Upcoming Project Request deadlines

Now that Q2 (November-January) 2026 is officially underway, we will begin reviewing project requests for Q3 2026 (February-April) and beyond. Please submit project requests as early as possible to allow time for review. Full details of the project request process and additional resources, such as the Complete ASR Quarterly Planning Calendar, are available on the ASR Staff Site.

Dates and deadlines for Q3 2026:

• Project request deadline: December 5, 2025
• Project prioritization: January 8, 2026
• Start of ASR planning quarter: February 1, 2026

Performance appraisal timeline

The 2025 performance appraisal Jadu form will be available for staff on Monday, December 1. The rating period covers January 1 - December 31, 2025. See the timeline below:

• Monday, December 1 - Jadu form becomes available for ASR staff.
• Friday, January 2 - Due date for employees to submit their form in Jadu.
• Monday, January 5 - Friday, February 6 - Supervisors must submit completed forms in Jadu.
• Friday, February 6 - Friday, February 20 - Directors complete review on all appraisals for their unit.
• Monday, February 23 - Friday, March 20 - Supervisors and employees meet to review the appraisal.

Salesforce Lightning is live for ASR

On November 4, OIT switched ASR over to a new Salesforce user interface. One Stop, DORS, OTR, OSF, and SDP prepared for the transition to Salesforce Lightning through training and testing. The previous user interface will be discontinued. While we’re still working through some issues and adjusting to the new interface, the change allows for updated functionality.

Twin Cities minority-owned theater productions

From the dazzling lights of Broadway to captivating concerts, the Twin Cities offers a vibrant theater scene, including many minority-owned theaters, such as Theater Mu, Pillsbury House + Theater, and zAmya Theater, and diverse productions. As the holiday season approaches and the weather grows colder, now is the perfect time to support the arts and go see a show or participate in an event!

• Mixed Blood, Minnesota’s first multi-racial theater company, offers four shows running concurrently, including “The Jungle,” which explores the dangers of crossing borders, and Equitable Dinners, where the company picks a topic like affordable housing and performs in people’s homes.
• Penumbra Theater has a monthly Banned Book Club, a cross-racial Coalition panel discussion scheduled for November 24, and Langston Hughes’ “Black Nativity” will be playing in December.
• New Native Theater is performing “A Christmas in Ochopee” in December, a comedy about Christmas in the Everglades.
• The State Theater is running the world premiere stage adaptation of Prince’s “Purple Rain” through November 23.

Honoring our veterans

University Veterans Services proudly commemorated Veterans Day with a week of events celebrating our campus military community. The observance began at the Salute to Service football game, where the University of Minnesota Student Veterans Association (SVAM) hosted a tailgate before being recognized on the field alongside President Cunningham.

The celebration continued with the 16th Annual Veterans Appreciation Event—an opportunity for the University to honor and thank the veteran and military-connected members of our campus community for their service and contributions—and concluded with the installation of a Field of Flags on the Coffman Memorial Union lawn for Veterans Day. Featuring 524 American flags—one for each student veteran on the Twin Cities campus—this powerful display served as a visible reminder of the dedication, service, and sacrifice of our veterans and their families.

 

ASR Staff Engagement November 13 Survey

As we move into colder temperatures, this week’s ASR Engagement Survey asks about staying warm. Thank you for continuing to share your stories and experiences.

According to the last survey, it was a tie between participating in a bakeoff or chili cookoff (36.7% each) as well as a tie between folks that would do both or neither (13.3% each). A slight majority of respondents have gone ‘bobbing for apples’ before (56.7%).

Finally, there was a strong preference for pumpkin in a sweet dish (46.7%) vs a savory one (6.7%). However, 40% of respondents say they like both. Thanks all for your continued participation! It is very much appreciated.

October 30 survey results

Would you rather participate in a bakeoff or a chili cookoff?

• Bakeoff (36.7%)
• Chili cookoff (36.7%)
• Neither! (13.3%)
• Why not both? (13.3%)

Have you ever participated in 'bobbing for apples'?

• Yes (56.7%)
• No (43.3%)

Do you prefer pumpkin in a savory or sweet dish?

• Savory (6.7%)
• Sweet (46.7%)
• I like both! (40%)
• I dislike both! (6.7%)

Quarterly prioritization and planning

ASR is starting 5 planned projects in Q2 2026 (Nov-Jan). This is in addition to the 15 projects that were previously planned or are in progress. Refer to the Executive Project Dashboard for a summary of all projects and their status.

Any project requests that were not planned will be held in the project backlog for reconsideration. Please submit project requests for the next quarter (Q3 2026) through the ASR Work and Project Request form.