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Hi Triton Staff!

Happy October and happy fall (and spooky!) season! I hope everyone is having a great start to the 2025–26 academic year.

The Staff Association has been brewing up some fun staff appreciation events! Join us at our next Triton Treats next week for some light bites, available on a first-come, first-served basis. You can find more details in the Triton Treats section of this newsletter. We’re also looking for volunteers to help us with Triton Treats! If you’re interested in lending a hand, please fill out the volunteer form, our Social & Networking Events Chairs will follow up with more information.

We’ll also be hosting our second Triton Virtual Connect of the year! Our Basic Needs Chair and Treasurer have planned an informative session, “Open Enrollment 2025: UC San Diego Benefits & Retirement Overview,” to help you learn more about UC San Diego’s benefits and retirement options. Join us on November 6 at 11 a.m. on Zoom, details are in the TVC section below.

This month’s newsletter also highlights some great things happening across the UC San Diego community, so be sure to scroll through and check them out! And a huge congratulations to all staff celebrating important UC service milestones,  thank you for your dedication and years of service.

I hope to see you all at Triton Treats and Triton Virtual Connect! As always, your Staff Association Board is here for you.

Warmly, 
Maddie
Chair, UC San Diego Staff Association

Maddie alongside UC San Diego’s Heritage Month Chairs at the Heritage Months Chairs Retreat.

Join us in celebrating UC San Diego staff who have reached remarkable career milestones!
This year’s Staff Service Awards Ceremony takes place on October 15th and honors employees who achieved 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, or 50 years of service between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025.

Over 600 staff members across all VC areas are being recognized, with nearly 40 colleagues celebrating 30 years or more of service.

Kudos to our dedicated colleagues for your years of commitment, excellence, and contribution to UC San Diego. Our campus community thrives because of your presence, passion, and service to the university.

Celebrate the fall season with Triton Treats: Fall by the Shore! Hosted by the UC San Diego Staff Association, this staff appreciation event welcomes staff back to campus with churros, mozzarella sticks, and lemonade from The Shores Diner.

Treats available for the first 350 attendees (first-come, first-served; while supplies last). On-site registration and check-in required to claim treat. 

Get a head start on Open Enrollment with an overview of UC retirement options from Adrian Rodriguez of Fidelity and a UC San Diego health benefits overview from Noelle Zouari, Director of Benefits and Employee Recognition.

This one-stop session offers a helpful foundation before choosing which campus workshops or Open Enrollment events to attend.

All UC staff are invited to join the Council of University of California Staff Assemblies (CUCSA) for their next All-Staff Town Hall on Wednesday, October 22, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

This virtual event will feature a presentation from the Benefits Programs & Strategy Team in Systemwide Human Resources, who will provide an overview of the 2026 Open Enrollment and share updates on important changes to this year’s benefits offerings. This session is a valuable opportunity to hear directly from UC’s benefits experts and get your questions answered ahead of the Open Enrollment period.

If you attended CUCSA’s similar town hall last fall, you’ll know this is a session you won’t want to miss! View last year’s event here.

Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated nationally from September 15 to October 15 to honor the heritage, history and cultural diversity of Latinx individuals. This period was chosen to coincide with the independence of several Latin American countries, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Chile. Each year, the National Council of Hispanic Employment Program Managers leads the process of selecting the annual theme, which is adopted by institutions nationwide.

We encourage staff to participate in events and take part in this year's theme: Collective Heritage: Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future. Throughout October, the UC San Diego community is invited to participate in vibrant events in observance of Latinx Heritage Month. This annual celebration aims to showcase the intersectionalities of Latinx people and Latinx culture and build community among students, faculty and staff.

Learn more about Latinx Heritage Month at UC San Diego in this campus notice. 

October marks the 80th anniversary of NDEAM, a nationwide observance that celebrates the meaningful contributions of people with disabilities in the American workforce. In recognition of NDEAM, the ACPA Mid-Level Community of Practice (MLCOP) is hosting an Ask Me Anything (AMA) session on Neurodivergence and Supervision, in partnership with the Coalition for Disability on October 23rd from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. This interactive conversation will explore ways to better support neurodivergent colleagues and team members in supervisory and professional settings. Membership is not required to attend.

Are you interested in joining a mentorship program as a mentor or mentee? The Chicanx Latinx Staff Association (CLSA) Mentorship Program aims to strengthen and support mentorship opportunities for Latinx staff, faculty, and students at UC San Diego.

If you’d like to participate in the 2025–2026 CLSA Mentorship Program, please complete the appropriate application form by Friday, October 17, 2025.

Participation typically involves one-hour monthly meetings and biweekly check-ins via text or email.

Please contact Claudia Pena if you have any questions.

Looking for a chance to make a difference while building global friendships with UC San Diego International visitors?

The International Services & Engagement Office’s (ISEO) English Conversation program, English-in-Action (EIA) is seeking staff and faculty volunteers meet weekly with international visitors  to UC San Diego (including students, visiting research scholars, spouses, and postdocs) to help improve English skills and foster cross-cultural friendships.

UC San Diego staff receive discounted tickets for all Triton home athletic events! Join us this basketball season as our men’s and women’s teams defend their 2024–25 Big West titles.

To access your discount, log in using your UC San Diego SSO at ucsdtritons.evenue.net/signin. Select “Buy Tickets,” choose your event, and your discount will apply automatically.

Tip: The “Sign in as Student/Faculty” button is also for staff.

Each month, we’ll highlight tools, benefits, and professional development opportunities designed to support UC San Diego staff in their work and well-being. Explore these featured resources to help you grow, connect, and make the most of your campus benefits!

The Supervisor Toolkit is a comprehensive resource hub for anyone managing student employees. It includes performance management tools, learning modules, articles, and podcasts, and more all curated to help supervisors confidently guide and support their student employees.

These tools empower supervisors to foster a student-centered work environment that builds transferable skills, career readiness, and workplace success.

Campus Human Resources is excited to introduce the new Employee Center (SSO required) — your one-stop resource for all things related to your employment at UC San Diego.

The Employee Center makes it easier for campus staff to ask questions, submit HR requests, and find key information, whether you’re an employee, supervisor, or HR Contact. This evolving platform brings together content previously found on Services & Support and introduces a more streamlined way to connect directly with the HR Support Team.

The Employee Center will continue to grow, adding more services, tools, and resources to support your work experience. To share your input or suggestions, visit the Employee Center Suggestions and Feedback section.

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.