EDI: Winter weather accessibility

Snow and ice are problems for everyone living in winter climates. But they are exponentially worse for people with disabilities. This is especially so for disabled people who don’t drive, and have to rely on sidewalks and other pedestrian pathways to go to work, shop, or leave their homes for any reason.

Read this Forbes article about why and how we can do better on winter weather accessibility.

In this CBC podcast, an accessibility consultant from the north shore shares what the winter weather means for those living with disabilities.

Winter weather accessibility on campus

When extreme weather comes to UBC Vancouver, Municipal Services is responsible for managing snow and ice within the Vancouver campus. This map identifies priority roads, sidewalks and pathways that our crews will work towards when dealing with an ice or snow event. Once the priority routes are cleared, crews will focus on clearing other areas of campus. Learn more

Special thanks to Municipal Services & Custodial Services for managing snow and ice and keeping our campus community safe during extreme weather. Your hard work and commitment are appreciated! 

See you tomorrow at the Facilities Holiday Celebration! 

We look forward to seeing you tomorrow (Dec 14) at the Facilities Holiday event at the AMS Nest 2nd floor in the Great Hall. Day shift lunch will be at 1:00 pm and evening shift dinner at 7:00 pm.

Let’s add flare to our event by wearing your ugliest festive sweater or hat!  

We will be announcing the recipients of the 2022 Facilities Staff Excellence Awards.

If you haven’t submitted your RSVP, please email Caroline MacLeod (caroline.macleod@ubc.ca).

Network Maintenance on January 7, 2023, 08:00-20:00 

The AHUB1 router from the old style racks will be migrated to the new style rack in ANGUHUB. During the router move, users will lose network connectivity for up to 45 minutes.  

Actual outage time should be approximately 10 mins, and the whole maintenance/validation should take under 1 hour. During the 10-minute outage, there will be no network connection for the devices behind the building and firewall contexts networks connected to the AHUB1 routers.  

USB users should only have minor network interruptions.

A 12-hour maintenance window has been booked as a precaution to allow time to troubleshoot/rollback if required. 

USB Wi-Fi Upgrade during the break, 27th to 30th  

UBC IT Services will replace all existing Wi-Fi units and add additional units at USB over the holiday break.  

They have access to a majority of the rooms and will work with UBC Security on those they do not have access to with your permission. 

Facilities' United Way World Cup Update 

Stay tuned on Wednesday afternoon to find out who the winner is for the Facilities United Way World cup pool! The following are still in the running to win first or second place!

Update: 

• Total Pot: $684 
• United Way (50%): $342 
• Winner (40%): $274 
• 2nd Place (10%): $68 

UBC Benefits end-of-year reminders

The end of the year is upon us, meaning we have a few more weeks to get the most out of our benefits and submit claims before the year-end deadlines. Learn more

Don't forget to use your health spending account! Eligible faculty and staff have access to a health spending account (HSA), which will help you and your dependents reduce the cost of healthcare. Learn more about your HSA

Job openings

All positions at UBC are available on the UBC HR Careers website, or through the career application in your Workday account. Please note that applications will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. on the day prior to the posting end date. The following VPFO positions are currently open:

• Labourer 2 (JR10120) – ongoing
• Labourer 3 (JR8504) – ongoing
• Millwright (JR7181) – 12/09/2022
• Energy Conservation Specialist (JR10729) – 12/08/2022
• Night Service Worker (3 Positions) (JR10810) – 12/17/2022
• Head Service Worker (JR10809) – 12/17/2022
• Evening - Full-Time Service Worker (2 Positions) (JR10811) – 12/17/2022

Don't forget to apply as an internal candidate! Please review the Apply for an Internal Job Posting guide in the Workday Knowledge Base for instructions on how to apply. Reminder to attach a copy of your resume when you apply for a career opportunity in Workday.

Weekly Emergency Tip: Talk to your kids about emergency preparedness

Are your kids curious about why you are putting together emergency supplies? Include them in the planning and preparation, and discuss the various emergencies your family may encounter. By getting the conversation going now, you could reduce their stress and anxiety during a disaster. 

For more information on how to involve your kids in emergency preparedness, visit Government of Canada’s Get Prepared website. 

Managing your mental health

Human Resources has collected mental health resources to help you manage your ups and downs. To view more workshops, webinars and events visit the HR event listing.

Representatives are always available for a confidential conversation:

• Monica Haab (monica.haab@ubc.ca): Building Operations, Energy & Water Services, Customer Services & Informatics, and Infrastructure Development
• Gregor MacDonald (gregor.macdonald@ubc.ca): Custodial Services and Municipal Services

Feeling anxious or stressed about this upcoming holiday season? You aren’t alone.

Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) offers an extensive suite of services to support you – from providing wellness coaching or advising on family issues to offering legal support. 

Access the EAP confidential services through LifeWorks, by calling 1-866-424-0770. 

In case you've missed it 

In case you've missed it Here is a quick recap of key events and information that you may have missed. For more details, please click on the links below or refer to our weekly portfolio newsletter, VPFO Update.

• December 12: UBC Broadcast: UBC Chancellor stepping down next year
• December 6: UBC Broadcast: Gage Averill appointed Provost and Vice-President, Academic, UBC Vancouver
• December 2: Letter from the President
• UBC: See faculty and staff holiday-inspired photo submissions in 2022
• VPFO: Thomas Straley, Accounts Payable Manager: Taking Accountability Personally
• Facilities: Updated UBC Technical Guidelines
• Finance: Reminder to report employer-paid benefits by December 15, 2022
• Operational Excellence: Quarterly update on UBC’s progress with Lean Six Sigma training
• Operational Excellence: Celebrating Lean Six Sigma Yellow and Green Belt Graduates
• Workday: ISC Year in Review: 2022

UBC Facilities
The University of British Columbia
Campus & Community Planning (C&CP) Building
2210 West Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4
facilities.ubc.ca