Update from Stacey

We are entering a season with several breaks, whether it’s our Wellness time today or the upcoming University holidays. I hope you are all able to take advantage of this time to rest and relax.

In a unit as large as ASR, we don’t all have the same cadence to our jobs. Some folks will have some natural down time between semesters, and others will find that their work picks up. Grades are due December 29 for our regular term classes, and that always involves extra production support. Check out the OCM update below as another example of work that is very busy this time of year. Thank you everyone for the many ways you support our students and the institution.

Requesting a Leave of Absence process

As of December 1, the University transitioned to a new process for requesting a leave of absence, which includes parental, medical, personal, and military leave and leaves covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). As a part of the PEAK initiative, the leave of absence process is now managed by the Office of Human Resources instead of local units.

To request and track your leave of absence, go to MyU to submit your leave information. You can also email the Leave Administration team at leaveadmin@umn.edu, and a leave specialist will follow up with you to submit your request. More information is available on the Office of Human Resources website.

COVID-19 emergency paid leave reminder

The University will continue to provide emergency paid leave for employees and student workers affected by COVID-19 for the 2023 calendar year. This emergency paid leave is available for employees and student workers who:

• Are unable to work due to COVID-related illness
• Need to quarantine or isolate because of exposure to COVID-19
• Must care for someone or a child who is ill with COVID-19
• Need time off to get a COVID-19 vaccine or have an adverse reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine

For more information, including how to request time off under this policy, see Emergency paid leave.

ASR Staff Engagement December 15 Survey

This week’s ASR Staff Engagement Survey continues our holiday and winter theme. Thank you for continuing to share your stories and experiences!

According to the last survey, just over half of respondents have built a gingerbread house (55.2%). When asked about Black Friday, 37.9% did some shopping on that day, while 6.9% shopped on the days following Black Friday.

We had a wide array of favorite holiday songs submitted, but “All I Want for Christmas is You” and “Little Drummer Boy” were the most frequently mentioned. We also had a wide array of podcast recommendations, which are all available below! Thanks all for your continued participation! It is very much appreciated.

December 1, 2022 survey results

Have you ever built a gingerbread house?

• Yes (55.2%)
• No (44.8%)

Did you do any shopping on Black Friday?

• Yes (37.9%)
• No (55.2%)
• No, but I did shop on the days after (6.9%)

What are some of your favorite holiday-themed songs?

• Christmas With the Devil - Spinal Tap
• The Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack
• The Christmas Waltz, The entirety of the John Denver & Muppets Christmas album ("A Christmas Together") from 1979 (it was a significant part of my childhood)
• Fairytale of New York by The Pogues
• My family hates it but I absolutely adore I Want a Hippopotamus For Christmas. I will belt it out when it comes on. For more serious songs though I love O Holy Night and Silent Night.

What are some podcasts that you would recommend to others?

• You're Wrong About, This is Love, Radio Rental, Nice Try, Imagined Life!
• Smartless, Archetypes
• If you like true crime, I love My Favorite Murder and And That's Why We Drink (it also has paranormal things). A friend just introduced me to
• Did the Titanic Sink? and it is interesting!
• Ologies with Allie Ward
• This Is Uncomfortable (NPR Marketplace)
• This is History with Dan Jones (history - docuseries focusing on the Plantagenet dynasty)
• Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley (history & feminism - docuseries about histories most notorious women)
• The Hilarious World of Depression (interviews on mental health)
• Shut Up Evan (pop culture talk and celebrity interviews)
• The Bake Down Podcast (Great British Bake-Off recap show)
• Radio Cherry Bombe (women & creatives in the world of food & drink)

Update from Stacey

Thank you everyone for attending the OUE event this week, whether virtually or in person. Minnesota winter has definitely arrived!

Please be sure to check out the kudos and the OSF update section below. It’s wonderful to see ASR supporting each other. As usual, we have a lot going on. Something that I have learned in this role is that we often have work happening related to our various vendor contracts. We will have several RFP’s starting in order to follow university procedures and evaluate vendors. Parchment and Nelnet services will be going through this process soon. We just renewed our contract with NameCoach and will likely be extending our ECSI contract as well. As I said, there is a lot going on even as we enter the holiday season. Thanks for everything you do!

ASR Wellness day

 On Thursday, December 15, all ASR staff are encouraged to use the second half of your work day to do a wellness-related activity of your choice. Whether it’s spending some time outside or getting cozy on your couch, you can do whatever sounds good to you! You should expect your normal pay for this day. This is considered a work day, and your work will be to pursue wellness activities. You do not need to submit this time as a vacation day or personal day. Directors will provide more information to their respective units.

ASR Staff Engagement December 1 Survey

This week’s ASR Staff Engagement Survey continues our holiday and winter theme now that we’re in the final month of the year. Thank you for continuing to share your stories and experiences!

According to the last survey, most have mixed feelings about winter (62.1%), while 24.1% don’t like winter at all, and 13.8% do. Most did not travel out of state over the November break (75.9%). When asked about the Vikings Super Bowl chances, only 17.2% believe they can make the Super Bowl this year.

We received many kind comments, kudos, and shout-outs last week, which were all highlighted above. Thanks all for your continued participation! It is very much appreciated. The results of the last survey are available below.

November 17, 2022 survey results

Do you like winter?

• Yes (13.8%)
• No (24.1%)
• I have mixed feelings. (62.1%)

Are you traveling out of state over the November break?

• Yes (24.1%)
• No (75.9%)

Will the Vikings make the Super Bowl this year?

• Yes (17.2%)
• No (58.6%)
• Who? (24.1%)

Give a shout out/kudos to someone (or shout out yourself)!

• Kudos to Megan W for her work with the Supervisor on Call program!
• Tom Taff in FA-IT, who manages all FA-related comms for all campuses like a BOSS!
• Shout out to Kristy Davis for providing unwavering support and leadership during some rocky times in ASR-IT!
• Theresa Nelson, Matt Duggan, and Megan Wollner! ASR would be a hot trash disaster mess without y’all!
• Richard Campo
• Mr. Norman Anderson in Student Account Assistance for a great comment from a student in the One Stop monthly survey.
• Marc Keaveny for stepping to support ASR-IT SR while Jenni Peterson takes on the Course Dog team.
• Kudos to Darice, Patience, Erin, Karen, and Ralph from One Stop for representing the U of M (and visiting former One Stop Assistant Director Jennifer Love) at the ISSP Conference in Austin!
• The Destiny One team hit $100,000,000 in revenue to date this week!
• I work with very creative, intelligent, resilient people in OCM and ASR who have a passion for service. I can't pick one today.
• Kudos to the short and under staffed teams. It's hard! Thanks for all you do to hold it all together.
• David Norman is awesome!
• Matt Duggan!
• Christine Mounts for being an outstanding Sys-Admin and Reagan Mock-Nelson for her invaluable contributions to the CTS team!
• Christina Wilson
• The SR-IT team has done an incredible job recently with everything going on; Coursedog, Fluid Class Search, PSEO/CIS, security, ECAS/PCAS, appointments and registration, image and CPU testing, job scheduling, and all of the day-to-day activities.

Update from Stacey

Our 4 and 6-year graduation rates for the Twin Cities campus have hit historic highs of 75.3% and 84.7% respectively. Did you know that our 4-year graduation rates have increased more than 30% in the last 20 years? ASR plays such a significant role in this important metric. Students that graduate on time are meeting their educational goals efficiently and ensuring they are not paying for “extra” semesters. Whether we are helping students resolve financial barriers, posting degrees, creating predictive analytics, creating a positive classroom environment, or ensuring our systems work smoothly for students, we are all contributing to students’ ability to complete their degrees. Thank you!

If you want to learn more about our retention and graduation rate data, visit the UDIR website. 

Veterans Day

In recognition of Veterans Day, which was last Friday, November 11, we would like to acknowledge those in ASR who have served or are currently serving in the military. To celebrate and honor our student veterans, University Veterans Services coordinated with athletics to get students free tickets to basketball and football games over the weekend. UVS also partnered with Printing Services to create another Virtual Veterans Appreciation tribute video, which was shared across different U of M communication channels. We believe it is important to honor the sacrifices of our veterans and service members. Thank you to those of you who have served.

ASR Staff Engagement November 17 Survey

Winter is almost here, and a holiday break is soon upon us! So this week’s ASR Staff Engagement Survey asks about both. Thank you for continuing to share your stories and experiences.

According to the last survey, most say that they generally have a morning routine that they stick to (87.1%). When asked about giving yourself time in the morning, it was a tie between waking up much earlier and sleeping as much as possible (38.7% each). A majority of respondents brush their teeth before breakfast (51.6%), followed by those who said after breakfast (22.6%).

Finally, we asked about your favorite breakfast foods. Coffee, bagels, and eggs benedict received the most mentions. Thanks all for your continued participation! It is very much appreciated. Results from the last survey are available below.

November 3, 2022 survey results

Generally, do you have a morning routine that you follow?

• Yes (87.1%)
• Sometimes, but it’s not consistent (12.9%)

Do you give yourself time in the morning before work?

• Yes, I wake up much earlier than my start time (38.7%)
• No, I try to get as much sleep as possible before work (38.7%)
• Sometimes, it depends on the day (22.6%)

Do you brush your teeth before breakfast, after, or before and after?

• Before (51.6%)
• After (22.6%)
• Before and After (9.7%)
• Neither – I don’t typically have breakfast (16.1%)

After researching, most dentists seem to agree that brushing before breakfast is the way to go.

What are your favorite breakfast foods (if any)?

• Omelets
• Bacon, bacon, and bacon
• Waffles, eggs benedict
• Coffee, coffee, and more coffee
• Peanut butter crunch!
• A bagel w/ either honey nut or onion & chive cream cheese & a hot chocolate.

If you are a fan of eggs benedict, we highly recommend Olympia Cafe and Gyros in Osseo!

Document storage and Google Drive clean-up

As a reminder, please routinely clean up any Google groups you manage, drives, or documents you own to ensure staff who are no longer in ASR have access to them. We also ask that you regularly clean out your email inboxes by deleting old messages and emptying your trash. This makes sure that we are not saving any FERPA related information unless it’s needed.

ASR Staff Engagement November 3 Survey

This week’s ASR Staff Engagement Survey examines our habits in the morning. Thank you for continuing to share your stories and experiences.

According to the last survey, most say that they are usually able to manage their work email (62.9%). In addition, a majority of respondents have less than 100 emails in their inbox (58.3%), followed by 100 or more, 500 or more, and 1,000 or more, each at 11.1%. When asked about how many emails you receive per day, most report receiving 25 or more (52.8%).

Finally, we asked about your favorite scary or spooky movies. Hocus Pocus and Scream were mentioned the most. Thanks all for your continued participation! It is very much appreciated. The results from the last survey are available below.

October 20, 2022 survey results

In general, do you feel that you have trouble “keeping up” with your work email?

• Yes, it’s a lot to manage (37.1%)
• No, I’m usually able to manage it (62.9%)

How many emails (read and unread) are currently in your inbox?

• Less than 100 (58.3%)
• 100 or more (11.1%)
• 500 or more (11.1%)
• 1,000 or more (11.1%)
• 5,000 or more (8.3%)

On average, how many emails would you say you receive per day at work?

• Less than 10 (13.9%)
• 10 or more (33.3%)
• 25 or more (52.8%)

What’s one of your favorite spooky or scary movies and why?

• Hocus Pocus
• The Nightmare before Christmas. Family friendly, hits at multiple emotional levels, sing-along credibility, and the boogeyman is still scary after over a dozen viewings.
• The Blair Witch Project, it was new/creative for it's time
• Hocus Pocus is sillier than it is spooky but I love it. Zombieland is a go-to during spooky season.
• Scream - It was refreshing at the time it was made; A combination of humor and horror. Very novel.

Update from Stacey

There is a lot going on in ASR these days! I anticipate in the near future that I’ll have some announcements to make about ASR-IT leadership and the plan for the job posting. I’ve appreciated my conversations with ASR-IT staff to inform my plans. We are also progressing in the search process for the OSF Director position. I’ve submitted our budget requests for Fiscal Year 2024 and will be turning my attention to the Academic Calendar Task Force report writing. I’m dashing off this update from the airport this morning as I leave on a short trip so I am keeping this brief for now. I look forward to sharing more with you all soon.

Community Fund Drive

Each year the University holds a Community Fund Drive to support important efforts that matter to us. This year’s Community Fund Drive will run from October 1 to October 31. There are many ways to give, including donating to charities, nonprofits, and on-campus fundraising events. Your donation affects hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans battling poverty, injustice, chronic disease, and more. See 2022 Community Fund Drive for more information.

We also want to highlight the Tina Rovick Falkner Memorial Scholarship, which was created to honor Tina’s legacy and help support Twin Cities undergraduate degree-seeking students with financial need. You may also choose to contribute to ASR’s Student Success Fund. More information about the fund and how to donate are available on the ASR website.

Williamson Hall doors closed

The main doors for 160 Williamson will no longer be open to students nor will the front desk be staffed by students. A locked dropbox outside of Williamson will be available for students instead to drop off forms. Since the doors will now be closed, please make sure to carry your U Card on you at all times to gain access to the office. Additionally, if you are hosting a meeting in Williamson Hall, please make arrangements to meet your guests and let them into the space.

ASR Staff Engagement October 20 Survey

This week’s ASR Staff Engagement Survey October 20, 2022 asks about your experiences with email at work. Thank you for continuing to share your stories and experiences.

The last N&N survey asked about spooky season. According to the last survey, most say that they sometimes enjoy scary movies (43.8%), followed by 34.4% who do not like scary movies. A strong majority do not like candy corn (68.8%). There was an even split when asked about whether staff are dressing up this year for Halloween: 34.4% said no, 34.4% were not sure, and 31.3% said yes.

Finally, we asked whether you were team vampire or team werewolf. Team vampire claimed victory with 72.4% of the vote. Thanks all for your continued participation! It is very much appreciated. The results from the last survey are available below.

October 6th, 2022 survey results 

Do you enjoy scary movies?

• Yes (21.9%)
• No (34.4%)
• Sometimes (43.8%)

Do you like candy corn?

• Yes (31.3%)
• No (68.8%)

Are you planning to dress up for Halloween this year?

• Yes (31.3%)
• No (34.4%)
• I’m not sure (34.4%)

Which do you prefer: vampires or werewolves?

• Team vampire (72.4%)
• Team werewolf (27.6%)

ASR Staff Engagement October 6th Survey

 It’s hard to believe that it’s already October and spooky season is upon us. This week’s ASR Staff Engagement Survey October 6, 2022 asks about your opinions related to this time of year. Thank you for continuing to share your stories and experiences.

According to last week’s survey, the meetings that staff attend typically start with an icebreaker, introductions, or casual chat (58.6%). When asked about contributing to meetings, most feel that they have adequate time to voice their opinion (69%), followed by those who aren’t sure or say it depends on the meeting (27.6%). Most prefer to have their meetings in the morning (51.7%), while (24.1%) prefer the afternoon or don’t have a preference (also 24.1%).

Finally, we asked if you enjoy pumpkin spice. Most do enjoy pumpkin spice when the mood strikes (44.8%), followed by 27.6% who love it, and 27.6% who actively avoid it. Thanks all for your continued participation! It is very much appreciated.

September 22nd, 2022 survey results

How do your meetings typically start?

·       With an icebreaker, intros, or casual chat (58.6%)

·       Diving in to the agenda for the meeting (41.4%)

Do you feel that you are able to contribute in meetings when you want to?

·       Yes (69%)

·       No (3.4%)

·       I’m not sure (27.6%)

I prefer meetings in…

·       The afternoon (24.1%)

·       The morning (51.7%)

·       I don’t have a preference (24.1%)

Do you enjoy pumpkin spice?

·       Yes, give me all the pumpkin spice! (27.6%)

·       No, I actively avoid it (27.6%)

·       Sometimes, but only when the mood strikes (44.8%)

Update from Stacey

In addition to being a season of beautiful leaves and cooler temperatures, October is the season for many Big 10 meetings (also known as the Big Ten Academic Alliance) and strategic enrollment management meetings. We have staff learning from their Big 10 colleagues on many topics and I always look forward to the ideas these meetings generate. It’s also a healthy reminder that we are doing so many things right and serve as a model for other institutions. We provide top notch services for our students, staff, and faculty in so many areas and I thank you.

ARF email improvements

Earlier this morning (Oct. 6), a change went into effect  for emails sent to ARF access request approvers. The changes are a result of multiple improvement requests and usability testing. Approvers will notice changes to subject lines and the text of the email that are intended to provide more details on the request and clearer instructions for next steps. The goal of these changes is to facilitate faster approval response times to ensure requests are fulfilled in a timely manner.

Williamson Office Logistics

 Please see below for a variety of Williamson Hall office updates. 

Equipment Check Out Form

This is a reminder to fill out the ASR Equipment Check Out Form if you have taken equipment from the office to your home. This includes your computer, monitors, docking station, etc. This form can also be used to log the equipment that you bring back to the office.

New Printer Request Form

OIT has launched a new process for staff to access printers on campus. To request access to our ASR printers, use this form: https://z.umn.edu/printeraccess. Click “Request Service” to open the form. Under “Request Details”, type “ASR” into the text field to open a list of all of our printers:

A list of all of our ASR printers can be found here. There are also maps that highlight printer locations in 130 and 160 Williamson Hall. 

Currently, users can only request access to one printer at a time, but OIT is exploring the possibility of multiple printers on one ticket in future updates. OIT is also working to remove inactive printers and update Ricoh 5503 to read 130 instead of 160. 

Space reminders

• A reminder that when you come to the office that our desks are shared spaces. Please be mindful of others around you and keep your volume in mind. 

• Cleaning supplies can be found around the office to wipe down a space when you are done. 

• Each cube has a locker and small file cabinet where you can place your belongings throughout the day. If you need longer-term storage there are additional lockers in 130 Williamson. Please email asrcentral@umn.edu if you would like to check out a locker long-term. 

• As we enter into cold months, pests will want to come inside. Please do not leave food in your lockers/cabinets.

Update from Stacey

This week I have a lot on my brain: we are starting work on our budget proposals for FY24, which will be my major work focus for the next few weeks. We also have many positions open, so there are lots of staff planning initiatives and some hiring committees spinning up. On a personal note, I'm thinking about higher education as well. My eldest son is a senior, and we have started the college visit process. In fact, he will be touring the University of Minnesota tomorrow afternoon, and I'll get to view the University as "just" a parent. I've promised not to embarrass him, at least not deliberately.

In this process, I've also been playing impromptu college counselor for his friend group. The kids are stressed! It has been nice to reassure this group of young people that their GPAs are good and test optional can provide some advantages. We've talked about how to balance their dreams with the financial realities of education, and I've emphasized looking at 4-year graduation rates for colleges they are interested in. Thank you for helping make this place somewhere I'm proud to encourage these high schoolers to consider.

ASR Staff Engagement September 22 Survey

This week’s ASR Staff Engagement Survey September 22, 2022 examines our experiences in meetings. Thank you for continuing to share your stories and experiences.

According to last week’s survey, most feel that they have adequate support when they are out of the office (64%). Similarly, 64% of respondents reported that they currently perform job duties that no one else would know how to do. When asked about knowing who to go to for help, most say that they do typically know who to ask for help when they run into an issue (92%).

Finally, we asked what song this year would be if it were a song. We had a wide array of responses from Outkast to Kacey Musgraves to the Corn song. Thanks all for your continued participation! It is very much appreciated. The results from the last survey are available below.

September 8, 2022 survey results

Do you feel that you have adequate support when you are out of the office?

• Yes (64%)
• No (32%)
• I’m not sure (4%)

Are there specific job duties that you currently perform that no one else would know how to do?

• Yes (64%)
• No (32%)
• I’m not sure (4%)

Do you typically know who to go to for help when you run into an issue?

• Yes (92%)
• Sometimes (8%)
• No (0%)

If this year were a song, what song would it be?

• A version of We Didn’t Start the Fire but it’s all what happened this year
• Always Look on The Bright Side of Life - Spamalot
• Chrissy wake up! Wake me up When September Ends
• Here Comes the Sun - George Harrison because things are getting better after nearly two years of lock down
• Stressed Out by twenty one pilots
• Tequila by The Champs

Parking updates

Parking & Transportation Services now offers a Part-Time Parking Program (PTPP), which provides a reduced-cost public parking option for those who need campus parking on an occasional basis. The program provides an unlimited number of entries and exits in a 24-hour period from the first entry, and purchases do not expire. More information, including the three purchase options, is available on the PTS website.

Update from Stacey

The start of the fall term is one of my favorite times of the year, even though I sometimes feel breathless as meetings and emails stack up. I appreciate the energy of seeing students on campus and events like Convocation and Pride & Spirit. Most of all, it is a time of year where a lot of our work culminates into noticeable outcomes – students are starting classes and receiving aid, classrooms are ready for instructors and students, and we are a go-to source of support for our colleagues. Thank you ASR for your important work all year round!

ASR Staff Engagement September 8 Survey

This week’s ASR Staff Engagement Survey September 8, 2022 takes a look at back-up support. Thank you for continuing to share your stories and experiences.

According to last week’s survey, just under half of respondents were born in Minnesota (48.3%). 82.8% of respondents were right-handed, 13.8% were left-handed, and 3.4% were ambidextrous. When asked whether you were ever enrolled as a degree-seeking student at the University, 55.2% of respondents reported that they were degree-seeking students at one point.

Finally, when asked if you were going to the state fair this year, 34.5% said that they were planning to attend. Thanks all for your continued participation! It is very much appreciated. The results from the last survey are available below.

August 25, 2022 survey results

Were you born in Minnesota?

• Yes (48.3%)
• No (51.7%)

Are you right-handed or left-handed?

• Right-handed (82.8%)
• Left-handed (13.8%)
• I’m ambidextrous (3.4%)

Were you ever enrolled as a degree-seeking student at the University of Minnesota?

• Yes (55.2%)
• No (44.8%)

Going to the state fair this year?

• Yes (34.5%)
• No (65.5%)

ASR-IT alignment update

On Monday, June 6, the ASR-IT alignment group kicked off. ASR Directors began this work in February 2021 to explore the following:

• Clarify business process ownership in a complex environment
• Find opportunities to better align networks of subject matter experts in ASR to further collaboration
• Identify areas for potential organizational changes

The group presented their findings and recommendations recently to their co-sponsors, Carin Thoms and Jaime Wascalus, and they are finalizing a presentation that they’ll present to ASR Directors on September 14, 2022. More information will be shared about the recommendations and next steps over the coming months, along with plans in ASR-IT and across the organization to address gaps in alignment. A huge thank you to the participants of the group who met multiple times weekly throughout the summer to analyze ASR-IT and provide insightful recommendations:

• ASR-IT - Carolee Cohen
• ASR Operations and Strategic Initiatives - Renae Faunce
• OCM - Sarah Kussow
• One Stop - Richard Campo
• OSF - Stephanie Kearley
• OTR - Emily Holt

Update from Stacey

Thank you for a great All-Staff Assembly this morning. It was wonderful to have such great attendance! If you weren’t able to attend, we recorded the session, and it will be available soon. I hope everyone has a wonderful final week of August and a successful start of term. As announced this morning, we will have snacks to celebrate the beginning of term.

NSLDS error coming to resolution

Starting July 22, 2022, an error with the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) prevented files from being sent out to colleges and universities across the country, including UMN. An immediate decision was made by OSF and ASR-IT to cease additional packaging and turn off accept/decline of financial aid for any students across the UMN system not packaged in the large batch processes that had already taken place.

Files from NSLDS began arriving again on August 10, but manual processing was necessary to successfully import the data. The decision was made on August 11 to resume packaging and turn back on accept/decline of financial aid as we were nearing the dates of disbursement for some UMN campuses. As of August 22, the files are arriving normally and are being processed in the nightly batch. Although some files we sent prior to August 22 are still being resolved by NSLDS.

ASR collaboration tools and FERPA on GChat

In our hybrid work environment, the effective use of collaboration tools has become an even more important part of staying connected and making progress on our work. Take a moment to review the ASR Collaboration Tools and FERPA: Collaboration Tools guides to understand the interplay of GChat, Focus Time, and Working Location, and for some specific considerations related to FERPA and Chat. Keep a lookout in a future News & Notes for tips and tricks related to navigating GChat settings and check out the linked help guides as well!

ASR Staff Engagement August 25 Survey

This week’s ASR Staff Engagement Survey August 25, 2022 examines demographic data of ASR staff. Thank you for continuing to share your stories and experiences.

According to last week’s survey related to burnout, 40% of staff feel they sometimes have energy after a day of work, followed by 28.6% who have a moderate amount of energy, and 25.7% who have little to no energy after work. Concerning mental health discussions at work, most (42.9%) say that they sometimes feel comfortable discussing mental health at work depending on who they are talking to, followed by 34.3% who are comfortable discussing mental health at work.

When asked about your understanding of EAP benefits, 25.7% report not having a clear understanding of what is available to them. Finally, when asked about your least favorite household chore, dusting received the most votes (20.6%), followed by washing dishes (17.6%), vacuuming (14.7%), and doing laundry (14.7%). Thanks all for your continued participation! It is very much appreciated. The results from the last survey and more information about EAP benefits are available below.

August 11, 2022 survey results

How much energy do you typically have after a day of work?

• Little to no energy (25.7%)
• A moderate amount of energy (28.6%)
• High energy (2.9%)
• Sometimes I have energy, sometimes not (40%)
• I’m not sure (2.9%)

Do you feel comfortable discussing mental health at work?

• Yes (34.3%)
• No (22.9%)
• Sometimes, it depends (42.9%)

True or False: I have a clear understanding of what EAP benefits are available to me.

• True (74.3%)
• False (25.7%)

For more information, check out the EAP benefits page. 

What is your least favorite household chore?

• Dusting (20.6%)
• Vacuuming (14.7%)
• Doing laundry (14.7%)
• Washing dishes (17.6%)
• Cleaning the bathroom (8.7%)

Update from Stacey

I really enjoyed seeing so many of you at the picnic two weeks ago. I wish I could have spent more time with everyone! I hope it helped you reconnect with some colleagues and celebrate our work together. For many of you, it was a first in-person look at our improved space in Williamson Hall and an opportunity to think about how you can use the space for meetings and teamwork.

The start of the semester is right around the corner, and I’m sure many of you can feel it with increased volumes at work. Classroom project work continues to get things ready for the start of term, students are contacting One Stop with questions, and other signs of more activity on campus are evident. Even the turkeys are back – I spotted two outside of Williamson this week and saw four more on a walk around campus yesterday. Regardless, summer in Minnesota isn’t over yet, and I hope you can enjoy the warm weather and a trip to the State Fair if that is fun for you. Thank you everyone for all of your hard work and commitment to our students!

Professional headshots

Everyone who had professional headshot photos taken at the picnic should have received access to the folder with their photos. If you have not received your photos yet, please email asrcentral@umn.edu.

If you did not have the opportunity to get a headshot done and want to, please email asrcentral@umn.edu and we will schedule another day for staff to have their photos taken.

Recent gas leaks and procedure reminder

Senior Vice President Myron Frans sent out an email regarding the Metropolitan Councils investigation of recent gas leaks and odors in the sewer along University Avenue and 4th Street. If you smell gasoline-like odors inside or outside of your building, please contact 612-624-2677 and also notify your supervisor, Carin, and Megan (asrcentral@umn.edu).

Facilities Management is cooperating with the investigation into this matter, which is being led by the Metropolitan Council of Environmental Services (MCES) and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA).

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee

International Day of Friendship

As we reflect on our first in-person ASR-wide assembly and staff picnic since the pandemic, it’s a great time to honor the power and importance of our friendships at work, as well as our personal and civic lives, to advance the goals of diversity, equity, and inclusion in every part of our lives.

According to the United Nations, July 30 is the International Day of Friendship. The International Day of Friendship was proclaimed in 2011 by the UN General Assembly with the idea that friendship between peoples, countries, cultures, and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities. The resolution places emphasis on involving young people, as future leaders, in community activities that include different cultures and promote international understanding and respect for diversity.

“Friendship Day” started as an idea from Hallmark Cards’ founder Joyce Hall in 1919. In 1935, the United States Congress designated “National Friendship Day” to be the first Sunday of August, but by the 1940’s the holiday had faded from prominence. The first “International Friendship Day” was conceived in Paraguay by Dr. Ramón Artemio Bracho in 1958, who founded the World Friendship Crusade to advance the idea of fostering peace and celebrating worldwide friendship on July 30. Building on UNESCO’s Culture of Peace initiative adopted in 1997, the United Nations proclaimed July 30 to be International Day of Friendship in 2011.

An upcoming opportunity for renewing local connections and celebrating MN diversity is The Great Minnesota Get Together, Aug 25 - Sept 5. Since sharing food is a timeless part of connecting with others and making or renewing friendships, make sure to check out the new food for 2022 at the MN State Fair. You can also learn more about the International Day of Friendship at the articles below and on the N&N blog:

• National Today: International Day of Friendship - July 30, 2022
• Four Ways to Celebrate International Day of Friendship at Work

ASR Staff Engagement August 11 Survey

This week’s ASR Staff Engagement Survey August 11, 2022 examines burnout and mental well-being. Thank you for continuing to share your stories and experiences.

According to the last survey, most have changed their spending habits due to inflation (53.8%). In addition, most feel that prices will generally increase over the next 12 months (65.4%). When asked about how your travel habits compare to last summer, 53.8% say that their travel habits have changed.

Finally, we asked who you would be your co-star in a movie. We received a wide array of responses, but Meryl Streep, Robert Redford, Tom Hanks, and Melissa McCarthy were mentioned most frequently. Thanks all for your continued participation! It is very much appreciated. The results from the last survey is available below.

July 14, 2022 survey results

Have your spending habits changed due to inflation?

• Yes - (53.8%)
• No - (38.5%)
• Not sure - (7.7%)

During the next 12 months, do you think that prices will generally go up, down, or stay about the same as they are now?

• I think they will go up - (65.4%)
• I think they will go down - (23.1%)
• I think they will stay about the same as now (11.5%)

Have your travel habits changed at all compared to last summer?

• Yes - (53.8%)
• No - (46.2%)

If you could star in a movie with any famous person, who would you choose as your costar?

• Meryl Streep!
• Steve Martin
• Melissa McCarthy
• Tom Hanks & Melissa McCarthy
• Reese Witherspoon
• Benedict Cumberbatch, just because it would be fun to have a dance-off!

One Stop website launch

The redesigned One Stop website for each University of Minnesota campus will launch the morning of Monday, July 18, 2022. The main URLs (links) to the websites will not change. This includes:

onestop.crk.umn.edu (Crookston)
onestop.d.umn.edu (Duluth)
onestop.morris.umn.edu (Morris)
onestop.r.umn.edu (Rochester)
onestop.umn.edu (Twin Cities)

As part of the transition, we anticipate 5 to 10 minutes of downtime on all campus One Stop websites between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. We expect the new sites to be available by 8:00 a.m. on July 18.

If you have any feedback, issues, or edits once the new sites launch, please send a ticket to asrux@umn.edu and include the page link and a description of the issue.

ASR All-Staff Assembly and Picnic

ASR is bringing back the summer picnic on Thursday, July 28 with multiple in-person events. The day will start with our All-Staff Assembly at 9:00 a.m. in Tate Hall room B50. Vice Provost and Dean, Undergraduate Education, Bob McMaster will be speaking at the assembly.

Following the All-Staff Assembly, units will have team time and a photographer to take professional headshot photos. These photos will be used in the future ASR staff directory and can be used for LinkedIn, your Google photo, etc. Afterwards, we will walk to the grassy courtyard behind Williamson Hall and Nolte Hall for the picnic, where there will be live music and food! If you’d like, you’re also welcome to bring lawn chairs and yard games to share.

Catered box lunches will be provided at 11:30 a.m. A form will be sent out by the end of this week for food choices. The form will need to be completed by the end of next week on Friday, July 22.

Update from Stacey

As usual, ASR is a busy place. Last month, the new PeopleSoft Proof of Vaccination process launched for students. This was thanks to the hard work of many in ASR and OIT and other partners in the University. Very soon, another major project will launch next week – a new One Stop website. Meanwhile, we keep other projects and our regular work going.

This is the first year I’ve had an office near staff in the Office of the Registrar, so it has been fun for me to see the ebb and flow of diplomas. It’s also a busy season for financial aid packaging and for classroom projects too. I can’t list it all or this article would be way too long, but thank you for all of your hard work to support our students! I’m looking forward to thanking folks in person at the ASR picnic, which is coming up soon.

ASR Staff Engagement July 14 Survey

This week’s ASR Staff Engagement Survey (July 14, 2022) examines our perspectives on current economic conditions. Thank you for continuing to share your stories and experiences.

According to the last survey, 60.7% of respondents either have traveled or are planning to travel out of state this summer. When asked about gardening and maintaining plants, most reported they do have a garden and/plants they maintain outside (67.9% of all votes).

We have lots of varied answers for your favorite vacation spots. San Francisco, Paris, and Yellowstone National Park were mentioned the most frequently.

We also had lots of varied answers when asked about which movies you can watch over and over again. The original Star Wars trilogy was mentioned several times, but surprisingly there were no other repeated answers! Thanks all for your continued participation! It is very much appreciated. The results from the last survey are available below.

June 30, 2022 survey results

Have you traveled or are you planning to travel out of state this summer?

• Yes - (60.7%)
• No - (28.6%)
• Not sure - (10.7%)

Do you do any gardening or maintain any plants? Check all that apply.

• Yes, I have a garden and/or plants I maintain outside - (67.9%)
• Yes, I have indoor plants - (32.1%)
• No, but I would if I could! - (3.6%)
• No, I have no interest in that - (17.9%)

What was one of your favorite vacations? Where did you go (if anywhere)?

• London, England/Edinburgh, Scotland, and my cousin's cabin in the Brainerd Lakes area
• I love going to visit my best friend in Orlando at least once a year! We usually do a day at Disney and then spend the rest of the time just hanging out.
• Europe with my husband (before kids)! Switzerland was my favorite country that we visited.
• Paris and Normandy Beaches, Oct. 2018 - before the pandemic, loved all the history
• NYC for the Christmas Holiday
• Mackinac Island

What movie(s) can you re-watch over and over again?

• The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy
• Shaun of the Dead
• The Birdcage
• Jurassic Park, Emperor's New Groove
• Mean Girls!
• Something about Mary or Step Brothers
• Star Wars (A New Hope) - it changed our world in 1977!! I went to see it 17 times when it first came out, and NEVER tire of it!
• Hocus Pocus and The Grinch
• I'm going to make CODA my new holiday movie. Such a great feel-good family drama!

Update from Stacey

I’ve sent a few emails to staff this week so I will keep this update short. First, I know this has been a difficult week for many in ASR. You might be experiencing grief if you worked with Marcia, remembering grief in your life from other losses, or wondering how to best support your colleagues with these issues. I encourage you to slow down and take the time you need. I also ask that you give each other as much grace and understanding as you can. Second, I hope that this holiday weekend is part of some rest and rejuvenation for you. Personally I am looking forward to some extra family time and spending as much time outside as possible. After reading the survey below, I also want to fit in a trip to Dairy Queen. Take care everyone, thank you!

One Stop website soft-launch

Starting tomorrow all ASR staff can participate in the One Stop website soft-launch!

On July 1, 2022, links to the unpublished sites will be available on the One Stop website upgrade project page. These soft-launch links will allow university staff and faculty access to explore the unpublished redesigned One Stop websites for each campus. The soft-launch links will be available until the redesigned sites are “live” and published in place of the existing One Stop website on July 18, 2022.

The primary purpose of the soft-launch is to allow for staff exploration and self-directed learning before the sites are made public to students. Self-directed exploration of the site allows for:

• Self-paced learning
• Individual depth of knowledge needs
• Varied use cases

All project and soft-launch details and restrictions can be found on the One Stop website upgrade project page.

ASR Staff Engagement June 30 Survey

This week’s ASR Staff Engagement Survey June 30, 2022 centers around summer activities and plans. Thank you for continuing to share your stories and experiences.

The last survey included questions that measure various facets of employee engagement. When asked about expectations at work, 91.7% of respondents say that they know what is expected of them at work. Most respondents (62.5%) also indicated that they sometimes feel comfortable sharing their honest opinion at work (depending on who they are sharing with), followed by 37.5% who feel comfortable sharing their honest opinion most of the time.

When asked about the mission or purpose of the University related to your job, most feel that it makes their job feel important (75%). Finally, it was a very close result when asking about your favorite Dairy Queen Blizzard. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup tied for the most votes (16.7%,) followed by 12.5% who don’t like or have never had a Dairy Queen Blizzard. Thanks all for your continued participation! It is very much appreciated. The results from the last survey are available on the N&N blog.

June 16, 2022 survey results

I know what is expected of me at work.

• Yes - (91.7%)
• No - (8.3%)

Do you feel comfortable sharing your honest opinion at work?

• Yes, most of the time - (37.5%)
• Sometimes, it depends on who I am sharing with - (62.5%)

The mission or purpose of the University makes my job feel important.

• True - (75%)
• False - (25%)

What is your favorite Blizzard at Dairy Queen?

• Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough - (16.7%)
• Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup - (16.7%)
• I don’t like or have never had a Dairy Queen Blizzard - (12.5%)
• Butterfinger - (8.3%)

Update from Stacey

We are nearing the end of the fiscal year so I’ve been working on a few budgeting items for Fiscal Year 2023, which starts July 1, 2022. I am grateful that the importance and effectiveness of our work has been recognized and that our budget cut was modest. Budget cuts are never easy, but we are able to take our cut without laying off any staff by focusing on positions with attrition, and absorbing some of the cut with funds that would otherwise be used to improve classrooms.

On the salary side, the Board of Regents approved a merit pool of 3.85% as part of their June meetings. This means a pool of money is allocated to units based on a percentage of their total civil service and P&A staff salary expenses, i.e., raises are not awarded directly to staff. With a larger percentage than has been approved in prior years, units are required to award different percentages to staff earning different scores on their performance reviews. This is in accordance with the University’s merit pay requirements. We are still finalizing our salary plans and getting approvals, but I anticipate having a very small difference in percentages between those earning 2s and 3s respectively. I hope to send an email update soon with details.

As we go through this process each year, we never have enough—we have so many talented staff doing great work and I don’t think we are able to fully show our gratitude for your work via salary increases. We value the work you are doing, thank you.

ASR-IT alignment kick-off

On Monday, June 6, the ASR-IT alignment group kicked off. ASR Directors began this work in February 2021 to explore the following:

• Clarify business process ownership in a complex environment;
• Find opportunities to better align networks of subject matter experts in ASR to further collaboration, and;
• Identify areas for potential organizational changes.

Directors began these conversations reviewing ASR’s organizational structures and highlighting strengths, opportunities for improvement, and constraints. Groups convened and reviewed OTR/C&C/Central and ASR Operations and put forth recommendations for consideration.

The group has been asked to provide recommendations that will improve processes and create efficiencies within ASR IT, as well as align the unit to work best with other units in ASR. Questions the group will be exploring include:

• What challenges does ASR-IT face the the way they currently work as a unit and across all ASR units?
• What changes should ASR-IT make to work more effectively and efficiently across ASR?
• What opportunities are there for changes to reporting structure in ASR IT?

One individual from each ASR unit has been assigned to the group. These unit representatives will be checking in with their individual units and bringing back feedback and ideas for the group to consider. 

Members include:

• ASR IT - Carolee Cohen
• ASR Operations and Strategic Initiatives - Renae Faunce
• OCM - Sarah Kussow
• One Stop - Richard Campo
• OSF - Stephanie Kearley
• OTR - Emily Holt
• Sponsors - Carin Thoms and Jaime Wascalus

Staff recognition

A respondent to the OCM Classroom Spring Satisfaction Survey recently thanked Jamie Friedenreich for her accurate and timely information as well as her help clarifying some questions. Noah was also thanked for providing options and demoing workarounds. The respondent really appreciated their service and said it helped them have a stable teaching environment. Way to go!

We also wanted to give a big shout out to everyone who helped destroy the files in Fraser 20, specifically Jeremy Todd, Carin Anderson-Thoms, Phil Hunter, Jacqui Brink, and Tyler Franz. Two OCM student employees also assisted. They had to go through each box to remove binder clips, remove papers from binders, separate fiche from paper, and empty boxes into Shred Right bins. It's not an exaggeration to say hundreds of boxes were emptied! The picture below is only about 1/4 of the way into the project. We could not have done this without you!

Updates from OTR and CC Alignment work

Last summer, a cross-functional team met to look at opportunities for alignment across Continuity and Compliance and the Office of the Registrar (OTR). Several changes were made as a result of that team’s work, including a change in reporting structure for the DegreeCat team (to ASR-IT) and the Degree Audit, TES, and Athletic Eligibility teams (to OTR). The Office of the Registrar has continued to work with the team’s findings and additional changes building off of the alignment team’s work include:

• The creation of a Service Operations unit managed by a new position, Assistant Director of Service Operations (posted in early June).
• Alignment of diploma operations, Records CRR functions, imaging, shared data, and mailroom operations under the Service Operations unit (Matt Duggan, Josemy Morales, and Trung Mac will report to this unit when the new manager is hired).
• This new position will also begin to manage OTR’s student athlete eligibility functions; however this will be a longer transition and team members currently responsible for this work will not change reporting lines. Our goal is to transition work and not people as we are able, with some duties being carried out by the new manager position.
• Effective June 6, Karsyn Zetah, Barb Yungers, and Colleen Harms report to Amber Cellotti under an aligned undergraduate and graduate records management unit.
• Effective July 1, Matt Duggan will take over supervision of the Records CRR team.

A sincere thanks to the OTR and C&C alignment group for their work last year and also to the entire OTR team for their continued support of the University community while these changes took shape.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee: Juneteenth

The Emancipation Proclamation went into effect on January 1, 1863 and declared that all enslaved people in Confederate states that were in rebellion against the Union “shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.” In Texas, slavery persisted for years after the Emancipation Proclamation due to the limited presence of Union troops. On June 19, 1865, following the end of the Civil War that spring, federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas to announce that the more than 250,000 enslaved people in the state were free. The 13th Amendment was then ratified on December 1, 1865 which abolished slavery across the United States, except as a punishment for being convicted of a crime.

Today, Juneteenth is a day of celebration for Black Americans and is marked by community events, family gatherings, and more. In 2021, Juneteenth was declared a federal holiday. This year, students at the University of Minnesota will not have classes on June 20, in recognition of Juneteenth. The University of Minnesota will also have their inaugural Juneteenth Celebration on June 18.

Additional information

• UMN Juneteenth 2022 Volunteer Sign-Up
• Celebrate Juneteenth in the Twin Cities
• Juneteenth: The History of a New Holiday
• What is Juneteenth?

ASR Staff Engagement June 16 Survey

This week’s ASR Staff Engagement Survey June 16, 2022 examines elements related to employee engagement. Thank you for continuing to share your stories and experiences.

According to the last survey, most have enrolled in a non-degree seeking or professional development course at the University (73.7%). When asked about your preference between in-person and online courses, 47.4% of respondents indicated that it depends on the course itself, followed by 36.8% who prefer in-person courses.

When asked about choosing a professional development course, a strong majority prefer something new that may or may not be directly related to their position (68.4%) versus learning more about something that is directly related to their current position (31.6%). Finally, many interesting courses were mentioned when asked about your favorite classes you’ve ever taken. Business Writing, Career Counseling, Hindi language, Leadership Essentials, and Scandinavian Mythology were mentioned just to name a few. Thanks all for your continued participation! It is very much appreciated.

June 2, 2022 survey results

Have you ever enrolled in a non-degree seeking or professional development course at the University?

• Yes (73.7%)
• No (26.3%)

Do you have a preference between in-person and online courses?

• Yes, I prefer in-person courses (36.8%)
• Yes, I prefer online courses (10.5%)
• No, I don’t have a preference (5.3%)
• Depends on the course (47.4%)

If you had to choose a professional development course to take, it would be...

• Something I want to learn more about that is directly related to my current position
• Something new that may or may not be directly related to my current position

What was one of your favorite classes you’ve ever taken?

• International Economics
• Choir and Art
• User Interface Design (Coursera and UMN - CSE and CSOM professors)
• Writing Women - a Winter session class at my undergrad that focused on literary works by women authors (Jane Eyre, Frankenstein, Wide Sargasso Sea, A Room of One’s Own, and a couple others). As part of the class we had to free write everyday a minimum of 1,000 words per day (4 pages typed double spaced in 12-pt font) for the entire term (including weekends). which meant we wrote minimally 28,000 words/112 pages by the end of class.
• Fencing held in the Great Hall of a castle in the UK while studying abroad

Unit updates: Office of Classroom Management

• Fall 2022 classroom assignments are being finalized, with about 30 classes that still need rooms. Making room for the final few classes is a strategic version of Jenga that takes much patience and time.
• Spring 2023 class scheduling is underway across all departments and we will be closing Collaborative Class Scheduling (CCS) to centrally schedule classrooms for Spring in the beginning of July.
• The final exam schedule for Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 has been posted, as has the CCS production calendar for Academic Year 2023-24.
• New forms are being created! The Astra Access Request Form (ARF) was migrated to a TeamDynamix (TDX) form and the team is working with ASR-IT on a new Final Exam Request Form using Jadu.
• Fraser classrooms went offline at the beginning of summer term. These rooms will remain offline until the Chemistry Undergraduate Teaching Laboratories project is funded.Summer classroom technology lifecycle renewals are in full swing. Many rooms this year will be upgraded with improved cameras and microphones to better facilitate learning. Visit our project page for more detail and updates.

Office of Admissions closed June 20

The Office of Admissions and their Welcome Centers (240 Williamson Hall and 200 Jones Hall) will be closed on Monday, June 20 in observance of Juneteenth. This closure will allow staff to participate in community events and development opportunities. Signage will be posted at the end of the day on Friday, June 17 and messaging will be posted on their website.

Update from Stacey

I hope that Memorial Day weekend offered a chance for you to rest and recharge a bit. I appreciated the summer weather and planted many flowers and some herbs and vegetables.

At work, we have a lot going on in ASR as usual—it will be impossible to cover it all. But, some key things I want to highlight are:

• The move: we are officially in Williamson Hall and unpacking!
• The One Stop website project is approaching its launch date; you can read more in the article below.
• The Department of Education announced that they are suspending verifications for 2022-23; you can see more details in the OSF update below.
• Later this month, the PeopleSoft Proof of Vaccination process will launch for students, and the existing Qualtrics process for students will be retired.
• ASR is working ahead to be ready for the next PI planning event with OIT, to be held in late July.

We are providing great service to the University and its students and I appreciate you all so much. Thank you!

One Stop website redesign demo event

All university staff and faculty are invited to join a virtual event about the upcoming launch of the redesigned One Stop website. Many of you have already seen an overview of the new One Stop site, but for our student support partners across the system, this will be a first look.

Please join us for a demo if you’d like to see the latest and greatest version of the site and learn how a focus on user experience influenced the site’s redesign. You can register for the event below.

We will also provide details on how you can participate in the upcoming soft-launch to familiarize yourselves with the new website before it’s made public to students. This event will be recorded and posted on the One Stop website upgrade project page so that anyone unable to attend will still have an opportunity to review all of the information.

Register now >

Staff recognition

We have a lot to celebrate this issue! First we want to give a major hooray and thank you to the staff from across ASR who worked on the changes to verification for 2022-2023. Members from the Office of Student Finance, ASR-IT, ASRUX, One Stop Student Services, and all University campuses worked quickly to implement system changes and send communications to students about these updates. A special thanks goes to Deb Edwards and Ali Facklam for their strong documentation from previous years that helped move this process forward! We couldn’t have done this without you!

We also want to send out kudos to everyone who worked on migrating the Astra ARF out of WorkFlowGen and into TeamDynamix. A special shout out goes to Jenn Selander for working with OIT on that transition. Way to go!

Lastly we wanted to share that Ali Bosco from UMR One Stop received the Outstanding Service Award for 2021-2022 for all of her great work over the last year. Congratulations Ali!

June is LGBTQIA+ Pride Month!

LGBTQIA+ Pride Month is celebrated each year in June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising. Spearheaded by trans people of color, Stonewall was a pivotal moment that served as a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States. Pride was initially celebrated on the anniversary of the beginning of the Stonewall Uprising and it has since grown to be a month-long celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community.

As we celebrate LGBTQIA+ pride this month, it is also an opportunity for allies to support the community in ways that last beyond the end of June. Allyship extends beyond your proximity to the LGBTQIA+ community; in addition to supporting your queer friends and family, allyship requires an active role in fighting to end the harmful practices that target the community.

We encourage you to support and uplift the community this month and seek out ways to continue that support in the remaining months.

Resources:

• “It’s not enough to celebrate transgender women of color during Pride. It’s time to learn their history.” - The Lily
• “Nearly 240 anti-LGBTQ bills filed in 2022 so far, most of them targeting trans people” - NBC News
• Staff Course: Inclusive Practices for Names and Pronouns in Academic Contexts
• 50+ Resources For LGBTQIA Allies - Buffer
• TC Pride Events 2022

Food and drink in Northrop

The Surdyk’s cafe closed in Northrup and a new cafe will be opening in its former location in late summer 2022. The new cafe will provide a great option for coffee, hot or cold lunches, and snacks. Until it opens, you can find alternative food and drink options available at Coffman Memorial Union.

Office ergonomics

As we set up our new offices in Williamson Hall, it’s a good reminder to check out the office ergonomics resources offered by the University. Our work often involves heavy use of computers, including typing, mousing, and data entry. Such work can lead to disabling injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome and neck and back strain. For this reason, the University provides assistance in evaluating and modifying physical workstations to reduce the risk of injury. In-person evaluations are available, as well as self-assessments and distance evaluations. You can also visit the showroom in Boynton Health Service to try out different equipment.

ASR Staff Engagement June 2 survey

This week’s ASR Staff Engagement Survey June 2, 2022 takes a look at professional development courses. Thank you for continuing to share your stories and experiences.

According to the last survey, most are using the new focus time feature on their Google calendar (48.3%). When asked whether you plan out your work days using Google calendar, most indicated that they do plan out their work days (58.6%) followed by 27.6% who sometimes plan out their day there.

Most report that they sometimes check someone’s calendar before instant messaging them depending on who they are messaging (55.2%) followed by 37.9% who usually check someone’s calendar. Finally, we asked about your favorite things about summer. Camping and grilling were the most frequent responses. Fresh air, long days of sunshine, and plants were also frequently mentioned. Thanks all for your continued participation! It is very much appreciated.


May 20th, 2022 survey results

Do you currently use the focus time feature on Google calendar?

· Yes (48.3%)

· No (37.9%)

· I’m not sure how to use it (13.8%)



Do you typically plan out your work day(s) using Google calendar?

· Yes (58.6%)

· No (13.8%)

· Sometimes (27.6%)



Do you check someone’s calendar before instant messaging them?

· Yes, I usually check (37.9%)

· No, I don’t usually check (6.9%)

· Sometimes, it depends on who I’m messaging (55.2%)


What’s one of your favorite things about Summer?

· Fresh air

· Everything!

· State Fair!

· Longer days

· Grilling out

· Paddleboarding· Being on the boat with my family, friends and my dogs

Unit updates: Office of Student Finance

•  Financial Aid disbursement for summer 2022 begins Monday, June 6 for all non-MED careers (the MED career is disbursed earlier).
• On Thursday, May 18, 2022, the Department of Education issued guidance once again suspending all FAFSA Verifications and requirements for the 2022-2023 academic year. Twin Cities OSF, FA-IT, and ASRUX staff worked all week to waive checklists, add PeopleSoft comments, and send communications to students for all campuses. Approximately 4,000 checklist items were waived for 1,500 students, creating a large bump in estimated financial aid packages. On average at this time there are less than 20 students packaged per day, but there were 422 in one day after waiving the checklist items! Thank you TEAM!!
• Satisfactory Academic Progress ran on May 22 for the summer.
• 2022-23 financial aid packaging timeline (dates are approximate):
• J​une 15:​ ​Last run of estimated packaging​ and FANs
• ​June 22: ​Canceling estimated​ aid​ packages​
• July 5: Budgets in production
• July 6-7 Packaging simulation/retrieves
• July 11: Actual packaging
• July 18: FANs are sent via email

Personal holiday reminder

As a reminder, University employees have until June 30 to take any remaining personal holidays, including the two additional holidays President Gabel announced in December. The Board of Regents approved the two extra personal holidays to acknowledge the dedication of faculty and staff during the pandemic. Check your personal holiday balance in the My Time tab of MyU. For details on eligibility and scheduling your holidays, visit the Office of Human Resources.

Update from Stacey

It’s the end of an era for ASR with the move out of Fraser Hall. Goodbye Fraser and hello Williamson Hall! The updated 160 space and 130/140 space are well designed for our hybrid environment, and I’m excited for the new finishes. The paint colors, new carpet, sit/stand desks, and other finishing touches are impressive. Thank you so much to everyone involved in this project.

We also reached the end of spring 2022 and started May session. Last year at this time, I was just stepping into my interim role and campus was a quieter place. This year, I’ve really appreciated seeing the graduates posing for pictures around campus and the energy of campus tours.

The last month and a half has been difficult for many of us in ASR. I have definitely felt this. I miss my coworker and friend and the work doesn’t seem to wait patiently when I need it to. However, I think it’s important to acknowledge that there have been some silver linings too. Many of you and other university colleagues have reached out to support each other. We’ve also raised over $13,000 for the scholarship fund in Tina’s memory. Thank you for making this a good place to work even in tough times.

Mental Wellness in the Workplace

Mental Health Awareness Month

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, so we wanted to share the resources that the Mental Wellness in the Workplace working group has compiled, which includes mental health resources from the University and State of Minnesota as well.

ASR Staff Engagement May 20 Survey

This week’s ASR Staff Engagement Survey May 20, 2022 examines how we use our work calendars. Thank you for continuing to share your stories and experiences!

According to the last survey, most folks are feeling a moderate level of stress (33.3%), followed by 25.9% who are stressed, and 22.2% who are very stressed. When asked whether you feel that you are able to “unplug” after work, most feel that they are sometimes able to “unplug” when their work time ends (48.1%), followed by 44% who feel that they are able to “unplug” after work.

We had lots of excellent advice shared for new employees regarding managing their workload, which are all available on the N&N blog. Thanks all for your submissions! Finally, we asked about your favorite thing to eat for breakfast. Coffee, peanut butter toast, and cereal were the most popular responses. Thanks all for your continued participation! It is very much appreciated. The results from the last survey are available below.

May 5, 2022 survey results

What is your current stress level? (1=not stressed, 5= very stressed)

• 1 - (3.7%)
• 2 - (14.8%)
• 3 - (33.3%)
• 4 - (25.9%)
• 5 - (22.2%)

Do you feel that you are able to “unplug” after your work time ends?

• Yes - (44.4%)
• No - (7.4%)
• Sometimes - (48.1%)

What advice would you give new employees regarding managing their workload?

• Don't be afraid to say "no". People will respect you for it if you do. Set boundaries and stick to them.
• Ask questions! Ask for help. Make suggestions.
• Don't work outside your regular work hours. Once it is your personal time, don't look at your email or answer phone calls/texts etc.
• Protect your time and communicate expectations.
• Ask questions about due dates and specific deliverables.
• We have a service window for a reason. If you're feeling burnt out trying to answer every email immediately, take a break and relax!
• Shut your computer OFF at the end of the workday, don't have your Gmail connected to your phone, go outside!
• Take time to list and prioritize tasks.
• Students first.
• Clearly communicate any items where you are having trouble completing; it helps to get others perspectives on how to move things forward
• You can always ask for help.
• Breathe. There is only so much you can do in a day. Tomorrow is another day.

What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?

• Eggs
• Nachos
• Breakfast burritos
• Caribou Raspberry White Chocolate Scone
• Pizza
• Anything from Patisserie 46
• COFFEE

DegreeCat update

At the beginning of April, the DegreeCat Project determined that the necessary progress had not been made to be confident in a successful launch of Stellic to the first wave of students on May 30. That launch was postponed and an executive review of the project was completed.

As a result of this review, University work on Stellic has been paused until at least January 2023. At that time, a determination will be made on if the University has a good path forward to launching Stellic with confidence or if different options to meet the institution’s needs should be explored.

This decision was not made lightly. It was after careful consideration of the current status of the project and the resources needed to be successful with the Coursedog (our replacement for ECAS, PCAS, and University Catalogs) implementation.

The DegreeCat project team has done a tremendous amount of work over the past year to keep things moving forward with the Stellic implementation and to ensure University students have a system they can trust for degree planning. They will take the next few weeks to wrap up work and document what has been done before fully shifting focus to the implementation of Coursedog.

If you have any questions about the DegreeCat project, please contact degreecat@umn.edu.