The Faculty Senate unanimously passed the 2018-19 academic calendars. After a lengthy discussion and results from two surveys, the Educational Policy Committee (SCEP) recommended that the 2018-19 Rochester and Twin Cities calendar include 70 instruction days in each semester. The fall semester currently has 70 instruction days while spring has 74.
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Keep your valuables safe and secure
Recently, a Macbook Air was stolen from the President’s Emerging Scholars program. It appears that two people were involved in the theft - one person distracted a staff person by asking the staff person to pick up a package in another room. When the staff person left, the second person entered the room and took the computer. A similar incident happened in Appleby Hall. Please remember that your valuables - purses, wallets, laptops, etc. - should be stored securely and do not leave items unattended.
Learn how to cook for your health
There’s no doubt that what we put into our bodies impacts how we feel. Healthy habits and balanced diets are important to ensure that our bodies can properly function.
Beginning in spring 2015, the University will be offering a new wellness course, “Healthy Foods, Healthy Lives - Cooking for Wellness.” Led by professional chefs, the seven-week course will help you improve your cooking skills, learn new techniques, hone your recipe adaptation and troubleshooting skills, and develop healthy cooking and eating habits.
University IT in-service event
The IT@UMN community is hosting a Get Upgrade Ready! event on Wednesday, January 7, at Coffman Memorial Union in the Great Hall. The event runs 8:30 a.m.- 3:30 p.m. and is intended to equip the IT@UMN community to help the University with The Upgrade.
Upgrade milestones
At the end of November, the Student workstream met its system testing milestone with excellent results: 97 percent of test executions were completed. In December, three new activities began: end-to-end testing, security validation, and user acceptance testing (UAT).
The directors would like to thank the IT teams for their hard work in system testing, the functional users and others for participating in UAT, and all of the teams supporting the work of the Upgrade.
The directors would like to thank the IT teams for their hard work in system testing, the functional users and others for participating in UAT, and all of the teams supporting the work of the Upgrade.
Upgrade overview course and other training materials
The Student Records Training & Support team released their first Upgrade training offerings this week, including the Student Systems Upgrade Overview course. If you have access to PeopleSoft’s student systems (Campus Solutions), you will need to complete the 30-minute Student Systems Upgrade Overview course before the Upgrade goes live in February 2015.
Those of you otherwise dedicated to Upgrade activities should continue to make those activities your priority.
Those of you otherwise dedicated to Upgrade activities should continue to make those activities your priority.
Change to 13-Credit Exemption Request deadline
Due to a planned system outage for the Peoplesoft Upgrade, the 13-Credit Exemption Request deadline for the Twin Cities campus has been moved to Thursday, February 12 (formerly Monday, February 16) for the spring 2015 semester. It is at the discretion of the department or college whether to grant exceptions after the new February 12th deadline.
Change in process ownership for graduate non-degree registration
As of December 5, the responsibility for processing the Registration Request for Graduate Credit form (OTR026) for the Twin Cities campus shifted from One Stop Student Services to the Office of the Registrar. The change was discussed at the December RAC meeting. Completed forms should be submitted to the Office of the Registrar.
Live Like a Student completes Higher One grant
Live Like a Student concluded programming sponsored by Academic Support Resources and a Higher One grant on December 15th. In addition to the yearly Welcome Week presentation to all incoming first year students, LLAS was afforded the opportunity to sponsor a budgeting competition and complete interviews with 23 students in financial literacy topics. Information collected in these interviews will be used in future promotional materials, as well as in designing new and improved outreach opportunities to connect with students.
Thursday, December 4, 2014
The impact of wellness
Mary Jo Kretizer, a professor from the School of Nursing and Director of the Center for Spirituality and Healing (CSH), recently presented on wellbeing and engagement at a Project Management & Change Collaborators event. Wellness and wellbeing has a direct impact on our professional lives, which is why many businesses are making wellness a priority. If you are interested in learning more about the impact of wellness, check out Dr. Kreitzer's presentation slides and CSH's Taking Charge of Your Health & Wellbeing page.
What does your work team do to promote wellbeing? Share your tips with Stacey Tidball to have them featured in future News & Notes articles!
What does your work team do to promote wellbeing? Share your tips with Stacey Tidball to have them featured in future News & Notes articles!
ASR service projects
Each winter, ASR participates in a service project to support people in need. This year, ASR held its first annual penny war to support the Community Fund Drive and will participate in another service project this spring. If you have suggestions for a project or cause to support, please send your ideas to Tina Falkner.
User acceptance testing
This week, University staff were invited to participate in User Acceptance Testing (UAT) for the Upgrade. This part of the project will allow the University's PeopleSoft user community to log into the Portal and complete processes or functions in PeopleSoft version 9.0. The volunteers will test whether they have the appropriate system access and let us know if they are able to complete their processes as expected.
Volunteers should sign up to participate on this spreadsheet by the end of the day Friday, December 5. If you have questions about UAT for student records or student finances staff, please contact Ingrid Nuttall or Kris Wright.
Volunteers should sign up to participate on this spreadsheet by the end of the day Friday, December 5. If you have questions about UAT for student records or student finances staff, please contact Ingrid Nuttall or Kris Wright.
Save the date: Annual ASR staff appreciation event
All ASR staff, including student workers, are invited to the annual ASR staff appreciation event on Thursday, December 18, 2014, from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m at The Library Bar,1301 4th St SE, Minneapolis. The event will include appetizers, soda, and coffee. Please RSVP to the event on your Google Calendar.
The impact of wellness
Mary Jo Kretizer, a professor from the School of Nursing and Director of the Center for Spirituality and Healing (CSH), recently presented on wellbeing and engagement at a Project Management & Change Collaborators event. Wellness and wellbeing has a direct impact on our professional lives, which is why many businesses are making wellness a priority. If you are interested in learning more about the impact of wellness, check out Dr. Kreitzer’s presentation slides and CSH’s Taking Charge of Your Health & Wellbeing page.
What does your work team do to promote wellbeing? Share your tips with Stacey Tidball to have them featured in future News & Notes articles!
What does your work team do to promote wellbeing? Share your tips with Stacey Tidball to have them featured in future News & Notes articles!
ASR service projects
Each winter, ASR participates in a service project to support people in need. This year, ASR held its first annual penny war to support the Community Fund Drive and will participate in another service project this spring. If you have suggestions for a project or cause to support, please send your ideas to Tina Falkner.
Save the date: Annual ASR staff appreciation event
All ASR staff, including student workers, are invited to the annual ASR staff appreciation event on Thursday, December 18, 2014, from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m at The Library Bar,1301 4th St SE, Minneapolis. The event will include appetizers, soda, and coffee. Please RSVP to the event on your Google Calendar.
User acceptance testing
This week, University staff were invited to participate in User Acceptance Testing (UAT) for the Upgrade. This part of the project will allow the University’s PeopleSoft user community to log into the Portal and complete processes or functions in PeopleSoft version 9.0. The volunteers will test whether they have the appropriate system access and let us know if they are able to complete their processes as expected.
Volunteers should sign up to participate on this spreadsheet by the end of the day Friday, December 5. If you have questions about UAT for student records or student finances staff, please contact Ingrid Nuttall or Kris Wright.
Volunteers should sign up to participate on this spreadsheet by the end of the day Friday, December 5. If you have questions about UAT for student records or student finances staff, please contact Ingrid Nuttall or Kris Wright.
Thursday, November 20, 2014
Office of Classroom Management Annual Report
The Office of Classroom Management (OCM) and the communications team collaborated to create an annual report, which is now available here. The annual report highlights OCM accomplishments and identifies trends that will impact OCM in the next year.
Student experience preview sessions
One Stop has presented several Student Experience Previews to staff on the Twin Cities campus and will continue presentations over the next few weeks. The sessions include demonstrations of class registration, bill payment, and viewing financial aid. The sessions also cover how MyU and the One Stop websites will work together after the upgraded systems launch in February. For more information including dates and times, check out this Upgrade blog post.
Unlimited storage with University Google accounts
University Google accounts now have unlimited storage with Google Drive for Education. Drive for Education provides for unlimited storage and other enhancements to Google Drive, Gmail, and Google+ photos. You may store as many Google Drive files, Gmail messages, and Google+ photos as you need.
Williamson Hall project
If you visited Williamson Hall this week, you may have noticed some construction. The project to install stairs to replace the old escalators is underway. Workers are demolishing concrete fins on the walls; installation of steel support for stairs will follow. During construction, the 160 suite door located at the base of the old escalator will be out of service and the door will be barricaded.
Merit pay plan information
With the University’s change to determining civil service employees’ pay increases by merit, ASR has created a mid-year evaluation process for civil service and P&A employees. ASR has planned to make civil service and P&A salary increases in flat rate increments, based on the annual performance appraisal that occurs each spring. This information was presented at the recent brown bag merit pay plan events and the presentation slides are available on the ASR intranet in the Human Resources > Performance Appraisal Tool section.
AACRAO Elections
Ingrid Nuttall was elected as a member of AACRAO's 2015-2016 Nominations and Elections Committee. Congratulations Ingrid!
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Veterans Appreciation Event a success
Today marked the 8th annual Student Veterans Appreciation Day at Coffman Memorial Union. This year's event featured a different format with carnival games, pizza, and prizes. The event was a great success - fantastic job to everyone involved!
Wellness Tip
The University Center for Spirituality & Healing provides a wide variety of health resources, including several for decreasing stress levels. Take a quiz about your stress level and find stress management techniques here.
Benefits open enrollment
Open enrollment for benefits continues through December 1. Benefit options for open enrollment are detailed here. Employees who currently have Insights by Medica, the employee and spouse coverage tier, or same-sex domestic partner coverage must make changes to their benefits elections. Additionally, you must re-enroll for FSA accounts. To enroll online, use Employee Self-Service.
To learn more about benefits options, you can attend an Employee Benefits Fair event. Minneapolis: November 11, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Great Hall, Coffman Memorial Union. St. Paul: November 12, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m., North Star Ballroom, Student Center.
To learn more about benefits options, you can attend an Employee Benefits Fair event. Minneapolis: November 11, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Great Hall, Coffman Memorial Union. St. Paul: November 12, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m., North Star Ballroom, Student Center.
Training to prepare for HR features in the new MyU
Prior to the Upgrade, you will have access to training and how-to resources that will help you navigate the upcoming changes. For instance, employees and supervisors will be able to take an online course on submitting an absence request or approving absences. These online courses will become available in late December-early January on the Upgrade Education page under the "Human Resource Systems" tab.
Video of training team's preview session is now available
This October, the training team presented preview sessions at each of the system campuses to approximately 800 staff total. The sessions informed attendees about required training and how to access other training resources, and demonstrated the new MyU, the new Faculty Center, the new Advisor Center, and key other processes (e.g., permission numbers, service indicators, related content). A video of the session is now available online.
One Stop Student Experience Preview Sessions
In November and December, One Stop will be presenting several Student Experience Previews to staff. The sessions will include demonstrations of class registration, bill payment, and viewing financial aid. Also covered will be how MyU and the One Stop website will work together after the upgraded systems launch in February. For more information including dates and time, check out this Upgrade blog post.
Thank you for responding to the E2 Survey
Thank you to everyone who responded to the E2 Employee Engagement Survey. The overall response rate for Office of Undergraduate Education units was 85%, which is well above the 61% rate for the entire University.
Community Fund Drive extended
The annual Community Fund Drive has been extended to Nov. 7. The fund drive provides an easy way for you to donate to nearly 500 local nonprofits, or to choose your own charitable organization. To donate, visit the fund drive website.
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Community fund drive - donate now!
The Community Fund Drive continues until October 31 and provides a variety of ways to make a charitable donation. You can make a pledge to the six federation partners or a 501(c)(3) of your choice. The Office of Undergraduate Education has a 20% participation rate thus far, which is lower than last year. In the last week, ASR has increased its participation by 2%. The highlights of the ASR community fund drive activities are here. The penny war continues, with Williamson Hall in the lead (points are apportioned by number of staff per building).
Processing name changes
New tools are available to help determine what identification is required for students requesting a name change on their academic record. The guides can be found on the ASR website > Work Support & Tools > Work Tools > Name Change Decision Flowchart, Name Change Identification Checklist.
Portal usability for faculty and staff
The MyU portal project team conducted usability evaluations this month on the new MyU to test functionality with specific user groups: faculty, advisers, teaching staff, and finance (EFS system) users. Twenty evaluators looked at new MyU functionality for research, teaching, advising, and finance tasks. Usability findings were generally consistent with the student usability findings, but some issues were uncovered that will help guide and prioritize training and communications. Keep an eye out for future articles and videos around some of these new features in MyU.
ASR Staff event on Oct. 29
The fall ASR staff event is Wednesday, October 29 from 8:30-11 a.m. The event will be held in the DQ Club Room of the TCF Stadium and will feature a keynote address from Brigadier General Dr. David Hamlar, an address from Sue Van Voorhis, and a demonstration of the new MyU portal. A full agenda and a bio of the keynote speaker is available here.
One Stop in homecoming parade
One Stop and LLAS participated in the Homecoming Parade on Friday night, hopefully a factor in the Gophers victory on Saturday that we can repeat next homecoming!
Limited One Stop Service on Oct. 29
The West Bank and St. Paul One Stop Student Services locations will be closed from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Wednesday, October 29 for the ASR staff event. The Science Teaching and Student Services location will be open with full service.
Reminder: Student Veterans Appreciation Event
Come one, come all to the 8th annual Student Veterans Appreciation Event on Thursday, November 6, 2014 from 1-3 p.m. in the Great Hall at Coffman Memorial Union. Say "thank you" to student veterans, grab a slice of pizza, and participate in some carnival games. The event is free and open to the public; no RSVP is required. Can't make it? Stop by our booth to write a thank-you message to our veterans. Dates and locations are available on the One Stop website.
OCM received Access Achievement Award
The Office of Classroom Management (OCM) was recently presented an Access Achievement Award by the Disability Resource center. Here's what the Disability Resource Center had to say about OCM's efforts to ensure that the University's classrooms serve all students:
"We want to recognize the Office of Classroom Management for their attitude toward and pursuit of access. On numerous occasions I've had reason to interact with Classroom Management staff and they have always been ready and willing to help. Even more than being willing, they recognize the importance of access and it shows in their sense of urgency when an accessibility need is raised. I've seen OCM staff drop what they're doing to run and fix a piece of technology in a classroom, and separately, despite the unimaginably complex domino effect, OCM staff have happily and efficiently, rearranged classroom assignments to accommodate accessibility needs. OCM's recognition of the importance and urgency of access are worthy reasons for them to receive this Access Achievement Award."
"We want to recognize the Office of Classroom Management for their attitude toward and pursuit of access. On numerous occasions I've had reason to interact with Classroom Management staff and they have always been ready and willing to help. Even more than being willing, they recognize the importance of access and it shows in their sense of urgency when an accessibility need is raised. I've seen OCM staff drop what they're doing to run and fix a piece of technology in a classroom, and separately, despite the unimaginably complex domino effect, OCM staff have happily and efficiently, rearranged classroom assignments to accommodate accessibility needs. OCM's recognition of the importance and urgency of access are worthy reasons for them to receive this Access Achievement Award."
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Approving employees time and absences in the new MyU
After the Upgrade, supervisors will complete time and/or absence approval electronically, rather than on paper, by logging in to MyU portal. Supervisors will be able to delegate this function where necessary. To preview the process of approving absence/time, please see a short 3-minute sneak peek video. Training and other resources will be available at a later time.
Office of the Registrar now in Salesforce
The Office of the Registrar has transitioned out of ServiceNow and into Salesforce. Emails sent to otr@umn.edu now go into Salesforce rather than creating a ServiceNow incident. If you are a ServiceNow user and have an item for Office of the Registrar or GSSP to handle, please avoid reassigning a ServiceNow incident to them.
Campus climate work group hosts World Café events
The University's Campus Climate work group is hosting a series of World Café events for University staff, students, and faculty to share individual and collective experiences that have made them feel more or less welcome, included, and respected on campus. A staff World Café will take place November 11, 11:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Multipurpose Room 5, Recreation & Wellness Center, East Bank. For more details and to RSVP, visit the Campus Climate website.
Employee engagement survey
The deadline to participate in the Employee Engagement survey is October 31st. Thus far, Office of Undergraduate Education, including ASR, has the highest response rate at the University with 71% of employees responding. The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete and your response is appreciated. For more information, visit the survey website.
Wellness tip: be good to yourself
This issue's wellness tip is about taking care of your physical and mental health, particularly during times of stress, Be Good to Yourself.
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Employee Engagement Survey out Monday
The University of Minnesota will soon begin conducting its second annual E2 Employee Engagement Survey. You should have received an email today (Thursday, October 9) from Mary Stein in Bob McMaster's office with the subject line "IMPORTANT: Employee Engagement Survey." That email contains important information about how to define certain terms used in the survey. If you need that email re-sent to you, please send an email to asrcomm@umn.edu.
Benefits-eligible faculty and staff will receive an email on October 13 from the Hay Group, an external vendor that is administering the survey. Take 10 minutes to share your thoughts about your work and your workplace. All answers are confidential. Your answers will help the University fulfill its teaching and research mission.
If you have any issues with the survey link you receive, contact the Hay Group directly to request a new link at UofMNsurvey.US@haygroup.com. Each survey link is customized and can only be used one time.
More information on engagement is available from the Office of Human Resources.
Benefits-eligible faculty and staff will receive an email on October 13 from the Hay Group, an external vendor that is administering the survey. Take 10 minutes to share your thoughts about your work and your workplace. All answers are confidential. Your answers will help the University fulfill its teaching and research mission.
If you have any issues with the survey link you receive, contact the Hay Group directly to request a new link at UofMNsurvey.US@haygroup.com. Each survey link is customized and can only be used one time.
More information on engagement is available from the Office of Human Resources.
Work tip: SCAMPER - Improving processes and services
SCAMPER: Substitute - Combine - Adapt - Modify - Put to another use - Eliminate - Reverse
Asking questions about existing processes or services using specific prompts will help you come up with creative ideas for developing new processes and for improving current ones.
First, take an existing opportunity that you want to improve, one that you're currently having problems with, or one that you think could be a good starting point for future development. Then, ask questions using the SCAMPER mnemonic to brainstorm as many questions and answers as you can.
Finally, look at the answers that you came up with. Do any stand out as viable solutions?
Sound interesting? Find more here.
Asking questions about existing processes or services using specific prompts will help you come up with creative ideas for developing new processes and for improving current ones.
First, take an existing opportunity that you want to improve, one that you're currently having problems with, or one that you think could be a good starting point for future development. Then, ask questions using the SCAMPER mnemonic to brainstorm as many questions and answers as you can.
- Substitute: What other process could you use?
- Combine: What could you combine to maximize the uses of this process?
- Adapt: How could you adapt or readjust this process to serve another purpose or use?
- Modify: How could you change the shape, look, or feel of your process?
- Put to another use: Can you use this process somewhere else?
- Eliminate: How could you streamline or simplify this process?
- Reverse: What would happen if you reversed this process or sequenced things differently?
Finally, look at the answers that you came up with. Do any stand out as viable solutions?
Sound interesting? Find more here.
Wellness tip: save on your annual UPlan rates
Employees can now save $400 or $600 on their annual UPlan rates, depending on their tier of coverage. UPlan members enrolled in Employee-only or Employee and Children coverage who earn at least 400 wellness points will save $400 on their 2016 annual rates. UPlan members enrolled in Employee and Spouse with or without Children coverage who earn at least 600 points will save $600 on their 2016 rates.
To correspond with the increased UPlan rate savings, the program has increased the points employees can earn with many of the wellness programs. UPlan-covered spouses can now earn up to 200 points for their joint balance, but they are not required to.
To correspond with the increased UPlan rate savings, the program has increased the points employees can earn with many of the wellness programs. UPlan-covered spouses can now earn up to 200 points for their joint balance, but they are not required to.
Brown bag sessions on merit pay increases
You are invited to a brown bag session to hear more about the merit-based performance evaluation system ASR is implementing for civil service and P&A employees. This change is due to a directive from President Kaler and will be implemented during the 2015 review cycle.
Sue Van Voorhis will go over the process and answer questions. Sessions are scheduled for:
Bring your lunch and come hear about the new process!
Sue Van Voorhis will go over the process and answer questions. Sessions are scheduled for:
- Wednesday, Oct. 22, 12-1 p.m. - Williamson 160B (OCM Demo Room)
- Wednesday, Nov. 5, 12-1 p.m. - Fraser B20
Bring your lunch and come hear about the new process!
ASR mini-poll results
Last week's poll asked employees whether or not they agreed with this statement "I understand how ASR supports the overall University mission and goals." 94% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they understood how ASR supports the University's mission and goals.
One respondent said that "We (ASR) are the spine," of the University, while another said that "If I didn't think that the work I do on a daily basis in ASR makes a positive difference in the lives of students, I would not be working here! It is very important to me to be able to make that connection in my work."
Just as a reminder: ASR's mission, vision and Values are posted on the ASR website. The University's history and mission and the University's current vision and goals are also available.
One respondent said that "We (ASR) are the spine," of the University, while another said that "If I didn't think that the work I do on a daily basis in ASR makes a positive difference in the lives of students, I would not be working here! It is very important to me to be able to make that connection in my work."
Just as a reminder: ASR's mission, vision and Values are posted on the ASR website. The University's history and mission and the University's current vision and goals are also available.
SR Training Team preview sessions
In October, the SR Help Training Team is conducting training preview sessions for the Upgrade. They held two sessions the first week of October, with 88 and 105 attendees respectively. This week, they are conducting two more sessions for University staff to learn more about the Upgrade and the avenues for training.
Upgrade testing - please respect your colleagues' time
Employees from across ASR will be performing system testing for the Upgrade over the next several weeks. System testing will require very focused effort - please be courteous to employees that are performing system testing and respect their need for time alone. If you are performing system testing, here are some ideas on how to alert colleagues to your need for privacy:
Disruptions will result in wasted time and effort, so please be sure to avoid interruptions to system testing.
- Hang a sign outside your workspace
- Set your Google chat status to "busy"
- Reserve time for system testing on your calendar
Disruptions will result in wasted time and effort, so please be sure to avoid interruptions to system testing.
ImageNow upgrade
On November 7-9, Collaboration & Web Content Services will upgrade ImageNow to version 6.7. While changes to the user experience will be minimal, it is necessary to upgrade in order to maintain technical support from the vendor. In addition, based on vendor recommendations, the ImageNow infrastructure will be enhanced to conform more closely with industry standards.
The upgrade activities will require down time for the tool. To minimize disruption to University business, the majority of the work will occur over the weekend of Nov 7-9:
Status updates will be provided during the upgrade via IT Service Status. Additional details about the upgrade will be sent to ImageNow users in the near future.
If you have questions about the upgrade or ImageNow, send a message to imagenow-support@umn.edu.
The upgrade activities will require down time for the tool. To minimize disruption to University business, the majority of the work will occur over the weekend of Nov 7-9:
Status updates will be provided during the upgrade via IT Service Status. Additional details about the upgrade will be sent to ImageNow users in the near future.
If you have questions about the upgrade or ImageNow, send a message to imagenow-support@umn.edu.
Reporting hours, vacation and leave time after the Upgrade
To learn how you will report absences electronically after the Upgrade, please watch a short 3-minute sneak peek video about the process.
If you are are a full-time civil service or labor-represented employee who earns approved overtime or shift differential, please also watch the sneak peek on electronic time reporting (for overtime and shift differential).
Both electronic processes will offer easy, streamlined, and ink-free ways to report absences and overtime.
If you are are a full-time civil service or labor-represented employee who earns approved overtime or shift differential, please also watch the sneak peek on electronic time reporting (for overtime and shift differential).
Both electronic processes will offer easy, streamlined, and ink-free ways to report absences and overtime.
Community Fund Drive - donate now!
There are several ways to participate in the University's community fund drive:
Visit the University's Community Fund Drive donation page. Click the "Donate Now!" link in the upper right to make a donation. If you are not able to donate this year, or if you donate in some other way, you can still be be entered in the prize drawings by clicking the "Donate Now!" button < "donate on line" < scroll to the bottom of the page and click the box next to "Can't pledge this year, but want to be included in the prize drawings?"
You can also participate in the ASR Penny War. The ASR penny war will run October 6-24. Building winners will be revealed at the October 29 ASR Staff Event. Collection jars will be available in these buildings:
Please remember: the value of pennies collected by a building count positively toward that building's point total, while the value of other coins or dollar bills are subtracted from that building's point total. So, putting pennies in your building's jar while putting other coins and dollar bills in other building's collection jars would be a winning strategy.
Visit the University's Community Fund Drive donation page. Click the "Donate Now!" link in the upper right to make a donation. If you are not able to donate this year, or if you donate in some other way, you can still be be entered in the prize drawings by clicking the "Donate Now!" button < "donate on line" < scroll to the bottom of the page and click the box next to "Can't pledge this year, but want to be included in the prize drawings?"
You can also participate in the ASR Penny War. The ASR penny war will run October 6-24. Building winners will be revealed at the October 29 ASR Staff Event. Collection jars will be available in these buildings:
- Coffey - commons area, room 130
- Fraser - commons area near 261
- STSS - kitchenette, room 211G and
- Williamson - kitchenette, room 160K
Please remember: the value of pennies collected by a building count positively toward that building's point total, while the value of other coins or dollar bills are subtracted from that building's point total. So, putting pennies in your building's jar while putting other coins and dollar bills in other building's collection jars would be a winning strategy.
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Administrative degree clearance procedure
The final touches are being added to the Administrative Degree Clearance Procedure. This document will give colleges step-by-step instructions on what they can do to clear a student for his/her degree without the student formally applying for the degree. This procedure will streamline processes for the college advising units while covering all necessary compliance related issues that go along with clearing students for degrees.
Scheduling U
The Office of Classroom Management is hosting Scheduling U for all schedulers this fall. Sessions will be held October 27-31. Offerings will take place on both Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses. Also in OCM, ECS is now open for May/summer 2015 class scheduling. More information is available on the OCM website Production Calendar.
ESUP Readiness FCoP
The IT@UMN community kicked off an important new Formal Community of Practice (FCoP), the [ESUP Readiness FCoP](http://umn.us7.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=5dd536ff7b9236fb36061b97a&id=ab106f8d2f&e=0226761df0). The community has three affinity groups -- teams with specific tasks that contribute to the FCoP's goal -- including [Change Management](http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fumn.us7.list-manage1.com%2Ftrack%2Fclick%3Fu%3D5dd536ff7b9236fb36061b97a%26id%3D6e270d65e5%26e%3D0226761df0&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEJK8bBvI7j9xfngd8nIeyzIVqRLQ), [Computer and Device Support](http://umn.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5dd536ff7b9236fb36061b97a&id=5df4177eb1&e=0226761df0), and [Tertiary Systems (IDEAA)](http://umn.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=5dd536ff7b9236fb36061b97a&id=096ef786b5&e=0226761df0). If you're interested in being a part of the community, you may wish to attend the second meeting on Thursday, October 2 at 2 p.m. in room 50B of the Humphrey Center.
Changes to Graduate Student Services & Progress customer service model
Graduate Student Services & Progress (GSSP) is undergoing some changes to their staffing and customer service model. These changes will allow GSSP staff to continue to provide exceptional, timely customer service while streamlining points of contact (e.g., walk-in, phone, email).
Effective September 8, GSSP began their new phone answering system, utilizing Auto Call Distribution (ACD) functionality. This allows up to five people to call the main number (612-625-3490) at the same time. If that line is busy, they will will be able to hold to speak to someone on that same line (it won't go to voicemail). Calls will be answered in the order they are received.
Additionally, GSSP will be transitioning out of ServiceNow and into Salesforce. With the transition to Salesforce, there will no longer be "tickets" (incidents) when sending an email to gssp@umn.edu. Also, all interactions will now be logged on the student or staff members record for historical reference. Inquiries for GSSP should still be sent to gssp@umn.edu.
Effective September 8, GSSP began their new phone answering system, utilizing Auto Call Distribution (ACD) functionality. This allows up to five people to call the main number (612-625-3490) at the same time. If that line is busy, they will will be able to hold to speak to someone on that same line (it won't go to voicemail). Calls will be answered in the order they are received.
Additionally, GSSP will be transitioning out of ServiceNow and into Salesforce. With the transition to Salesforce, there will no longer be "tickets" (incidents) when sending an email to gssp@umn.edu. Also, all interactions will now be logged on the student or staff members record for historical reference. Inquiries for GSSP should still be sent to gssp@umn.edu.
Office of Classroom Management receives recognition from Disability Resources
The Disability Resource Center will be honoring OCM with a 2014 Access
Achievement Award. The award celebrates OCM staff who go above and beyond to make the University accessible to students, faculty and staff.
Achievement Award. The award celebrates OCM staff who go above and beyond to make the University accessible to students, faculty and staff.
ASR Mini-Poll #6
This week's mini-poll asks whether you understand how ASR supports the overall University mission and goals. Please take a few moments to respond - it should take less than a minute.
Thanks to everyone that participated in the last News & Notes poll. Several thoughtful ideas for improving teamwork were submitted. A few of the more common ideas:
Moving forward, we will give survey respondents the ability to include additional comments with their response. So, if you have ideas for implementing any of the suggestions above, please include them with your survey response.
Finally, "Top Pop Hits" edged "Minnesota Music" in the vote to determine which type of music we'll listen to before the October staff event. Good thing for Minnesota music lovers that Prince fits in both categories.
Thanks to everyone that participated in the last News & Notes poll. Several thoughtful ideas for improving teamwork were submitted. A few of the more common ideas:
- More cross-training
- More opportunities for cross-departmental work
- More team/social events
- Better understanding of individual work styles
- More positivity/less negativity/blame
Moving forward, we will give survey respondents the ability to include additional comments with their response. So, if you have ideas for implementing any of the suggestions above, please include them with your survey response.
Finally, "Top Pop Hits" edged "Minnesota Music" in the vote to determine which type of music we'll listen to before the October staff event. Good thing for Minnesota music lovers that Prince fits in both categories.
Is your University personal information current?
You can keep your personal information up to date with the University by using Employee Self-Service and selecting "Personal Information Update." There, you can update your emergency contact information, home address, and phone numbers. If you need to change beneficiaries on your life insurance or retirement benefits, call 612-624-UOHR (612-624-8647) to reach Benefits Assistance.
HRMS changes for staff
One of the biggest changes in the University's Human Resources Management System Upgrade from PeopleSoft 8.9 to 9.2, is that employees who currently report their time and absences on paper will instead do so electronically. Supervisors that currently review and approve time or absences will do so electronically by after go-live. In the coming weeks, you will receive periodic messages that will provide more information regarding the upcoming changes, training and how-to resources. Meanwhile, more information including sneak peeks about the HRMS changes are available at The Upgrade Blog.
Communications tool ExactTarget
The University has launched a new mass email distribution system, ExactTarget, which will replace Lyris once the system-wide rollout is complete. Roll-out of ExactTarget has begun and we anticipate that the ASR Communications Team will transition from Lyris to ExactTarget this fall. The Communications Team and Web Team are also preparing for the University's retirement of the UThink blog platform.
Non-credit registration implementation
The contract with Destiny One, the vendor for non-credit registration, is almost finalized and and staff have been hired for the project: Santiago Fernandez-Gimenez as project manager and AHC liaison, Sandy Nelson as a solutions trainer, and Brian Knutson and Theresa Hillesheim as business analysts.
One Stop parent survey
Parents who responded to a survey about One Stop's presentation at Parent Orientation was very positive. When asked if the One Stop website provided the tools to help find crucial financial information, 96.1% agreed or strongly agreed that it did while 98.5% agreed or strongly agreed that One Stop gave them an awareness of student record privacy and how to gain access to student information.
One Stop customer relations representatives
The new staffing model in One Stop leveraging student workers is exceeding expectations. The student customer relations representatives (CRRs) are answering questions, solving problems, and receiving some great feedback from other students and parents. They were able to handle 30% of the total call volume during the first two weeks of classes.
Save the date: Veterans Appreciation Event
University students and staff are invited to attend the 8th annual Student Veterans Appreciation Day on Thursday, November 6, 2014 from 1-3 p.m. at Coffman Memorial Union. This event is free and open to the public.
Flu shots
Boynton Health Services is offering free flu shots at Flu Vaccination Clinics this fall. More information about the benefits of flu shots, clinic times and locations, and online sign-up is available here. UPlan members can earn wellness points for flu shots.
Thursday, September 11, 2014
ASR employee mini-survey #5
This week's question is important and we didn't want to limit your answers, so we left it open-ended. Please take a few moments to share your ideas on how teamwork can be improved in both your individual department and in ASR as a whole. ASR poll questions are always anonymous, so please feel free to respond as you see fit.
Last issue's poll asked if respondents felt communication within their department was effective. Overall, 65% of respondents felt that it was, 24% didn't feel strongly either way and 11% felt that it was not effective.
The last poll also determined which decade's music we'd be listening to prior to the ASR staff event in October. It was a very close vote. The 60's and 90's both had strong support, but not strong enough to put them in the top three. The top three of the 70's, 80's and 2010-now all finished within three votes of one another. Take this week’s poll question to find out which decade came out on top.
Last issue's poll asked if respondents felt communication within their department was effective. Overall, 65% of respondents felt that it was, 24% didn't feel strongly either way and 11% felt that it was not effective.
The last poll also determined which decade's music we'd be listening to prior to the ASR staff event in October. It was a very close vote. The 60's and 90's both had strong support, but not strong enough to put them in the top three. The top three of the 70's, 80's and 2010-now all finished within three votes of one another. Take this week’s poll question to find out which decade came out on top.
International students utilizing new payment option
International students have been using peerTransfer, the University's new international payment servicer, during the current billing cycle. So far, approximately $1,175,000 has been applied to student accounts through peerTransfer. A total of 111 students have made payments through peerTransfer; those students transferred money from 27 different countries using 13 different currencies.
New phone scam
An ASR employee recently received a suspicious phone call where the caller ID came up as "US Government." When the employee answered, someone claiming to be a police officer from New York threatened to arrest the employee. While doing so, the caller brought up public information about the employee that may have been accessed through the University's website. No private personal information about the employee was mentioned. The employee filed a report with the University of Minnesota Police Department and wanted to make the rest of ASR aware in case anyone experiences something similar. The University of Minnesota Police Department can be contacted at 612-624-COPS (2677).
OIT Outstanding Service Awards
Congratulations to Aileen Lively and Toni Pangborn who both won IT Outstanding Service Awards!
Summer classroom renovations and updates
Several general purpose classrooms received environment or technology updates during the summer. Magrath 4, Peik 165, and Peters 145 were upgraded to full video conferencing and class capture capabilities. Major renovations were conducted in Amundson B75, Smith 231 & 331, and Blegen 415, 425, and 435. These rooms received new furniture, finishes, and lighting updates. Technology feature upgrades were completed in more than 50 rooms. Room features can be found on the room inventory page.
Additionally, the Keller Atrium and Humphrey 50 were added to the inventory of study spaces and completely renovated. New fixtures include display monitors and tables for individual study and small group work.
Additionally, the Keller Atrium and Humphrey 50 were added to the inventory of study spaces and completely renovated. New fixtures include display monitors and tables for individual study and small group work.
One Stop and the first week of the semester
The first week of the semester proved to be extremely busy for the One Stop staff. In just the first week alone (Sept. 2-5):
The top 5 CRM categories were:
- 2,381 calls were answered (average wait time was 3:46 minutes)
- 2,310 emails sent
- Walk-ins
- 3,077 (STSS One Stop; HelpingU desk; Veterans Services)
- 193 (St. Paul)
- 414 (West Bank)
- 3,077 (STSS One Stop; HelpingU desk; Veterans Services)
The top 5 CRM categories were:
- Student account (billing/payment): 698
- Financial aid (loans): 594
- Financial aid (packaging): 351
- Student Accounts (refunds): 192
- Financial Aid (Disbursement): 115
Healthy Cooking Class
The College of Continuing Education is now offering multiple sessions of a 7-week course, Healthy Foods, Healthy Lives - Cooking for Wellness. UPlan members may be reimbursed for $200 of the $210 course fee and earn 50 Wellness Points; more information is available here.
Work Tip: Avoid Meeting Pitfalls
Meetings can often be the most effective way to communicate to a group or solve a problem. Other times, they can zap participants' energy. The ASR Project Management Round Table identified some common meeting pitfalls and tips to avoid them. Try out some of the suggestions for your next meeting!
1. Solicit feedback from the group before a meeting. Define what needs to be addressed, who needs to be involved, and the best format to address the problem before the meeting.
2. Always have an agenda that attendees can review before the meeting. Plan for how long each topic should be discussed.
3. Call for agenda items before a status meeting/check-in. Are there topics to discuss? If not, cancel the meeting.
4. Assess the value of standing meetings on a regular basis and make adjustments accordingly. Can your weekly meeting become a bi-weekly?
5. Try switching your Google Calendar settings to default to 50 minutes. You will likely be able to accomplish in 50 minutes what is typically scheduled for an hour.
6. Respect the meeting constraints. Do what you can to start and end on time.
7. Be a courteous scheduler. Check where participants are traveling from before you schedule them. You can't start your meeting on time if everyone arrives late.
8. Exercise defensive calendaring by blocking off travel time between meetings.
9. If needed, delegate roles in the meeting. For example, if you are facilitating, ask another participant to handle the Google Hangout or take notes.
1. Solicit feedback from the group before a meeting. Define what needs to be addressed, who needs to be involved, and the best format to address the problem before the meeting.
2. Always have an agenda that attendees can review before the meeting. Plan for how long each topic should be discussed.
3. Call for agenda items before a status meeting/check-in. Are there topics to discuss? If not, cancel the meeting.
4. Assess the value of standing meetings on a regular basis and make adjustments accordingly. Can your weekly meeting become a bi-weekly?
5. Try switching your Google Calendar settings to default to 50 minutes. You will likely be able to accomplish in 50 minutes what is typically scheduled for an hour.
6. Respect the meeting constraints. Do what you can to start and end on time.
7. Be a courteous scheduler. Check where participants are traveling from before you schedule them. You can't start your meeting on time if everyone arrives late.
8. Exercise defensive calendaring by blocking off travel time between meetings.
9. If needed, delegate roles in the meeting. For example, if you are facilitating, ask another participant to handle the Google Hangout or take notes.
Something Fun!
Need a moment of fun or a stress reliever now that the term has started? We recommend a moment of watching tiny hamsters eating tiny burritos.
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Appraise vs. Apprise
Sometimes similar sounding words get used interchangeably, even when they have different meanings. For example, appraise and apprise have different meanings despite their similar sound. Appraise means to estimate the monetary value of something (appraise the value of a house, for example) or to estimate the importance of something (such as to appraise the writing of Shakespeare). Apprise, on the other hand, means to give notice to or inform (for instance, to be apprised of a friend's travel plans).
Bike to work
The University has many resources to consult for biking to work. Biking to work can improve fitness and help you earn wellness points; you can earn 75 wellness points in the Bicycle Commuter Program. Bicyclists who ride to work three or more days per week are also eligible for Metro Transit's Guaranteed Ride Home Program. Registered participants can request reimbursements up to four times per year or $100 in value, whichever comes first, for eligible trips with valid documentation.
UCard
As the building access pilot program has been rolled out, several building UCard sensors have been replaced with proximity sensors rather than a card swipe device. If you have small orange letters and numbers on the back of your UCard, it will work with proximity sensors. To obtain an updated card, visit a UCard office. If you need your access adjusted as an ASR staff member, contact the access coordinator for your building.
Phishing scams
Phishing (pronounced "fishing") is a type of scam that can lead to identity theft by stealing your personal data or information such as credit card numbers, account IDs and passwords, and other account data. It can also pose a risk to the University by providing access to University systems or data. Most often, phishing scams use email that entice people to provide their personal information on fraudulent web sites. There are also telephone scams and other email scams that work with Google calendar. If you receive email that appears to be a phishing scam, you can check the University’s phishing blog. If you receive a phishing email that is not listed on the blog, forward the message to phishing@umn.edu.
Microsoft Office for Students
Beginning August 22, registered University students can download Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus at no charge (the regular price is typically about $80 for college students). The software package includes Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Publisher, and OneNote. To learn more, and download the software if you are a student, visit http://z.umn.edu/msoffice.
Portal Project Team Conducts Usability Evaluation on New MyU
The MyU portal project team recently conducted usability on the new MyU with 24 total evaluators; 12 staff members and 12 students (about half undergraduates and half graduate students). The new MyU’s combination of self-service access and information was seen as a positive improvement by students. The majority of students were able to successfully complete all the assigned tasks, and the names of the self-service tabs also resonated well. The most frequently chosen phrases to describe the portal were: “Clean,” “Easy to Use,” “Straightforward,” “Informative,” and “Understandable.” There were some usability issues discovered, which the team has analyzed and prioritized for fixing. The portal team will return to the usability lab in October to evaluate MyU with faculty and advisers.
Office of Classroom Management Releasing Reserved Seats
Collegiate staff have been asked to release reserved group seats by Friday, August 29th. Seats that have not been released by the deadline will be released by OCM, which allows students to enroll who do not meet the reserved seat capacity restrictions. Guidelines for the Management of Reserved Group Seats are available to help department schedulers determine the appropriate release date.
ASR employee mini-survey #4
This week's poll asks whether communication in your department is effective, then gives you the chance to weigh in on the sort of music you would like to hear at the October 29 ASR staff event. Please tell us what you think.
The previous poll question asked whether you would attend a “brown bag” session for ASR staff about ESUP and what topics you would like covered. 40% of respondents said they were likely to attend a brown bag session and another 6% said they were undecided. Many respondents indicated they already feel very well informed, but several topics were suggested including the student experience in the portal, an overview of the training plan, overviews of what's changing, and information about time and absence management for staff and managers. Watch for more information to come about brown bag sessions for ASR staff.
Thursday, August 14, 2014
ASR raises over $800 for student scholarship
Thank you to everyone who donated items, time, and money to the ASR Auction. Together, we raised over $800 to go towards an existing student scholarship. Winners will be announced by end of day today (Thursday). Again, thank you for a great auction!
University email signature standard
In an effort to establish consistency in the way we all share contact information with our audiences, an email signature standard has been developed by University Relations. Please note that this standard is based on email signature best practices and does not allow for the addition of graphics or images.
To use, select the version that best applies to your situation. To use the template:
OPTIONS:
1 unit
Jane Doe
Multimedia Designer | Government Relations | govrelations.umn.edu
University of Minnesota | umn.edu
janedoe@umn.edu | 612-624-9098 | c. 612-555-5555
- -
+ 2 units
John Doe
Senior Public Relations Consultant | Information Technology | oit.umn.edu
Director of Student Communications | Office for Student Affairs | www.osa.umn.edu
University of Minnesota | umn.edu
johndoe@umn.edu | 612-624-3302
- -
+ address
John Doe
Senior Public Relations Consultant | Information Technology | oit.umn.edu
2218 University Ave, Suite 305
University of Minnesota | umn.edu
johndoe@umn.edu | 612-624-3302
- -
+ address + office hours
John Doe
Senior Public Relations Consultant | Information Technology | oit.umn.edu
2218 University Ave, Suite 305 | Office hours: MWF 3-6pm, Tu 2-4pm
University of Minnesota | umn.edu
johndoe@umn.edu | 612-624-3302
- -
+ 2 units + 2 addresses + office hours
John Doe
Senior Public Relations Consultant | Information Technology | oit.umn.edu
2218 University Ave, Suite 305 | Office hours: MWF 3-6pm, Tu 2-4pm
Director of Student Communications | Office for Student Affairs | www.osa.umn.edu
100 Church Street, Rm 4 | Office hours: MWF 3-6pm, Tu 2-4pm
University of Minnesota | umn.edu
johndoe@umn.edu | 612-624-3302
To use, select the version that best applies to your situation. To use the template:
- Copy the selected version
- Open your email settings and go to the "signature" section
- Paste your selected email version into the "signature" section
- Customize your information
- Click "Save changes" at bottom of screen
OPTIONS:
1 unit
Jane Doe
Multimedia Designer | Government Relations | govrelations.umn.edu
University of Minnesota | umn.edu
janedoe@umn.edu | 612-624-9098 | c. 612-555-5555
- -
+ 2 units
John Doe
Senior Public Relations Consultant | Information Technology | oit.umn.edu
Director of Student Communications | Office for Student Affairs | www.osa.umn.edu
University of Minnesota | umn.edu
johndoe@umn.edu | 612-624-3302
- -
+ address
John Doe
Senior Public Relations Consultant | Information Technology | oit.umn.edu
2218 University Ave, Suite 305
University of Minnesota | umn.edu
johndoe@umn.edu | 612-624-3302
- -
+ address + office hours
John Doe
Senior Public Relations Consultant | Information Technology | oit.umn.edu
2218 University Ave, Suite 305 | Office hours: MWF 3-6pm, Tu 2-4pm
University of Minnesota | umn.edu
johndoe@umn.edu | 612-624-3302
- -
+ 2 units + 2 addresses + office hours
John Doe
Senior Public Relations Consultant | Information Technology | oit.umn.edu
2218 University Ave, Suite 305 | Office hours: MWF 3-6pm, Tu 2-4pm
Director of Student Communications | Office for Student Affairs | www.osa.umn.edu
100 Church Street, Rm 4 | Office hours: MWF 3-6pm, Tu 2-4pm
University of Minnesota | umn.edu
johndoe@umn.edu | 612-624-3302
Welcome Week
The start of the school year is just around the corner - but first, Welcome Week! The Class of 2018 will participate in on- and off-campus activities August 27-September 1. The Live Like a Student (LLAS) team will lead a game show providing tips and tricks to help students be savvy with their money during their time at the University. If you are interested in attending one of the game show sessions, please contact Nate Peterson at pete2787@umn.edu.
Wellness tip: Earn your Wellness Program points
We want to make you aware of the August 31 deadline to earn your Wellness Program points to secure a $300 or $400 reduction of your 2015 medical program rates.
UPlan members with single coverage or dependent children coverage need to earn the full 300 points to save $300 on their 2015 yearly insurance premium while members claiming a spouse or family coverage need to earn the full 400 points to save $400 on their 2015 premiums. Check your current Wellness Points balance by accessing your personal profile on the StayWell Online portal.
UPlan members with single coverage or dependent children coverage need to earn the full 300 points to save $300 on their 2015 yearly insurance premium while members claiming a spouse or family coverage need to earn the full 400 points to save $400 on their 2015 premiums. Check your current Wellness Points balance by accessing your personal profile on the StayWell Online portal.
Work tip: Easy meeting warm-ups
It's always good to start a meeting on the right foot by getting everyone comfortable and engaged in the beginning. Give one of these quick and easy meeting warm-ups a try.
If you are interested in more tools, tips, and advice for planning and executing effective meetings, join the Project and Work Facilitation Unit for the next project management round table on Thursday, August 21 at 3:30 p.m. Contact Kristy Davis (kldavis@umn.edu) or Christa Nicols (nicol072@umn.edu) if you are interested.
- Opinion: Write the words "agree," "disagree," "strongly agree" and "strongly disagree" on large pieces of paper. Place each poster in an obvious spot somewhere in the room, preferably on a wall. Then make a statement such as "we all like spinach" and have everybody move to the part of the room that matches their opinion. Try creating opinions that relate to the theme of the meeting.
Critical Questions: In a small group, ask everyone to identify two questions they hope to have answered during the presentation or session; in a large group, select volunteers to ask the questions or identify objectives.
True or False: Have participants say three things about themselves - two true and one false. Other participants guess what the lie is. The correct guesser goes next.
If you are interested in more tools, tips, and advice for planning and executing effective meetings, join the Project and Work Facilitation Unit for the next project management round table on Thursday, August 21 at 3:30 p.m. Contact Kristy Davis (kldavis@umn.edu) or Christa Nicols (nicol072@umn.edu) if you are interested.
ASR fun calendar
ASR has created a google calendar for social or fun events that ASR staff may be interested in. To view the calendar, search for ASRfun. Adding events to the calendar works much like adding a conference room - make an appointment on your own calendar and invite ASRfun@umn.edu as a guest. If you see an event on the calendar that you would like to join, contact the meeting host.
Please be considerate of your fellow ASR members and remember to cancel or update events if needed. Also, events should be for learning or social events; not for fundraising or solicitations.
Any questions? Email ASRfun@umn.edu. Thanks!
Please be considerate of your fellow ASR members and remember to cancel or update events if needed. Also, events should be for learning or social events; not for fundraising or solicitations.
Any questions? Email ASRfun@umn.edu. Thanks!
Reminder: withdraw deadline
Students may now withdraw from classes without collegiate approval prior to November 10, the first day of the tenth week of class. Previously, students could withdraw without collegiate approval prior to the eighth week of class. Deadlines for cancelling or adding classes are available on the One Stop website.
Saints Tickets
Because the June employee event at the St. Paul Saints was cancelled due to weather, ASR has tickets available. ASR employees who are interested in attending a St. Paul Saints game this season may contact Debbie. Tickets are available to employees on a first-come first-served basis.
Veterans changes
As of August 1, graduate and professional student veterans will now receive in-state tuition. This is a Legislative change that went through over the summer and is true for all system campuses. To receive the waiver, students must provide proof of service to University Veterans Services.
Additionally as of August 1, tuition refunds for students with dependent children will be granted for those that are impacted by their spouse's military deployment and required to withdraw from courses. Students with dependents should contact their campus veteran services office for guidance regarding enrollment and tuition refunds when impacted by a spouse's military deployment.
Additionally as of August 1, tuition refunds for students with dependent children will be granted for those that are impacted by their spouse's military deployment and required to withdraw from courses. Students with dependents should contact their campus veteran services office for guidance regarding enrollment and tuition refunds when impacted by a spouse's military deployment.
Google Hangouts upgrades
The University upgraded its version of Google Hangouts on July 30, making it more similar to the public version. Existing University Gmail accounts have the option to keep the older version of Google+ Hangouts or opt in to the new one. To opt in via the Gmail interface, just click your profile photo at the top of your chat list and click "try the new Hangouts."
One change is that chat "off the record" is now the default. Chatting "off the record" means that the text from your chat will not be saved to a folder. If you want a record of your chat to be saved to your "chats" folder, you can manually select to go "on the record." All parties engaged in an on-the-record chat session will see a notification of that status in the chat window.
Also, with the new version chat status no longer available. Instead, you will be able to share your "mood" using emoticons. To learn more about the new Google+ Hangouts, visit Google's informational web page.
One change is that chat "off the record" is now the default. Chatting "off the record" means that the text from your chat will not be saved to a folder. If you want a record of your chat to be saved to your "chats" folder, you can manually select to go "on the record." All parties engaged in an on-the-record chat session will see a notification of that status in the chat window.
Also, with the new version chat status no longer available. Instead, you will be able to share your "mood" using emoticons. To learn more about the new Google+ Hangouts, visit Google's informational web page.
ServiceNow licenses at the University
OIT has been working with ServiceNow over the past six months to renew the University's contract. Like many vendors, ServiceNow wants to increase costs to the University per license. The University is working to save money by right-sizing its license usage.
As part of this process, changes are anticipated to Tier 3 escalation and to license management. The ServiceNow FAQ contains answers to common questions, including a reinforcement that IT@UMN remains committed to a shared IT Service Management (ITSM) tool. On August 20, ServiceNow will poll ServiceNow license usage and set the licensing floor.
As part of this process, changes are anticipated to Tier 3 escalation and to license management. The ServiceNow FAQ contains answers to common questions, including a reinforcement that IT@UMN remains committed to a shared IT Service Management (ITSM) tool. On August 20, ServiceNow will poll ServiceNow license usage and set the licensing floor.
ASR Mini-Poll #3
This issue's poll is about a potential brown bag session for ASR staff. Please give us your feedback at https://umn.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_6XQXm0ZhtEDiLo9.
Most respondents to last week's survey feel that their supervisor is helpful. Forty percent of respondents strongly agree and thirty four percent of respondents agree that their supervisors help with things like problem-solving, time management, and achieving work-life balance. Fifteen percent of respondents were neutral, while ten percent disagreed and two percent strongly disagreed. Sixty four ASR employees answered last week's survey question.
Most respondents to last week's survey feel that their supervisor is helpful. Forty percent of respondents strongly agree and thirty four percent of respondents agree that their supervisors help with things like problem-solving, time management, and achieving work-life balance. Fifteen percent of respondents were neutral, while ten percent disagreed and two percent strongly disagreed. Sixty four ASR employees answered last week's survey question.
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Wellness tip: Boynton Health Screenings
Boynton Health Service has added two clinics in August for Biometric Health Screening. To register for a clinic, visit the Boynton website. The health screenings take 15-20 minutes, are offered at no cost to UPlan members, and help you earn Wellness Points. If you earn enough wellness points by August 31st, you may qualify for a reduced premium on your UPlan medical coverage next year.
Work Tip: the SCARF model
Status-Certainty-Autonomy-Relatedness-Fairness (SCARF) is the brain-based model for collaborating with and influencing others. Understanding this can help individuals and organizations function more effectively by reducing conflicts and increasing engagement.
The model was developed by leadership coach and author David Rock, who published an article about SCARF in the NeuroLeadership Journal. Rosie Barry, the assistant director of Organizational Effectiveness here at the University, summarized Rock's findings in a recent presentation, "Building Resilience in the Workplace."
The model was developed by leadership coach and author David Rock, who published an article about SCARF in the NeuroLeadership Journal. Rosie Barry, the assistant director of Organizational Effectiveness here at the University, summarized Rock's findings in a recent presentation, "Building Resilience in the Workplace."
New staff member in GSSP
Chris Abts has accepted the position of Student Personnel Coordinator in Graduate Student Services & Progress (GSSP). He will be replacing Stacia Madsen, who is now the lead business analyst for the Academic Advisement module. Chris previously worked at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and as a social studies teacher. His first day will be August 11.
Communications Team update
If you have a project for the ASR Communications Team, please send an email to asrcomm@umn.edu. This will create a ServiceNow ticket and no special form is required. If you intend the project for a specific person on the team, please feel free to mention that in your email. Thank you for helping us track our projects, ensure needs are met, and provide effective service!
University Strategic Planning
The University's Strategic Planning Workgroup will be hosting a listening session to share its work so far and solicit feedback. The session will be held on Tuesday, August 12, 11 a.m.-noon, in the McNamara Center/Ski-U-Mah Room.
New One Stop counselors and customer relations representatives
One Stop Student Services is buzzing with many new faces. Six new One Stop counselors recently started and began their training program last week. Please welcome Darcy Fastener, Diana Geisinger, Shawn Hennessy, Andy Hoeveler, Richard Zmudzien, and Kristin Kvam.
One Stop's new student workers, the customer relations representatives (CRR), have completed three weeks of training and are transitioning to answering customer calls under the supervision of One Stop counselors. One Stop's phone system now prompts customers to indicate a service preference: "1" for general questions or "2" for specific account questions. Early impressions of the transition have been positive, and CRRs will transition to answer the general questions line independently as they build experience.
Meanwhile, One Stop has been busy with customer contact related to the electronic Financial Aid Award Notice (eFAAN). The top three categories of discussion last week were financial aid packaging, loans, and billing/payment. Last week, One Stop logged 4,090 cases in Salesforce.
One Stop's new student workers, the customer relations representatives (CRR), have completed three weeks of training and are transitioning to answering customer calls under the supervision of One Stop counselors. One Stop's phone system now prompts customers to indicate a service preference: "1" for general questions or "2" for specific account questions. Early impressions of the transition have been positive, and CRRs will transition to answer the general questions line independently as they build experience.
Meanwhile, One Stop has been busy with customer contact related to the electronic Financial Aid Award Notice (eFAAN). The top three categories of discussion last week were financial aid packaging, loans, and billing/payment. Last week, One Stop logged 4,090 cases in Salesforce.
Live Like a Student presents to student athletes about financial literacy
Nate Peterson, assistant director of One Stop Student Services, and Molly Nelson, financial aid coordinator for student athletes, gave a presentation to the University of Minnesota football team about financial aid and financial literacy. This is the first time that Live Like a Student (LLAS) has been invited to speak with a varsity athletics team.
LLAS is also busy preparing for its annual Welcome Week presentation, where 5,500 incoming first year students and 400 incoming transfer students learn about LLAS and ways to save money during college.
LLAS is also busy preparing for its annual Welcome Week presentation, where 5,500 incoming first year students and 400 incoming transfer students learn about LLAS and ways to save money during college.
Registrar and Office of Classroom Management joint meetings for colleges
Ingrid Nuttall, Sarah Kussow, and John Vollum have been presenting to colleges regarding academic process changes resulting from ESUP, including changes to class scheduling, wait lists, grading, and the retirement of course guide.
The meetings are designed to help colleges understand how these changes will impact them, share best practices for applying new processes, provide information about how and when to access training and other information, and uncover potential issues and related challenges specific to colleges and programs. Meetings have already been held with the Law School, College of Design, and College of Liberal Arts.
The meetings are designed to help colleges understand how these changes will impact them, share best practices for applying new processes, provide information about how and when to access training and other information, and uncover potential issues and related challenges specific to colleges and programs. Meetings have already been held with the Law School, College of Design, and College of Liberal Arts.
ASR BBQ & Silent Auction
The ASR BBQ and silent auction fundraiser is coming up! Mark your calendars for August 14, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., behind Fraser Hall.
Please consider donating a purchased or hand-crafted item, or sharing your time and talents. Donations to the silent auction are being accepted by Mara Schneider now through August 12.
Items and services up for auction can be viewed on the ASR Instagram account.
Please consider donating a purchased or hand-crafted item, or sharing your time and talents. Donations to the silent auction are being accepted by Mara Schneider now through August 12.
Items and services up for auction can be viewed on the ASR Instagram account.
ASR Employee Mini-Survey #2
Please take a moment to rate the helpfulness of your supervisor.
All responses are anonymous; if you have ideas for questions you'd like to see here or other ideas for improving the ASR employee mini-survey please submit them through the ASR comment box.
According to last week's survey, most ASR employees feel as though they are receiving adequate training. Eighty three percent of respondents either agreed or strongly agreed they they have received the training they needed to do their jobs. Seventeen percent neither agreed nor disagreed, while no respondents disagreed or strongly disagreed.
Bagels were the runaway winner in the breakfast treat vote, completely dominating coffee with 81% of the overall vote total. Keep an eye out for an email announcing the date that those will be available.
All responses are anonymous; if you have ideas for questions you'd like to see here or other ideas for improving the ASR employee mini-survey please submit them through the ASR comment box.
According to last week's survey, most ASR employees feel as though they are receiving adequate training. Eighty three percent of respondents either agreed or strongly agreed they they have received the training they needed to do their jobs. Seventeen percent neither agreed nor disagreed, while no respondents disagreed or strongly disagreed.
Bagels were the runaway winner in the breakfast treat vote, completely dominating coffee with 81% of the overall vote total. Keep an eye out for an email announcing the date that those will be available.
Friday, July 18, 2014
peerTransfer now live
The University now offers international students a new way to make tuition payments through the use of peerTransfer. The service will allow students to pay the University from bank accounts in their country of origin without having to arrange for a wire transfer or pay bank transfer fees. Students will transfer money from a bank account in their home country to peerTransfer, and peerTransfer will then transfer the money to the University on behalf of the student. Foreign exchange rates offered through peerTransfer are typically better than those offered by banks.
Newly enhanced classroom support hotline
The Office of Classroom Management (OCM) hotline has been enhanced to align with University-wide support services and has expanded the hours of availability for technology services. While the phone number will remain the same (612-625-1086), callers will be prompted to select from a menu of options that allow you to reach the support staff who are best able to meet your needs.
Technology calls will be routed to a team of support professionals who are available 24 hours a day. OCM support staff remain available for all other classroom and scheduling-related calls from 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m., Monday - Friday.
Technology calls will be routed to a team of support professionals who are available 24 hours a day. OCM support staff remain available for all other classroom and scheduling-related calls from 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m., Monday - Friday.
ASR poll participation
As mentioned in the previous issue of News & Notes, we'll be featuring poll questions in order to elicit feedback on ASR matters. This week, we're asking a more serious question in addition to something fun. Questions are being included in News & Notes rather than in a larger employee survey; however, ASR directors are still very interested in receiving feedback from staff about what is going well and what can be improved upon. We're hoping this new delivery format will encourage more staff to complete the survey questions so we can continue to improve ASR. If there is a significant drop in the response rate, though, we may need to revert to the previous format.
Our inaugural poll question asked whether you preferred donuts or cookies as office treats. Donuts edged out cookies by nine votes with a final count of 36 to 27. Stay tuned for when donuts will be making an appearance in your area!
All responses are anonymous. If you have ideas for questions you'd like to see here or other ideas for improvement, please submit them through the ASR suggestion box. Results from both questions will be shared with the ASR directors, as well as in future issue of News and Notes.
Answer this week's poll questions!
Our inaugural poll question asked whether you preferred donuts or cookies as office treats. Donuts edged out cookies by nine votes with a final count of 36 to 27. Stay tuned for when donuts will be making an appearance in your area!
All responses are anonymous. If you have ideas for questions you'd like to see here or other ideas for improvement, please submit them through the ASR suggestion box. Results from both questions will be shared with the ASR directors, as well as in future issue of News and Notes.
Answer this week's poll questions!
OCM classroom projects underway
The Office of Classroom Management (OCM) has completed two-thirds of its 2014 Classroom Technology Renewal projects. In many classrooms, systems have been enhanced by adding a document camera and class capture outputs. Additionally, OCM has completed its summer project in the West Bank Auditorium located in the West Bank Skyway.
OSF update
With the exception of Duluth's Graduate & Professional careers (MED, PHARM, and GRAD), all campuses and all careers have been packaged at least once. Additionally, responses are rapidly coming via the Electronic Financial Aid Award Notification (eFAAN). The 2015 aid year marks the first year the Twin Cities campus will be continuing to package our Borrower-Based Aid Year (BBAY) populations in batch throughout the year. (BBAY populations are MED, DENT, PHAR, and VMED.)
Interest in Destiny One for non-credit implementation
The University is in contract negotiations with Destiny One as the vendor for non-credit registration. The project team continues to define the scope of work and its funding proposal was approved by the budget team, which is a huge win for the project.
The project team is targeting a late August/early September implementation kick off. Also, there are two new positions posted to support the non-credit implementation efforts. Please share the Business Analyst 2 and the Solution Trainer postings with friends or colleagues who would be a good fit for ASR.
The project team is targeting a late August/early September implementation kick off. Also, there are two new positions posted to support the non-credit implementation efforts. Please share the Business Analyst 2 and the Solution Trainer postings with friends or colleagues who would be a good fit for ASR.
One Stop hot topics
During the first half of July, the top questions received by One Stop Student Services included the following topics:
1) Financial aid packaging
2) Billing/payment
3) Transcripts
4) Loans
5) FAFSA
One Stop will also welcome five new counselors on Wednesday, July 23.
1) Financial aid packaging
2) Billing/payment
3) Transcripts
4) Loans
5) FAFSA
One Stop will also welcome five new counselors on Wednesday, July 23.
Tour East Bank sculpture art
Mix a bit of culture with exercise on Wednesday, July 30 at 12:00 p.m. during a tour of East Bank's sculpture art. The wellness event will feature a 45-minute walking tour of five interesting pieces of campus art. The tour will be led by Josh Geiger from One Stop Student Services who will provide a narration about the pieces of art, the artists who designed them, and how they fit into the University's culture. Staff are encouraged to join in this educational walk during their lunch hour. The tour will begin at noon on the 3rd floor of STSS near the Helping U desk and conclude at Northrop where you can either enjoy your own brown bag lunch or something from the Northrop Plaza grill.
Wellness tip: Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction
The Center for Spirituality & Healing offers Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), which is a way to take control of our lives and to be aware of influences that affect our health and wellbeing. In a stressful world (or work environment), it's important to learn how to relax and rejuvenate. For a list of upcoming MBSR sessions, visit the Center for Spirituality & Healing's website.
Matriculation matters
The word matriculate is most commonly used as a verb. It means to enroll in or be admitted to a group, such as a program, college, or university. When it is used this way, it is usually followed by a preposition, such as at, into, or to. It does not mean "to graduate." For example, here is an instance where it is used correctly: "Bob and Sarah both matriculated to Columbia University."
Thursday, July 3, 2014
One Stop wins transportation safety award
One Stop Student Services' "Text D for Danger" video was recently selected by members of the University of Minnesota community as one of the winning submissions in University Services' transportation safety video contest. The One Stop team received a $250 gift card to the University bookstore and their video will featured as part of the SafeU campaign in the future. Great job, One Stop!
Tasty treats
To have some fun and to ensure ASR directors continue to receive input from staff, we'll be introducing a poll question or two in future issues of News & Notes. We'll include both serious (questions regarding how to improve ASR or your opinion on particular work-related topics) and lighthearted questions. Response(s) will be recorded and noted by the ASR directors.
For today's issue, our inaugural poll question asks about your favorite treat. Be sure to respond so we know which to surprise you with in the coming weeks!
Question: Which performance-boosting treat would you like next month? Choose between cookies and donuts!
For today's issue, our inaugural poll question asks about your favorite treat. Be sure to respond so we know which to surprise you with in the coming weeks!
Question: Which performance-boosting treat would you like next month? Choose between cookies and donuts!
Google Blogger selected to replace UThink
As UThink blogs will be decommissioned by University Libraries and University IT later this year, the communications team has decided to transition to Google Blogger. During the next few months, they'll work on transferring publication content (including this newsletter!) to Blogger. Stay tuned for updates in future issues of News & Notes. For more information about the retirement of UThink, see UThink decommissioning.
Pushing out pessimism
When work becomes overwhelming, it's easy to detour down a path of pessimism. The ABC Technique, however, is an approach to help think more optimistically. It's based on how we explain difficult or stressful situations to ourselves across dimensions of permanence, pervasiveness, and personalization. The ABC Technique pushes you to analyze three aspects of a situation: adversity, beliefs, and consequences. When you encounter adversity, you develop thoughts and beliefs about the situation. This, in turn, leads to consequences. To be optimistic, you must change what you believe about yourself, and the situation, when you encounter adversity. Positive beliefs will lead to more positive consequences and a more positive outlook. (Thanks to Kristy Davis and Christa Nicols for submitting this tip!)
Wellness tip: ride the bus to work
Do you live near a bus route or transit station? If so, try riding the bus to work instead of driving. The extra walking to the bus stop or between the bus stop and your office building is a great way to exercise a little bit more each day. Studies have shown that people who take public transportation to work burn more calories because they end up walking more than their car-driving counterparts. And, taking public transportation reduces the amount of carbon dioxide emitted and in the atmosphere.
Wrangling reflexive pronouns
Correctly using reflexive pronouns (myself, yourself, etc.) is a bit difficult, but here's a quick tip: Don't use reflexive pronouns in place of objective case pronouns (pronouns used as objects of verbs or prepositions). Reflexives refer to the subject. An intensive pronoun intensifies an action, e.g., "I want to do it myself." For example, this would be incorrect: "The party was for Bob and myself, and I allowed me the privilege of attending the celebration." Instead, you would say, "The party was for Bob and me, and I allowed myself the privilege of attending the celebration."
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Wellness tip: pet away your stress
Feeling a little overwhelmed? Spend a few minutes with a furry friend! Tomorrow, ASR will pilot an event coinciding with the nationally sponsored initiative "Take Your Dog to Work Day." The event is similar to Boynton Health Services's Pet Away Worry & Stress (PAWS) program. Stop by 120 Fraser Hall tomorrow morning to visit with Fozzy Bear and Gabie (Mom is Kristy Davis). The trio will move to 200 Fraser during the afternoon. Lint rollers, dog treats, and poop bags will be on hand!
Amanda Grimm will also be bringing her dog, Klaus, for a visit. Klaus is part of Boynton's PAWS program and will be in the 133 Fraser space.
Fozzy Bear and Gabie are excited to see you!
Amanda Grimm will also be bringing her dog, Klaus, for a visit. Klaus is part of Boynton's PAWS program and will be in the 133 Fraser space.
Fozzy Bear and Gabie are excited to see you!
Where was everybody?
You may have noticed several ASR colleagues missing from their usual spots earlier this week. They were some of the more than 120 people that met in-person Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning to work on the ESUP Student system upgrade project. The group included representatives from all campuses and all areas of the Student project: academic advisement, admissions, campus community, financial aid, student finance, and student records. They heard from President Eric Kaler, Bob McMaster, and other ESUP leaders before seeing some of the student experience in the upgraded system and having some time to work as teams face-to-face. If you know somebody who was at the meeting, ask them what they learned!
Veterans Services survey results
University Veterans Services recently sent a satisfaction survey to all students using federal GI BIll benefits during the spring semester. The results of the survey indicated the following:
- 98% satisfaction rate with customer service and the benefits processing time
- 100% satisfaction rate from students who attended New Student Veterans Orientation
- 100% satisfaction rate from students who attended Student Veterans Appreciation Day
- 81% of respondents used the online Veterans Benefits Request form, and 99% reported they had a good experience with the new form
- 98% satisfaction rate with customer service and the benefits processing time
- 100% satisfaction rate from students who attended New Student Veterans Orientation
- 100% satisfaction rate from students who attended Student Veterans Appreciation Day
- 81% of respondents used the online Veterans Benefits Request form, and 99% reported they had a good experience with the new form
CTS earns AMX Innovation Award
ASR's Classroom Technical Services (CTS) recently earned an AMX Innovation Award for its collaboration practices in higher education. The award category required submissions to address how technology was used to foster collaboration through a distributed video application, video conferencing, or other specialized audio-visual installation. You can view the full list of finalists on the AMX Innovation Awards website.
Participate in ASR's first annual fundraiser
In an effort to continue to make a positive difference in students' lives, ASR will host its first annual silent auction this summer. The event will take place as part of the ASR picnic and BBQ in August and will raise money for an existing student scholarship. This is an opportunity to showcase your hidden talents and discover those of your colleagues!
Think about what you love to do--painting, drawing, sewing, writing, crafting--and plan to share your talents for a good cause. For example, here are some beautiful stained glass windows that ASR's Sue Johnson has made.
You can also donate something you think others would enjoy, such as a spa basket, candles, DVDs, baked goods, or a house or garden plant. More information about the event will be published in future issues of News & News.
Think about what you love to do--painting, drawing, sewing, writing, crafting--and plan to share your talents for a good cause. For example, here are some beautiful stained glass windows that ASR's Sue Johnson has made.
You can also donate something you think others would enjoy, such as a spa basket, candles, DVDs, baked goods, or a house or garden plant. More information about the event will be published in future issues of News & News.
One Stop hires additional student workers
One Stop Student Services recently hired 13 student workers who will be located at the STSS and St. Paul locations. The students will begin work on July 7 and participate in a three-week training period. The new Customer Relations Representatives will answer phone calls about the One Stop website, due dates, and other general topics. One Stop Counselors will remain in their current roles and focus on more complex issues related to specific student accounts, financial aid and records. If you have any questions about these changes, please contact Nate Peterson.
Watch before you walk
Just a reminder to be careful when crossing the street on and around campus. Be sure to cross at crosswalks and when the "Walk" sign is flashing. It's been reported that several people have received citations from the police for jaywalking. (Thanks to Tina Falkner for sharing this tip!)
Disposing of your mobile device
Not sure how to dispose of your mobile device? The June edition of "OUCH!" explains how to do so safely. Even though we live in an age of intense information sharing, you may not realize just how much personal and sensitive information you have on your cell phone. Not disposing of it properly could allow someone to access that information.
Implies vs. infers
Imply vs. infer... the two words are often misused, but fortunately, the trick for remembering which one to use isn't difficult. A speaker implies while a listener infers. For example, "During his presentation, John seemed to imply that I did not know much about weather patterns. I inferred that he wasn't aware I've taken several courses in meteorology."
Thursday, June 5, 2014
Open house for ASR conference rooms
Williamson Hall conference rooms received an upgrade in April, which included several technology enhancements. To learn how to use the new webcams, touch display, and HDMI connections, OCM's Jeremy Todd will host an overview of the new systems for Williamson 160B, 162, and 164. He will repeat an overview every 15 minutes during the dates and times below in Williamson Hall 160B:
Friday, 6/6, 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Monday, 6/9, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Wednesday, 6/11, 2-3 p.m.
Thursday, 6/12, 11-12 p.m.
If you aren't able to attend a session but would like to learn more about the classroom technology, contact Jeremy Todd to schedule an alternative time for an overview.
Friday, 6/6, 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Monday, 6/9, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Wednesday, 6/11, 2-3 p.m.
Thursday, 6/12, 11-12 p.m.
If you aren't able to attend a session but would like to learn more about the classroom technology, contact Jeremy Todd to schedule an alternative time for an overview.
All Student meeting June 16 & 17
Be sure to mark your calendar for an in person All Student meeting Monday, June 16 and Tuesday, June 17. Representatives from all campuses in the areas of academic advisement, admissions, financial aid, student finance, and student records will hear from University and ESUP leadership and have the chance to work together face-to-face. Output from that meeting will be available afterward.
New faces in Fraser
Some new folks have moved into Fraser Hall to work on Delegated Access, which is the new identity management approach allowing a student to delegate access to a parent and/or guest. Two PeopleSoft developers, Lee Douglas and Mike McAnulty, have joined the ESUP team and will be located in Fraser B25. This will allow them to be near the student business analysts. In addition, Mike Reeves from OIT will spend the next 1-2 weeks in Fraser consulting on the identity management approach.
Additionally, University Relations staff will be moving to Fraser 345 the week of June 23. They will work there throughout the summer while their space in Morrill Hall space is being remodeled.
Additionally, University Relations staff will be moving to Fraser 345 the week of June 23. They will work there throughout the summer while their space in Morrill Hall space is being remodeled.
Live Like a Student campaign earns awards
One Stop's financial literacy campaign, Live Like a Student (LLAS), recently won two awards at the annual University of Minnesota Communicators Forum awards ceremony on May 28. The awards were for the LLAS digital signage campaign, as well as their Welcome Week presentation. Kudos to the LLAS committee!
Feedback on ASR
In the last issue of News & Notes, we asked you to share your thoughts in the ASR suggestion box on the intranet. Here's some feedback we've received so far about the Friday email hiatus:
A couple of tips for consideration in regard to the Friday email hiatus:
-If your only response is "Thank you" don't hit the send button. I know it feels like you're being polite, but it just adds noise.
-Don't 'reply to all' unless everyone needs to hear what you have to say. If it's a back-and-forth or follow-up to one person on the email, don't clutter the inbox of everybody else.
A couple of tips for consideration in regard to the Friday email hiatus:
-If your only response is "Thank you" don't hit the send button. I know it feels like you're being polite, but it just adds noise.
-Don't 'reply to all' unless everyone needs to hear what you have to say. If it's a back-and-forth or follow-up to one person on the email, don't clutter the inbox of everybody else.
New myU Portal sneak peek
The purpose of the new myU portal is to help staff, faculty, and students be successful in getting their business done at the U. Check out the new myU sneak peek and learn how the University community will use some of its features.
Wellness tip: snacking the healthy way
It's inevitable. Two o'clock rolls around, and you're hungry. The remains of your lunch are long gone, and you're tempted to visit the vending machine for chips or a candy bar. Instead of opting for junk food, try bringing an assortment of tasty, yet healthy, snacks to work. Nuts, fresh fruit, sweet peppers, granola bars, cottage cheese, and hard boiled eggs are all great options. If you're really craving something sweet, try Angie's Boomchickapop Sweet & Salty Kettle Corn. It's tasty and only 70 calories per cup.
ASR Quick Wins: update on Friday email hiatus
It's been two weeks since ASR's Friday email hiatus, and here's an update from ASR directors Tina Falkner and Jeremy Todd and University Registrar Sue Van Voorhis:
Tina's experience: "Not hitting send on Friday is much more difficult than it should be. I would find myself just about to forward an email or draft one up and then I would look at the post-it note on my monitor and remember... 'Oh, yeah, it's Friday, I should just call.'"
Jeremy's experience: "I found one Friday I had five different draft emails just sitting in the drafts folder. Only after I called and walked down to see if the person was there and they weren't did I send the message."
Sue's experience: "I respond to student inquiries via email, as I often don't have their phone number, but I have found that I am calling staff more, even when it's not a Friday."
How has the Friday email hiatus gone for you? Share your thoughts by leaving a note in the ASR suggestion box.
Our experiment will continue throughout the summer, so keep up the good work on taking a break from email on Fridays!
Tina's experience: "Not hitting send on Friday is much more difficult than it should be. I would find myself just about to forward an email or draft one up and then I would look at the post-it note on my monitor and remember... 'Oh, yeah, it's Friday, I should just call.'"
Jeremy's experience: "I found one Friday I had five different draft emails just sitting in the drafts folder. Only after I called and walked down to see if the person was there and they weren't did I send the message."
Sue's experience: "I respond to student inquiries via email, as I often don't have their phone number, but I have found that I am calling staff more, even when it's not a Friday."
How has the Friday email hiatus gone for you? Share your thoughts by leaving a note in the ASR suggestion box.
Our experiment will continue throughout the summer, so keep up the good work on taking a break from email on Fridays!
Google Apps for beginners
Interested in learning more about Google Apps but not quite sure where to start? Check out the Google Apps documentation and support site. You can explore the different apps or learn by each individual one. You can also view a short video about using Google Apps for business purposes.
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Successful spring staff event
The ASR spring 2014 staff event yesterday was a success! The morning began with an update from Sue Van Voorhis, ASR Director & University Registrar, followed by a keynote address from Dr. Danita Brown Young, Vice Provost for Student Affairs & Dean of Students. Staff then headed to their first breakout session, which was followed by two additional mini-breakout sessions. Staff was then treated to lunch from The Lunch Cube.
A huge thanks to the Development Team for organizing and hosting a great event! Development Team members include Grant Clavelle, Laura Goldsmith, Olga Kavun-Wozniak, Kess Knight, Christine Mounts, Ruth Newman, Christa Nicols, and Ryan Ricard.
A huge thanks to the Development Team for organizing and hosting a great event! Development Team members include Grant Clavelle, Laura Goldsmith, Olga Kavun-Wozniak, Kess Knight, Christine Mounts, Ruth Newman, Christa Nicols, and Ryan Ricard.
One Stop closed at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 3
One Stop will close at 11:30 a.m.Tuesday, June 3 for a staff event. Walk-in, phone, and email service will not be available during this time, although the Helping U desk in STSS will remain open. One Stop will re-open at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, June 4.
Veterans Services satisfaction survey
University Veterans Services recently sent a satisfaction survey to all students using federal GI Bill benefits during the spring semester. The survey is done periodically to gauge the University's support of Student Veterans. The survey had a 41% response rate, and respondents varied in demographics with undergraduates making up 66%, graduate students 30%, and the remaining 4% were professional students. More information on the results will appear in a future issue of News & Notes.
Wellness tip: work at the Walkstation
Want to get some exercise while getting some work done at the same time? Try out the Walkstation in 160 Williamson Hall. It's a nice break from sitting at your desk all day, and it's simple to reserve a half-hour walk. The Walkstation appears on the room list in Google Calendar under (EQ) ASR-160WmsonH. One is also being ordered for Fraser Hall and is expected to arrive in late June. It will be located in the 220 Fraser area.
Building access security project
The University's Exterior Access Security Project is being completed. Earlier this week, hours for buildings on East Bank west of Church Street were adjusted. The new building hours include:
- Public hours: building is open to the public and doors will remain unlocked
- University hours: doors are locked, but anyone with an active U Card will be able to access the building
- Restricted hours: only people with permission and a programmed card for the building will be able to enter
Staff who have not upgraded their U Card with the smart card capability can do so by visiting the U Card office in Coffman. There is no charge, and it only takes a few minutes. (You can check to see if you already have a smart card by looking for the gold numbers on the back of your card in the upper right-hand corner.) Once you have upgraded your card, be sure to notify your building DAC (Department Access Coordinator) with the proximity number that is located on the back in gold numbers.
- Public hours: building is open to the public and doors will remain unlocked
- University hours: doors are locked, but anyone with an active U Card will be able to access the building
- Restricted hours: only people with permission and a programmed card for the building will be able to enter
Staff who have not upgraded their U Card with the smart card capability can do so by visiting the U Card office in Coffman. There is no charge, and it only takes a few minutes. (You can check to see if you already have a smart card by looking for the gold numbers on the back of your card in the upper right-hand corner.) Once you have upgraded your card, be sure to notify your building DAC (Department Access Coordinator) with the proximity number that is located on the back in gold numbers.
ASR suggestion box
Did you know there's a page on the ASR intranet for sharing your thoughts, comments, and suggestions? Your anonymous submission will be reviewed by the directors. If you would like a response to your comment or concern, you can provide your name and email address. Changes or improvements that come about as a result of a suggestion will be acknowledged in a future issue of News & Notes, although your identity will remain anonymous. The directors value your feedback, so please feel free to share any thoughts you may have.
ASR Quick Wins: Friday email hiatus
As mentioned at the ASR staff event yesterday, ASR is going to try an experiment this summer to cut down on the number of emails we all receive. Every Friday, ASR will collectively try to send fewer emails, an effort dubbed "Friday Email Hiatus." The purpose isn't to simply ignore all emails you receive on Friday but to consider whether you can speak to someone in person before sending an email yourself. For example, before you send an email to set up a meeting, follow up on an issue, or ask for someone's opinion, you could walk to the person's desk or office and talk in-person or give the person a call. You might be surprised at how productive these human interactions can be, and you might just get to know your co-workers in ASR a little bit better!
This will likely be difficult at first, but one of the comments that was pervasive in staff feedback was a sense of email overload, so this is an effort to address that concern. Like any experiment, we want your feedback on this idea. Please feel free to leave comments on the ASR suggestion box page.
This will likely be difficult at first, but one of the comments that was pervasive in staff feedback was a sense of email overload, so this is an effort to address that concern. Like any experiment, we want your feedback on this idea. Please feel free to leave comments on the ASR suggestion box page.
Beware of theft on campus
It's that time of year when thefts begin to pick up on campus. A couple incidents were reported on campus earlier this week, including the theft of a laptop and the attempted theft of an iPhone. Please be sure to keep your personal items secure and be aware of your surroundings. (Thanks to Suzanne Bardouche in the Office of Undergraduate Education for this timely reminder.)
New student and parent orientation
New student and parent orientation starts June 10 and runs through August 29. One Stop presents at parent orientation and also the "How to Manage the Cost of College?" presentation to new incoming freshmen. One Stop counselors also offer individual laptop counseling for students and their families in the Great Hall each morning of orientation.
OCM summer classroom projects
The Office of Classroom Management (OCM) will be busy this summer renovating or upgrading several classrooms spaces on campus. Projects will occur in Humphrey School 50, Blegen Hall 4th floor, Fraser Hall 101 and 102, Keller Hall Atrium, and the West Bank Auditorium, among others. You can read more about these projects, and the specific details of each one, on the OCM project page.
New staffing model for One Stop
One Stop has developed a new staffing model that it hopes to have operational by this summer. The front line of service will be serviced by student workers with One Stop counselors handling the next tier of service. This is a common model in the customer service industry, as well as with other "one stop" models around the nation. The more general types of questions will be handled by student workers while One Stop counselors and Senior One Stop counselors will respond and resolve more specialist types of issues.
Problems with Firefox and PDF documents
There appears to be a problem with Firefox version 29 when viewing a PDF document within the browser. Firefox users who are not using version 29.0.1 may encounter issues. If you are not yet on this version and you experience problems, please contact your department's IT support team.
Thursday, May 8, 2014
Billing due date update
An email will be sent soon to all students regarding the fall 2014 billing due date change. An announcement will also be included in the Undergraduate and Graduate & Professional Updates. Postcards with the announcement will go out in July, and additional emails will be sent in August. Authorized payers will also receive an email.
Drop deadline extension
The proposal to extend the drop deadline from 8 to 10 weeks (for Morris, Twin Cities and Rochester) has passed unanimously through the Senate. The next step for approval is the Policy Advisory Committee on May 15.
ESUP - Student Town Hall Thursday, May 15
The ESUP Student team is holding a town hall next Thursday to cover the changes and improvements coming to the student system as a result of ESUP. Help spread the word! Make sure your colleagues outside of ASR know about the opportunity and encourage them to attend!
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