The VP’s Blog has been hijacked by the VPFAS Office! This month’s guiding principle is Excitement. See what we’re excited about…
Candace: What am I excited for? Not sure you really want to know but here goes.
1. Spring Break. This week will be the pinnacle of all furlough days. The anticipation is like Christmas morning.
2. The new Parking Structure. I am convinced that once this opens all traffic on Craven Drive will magically reroute to the other side of campus therefore allowing me to cruise up to lot E and find a parking spot with the ease experienced during summer or winter break. My trusty Honda deserves that.
3. The softball team playing their home season on campus. At the heart of every major University is its Athletics program. I can’t wait to see some action down there and the boost to student life on campus.
4. The last season of LOST. Anyone with me on this? What is up with “bad Locke?” How did the polar bears get there? Why did Walt talk backwards? What is with that statue with the 4 toes? Why does Richard Alpert wear guyliner? Tuesday nights just got interesting.
Jennifer: What am I excited for? Oh lots of things . . . especially this week!
1. The Annual Customer Satisfaction Surveys. The surveys have been launched, and we are receiving valuable feedback from across the campus!
2. The PEER Recognition Program. PEER Team TWENTY has kicked off the nomination period, and the nominations have started rolling in – nothing is better than reviewing the kind words that colleagues submit about one another.
3. QI is on facebook! What is more exciting than being the first QI program in the CSU to have a facebook account! In a time when resources are low, we are still capable of bringing our program to new heights by finding innovative ways to communicate and share information!
4. The Policies and Procedures Web Page! On February 22nd, the new Policies, Procedures, and Guidelines Web page will be launched!
5. The Division Meeting! Seeing our division come together brings forward not only excitement, but laughter and the finest employees on campus!
Robin: What am I excited for?
1. The completion and submission of Mid-Year. That’s right! FAS just completed a comprehensive mid-year budget review of all revenue and expenditure activities for all funds, including Operating, Capital & Trusts. Thank you to all budget representatives for your hard work on this.
2. My birthday! It’s coming up and I’m excited to finally turn 21.
3. Survivor: “Heroes vs. Villains”. It’s back on Thursday nights. This time it will feature ten former Survivors known for their integrity— the Heroes and ten former Survivors known for their deception— the Villains. Sound kind of like our state assembly members. I can’t wait.
4. My daughter’s wedding! And you’re all invited . . . I will gladly accept cash, checks or PayPal.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Coffee, Anyone?
I know that the past few months haven’t been easy for all of us as we have adjusted to furloughs, dealt with budget reductions, unfilled vacancies, and the worry about future unknowns. In order to make myself available as much as possible, I’m increasing the VP’s Coffee Hours with Staff to twice per month. During these coffee hours, I will do my best to answer any questions you have, discuss your concerns, and share the latest information available.
Staff coffee hours are open to all FAS staff members. Although we will send invitations, the dates are listed below so you may join me at your convenience. As always, please check with your manager for approval and to ensure proper department coverage needs are met.
Coffee hours take place in the Provost’s Conference Room on the 5th floor of Kellogg Library, right above Starbucks. If you would like a drink from Starbucks, you must RSVP at least 2 days in advance to Candace Bebee.
I encourage you to attend these sessions, to provide your feedback, and ask questions. I look forward to meeting with you!
Coffee Hour dates:
Wednesday, February 17
Wednesday, March 3
Wednesday, March 17
Thursday, April 15
Wednesday, April 28
Staff coffee hours are open to all FAS staff members. Although we will send invitations, the dates are listed below so you may join me at your convenience. As always, please check with your manager for approval and to ensure proper department coverage needs are met.
Coffee hours take place in the Provost’s Conference Room on the 5th floor of Kellogg Library, right above Starbucks. If you would like a drink from Starbucks, you must RSVP at least 2 days in advance to Candace Bebee.
I encourage you to attend these sessions, to provide your feedback, and ask questions. I look forward to meeting with you!
Coffee Hour dates:
Wednesday, February 17
Wednesday, March 3
Wednesday, March 17
Thursday, April 15
Wednesday, April 28
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Guest Blogger on Responsibility
This month, I asked Jennifer Williams to be our guest blogger. Here are some of her thoughts on our guiding principle, Responsibility. Thank you, Jennifer!
The guiding principles that we embrace within FAS are important components of our culture, and our FAS values: Trust, Professionalism, Respect, Collaboration, and Responsibility set us apart by defining who we are and how we do business.
So this month, we’re talking about responsibility, and in FAS, there is a certain familiarity to responsibility because of the regulatory environment that we work in each day. Being in this division, we recognize the importance of meeting mandates and following policies, laws, and requirements, and we also recognize the personal accountability that comes with being responsible.
In this division, responsibility is centered on taking ownership of our actions and seeking positive solutions. And through focusing on the positive solutions, we are able to maintain our university-first attitudes by seeing how to fix a problem as opposed to blaming others for why the situation exists. In challenging times, such as these, it is important for us to ask the right questions: “what can we do?” and “how can we help?” instead of “why did that department do that?” or “who made the mistake?” or even, “why should I help - that’s not my problem”. Ineffective organizations place blame, but effective organizations focus on the future and how to turn the situation into a success.
It is times like these, when our leaders emerge by finding creative and positive solutions to problems that may or may not be within their purview. It is times like these, when we work together instead of placing blame on others to ensure that we are as effective as possible. It is times like these, when we should recognize how being accountable has led to our many accomplishments. And it is times like these, when we take on additional responsibilities in support of our university’s mission – our student’s success and our organization’s success is reliant on us fulfilling our responsibilities.
In the words of Winston Churchill, “the price of greatness is responsibility”.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Guest Blogger on Professionalism
This month, I asked Robin Guidera to be our guest blogger. Here are some of her thoughts on our guiding principle, Professionalism. Thank you, Robin!
It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently. – Warren Buffet
Looks like we’ve come full circle. Last October, VP Hawk asked each of us “Are You A Professional?” As October’s guiding principal for this month, each one of us would like to answer, “Of course I am.” As I look around, and recall some of the hard times we’ve all been faced with this past year, I can only hope that my attitude and character were in check. Was yours? After all, professionalism isn’t always about the clothes you wear or the car you drive, but how you do what you do!
The essence of professionalism is the attitude which someone brings to their job. The title or type of job is not an issue since an unethical physician is less of a professional than a gardener who repairs a sprinkler he broke while mowing the lawn rather than leave it, blaming it on excessive water pressure.
Professionalism and character go hand in hand. A professional does their part in seeing to it that a task is accomplished, sometimes ignoring the clock. They contribute to an uplifting tone in the workplace promoting integrity, minimizing gossip and staying focused. They respect those placed in authority over them and more importantly, those they direct. Ultimately their focus is less on themselves and more on how they affect those around them.
I’ve learned a lot from the people I work with since I am surrounded by such professionals. I hope everyone is (and feels) as fortunate as I.
Looks like we’ve come full circle. Last October, VP Hawk asked each of us “Are You A Professional?” As October’s guiding principal for this month, each one of us would like to answer, “Of course I am.” As I look around, and recall some of the hard times we’ve all been faced with this past year, I can only hope that my attitude and character were in check. Was yours? After all, professionalism isn’t always about the clothes you wear or the car you drive, but how you do what you do!
The essence of professionalism is the attitude which someone brings to their job. The title or type of job is not an issue since an unethical physician is less of a professional than a gardener who repairs a sprinkler he broke while mowing the lawn rather than leave it, blaming it on excessive water pressure.
Professionalism and character go hand in hand. A professional does their part in seeing to it that a task is accomplished, sometimes ignoring the clock. They contribute to an uplifting tone in the workplace promoting integrity, minimizing gossip and staying focused. They respect those placed in authority over them and more importantly, those they direct. Ultimately their focus is less on themselves and more on how they affect those around them.
I’ve learned a lot from the people I work with since I am surrounded by such professionals. I hope everyone is (and feels) as fortunate as I.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Guest Blogger on Trust
This month, I asked Candace Bebee to be our guest blogger. I thought it would be interesting for us all to read someone else's perspective on topics from time to time. As you know, the monthly guiding principle for September is Trust. Here are some of her thoughts on this important topic. Thank you, Candace!
Wise men put their trust in ideas and not in circumstances. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Trust, as defined by Webster’s, is the assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something- one in which confidence is placed.
I don’t know about you, but I place my trust in my mom & dad, my Honda Civic, my riding helmet and Starbucks. These people/items/places have both the characteristics of trust noted by Webster’s, but more importantly, my own personal experiences to back them up.
In times of uncertainty or distress, who can you trust? I know I can always count on a daily bag of peanut M&Ms (OK, maybe a few bags) to pick me up, but what keeps us motivated us work? What holds us accountable? Who can you trust or what can you trust?
Consider our division’s vision and values. I think many of our guiding principles- respect and collaboration for example, are both the foundation for and result of a degree of trust amongst ourselves. I know that I am just one small piece of the bigger picture here and my daily work depends on my trust in the other pieces all coming together. It is a great feeling knowing that the other departments in FAS “have my back.” So at work, I place trust in my co-workers to carry their load and in return, I do my part to lessen that load. All of you come through for me every time. I trust in that.
At several budget forums, President Haynes has repeatedly asked us to “assume good intent.” I think this is a statement worthy of repeating. She is asking us to trust in a time of uncertainty. I trust that we all are here for the same reason— our students. I trust that everyone shares the “University First” perspective. Without a shared goal, there is no trust.
Trust is about doing the right thing, together.
Wise men put their trust in ideas and not in circumstances. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Trust, as defined by Webster’s, is the assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something- one in which confidence is placed.
I don’t know about you, but I place my trust in my mom & dad, my Honda Civic, my riding helmet and Starbucks. These people/items/places have both the characteristics of trust noted by Webster’s, but more importantly, my own personal experiences to back them up.
In times of uncertainty or distress, who can you trust? I know I can always count on a daily bag of peanut M&Ms (OK, maybe a few bags) to pick me up, but what keeps us motivated us work? What holds us accountable? Who can you trust or what can you trust?
Consider our division’s vision and values. I think many of our guiding principles- respect and collaboration for example, are both the foundation for and result of a degree of trust amongst ourselves. I know that I am just one small piece of the bigger picture here and my daily work depends on my trust in the other pieces all coming together. It is a great feeling knowing that the other departments in FAS “have my back.” So at work, I place trust in my co-workers to carry their load and in return, I do my part to lessen that load. All of you come through for me every time. I trust in that.
At several budget forums, President Haynes has repeatedly asked us to “assume good intent.” I think this is a statement worthy of repeating. She is asking us to trust in a time of uncertainty. I trust that we all are here for the same reason— our students. I trust that everyone shares the “University First” perspective. Without a shared goal, there is no trust.
Trust is about doing the right thing, together.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Our Finest Hour
Our guiding principle for July was (yes…my bad, it is July 31st) was FINEST. We define finest as:
“I find and implement the best practices from around the world that add to our positive reputation. I use my knowledge, authority, and sound judgment to contribute to our reputation of excellence. My experience, high credibility, and quality of service generates testimonials that praise the division”
So how can we be our finest during these challenging times that impact all of us? The lives of great people give us interesting clues about how to take care of ourselves, since that is one area we truly do have control over. The daily routines of the great can teach us the following:
· Despite the modern obsession with physical presence at offices, very few of the great worked 12 hour days.
· Taking breaks is healthy; Socrates would sometimes simply stop and hold completely still for several minutes. Beethoven would take breaks in the morning and go outside and walk around. He called these moments “working while walking”.
· Mix it up! Churchill painted, fed his fish, played card games and constructed buildings all over Chartwell farm. He famously claimed that our minds don’t need rest as much as they need variety.
· Don’t schedule every minute of every day. Daily routines are supposed to make things easier, not more complicated. Micro-managing every minute of your day does not work.
· The great all reserved time to relax. Gandhi would often spend time just staring at the horizon. Churchill would sit down to smoke a cigar after lunch. In his recent autobiography, Alan Greenspan mentions that he too makes time to reflect each day.
Make a conscious effort to something for YOU each and every day…..you deserve it! Switching gears a little while still focusing on finest, I asked my staff here in the Vice President’s Office to share their thoughts and perspectives on what finest means to them:
“If I were to add anything, it would be something to the effect of finest as it relates to 'a fine wine'. Aged to perfection, unwilling to compromise. We have managed to build a division with a group of professionals—that are aged to perfection (not in years). We have set the bar high and continue to amaze others as we move through tough economic times with the finest skills and tact. As independent as many of us are, we all aspire, from each other, to be the finest stewards we can be.”
“To me, finest means of a higher standard. If something/someone is the finest, you would just expect more, better, greater. Along with being the finest or owing the finest comes with a sense of pride, accomplishment and reliability. No one aspires to be mediocre, or have mediocre things. We should not settle for ‘good enough’ but strive for a higher level of achievement—to be or have the finest. “
“When Linda launched the vision for the division, she made several points about FAS being the finest place the work, having the finest people, and providing the highest quality services. She mentioned the following:
· San Marcos’s reputation is well-known throughout the CSU for being one of the finest campuses to work
· More specifically, FAS has a reputation for excellence as demonstrated by our performance on GAAP and FISMA audits; Recyclemania Grand Champions for 5 years in a row; Procurement Award, Parking and Commuter Services’ Diamond award; and of course, our distinguished police force.
Speaking of finest, wasn’t our July FAS division meeting wonderful and filled with fun and useful information? Thank you again, Facilities Development and Management!
“I find and implement the best practices from around the world that add to our positive reputation. I use my knowledge, authority, and sound judgment to contribute to our reputation of excellence. My experience, high credibility, and quality of service generates testimonials that praise the division”
So how can we be our finest during these challenging times that impact all of us? The lives of great people give us interesting clues about how to take care of ourselves, since that is one area we truly do have control over. The daily routines of the great can teach us the following:
· Despite the modern obsession with physical presence at offices, very few of the great worked 12 hour days.
· Taking breaks is healthy; Socrates would sometimes simply stop and hold completely still for several minutes. Beethoven would take breaks in the morning and go outside and walk around. He called these moments “working while walking”.
· Mix it up! Churchill painted, fed his fish, played card games and constructed buildings all over Chartwell farm. He famously claimed that our minds don’t need rest as much as they need variety.
· Don’t schedule every minute of every day. Daily routines are supposed to make things easier, not more complicated. Micro-managing every minute of your day does not work.
· The great all reserved time to relax. Gandhi would often spend time just staring at the horizon. Churchill would sit down to smoke a cigar after lunch. In his recent autobiography, Alan Greenspan mentions that he too makes time to reflect each day.
Make a conscious effort to something for YOU each and every day…..you deserve it! Switching gears a little while still focusing on finest, I asked my staff here in the Vice President’s Office to share their thoughts and perspectives on what finest means to them:
“If I were to add anything, it would be something to the effect of finest as it relates to 'a fine wine'. Aged to perfection, unwilling to compromise. We have managed to build a division with a group of professionals—that are aged to perfection (not in years). We have set the bar high and continue to amaze others as we move through tough economic times with the finest skills and tact. As independent as many of us are, we all aspire, from each other, to be the finest stewards we can be.”
“To me, finest means of a higher standard. If something/someone is the finest, you would just expect more, better, greater. Along with being the finest or owing the finest comes with a sense of pride, accomplishment and reliability. No one aspires to be mediocre, or have mediocre things. We should not settle for ‘good enough’ but strive for a higher level of achievement—to be or have the finest. “
“When Linda launched the vision for the division, she made several points about FAS being the finest place the work, having the finest people, and providing the highest quality services. She mentioned the following:
· San Marcos’s reputation is well-known throughout the CSU for being one of the finest campuses to work
· More specifically, FAS has a reputation for excellence as demonstrated by our performance on GAAP and FISMA audits; Recyclemania Grand Champions for 5 years in a row; Procurement Award, Parking and Commuter Services’ Diamond award; and of course, our distinguished police force.
Speaking of finest, wasn’t our July FAS division meeting wonderful and filled with fun and useful information? Thank you again, Facilities Development and Management!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Budget...again?
As July 1st approaches, all eyes and ears are on the news reports, editorials and other commentaries centering on the state budget. California’s fiscal condition continues to decline and we are facing yet again another budget shortfall of $24B, which occurred after the state enacted a budget in February 2009.
I hope you all had an opportunity to attend President Haynes’ campus budget forum last week. If you missed it, the transcript is available here. We are all deeply concerned about the magnitude of the cuts being proposed for the CSU, which are estimated to be in the range of $400 to $700M. I know there are more questions than we have answers to at this time so we will continue to do our best to communicate information as the situation evolves and the details come into sharper focus. Stay informed by visiting Budget Central to get the latest news.
While we recognize budget reductions could make us smaller over the few years and slow down the progress on some initiatives, our resolve to continue to build for the future must not be lost in the shuffle. Even though we are in the midst of what are truly unprecedented circumstances, we have a very important responsibility as it is WE who hold the future of this university in our hands. There are difficult decisions to be made that will affect each of us and our students. The decisions we make today will impact the long term future and if we are strategic and thoughtful, the University will be positioned for the opportunities that await us on the other side of this fiscal crisis. If we work and stay together, I know we will persevere during these uncertain times.
Even though we are facing budgetary challenges, our positive culture is still a priority. We just completed our 5th year of the FAS Values Survey with a 94% response rate which was our highest ever! My heartfelt thanks to all of you for embracing the FAS Division’s vision, mission and values. We heard you—FAS leaders reviewed the results and developed ideas for division initiatives to address areas for improvement. This summer, we will conduct focus group sessions to obtain more input on how we can continue to make this the best place to work. Click here to view the results of the FAS Values Survey.
Would this be a University you would send your children? Let’s make sure the answer is YES!
I hope you all had an opportunity to attend President Haynes’ campus budget forum last week. If you missed it, the transcript is available here. We are all deeply concerned about the magnitude of the cuts being proposed for the CSU, which are estimated to be in the range of $400 to $700M. I know there are more questions than we have answers to at this time so we will continue to do our best to communicate information as the situation evolves and the details come into sharper focus. Stay informed by visiting Budget Central to get the latest news.
While we recognize budget reductions could make us smaller over the few years and slow down the progress on some initiatives, our resolve to continue to build for the future must not be lost in the shuffle. Even though we are in the midst of what are truly unprecedented circumstances, we have a very important responsibility as it is WE who hold the future of this university in our hands. There are difficult decisions to be made that will affect each of us and our students. The decisions we make today will impact the long term future and if we are strategic and thoughtful, the University will be positioned for the opportunities that await us on the other side of this fiscal crisis. If we work and stay together, I know we will persevere during these uncertain times.
Even though we are facing budgetary challenges, our positive culture is still a priority. We just completed our 5th year of the FAS Values Survey with a 94% response rate which was our highest ever! My heartfelt thanks to all of you for embracing the FAS Division’s vision, mission and values. We heard you—FAS leaders reviewed the results and developed ideas for division initiatives to address areas for improvement. This summer, we will conduct focus group sessions to obtain more input on how we can continue to make this the best place to work. Click here to view the results of the FAS Values Survey.
Would this be a University you would send your children? Let’s make sure the answer is YES!
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