BA Connect Newsletter - November 2023
Veronica Salazar
Chief Enterprise Development Officer and Senior Vice President for Business Affairs
Dear Business Affairs,
The cooler fall weather is finally here as November begins. This month, we have many exciting opportunities to connect with one another and give back to our community.
In the spirit of giving, the Business Affairs Fall Food Drive continues this week, through Friday, Nov. 3. I know each area has been engaged in collecting items for the Roadrunner Pantry, and I can’t wait to see the final donations!
Next week, on Nov. 8, I hope you will join UTSA Wellness and Business Affairs leadership for our second annual wellness walk – this time at the San Pedro I campus. At the end of the week, you can join Staff Senate at the UTSA Football Game on Nov. 11 as they raise funds for scholarships through the Touchdowns for Tuition initiative.
Please remember to submit your final award nominations of the year by Nov. 17. Recognizing colleagues for their exemplary leadership and dedication is a meaningful way to celebrate excellence in our division.
Sincerely,
Veronica Salazar
Senior Vice President for Business Affairs and
Chief Enterprise Development Officer
Katy Madden Named Associate Vice President for People Excellence
UTSA has appointed Katy Madden as associate vice president for People Excellence, now assuming her duties permanently after serving in the interim role since November 2022. Over the past year, Katy has led People Excellence through initiatives including expansion of Talent Management’s training and professional development programming, change management integration, a full migration and reorganization of the People Excellence website and more. Please join us in congratulating her on her new permanent role.
UTSA Celebrates Two Unique Groundbreakings
UTSA recently celebrated the start of construction on two new buildings. On October 18, the groundbreaking for San Pedro II took place in conjunction with San Antonio StartUp Week, highlighting the building's focus on innovation, entrepreneurship and workforce development. On October 21, the Blanco Hall groundbreaking took place as part of UTSA Day with a focus on the vision for residential life at UTSA. Both groundbreakings featured remarks by leadership and university partners, as well as interactive groundbreaking activities to commemorate the occasions.
SMART Goals Are Due Nov. 30
At this time, employees and supervisors should be working together to set SMART goals for FY2024, which are due in PeopleSoft Thursday, Nov. 30. A SMART goal is defined as one that is specific, measurable, achievable/aligned, realistic/relevant and timely. Visit Performance Management for resources including informational guides, a microlearning module and a fillable PDF worksheet to help you create effective SMART goals.
ITC Centennial 2068 Evaluative Process
ITC Centennial 2068 is a long-term planning effort that is supported by a community-engaged visioning process and numerous due diligence efforts. Over the last year, UTSA has conducted an evaluative process that will guide consideration of each of the three scenarios developed during the visioning process. Leading community and industry experts were engaged to provide essential reports and assessments to determine what it will take to realize each of these conceptual scenarios. The evaluative phase report was recently released on the ITC Centennial 2068 website, along with more information about the experts engaged and their assessments.
Join Us Nov. 8 for a Wellness Walk at San Pedro I
Join Business Affairs and UTSA Wellness at 9 a.m. on Nov. 8 at San Pedro I for a short wellness walk around San Pedro Creek. Mingle with colleagues, enjoy the scenery and get some steps! Don't forget, UT Living Well’s Fall Into Fitness Team Challenge continues through Nov. 12. Steps can be tracked retroactively for up to two weeks prior to joining the challenge. Log in to the UT Living Well platform powered by Limeade today and join an open team—your contribution might be what it takes for your team to achieve the one million steps needed for success!
Follow Veronica on Social Media!
All Business Affairs team members are encouraged to follow Senior Vice President Veronica Salazar on social media. Veronica regularly posts on LinkedIn, X (formerly known as Twitter) and Facebook about updates, events and initiatives at UTSA and within the larger community. Throughout the month of November, as we celebrate the season of giving thanks, Veronica will share posts of appreciation and gratitude on social media using #ThankfulUTSA. All employees are invited to join in this social campaign.
Show Your Business Affairs Pride With Virtual Backgrounds
Bring some Business Affairs and Roadrunner pride to your Teams or Zoom meetings! Visit the Business Affairs website to explore a variety of fun, colorful and ready-to-download virtual backgrounds. Be sure to check back regularly, as we frequently update the page with new backgrounds and seasonal options.
Calendar
| 11/1-30 | Native American Heritage Month |
| 11/1 | Dia de los Muertos |
| 11/5 | Daylight Saving Time Ends |
| 11/7 | Election Day |
| 11/8 | First Gen Fest |
| 11/11 | Veterans Day |
| 11/12 | Diwali |
| 1/13-21 | Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week |
| 11/23-24 | Thanksgiving Holiday (UTSA Closed) |
Birthdays and Anniversaries
Congratulations to all of our employees celebrating birthdays and work anniversaries this month!
