É«»¨ÌÃ

DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE

Highlights

• The 2025 Administration and Finance Staff Appreciation Event gave the division an opportunity to celebrate and reflect on the magnificent individual and team accomplishments in 2024 while acknowledging team members who met years of service milestone. Relive the Staff Appreciation Event by visiting the to see all the winners and photos from the event.
• As part of National Student Employment Week, which was observed April 14-18, the division would like to extend its gratitude to the 125 students who expanded their learning through the services they provided to the 17 A&F departments. A&F’s student employees get resume-building experiences while providing a multitude of contributions across the division. Meet some of A&F’s student employees by s and learn the reasons students value their on-campus work experience.
• Frontier Fiesta has come and gone at É«»¨ÌÃ, and many A&F departments were pivotal in ensuring the three-day event was safe and fun for all. Departments like Fire & Life Safety, the É«»¨Ìà Police Department, the Office of Emergency Management, the Food Safety department, and É«»¨Ìà Dining Services, were instrumental during Frontier Fiesta. View the gallery to see how these departments assisted with Frontier Fiesta.
• Frontier Fiesta, a É«»¨Ìà tradition dating to 1939, is a long-awaited event for students, faculty, staff, and alumni. The three-day student-led event has concerts, carnival rides, and a wide variety of cook-off competitions and more. To give students a pregame to Frontier Fiesta, É«»¨Ìà Dining Services created, and hosted, a new event, First Fiesta. The event, held at Cougar Woods Dining Commons the week of Frontier Fiesta, mimicked on a smaller scale, what one might expect at Frontier Fiesta. Read more about .
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  Monthly Siren Test

  While the É«»¨Ìà Police Department and the Office of Emergency Management collaborate on a daily basis, each month they work together to conduct monthly test of the outdoor warning sirens on campus. These tests, held on the first Wednesday of each month at 1 P.M., are a vital part of campus emergency preparedness. By routinely testing the system, both departments ensure the sirens are fully operational in the event of severe weather, natural disasters, or other emergencies that threaten the safety of those on campus.

• The É«»¨Ìà observed Earth Week from April 21-25 with the Office of Sustainability leading the way and spearheading a greener, and cleaner, campus. Events for Earth Week included, a Plant Forward Teaching Kitchen, a volunteer campus clean-up, a sustainability lunch and learn, a plastic art competition, an e-waste drive, a sustainability maker’s market, volunteer tree planting, and a plant swap to name a few of the events. .
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  Being Green is Part of the Job at Copy and Print Services

  While April 22 is when Earth Day is celebrated each year, at Copy and Print Services — every workday is a green day. The recycling team has commented that Copy and Print is one of the biggest recyclers on campus. When the bins are full, they receive a call and arrive within an hour or so for pickup. Read more about Copy & Print being green every day.
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  Teaching Kitchen Serves Learning with Fresh Food Fun

  The É«»¨ÌÃ’s Dining Services department hosted the Plant-Forward Teaching Kitchen event in the Multipurpose room in the Student Center – South in April. A dozen attendees took part in a learning experience led by Moody Tower’s Executive Chef Benito Gavirio on how to prepare Mexican sopes with delicious, plant-based filling using fresh and readily available ingredients. Read more about this semesters Teaching Kitchen.
• In an effort to provide transparency on food safety standards at dining commons and university food establishments, the Food Safety department have placed QR codes stickers at each on-campus dining establishment, in partnership with Auxiliary Services and Dining Services. When scanned with a phone, these QR codes direct users to a website displaying the score for that specific food station or establishment. Read more about this .
• A cluttered digital life not only makes it harder to find what you need, but it also leaves your personal information vulnerable to cyber threats. By taking a few simple proactive steps, you can significantly improve your online security and peace of mind. University Information Technology presents six tips you can take to reduce your risk of falling victim to scams or data breaches. Take a look at the to learn more.

• Division of Administration and Finance team members from Auxiliary Services enjoyed the fanfare and the camaraderie of the 2025 NACAS South CX Conference. The group met and connected with colleagues from other institutions within their region. They engaged in conversations about their roles and shared ideas and experiences that proved to be invaluable for Auxiliary Services. Read more about .
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  Esmeralda Valdez Wins Lifetime Award at NACAS South CX

  Esmeralda Valdez, Executive Director of University Services received the NACAS South Lifetime Achievement Award for her excellence in the field of auxiliary services, being a role model for aspiring auxiliary service professionals, and her actions that benefited both the University and higher education. Valdez, who also serves as the NACAS South regional representative on the board of directors, has been a NACAS member since 2006
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  DaNesha Allen Wins Regional Rising Star Award at NACAS South CX

  DaNesha Allen, Senior Director at Auxiliary Services, received the Regional Rising Star Award for her innovative and meaningful contributions to improving the efficiency of the University’s campus experience for students and excelling professionally in auxiliary services.
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  Cougar Card Services Team Attends NACCU Conference

  Cougar Card Services’ Cassie Bruner, Ph.D., director, and Daisy Del Fierro, assistant director, recently attended the National Association of Campus Card Users Annual Conference in Henderson, Nevada, April 6-9. The pair arrived early to participate in the two-day NACCU Preconference Data Summit, where they learned how to better utilize information that’s collected to generate insights to assist in data-driven decision-making.
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  Cullen Performance Hall Has Aid for Hearing-Impaired Guests

  New technology has made going to a comedy show or event at Cullen Performance Hall even easier and more enjoyable for individuals with hearing loss with the venue’s introduction of its ListenWIFI service. ListenWIFI is an innovative Wi-Fi streaming solution that allows CPH guests to use their smartphones to access audio for assistive listening. Learn more about this initiative from Cullen Performance Hall.

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  É«»¨Ìà Food Safety Inspector has Research Accepted for Publication

  É«»¨Ìà Food Safety health inspector Karla Acosta, PhD., will have a study she conducted as part of her doctorate, “Synthesis and Effectiveness of a Novel Food Safety Toolkit for Low-Literacy Novice Food Handlers,” published in the Journal of Food Protection. The study found that low-literacy novice food handlers had difficulty completing the required American National Standards Institute (ANSI) certified food handler training.
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  UIT Wins Three Collegiate Advertising Awards

  The University Information Technology department won three awards from the Collegiate Advertising Awards program. The CAA program honors marketing professionals for outstanding excellence in all forms of advertising, marketing and promotion specific to higher education products and services. UIT won two silver and one bronze award. The two silver awards were for UIT’s Strategic Priorities magazine and its social media campaign for Cybersecurity Awareness Month. The bronze was awarded for its Cybersecurity Awareness billboard design. Learn more about UIT’s Collegiate Advertising Awards.
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  Parking & Transportation Gets Accredited

  The International Parking & Mobility Institute (IPMI), the world’s largest association of professionals in parking, transportation, and mobility, has approved Parking & Transportation as an Accredited Parking Organization with Distinction through December 31, 2027. The accreditation recognizes best practices in responsible parking management and operations, access management, customer service, professional development, security, sustainability and more. Parking & Transportation will be recognized on stage at the 2025 IPMI Parking & Mobility Conference & Expo in June.
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  GetFitTexas Challenge Wrap-up

  This year for the very first time, the É«»¨Ìà participated in the GetFitTexas Challenge. Sponsored by the Texas Department of State Health Services, GetFitTexas is a 10-week physical activity challenge for state employees and competition between state agencies to see who can complete the most minutes of physical activity. Organized by HR POWER UP, Team É«»¨Ìà consisted of 345 participants who helped the University achieve a 37% completion rate.
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  É«»¨ÌÃ/É«»¨ÌÃS FY2024-25 Key Dates Calendar

  The É«»¨Ìà and the É«»¨Ìà System have released an updated fiscal year 2024-2025 calendar. This calendar provides deadlines and submission instructions for administrative and financial activities at the end of fiscal year 2024 and the beginning of fiscal year 2025. You can find the new updated calendars and schedules on their website. See the new updated calendars and schedules. 

• Fridays just got a bit sweeter thanks to discounts from É«»¨Ìà Dining Services. Wear red on Fridays to get discounts at Asado Tacos & Bowl, Shake Smart, Melt Lab, and RAD Center eateries like The Burger Joint, The Taco Stand, & The Nook. Additionally, you can eat breakfast, lunch, or dinner at Cougar Woods or Moody Dining Commons at a reduced price. Check out the full Cougar Red Friday Discounts to .

Accolades

• Mark Rosanes, a dedicated member of the É«»¨ÌÃ’s University Information Technology department, was recently awarded the President’s Excellence Award in the Technical, Service, and Craft category. With over two decades of service at É«»¨ÌÃ, starting in December 2001 and transitioning to UIT in May 2009, Mark has become an essential part of the campus’ communication infrastructure. Mark’s recognition in the Technical, Service, and Craft category celebrates the technical expertise he has brought to his role over the years. about Rosanes receiving the President's Excellence Award.
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  Assistant Chief of Police Nominated for 911der Woman of the Year

  Assistant Chief of Police Chandra Johnson has been nominated as a 2024 911der Woman of the Year candidate. The honor recognizes the incredible achievements and dedication of women working in the 9-1-1 industry. Johnson’s nomination highlighted her over 35 years of experience in law enforcement, the last 10 of which have been spent at É«»¨ÌÃPD, where she instituted an evidence tracking system and helped the department become an accredited police agency with the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators.
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  Parking Team Recognized at Conference for APO Designation

  Team members of the Parking and Transportation Services Department at the É«»¨Ìà were recognized for becoming an Accredited Parking Organization (APO) by the International Parking and Mobility Institute (IPMI). Members from Parking & Transportation attended IPMI’s annual conference in June where the department received the honor. Parking and Transportation Services are taking steps to achieve APO with Distinction designation for 2025.
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  É«»¨Ìà Dining Sr Executive Chef Chad McDonald Wins Awards at NACUFS Nationals

  É«»¨Ìà Dining Senior Executive Chef Chad McDonald won third place at the NACUFS Culinary Challenge as part of the NACUFS 2024 National Conference in Louisville, Kentucky. Representing the Southern Region for the second consecutive year, McDonald’s fruit de mer put him among the top three, winning an American Culinary Federation (ACF) gold medal in the process. McDonald bested his performance from a year ago where he won an ACF silver medal.
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  É«»¨Ìà Fire Marshal Selected for Texas Fire Marshals Association University Committee

  Executive Director of Fire and Life Safety/Fire Marshal Chris McDonald was recently appointed to the Texas Fire Marshals Association’s University Committee. He is one of ten committee members chosen from several Texas universities and the State Fire Marshal’s Office. The committee exchanges safety information, code enforcement, and technical developments. It also fosters better understanding between local and state governmental agencies and develops high professional standards among university fire marshals. 
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  OEM Director Elected Secretary of the State Office of Risk Management’s Continuity Council

  Ginger Walker, Director of Emergency Management, was recently elected to the position of secretary for the State Office of Risk Management’s Continuity Council. The council is a forum consisting of federal, state, local, tribal, and private entities.  The council allows members to share ideas, concepts, best practices, and participate in presentations and conferences to strengthen continuity of operations planning programs among agencies of the State of Texas. 
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  DaNesha Allen Presents at NACAS South CX

  Director of Food Service, and Director of Contract Compliance, DaNesha Allen gave two presentations at this year’s NACAS South Conference. Allen co-presented Stories in the Data - Breaking Down Data Silos to Drive Better Outcomes in Auxiliary Services with dining colleagues from Auburn University, University of Tennessee - Knoxville and The Solution Design Group. The presentation showcased how É«»¨Ìà and the universities use RevenueVision. 
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  É«»¨Ìà Dining Services Recognized with Loyal E. Horton Dining Silver Award

  The É«»¨ÌÃ’s Dining Services was honored with a NACUFS 2024 Loyal E. Horton Dining Award. The department won silver in the Residential Special Event of the Year category that awards a university department for an outstanding event taking place in residential dining for its strong focus on the student experience. É«»¨Ìà Dining Services received recognition for its Diwali celebration that took place at Cougar Woods Dining Commons. The celebration is part of the department’s Cultural Event Series. 
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  Dr. Emily Messa Receives Fulbright Specialist Award to Kuwait at American University of Kuwait

  Dr. Emily Messa, É«»¨Ìà System Senior Associate Vice Chancellor and É«»¨Ìà Senior Associate Vice President for Administration, has received a Fulbright Specialist Program award. Dr. Messa will soon complete a project at the American University of Kuwait in Kuwait to exchange knowledge and establish partnerships benefiting participants, institutions, and communities in the U.S. and overseas through educational and training activities. Read more about .
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  Dana Wimer Receives Award at NACAS South Annual Conference

  Dana Wimer, Director of Facilities with the Office of Administration, received the New Professionals Award/Scholarship at the NACAS South Annual Conference held at Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort in Orlando, Florida. The award grants Wimer full conference registration for the 2025 NACAS South Annual Conference. Wimer’s nomination letter pointed out her immediate impact in supporting various facilities in the auxiliary services division
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  Copy & Print Honored with Three ACUP+ Awards

  The Copy and Print department received three Production & Impression awards from ACUP (Association of College and University Printers). Copy and Print won Gold in the Offset Single-Page category for its President Suite Ticket Holder and Gold in the Offset Multi-Page category for its History Magazine—Agents of Change. The final award Copy and Print received was in the Offset Multi-Piece category, where it nabbed Gold for its Happy Holidays Card—Document Solutions. 
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  Matt Oltremari Receives Award at NACAS South Annual Conference

  Auxiliary Services Program Director & Analyst Matt Oltremari received the First Timers Award/Scholarship at the NACAS South Annual Conference held at Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort in Orlando, Florida. The commendation grants Oltremari full conference registration and hotel stay for the 2025 NACAS South Annual Conference. Oltremari’s nomination letter brought attention to his role, first as a Communication and Outreach Manager, and now as a Program Director & Analyst with Auxiliary Services, and his selection to be a presenter at NACAS. 
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  Cougar Card Services Receives NACAS Outstanding Collaboration Award

  Cougar Card Services was honored at the NACAS South Conference with the Outstanding Partner/Collaboration Award. Cougar Card Services shares the award with Atrium, a campus card management system. The award recognizes a unique, innovative, or distinctive partnership that benefits the university, its respective community, and business partners. Cougar Card Services began using Atrium a year ago and has seen positive effects, such as 93 percent of new on-campus residents having their card by the first day of the Fall 2023 semester. 
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  F/CM receives AssetWorld Steve Deines Achievement Award

  Facilities/Construction Management received the AssetWorld Steve Deines Achievement Award at the AssetWorld Conference in Allen, Texas. The award recognizes outstanding accomplishments in facilities and workplace management using innovative technologies that improve AssetWorks’ suite of products. Read more about how to generate meaningful key performance indicators. 
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  Dr. Emily Messa Recognized at NACAS C3X with Distinguished Service Award

  É«»¨Ìà System Sr. Associate Vice Chancellor and Sr. Associate Vice President for Administration and Finance Dr. Emily Messa was honored at the 2023 NACAS C3X Conference with the Robert F Newton Award for Distinguished Service. This is the most prestigious award recognizing an individual who has displayed extraordinary and outstanding service to NACAS and to the profession. Congrats, Emily!
• É«»¨Ìà received a 2023 Appademy Award for Best Integration for the Bikeep Smart Bike Parking system that Parking & Transportation and UIT helped implement. The Appademy Awards recognize universities and colleges for outstanding digital experiences in their campus mobile apps.
• Evan Broadbent, Emergency Management Specialist in the Office of Emergency Management, participated in the Continuity Excellence Series provided by the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA). As a result, Evan has earned his Level 1, Professional Continuity Practitioner Certification. Broadbent has been able to incorporate his Continuity Practitioner skills to bring the É«»¨Ìà Continuity Program to the next level.
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  Roy G. Cullen Receives LEED Gold Certification

  The É«»¨ÌÃ’s Roy G. Cullen building, one of the first-ever buildings in the university, went through an interior renovation that has now garnered national recognition by being awarded a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification at the Gold level. The recognition comes via the U.S. Green Building Council, which recognizes buildings and communities prioritizing sustainability in their design, construction, and operation. Read more about Roy Cullen’s interior renovation and its LEED certification.
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  Ginger Walker receives the C. F. McElhinney Award

  Ginger Walker, Director of Emergency Management, was recognized with the Charles F. McElhinney Award for Distinguished Service at the President’s Staff Excellence Awards Ceremony. She was joined by her family, her OEM team, her supervisor, and Senior Vice Chancellor for A&F, Raymond Bartlett, to celebrate her recognition. Walker has served the University for 26 years and was recognized for her dedication, leadership, lasting impact on the University, and her collaborative spirit. Read more about Ginger’s recent recognition.

• É«»¨Ìà System Associate Vice Chancellor and Associate Vice President for Administration Dr. Emily Messa received the Dean's Advocate Award at the 2023 Library Excellence Awards. The award recognizes a É«»¨Ìà employee who has collaborated with É«»¨Ìà libraries during the past year.

  Messa received the award for being an advocate and partner in finding opportunities for improving the student experience, plus building a relationship with Dean Jackson in support of É«»¨Ìà libraries. Read more about the

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  É«»¨Ìà Law Center, College of Medicine, received LEED Certification

  The É«»¨ÌÃ’s John M. O’Quinn Law Building and the College of Medicine Building received national recognition this spring by being awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certification. The certification comes via the U.S. Green Building Council. For a building to receive the certification, it earns points and adheres to prerequisites that address carbon, energy, water, waste, transportation, materials used, health, and indoor environmental quality. Read more about this achievement.

• Since 1971, the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) has been honoring outstanding broadcast and digital journalism achievements with the Edward R. Murrow Awards. Among the most prestigious in news, the Murrow Awards recognize local and national news stories that demonstrate technical expertise and exemplify the importance and impact of journalism as a service to the community. 

  This year, Houston Public Media is honored to win two Regional Murrow Awards for the compelling work on Below the Waterlines, Houston after Hurricane Harvey, and the Latino Voter Engagement Project. Listen to the .

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  É«»¨Ìà Dining Services Wins NASPA Excellence Silver Award

  The É«»¨Ìà Dining Services was honored this month by being recognized as 2022-23 Excellence Silver Award in the Contracted Services, Housing, Residence, Life, and Related category from the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA). This recognition marks the first time É«»¨Ìà Dining Services has won a NASPA Excellence Award. Read more about what É«»¨Ìà Dining Services did to win the Silver Award.
• The É«»¨Ìà made history in April as it became the first higher education institution to be named a recipient of the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN) Business Recognition Award from the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses. The 2023 AAOHN Business Recognition Award recognizes a business that supports the health and safety of their workers through a strong Occupational Health and Safety Program. Learn more aboutwhy .
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  Cougar Woods Dining Commons Earns 4-Star GRA Certification

  É«»¨ÌÃ’s Cougar Woods Dining Commons earned a 4-star GRA (Green Restaurant Association) Certification, making them the only dining establishment in Texas with that designation. Cougar Woods Dining Commons is also the only Texas university with this rating.

  The Green Restaurant Association awarded Cougar Woods Dining Commons the certification due to its green points in categories like water efficiency, waste reduction, sustainable food, and chemical and pollution reduction. Read more about how

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  É«»¨Ìà Dining Chef Chad McDonald Wins Regional Cooking Competition

  Congrats to É«»¨Ìà Food Services Senior Executive Chef Chad McDonald for winning the gold at the NACUFS Culinary Competition. Chef McDonald wowed the judges with a Char Siu Wonton Noodle Soup. Judges were impressed with Chef McDonald’s cooking skills, culinary technique and taste. Chef McDonald now moves on to the national level competition at the NACUFS National Conference in Baltimore, Maryland. Read more about Chef McDonald’s victory.

• Esmeralda Valdez named NACAS Volunteer of the Year, joins Board of Directors

  Esmeralda Valdez, Executive Director of University Services, was named National Association of College Auxiliary Services Volunteer of the Year. Valdez received the award at the NACAS C3X 2022 Annual Conference & Expo, held in Las Vegas.

Departments

• É«»¨Ìà is committed to ensuring a safe environment for students, faculty, staff and all visitors to our campus.
• The Office of Equal Opportunity Services acts on behalf of the University as a neutral fact finder that enforces the University’s Equal Opportunity Policies.
• Facilities Planning and Construction delivers exceptional and enduring projects that maximize value and support the University's Tier One strategic initiatives through superior facilities planning and project management services.
• The Office of Finance is the source for all financial information, training, reports and policies at the É«»¨ÌÃ. All finance-related forms, calendars and references can be found here.

• Houston Public Media is a service of the É«»¨Ìà and supported with financial gifts from the community. Houston Public Media combines broadcast and digital assets to serve residents of Southeast Texas with quality local news and entertainment, as well as national programming from NPR and PBS. With a combined weekly audience of more than 1.5 million, Houston Public Media is committed to delivering content that expands minds and possibilities with trusted information.

• To attract, develop, motivate, and retain a competitive and engaged workforce committed to supporting and enhancing the mission of the University. We accomplish this through providing Tier One customer service and partnering with the É«»¨ÌÃS community to maximize the potential of our greatest asset – Our Employees.
  
• The É«»¨Ìà Police Department (É«»¨ÌÃPD) strives to enable students, faculty, staff and visitors to be safe while pursuing their on-campus endeavors. 
• An exemplary portfolio of on-campus services ranging across third-party dining, parking, shuttle and bookstore operations among the program areas of Auxiliary and University Services, as well as system master planning through the É«»¨ÌàSystem-wide Public Art Committee, an advisory committee to the É«»¨ÌàSystem Board of Regents, and fundamental initiatives of best practices in sustainability, assessment and evaluation.
• The É«»¨Ìà is an open campus filled with people who care about each other. Because of its open accessibility, all students, faculty and staff are encouraged to exercise a sense of personal responsibility for their own safety and well-being, and the safety and well-being of others. While crime can happen anywhere, when we act as a community that knows and cares about the safety of others, ourselves and our property, we lessen the likelihood of being victimized, and we showcase our Cougar Pride.
• University Information Technology - Infotech - offers support across the board for all student, faculty, and staff IT requirements.