MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER March 2019
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S.P.I.R.I.T. Success Plentiful in All We Do for Service Excellence
With March Madness comes a flurry of activity, not only "For the City" and our beloved Coogs, but also across the Division of Administration & Finance reflected in the S.P.I.R.I.T. of all that we do in support of customer service excellence for our students, faculty and staff. Building on the excitement of promise and opportunity to be our best, within this month’s issue you will find highlights that showcase that S.P.I.R.I.T., beginning with the inaugural UHPD Behind the Badge Safety and Appreciation event and more! I’m eager to hear about your S.P.I.R.I.T. success stories. Send along your "team wins" and keep up the great work! Best regards, Jim McShan
Senior Vice Chancellor and
Senior Vice President
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KEY HIGHLIGHTS
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More than 350 people came out for the inaugural safety and appreciation gathering, which was held March 4. Besides being able to socialize with officers from UH and other area agencies, participants learned how everyone at UH is a "co-producer" of safety. A short survey will remain open through March 22 for the UH community to give event organizers valuable feedback.
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The Public Art of the University of Houston System will celebrate Marta Chilindrón’s "Houston Mobius," which will be the inaugural installation of the new Temporary Public Art Program. The April 7 event is being held in conjunction with the concurrent Latino Art Now! Conference. It starts at noon and includes a lunch reception and panel discussion in the Atrium of the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design. RSVP online by April 3.
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The University of Houston's food truck program, which launched in 2012 as a temporary fill-in when the Student Center and its food court were closed for a massive renovation project, has grown by leaps and bounds over the past seven years. Food Management highlighted the program in its e-newsletter and on its website, which are read by foodservice providers across the country.
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More than 50 spellers will face off March 23 for the 2019 Houston Public Media Spelling Bee, one of the largest and most competitive regional bees in the country. The students, who range from third- to eighth-graders, won their school bee and a district/regional bee. The top two spellers will move on to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in May.
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To support University of Houston students who may be experiencing food insecurity, Auxiliary Services gave 24/7 Meal Plan holders the opportunity to donate some of their unused guest day passes. In all, more than 130 students donated a total of 236 passes, which can be used at the two campus dining commons.
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A blood pressure kiosk installed in the Health 2 Building is available to the entire UH community to use for free, thanks to a partnership with the American Heart Association. It's one of many programs and resources staff and faculty can take advantage of to ensure their health and well-being.
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Fresh off an appearance on Food Network's "Beat Bobby Flay," UH System's Alex Brugger was invited to compete against top chefs from across 13 states at the National Association of College and University Food Services Southern Regional Conference. He finished the March 6 competition as a bronze medal winner.
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Keep Houston Beautiful's Clean City Commission meets four times a year to discuss beautification, litter reduction and recycling education efforts. UH, which has a strong culture of sustainability, hosted the group's spring meeting. The commission includes Dr. Emily Messa, associate vice chancellor/associate vice president for Administration.
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Students, faculty and staff now can go online to schedule an appointment with Parking and Transportation Services. Members of the UH community can select the time that fits their schedule and avoid waiting in line. At the selected appointment time, they go straight to the Parking Express Services counter in the Welcome Center for immediate assistance.
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The Office of Sustainability's annual event, which is set for April 16 in Butler Plaza, not only is a great source of information about what people can do to lead a more sustainable lifestyle, it also will be a zero-waste gathering. The goal is to make sure all of the materials generated at the event can be composted, recycled or reused.
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A&F ACCOLADES
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Travel Magazine Includes Public Art at UH
in Overview of City's Booming Art Scene AFAR, a national publication for those who like to travel the world, says Houston has a robust arts culture, with one of the highlights being the public art pieces that dot the University of Houston landscape and are part of the Public Art of the University of Houston System.
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The National Association of College & University Food Services, an organization for college and university food services, provides members with industry insights, programs and helpful resources. It has selected the University of Houston to host its 2020 Southern Region Conference. The event will take place March 16-18, 2020 at the Westin Galleria.
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Chief Ceaser Moore Jr. moderated the Feb. 26 discussion, which included a distinguished panel of police chiefs from several universities across the country. Audience members were able to ask the chiefs a wide range of questions related to campus policing. The National Campus Safety Summit, was held in Las Vegas and is the premier conference for university and college safety professionals.
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Details of UH's comprehensive tree survey/inventory and its related impacts to campus operations and beyond, along with other sustainability efforts on campus, were presented and discussed at the Texas Regional Alliance for Campus Sustainability Summit in Austin by UH Sustainability Manager Michael Mendoza and Sustainability Coordinator Gabriel Durham.
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