葫芦影

Comprised of Division features, accolades and achievements, as well as valuable "In Case You Missed It (ICYMI)" news you can use, each edition of the newsletter highlights key information and resources across the Division's departmental, operational and service unit areas. Subscribe to the A&F listserv.

Dear Colleagues,

The fall semester saw the largest first-year class in the 葫芦影业’s history, and I am so appreciative of all our Administrative and Finance employees who are working hard to support their success in so many ways. In this month’s issue, you will see highlights of how the division supported incoming first-year students and the UH community with our fall opening events and programs.

One of the ways the division supported the UH community in this early part of the fall semester was through its campus and general safety education, starting with Behind the Badge, the community engagement event that was part of the university’s Weeks of Welcome activities. Thank you to all division employees and departments who participated, attended, and organized the event that allowed the UH community to learn about the campus safety departments.

September is National Campus Safety Awareness Month, and in this month’s newsletter, we highlight some essential information about campus safety. I encourage all of you to read the informative article and be a co-producer of on-campus safety. To that end, the Office of Emergency Management and Fire & Life Safety held a Hurricane Preparedness event to educate the UH community on the importance of being prepared during hurricane season.

Additionally, the UH community has a new place to dine and connect as the entire RAD (Retail, Auxiliary and Dining) Center is officially open with Houston-based eateries making their mark on the UH campus. Please read the feature article about the official ribbon-cutting event for students' perspectives about their RAD experience and how this new building is enhancing their on-campus experience.

Also in this month’s newsletter:

• A feature story on the importance of bike registration.
• A reminder to Save the Date for this year’s Faculty & Staff Tailgate.
• A feature story on the Grubhub's Campus Dining program.

These are just a few of the stories and updates from this month’s newsletter. I encourage you to read the feature stories to see the many ways our divisional employees make a positive impact on the UH community. I am thankful for all our divisional employees and the work you put in daily to support the university and our campus community. Thank you for your continued support.

Now Open, RAD Center Gets Students Approval

The RAD Center is officially open for business. The 41,000 sq. foot, $44 million building replaces the much-loved, yet dated, underground Student Center Satellite and provides the 葫芦影业 community with plenty of new food options and study space to aid and fuel their collegiate journey. While the RAD opened at the start of the fall semester, this month’s ribbon cutting officially opened and introduced the center to the UH community.

Read more about the RAD Center and how students feel about it.

Grubhub’s Campus Dining Program Delivers Food Options for the UH Community

This fall, the university rolled out Grubhub as the integrated campus mobile ordering and delivery platform to reduce lines at popular on-campus eateries, streamline residential Meal Exchange ordering, and enable robot delivery from on-campus locations – all in one mobile app.

Grubhub, the food ordering and delivery app, allows students, faculty, and staff to place orders from on-campus eateries such as The Melt Lab, Chik-Fil-A, Panda Express, and new additions via the RAD Center like The Burger Joint, Absurd Bird and Taco Stand. Users have the option to select a pick-up time or have their order delivered via the Starship delivery robots.

Read more about how this .

Stay Cougar S.A.F.E.

	September is National Campus Safety Awareness Month Since 2008, September has been recognized as National Campus Safety Awareness Month. A time dedicted to promoting safety and security on college and university campuses. At the 葫芦影业, there are numerous departments, programs, and services dedicated to campus safety. Learn more about campus safety at UH.
	Students Get Informed at Behind the Badge event  The annual Behind the Badge event at the 葫芦影业, now in its fourth year, provided 174 students, faculty, and staff an opportunity to meet, converse, question, and learn about the local law enforcement agencies and university departments supporting safety on campus. Behind the Badge coincided with the Weeks of Welcome activities, and for some students, it proved beneficial as they learned about how the departments can support them. Read more about 2024’s .
	Athletics and Campus Safety Prepare for Football Season In coordination with the Department of Athletics, the Office of Emergency Management and Fire and Life Safety hosted a comprehensive tabletop exercise to prepare and respond to a potential end-of-game field invasion from the crowd. The exercise brought together key collaborators from contracted security, the 葫芦影业 Police Department, Advantage Emergency Medical Services, Athletics Staff, Parking and Transportation, Fire Marshal’s Office, OVG Facilities, and Follet Higher Education as relevant departments that play crucial roles during game day. Read more about how these .
	The Importance of Registering Your Bicycle For 葫芦影业 bicycle and scooter riders, one of the most important steps before bringing a bike or scooter to campus is register the ride with Parking and Transportation Services. The importance of registering one’s bicycle or scooter with the university is that if it is lost, stolen and later found or retrieved, the bike’s registration sticker will identify to law enforcement who it belongs to and where it’s registered. Learn more about .
	Students Learn About Hurricane Preparedness from OEM 葫芦影业 students got educated by the Office of Emergency Management on the importance of hurricane preparedness. The department spoke to 191 students who stopped by OEM’s tabling event to ask questions, get quizzed on hurricane related topics, and grab swag such as rain ponchos, waterproof bag for documents, and more. Read about event to learn more.

Cougar Cudos

Cougar Cudos goes to Bill Wilkins, Lonnie McWilliams, Rubin Logan, Jesus Aguirre, Jesse Gonzales, Joseph Carter, Hung Ta, Americo Vazquez, and Alfonso Marroquin from Facilities/Construction Management. Campus Safety members receiving Cougar Cudos include Latoya Mathis, Daniella Sapp Cobas, John McNeely, Maia Solomon, and David Harrison.

To nominate a fellow staff member, fill out the.

A&F Employees Honored with President’s Excellence Awards

Each year, the university acknowledges staff employees for ten years of service recognition in increments of five years. Additionally, a select few are honored for their contributions through the President’s Excellence Awards. This year, four Administrative and Finance employees were recognized. Congratulations to:

• Wendy Byron – Facilities Services
• Mark Rosanes – Technology Services & Support
• John Taylor – Preventive Maintenance

UH & OEM awarded with Continuity Preparedness Program Award

The 葫芦影业 and the Office of Emergency Management were recognized with a prestigious Continuity Preparedness Program Award. The accolade, presented by the State Office of Risk Management (SORM), honors organizations that have demonstrated exceptional continuity planning and preparedness with the selection handled by the State’s Continuity Council.

The award was accepted by Ginger Walker, OEM Director, at the Annual SORM Symposium. This recognition demonstrates UH's dedication to ensuring resilience and preparedness in the face of any hazard.

OEM Staff Awarded Tuition Scholarship

UH Office of Emergency Management Specialist (OEM), Maia Solomon, has been awarded the Staff Tuition Scholarship. The scholarship will help Solomon as she pursues her Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Political Science here at the university. This accomplishment highlights Solomon's dedication to UH as both a full-time staff member and student and her commitment to furthering her academic and professional development.

As Solomon embarks on her doctoral journey, she plans to focus her research on the intersection of emergency management, public policy, and political decision-making. By exploring these critical areas, she aims to develop innovative strategies for enhancing emergency preparedness and response efforts, ultimately helping to create more resilient and secure communities.

Fall Vaccinations Clinics for Faculty/Staff 

Safeguard your health and that of others by taking advantage of several on- campus Vaccination Clinics available to UH employees. HR POWER UP Employee Wellness and the Student Health Center will host H-E-B Pharmacists onsite Sept. 16 – 30 to provide faculty, staff and students with flu and COVID-19 vaccinations, as well as vaccinations for RSV/shingles/pneumonia for those who qualify. 

For employees with BCBSTX HealthSelect, these vaccinations are considered preventive care and covered at no cost. To participate, locate your insurance card and then REGISTER online for the vaccines you would like to receive. Can’t make one of the clinics? Faculty and staff may also visit the Student Health Center & for flu and COVID-19 shots. Learn more about the SHC & Campus Pharmacy for more information and to .

HR's Annual Fall Retirement Seminar

Start planning for retirement today! Join Human Resources for the “Fall into Financial Wellness” Annual Retirement Seminar on Wednesday, October 9, 12 - 3:30 PM and Thursday, October 10, 9AM – 3PM in the M.D. Anderson Library, Edith Rockwell Pavilion. 

On October 9th, Teacher Retirement Services and Employee Retirement System of Texas will share what you need to know and do now and as retirement nears. Seize this in-person opportunity to ask your questions and get the answers you’ve been seeking.  Then, on Thursday join Corebridge Financial, Fidelity, TIAA, Voya and Texa$aver 457 to learn the steps you can begin taking to ensure a financially sound future. Attend and discover how these vendors can assist you in planning for the successful retirement you desire. Look for a schedule of sessions to be announced soon.

Put Cybersecurity First 

Put cybersecurity first by learning the basics and how to #BeCyberSmart. That’s the focus of Cybersecurity Awareness Month. What does it mean to put cybersecurity first? For individuals and families, it means making cybersecurity a priority in your daily life. If you prioritize cybersecurity, you’re more likely to remember to:

• Avoid using public Wi-Fi. 
• Back up your devices regularly. 
• Consider security and privacy when posting on social media.
• Protect your devices and connected objects in multiple ways.
• Research new apps and software before downloading.
• Shop securely online and avoid dubious sites.
• Never click on links from untrusted sources.

Just as with building other habits, using tools and reminders can help you prioritize cybersecurity. It should never be an afterthought.

A&F Staff Appreciation Nominations To Open in October.

Heads up, Administration and Finance, nominations for the 2025 A&F Staff Appreciation Event will open in October. Staff can nominate colleagues across five categories. The individual awards are the V.I.S.I.O.N. Award, Silent Service Award, and Star Performer Award. The team awards are Team Impact Award, and Team Innovation Award. More information will follow in the coming weeks.

Save the Date: Faculty & Staff Tailgate

Save the Date for this year’s Faculty/Staff Homecoming Tailgate celebration scheduled for October 26 when the 葫芦影业 Cougars football team battle the University of Utah Utes. While the game time has yet to be confirmed, we encourage you to Save the Date and plan to join in the Homecoming festivities to enjoy fun, food, and fellowship during the 2024 Homecoming Game. More details to follow soon.

On-Campus Mobile Mammography Screenings

Fall Mobile Mammography Screenings will be available on campus during Breast Cancer Awareness Month for qualifying UH employees with BCBSTX HealthSelect insurance (or other accepted ) with no co-pay or additional out-of-pocket expense. Screenings will be conducted in ’s mobile mammography unit on Wednesday, October 30 & Thursday October 31, 9 AM – 3:20 PM in between the Power Plant and Technology Annex (near the M.D. Anderson Library).

There is a minimum number of participants required for the screening event, so online early using (Code: UHCR) by October 16 to participate. Look for program details and requirements from HR POWER UP Employee Wellness to come soon. If you have any questions, please contact at MobileTeam@therose.org or call (281) 464-5136.

Save the Date: Custodian Appreciation Day 

Custodian Appreciation Day is October 2. Facilities/Construction Management will celebrate and encourages others to also take this great opportunity to thank those who work behind the scenes to support all our students, faculty, and staff. F/CM has over 125 in-house custodians and close to the same number of contract custodians. UH custodians are a team of dedicated employees that cover the cleaning and maintenance of 160 campus buildings, twenty-four hours a day through three assigned shifts. They are consistently Building Futures, Maintaining Excellence across campus.

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month 

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a time to remind us to be cybersmart all year long. This month aims to raise awareness about digital security and empower faculty, staff, and students to protect both university and personal data from digital threats.

IT Security is launching an awareness campaign with materials available to all UH System campuses. Each campus will receive new materials weekly, including digital signage, website content, printed signage, lab computer screens, and social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and X. Key messages from IT Security include enabling multifactor authentication, using strong passwords and a password manager, recognizing and reporting phishing attempts, and keeping software up to date.