BAnews


	September 2006			SideNotes
	Kerry's Korner... Last month you read about my love for UTSA and those things that I love about working here. This month – those things that disappoint and hinder our progress. It’s disappointing to hear that we have certain staff being treated unfairly by their supervisors, who through their favoritism and unbridled egos, think they are better than others and that somehow, they have the right to take advantage of others, be rude, condescending and above reproach. It disappoints me when our service levels don’t match the needs of our customers. People who make excuses and blame others – not taking responsibility for themselves and their actions – they really disappoint me. It’s disappointing to see us take our jobs and the university for granted, and not be truly thankful for how we are blessed each day with friends and colleagues who really care about us. When we take our colleagues and jobs for granted, we stop trying to get better; we stop looking for opportunities to add value to the organization; we don’t think about partnering with others - we just think about ourselves – a selfish and introspection that leads to anything but quality, partnering, creativity, communication, and change – hallmarks of our vision. “So what?” some might say. “Life is full of disappointments – deal with it.” Well, we are dealing with it, and here’s what we’re doing. We’re continuing to work hard to get the ‘right people on the bus’ – to hire and retain those individuals who are dedicated to our vision of excellence and partnering, those who are willing to seek positive changes, and those who not only desire to make a difference, but who actually can and do. We’re going to continue to recognize and celebrate those who exemplify the hallmarks of excellence. We’re going to move this university to heights never before imagined, and do it with the best people and higher education professionals in the state. We all have hundreds of decisions to make each day. So, I challenge each of you - is this a vision and culture that you can embrace – every day and in every job? I trust so. Kerry			Calendar of Events New Employee Welcome Program September 26 Business Affairs Breakfast RoadRunner Cafe September 27 Business Affairs Holiday Reception Laurel Room December 19 Worth Remembering... "I've never known a person focused on yesterday to have a better tomorrow." —Unknown— Have you tried Freshens yet?
	Johnny Bocanegra			UTSA's Child Development Center Congratulations to Child Development Center director Luretta Filberth and staff on earning accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the nation's leading organization of early childhood professionals. The NAEYC created its accreditation program more than 20 years ago to set professional standards for early childhood education and to help families identify high quality child care and early education programs.
	Johnny Sosa Bocanegra was born and raised in Corpus Christi where is father worked for the Sam Kane Company for 20 years. His mother, whom he misses very much, passed away in 2003 about the same time he began working at UTSA. The fifth of six children, Johnny has four sisters and one brother. Yolanda, his twin sister lives here in San Antonio. Elsa and Carlos live in Houston, and, Dora and Esther are in Corpus Christi. Sailing is one of his many hobbies. He enjoys traveling, listening to music, collecting antique car models and, making macramé baskets in his favorite colors of orange and blue, and taking Jacques and Pierre, his dogs for their daily walks in the park. Johnny works in the Department of Facilities as a Building Attendant II. Before coming to work here at UTSA, he worked at the Greyhound Bus Station and the River Center Mall. “Working at UTSA is a great opportunity for me. I have met a lot of good people and consider them my UTSA family.” Johnny, thank you for your dedicated service to the university and Business Affairs.
	Janet Parker - Associate Vice President for Budgeting and Management Reporting			System-Wide Insurance Advisory Committee The System-Wide Insurance Advisory Committee (SWIAC) was established to represent UT System active and retired employees in advising OEB staff and management regarding the development, implementation, coordination, and administration of the group insurance programs. SWIAC serves as a channel for the open communication of ideas and suggestions regarding coverage, eligibility, claims, procedures, bidding, administration and other aspects of group insurance benefits. Each System institution has two representatives on the SWIAC: one elected from among the institution's employees and one appointed by the institution's administration. Elected and appointed members serve a term of two years. Congratulations to UTSA's elected representatives: Voting member Angela Hardwick, HR Representative Non-Voting member Dr. Georgia Polacek, Assistant Professor Health and Kinesiology
	CSU tried to barricade Janet...but she accepted the position of Assistant Vice President for Budgeting and Management Reporting effective September 25. Janet is currently the Associate Vice President for Budget and Human Resources Management at California State University, Long Beach, and has over 20 years of higher education experience and accomplishments in leadership positions. Prior to her current position at California State University, Long Beach, she served as Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services at the University of Alaska, Associate Director of Administration at the University of Southern California, and as Director of Budget and Human Resources Management at California State University. She received her bachelor's degree in Biology from DePaul University and her Master of Public Administration with an emphasis in Public Finance and Administration from the University of Alaska. She also has earned certification as a Purchasing Manager and is a graduate of the Stanford Executive Leadership Institute. Janet’s education and experience will serve the university well as she will be primarily responsible for the leadership, planning and management of the university’s operating budget, development of the institution’s Legislative Appropriation Request, administration of the institution’s administrative computing system (DEFINE), and she will oversee the development and maintenance of an effective financial management information and reporting system. Janet has been most successful in advancing the service mission of each organization where she has worked, and we are confident that each of you will enjoy working with her to advance our institutional and Business Affairs visions. Janet will replace Patti Cutler, Assistant Vice President for Budget and Financial Planning, who will retire in January 2007. The new position title for Janet reflects the merging of the Office of Budget and Financial Planning and Office of Management Reporting and Analyses effective September 25. Until her retirement, Patti will work closely with Janet to help acclimate her to UTSA systems and procedures. Please welcome Janet Parker to Business Affairs and to UTSA.
	George Morales headed to Texas Tech University Health Science Centers			Carla Contreras and Bridgedette Garza are Recipients of UTSA Staff Council Scholarship The University Staff Council established the Staff Council Scholarships in the spring 2006. These newly created scholarships are a wonderful opportunity for the staff community to be awarded educational assistance. Classified and Administrative and Professional employees who meet the criteria for the scholarships are encouraged to apply. The first scholarships were awarded for Fall 2006, to one undergraduate and one graduate student in the amount of $250 for each scholarship. Undergraduate Scholarship Carla Contreras Facilities Planning and Development Graduate Scholarship Bridgedetta Garza, Enrollment Services Congratulations Carla and Bridgedetta!
	George Morales, Director of Maintenance & Operations for UTSA, was recently selected as the Associate Vice President for Physical Plant and Support Services for the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Centers. George will provide leadership and direction to the facilities groups as they work to support, educate and train new doctors and medical and health professionals for Texas and the Nation. George came to UTSA in late 1999 as the Director of Facilities Services. He has provided leadership during a period of tremendous growth and change. He was instrumental in building, commissioning and getting faculty/staff moved into many of our new facilities such as the Recreation & Wellness Center, Child Development Center, Chaparral Village, Tobin Research facility, the Main Building, the Biotechnology, Sciences and Engineering, and the Durango and Monterey Buildings. He managed many projects that are now benefiting students, such as nine new parking lots and various roads, athletic and recreational sports upgrades, including tennis courts, track and convocation center, construction of new Freshman Advising Center, several complex research labs, the restoration of the Institute of Texan Cultures building exterior, new shop facilities, and replacement and upgrade of over 10 roofing systems, among many other projects. George is most proud of his safety improvements and initiatives, new construction processes, planning & completing the infrastructure work that will provide campus utilities well into the future and helping recruit and develop a facilities staff with skilled personnel such as licensed master plumbers and electricians, licensed engineers and many other talented and committed personnel. George is a Registered Professional Engineer in Texas, has over 25 years of experience in facilities and holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M and an MBA from the University of Texas at Pan American. Please congratulate and encourage George as he moves to another phase in his career. His resignation is effective October 6^th and a reception will be scheduled in the near future to thank George for his contributions to the university.
	Hazard Communication and Laboratory Safety Training Available Online			Business Affairs Staff Council Congratulations to our newly elected members Adrian Vilanova Representing Administration Department Dianita Gee Representing Human Resources Edward Celaya Representing Facilities Operation and Maintenance Rose Mendez Representing Facilities Housekeeping Blanch Torres Representing Facilities Administration Rich Barber Representing University Police Elba Ramos Representing Financial Affairs
	Environmental Health, Safety and Risk Management (EHS&RM)has teamed with Human Resources Training and Development to provide Hazard Communication & Laboratory Safety training online through *The Learning Source* - HR's new integrated learning management system. The online training course will allow UTSA to move closer to achieving full compliance with state and federal regulations which require Hazard Communication training for everyone working with hazardous chemicals. The course will be available starting September 1. Personnel working in teaching and research laboratories are the main audience for this course; but, some personnel in other areas, such as Facilities and Art, also require this course. The online course will double as an information source since it can also be accessed for informational purposes only. Newly hired employees in positions who must take this Safety course will be identified by job code and department, then automatically signed up for the online course. They may attend the classroom course if they prefer. The schedule is available at: http://www.utsa.edu/safety/A-Lab/labsafety.htm. Existing employees in one of the identified positions can access the class by contacting the Training and Development Office at 458-4658. EHS&RM is currently working with HR Training and Development to provide two additional mandatory courses online. Blood borne Pathogen Training for Laboratory Personnel will be the next course available later this semester followed by Radiation Safety Training in early 2007.
	Mark Brushwiller First Certified Police Motors Officer
	Mark Brushwiller has been a police officer with the UTSA Police Department since December of 2000. Mark and his wife, Janet, are the proud parents of Jason, who also works for the UTSA Police Department as a Guard, Kayla, a junior at UTSA, and Brett who works at the UT Health Science Center. A certified police instructor and the primary firearms instructor for the police department, Mark conducts semi-annual firearms qualifications for UTSA police officers as well as teaches firearms training at the UT System Police Academy. Mark recently completed an intense and very challenging 80-hour police motorcycle course certifying him as the very first police motors officer in the history of the UTSA Police Department. The skills he obtained now place him in the top 2% of skilled motorcycle officers. He can now maneuver a motorcycle in ways that he never dreamed possible. Mark will make good use of the department’s police motorcycle which will enable him to respond to emergencies quicker than any other vehicle in the police fleet. Able to go where patrol cars cannot, the motorcycle will be a tremendous asset to not only the police department, but the community it serves.
	Campus Construction Update
	James Bauerle Road Extension: This project creates an access-controlled extension from James Bauerle Road north to Parking Lot 4, behind the Main Building, and closes entrances from James Bauerle into Lot 8 to improve traffic flow. Construction is underway and anticipate completion is mid-December 2006. East-West Connector Road: This project will create a roadway and pedestrian walkway from Rhoderick Key Parking Lot (Arts Bldg) to Parking Lot 13 on the east side of campus. This roadway will allow for express shuttle service between these two lots which should greatly improve utilization of Lot 13. Construction will begin early September and is expected to be complete by spring 2007 semester.
	Did you know...			................ REMINDER..... Please email us the new employees in your department, so we can add them to the newsletter mailing. ................ PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS All requests to view or copy UTSA documents must be processed through the Vice President for Business Affairs Office. For more information, click: http://www.utsa.edu/bussvc/ OpenRecords.htm. Business Affairs Promise We are committed to helping you achieve your goals through excellence in service -- every person, every day every job
	Lightning makes your grass greener Lightning provides the intense energy needed to combine atmospheric nitrogen and oxygen into nitrates. The rain then carries these nitrates down to the earth's surface enriching the soil. Acting as a fertilizer, nitrates in an indirect way help to make the grass green.
	An Interview with Dave Hernandez
	How was UTSA's investigation of Naomi Fuentes different from investigations in a large metropolitan police department? Out of seven boys, how many are police officers? Was Chief Hernandez once a school teacher? To find the answers, read about Chief Hernandez in UTSA's *Sombrilla* magazine.