@theU

Effective immediately, the University of Utah is extending the current travel restriction for all university-related business travel for faculty, staff, and students through May 31, 2020. This restriction may be extended to a later date as we continue to monitor the situation.

If you have planned a business-related trip between now and May 31^st, you should cancel the trip. Any exceptions to this travel restriction are subject to all of the following approvals: (a) the department chair or manager, (b) the dean or vice president, and (c) the designee of the relevant Senior Vice President.  Those designated for final approval of a travel restriction exception are:

• Main Campus Academic Affairs Travel: Sarah Projansky, AVP for Faculty, sarah.projansky@utah.edu
• U of U Health Academic Travel: Ed Clark, AVP for Cinical Affairs, ed.clark@hsc.utah.edu
• U of U Health Hospitals and Clinics Staff Travel: Sarah Sherer, Chief Human Resources Officer, sarah.sherer@hsc.utah.edu
• Main Campus Staff Travel: Chris Bone, Senior Human Resources Director, chris.bone@utah.edu

We continue to encourage you, when considering  your personal choices, to follow travel advisories issued by your local and state authorities. If you choose to travel, you may be restricted from returning to work depending upon the specifics of your circumstances.

The University of Utah is expanding and reimagining programs in online and continuing education and has selected a new leader to build the initiative.

Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Dan Reed announced this week that Deborah Keyek-Franssen, associate vice president for Digital Education and Engagement for the University of Colorado System, will be the university’s new associate vice president and dean of Continuing and Online Education.

Deborah Keyek-Franssen

Keyek-Franssen’s long career in information technology, combined with her humanities undergraduate and graduate education, “make her the perfect leader to build bridges as the university expands access to education, enhances student success, and works to meet the needs of Utah’s changing workforce,” Reed said.

Building on the recommendations of the university’s yearlong Educational Futures and Student Success Task Force, the integrated online and continuing education program will expand the pathways available to students for degrees, certificates and lifelong education. University leaders are working to stay ahead of exponential changes in the way students learn and prepare for the jobs of tomorrow, Reed said. Expanded and enhanced online education is intrinsic to that transformation.

Keyek-Franssen will work closely with academic deans and schools across the university, as well as with community groups and Utah business leaders. Continuing Education and Online programs will serve undergraduates, graduate students, professionals, and non-degree seeking students.

“We are in an unprecedented time for higher and digital education,” Keyek-Franssen said. “Even without the turmoil caused by the spread of the coronavirus, online and continuing education are increasingly important in our region, the nation, and the world. Together, they have the potential to create a wide range of high-quality learning opportunities that have tangible individual and societal benefits.”

Since 2013, Keyek-Franssen has worked as the University of Colorado’s associate vice president for Digital Education and Engagement, promoting cross-campus collaborations, developing massive open online courses (MOOCs), and leading a multi-campus project for open education resources. From 2007 to 2013, Keyek-Franssen was director of Academic Technology at the University of Colorado Boulder. For the past 13 years, Keyek-Franssen has managed the regional Colorado Learning and Teaching with Technology (COLTT) Conference.

She earned her bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College in German, then two master’s degrees—in Germanic Languages and Higher and Postsecondary Education—and a Ph.D. in Germanic Languages and Literatures from the University of Michigan.

Keyek-Franssen said now is the time to be strategic about resolving inequalities in access to technology, developing collaborations with corporate and community partners, and expanding lifelong learning opportunities for urban and rural populations.

“In recent weeks, we have seen firsthand the increasing importance of online and continuing education, but these volatile times also present opportunities,” she added. “We can ensure we are collectively prepared for this rapidly changing world and society and for the learner and workforce needs that will emerge over the coming months and years.”

Following the completion of the university approval process, Keyek-Franssen will begin May 15, 2020.

The University of Utah is designing a series of mobility hubs near the Medical TRAX station, South Campus TRAX station and 200 South (between 1300 East and University Street).

Mobility hubs are facilities that help get people where they need to go and make it easier to transfer from one form of travel (like walking or biking) to another (like taking the bus or an Uber/Lyft ). Mobility hubs can also be a place to shop, eat, and socialize. We would love your input on these three mobility hub sites, including how you would use the site, what amenities you’d like to see, and what additional transportation options you would use if available.

Click here to take the survey. Participants will be entered into a drawing to win a $100 gift card to the Campus Store or other prizes. If you would like to learn more about this project, please visit uofumobilityhub.com.

As campus continues to safeguard our community from the COVID-19 pandemic, University Print & Mail Services is implementing some temporary procedures to mitigate potential risk. We are operating normally, though with reduced staff on campus, and continue to process orders and execute normal workflow. We have adjusted our hours slightly and will operate from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Please note the following adaptations, which will continue until further notice, and don’t hesitate to contact Print & Mail if we can be of assistance during this period. We’ve also included information from Financial & Business Services on incoming deliveries to campus.

Curbside service: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

Print & Mail is now offering curbside service for all of its functions. This includes print job pickups, Campus Mail, USPS mail and package sending and receiving.

Directions:

• Pull up to the curb in front of the VRTUSB Building at 1795 E. South Campus Dr.
• For print jobs (you will have been notified your order is ready), call 801-581-6171
• To pick up any mail or packages (advance notice preferred), call 385-290-8878
• Give us your name, department, vehicle make and color
• Present a valid ID or UCard to our delivery representative so we can ensure secure distribution of your items

USPS and campus mail deliveries and pickups

We will continue to pick up USPS and campus mail, Monday through Friday, until further notice. If mail deliveries are attempted at a locked office, a memo will be left stating that delivery is suspended until a request for re-delivery is received. We are processing and sorting mail by location and department Monday through Friday with slight adjustments but are offering the following as alternatives:

Other options for mail pickup and delivery

• To pick up USPS mail, Campus Mail or any other deliveries (for locked offices or those wishing to suspend deliveries) follow the curbside directions above and we will be happy to assist you between 8:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. If you are later than 1 p.m., or if you wish to come in as an alternative, you may visit the front desk from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Room 135 and receive your mail.
• For outgoing mail, Campus Mail and other shipments you wish to send, we continue to do daily pickups as part of the campus mail run until further notice. For offices that are closed, you may request a curbside drop-off (call 385-290-8878 upon arrival) or arrange a special pickup, according to your needs.
• To request a special delivery for mail, packages or print jobs, or to establish an ongoing plan for deliveries or pickups, please email Juan Sosa at sosa@utah.edu and include the relevant information, dates and times of your requested service.
• For any and all mail-related questions, concerns or directions, please contact Juan Sosa at sosa@utah.edu.

Updated SendSuite FedEx pickup hours

• Our mail handlers will now pick up SendSuite FedEx packages between 11 a.m. and 12:20 p.m., Monday through Friday. Please check our website for specific drop off locations and their correlating pickup time.
• SendSuite FedEx packages may be dropped off at our front desk until 1 p.m., Monday through Friday. This is especially critical for packages containing dry ice in order to ensure the viability of the package.

Deliveries to campus

With many employees working from home, freight companies are facing challenges delivering packages. The information provided below is the current status; however, things are fluid and changing rapidly.

• As warehouses reach capacity, they may be keeping packages for shorter periods of time or make other policies.
• If your department has shipments on order with future delivery dates and your facility is not open for deliveries, you will need to contact the shipping company with the tracking number to redirect or make arrangements to pick the package up within the stated time period. Delivery tracking numbers are provided in a shipping confirmation email that some vendors send.
• For packages delivered to Print & Mail Services, we will attempt delivery with the campus mail drop. If the building is locked, we will reach out to the recipient via email to set-up a plan for that particular item.

UPS 1-800-pickups

• UPS will hold packages for closed businesses for nine days. On the 10th day, if the company is still closed, the package will be returned to the shipper.
• You may call UPS if you have the tracking number and redirect to another campus address that is open.
• If the shipper has a block on redirecting packages as some do for security reasons (cellphones, computers and high-value items) they will not be able to redirect.

FedEx 1-800-GO-FEDEX

FedEx will hold packages for 5-15 days for closed businesses. They ask that you call with your tracking number to redirect to another address on campus that is open. Some packages may not be redirected for security reasons.

U.S. Postal Service – Foothill Branch – 801-583-3629

• In order to accommodate businesses during this challenging time, the USPS has extended the hold period to 30 days before returning the items to the sender.

USPS contacts:

•  Jeff Milbury, jeff.c.milbury@usps.gov
• Drake Anderson, drake.anderson@usps.gov

Thanks for your cooperation and understanding during this challenging time. As situations develop, we may need to adjust our hours, turn times, pick up/drop off timing and so on. We are diligently updating our emergency information page, and our customer service representatives are always available to answer questions and offer guidance.

For any other information, please contact us or visit us at University Print & Mail Services.

Your newly elected Student Body Presidency—President Ephraim Kum, Vice President of University Relations Ayana Amaechi and Vice President of Student Relations Michelle Valdes—is currently looking to fill paid student leadership positions within the ASUU Executive Branch for the upcoming year. The incoming presidency is seeking students who are passionate about being change-makers on campus, and who want to team up to provide more access to University of Utah students.

The presidency’s platform is focused on providing students with further access to safety, connectivity and affordability. Right now, there are over 40 executive branch positions you can apply for to be engaged in this work with us.

ASUU is structured similar to the federal government with three branches: the judicial, the legislative and the executive. The Executive Branch is led by the presidency and the chief of staff (also an open position). ASUU’s executive cabinet mirrors the President’s Cabinet, with various directors tasked with different types of advocacy work. In the Executive Branch, there are 11 boards. These boards range from Campus Events (where you work to bring high-quality performers and speakers) to diversity (where you can focus on making our campus more equitable, inclusive and diverse) to Government Relations (where you can increase student voter turnout in local and federal elections). The current open positions are for directors and associate directors, chairs and vice chairs of all 11 boards. Each position will have a part in helping us continue our mission of bringing access to students.

If you are looking for a leadership opportunity, a chance to meet amazing and passionate friends and an ability to make big changes on campus, apply now. We can’t wait to work with you.

To apply for any of our open positions or learn more, head over to the newly revamped ASUU website. We have listed the boards below for you, for your convenience. And as always, GO UTAH!

• Campus Events Board
• Diversity Board
• Elections Board
• Finance Board
• First-Year Council
• Government Relations Board
• Marketing Board
• Student Immersion and Outreach Board
• Student Resources Board
• Sustainability Board

With many employees working from home, freight companies are facing challenges delivering packages. The information below is the current status; however, things are fluid and changing rapidly. As warehouses reach capacity, they may keep packages for shorter periods, or make other policies.

If your department has shipments on order with future delivery dates and your facility is not open for deliveries, you need to contact the shipping company with the tracking number to redirect or make arrangements to pick the package up within the stated time period. If you do not have the delivery tracking number, please check the vendor’s shipping confirmation email, or contact the vendor/sender.

UPS 1-800-pickups

UPS will hold packages for closed businesses for 9 days. On the 10th day, if the company is still closed, the package will be returned to the shipper. If you have a tracking number, you may call UPS and redirect your shipment to a campus address that is open. If the shipper has a block on redirecting packages as some do for security reasons (cell phones, computers, and high-value items), they will not be able to redirect.

FedEx 1-800-GO-FEDEX

FedEx will hold packages for 5-15 days for closed businesses. They ask that you call with your tracking number to redirect to an address on campus that is open. Some packages may not be redirected for security reasons.

US Postal Service – Foothill Branch – 801-583-3629

o Jeff Milbury, jeff.c.milbury@usps.gov

o Drake Anderson, drake.anderson@usps.gov