your support for a project that will make life easier for so many members of the UBC community.

Complete the online survey by May 14, 2021.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) and UBC’s response

As UBC plans for a return to on-campus activity for Winter Session, Term 1, the health and wellbeing of our UBC community remain our first priority. As such, we are embarking on further planning, in collaboration with public health, to accommodate more on-campus activities.

UBC has created a website containing useful FAQs and resources for UBC students, faculty and staff. It is updated regularly, following advice from provincial and federal health agencies.

Healthy Workplace Initiatives application deadline extended until April 30

Deadline for submitting applications for Healthy Workplace Initiatives program (HWIP) has been extended to April 30 at 4 p.m.!

The Healthy Workplace Initiatives Program (HWIP) provides start-up funds for health-related activities for UBC departments and units interested in promoting wellbeing in the workplace.

Full details, including regulations, funding toolkits and the application form can be found on the HWIP page.

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.

  • Languishing is a sense of stagnation and emptiness. It feels as if you’re muddling through your days, looking at your life through a foggy windshield. And it might be the dominant emotion of 2021. Learn more in this New York Times article.
  • From how to handle side effects to when to mask up, here are five helpful pieces of post-vaccine advice.
  • Google Earth newest Timelapse feature lets users look back from the current day all the way to 1984 and see how both human activity as natural forces have changed the face of Earth over the last 40 years. Read this Forbes article for more.

Have an article for your peers? 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.