Administration and Finance

DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE

Highlights

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  IPMA In-Plant Awareness Month

  February is IPMA In-Plant Awareness Month. A month dedicated to showcasing and recognizing the contributions of in-house design, printing, mailing, and distribution professionals. The annual celebration was created by the In-Plant Printing and Mailing Association (IPMA). For 74 years, the University of Houston’s In-Plant, more commonly known as Copy, Print, and Delivery Services, has provided a multitude of stationery and delivery services. Learn more about UH's In-Plant and the work they do.
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  Celebrating Black History Month

  Administration and Division departments celebrated Black History Month in many ways in 2023 with programming, events, and activities. From UH Dining featuring black-owned restaurants in their cultural event series, to Houston Public Media programming showcasing black stories. Read more about how Administration and Finance celebrated Black History Month.

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  UH Dining Services Celebrates Black History Month in Style

  The music and energy echoed from within Moody Towers Dining Commons as UH Dining Services hosted a Black History Month celebration as part of its Cultural Series. The Black History Month celebration was a partnership between UH Dining Services and four student organizations, the Black Business Student Association, UH Sigmas, Black Student Union, and Phi Epsilon Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority. Read more about UH Dining's Black History Month celebration.
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  #Walk30 at UH Aims to Get the Campus Community Moving

  HR Power Up Employee Wellness, in conjunction with University of Houston organizations, UH Population Health, UH Campus Recreation, UH Wellness, and the Houston nonprofit Fit Houston, has launched the #Walk30@UH initiative. The community-wide initiative encourages the campus community, from UH faculty, staff, and students, to walk 30 minutes daily. The initiative kicked off on February 8, when the five organizations convened at Lynn Eusan Park. Read more about this initiative.

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  Get to Know Your Building Coordinator

  Do you know your Building Coordinator? The start of the spring semester is the opportune time to learn who your Building Coordinator is for the building(s) you may occupy. Each building is assigned building coordinators who becomes the point of contact to help facilitate building communications, support facility capital planning, and represent user needs within building.

  Facilities/Construction Management facilitates the Building Coordinator Program and maintains the Building Coordinators list where you can find out who your building coordinator is.

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  Bikeep Pilot Program Launches on Campus

  The University of Houston is now home to two Bikeep smart bike parking stations. The state-of-the-art innovative bicycle rack enables secure parking and deters bicycle thefts. The stations at Butler Plaza and the University Lofts are free for the campus community. The only requirement is that the user’s bicycle must be registered with Parking and Transportation. Read more about the Bikeep pilot program and how it landed on campus.
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  CERT Training Educates Faculty and Staff in Disaster Preparedness

  Each Friday for seven weeks during the fall semester, faculty and staff members took a three-hour CERT disaster preparedness course. In the eighth week, the CERT participants tested their newfound knowledge in a mock emergency exercise. Learn more about this semester's CERT training class and how you can take the next disaster preparedness course.
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  UH Health Launches the UH Family Care Center

  UH Health has launched the UH Family Care Center, providing comprehensive, affordable healthcare to the local community, including faculty, staff, and students. The center accepts most major insurance plans, including BCBS Health Select of Texas (UH Benefits Plan) & Medicare. The center is conveniently located on campus at Health 2, Suite 1001E, and is open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. with same-day appointments available. Call 832-UHCARES to book an appointment.
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  Cougar Textbook Access Program Brings Savings to Students

  The University of Houston Cougar Textbook Access Program (CTAP) is an exciting digital rental program that provides students access to course materials on or before the first day of class, at significant savings, over purchasing new retail course materials. First piloted in Spring 2022, almost 27,000 students saved an average of 36-54 percent off new retail pricing. Learn more about CTAP and how it’s expanding on campus.
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  Department of Campus Safety Launches Five-Year Strategic Plan

  On July 27, the Department of Campus Safety launched its new strategic plan for the next five years. Assistant Vice Chancellor/Assistant Vice President of Campus Safety, Kelly Boysen, presented the new strategic plan to the staff members of Campus Safety during their Campus Safety Reimagined breakfast in order to share the roadmap for the next five years. Read more about the five-year strategic plan.

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  UH CONCISE Program Kicks Off Partnership Engagement

  Facilities/Construction Management, Parking and Transportation, the University of Houston Police Department, UH Athletics, Fire & Life Safety, and other UH departments met in February to discuss a new program aimed at helping the university facilitate better partnership collaboration from a logistics standpoint. You can read more here.
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  Auxiliary Services Town Hall Recap

  On February 1st, Auxiliary Services hosted their Spring 2023 Town Hall. Representatives from Auxiliary Services, Dining Services, and the Campus Store provided updates on the spring programs and services in UH retail, food service/dining, and vending as well as a preview of upcoming events and activities. Learn more about the Town Hall by watching the replay.
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  HR to offer CDD Training

  Human Resources held a Coaching, Discipline & Documentation training in February as part of their ongoing CDD training series. The training lasted two hours and was intended for those in managerial roles to effectively develop their employees through coaching, management, and, when applicable, discipline. Managers will learn to distinguish between coaching and discipline using day-to-day processes to help their employees recognize specific opportunities to improve and understand expectations. Learn more about HR’s CDD Training sessions.

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  HR Hosted a Conversation with TIAA President Thasunda Brown Duckett

  Human Resources hosted an afternoon chat with Thasunda Brown Duckett, President and Chief Executive Officer of TIAA, one of the leading providers of secure retirements and outcome-focused investment solutions. The conversations consisited of the current trends in retirement and best investment strategy options in today's market. The conversatsion was facilitated by HR Associate VC/VP Gaston Reinoso, and Dr. Dale Rude, Bauer College of Business Associate Professor.
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  HR Talent Acquisition Promotes Hiring Initiatives to Veterans

  Human Resources Talent Acquisition is on the move promoting hiring initiatives through community engagement. Nikki Duncan, Ed D, Director of Talent Acquisition & Development had the distinct honor of presenting to Women Veterans on why they should consider careers in higher education. Duncan gave them examples of the many different careers that are represented in higher education from skilled trades, engineers, academic advisors, accountants, security, and many more.
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  New Discount Program Coming Soon to HR Power Up 

  Just in time for the holidays, HR POWER UP is excited to announce that faculty and staff now have access to a new discount program. PerkSpot is a one-stop online shop with exclusive discounts that can save you money on a variety of national and local products. It’s free and optimized for use on any device. Start saving by signing up at uh.perkspot.com.
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  Facilities/Construction Management Focuses on ADA Compliance

  Facilities/Construction Management continues to create an environment of accessibility by ensuring appropriate standards for new construction with regards to the Texas Accessibility Standards (TAS).To help address areas on campus that are not directly tied to an active construction project but might need a compliance assessment, Facilities/Construction Management manages a conservative yearly budget to help with these requests. Learn more about F/CM efforts to be ADA compliant.
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  FIXIT Service Requests Update Simplifies the Process

  In August, the FIXIT Service Request system received a major upgrade. Facilities/Construction Management changed from the software that was over a decade old to a new software. This transformative change is now more intuitive than ever before.The requester can easily see icons to identify the category for the type of request they would like to submit. Although there is new software, there are still the traditional 4 Ways to FIXIT including phone, email, text and now the upgraded service request system. Read more about the FIXIT changes.

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  UH Dining Services Upcoming Events & Reminders

  UH Dining's limited menu in March comes from Mondo Subs, who will offer a Pork Banh Mi and McAllister’s Deli with their Chicken and Gnocchi Soup. Additionally, Moody Dining Commons will feature a Spicy-inspired lunch on March 29. On March 21st, UH Dining will host its Teaching Kitchen class. To stay connected with the latest activities and promotions, hours of operation, and daily dining commons menus, visit dineoncampus.com/uh. visit dineonecampus.uh.
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  UH Dining Has Its Second 3-Star, and First 4-Star Certified Green Restaurant

  The University of Houston Dining Services was honored this month by being recognized as 2022-23 Excellence Silver Award in the Contracted Services, Housing, Residence, Life, and Related category from the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA). This recognition marks the first time UH Dining Services has won a NASPA Excellence Award. Read more about what UH Dining Services did to win the Silver Award.
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  UH Dining Services Wins NASPA Excellence Silver Award

  The University of Houston Dining Services was honored this month by being recognized as 2022-23 Excellence Silver Award in the Contracted Services, Housing, Residence, Life, and Related category from the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA). This recognition marks the first time UH Dining Services has won a NASPA Excellence Award. Read more about what UH Dining Services did to win the Silver Award.
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  UH Dining Services Featured in the Houston Chronicle

  A recent story in the Houston Chronicle titled, ‘Houston-area colleges are upping their campus dining game for Gen Z: 'Not your mom-and-pop' menus’ featured the University of Houston’s Dining program for its delicious menu options. Charles Pereira, vice president of operations for UH System Dining, spoke on how the department aims to continue to create diverse and authentic food experiences for students. Read more about this endeavor from UH Dining at the Houston Chronicle.

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  Facilities/Construction Management featured in Houston Chronicle

  A Houston Chronicle article titled, ‘Houston colleges shift away from traditional look with more modern buildings,’ featured Facilities/Construction Management and the work they’ve done on the new University of Houston buildings, including Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine and the John M. O’Quinn Law Building. Read the article to learn more about this initiative.

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  Facilities/Construction Management featured in Houston Chronicle

  A Houston Chronicle article titled, ‘Houston colleges shift away from traditional look with more modern buildings,’ featured Facilities/Construction Management and the work they’ve done on the new University of Houston buildings, including Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine and the John M. O’Quinn Law Building. Read the article to learn more about this initiative.
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  Bicycle Rack Spring Cleaning

  Facilities/Construction Management and the University of Houston Police Department continued to clean up the bicycle racks to maintain an adequate number of bicycle parking spaces on campus and maintain the overall aesthetics of our campus. Read more about this effort and how you can register your bicycle with UH Parking and Transportation.
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  Environmental Health Safety Recognizes Lab Safety Awareness Week

  EHS, in collaboration with the Campus Safety, Health, and Environmental Management Association (CSHEMA), recognized Lab Safety Awareness Week (Feb. 13-17). Lab Safety Awareness Week is an event that fosters the opportunity to recognize the efforts of laboratory health and safety programs. EHS hosted meet and greets across campus to answer questions and provide pertinent safety resources to the university and research community.
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  Save the Date for Public Art UHS' Upcoming Friday Focus Tour

  On Friday, March 4th from 12pm to 1pm, take a break and join Public Art UHS and geologist Dr. Jinny Sisson to learn about the various stone-based artworks in the Public Art UHS collection. From the Black Cambrian granite of Matt Mullican’s Untitled (1991) to the fossils embedded in The Art Guys’ Statue of Four Lies (2010), Dr. Sisson provides unique insights into the artistic process through the lens of a geologist. Tours are always free and open to the public! To RSVP, visit publicartuhs.org.
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  Public Art UHS Offers a Series of Free Painting Workshops

  Paint en plein air using gouache or watercolor with artist, educator and University of Houston MFA alumna Isabelle Zimmerman. Explore how public artworks interact with the environment and create dynamic compositions inspired by different public art sites on the University of Houston campus. Drop in on one session or join us for all three, they are all free and open to the public. To view the schedule and to RSVP, visit publicartuhs.org.
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  Cougar Red Fridays

  Reminder alert: If you wear a red shirt on Friday, you can get an all-you-can-eat lunch for $6 at Cougar Woods Dining Commons or the Moody Towers Dining Commons.
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  Facilities in Review Magazine

  The latest edition highlights awards and recognition that Facilities/Construction Management has achieved. Some of the features in this edition include how Project Management software revolutionizes customer service and a look at the new facilities team for labs and research, to name a few. Read the ‘Facilities in Review’ magazine to learn more.

Accolades

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  Congrats to A&F Cougar Cudos Honorees!

  Cougar Cudos goes to Anthony Carpenter from the Purchasing Department, to Sheena John from Tax Accounting, to Brooke Kaiser from University Services, and Tiffany Taylor-Denson from the Department of Business Affaris.t

  To nominate a fellow Staff member and learn more about Cougar Cudos.

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  Dr. Emily Messa appointed to NACAS Foundation Board

  Dr. Emily Messa, Senior Associate Vice President for Administration, was appointed Vice President for the NACAS Foundation Board. The Foundation's Board of Directors work hand in hand with the NACAS Board of Directors to establish the foundation's goals and objectives.
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  Esmeralda Valdez named NACAS Volunteer of the Year, joins Board of Directors

  Esmeralda Valdez, Executive Director of University Services, was named National Association of College Auxiliary Services Volunteer of the Year. Valdez received the award at the NACAS C3X 2022 Annual Conference & Expo, held in Las Vegas. The Volunteer of the Year award recognizes a member who has demonstrated exceptional volunteer work at the regional and/or national level. Additionally, Valdez was appointed to the NACAS South and National Board of Directors.
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  UH Dining Scores High Remarks in Recent Survey

  Congratulations to the University of Houston Dining department as it made CollegeXpress list for Best Food on Campus. The list recognized the colleges and universities whose students rated the food as excellent in a recent survey.
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  Alexcis Mendoza Wins Chartwells President’s Circle Award

  Congratulations to UH Dining and Chartwells District Marketing Manager Alexcis Mendoza on being awarded the Chartwells President’s Circle Award for her outstanding contributions to ‘Living the Brand. Read more about Mendoza and Chartwells President’s Circle Award.
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  Dr. Emily Messa Selected for Fulbright Specialist Roster

  Congratulations to Dr. Emily Messa, University of Houston System Associate Vice Chancellor and Associate Vice President for Administration, on being recommended for the Fulbright Specialist Roster for a four-year term. Read more about Dr. Messa's selection to the Fulbright Specialist Roster.
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  F/CM Employee Excellence Awards

  Facilities/Construction Management has recognized department team members who contributed to the success of the academic year. For the first time in two years the recognitions were in person. The inaugural Strategic Teams were acknowledged for the projects they proposed in 2021. The 2022 Strategic Teams were also announced. Read more about Facilities/Construction Management's forum.

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  Ginger Walker Presents at the Annual PRIMR Conference

  Ginger Walker, Director, Emergency Management with the Office of Emergency Management, presented to the Preparedness Response Innovation Mitigation Recovery (PRIMR) Conference at the University of North Texas on March 7th. Read more here!
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  Meet Roland Shaw, Payroll's New Executive Director

  Roland Shaw, the new executive director of payroll, has a wealth of experience that he brings to the role. Shaw graduated from TSU with an Economics degree and began his professional career with the Houston Independent School District. Read more here!
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  Allen DeForde Wins TPTA Parking Employee Award

  Parking and Transportation Services Assistant Director Allen DeForde is the 2022 Parking Employee Award of Excellence winner from the Texas Parking and Transportation Association (TPTA). The announcement was made at TPTA’s annual conference in April. Read more here!

Departments

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  Campus Safety

  University of Houston is committed to ensuring a safe environment for students, faculty, staff and all visitors to our campus.
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  Equal Opportunity Services

  The Office of Equal Opportunity Services acts on behalf of the University as a neutral fact finder that enforces the University’s Equal Opportunity Policies.
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  Facilities/Construction Management

  Facilities Planning and Construction delivers exceptional and enduring projects that maximize value and support the University's Tier One strategic initiatives through superior facilities planning and project management services.
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  Office of Finance

  The Office of Finance is the source for all financial information, training, reports and policies at the University of Houston. All finance-related forms, calendars and references can be found here.
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  Houston Public Media

  Houston Public Media is a service of the University of Houston and supported with financial gifts from the community. Houston Public Media combines broadcast and digital assets to serve residents of Southeast Texas with quality local news and entertainment, as well as national programming from NPR and PBS. With a combined weekly audience of more than 1.5 million, Houston Public Media is committed to delivering content that expands minds and possibilities with trusted information.

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  Human Resources

  To attract, develop, motivate, and retain a diverse and engaged workforce committed to supporting and enhancing the mission of the University.  We accomplish this through providing Tier One customer service and partnering with the UHS community to maximize the potential of our greatest asset- Our Employees.
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  Police Operations

  The University of Houston Police Department (UHPD) strives to enable students, faculty, staff and visitors to be safe while pursuing their on-campus endeavors. 
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  PAUHS

  With nearly 700 pieces, the UH System has one of the largest and most significant public art collections in the entire country. This new publication will be a platform for announcing the latest news involving the collection, highlighting various pieces, programs and events, and providing links to relevant news about the public art field.
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  Office of Administration

  An exemplary portfolio of on-campus services ranging across third-party dining, parking, shuttle and bookstore operations among the program areas of Auxiliary and University Services, as well as system master planning through the UH System-wide Public Art Committee, an advisory committee to the UH System Board of Regents, and fundamental initiatives of best practices in sustainability, assessment and evaluation.
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  Stay Cougar S.A.F.E.

  The University of Houston is an open campus filled with people who care about each other. Because of its open accessibility, all students, faculty and staff are encouraged to exercise a sense of personal responsibility for their own safety and well-being, and the safety and well-being of others. While crime can happen anywhere, when we act as a community that knows and cares about the safety of others, ourselves and our property, we lessen the likelihood of being victimized, and we showcase our Cougar Pride.
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  UIT

  University Information Technology - Infotech - offers support across the board for all student, faculty, and staff IT requirements.