MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

  December 2018

Taking a Look Back at an Exciting Year Full of Successes

It’s been a truly exciting year and this issue offers a great opportunity to reflect, share and celebrate the terrific teamwork that has led us to the success of where we are today.

In the A&F SP.I.R.I.T. of giving, excellence in customer service and community outreach, this month’s issue features how we celebrated with colleagues from across the University the 10-Year Anniversary of Finals Mania — a milestone event with more than 1,000 hungry participants — as well as the incredible response of the A&F Totes for PEEPS initiative across the Division that benefited our valued campus community partners at the College of Education’s PEEPs Pantry program.

Your contributions to our overall success and the overarching mission of the University of Houston are a great example of the A&F S.P.I.R.I.T. of collaborative partnerships. As we head into the flurry of the holiday season, I want to personally thank you for the terrific work that each of you have been a part of in your work groups throughout the year.

From Human Resources to UIT, Public Art to Public Safety, the Office of Administration, Auxiliary Services and University Services, Houston Public Media, Facilities and Construction Management, Campus Safety and Finance, as well as our many valued contractors and community partners, you each have truly embraced the A&F S.P.I.R.I.T. of service excellence in your department and program areas.

As we are now coming to the end of the calendar year, the future for 2019 looks very promising and bright. It has been your dedication and hard work that has led us to this point, and I also know that the A&F team S.P.I.R.I.T. will enable us to reach even greater heights in the new year.

Thank you all for a great year, and very best wishes for a safe and happy holiday season!

Best regards,

Jim McShan
Senior Vice Chancellor and
Senior Vice President
 

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

Educational 'Safety Moment' Briefings
Support Stay Cougar S.A.F.E. Initiative

Start your next meeting with a Safety Moment, a tool used across corporate and industrial sectors that is being used on campus to create awareness of simple and easy ways team members can contribute to being a co-producer of safety. It's all part of the Stay Cougar S.A.F.E. initiative. Highlighting ways the campus community can report information via the safety call boxes, the Office of Administration, led by Associate Vice Chancellor/Associate Vice President Dr. Emily Messa, introduced the first Safety Moment with this example at a recent team meeting. Submit your team’s Safety Moment briefing to cfo@uh.edu to be included in the next update.

'Cover to Cover: The Houston Public
Media Book Club' Celebrates Reading

As "The Great American Read" prepared to reveal America's favorite novel, Houston Public Media put a local spin on the PBS special with "Cover to Cover: The Houston Public Media Book Club." The program follows the same themes as "The Great American Read," with Emmy Award-winning host Ernie Manouse inviting a changing panel of Houston influencers each week to talk about their favorite books in a lively, insightful half-hour discussion. The series explores books that help people understand their own identities and place in the world.

Bee Buzzz: Latest UH Sustainability Meetup
Puts Attention on Urban Beekeeping

"Sustainability is all about connecting people to each other as well as the environment," noted a guest speaker at a recent UH Sustainability Meetup as part of the 2018 series of educational connections for faculty, staff and students. Read more about the latest buzz from Shelley Rice, founder of All Things Bees Texas, and look forward to future events.

HUB Program at UH Committed
to Promoting Local Businesses

College/Division HUB spending totals for the first quarter of FY19 have been posted.  As a university, we are on target in meeting our outlined internal goals. College/Divisions should be commended for their continued support in this endeavor. The UH Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Program is committed to expanding opportunities in order to promote the successful development of growing businesses, improving the local economy and giving back to the community. Learn more about the 2018 HUB Vendor Fair participants and ongoing resources to award more contracts to these businesses.

'The Houston Cookbook' celebrates city's culinary landscape with Chef David Cordúa

Houston’s food scene is one way to celebrate the variety of cultures represented in all corners of the city. Just in time for the holidays, Houston Public Media presents "The Houston Cookbook," a new special on KUHT-TV 8 featuring renowned chef and Houston native David Cordúa gathering one-of-a-kind recipes and exploring culinary delights in the most diverse city in America.

Fresh Fork Catering Celebrates Inaugural Homecoming Faculty-Staff Tailgate

UH Dining’s Fresh Fork Catering palate-pleasing menu was ready for kickoff at the inaugural Homecoming Faculty-Staff Tailgate. The "smoke" coming from the flash frozen Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream station brought curiosity to Cougar fans as they enjoyed rich, fresh and creamy ice cream instantly prepared one scoop at a time, along with a classic tailgate menu. Check out the latest promotional offers on the Fresh Fork website.

Campus Tree Inventory: Trees on Campus
Would Cost $16.25 Million to Replace

A testament to the University’s commitment to growing a better tomorrow, UH Sustainability and partners have completed a campus-wide inventory via GIS surveying technology and various value indicators from i-Tree, a USDA Forest Service software.

UH Dining Hosts the Food Patty Wagon
in Final Food Truck Takeover of 2018

Dishing out more than 1,200 of its Famous Philly Cheesesteak bites at the Global Kitchen station in Moody Dining Commons, the Food Patty Wagon culminated the monthly series for 2018 of the Food Truck Takeover promotion.

Finals Mania Celebrates Decade of Passion for Providing Pancakes to Weary Students

The biannual tradition has provided students a well-deserved break from the stress of exams through pancakes and other goodies served up one night in the library at the end of the fall and spring semesters.

'Best Practice' Review Leads to Future
Enhancements in Purchasing Processes

As part of a commitment to service excellence and streamlined processes and procedures, the UH Purchasing Department is taking initial steps toward long-range strategic enhancements following a six-month comprehensive review and assessment by a third-party consultant. Read more.

A&F ACCOLADES

Totes for PEEPS Featured Community
Outreach at A&F Division Holiday Party

Nearly 1,000 recyclable tote bags were collected at the Administration and Finance Division’s Holiday Party in support of Personal Early Educational Performance Support (PEEPS) Pantry, a program of the College of Education. Click here for photos of the festivities and the opportunity to learn more about the food pantry component that assists eligible students in need.

UH Fire Marshal Special Guest Speaker
on Hurricane Harvey at State Conference

Providing expertise on best practices in emergency operations and lessons learned from Hurricane Harvey, UH Fire Marshal Chris McDonald was invited to speak at the Texas Fire Marshals Conference, which also included networking opportunities with fire marshals from across the state, specialty vendors and new products and services.