What used to be the Fine Arts and Health building is now the Creative and Critical Studies building. UBC’s Board of Governors approved the name change recently, and while exterior signs won’t be updated until warmer weather arrives, the prefixes on room numbers in that building have already been changed to CCS.
With the formal dedication of the Reichwald Health Sciences Centre last year, room number prefixes for that building are now RHS (formerly HSC).
Defend against the flu this season. Influenza and norovirus are hitting areas of the province particularly hard this winter. Help protect yourself with the information below.
Influenza and norovirus are hitting areas of the province particularly hard this winter. To help protect yourself, get a flu shot (health clinics, your doctor, and pharmacies). Also, wash your hands with soap and water several times a day. If soap and water is not readily available, use alcohol-based hand rubs.
Resources
Information on the BC Ministry of Health’s January 16, 2013 news release, ministry’s detailed flu information, and Interior Health’s specific flu clinics can be found here:
The facts on influenza and norovirus in B.C.
http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases_2009-2013/2013HLTH0010-000061.htm
What is influenza?
http://www.healthlinkbc.ca/kb/content/major/hw122012.html
Where can I get vaccinated?
In today’s world, our personal and professional lives are more public than ever before. Information pertaining to payroll, health, credit cards, and much more is collected, stored and accessed on a daily basis here at UBC. We all have a responsibility to protect the personal data we handle.
Data Privacy Day is held all over the world on January 28 every year to raise awareness and inform people about their privacy rights and responsibilities.
To celebrate Data Privacy Day, UBC’s Office of the University Counsel, UBC Information Technology, and UBC Risk Management Services have prepared privacy tips and resources and are holding privacy-related events across campus. I encourage you to visit UBC’s Privacy Day website to learn more about how to protect your privacy and the privacy of others.
In addition, to celebrate Data Privacy Day, UBC is giving away three BlackBerry 32GB PlayBooks to staff, faculty and researchers. If you complete a Privacy Quiz by February 8, you will be entered into a draw to win one of these prizes.
Take a privacy quiz and be entered to win a Blackberry 32GB PlayBook
I’ve committed to completing a privacy quiz so I can ensure I’m doing my part. I hope you’ll join me in celebrating Data Privacy Day at UBC.
Stephen J. Toope
President and Vice-Chancellor
The following email was sent out on behalf of Michael Shakespeare, Associate Vice-President Administration and Finance on December 18, 2012 to the ‘Heads Up’ distribution list:
Please distribute widely within your faculty / departments as appropriate.
Over the past seven years UBC’s Okanagan campus has undergone tremendous growth, and many of our internal administrative services have been faced with increasing demands and changes. Infrastructure, resources and processes that met our needs in the past, may no longer be effective for the current demands. One such area facing growing demands is finance. We have identified an opportunity to review our current financial resources throughout the campus, the structure, business processes and functionality of connections and relationships to determine how to best support the future needs of UBC’s Okanagan campus.
Some of the key areas of opportunity include:
To help us think through a sustainable structure for our financial services functions across the campus, I will be initiating an external review beginning early in the new year to be led by MMK Consulting, an independent management consulting firm that has performed many consulting assignments for UBC over the past decade. For example, MMK assisted Athletics and Recreation on UBC’s Okanagan campus in developing its initial business plan in 2008, and also recently assisted in updating the plan to 2012. MMK has also performed numerous organizational and business planning assignments at UBC’s Vancouver campus, on behalf of Finance and Administration, Treasury, Athletics, and many other faculties and departments. MMK’s role in this new project will be led by Stuart MacKay, President, and Treena Cook, Project Manager, both of whom have extensive experience in providing management consulting services to UBC.
Your input will be incredibly important to the success of this initiative and I encourage you to participate. Further details regarding the process will be available in early January.
Michael Shakespeare | Associate Vice-President | Administration and Finance
Small changes make a big difference. Facilities Management hopes that’s the case with garbage production on UBC’s Okanagan campus.
Over the holiday season, garbage cans in offices and workstations across campus will be replaced by much smaller trash containers, in a move to reduce the amount of non-garbage going to the landfill.
October’s campus waste audit found that only 15 per cent of waste in office garbage cans was actually garbage — the rest was recyclable or biodegradable (compostable) materials. The new, smaller garbage bins — part of a new My Waste, My Responsibility program — complement the existing “deskside recycling” blue bins and yellow compost bins, to help direct all compostable and recyclable materials into the correct handling systems.
The new, smaller garbage bins attach to the side of the existing blue recycling cans in each office. Once the smaller cans are in place, the user of each workstation is responsible for disposing of blue bin recycling and the black garbage bin contents, using central collection stations located in corridors and foyers.
Read more here.
The Building Optimization Program, a new three-year partnership between UBC’s Okanagan campus and Fortis BC, is now in place and energy consumption of the academic buildings is being constantly monitored to help reduce energy use and carbon emissions across campus.
From September 2012 to March 2013, a baseline energy measurement will be established for electricity, gas and water usage in the major buildings. Monitoring software has been installed in the buildings’ energy meters and will collect data, analyze and then display the results in real time via an energy monitor dashboard.
During the baseline phase the campus community is invited to visit the online energy monitor dashboard at any time to monitor a building’s monthly, weekly or daily energy performance in real-time.
Campus Security reminds everyone to safeguard both UBC and personal effects this holiday season. Thefts of this type are crimes of opportunity and offices, study areas, and computer labs that are left unattended tend to be prime targets.
Campus Security has the following tips for members of the campus community :
Report all suspicious activity to Campus Security at 250-807-9236 (local 79236). For crimes in progress, notify RCMP by dialing 9-1-1.
For other crime prevention initiatives, contact the Security Coordinator’s office at 250-807-9173 (local 79173).
The practice of erecting decorations, displays, and Christmas trees for holidays and official functions within university buildings may involve risk from the standpoint of fire and may endanger the lives of the occupants of such buildings.
In addition to all other factors considered by a unit head making decisions concerning the use, maintenance, and disposal of decorations, displays, or Christmas trees, the following safety rules will apply on the UBC Okanagan campus:
The following examples are provided for your guidance in selecting acceptable decorations, displays, and Christmas trees:
Advice in these matters and interpretation of these guidelines may be obtained from the Facilities Management team at (250.807.8213).
During the winter, campus roadways, parking lots, sidewalks and walkways are kept free of ice and snow as best possible, as resources and weather conditions dictate. All reasonable efforts will be made to keep roadways, parking lots, and walkways in acceptable condition for pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
Please report any hazardous conditions by contacting Facilities Management at 250-807-9272 or facilities.ok@ubc.ca .
During winter, Facilities Management is busy keeping the outdoor walkways and parking lots free of ice and snow to prevent slips and falls. Slips and falls are a major cause of injury not only on the UBC campus but in all parts of the city.
When the snow hits, Facilities Management sweeps away snow from walkways and parking lots while depositing ice melt and sand. Areas are prioritized according to high traffic areas, terrain (stairs, inclines, etc), and areas with a past history of incidents/accidents. Please contact the Facilities Management office at 250-807-9272 or facilities.ok@ubc.ca to report slippery areas.
Using these strategies, Facilities Management is able to manage much of the hazards brought on by ice and snow, but it is impossible to cover all areas. The departments of Health, Safety and Environment and Facilities Management would like to highlight strategies pedestrians can use to prevent falling victim (no pun intended) to slippery conditions.
We have all heard of winterizing our cars and our driving habits, but what about winterizing our walking habits? Here are a few tips to help you stay upright during the winter season.
Shorten your stride length to keep your centre of gravity supported. Also, walk with your knees slightly bent, as locking your knees reduces your ability to adjust to a slip. When turning avoid sharp turns.
Take slow, deliberate steps and be on the lookout for icy spots. Place your whole foot down at once, shifting your weight slowly to this foot before stepping with the other foot.
Consider donning a backpack. Backpacks keep your load closer to your centre of gravity. Carrying heavy items in your hands hinders your arms’ ability to provide balance when you do slip. You need your arms free to help you recover your balance if you start to slide. Do not walk with your hands in your pockets for this very same reason.
Footwear with a thick rubber or non-slip sole is recommended. Avoid wearing heels and footwear with minimal tread.
Take care when stepping into/out of your car as you are usually off balance and on only one foot. This increases your chance of slipping. Consider carrying a bag of sand in your vehicle that you can sprinkle on the ground before exiting the vehicle.
Exercise caution around snow covered curbs on paths and roadways.
Entrance ways may be slippery, exercise caution and report any missing floor mats to Facilities.
Our winter equipment is fully operational during early morning & daytime hours whenever a snowfall occurs. We are requesting staff and students be aware of moving equipment and be cognisant of the potential risk for pedestrians walking in front of and/or behind operating equipment.
The AVP Admin and Finance office invite all faculty and staff to the next Pitstop for coffee on Friday.
Coffee, tea and a variety of pastries will be served for only $2 per person. All proceeds will be donated to the Okanagan campus United Way campaign.
Date: Friday, Aug. 17
Time: 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.
Location: Campus courtyard (weather permitting) or ADM015 (faculty and staff lounge)