Category: News

This past February, UW teams from across all three campuses shared their new initiatives, goals and accomplishments. Our winning photo features Gareth Kenee, a UW gardener, clearing campus pathways after February’s historic snowstorms. Many facilities members were on campus as early as 4 a.m. to help clear pathways and streets so that students, faculty and staff as well as community members could return to campus safely. A huge thank you to Gareth and all of UW Facilities for their commitment and hard work!

The first runner up for this month’s contest is the UW Science Explorers team from the department of physics. They shared their community outreach-centered approach to teaching science and engineering — running after-school STEM enrichment programs for undeserved elementary students at Sanislo Elementary, Washington’s most diverse public school. A group of UW graduate students, they foster love of science and engineering through hands-on, weekly explorations. Learn more about how UW Science Explorers are making an impact.

The UW Student Fiscal Services team also puts students first. Comprised of 22 full-time staff and 4 student workers, the SFS team helps support 1.5 million student transactions every academic year. In addition to being in their eighth year of LEAN process improvement, SFS has pushed to provide even higher-quality, efficient service through process review and mapping. Throughout 2018, they supported 85,000 students, answered nearly 18,500 phone calls and more than 28,000 e-mails, while maintaining a 98% rate of student satisfaction for all in-person and phone support, according to a recent customer satisfaction survey.

 

Before the year comes to a close, University of Washington teams reflected on how they made a difference this year in our state — whether engaging with young readers, supporting prospective students or assisting families in need. UW employees’ commitment to our community truly knows no bounds!

Karin Mellskog, from UW Trademarks and Licensing, shares the history and purpose of the program behind this month’s winning photo. “Spearheaded by Trademarks & Licensing’s Senior Director Kathy Hoggan in 2015, Real Dawgs Read is in its fourth year. The goal of the program is to instill a habit of reading during the summer, so that students can continue to learn when school is not in session,” said Karin. This year, T&L partnered with 188 Title I, K-8 schools in Washington and shipped 73,000 reading journals and 272 teacher toolkits to help educators roll out the program in their schools. They then mailed a Husky hat and reading certificate to each of the 2,150 students who completed and returned the postage-paid reading journal. Middle school students who completed their journals were also given the opportunity to write an essay about why they want to attend the UW. Talk about inspiring future Dawgs!

Barbara Owens, from academic affairs in the College of the Environment, spoke about her team’s day-long Future Student Day, inspiring prospective students as they learn about the opportunities the College has to offer. “This year was another great success with a total of 120 guests in attendance,” said Barbara. Students from five different states, 36 different Washington state high schools and six different community colleges/4-year institutions attended the event.

 

The Transportation and Administration team from UW Facilities also knows how to give back. Sara Brydges and her team organized a food drive for the UW Food Pantry. “[Our] team is like a family and we try to give back to the UW community every chance we get,” said Sara, “[We deliver] the donations with a smile and warm hearts knowing they’ll benefit numerous members of the UW community.”

 

Valery Richardson has been appointed the University of Washington’s Title IX Coordinator. Valery emerged as the successful candidate after an extensive national search and vetting process. 

In addition to serving as the UW’s Interim Title IX Coordinator since March 2018 and Deputy Title IX Coordinator from May 2017 to March 2018, Valery brings extensive management and oversight experience in higher education administration and leadership. Prior to joining UW Compliance & Risk Services, Valery served as the Associate Dean of Student Affairs at UW Bothell and previously worked for the University of California system for more than 15 years.

Valery has a bachelor’s degree from UC Santa Barbara and earned a master’s degree in college and university administration from Michigan State University.

In her new role as the University’s Title IX Coordinator, Valery will serve our three campuses and partner with UW leadership, administrators, academic personnel, staff and students to advance the University’s mission of creating a safe and inclusive environment and of meeting our responsibilities under Title IX.

With the academic year in full swing, University of Washington teams excitedly shared projects they’re working on.

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The winner of September’s #YouW employee photo contest is the DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) team. Their hardworking team is dedicated to promoting accessibility and inclusion for students with a broad spectrum of disabilities, empowering them with personal and technical skills as they look towards meaningful careers and independence.

Elizabeth Lee, publications coordinator and operations specialist, told the story of DO-IT’s jam-packed and accomplished summer: “Every year we host 40 high school students with disabilities on the UW campus for two weeks, engaging in both academic and fun, team-building activities.”

Want to participate? In November, reflect back on your team’s biggest accomplishments from 2018. Post a photo with #YouW or email it to us at uinsider@uw.edu with a description of your team’s boundless achievements for a chance to be featured in UW Insider and on the UW’s social media pages.

The runner-up, the mHealth for Mental Health team, is utilizing innovative technology to expand mental health awareness and access. Rachel Brian, research project director, shares the awesome public outreach her team is fostering.

“Last weekend, the mHealth for Mental Health team volunteered at the Seattle /King County Clinic which served over 3,500 people this year at Key Arena. As part of the BRiTE (Behavioral Research in Technology and Engineering) Center in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, our team spoke with clinic attendees about FOCUS, a mental health smartphone application developed by Dr. Dror Ben-Zeev, co-director of BRiTE. FOCUS targets five mental health areas: mood or depression, sleep issues, social functioning, hearing voices, and medication use.”

Learn more about the important work being done by Rachel and her team by visiting www.mh4mh.org.

 

Claim your $5 Starbucks gift card during the First Week to Give

To kick off the 2018 UW Combined Fund Drive, pledge $5 or more, add $5 or more to an existing donation or log one volunteer hour from Oct. 1 until Oct. 7 and you’ll receive a $5 Starbucks gift card compliments of WSECU.

Charity Fair & Silent Auction

All UW students, staff, faculty and retirees are invited to the Charity Fair & Silent Auction on Tuesday, October 16. Head over to the HUB North ballroom from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to play with kittens and puppies, while enjoying complimentary refreshments and amazing door prizes at this free event! You can also meet with more than 80 local nonprofit representatives about how they support a variety of causes.

This year’s silent auction will benefit our featured charity, Summit Assistance Dogs. Auction items include ACT Theatre and Seattle Shakespeare Company tickets, a, Whidbey Island cabin stay, Agua Verde & Paddle Club package, Hoodsport Winery wine tasting, Seven Salon gift certificate, Oki Golf passport and Sand Point Tennis Center memberships.

Pupcakes

Want to meet the puppies in training? Register for Pupcakes to enjoy cupcakes and cuddles. Your minimum $5 donation will help Summit Assistance Dogs create life-changing partnerships between dogs and people living with disabilities.

Share your dog photos!

You can also support the campaign by sharing your dog(s) photos for the 2019 Dogs of Dawgs calendar. A minimum $30 donation ensures your dog is featured in the calendar plus a complimentary calendar, and all proceeds benefit Summit Assistance Dogs.

Last year, more than 4,000 UW community members worked together to raise over $2.1 million for nonprofits doing invaluable work across the globe. Together, we look forward to another year of changing lives and building stronger communities.

Alaska Airlines, in partnership with UW Bothell and MorphoTrust, is bringing TSA Pre✓® to the Bothell campus from Monday, Oct. 1 to Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.

This enrollment service is open to all UW employees and their friends and family members. Space is limited, so please register online to secure your appointment. The associated $85 fee will be the responsibility of the applicant at the appointment.

Questions? Email Kyle Weatherspoon at Kyle.Weatherspoon@us.idemia.com.

 How to register

1. Visit TSA Precheck to begin the pre-enrollment process.
2. Click “Start Your Application” and then “Apply Now” and proceed to fill in the appropriate information.
3. When you get to “Step 4 of 4 – Create An Appointment (Location),” enter code “SP-UWA” in the search field, then click the search button. Select the University of Washington Bothell location, and click “Next” to continue.
4. Select your appointment time and click “Next” to finish the registration process.

Preparing for your appointment

IMPORTANT! To complete the application process, you will need to bring documentation proving identity and citizenship status. If you have a valid U.S. passport, that is all you need for ID. You will finish the process onsite by providing your fingerprints for a background check.
Please arrive at UW Bothell, Building UW1 Room 135 to check in at least 5 minutes before your scheduled appointment. The application fee is $85 and can be paid by personal credit card, money order or certified/cashier’s check. Cash and personal checks are not accepted.

Alaska Airlines staff will also be on site during the appointment. Stop by to learn more about the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Program, Tier Status Upgrade requests, new non-stop flight destinations out of Seattle and receive information on their international partners where you can earn and redeem Alaska miles.

About TSA Pre✓®

TSA Pre✓® is an expedited screening program that enables identified low-risk air travelers to enjoy a smart and efficient screening experience. For TSA Pre✓® travelers, there is no need to remove shoes, 3-1-1 liquids, laptops, light outerwear or belts. Today, TSA Pre✓® has more than 450 lanes at 167 U.S. airports.

The TSA Pre✓® application program allows U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents to directly apply for TSA Pre✓®. Once approved, travelers will receive a “Known Traveler Number” (which can be added to a travelers airline profile and reservations) and will have the opportunity to utilize TSA Pre✓® lanes at select security checkpoints when flying on the 16 carriers that currently participate in TSA Pre✓® including: Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, Allegiant, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, OneJet, Southwest Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, United Airlines, Virgin America and WestJet.

Please note: TSA Pre✓® is not always available at every gate of every airport, and there are other options that may be more appropriate for your travel needs.  Read more about this service and others available to determine what is right for you.

The University of Washington welcomed the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games to our Seattle campus July 1–6. Throughout the week, more than 54,000 spectators enjoyed athletic competitions, special events, ceremonies and more. Faculty, staff, students, alumni and retirees came together as fans and volunteers to ensure a great experience for all athletes and attendees.

The action — in both competition and building camaraderie — began Sunday, July 1, with the opening ceremony at Husky Stadium. More than 39,000 attended to welcome the arrival of 4,150 athletes and celebrate the spirit of the Games. The athletic competitions began July 2, with the UW hosting flag football, bocce, basketball, tennis, volleyball, powerlifting and track. Athletes, coaches and support staff stayed on campus in residence halls; when they weren’t participating in competitions, they enjoyed the provided entertainment and other fun activities. UW dental volunteers also provided personalized dental care for athletes as part of the Special Olympics Healthy Athletes program.

In addition to highlighting the inspiring abilities of thousands of athletes with intellectual disabilities, the USA Games modeled the ideals of inclusion and celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Special Olympics movement. UW President Ana Mari Cauce emphasized the importance of the Games in her recent blog post.

The UW also won the ESPN/Special Olympics Unified Sports Challenge, which featured 15 five-person teams, each composed of a sponsoring company executive, their employees, a Special Olympics athlete and a celebrity. President Cauce and Dean and Vice Provost of Undergraduate Academic Affairs Ed Taylor led the UW team. Read more in the Daily.

Many units across the UW helped make the Games a success, including UW Athletics, Emergency Management, Environmental Health & Safety, Finance & Administration, Housing & Food Services, Information Technology, Marketing & Communications, Medicine, the UW Police Department, Recreation, School of Dentistry, Sustainability, Video and more, as well as the staffs of the Husky Union Building, Kane Hall and Meany Hall.

Check out some of our favorite moments from the Games:

See more photos and meet the stars of the Special Olympics 2018 USA Games.

Read more about how Housing & Food Services staff supported the athletes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UW-RITChit8

UW Insider Guidelines

UW Insider is a weekly publication distributed to UW faculty and staff via email each Wednesday morning. Your submission must be sent to steigme1@uw.edu one week in advance for it to be included in the following week’s newsletter.

For submission guidelines for the UW Insider monthly calendar, click here.

Here is some information to guide you as you craft your submission:

Primary content includes headlines, short summaries and links to more information

Entries should include a headline, short summary and link to more information (as opposed to a complete, self-contained article). Send accompanying photos to steigme1@uw.edu.

Length 

• One top story per newsletter issue will contain a headline, image, short summary of 1-2 sentences and link to more information.
• Three or four secondary stories each issue will contain a headline, image, short summary of 1-2 sentences and link to more information.
• Articles in the “News and Resources” section will include a headline with a one-sentence summary and link to more information.
• Headlines should be short, approximately 8-12 words.
• Article summaries should be 25 words or less.
• Each newsletter will include approximately 14 articles.

Timing

Your submission must be received by end of day Tuesday to be considered for the following week’s Wednesday newsletter.

Voice, style, editorial guidelines

Content should follow general UW brand and editorial guidelines. Newsletter headlines and summaries will link to source content on unit websites (i.e., UWHR, The Whole U, Finance & Administration, etc.). Content on these websites will retain existing voice and style.
Text should be friendly, approachable, energetic and sophisticated. It should include a call to action, and focus on the employee and the benefits, resources, events and information that will enhance their UW experience.

Be personal and direct. Use first person (“we,” “our,” “us”) and second person (“you,” “your”) when appropriate to maintain a conversational style. Use everyday language. Be concise. Use active rather than passive language.

How top stories are selected

To qualify as a top story, content must be:

• Time-sensitive,
• Broadly applicable/of broad impact,
• Leadership-driven (i.e., messaging about UW strategic direction and priorities; key president/provost announcements, initiatives and events, etc.),
• Related to TAP initiatives and/or
• Tied to legal/safety/compliance obligations that are broadly applicable.

UW Insider Calendar Guidelines

How events are selected

To be included in our monthly events email, items must be:

• Related to The Whole U, Human Resources, Information Technology, or Finance & Administration,
• Leadership-driven (i.e., Annual President’s Address, Provost Town Hall, etc.),
• Public lectures/events with audiences of 500 or more (i.e., Undergraduate Research Symposium, Burke Museum exhibits, Meany Hall performances, etc.),
• Related to TAP initiatives, and/or,
• Tied to legal/safety/compliance obligations that are broadly applicable.

Timing

Email calendar will go out 10 days before the featured calendared month begins. Calendar content should be shared by mid-month in advance of the event date.

Questions? Send an email to steigme1@uw.edu.

Each year, more than two dozen recently hired faculty from the University of Washington board a bus and tour the state of Washington, learning from diverse communities with the goal of better understanding our state.

This year’s UW Faculty Field Tour took place June 11–15 and gave new faculty members a chance to experience firsthand Washington’s rich culture, Native history, diversity, economics and geography. Together, they made stops in Olympia, Vancouver, Ritzville, Spokane, Nespelem and Everett.

“This trip is an opportunity for new faculty to visit, listen to and learn from the places and people that define our state and from where our students come and often return,” says Thaisa Way, professor of landscape architecture and chair of the UW Faculty Senate.

Way and Edward Taylor, vice provost and dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs at the UW, discussed the importance of the tour in a recent op-ed in The Spokesman-Review. The many perspectives and people on the tour encouraged faculty to connect with communities, potentially spurring new research and outreach activities that contribute to our state.

Stops on the tour included Mount St. Helens, the Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic in Toppenish, the Washington State University Wine Science Center in Richland, the Grand Coulee Dam, the Nespelem School on the Colville Indian Reservation, and Boeing’s manufacturing facilities in Everett. In Spokane, faculty also met with students who will be coming to the UW this fall during the Welcome to Washington celebration.

“The tour was an excellent opportunity to connect with new colleagues and communities across the state,” says Joey Shapiro Key, assistant professor of physical sciences at UW Bothell. “The most impactful experiences for my work will be the UW collaboration with the LIGO Hanford Observatory and an introduction to the work of a UW Bothell colleague at the Nespelem School, where I hope to integrate astronomy and physics content into their math education project.”

Faculty on this year’s tour represented a range of disciplines and departments, including accounting, architecture, biology, children and youth services, civil and environmental engineering, culture, arts and communication, earth and space sciences, economics, genome sciences, Germanics, informatics, interdisciplinary arts and sciences, international studies, medical physics, microbiology, nursing and health studies, physical sciences, public health, rehabilitation medicine, Slavic languages and literatures, social work, special education, University Libraries and more.

Tell us about the great work you and your teams are doing by participating in our UW Insider photo contest, exclusively for UW employees. Here is how to enter:

1. Read UW Insider: The contest will be announced at the beginning of the month in our weekly email.

Post about your team’s commitment to the Husky Experience with #YouW on social media, or email uinsider@uw.edu for a chance to win a prize and be recognized on the UW’s main channels!

2. Take a photo: Horizontally-aligned images are preferred. Currently, no videos are being accepted.

3. Tell us about it: Your caption should respond to the prompt in UW Insider.

4. Share your photo:  Email your photo to us at uinsider@uw.edu to enter the contest. Winners will be selected at the end of the month, receive a small prize and be recognized on the UW’s LinkedIn page and in UW Insider.

Social media policies & best practices:

• https://www.washington.edu/marketing/social-media-best-practices/social-media-guidelines/
• https://it.uw.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/online-safety-strategy.pdf

Do you work at UW Medicine? All UW Medicine employees should limit their use of UW Insider’s social media elements in hospital or clinic space to rest or meal breaks, unless social media use has been previously approved by a supervisor.

Questions? Contact us at uinsider@uw.edu.