Office of Administration

emily messa

Emily A. Messa, Ph.D., C.A.S.P.

Senior Associate Vice Chancellor & Senior Associate Vice President Administration

Supported by a dedicated staff, student employees and 300-plus contractors, the Office of Administration provides a foundational infrastructure of services for the campus community and also cultivates ongoing growth and proactive master planning of fundamental UH initiatives in collaboration with campus community partners in support of the UH Mission and transformation as an innovative pacesetter for future success.

Highlights

Dr. Esmeralda Valdez Presents at NACAS South Conference
Dr. Esmeralda Valdez, Executive Director for University Services, moderated the opening keynote panel at the recent NACAS South Conference held in Orlando, Florida. Valdez moderated the keynote panel, How Can Auxiliary Services Help Achieve University Goals for Enrollment and Retention as We Face the Enrollment Cliff? The panel featured enrollment experts discussing the ways that auxiliary services can support their university and students.
Cougar Card Services Receives NACAS Outstanding Collaboration Award
Cougar Card Services was honored at the NACAS South Conference with the Outstanding Partner/Collaboration Award. Cougar Card Services shares the award with Atrium, a campus card management system. The award recognizes a unique, innovative, or distinctive partnership that benefits the university, its respective community, and business partners.
Matt Oltremari Receives Award at NACAS South Annual Conference
Auxiliary Services Program Director & Analyst Matt Oltremari received the First Timers Award/Scholarship at the NACAS South Annual Conference. Oltremari’s nomination letter brought attention to his role, first as a Communication and Outreach Manager, and now as a Program Director & Analyst with Auxiliary Services, and his selection to be a presenter at NACAS South CX for the session titled, “The Rise of Campus-Wide Access Programs: Evolving from Pilot to Equitable Access.”
DaNesha Allen Presents at NACAS South CX
Director of Food Service, and Director of Contract Compliance, DaNesha Allen gave two presentations at this year’s NACAS South Conference. Allen co-presented Stories in the Data - Breaking Down Data Silos to Drive Better Outcomes in Auxiliary Services with dining colleagues from Auburn University, University of Tennessee - Knoxville and The Solution Design Group. The presentation showcased how UH and the universities use RevenueVision.
Copy & Print Wins Three ACUP+ Awards
The Copy and Print department received three Production & Impression awards from ACUP (Association of College and University Printers). Copy and Print won Gold in the Offset Single-Page category for its President Suite Ticket Holder and Gold in the Offset Multi-Page category for its History Magazine—Agents of Change. The final award Copy and Print received was in the Offset Multi-Piece category, where it nabbed Gold for its Happy Holidays Card—Document Solutions.

Parking and Transportation Earns International Accreditation
University of Houston Parking and Transportation Services has been designated an Accredited Parking Organization (APO) by the International Parking and Mobility Institute (IPMI), a milestone that only 44 parking programs have reached. IPMI is the world's largest association of parking, transportation and mobility professionals and uses professional development, research and data collection, advocacy and outreach to advance the parking and mobility profession. Read more about Parking & Transportation’s new accreditation.
CTAP Highlighted on Fox 26
The Cougar Textbook Access Program was featured recently on FOX 26 Houston. The news package detailed how the program has helped students financially and helped them be better prepared in their collegiate journey. The CTAP program has received recognition for its inventive method of providing equal access to required course materials for the entire undergraduate student body. By combining technological advancements with student support, the CTAP program saves students money and supports student success. Watch the FOX 26 report on CTAP.
Cullen Performance Hall Continues Its Success In Bringing Live Entertainment to Campus
For the second year in a row, Tennesse Theatre Company rented the Cullen Performance Hall to perform shows for visiting local elementary school students. Busloads of school children from across the Houston area came to the university to see the day-long fairy tale performances. Learn more about this event and how Cullen Performance Hall staff successfully bring nearly 30,000 guests to campus for booked shows and events.
Live Agent Now Available Through Chatbot
To better serve students, faculty, and staff at the University of Houston, Auxiliary Services, Cougar Card Services, and Cullen Performance Hall now have a ‘Live Agent’ feature available through the website Chatbot . Users can chat directly with customer service staff in real time by simply typing a question into the chatbot and requesting to speak to a live person.
UH Campus Store Price Match
The UH Campus Store’s price matching policy allows students to compare new, used, and rental textbook prices at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
UH Farmers Market
The university community will be able to shop for locally sourced and produced food items without having to leave campus at the UH Farmers Market! Cougar Cash is accepted! All Farmers Markets will be held 11 a.m.-3 p.m. every Wednesday of the month on the Student Center north lawn.

Resources

The Mail and Package Lockers Make Deliveries a Breeze
The University of Houston’s Delivery Services Department's innovative method of delivering mail and packages to the UH community has made a positive impact. Read more about mail and package lockers.
Pay With Your Digital Cougar Card
Exciting News from Cougar Card! You can even pay for your meals at Cougar Woods with your digital Cougar Card. It’s easy. Open your digital cougar card in the UH Go app. Use the QR code for meal swipe, Cougar Cash and ShastaBucks transactions!
Sign up for text updates from Parking
You can sign up for text messege alerts from Parking and Transportation by Texting COOGPARK to 55744

Awards and Recognitions

Auxiliary Services’ DaNesha Allen Earns CASP Certification
DaNesha Allen, Director of Food Services, earned a CASP, Certified Auxiliary Services Professional. The designation is a four-year certification that demonstrates recipients have met a high standard of excellence, as defined by experts in the industry, and that they have the skills necessary to be a Director of Auxiliary Services. Read the rest of the story in the A&F V.I.S.I.O.N. Newsletter.
Sr. Executive Chef Chad McDonald Awarded the Chartwells Culinary Difference Maker Award
Chad McDonald, our Campus Senior Executive Chef, was recently honored for his dedication to supporting our campus community. Chad is a familiar face in the dining halls, hosts semesterly Teaching Kitchens, has medaled in multiple culinary competitions, oversees our wellness and sustainability programming and our purchasing procedures, reviews all menus, always takes the time to engage with students, and so much more! In recognition of his dedication to the guest experience and our UH Community, Chad was awarded the Chartwells Culinary Difference Maker Award.
UH Wins Best Integration at 2023 Appademy Awards for Bikeep Integration
UH received a 2023 Appademy Award for Best Integration for the Bikeep Smart Bike Parking system that Parking & Transportation and UIT helped implement. The Appademy Awards recognize universities and colleges for outstanding digital experiences in their campus mobile apps. The Best Integration award goes to the university or campus that uses a custom integration on its university mobile app that integrates with an external system or web service to deliver a unique or improved experience.
Dr. Emily Messa Receives Fulbright Specialist Award to Kuwait at American University of Kuwait
Dr. Emily Messa, University of Houston System Senior Associate Vice Chancellor and University of Houston Senior Associate Vice President for Administration, has received a Fulbright Specialist Program award. Dr. Messa will soon complete a project at the American University of Kuwait in Kuwait to exchange knowledge and establish partnerships benefiting participants, institutions, and communities in the U.S. and overseas through educational and training activities. Read more about Dr. Messa’s Fulbright Specialist Award.
Dr. Emily Messa was honored at the 2023 NACAS
UH System Sr. Associate Vice Chancellor and Sr. Associate Vice President for Administration and Finance Dr. Emily Messa was honored at the 2023 NACAS C3X Conference with the Robert F Newton Award for Distinguished Service. This is the most prestigious award recognizing an individual who has displayed extraordinary and outstanding service to NACAS and to the profession. Congrats, Emily!
Cougar Card Services Featured in NACAS Positive Identity Blog
Cougar Card Services' success with its online photo submission option was featured recently on the NACAS Positive Identity Blog. Cougar Card Services Director Rosie Ashley authored the blog post, ‘Preparing for Fall Rush: Tips to Increase Online Photo Submissions.’ Ashley’s post guides readers into how Cougar Card built the photo submission option into a success and offers tips for replicating it. Read the blog post to learn more about Cougar Card’s successful photo submission option.
Dr. Emily Messa Receives a 2023 Library Excellence Award
University of Houston System Associate Vice Chancellor and Associate Vice President for Administration Dr. Emily Messa received the Dean's Advocate Award at the 2023 Library Excellence Awards. The award recognizes a UH employee who has collaborated with UH libraries during the past year. Messa received the award for being an advocate and partner in finding opportunities for improving the student experience, plus building a relationship with Dean Jackson in support of UH libraries. Read more about the 23rd Library Excellence Awards.
UH Campus Store Employee Receives Follett Award
Former University of Houston Campus Store manager, Samantha Eades, was recently awarded a Follett Higher Education CEO Excellence Award. Eades was honored due to her commitment to UH and determination to provide students with affordable course materials. Eades and many UH staff members worked tirelessly to grow the Cougar Textbook Access Program (CTAP) to provide students with affordable products to ensure their classroom and academic success. Now serving as Follett’s Course Materials Market Manager, Eades was also honored due to the campus relationships and partnerships established over the years that encouraged and facilitated success for UH’s students and faculty and Follett Higher Education.
UH Executive Chef Wins Chartwells Culinary Award
UH Food Services Senior Executive Chef Chad McDonald was honored by Chartwells with the Culinary Difference Maker Award. The recognition was given to Chef McDonald for his dedication to supporting the UH campus community. Chef McDonald regularly hosts Teaching Kitchens, has medaled in multiple culinary competitions, oversees UH Dining Services wellness and sustainability programming, and reviews all menus.
Cougar Card Employees Recognized at NACCU Conference
Cougar Card Services Director Rosie Ashley, and Cougar Card Coordinator Daisy Del Fierro were recognized in April during their attendance at the National Association of Campus Card Users in Austin. Ashley and Del Fierro received certificate of completion for completing NACCU's Industry Essentials Institute. Ashley also received a certificate of completion for finishing the NACCU LEAP (Leadership and Effectiveness in Association Practices) Program which prepares individuals interested in serving on board of directors.
Cougar Woods Dining Commons Earns 4-Star GRA Certification
UH’s Cougar Woods Dining Commons earned a 4-star GRA (Green Restaurant Association) Certification, making them the only dining establishment in Texas with that designation. Cougar Woods Dining Commons is also the only Texas university with this rating. The Green Restaurant Association awarded Cougar Woods Dining Commons the certification due to its green points in categories like water efficiency, waste reduction, sustainable food, and chemical and pollution reduction. Read more about how Cougar Woods Dining Commons earned the certification.
Parking and Transportation
Parking and Transportation Team wins the A&F Teams Impact Award which recognizes a team of employees within the Division who are involved in a program or project that has had a positive impact on the University or a department, and which has assisted the University in growing its national competitiveness, student success, social responsibility/community engagement, or competitive funding.
Erik Rojas
Eric Rojas is the winner of the A&F Silent Service Award which recognizes an employee within the Division who exhibits superior work performance, while exemplifying a positive and cooperative attitude on a day-to-day "behind the scenes" basis without self-promotion or aggrandizement. This person demonstrates a commitment to Service Excellence with a steady, pragmatic approach, which contributes toward the Division’s strategic goals.
Alexis Mendoza

University of Houston Dining Services and Chartwells District Marketing Manager Alexcis Mendoza has been awarded the Chartwells President’s Circle Award. The award is given to a Chartwells team member for their contributions to “Living the Brand” and going above and beyond to support their specific accounts and other accounts across the nation.