UT System Connect Newsletter

September 05, 2023

In This Email:
1. Latest News
2. Upcoming Events of Interest
3. Employee Spotlight

LATEST NEWS

As the fall season approaches, flu season is just around the corner. Protect yourself and your loved ones by taking a proactive step – getting your annual flu vaccination.

WHEN:  Tuesday, Oct. 3 from 9-10:30 a.m. EDT

WHERE:  UT Tower, 12th floor 

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has identified a new variant of the COVID-19 virus:  BA.2.86.

At this time, the CDC does not know how well this variant spreads, only that it spreads in the same way as other variants. That means you can still take the following actions to protect yourself and others from infection:

For more information, please visit the CDC website.

National Payroll Appreciation Week begins Sept. 5. Payroll isn't just about numbers; it's about the well-being and satisfaction of each and every member of the payroll team. Our payroll professionals go above and beyond to ensure that you receive your hard-earned compensation on time and without a hitch. Their dedication is a big part of what makes our workplace a positive and supportive environment.

Thank you to all our payroll professionals - your hard work and dedication make a significant impact on each of us!

The UT System has once again partnered with McLean & Company, an independent human resources research firm, to administer the annual 2023 Employee Engagement survey to gather your insights and feedback regarding your overall work environment. On Sept. 20, you will receive an email from McLean & Company (survey@mcleanco.com) asking you to participate in the survey. This survey is conducted annually. 

As a third-party provider, McLean & Company ensures responses remain confidential and the process objective. McLean & Company only shares aggregate results of the survey with UT and will not share individual responses. 

Thank you, in advance, for your participation. 

The DASH Project is transitioning from the "Adopt and Adapt" phase to the "Validate" phase. During the Adopt and Adapt phase, more than 500 project team members participated in approximately 100 prototype sessions to vet UT business processes in our own Oracle environment and provide feedback to further refine the solution. Click here to learn more about this exciting transition to the Validate phase and what all that entails as we DASH toward go-live on July 1, 2024!

Want to gain even more insight into the project? Be sure to attend our 2nd DASH Town Hall virtual webinar on Wednesday, Sept. 13 at 3 p.m. EDT. We will be focusing on human resource activities, with a preview of employee processes including onboarding, absence requests and time entry in DASH.

You don’t want to miss hearing about these new and exciting changes to come! If you are not one of the first 1,000 to register, you will still be able to attend the webinar as a view-only participant!

Emergencies can arise unexpectedly, and being informed is crucial. By signing up for our emergency text messaging system, you'll receive timely alerts that can help you take necessary precautions, stay safe and make informed decisions.

After deliberations during the past year, UT System President Randy Boyd and chancellors have decided to replace the student information systems of Banner and CAMS with a centralized platform called DASH Student to serve all the schools.

The Oracle cloud platform for DASH allowed UT to join the Oracle Student Information System Early Adopter Program. It will give us a unified platform, competitive pricing and influence on the product so that it meets UT’s needs and goals. The next step is to launch a preparation and planning project in 2024. The implementation project will likely begin in late spring 2025 and span multiple years.

We will continue to keep you informed as we begin this multi-year process. To learn more, view the guiding principles and knowledge base at https://dash-student.tennessee.edu/.

Please note that the mail station has moved to the 9th floor to 944A.  If you have any questions or difficulty finding the location, please contact Sherry McBee at smcbee2@utk.edu.

Early Leaders Learning Pathway

Whether you’re new to a formal leadership role, or aspiring to a formal leadership role, the Early Leaders Learning Pathway has learning opportunities to support your growth. This learning pathway contains eight online classes, two certificate programs, two videos and five articles to help you succeed as an early leader. Pick and choose topics that meet your needs or complete them all for more than 25 hours of professional development credit in K@TE.

*You may need to log in to K@TE before clicking on the link for the link to work.

UPCOMING EVENTS OF INTEREST

We are almost at full capacity for the Sept. 19 BEST Man Forum, but fortunately there are still few open spots remaining.

The BEST Man Forum is designed to connect and meet the needs of the UT men who serve our campuses and institutes. The forum serves as a catalyst to unite UT men to learn, network and contribute to the embodiment of the Be One UT Values in performance, behaviors and relationships.

Statewide, exempt employees and/or those who have supervisory responsibilities are welcome to register for this inaugural conference to be held at the UT Conference Center in Knoxville. The forum will be based on the book Of Boys and Men with a keynote from the author, Richard Reeves.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Conference Rooms:  The UT tower conference rooms have recently undergone a revamp. Users now sign into a Windows 11 machine using their UT credentials. The Windows machine includes needed software (Zoom, Teams, etc). This session will highlight how to sign into virtual meetings and screensharing.

Windows 11:  This latest iteration of the Windows operating system includes a host of exciting features and improvements that will enhance our productivity, security and user experience.  This session will include a demonstration of the biggest changes from Windows 10 to Windows 11. 

Keeper Password Manager:  A password manager such as Keeper enhances our security by generating strong, unique passwords that are stored in an encrypted vault and secured with one master password.  This session will assist users in setting up a new Keeper account. 

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

Student Success Coordinator

Dominique Harrison joined the UT System on Aug. 14. She is originally from the Bahamas and has a bachelor's degree in business administration, master's degrees in educational administration and in brand and media strategy. Her professional background consists of work in the communications and marketing areas. In her free time, Harrison enjoys watching movies, spending quality time with her godchildren, watching basketball, reading and taking spontaneous trips.

Director of Privacy/Associate General Counsel

Shauna Jennings joined the UT System on Aug. 1. She is originally from Daphne, Alabama but has been a Tennessee resident for more 20 years. Jennings has a J.D. from the University of Tennessee College of Law and a bachelor's degree from Vanderbilt University. Jennings previously served as deputy general counsel with the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) for the past five years, and before that she worked in THEC's Division of Postsecondary State Authorization. She has also worked as an assistant attorney general with the Civil Rights and Claims Division at the Office of the Attorney General. When not working, she loves hanging out with her husband, kids, and their dogs. If she can catch some alone time, she also loves reading.

DASH IT Software Developer

Mary Lena Devoto joined the UT System on Aug. 16 in the Department of Technology Solutions. Devoto has a hospitality degree from Glion Institute of Higher Education in Montreux, Switzerland, along with undergraduate courses from Middle Tennessee State University and UT Knoxville for computer science. She also has a professional background in data analytics. In her free time, Devoto enjoys staying active with climbing, kickboxing, yoga and pilates, plus spending time with her dog Lollipop.

Associate Architect

Megan Chafin joined the Capital Projects team on Sept. 1. She is from Bloomington, Indiana, and has master and bachelor degrees in architecture, and has the following certifications/accreditations: American Institute of Architects, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, WELL, Construction Document Specialist (certified by the Construction Specialist Institute). Previously, Chafin worked as a senior associate/studio manager at BarberMcMurry Architects, architect for the UT Solar Decathlon Project and intern architect at Kirkwood Design Studio. When not working, Chafin enjoys hiking, swimming, kayaking, crocheting and spending time with family.

The University of Tennessee is a statewide system of higher education with campuses in Knoxville, Chattanooga, Pulaski, Martin and Memphis; the UT Institute of Agriculture with a presence in every Tennessee county; and the statewide Institute for Public Service.