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Happy June, Triton Staff!

As the academic year comes to a close, so does my term as Chair of the UC San Diego Staff Association. Serving as your Chair this past year has been one of the greatest honors of my professional career. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be a voice for staff, represent UC San Diego, and help strengthen our staff community.

I would like to extend my deepest thanks to the Staff Association Executive Board. Their dedication, creativity, and countless hours of service made everything we accomplished this year possible. The success of our programs, events, and initiatives was truly a team effort, and I am fortunate to have worked alongside such an outstanding group of leaders.

I also want to thank all of the staff members who attended our events, participated in our programs, shared feedback, and supported the Staff Association throughout the year. Your engagement and enthusiasm are what make our community so special. A heartfelt thank you as well to our affiliate groups and campus partners for their collaboration and commitment to supporting staff across UC San Diego.

This year brought its share of challenges, but what I will remember most are the moments of connection—seeing your smiles at events, hearing your stories, and having staff stop to say hello around campus. Those interactions filled my cup and continually reminded me why this work matters.

I recently returned from my final Council of University of California Staff Assemblies (CUCSA) Spring Quarter Conference alongside your incoming Staff Association Chair, Dr. Amanda Corona. It has been a pleasure working closely with Amanda over the past several months and getting to know her both professionally and personally. She is an inspiring, thoughtful, and dedicated leader, and I am excited to pass the baton to her on July 1. I have no doubt that under her leadership, the Staff Association will continue to grow, thrive, and reach new heights. You are all in excellent hands.

While my term as Chair is ending, I am not saying goodbye to the Staff Association. After three years of serving on the Executive Board, I will complete my fourth and final year as Immediate Past Chair, where I will continue supporting and advising the Board as they accomplish amazing things in the year ahead.

As I reflect on this incredible journey, I am filled with gratitude. Thank you for your support, encouragement, and partnership throughout the past year. It has been a privilege to serve this community, and I look forward to continuing to support the Staff Association in a new capacity.

With gratitude, 
Maddie Martinez
Chair, UC San Diego Staff Association

May was a busy and exciting month for Staff Association!

Our May Triton Treats was held on the northside of campus where staff gathered at Ridgewalk Social to enjoy breakfast burritos, smoothies, and a chance to connect with colleagues from across campus. Thank you to all of the volunteers who helped make the event possible, and to everyone who joined us. We hope it was a delicious start to your workday!

After reviewing a strong pool of applicants, we were proud to award scholarships to 15 staff members pursuing professional development, training, conferences, and educational opportunities. Congratulations to all of our recipients! We were inspired by the many stories shared through the application process and the commitment our staff community continue to demonstrate toward career growth and lifelong learning.

Looking ahead, the Staff Association Executive Board election season is now underway. Congratulations and best of luck to all staff members who have been nominated to serve. Voting will open soon, and we encourage all staff to stay engaged and participate in selecting the next group of leaders who will help guide Staff Association. For the latest election updates, visit our Elections page on our website.

Join the Black Staff Association (BSA) for UC San Diego's 6th Annual Juneteenth Celebration on Tuesday, June 16, from 2–4 p.m. in the Great Hall. This year's theme, "A Family Affair – Embrace Our Progress," will be a campus gathering for remembrance and jubilation. The program will celebrate the vibrancy and creativity of Black culture and express appreciation for the Black Excellence exemplified across the university.

A complimentary light lunch will be available on a first-come, first-served basis for attendees who reserve a ticket in advance. Vegetarian options will be provided.

Interested in supporting the event? BSA is seeking volunteers to assist with event-day roles and help make this celebration a success.

Join Dialogue for Peace for its inaugural Deliberation Lunch, where staff fellows will facilitate a thoughtful discussions about the impact of AI on the experiences of UC San Diego staff members. This event offers an opportunity for staff and attendees to learn more about Dialogue of Peace, experience a dialogue circle, and enjoy lunch.

This event is a collaboration between the Offices of the Vice Chancellor for Organizational Transformation and the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Campus Life. 

Dear fellow Tritons,

I am delighted to have this opportunity to connect with all of you. The Advancement team has worked with so many of you across campus to raise funds for a wide range of university priorities. The work we’ve done together has been nothing short of outstanding, so I’d like to share an update on the state of university fundraising along with a few things we’re excited about right now.

As we all know, the past year has presented many unexpected changes nationwide. Universities are navigating a rapidly shifting philanthropic landscape — heightened competition for donor support, rising expectations for impact and transparency, and increasing pressure to demonstrate the value of our work. 

Now is the time to embrace new perspectives and find ways to reenvision challenges as innovative ways to reach our goals.

One way we are building enduring support is identifying and cultivating alumni leadership across generations to ensure UC San Diego has a strong future with increasing alumni ownership. This “Decade of Alumni” strategy, includes efforts and events like:

Additionally, I want to extend a huge THANK YOU to every one of you who participated in our eighth annual Triton Giving Day! Because of you, this year’s effort was more than a single day — it was a powerful expression of what we can accomplish together. We surpassed our goal of raising $1 million, and your participation made it possible. This success along with so many impactful gifts this year, including the recent commitment from alumnus Taner Halıcıoğlu ’96 to establish the Halıcıoğlu School of Data Science and Computing, has created incredible momentum as we push toward the end of the fiscal year end on June 30. 

As we prepare for a new fiscal year and new opportunities, I look forward to working with our incredible partners across campus to push the boundaries of what’s possible as we create a vibrant future for UC San Diego. 

Ann Spira
Vice Chancellor for Advancement

As the dedicated and official financial institution partner to the UC San Diego community, University Credit Union is committed to supporting faculty, staff, and students with personalized banking solutions and financial wellness resources.

Hear directly from the CEO about UCU's commitment to serving UC San Diego and discover the benefits available to you as an employee.

Framework is a new community dedicated to providing the highest quality housing exclusively for UC San Diego staff, students, and faculty. At Framework, you can flourish as a member of our greater UC San Diego community and find the right balance between work and play. 

Framework is located two blocks from the Park & Market station on the UC San Diego Blue Line, which provides direct access to the La Jolla campus. Framework is one block away from a bus stop with several lines that provide easy bus access to the Hillcrest Medical Center.

UC San Diego Human Resources has partnered with the San Diego County Fair to offer a discount code for staff! Use the code UCSD2026 for $3 off General Admission tickets for up to 6 tickets per order. The code is not valid for use on Senior and Youth tickets. Secure your tickets now at sdfair.com!

Utilities & Sustainability is seeking the campus community's feedback on its Draft Sustainability and Climate Action Plan (S-CAP). Your input will help shape the final plan and guide the university’s sustainability and climate priorities for years to come.

Take a few minutes to review the draft plan and share your feedback.

The UC San Diego Staff Association is a campus-wide community dedicated to supporting, connecting, and advocating for non-represented staff. We work to enhance the staff experience through programs, events, and initiatives that promote professional growth, personal well-being, and a sense of belonging.

Our members represent diverse backgrounds and roles across campus, united by a common goal: to ensure staff voices are heard, valued, and empowered. Whether through networking opportunities, skill-building workshops, or advocacy efforts, the Staff Association is here to strengthen our campus community and make UC San Diego a place where staff thrive.

If you have content you'd like to share with the campus community, we’d love to hear from you! 

Monthly Submission Deadline: The deadline to submit content for each month is the 3rd. Each newsletter goes out around the 10th of each month. 

Please note: Submitting a request does not guarantee placement. We review all submissions and select a limited number of features each month that align with the Staff Association’s mission and goals.