Employee Newsletter
August 2015 & September 2015
Back to school
NEW NAME: FACILITIES SERVICES
Facilities Services is getting back to basics by delivering good, solid service. In order to improve our current service
levels, we are focusing on personal accountability. A commitment to personal accountability shared by both staff
and management is a giant step towards growing an organization. And Facilities needs to grow!
As UH grows, its campus and buildings are growing in size and complexity. In order to meet those maintenance
needs, we need to be technically savvy and work both effectively and efficiently. We are just beginning to assess and
plan to meet these current and future needs. And above all, we need to remind ourselves that first and foremost we are
a service organization…therefore, FACILITIES SERVICES.
4We approach our tasks with a Spirit of Service (SOS).
4Our customers hold us accountable so we hold ourselves accountable.
4Our response is no longer zone-oriented (north zone, south zone) but by a holistic team approach -- all crews and
teams partnering together to address campus needs and student success.
4We use strategic assessment of our overall workforce so that we work in the most efficient manner possible in
order to provide Tier One services.
Office Relocations
This summer we have had several
of our staff move offices. Below
is a list of their new locations.
GEN: General Services Building
MR: Moody Towers
L: MD Anderson Library
FA: Fine Arts
FH: Farish Hall
Jessie Craig – L 111G
Diana Hustedt – GEN 171
Myrna Lara – FH 3
Carl Mathew – FA 228
Ray Mosley – MR 30
Liliana Simmonds – GEN 171E
David Simons – MR N12
Rosalba Vasquez – L 109A
Craig Whitfield – GEN 171A
Fun Contest
Do you know how many public
restrooms we have on campus?
Would you care to guess?
Email faccomm@central.uh.edu
and give us your guess by
September 10.
The 5 entries with the closest
answer will win a gift card.
Follow us:
@UniversityOfHoustonPlantOperations
CONTINUING OUR ACCOUNTABILITY: Attendance & the University Workplace
Attendance is one of the most valued work ethics by employers. Although
training and experience are important, work ethics such as teamwork, respect,
appearance, productivity, attitude and attendance are equally important.
Attendance is an ethic that impacts every aspect of our workplace. Employees
who show up for work on time and give proper notice of absences or tardiness
are practicing good attendance. Poor attendance indicates that an employee is
insensitive to co-workers, unaccountable for his responsibilities and uninterested
in our success. Being absent or tardy affects your co-workers and our customers.
Your absence creates more work for others and leaves important work undone.
Habitual lateness or tardiness can cause major problems for our university
customers whether it is not having a building unlocked on time denying faculty
and student access where final exams are scheduled or facilities not being clean
and safe to the point of affecting student success. Poor attendance also affects the
morale of your co-workers who follow the rules.
Facilities Services has created staffing plans to meet the University’s operational
needs and each and every employee fills a vital role. There are costs related to poor
attendance that include temporary employees, replacing terminated employees and
training new employees. This loss of funds prevents the department from being
able to provide employees with the necessary equipment and tools to accomplish
their tasks. Additionally, an employee who has poor attendance usually lacks in
other areas – dependability, reliability, discipline and taking responsibility for
failures.
Good work ethics help create a healthy workplace, which promotes respect and
teamwork. Working in a place where cooperation and respect are abundant is
inspiring.
Would you like to help create a better workplace? Will you commit to be on
time and present for your working hours? If you already do this, thank you for
your commitment. If you need to work on this, there is no time like the present –
together we CAN accomplish this.
We are one of
the first university
departments to implement a
Spanish language logo to use in
our translated publications.
CLICK Classes Resume
In mid-February 2012, our leadership had the foresight
to establish a program that would offer our staff
training to learn basic computer knowledge through the
“Creating Literacy in Computer Knowledge” (CLICK)
Program. This program created a way to teach basic
competencies for both current and future computer
technology updates within the Facilities Services
department and the university.
All CLICK training classes are available in both English
and Spanish to Facilities Services Staff. Topics include
basic computer usage and information regarding annual
mandatory training, P.A.S.S. training, PeopleSoft, and
E-performance. All classes are held at the General
Services Building, Room 268. To sign up for classes,
please visit the General Services Building Human
Resources office in Room 183 open Mon-Fri 8am-5pm
or contact your supervisor.
The second phase of our program is the CLICK 102
(My Info PASS 1) training class. This class will address
the following topics:
• Personal Information
P.A.S.S.
• Change My Password
• Time Reporting
EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT
Carlos Luis – HR Business
Partner for Facilities Services
What I like best about UH: Great coworkers and
community involvement.
Personal Motto: You can only control your own
actions.
People would be surprised to know: I enjoy
listening to music from different genres.
Pet Peeves: Nonworking traffic lights
I’m Happiest When: Attending family reunions
and celebrations
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNTIES
Facilities Services has opportunities to engage and
interact with our community including faculty, staff and
students.
Thursday, September 3 - Weeks of Welcome
We will have a table to promote Facilities Services.
Tuesday, October 6 - Cougar Resource Fair
We will have a table to promote Facilities Services
Wednesday, October 14 - Walk in the Dark
We will participate in the walk through the campus to
check on safety issues that need to be addressed.
For any of these events, we invite you to join us.
For more information, please email
faccomm@central.uh.edu.
The CLICK 102 (My Info PASS 1)
Class schedule:
Wednesday Sept 2nd, 9th, 16th
English 7:30-9:30am and Bilingual 2:30-4:30pm.
Friday Sept 4th, 11th, 18th
Spanish 7:30-9:30am and Bilingual 2:30-4:30pm.
Come and Experience the CLICK KEYS to Success!
For information about the CLICK program, please contact
Rufus Kemp, CLICK Program Manager, at rdkemp@
central.uh.edu or
713-743-5519
Classes limited to Facilities Services staff only.
Welcome: New Facilities Services Employees
Roger Pichon, Jr. – Groundskeeper 1 – July 20
James Cunningham, Jr. – Groundskeeper 1 – July 20
Mark Carrick – Groundskeeper 1 – July 20
Lawrence Dang - Application Developer 2 - August 3
Emory Moore - HVAC Helper - August 24
Congratulations: Retirement
Bobby Borski - Skilled Trades Tech 2 - July 31
Elsa Mendoza - Custodian 2 - August 31
Congratulations: Staff Council Position
Congratulations to Lisa Bourque on her election to the
University Staff Council.
We know that she will represent us well.
Congratulations: 2015 Staff Excellence Awards
Congratulations to Martin Valles (MIC) and Leticia Rivera
(Custodian) on receiving 2015 Staff Excellence Awards. Only
eight Staff Excellence Awards are awarded each year by the
Staff Excellence Award Selection Committee. In addition
to their attendance and recognition at the Staff Awards Day
ceremony and luncheon, winners received a certificate and
$1,000. For more information on the awards go to
www.uh.edu and search Staff Excellence Awards. All
winners are listed beginning from 1974.
Happy Labor Day!
Monday September 7th
Observed on the first Monday in September,
Labor Day pays tribute to the contributions and
acheivements of American workers.
The University of Houston System Board of Regents
has approved September 7, 2015 as a paid holiday for
benefits-eligible employees of the University of
Houston.