Our buildings have remained secure throughout the pandemic and continue to be well monitored thanks to the watchful team in the Community Safety Department. Campus signage, wayfinding signs, the distinct mask-vending machines, consistent cleaning protocols, enhanced ventilation and air filtration, plexiglass barriers installed, additional hand sanitization stations throughout, touchless washrooms, new campus benches, newly installed Bike Share Toronto stations and pristine campus grounds could hardly be missed—the handy work of colleagues in Ancillary and Facilities Services. And through it all, our colleagues in UIT and Financial Services have supported us and continue to do so, as we function like a well-oiled machine.

I greatly appreciate all your efforts in ensuring that robust measures are in place for the health and safety of our community and to helping to promote a positive experience for all.

As we settle into the month of October, the month we celebrate Thanksgiving with those near and dear to us, I encourage you to continue your journey of learning about the history of Canada’s Indigenous Peoples. September 30 was a solemn day; a historic day in which we as a nation came together to observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.  The 91��ɫ community showed its collective support for our Indigenous Peoples by wearing orange T-shirts as part of the Orange Shirt Day campaign; to experience, to witness and to honour the healing journey of the survivors and their families, and to commit to the ongoing process of reconciliation. Every Child Matters—the theme of the Orange Shirt Day campaign, because every child does matter!

The Ross building on the Keele campus, the Glendon Manor and the cranes on the Markham Campus construction site were all aglow in orange, thanks to the tremendous efforts from the Facilities Services team. This was the first time that buildings on 91��ɫ’s campuses were lit to shine a light on a very important matter.

Ross Building

Glendon Manor

Markham Campus Construction Site Cranes

One of the in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s final report was the establishment of a statutory holiday, a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to honour Survivors, their families, and communities, and ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process. And though September 30 is behind us, I ask that we not limit ourselves to just one day but to commit to continued reflection, learning and understanding as a way forward toward reconciliation.

We have much to be thankful for, we have been able to return to our campuses and re-connect with some of our colleagues in-person. We have tools and resources in place to ensure that while the pandemic is still around us, we can feel confident that our colleagues are doing their part to keep our community safe by using the app before coming on campus.

I am grateful for students who give our jobs purpose and for our faculty, staff and university leaders who continue to work tirelessly to achieve the University’s vision and academic mission.

And as the leaves turn into vibrant colours of red, orange, yellow and brown, I feel a sense of excitement as I look forward to crisp morning walks with the leaves crunching under my feet and a steaming hot brew in hand before I begin my day, energized and grateful to be a part of this vibrant community.

I’d love to hear what you are grateful for.

Carol.

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As I sat writing my blog, I realized that there is so much about this month that warrants mentioning. June is the month in which we usher in summer, it has both the longest and the shortest days of the year— depending on where you’re standing! If you’re in the northern hemisphere, like we are, then June 21, is the longest day of the year. If you were in the southern hemisphere, then the 21^st would be the shortest day of the year. June brings beautiful bouquets, delicious fruits and vegetables, and an urge to get out there and enjoy the sunshine.

Summer tends to be a light and carefree time of the year, however, this year our celebration of summer might be tempered. The discovery of 751 unmarked graves on Cowessess First Nation in southeast Saskatchewan is a stark reminder of the work that we must do, and how very important it is for each of us to commit to reconciliation. So, while we celebrate National Aboriginal History Month and National Indigenous Peoples Day in June — a time for learning about, appreciating and acknowledging the contributions that First Nations, Inuit and Métis people and all that they have done in shaping Canada, we also grieve with them. I encourage you to take the time to reflect on the injustices and suffering inflicted and to get acquainted with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Reports and its 94 Calls to Action and learn how you can play a part towards reconciliation.

I would also like to ask if we can all bring to mind the tragic workplace incident that happened on our Keele campus on Monday, 28, June. Our hearts go out to the victim's family, friends, co-workers and to the 91��ɫ community. This is a keen reminder that workplace safety is everyone’s responsibility and that safety in the workplace has a significant impact on all of us. Resources are available through the Employee and Family Assistance Program to help you through this traumatic experience.

At our last town hall, I mentioned that June is a month in which we celebrate with, and show our support for, members of the 2SLGBTQIA communities in their historic and current struggles for equality. But more than that, it is a demonstration of our unwavering commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.

This month also brings us to the mid-year point, a time for me to reflect on the year so far, to look at the exciting things that have happened, not just in my life but in our division, and to look forward with great anticipation of what’s to come.

This past year, 116 colleagues from the Community Safety Department have continued to come on campus to ensure a safe community for all.  Our colleagues responded to 11,922 calls for service, conducted almost 5,986 check-ins at campus buildings and offices, and processed 2,324 requests for access to campus. And even though far less people have been on campus, this dedicated team has responded to 133 Emergency Medical Service calls. Always prepared and focused on the safety of the 91��ɫ community, this team has maintained regular checks on the exterior lighting, emergency phones and all the fire safety equipment on our campuses.

Before the pandemic, UIT provided expert service and support to the community. Throughout the pandemic, the team has continued to demonstrate that they can rise to any challenge and exceed expectations. They have enhanced services and added layers of security to ensure students, faculty and staff can study, teach, conduct research and work, with peace of mind knowing that UIT is working on their behalf. They have improved the performance and resilience of eClass resulting in a glitch-free winter exam period. They’ve added Ada—a virtual assistant for IT support, a complement to the award winning, highly successful student virtual assistant, SAVY. They are moving full steam ahead with the University’s largest digital transformation project, the Student Systems Renewal Program (SSRP).  With a focus on delivering superior services to students, faculty and staff, SSRP will streamline processes and technology platforms to allow students to plan and better manage their learning experiences.

On June 14 the University Services Centre (USC) was officially launched. Colleagues from the Pension and Benefits Office from the Human Resources Department have joined colleagues from the General Accounting team, Expense Desk, Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable, from the Financial Services Department, to become the first members of the USC. These two teams will be joined in late summer by members of the Procurement Operations team, also from the Financial Services Department. Together, these teams will become part of a one-stop-shop in which administrative services to faculty, instructors and staff will be delivered in a consistent and simple manner, with ease of access and enabled through technology.

The design and implementation of the USC is part of the Service Excellence Program (SEP). SEP is a three-year initiative focused on improving processes, structures, systems and culture and is guided by 91��ɫ’s vision for service excellence. The program seeks to collaboratively create solutions with the community; solutions that are user-focused and aimed at making 91��ɫ a better place to work and learn.

If I have learned anything over this past year, it is that colleagues in DFA are extraordinary. They are committed to the division and the University. They are resilient as demonstrated in the extraordinary successes achieved during the most challenging of times, and I am humbled, and tremendously grateful to each team member.

It is my hope, that over the next few months, you can take some much-deserved vacation time and enjoy the sights and sounds of summer.  Summer is really starting to get into full swing, every day lasts just that little bit longer, making breezy summer evenings a real treat. Whatever you do, I encourage you to take a moment to reflect on the year so far, as it’s halfway gone already!

All the best,

Carol

Links to learn more about what's in this blog:

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Spring begins in March, but it really comes into its own in April.  The sun starts to make its presence felt in April, giving way to young buds and the greening of the trees. It is also a time when our colleagues in Facilities Services Department (FS) put plans in motion for construction, renovation, planting and bringing our campuses to life with colour.

At Glendon, our colleagues have again demonstrated their unparalleled passion and commitment by creating a greenhouse. Using seeds from last years’ flowers, the team has been nurturing the seedlings, soon we will be able to enjoy the blooms in June. This ingenious and sustainable initiative has saved the team at least $5K.

Our colleagues in FS have taken the opportunity during this pandemic to accelerate many projects and I wanted to share some of those undertakings with you. Currently there are 207 capital projects underway for a total value of $270M. The Energy Management team continues to support campus operations onsite and are at present overseeing the replacement of Cooling Tower # 3—a 70’s era wooden structure, as well as the renewal of the electrical system in the Central Utilities Building (CUB).

Other capital projects include the installation of the Lions Stadium dome and artificial turf which began last fall; construction of a new Neuroscience facility; the Markham Campus-with all construction tenders now complete the new campus is on track to open to students in September 2023; the $72M, five story School of Continuing Studies; the revitalization of the front entrance of the Dahdaleh Building; the new stand-alone art gallery —the Joan and Martin Goldfarb Gallery; the Harry Arthurs Common project which when completed, will make the Common more accessible and more visually appealing; you can also look forward to new furniture on the Common this summer. There are improvements taking place on the main corridor of the Glendon campus main building as well as in its residences. The classroom and washroom renovation projects-initially planned as five-year projects, will be completed in three, with 33 classrooms and 55 washrooms renewed.

While a flurry of activity is underway in FS, planning never stops, there are more than 140 projects in various stages of plan-development to the value of over $700M. Some of those projects include Central Square, Engineering and Science, Education, Food Services, Scott Library and LA&PS.  From all that is underway and all that is being planned, it is clear that our colleagues in FS have taken a glass half-full approach with the pandemic and are using it to their advantage to accomplish great things on our campuses.

As the pandemic rolls into its second year, many of us have taken the time to reflect on how COVID-19 that didn’t even exist eighteen months ago, has irrevocably changed our lives.  

We’ve become painfully aware that health is wealth. Many factors impact our health such as healthy food, a balanced diet, regular exercise, lots of water, good sleep and being kind to yourself. I have found that time away from the rigours of daily life can do wonders for my physical, emotional and mental well-being.

Your body is programmed to handle a certain amount of stress every day. When the body is pushed, it can feel exhausted and emotionally drained. This is where time away helps. The body gets the time to bounce back from the everyday work pressure and recover from chronic stress. I know I feel more rejuvenated and recharged when I take vacation. I recently took some time off to disconnect and spend quality time with my family. I took advantage of the changing of the season, enjoying my long walks through nature, admiring the trees and buds as they spring to life with colour.

You’ve all come to know me as someone who loves animals and nature.  What you may not know is that I love travelling and visiting new places. It has been a while since we’ve been able to travel and as we continue to do our part to keep ourselves and our community safe, travelling will not be on the agenda for some time to come. As we continue to forego non-essential travel, we might not be motivated to use our vacation days. However, I recently discovered that I could “travel” without leaving home. I have found virtual tours of incredible landmarks and museums from around the world. I “travelled” from New 91��ɫ to Bangkok to Giza, marvelling at fascinating landmarks and I was able to enjoy amazing outdoor museums and gardens from Brazil to the Philippines. And even though a virtual tour could never replace the exhilaration of being physically there, this virus has given us a multitude of lessons, one of which is that we can still enjoy the beauty and wonder of this world even during the most challenging of times.

 So, I encourage you to take some time off, use your vacation days and explore the world around us, where you live and virtually, through wonderful sites like these: and .

Happy trails,

Carol

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