Volume 67 | October 21, 2022

Business Affairs Bulletin

October 21, 2022

The inside scoop on the people and projects that support UNLV



Please print and post for those who do not regularly access email.

In this issue:


  • Department Highlight: FM Help Desk
  • August Employee Appreciation Recipients
  • Call for Members: Business Affairs Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Workgroup
  • August Employee Appreciation Recipients
  • NSHE National Cybersecurity Awareness Month Webinars
  • Register for the Fall Fitness Challenge
  • Employee Assistance Program Webinar: Managing Holiday Stress
  • Halloween Costume Safety at Work
  • Spotlight on Service
  • Upgrading Your Digital Literacy
  • Dates to Remember

Department Highlight: FM Help Desk

The Facilities Management (FM) Help Desk is the front door of their department. “Facilities Management consists of many different trades that maintain the campus,” said Mike Bailey, assistant director of Facilities Management and Help Desk team supervisor. “The team routes inquiries to the correct trade shop to assist in solving issues and concerns.” 

 

With more than 30,000 work orders processed per year, the team of three works diligently to prioritize and respond to inquiries at a high service level. The Help Desk team also tracks and monitors more than 13,000 pieces of equipment using Computerized Maintenance Management Software (CMMS). This includes mechanical systems in buildings, heating/cooling systems, sprinkler systems, cooling towers, landscaping equipment, and golf carts. With all of these moving pieces, no two days are ever the same. “That’s the fun part,” added Lori Giese, a Help Desk administrative assistant. “You build relationships by helping people. We develop bonds with the tradespeople and they do the same with the people they help. It comes full circle from issue to solution,” she said. 

 

Serving 100% internal customers means that the “customer” isn’t just a customer; they’re a co-worker. The Help Desk team approaches each concern as if it was concerning them. “We are your co-workers first,” Bailey declared. This community-based approach is the key to the team’s success. “We are the first responders to complaints, concerns, and issues. It’s up to us to solve problems and assess the customer’s needs,” says Castor Cruz, a Help Desk administrative assistant.

 

The team is currently working on ways to improve service, including the implementation of software that will allow the Help Desk to respond to work orders 24 hours a day. The Help desk will assist with a number of upcoming FM projects including, roof replacements, major system overhauls, and replacing A/C units. They may have their hands full, but they’re always willing to extend a helping hand.

August Employee Appreciation Recipients

Kim Seifert

Risk Management & Safety (RMS)


Kim was nominated for going above and beyond for her department. She played a central role in RMS's move from CSB-119 to CSB-201 by assisting her supervisor with personnel positions, ensuring telephones and data ports were ready to go, and communicating with the project manager through it all. Kim also led the department’s recent push for internal SOPs by streamlining the process and drafting documents. Her positive impact is a shining example of the C.A.R.E. standards.

Jeffrey Hahn

Shadow Lane Facilities Management


Jeff was nominated for continuously suggesting and implementing enhancements to the Shadow Lane Campus. Recently, he led a project to install diamond plate panels near an entrance for both students and receiving personnel. The hallway walls were damaged accidentally from shipments and needed a long-term solution, which Jeff immediately provided. Thank you, Jeff, for everything you do for the UNLV community.



Call for Members: Business Affairs Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Workgroup

We are convening a Business Affairs Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) workgroup to focus on integrating DEI values and practices into our service.

 

The workgroup will collaborate with campus constituents to help align the division with the campus’ strategic objectives related to our Social Justice, Equity, and Inclusion Top Tier 2.0 core area. 

 

While the scope and focus of the workgroup will be determined by the workgroup members, the preliminary goal will be to evaluate opportunities for Business Affairs to become more welcoming, inclusive, and diverse. This includes activities such as identifying barriers, collaborating with DEI partners, determining metrics and goals to measure progress, and providing recommended strategies. 

 

Forming the Business Affairs DEI workgroup is one of the first steps of this initiative. If you would like to join this group, submit your interest using the DEI Workgroup Interest Form.


Participation is voluntary and open to everyone in Business Affairs with supervisor approval. Workgroup members can expect to commit two to four hours per month to DEI initiatives. If you are passionate about making a difference, this is an excellent opportunity to grow and promote awareness of this division’s priority.

 

Sincerely,

Shi-Lynn Campbell 

Kim Case-Nichols

Heather Ortiz

NSHE National Cybersecurity Awareness Month Webinars

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. To help keep students, employees, data, and privacy safe, the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) is hosting virtual presentations with cybersecurity experts for NSHE faculty and staff. Check out this UNLV Today announcement for more information.

Register for the Fall Fitness Challenge

As part of the Rebel Reset wellness initiative, Human Resources is happy to announce a fall fitness challenge that will take participants on a virtual tour of Italy. The Road to Italy Fall Fitness Challenge is a friendly competition in which faculty and staff create teams in an online application and track their collective steps to see who makes it to the top of the leaderboard. The challenge will take place November 1 - 21. All faculty and staff are invited to participate. See the Rebel Reset page for more information.

Employee Assistance Program Webinar: Managing Holiday Stress

The Employee Assistance Program webinar on Wednesday, November 9 at 12 p.m. will provide techniques for maintaining balance and keeping stress from overwhelming you this holiday season. Register via GoToWebinar.

Halloween Costume Safety at Work

As Halloween approaches, Business Affairs wants to relay important information about celebrating the spooky holiday during work hours. While there are not any formal UNLV policies about costumes or decorative makeup, we encourage departments to establish standards based on environmental needs and requirements that ensure the continued functions of daily operations and the safety of individuals on campus. Please also consider the following:


  • Masks that cover the entire face or head can impede vision and may cause a safety hazard; in particular in emergency situations
  • Employees should make sure they have permission to wear costumes/makeup
  • Those participating should consider wearing a costume that is comfortable and that they can easily change in and out of quickly
  • Faux/replica weapons of any kind are strictly prohibited
  • Respect for all cultures in costume choices should be shown at all times
  • Employees should avoid costumes that allude to social issues as well as costumes that are too revealing
  • Safety should always be the number one priority in celebrating any holiday


For further suggested do’s and don’ts on Halloween costume safety at work, visit this website. If you have any questions, please reach out to your supervisor.

Spotlight on Service

“We appreciate Facilities Management’s support in preparing the Thomas T. Beam Engineering Complex buildings for the ABET accreditation visit. The accreditation team mentioned to us that the buildings and their surrounding areas were in exceptional condition. Thank you for assisting in the College of Engineering’s successful accreditation exercise.” - Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering

Upgrading Your Digital Literacy

Google has announced a new feature that enables users to transcribe a Google Meet video meeting into a Google Doc. The transcribed file will be saved in the host’s “Meet Recordings” folder in Google Drive, similar to meeting recordings. This feature can only be accessed when using Google Meet on a desktop or laptop. For the full update and tutorial, visit the Google Workspaces Blog.

Dates to Remember


October: Breast Cancer Awareness Month

  • October 28: Nevada Day (enjoy your time off!)
  • October 31: Halloween 👻
  • November 1: Road to Italy Fall Fitness Challenge begins