VPBA Newsletter - February 2006

Business Horizons


A monthly publication of Business Affairs

The University of
Texas at
San Antonio

February 2006

In All We Do,
We Do With

EXCELLENCE

Every Person,
Every Day,
Every Job

Kerry's Korner......

A big thanks to our Facilities and Parking staff, Police and Chartwells for all of their hard work to ensure that the BSE Building dedication was a success. Thanks too to all of you who attended the dedication on February 10th. The facility looked great and all the plans that had been made were implemented in an excellent fashion. Thanks for your part in making it a remarkable and historical event. 

It's been a year since our last round of Town Hall meetings. Subsequent to receiving the Survey of Excellence results in early 2005, I met with all the non-supervisory staff of the many Business Affairs departments to present the Survey results and talk about any particular concerns. While we will not complete a follow-up Survey until January 2007, I am again looking forward to meeting with all of you in Town Hall meetings that will begin next month and conclude in mid-April.  In addition to the separate non-supervisory personnel meetings, I will also meet with all mid-level supervisors and managers in a separate meeting in April.  I will have a short agenda, but the main purpose of the meetings is to facilitate ongoing communication between you and me.  I'm looking forward to the meetings and hope that you will plan to attend your respective meeting.  Schedules will be available soon. 

If you haven't already, please take a minute to nominate someone for the 2nd Quarterly Celebrating Excellence Award!  Nominations are due by the end of this month and the recipient(s) will be announced no later than mid March. 

Kerry

Upcoming Events



Valentine's Day
February 14

Evaluations Due
to HR
March 1

Town Hall
Meetings Start
March 1

Spring Break
March 13 - 17
 

ATTENTION T-SHIRT DESIGNERS!
The 2^nd Annual Business Affairs Forum is right around the corner and this year we will be conducting a T-shirt Design contest.  Designs can be computer generated or drawn on paper.  For computer generated submissions, there is no limit on the number of colors, but the image must be saved as a jpeg.  Paper submissions must not exceed three colors.  The maximum imprint area on the t-shirt is 14” wide by 16” high.  The theme for this year is Excellence.  Each design should incorporate the words UTSA, Business Affairs and Excellence within the design.  Entries will be reviewed for originality, creativity, and theme.  All Business Affairs employees will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite t-shirt from selected designs.  All designs must be received by 5:00 p.m. Friday, March 10.  Designs should be sent to the Business Affairs Office via campus mail or emailed to vpbaoffice@utsa.edu.

NEW PARKING PAY STATIONS

For more information, contact Parking and Transportation Services at 458-PARK (7275) or visit their website http://www.utsa.edu/parking/

REMINDER.....Please email us the new employees in your department, so we can add them to the newsletter mailing.

PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS

All requests to view or copy UTSA documents must be processed through the Vice President for Business Affairs Office. For more information, click: http://www.utsa.edu/bussvc/OpenRecords.htm.

VPBA TOOK FIRST PLACE IN THE DOOR AND OFFICE DECORATING CONTEST!

New UTSAPD Officers Complete UT System Police Academy

The police department would like to recognize the accomplishments of two recent graduates of the UT System Police Academy in Austin, TX.  Officers Maria Salazar and Joseph LoBrutto graduated from the 80^th Basic Training Academy on December 16, 2005, as the top two cadets of the class.  Officer Salazar was the top graduate and received an additional award of top notebook in the class.  Officer Salazar was the first female cadet to graduate in the top spot in the academy.  Officer LoBrutto was a close second at less than one half point behind Officer Salazar.

These officers were in Austin from June 2005 through December 2005 and received over 850 hours of training in various law enforcement areas such as criminal investigations, arrest, search and seizure, crisis intervention training, narcotics, defensive tactics, physical fitness, use of force, standard field sobriety testing, Texas Penal Code and many others.  They are currently completing a 10 week Field Training Program where they work hand in hand with a training officer to gain field experience before they enter the patrol force.

Officer Salazar graduated from Thomas A. Edison High School in San Antonio, then attended The University of Texas at San Antonio, graduating cum laude in 2004, with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice.

Officer LoBrutto came to the UTSA Police Department after having served over four years with the U.S. Air Force.  He graduated summa cum laude from The University of New Mexico in 2004 with a Bachelor of University Studies with a concentration in law enforcement studies.

RECYCLING PROGRAM

During December 2005, the first full month of recycling all paper items, there was a total of 11.751 tons of paper recycled and 5.5 tons of cardboard.  With everyone's help, we'll only improve this positive impact on our environment!

The Environmental Health, Safety and Risk Management, in conjunction with Facilities Services has had great success in the recycling program by eliminating significant volumes of recyclable materials from entering the San Antonio landfill.  We ask all VPBA staff, other UTSA employees and students to continue to contribute by properly identifying, sorting and disposing of the following materials:  all aluminum, plastic and glass containers from beverages can be placed in blue recycle bins marked for this purpose located throughout campus.

All office paper, magazines, books, newspapers, catalogs can be placed in the 5 gallon containers in each office.  Once full, the stuffing will be transported to larger blue 60 gallon containers located in each facility or the large recycle dumpsters located outside each building.  The contents of these 60 gallon containers are then transported to the large recycle bins (7 yards) by Housekeeping.  It is imperative that NO CARDBOARD be placed in any of the above containers.

All cardboard boxes are recycled by placing them in a designated location agreed upon by Housekeeping so they can collect and properly dispose.  Generators of cardboard need to ensure all contents/trash inside the cardboard boxes are removed prior to disposal.

Used toner cartridges will continue to be dropped off by the Mailroom in the designated container, or you may bring them by the Safety Office, BSA 1.01.24 on West Campus.

CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE PROGRAM

Be on the lookout for VPBA employees doing an excellent job!  Nominate them to the quarterly Celebrating Excellence Program via the VPBA Website or contact your AVP office for submission procedures.
Now accepting nominations for December/January/February and winner(s) announced in March.  Please remember to turn in you nominations to your AVP by the end of February.
For more information visit http://www.utsa.edu/hr/Celebrating.Excellence/Index.htm

ANNUAL PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS ARE DUE TO HR ON March 1, 2006
Completed evaluations are due to Human Resources by March 1, 2006.  Performance Evaluation forms should be completed for all full and part-time employees (50% appointment or greater) who have completed their probationary period by January 31, 2006.  Employees who are still within their probationary period after January 31, will receive a probationary evaluation per the established schedule.  Feel free to contact HR, ext. 4250 if you have any questions on the Performance Evaluation process.

EAP OFFERS OFFICE HOURS ON CAMPUS

The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides free, confidential and professional assistance to help employees and their families resolve personal concerns. Benefits-eligible UTSA employees and their dependents receive up to eight counseling sessions per year with services available at convenient off-campus locations.

Effective February 7, 2006, the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) will begin holding office hours at the 1604 campus every Tuesday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the MS 2.02.46A. The EAP will continue holding office hours at the Downtown Campus every Thursday from 1 to 5 p.m. in the FS 4.548. To schedule an appointment, contact the EAP at 299-2400.

UPCOMING CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS AT 1604 CAMPUS

The first of four major construction projects is scheduled to commence in mid-February 2006 at the 1604 Campus.  The Recreation Wellness Center Expansion will result in the relocation of 66 faculty/staff parking spaces in lot 5, south of Rec Wellness.  Other projects, with schedules and affected parking spaces, are shown below:

Plans are being made to relocate the parking affected by these projects to maintain faculty/staff parking availability.  Look for additional information in upcoming editions of UTSA Today and Paisano.