FAS Newsletter - FALL 2017
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<strong>FAS</strong><br />
NEWSLETTER<br />
Finance &<br />
Administrative<br />
Services<br />
Issue 23<br />
Fall <strong>2017</strong>
&<br />
UPDATES<br />
ACCOLADES<br />
IN THIS<br />
ISSUE<br />
NEAL'S NOTES<br />
EMPLOYEE<br />
NEW<br />
SPOTLIGHT<br />
-19-<br />
-10-<br />
SUSTAINABILITY<br />
CORNER<br />
ONE ON ONE WITH...<br />
-3-<br />
-4-<br />
-15-<br />
-17-<br />
THANK YOU NOTES
Neal's Notes<br />
They say, "Time flies when you're having fun." Well,<br />
A Year in Review<br />
November 14 was my one-year anniversary back in<br />
<strong>FAS</strong>, and I can definitely confirm that time has flown.<br />
And as I think of our Value of the Month, "Work Hard,<br />
Have Fun," I know it summarizes this last year for me -<br />
and for you.<br />
My philosophy of work has always been twofold. I<br />
strive to do my job very, very well and be the hardest<br />
working employee at CSUSM. But I also strive to enjoy<br />
what I'm doing and see the humor in almost everything,<br />
even or especially when it means laughing at myself (I<br />
try to beat others to it).<br />
During the last year, I've had the good fortune to meet<br />
one-on-one with about half of you (100+). Every<br />
meeting has been different; there's been laughter,<br />
emotion, and seriousness - sometimes all in the same<br />
meeting! Getting to know you better has been<br />
interesting and yes, fun. And while each experience has<br />
been unique, I've noticed some definitive themes.<br />
What I've learned from you is that you enjoy work and<br />
working hard. And I've learned that these mean<br />
different things for each of you.<br />
we make about where and how we work. For the most<br />
part, these choices are a reflection of how we see the<br />
world, a reflection of the (mostly) silent conversations<br />
we have with ourselves all day long about who we are,<br />
who we want to be, and how we see our place in the<br />
world.<br />
With my longer commute to work from Southwest<br />
Riverside County, I have even more time now to have<br />
those conversations with myself and reflect on work and<br />
life. Interestingly, commuting has become a metaphor<br />
for both. Here are a few of those reflections:<br />
I chose where I live, and I chose where I work.<br />
If I wanted to arrive sooner, I should have<br />
started sooner.<br />
We're all just trying to get from here to there, so<br />
let other people in front sometimes. The impact<br />
on me is minimal, and I'll feel better.<br />
Don't rush. Sometimes the slow lane is the fast<br />
lane.<br />
Avoid the temptation to change lanes so often.<br />
The beginning of the day and the end of the day<br />
are both beautiful.<br />
I am very fortunate.<br />
Thank you <strong>FAS</strong> for helping to make this last year the<br />
best one ever for me.<br />
It follows that the value we find in our work and the<br />
ways we find to have fun in what we do come<br />
from within. We are each responsible for the choices<br />
Neal Hoss<br />
V I C E P R E S I D E N T
4<br />
<strong>FAS</strong> NEWSLETTER - <strong>FALL</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
UPDATES &<br />
ACCOLADES<br />
W H A T H A S F A S B E E N U P T O L A T E L Y ?<br />
VP<strong>FAS</strong><br />
Recognizing Excellence Program: This year we launched a<br />
new employee recognition program, based on our <strong>FAS</strong><br />
Values and Core Competency. The program is our way to<br />
say thanks to employees who are innovative, creative team<br />
players, go the extra mile in delivering legendary service,<br />
and who can be counted on for their honesty, integrity,<br />
expertise, and willingness to help others.<br />
Awardees for each category were announced during our<br />
annual Employee Appreciation Lunch in September.<br />
Congratulations again to everyone who was nominated for<br />
an award, and a special congratulations to our 6 awardees!<br />
Rising Star<br />
Legendary Service<br />
Legendary Leader<br />
Therese Jackson<br />
Safety, Risk & Sustainability<br />
Jennifer Ralph<br />
Safety, Risk & Sustainability<br />
Mary Hinchman<br />
Business & Financial Services<br />
PAW: Continuous Improvement PAW: Collaboration PAW: Positive Spirit<br />
Esther Minturn<br />
Fiscal Services<br />
Cai Steffler<br />
Safety, Risk & Sustainability<br />
Kelly Steele<br />
Parking and Commuter Services
<strong>FAS</strong> NEWSLETTER - <strong>FALL</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
5<br />
UPDATES & ACCOLADES<br />
VP<strong>FAS</strong>, con't.<br />
In the News: Congratulations to Lindsey Cunningham (pictured left) on being<br />
selected as September CSUSM Employee of the Month! Lindsey was recognized<br />
for her significant contributions to VP<strong>FAS</strong> initiatives such as the Employee<br />
Engagement Survey and Customer Satisfaction Survey and other special<br />
projects. Lindsey is "a go-to resource for the <strong>FAS</strong> division and across the<br />
campus, and continuously works to improve her knowledge and collaborate with<br />
colleagues on campus and externally to achieve goals." Thanks Lindsey for all<br />
you do!<br />
Check It Out: Results from this year's <strong>FAS</strong> Employee Engagement Survey are<br />
in. Here are some highlights:<br />
Survey period: July 31-August 18, <strong>2017</strong><br />
80% response rate is 2% higher than 2016<br />
83% of respondents indicated they are satisfied <strong>FAS</strong> employees<br />
Top 3 <strong>FAS</strong> Influential Strengths (high mean score, highly correlated with employee satisfaction)<br />
My supervisor treats me with respect<br />
I can make recommendations to my supervisor without fear of negative consequences<br />
My department provides an environment where everyone is treated in a professional manner<br />
Top 3 <strong>FAS</strong> Primary Opportunities (low mean score, highly correlated with employee satisfaction)<br />
I feel valued as a member of <strong>FAS</strong><br />
I am satisfied with my opportunities for career advancement at CSUSM<br />
I feel I have a voice to provide ideas and suggestions on how to improve <strong>FAS</strong><br />
This was our first year using this survey tool, which was developed by UCSD and benchmarked CSUSM<br />
against three other institutions: UCSD, UC Riverside, and the CSU Chancellor's Office Business and<br />
Finance division. As a division and across departments, <strong>FAS</strong> scored higher than the other institutions<br />
in almost every area. A detailed picture of the results for each department is available on our website<br />
at http://www.csusm.edu/qi/measures/employeeengagement.html.<br />
Thanks to everyone who participated in the survey this year. Your responses will help our leadership<br />
teams develop goals and strategies for 2018 to help CSUSM become an even better place to work!<br />
Here's What's New: Welcome (back) to Brenda Martin, who returned to CSUSM and <strong>FAS</strong> this past<br />
September after three years at San Jose State University to be our new division Resource Analyst.<br />
Welcome also to our new student assistants, Alexandra Lopez and Jasmine Thomas! Read some fun<br />
facts about these three and other new <strong>FAS</strong> employees in our New Employee Spotlight!
6 <strong>FAS</strong> NEWSLETTER - <strong>FALL</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
UPDATES & ACCOLADES<br />
Business & Financial Services (BFS)<br />
What's New: October 1 was an important and exciting day for us! As a result of a reorganization,<br />
Finance and Budget officially became Business and Financial Services. Here are some other changes to<br />
be aware of:<br />
Procurement Operations and Accounts<br />
Payable (POAP; including Procurement,<br />
Contracts, Accounts Payable, Travel,<br />
and Distribution & Property Control<br />
Services) has rejoined Business and<br />
Financial Services. We are fortunate<br />
and thrilled to have them back as part<br />
of the team!<br />
Fiscal Services recently welcomed two<br />
"new" employees: Alma McFarland<br />
and Karen Jara.<br />
Alma McFarland<br />
Karen Jara<br />
Both are accountants who will be supporting our stateside accounting operations. Please join<br />
us in welcoming them!<br />
You're Invited: Please join us for a special<br />
retirement celebration for our Associate Vice<br />
President, Mary Hinchman, on December 13th.<br />
Mary will be retiring from CSUSM after more than<br />
20 years of dedicated service on December 31st. In<br />
her career here, Mary has made invaluable<br />
contributions to both our division and our<br />
University, and she will be missed.<br />
Clint Roberts, our University Controller, will begin<br />
his role as Interim Associate Vice President on<br />
January 1st.<br />
Congratulations to Crystal Villalobos (pictured left), who was selected as<br />
CSUSM Employee of the Month for October! Crystal was recognized<br />
because "she is exemplary in her customer service skills. She is helpful,<br />
patient, professional, and always maintains a calm demeanor...she works<br />
diligently to resolve issues and is always friendly and pleasant, even in the<br />
most frustrating times." Thanks, Crystal, for your excellent contributions<br />
to CSUSM!<br />
Student Financial Services: We've been busy this fall season. We recently<br />
implemented a new student aging and collections process that automates<br />
several stages of the process and proactively notifies students when they<br />
become past due. Additionally, in preparation for 1098T season, we<br />
created an online process for students to opt-in to receive 1098T<br />
statements online, saving postage and vendor fees!<br />
Finally, do you know someone looking to join our team? We are now recruiting for a new Cashier. Please<br />
see the CSUSM Job Opportunities webpage for more details.
<strong>FAS</strong> NEWSLETTER - <strong>FALL</strong> <strong>2017</strong> 7<br />
BFS, con't.<br />
UPDATES & ACCOLADES<br />
Procurement Operations and Accounts Payable: We recently launched the hospitality form via<br />
DocuSign, so the process is now paperless. There are also new hospitality procedures and policies, so<br />
if you work with these, please visit our website to review:<br />
https://www.csusm.edu/procurement/ap/hospitality.html<br />
Distribution & Property Control Services: Jim Carr's last day<br />
of work was October 31st. We sent him off in style with a small<br />
gathering of 30 guests to wish him well in his retirement. We'll<br />
miss him!<br />
Jerry Sullivan has taken on the position of Property Clerk and<br />
has hit the ground running, having already attended his first<br />
Property workshop at SDSU.<br />
Please help us welcome Symeon Martinez, our new Warehouse<br />
Worker! Symeon started on November 1st, but he has previously<br />
worked on campus with Events and Conference Services.<br />
Welcome, Symeon!<br />
VP Hoss and Jim Carr<br />
In the News: We are pleased to announce that our office has reached GOLD Level in the Sustainable<br />
Cougars Office Program (SCOP), and we are currently the top-ranked office on campus! We've worked<br />
hard and we're very proud!<br />
Facilities Development & Management (FDM)<br />
Energy Management & Utility Services: We recently conducted a waste characterization study to<br />
determine any opportunities for improving waste and recycling practices at CSUSM. We began with a few<br />
questions in mind: What materials do we throw away? Are there recycle materials that should be<br />
addressed? Are there items we should no longer purchase?<br />
On Friday, October 20th, EDCO picked up campus trash and hauled it to their facility on Mission Road in<br />
Escondido (photo below). Our analysis of this haul revealed a few significant findings:<br />
As a whole, the CSUSM community does a great job of recycling!<br />
Only a small amount of recyclable material is going to the<br />
landfill.<br />
One opportunity for improvement reducing our Styrofoam waste.<br />
Styrofoam can be confusing because the hard material used in<br />
boxes is recyclable, but the soft material used for food<br />
containers is not. One recommendation is that Campus Dining<br />
Services no longer use soft Styrofoam containers for packaging<br />
food.<br />
Another opportunity for improvement is reducing our paper<br />
towel usage, as paper towels are non-recyclable. We plan to take<br />
advantage of this opportunity by installing hand dryers in<br />
restrooms and other campus areas to reduce paper towel waste.<br />
So what's next? We have partnered with EDCO to determine the best methodology to achieve our<br />
campus goal of Zero Waste by 2025, which will likely result in changes to our current recycling program.<br />
Additionally, we look forward to EDCO completing their facility for processing compost material. Stay<br />
tuned for more updates!
8 <strong>FAS</strong> NEWSLETTER - <strong>FALL</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
UPDATES & ACCOLADES<br />
Office of Human Resources (OHR)<br />
This time of year is the perfect time to reflect on all the wonderful things about being part of CSUSM!<br />
Please take a moment to stop by the Office of Human Resources (Craven 1200) now through November<br />
27th to complete a leaf on our "Thankful Tree" expressing something for which you are thankful!<br />
As a small token of our appreciation to you, we will have a small gift for any employees taking the time to<br />
express their gratitude by completing a leaf. In addition, employees can enter a drawing for a chance to<br />
win some great CSUSM prizes! If you're a basketball fan and as excited about our NCAA Div II Cougars as<br />
we are, you may want to enter to win a pair of tickets to an upcoming game! OHR is very thankful to our<br />
Athletics Department for their generous donation of 3 pairs of basketball<br />
tickets (2 pairs of VIP tickets for the November 30th doubleheader and 1<br />
pair of General Admission tickets for our annual homecoming game on<br />
December 2nd). Enter to win a pair of tickets to these games or another<br />
great CSUSM prize. The raffle drawing will be held on November 28th, and<br />
winners will be notified shortly thereafter!<br />
In the News: Congratulations to Jessica Ison (pictured left) on being<br />
selected one of September's CSUSM Employees of the Month! Jessica was<br />
recognized for her "exceptional work, positive attitude, and focus on<br />
customer service," particularly in her role of supporting the needs of the<br />
Office of the President. Thanks Jessica, for "exceeding expectations" in all<br />
you do for CSUSM!<br />
Parking and Commuter Services (PACS)<br />
Is your vehicle information up to date in the parking system? Over the past few weeks, we have been<br />
sending out reminder notifications to ensure all employees' vehicle information is current and accurate.<br />
To update your information, visit csusm.aimsparking.com, select "View My Parking Account," then log in<br />
with your CSUSM credentials.<br />
Want to avoid late fees for a citation? From November 13 - December 1, we will offer a late fee waiver for<br />
outstanding citations when you donate 5 non-perishable food items (per citation) at the time of your<br />
payment. Payments and donations must be made at the PACS office during regular business hours. We<br />
plan to deliver all collected donations to the CSUSM Cougar Pantry.<br />
Looking to make your commute more affordable?<br />
Check out Waze Carpool, a new offering from the<br />
popular Waze traffic app that matches riders with<br />
drivers who are traveling along the same route. Waze<br />
Carpool is a quick, efficient, and affordable option for<br />
getting to and from campus. See our website for more<br />
details and information on signing up.<br />
In the Spring semester, we hope to introduce a special<br />
carpool option that will make finding a carpool team<br />
within the CSUSM community easier. Additionally, we<br />
are in the process of finalizing a contract to bring a<br />
bike-share program to campus. Look for more details<br />
in the coming months.
<strong>FAS</strong> NEWSLETTER - <strong>FALL</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
9<br />
UPDATES & ACCOLADES<br />
PACS, con't.<br />
Coming Soon: Spring parking permits will go on sale online January 1, 2018. The following changes to<br />
online permit purchases will go also into effect January 1:<br />
No convenience fees for online purchases<br />
All permits purchased online will be mailed to the requestor's address.<br />
Debit and credit card payments accepted online (cash and check payments accepted for in-office<br />
purchases only)<br />
Please Take Note: The California DMV has begun an educational campaign to curb the abuse/fraudulent<br />
use of Disabled Person Parking Placards. We'll be sharing DMV resources with you to help raise awareness<br />
among the campus community about the consequences of misusing Disabled placards. Stay tuned!<br />
Here's What's New: Please welcome our new employee, Daniela Sankey! Daniela joined us in October as<br />
a Customer Service Representative. We're happy to have her on the team.<br />
University Police (UPD)<br />
We've been busy this fall! UPD<br />
participated in the Pink Patch<br />
Project during the month of<br />
October to promote breast<br />
cancer awareness. The campaign<br />
has grown each year as public<br />
safety departments throughout<br />
the nation continue to contribute<br />
to the effort to bring attention to<br />
the fight against breast cancer.<br />
Even Armor did his part to bring<br />
awareness to the cause!<br />
Also in October, UPD interns<br />
organized alcohol safety events<br />
to educate students on<br />
responsible drinking, particularly<br />
with Halloween events occurring<br />
at the end of the month. Students<br />
participated in an obstacle course<br />
with "drunk goggles" to simulate<br />
the effect of drunk driving.<br />
Finally, our Emergency<br />
Management team organized<br />
CSUSM's participation in the<br />
Great California ShakeOut on<br />
Clockwise from top left: Sergeant Derouin and Armor sport their pink patches; UPD<br />
promotes responsible drinking; Armor ducks under a chair for the earthquake drill.<br />
October 19th at 10:19am. Staff, faculty, and students all over campus were encouraged to "Drop, Cover,<br />
and Hold On" for the annual earthquake drill.<br />
Did You Notice? This month, our officers are participating in Movember, a campaign that encourages<br />
men to grow mustaches to bring awareness to prostate cancer and men's health issues.
10 <strong>FAS</strong> NEWSLETTER - <strong>FALL</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
New Employee Spotlight<br />
Daniela Moehlecke<br />
Payroll Specialist<br />
Daniela joined the CSUSM<br />
Corporation team on June 12, <strong>2017</strong>.<br />
Welcome, Daniela!<br />
Three things you'd do if planning the perfect day:<br />
1. Go the beach<br />
2. Go to the spa<br />
3. Have dinner overlooking the ocean<br />
What's one talent you wish you had? What would you do with<br />
it?<br />
I wish I could sing. I'd sing out loud every day!<br />
You just won the lottery, but you have to spend all the money<br />
on 1 thing. What do you buy?<br />
Real estate. I'd buy the most expensive commercial<br />
building I could find and then sell it! Hahahaha<br />
Susan Daughters<br />
Administrative Support<br />
Coordinator<br />
Susan joined the Safety, Risk and<br />
Sustainability team on June 12, <strong>2017</strong>.<br />
Welcome, Susan!<br />
Favorite cartoon character?<br />
Shrek<br />
What's the oldest thing in your refrigerator?<br />
A tiny jar of jelly. I got it while in Portland, Oregon on a<br />
hiking vacation tour..<br />
One thing on your bucket list:<br />
Seeing the Amalfi Coast in Italy. I also got to see Paris -<br />
with my grandson! (photo is at the Eiffel Tower)
<strong>FAS</strong> NEWSLETTER - <strong>FALL</strong> <strong>2017</strong> 11<br />
New Employee Spotlight<br />
Brooke Bowman<br />
Payroll Technician<br />
Brooke joined the Payroll Services team<br />
on October 23, <strong>2017</strong>. Welcome, Brooke!<br />
At which store could you max out your credit card?<br />
Target<br />
If a film were made about your life so far, which celebrity<br />
would play you?<br />
Aubrey Plaza<br />
If you could spend a day with any famous person (alive or<br />
dead), who would you pick?<br />
Freddie Mercury. He was most likely the greatest singer<br />
of all time and overall just an interesting person.<br />
Last show binge-watched?<br />
Parks and Recreation<br />
Trina Beckwith<br />
Director of Sponsored Projects<br />
Trina joined the CSUSM Corporation team<br />
on September 11, <strong>2017</strong>. Welcome, Trina!<br />
Favorite song on playlist?<br />
Somewhere Over the Rainbow.<br />
At which store could you max out your credit card?<br />
Bath & Body Works.<br />
Three things you'd do if planning the perfect day:?<br />
1. Sleep<br />
2. Eat<br />
3. Sleep
12 <strong>FAS</strong> NEWSLETTER - <strong>FALL</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
New Employee Spotlight<br />
Brenda Martin<br />
Resource Analyst<br />
Brenda joined the VP<strong>FAS</strong> team on<br />
September 18 after a three-year hiatus<br />
from CSUSM. Welcome back to <strong>FAS</strong>,<br />
Brenda!<br />
Oldest thing in your refrigerator?<br />
The light bulb - it hasn't burnt out yet!<br />
Three things you'd do if planning the perfect day:<br />
1. Eat<br />
2. Drink<br />
3. Be Merry<br />
City life or countryside?<br />
Countryside - for the scenery, peace, and privacy<br />
Last show binge-watched?<br />
Game of Thrones<br />
Symeon Martinez<br />
Warehouse Worker<br />
Symeon joined the Distribution and Property<br />
Control Services team on November 1, <strong>2017</strong>.<br />
Welcome, Symeon!<br />
If you could live in any other time period,<br />
what would it be?<br />
The year 1185, so I could be a samurai<br />
Create a slogan for your life:<br />
Keep calm and watch anime<br />
One talent you wish you had?<br />
Being good at math.<br />
One random fact about yourself:<br />
I'm good at basketball.
<strong>FAS</strong> NEWSLETTER - <strong>FALL</strong> <strong>2017</strong> 13<br />
New Employee Spotlight<br />
Graham Gilchrist<br />
PDC Director<br />
Graham joined the PDC team on<br />
September 5, <strong>2017</strong>. Welcome, Graham!<br />
At which store could you max out your credit<br />
card?<br />
Domino's Pizza<br />
One thing you've crossed off your bucket list:<br />
Surfing Tavarua<br />
If you could live in any other time period, what<br />
would it be?<br />
The 80s, because of the neon colors and less<br />
crowded surf.<br />
What one food could you eat for the rest of the<br />
month?<br />
Broccoli<br />
Jasmine Thomas<br />
VP<strong>FAS</strong> Student Assistant<br />
Jasmine joined the VP<strong>FAS</strong> team<br />
on October 2, <strong>2017</strong>. Welcome, Jasmine!<br />
What's your favorite holiday?<br />
Christmas. I spend time with my family and<br />
visit Disneyland!<br />
Which foreign language do you wish you could instantly<br />
learn without studying?<br />
French. I want to travel to Paris and see the Eiffel Tower<br />
and eat all the delicious food. Plus, I wouldn't have to<br />
study for French class anymore.<br />
If you could pick another name, what would it be?<br />
Ariel, because I love The Little Mermaid. It's about the<br />
ocean, which I love, and not letting anything keep you<br />
from conquering your dreams. Also, who wouldn't want<br />
Ariel's amazing red hair?
14 <strong>FAS</strong> NEWSLETTER - <strong>FALL</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
New Employee Spotlight<br />
Alexandra Lopez<br />
VP<strong>FAS</strong> Student Assistant<br />
Alexandra joined the VP<strong>FAS</strong> team on<br />
October 2, <strong>2017</strong>. Welcome, Alexandra!<br />
When you were a kid, what'd you want to be when you<br />
grew up?<br />
At first I wanted to be a vet, but then my first puppy<br />
passed away from Parvo. That's when I realized I'm<br />
not good with blood or death.<br />
Which foreign language do you wish you could instantly<br />
learn without studying?<br />
Farsi, because my best friend speaks it. At times I<br />
wish I could communicate with her parents.<br />
One thing in your life you couldn't live without:<br />
Ceviche from Los Cabos Mexican Restaurant. It's my<br />
favorite food and I eat it almost every other day!<br />
Daniela Sankey<br />
Customer Service Representative<br />
Daniela joined the Parking & Commuter Services team on<br />
October 17, <strong>2017</strong>. Welcome, Daniela!<br />
One thing crossed off your bucket list:<br />
Visiting the Eiffel Tower in Paris<br />
If you could live forever at one age, what would you pick?<br />
21<br />
Which famous person (alive or dead) could you spend a day with?<br />
Beyonce; she's so talented!<br />
One random fact about yourself:<br />
I'm 4'10"<br />
Know someone who recently joined <strong>FAS</strong> (within the last 6 months)?<br />
Contact the VP<strong>FAS</strong> Office at x. 4950 or email lrankin@csusm.edu. We'll send you a link to the New Employee<br />
Survey, and you can be featured in our next <strong>FAS</strong> <strong>Newsletter</strong>!
<strong>FAS</strong> NEWSLETTER - <strong>FALL</strong> <strong>2017</strong> 15<br />
SUSTAINABILITY<br />
CORNER<br />
H R E E C H E E R S F O R C S U S M !<br />
T<br />
By Juliana Goodlaw-Morris<br />
CSUSM recently was awarded a Silver standing<br />
within the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment<br />
and Rating System (STARS). STARS is a<br />
transparent, self-reporting framework for<br />
colleges and universities to measure their<br />
sustainability performance.<br />
STARS is a holistic program, reviewing<br />
sustainability in five different categories:<br />
Academics, Engagement, Operations, Planning &<br />
Administration, and Innovation & Leadership.<br />
With over 90 different sub-categories (ranging<br />
from academic courses integrating sustainability<br />
into the curriculum, assessing diversity and<br />
equity to our greenhouse gas emissions and<br />
community partnerships), in order to complete<br />
STARS, over 23 departments across all CSUSM<br />
divisions were asked to provide data and<br />
information.<br />
Considering this was the campus’ first attempt<br />
at completing this type of assessment, receiving<br />
a silver status is a testament to all the work<br />
everyone does across the campus, but especially<br />
within the <strong>FAS</strong> division, to help us reach our<br />
sustainability goals. In addition, in the recent<br />
national Sustainable Campus Index, CSUSM<br />
was highlighted for our Carbon Onset Program<br />
within our Outdoor Adventures program.<br />
Completing our STARS assessment also helped<br />
us submit data to the Chancellor’s Office, which<br />
is putting together a system-wide Sustainability<br />
Report to update the Board of Trustees on our<br />
efforts to reach our Sustainability Policy goals.<br />
This report will be available in January.<br />
Moving forward, we will seek to improve our<br />
STARS score with the ultimate goal of meeting<br />
our campus Sustainability Master Plan goals<br />
and the system wide Sustainability Policy.<br />
Thank you to everyone who received a<br />
request for data. Your information and the<br />
work you do, helped us receive silver!<br />
The CSUSM full STARS report can be found here<br />
or by visiting the AASHE website at<br />
https://stars.aashe.org/institutions/californiastate-university-san-marcos-ca/report/<strong>2017</strong>-06-<br />
30/<br />
Lastly, watch this quick video (or visit<br />
https://www.youtube.com/watch?<br />
time_continue=6&v=0EszJRHWiXI) to see how<br />
CSUSM is doing on meeting our campus<br />
sustainability goals.<br />
For more information about STARS and<br />
CSUSM's sustainability initiative, contact<br />
Juliana Goodlaw-Morris, Sustainability<br />
Manager @ X 4501 or jgmorris@csusm.edu.
16<br />
<strong>FAS</strong> NEWSLETTER - <strong>FALL</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
Plan<br />
Strategic<br />
OF THE MONTH<br />
VALUE<br />
Over the next three years, our<br />
division is focusing our efforts and<br />
resources on five strategic<br />
objectives (pictured above). We'll<br />
accomplish those as we adhere to<br />
three core "P.A.W." values: Pursue<br />
learning and growth, Act with<br />
professionalism, and Work hard,<br />
have fun.<br />
Here's what your colleagues had to<br />
say when asked, "How do you Work<br />
Hard and Have Fun in your job?"<br />
"Interacting with people. I'm<br />
passionate about my job and<br />
interaction makes it easy to<br />
communicate with my fellow<br />
colleagues and have fun."<br />
-Shaun Icasno<br />
Student Assistant<br />
Work Hard, Have Fun<br />
"Lots of coffee and Monster. But<br />
honestly, I just really enjoy my job, and<br />
that makes me work hard."<br />
-Humberto "Jr" Garcia<br />
Environmental Health and Safety<br />
Specialist<br />
"I take breaks in between work to walk<br />
around the office. This helps me think<br />
clearly about projects I'm working on. I<br />
also love working with students, because<br />
it makes me passionate about my job<br />
and keeps me coming up with new<br />
ideas."<br />
-Juliana Goodlaw-Morris<br />
Sustainability Manager<br />
"I make timelines and stay organized so<br />
I can attend events on campus and not<br />
miss anything interesting!"<br />
-Shannon Honour<br />
Travel Coordinator<br />
"We laugh a lot. We're serious about<br />
our work, but we can also be silly with<br />
each other. This helps create a relaxing<br />
but productive environment."<br />
-Renee Browne<br />
Accounts Payable Technician<br />
"I like to listen to music during the day.<br />
That helps motivate me to work hard.<br />
Also, I love being able to communicate<br />
with other CSUSM students in my<br />
work."<br />
-Samuel Solis<br />
Student Assistant<br />
"You have to find something to enjoy<br />
every day. For me, I find joy in the fact<br />
that I get to deal with people that I<br />
truly care about and that I know I'm<br />
here for a purpose. We're all here for<br />
the students, to give them our best.<br />
When I remind myself of that, it's hard<br />
not to work hard and have fun."<br />
-Mercedes Wilson<br />
Accounts Payable Technician<br />
"I try to laugh every day, keep things<br />
lighthearted as much as possible.<br />
Some days we're serious and busy and<br />
get frustrated, but I try to remember to<br />
focus on the things that matter<br />
because challenges are temporary."<br />
-Veronica Ohm<br />
Assistant to the AVP, FDM
<strong>FAS</strong> NEWSLETTER - <strong>FALL</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
17<br />
JESSICA ISON<br />
Next up in our series<br />
highlighting <strong>FAS</strong> employees is<br />
Jessica Ison, an HR analyst<br />
who's love for fashion and<br />
creativity informs her daily<br />
work.<br />
How long have you been at CSUSM?<br />
It was five years this past July. So<br />
I’m a recipient this year at the<br />
Employee Service Awards. I’m<br />
vested in CALPERS now, and I get<br />
the little five-year pin to celebrate<br />
the milestone. It will be my first<br />
award. I’m so excited.<br />
What were your first impressions<br />
of CSUSM?<br />
Although I’d never been on campus<br />
before my first interview, I lived<br />
locally, so I knew about the<br />
University from passing by. I would<br />
see it up in the hills and I remember<br />
thinking it was such a pretty<br />
campus.<br />
Then a friend who was browsing<br />
through employment ads happened<br />
to see a job she thought would be a<br />
good fit for me. I was already<br />
working in HR with my previous<br />
position and she thought it was a<br />
great opportunity and the<br />
University environment would suit<br />
me – and she was right.<br />
What's a typical day in your job?<br />
My work is pretty project-based<br />
right now, and I took on a few<br />
aspects of another job recently, so<br />
there’s not much that’s typical<br />
about my days. I’m working on the<br />
professional development catalog,<br />
our Wellness Wednesdays<br />
initiative, compensation surveys,<br />
and some other projects. A pretty<br />
regular part of my day involves<br />
things like classification reviews<br />
and answering a lot of benefits<br />
questions, and I enjoy doing that.<br />
What's the best part of any given<br />
day for you?<br />
That’s a hard one. I get a lot of<br />
satisfaction from small wins, and<br />
those happen quite a lot. I love<br />
being able to answer and field<br />
questions related to benefits and<br />
leaves for faculty and staff.
18 <strong>FAS</strong> NEWSLETTER - <strong>FALL</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
Y O U D O N ' T H A V E T O ' S E L L ' P E O P L E O N W O R K I N G<br />
A T C S U S M . . . T H E Y K N O W I T ' S A G R E A T P L A C E T O B E .<br />
Benefits and leaves, especially<br />
unplanned leaves, can be really<br />
stressful to think about and they<br />
can cause a lot of anxiety, so being<br />
able to alleviate concerns and give<br />
employees direction for their next<br />
steps – that’s really rewarding.<br />
What's one of the things you're<br />
most proud of having<br />
accomplished in your time here?<br />
I’m very proud of the Employee<br />
Service Awards. When I started<br />
here, it was part of my job to<br />
coordinate that event. Back then it<br />
was held at the Clarke Field House,<br />
and it was much smaller, but now<br />
the ceremony has grown as we<br />
have many more employee<br />
milestones to recognize. And I love<br />
event planning. It’s just something<br />
I like to do personally – family<br />
events like birthdays and such – so<br />
being able to do that here was<br />
really fun for me, and seeing the<br />
awards grow year to year and<br />
knowing I had a part in that has<br />
been very satisfying. Coordinating<br />
it isn’t one of my major<br />
responsibilities anymore, but I still<br />
love to get involved. This year will<br />
be my 6th event, and this time I<br />
get to participate “on the other<br />
side” as well. So that’s fun.<br />
What do you like about <strong>FAS</strong>?<br />
I’m a very process-oriented person<br />
and I have always thrived in that<br />
type of environment. And what I<br />
like about <strong>FAS</strong> is that we drive a lot<br />
of the University’s processes. I love<br />
also that we have a good dynamic<br />
between all the different<br />
departments and we’re all involved<br />
in each other’s processes, and we<br />
regularly get together and interact<br />
with each other, with our division<br />
meetings and appreciation<br />
luncheons and activities. <strong>FAS</strong> is<br />
just a fun group.<br />
What do you like about being part<br />
of HR?<br />
They’re my second family, for sure.<br />
When you work with a group of<br />
people over the years, you kind<br />
of grow together. Things<br />
happen, and people come and<br />
go, but at the end of the day<br />
we’re a great team. We have<br />
each other’s backs. We love each<br />
other. We work well together,<br />
but we like to do team-building<br />
activities outside of work as<br />
well, from a simple happy hour<br />
to doing the American Heart<br />
Association walk together. And<br />
we’re a very creative and fun<br />
bunch. We love to dress up for<br />
different things. We’re just on<br />
the same wavelength.<br />
When you were younger, what'd<br />
you dream of doing with your<br />
life?<br />
I didn’t have a specific goal until<br />
I was around college age. I<br />
majored in Communications, but<br />
I always loved fashion and<br />
design and things that had to do<br />
with creativity and art. So I<br />
wanted to be a fashion<br />
magazine editor. I took some<br />
classes and came pretty close to<br />
getting an Associate’s degree in<br />
the field. But the fashion<br />
industry is difficult to break into.<br />
You need financial backing and a<br />
strong network because getting<br />
opportunities is about who you<br />
know. And even if you have all<br />
that, the industry is cutthroat.<br />
So I ended up not pursuing it.<br />
But I definitely get to use some<br />
of those skills in my job now.<br />
Our director is great about<br />
honing in on our skills and<br />
passions to get involved in<br />
projects we love. So I use my<br />
creativity to help design<br />
programs and events like<br />
the Employee Service Awards or<br />
this year, our Health Fair and<br />
our wellness initiative, and to<br />
brand our communications<br />
strategy as an HR team to the<br />
campus community so we’re<br />
getting a consistent, clear<br />
message to everyone.<br />
If you could say one thing to<br />
someone considering a job at<br />
CSUSM, what would it be?<br />
Oh that’s easy. I see jobs all day<br />
long, so when I see something<br />
that seems like it might be a good<br />
fit for a friend or acquaintance, I<br />
always pass it along. My pitch is<br />
always, “Hey, this is a great, highenergy<br />
place to work. If you like<br />
to be around and help young<br />
people who are just forming their<br />
lives, education, and careers, it’s<br />
the place to be.” But what I’ve<br />
found is you don’t have to “sell”<br />
people on working at CSUSM.<br />
They want to work here. They<br />
know it’s a great place to be, even<br />
before I say anything. Being part<br />
of a University is very rewarding<br />
in itself, but then you consider<br />
our compensation, retirement<br />
options, the chance to have<br />
financial security, our wellness<br />
focus…it’s just a happy place to<br />
work.<br />
I’ve learned so much in my time<br />
here, and I get a lot of<br />
satisfaction being able to use my<br />
knowledge and skills to help<br />
further our department. That’s a<br />
very rewarding part of my job. I<br />
started as Confidential Office<br />
Support, and since I’ve been here<br />
I’ve moved up to an analyst and<br />
I’ve gotten my PHR certification. I<br />
hope to take my SPHR maybe<br />
next year to further my<br />
professional development. So I<br />
want to continue to hone my<br />
skills and just keep learning. I’m<br />
happy where I am and happy to<br />
keep moving forward.<br />
Did you enjoy seeing CSUSM<br />
through Jessica’s perspective? If<br />
you know a team member with a<br />
memorable story or unique point<br />
of view that should be shared,<br />
please email vpfas@csusm.edu or<br />
call (760) 750-4950.
<strong>FAS</strong> NEWSLETTER - <strong>FALL</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
19<br />
Thank you JENNIFER RALPH for being my "designated<br />
hitter" for the TLC presentation I was unable to deliver<br />
due to a scheduling conflict.<br />
-Erin Fullerton<br />
Thank you REBECCA KEENAN for your prompt and<br />
Notes You Thank<br />
courteous replies and all of the information you provide. It<br />
is truly appreciated :)<br />
-Adrienne Tucker<br />
Thank you KARLEEN MILLER for being an "Awesome<br />
Colleague." I am grateful for your willingness to learn<br />
several new areas with an open mind and always with a<br />
positive attitude. You make it a joy to come to work<br />
each day.<br />
-Michele Laurenzana<br />
Thank you DISTRIBUTION SERVICES for being the best<br />
example of customer service on campus. You rock!<br />
-Adrienne Tucker<br />
Thank you VP<strong>FAS</strong> OFFICE (Lesley, Lindsey, Candace) for<br />
always putting a smile on my face and for being so helpful<br />
and friendly - you're the best!<br />
-Adrienne Tucker<br />
Thank you SCOTT GORSUCH, BRIAN ANDREASEN, MICHAEL<br />
ROSALES, ROBBY DADIEGO, and ARIEL VILLANUEVA for<br />
brightening up the Craven Rotunda stairs and making the<br />
area safer for the building!<br />
-Mark Norita<br />
Thank you EMUS Team for your great job on our "Thank<br />
You for Recycling" Day. This was an important effort to<br />
get our campus to reduce our impact on landfills and<br />
fulfill our waste diversion goals.<br />
-Mark Norita<br />
Special thanks to NOELLA RICHER, VERONICA OHM,<br />
SANDRA BASAVE, and BELLA NEWBERG's team for making<br />
the October 9th CPDC visit to the EL site a success. I know<br />
it took a lot of effort!<br />
-Mark Norita<br />
Thank you MICHELE LAURENZANA for your help on the<br />
query/info I asked for. You were so speedy and helpful<br />
in your response!<br />
-Adrienne Tucker<br />
Thank you SHANNON HONOUR and ROMAN LAZCANO<br />
for your help with Rocktoberfest. I couldn't have done it<br />
without you!<br />
-Adrienne Tucker<br />
Thank you CRYSTAL VILLALOBOS for always being<br />
willing to help out, no matter the ask! :)<br />
-Adrienne Tucker<br />
Thank you CHRIS QUIROGA for coaching me through<br />
the various human resource processes and recruitment<br />
questions I have. Much appreciated!<br />
-Brittani Brown<br />
Thank you STEVEN VAN NESS for assisting the CSU<br />
Procurement and Support Services Officers Association<br />
with identifying and negotiating temporary housing<br />
arrangements to help our colleagues who have been<br />
affected by the northern fires. The results of your efforts<br />
have been combined with others and provided to the<br />
Emergency Operations Center in Sonoma. Job well done!<br />
-David Taylor<br />
Thank you VALISSA MIDDLETON for supporting the SCOP<br />
program and becoming a gold member. Excellent!<br />
-David Taylor<br />
Thank you RANDY HALL and SHELLEY ROSS for always<br />
being there to help troubleshoot and implement ePAN<br />
related items!<br />
-Rebecca Keenan
20<br />
<strong>FAS</strong> NEWSLETTER - <strong>FALL</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />
You Notes<br />
A huge thank you to JANE CROSS and DIANA<br />
Thank<br />
WILSTERMANN for helping Jessica and I run reports for<br />
our compliance training!<br />
-Rebecca Keenan<br />
Thank you BRENDA MARTIN for coming down to FDM to<br />
help me with the budget reconciliation and facilitating<br />
the questions that followed. Thanks!<br />
-Brittani Brown<br />
Thank you STEVE VAN NESS and DANNA WRIGHT for<br />
making our purchasing and accounts payable support a<br />
quick and seamless process.<br />
-FDM Administration Team<br />
Thank you VALERIA SUAZO, REYNA TOLENTO, and<br />
BRITTANI BROWN for keeping on top of our service and<br />
budget commitments to the campus by pulling double<br />
duty.<br />
-FDM Admin/Work Control Team<br />
Thanks to CALVIN KIDD and the rest of the FACILITY<br />
SERVICES team for your help getting the Smoke and<br />
Tobacco Free signage out in time for the start of Fall<br />
semester. You guys did amazing work for our campus!<br />
-Cai Steffler<br />
Thank you STEVE RAMIREZ for continuing to lead by example and<br />
put CSUSM first. You face challenges with graciousness and<br />
professionalism that serve as an invaluable example to us all. You<br />
are amazing at what you do. Thank you for being you!<br />
-Your PDC Colleagues<br />
Thank you BRITTANI BROWN, GRAHAM GILCHRIST, and FLOYD<br />
DUDLEY - your teams did a great job at the last minute to help<br />
the professors/lecturers using ACD 406 by rearranging the setup<br />
and changing classroom furniture to accommodate their teaching<br />
needs!<br />
-Mark Norita<br />
Thanks to PAULETTE RENFRO, JUSTIN TURK, DAVE RODRIGUEZ,<br />
IAN IRVINE, and VICTOR CHAVEZ for your quick response and<br />
repair to the 5th floor restroom leak. It was reported just before<br />
6:30am and by 6:30 you all responded and started the cleanup.<br />
Excellent work!<br />
-Mark Norita<br />
Thanks to ADRIENNE TUCKER, ANDREA MARTINEZ, VERONICA<br />
OHM, KARLA FRAZEE, JULIANA GOODLAW-MORRIS, REBECCA<br />
KEENAN, VALISSA MIDDLETON, BELINDA GARCIA, LINDSEY<br />
CUNNINGHAM, and all who contributed to this edition of the <strong>FAS</strong><br />
<strong>Newsletter</strong>. We couldn't do it without you.<br />
-Lesley Rankin Gonzalez<br />
Upcoming<br />
Events<br />
Thursday-Friday,<br />
November 23-24<br />
Thanksgiving/Washington's Birthday<br />
(Observed) - Campus Closed<br />
Wednesday, November 29<br />
Coffee with Neal Hoss<br />
Wednesday, December 6<br />
Employee Service Awards<br />
Wednesday, December 13<br />
<strong>FAS</strong> Holiday Cookie Delivery<br />
Wednesday, December 13<br />
Mary Hinchman Retirement<br />
Reception<br />
Monday-Monday,<br />
December 25-January 1<br />
Winter Break - Campus Closed<br />
Friday, January 12<br />
Quarterly Reports Due<br />
Monday, January 15<br />
MLK Jr Birthday - Campus<br />
Closed<br />
Wednesday, January 24<br />
Coffee with Neal Hoss<br />
Tuesday, February 6<br />
<strong>FAS</strong> Division Meeting<br />
Tuesday, February 20-Friday,<br />
March 9<br />
Customer Satisfaction Survey