UT System Connect Newsletter

February 06, 2024

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

LATEST NEWS

University of Tennessee System President Randy Boyd will deliver his sixth annual State of the University on Thursday, Feb. 8. 
  
Boyd’s speech will be streamed live at tennessee.edu beginning at 8:30 a.m. CST/ 9:30 a.m. EST.  It will also be streamed on the Facebook pages of Boyd and the UT System. 

This year’s State of UT Address will feature a panel discussion by the leaders of all five UT campuses located in Knoxville, Chattanooga, Martin, Memphis and Pulaski. The discussion will be moderated by Boyd and David Plazas, director of opinion and engagement for the USA Today Network-Tennessee/The Tennessean.  The address serves as an important platform for discussing the university’s impact on education, research, community engagement and economic development. It also serves as an opportunity to acknowledge the efforts of faculty, staff and students, and to reinforce the University’s commitment to excellence and innovation in higher education.

DASH’s  Compliment a Colleague program is now being expanded to include all UT System Administration employees.  The Compliment a Colleague program allows employees to acknowledge the contributions and efforts of their peers. This gesture of appreciation, which can be shared anonymously or with attribution, has already had a significant impact within the DASH working groups, with employees experiencing a greater sense of connection with their colleagues. 

"The Compliment a Colleague program is more than just an initiative; it's a catalyst for creating a vibrant, supportive workplace culture," said Brian Dickens, chief human resources officer. "We've seen firsthand how recognizing colleagues' efforts and achievements fosters a sense of belonging and community. This program not only enhances individual morale but also contributes to our collective success. It's about acknowledging the human element in our professional lives."

UT System Administration will again celebrate Employee Appreciation Week Feb. 26-March 1, acknowledging and celebrating all your hard work.  More information will be coming soon!

UT System President Randy Boyd and Chief Human Resources Officer Brian Dickens were presented with the prestigious Diamond Award, presented by the Not Alone Foundation and the Academy of the Diamond Awards.  The Diamond Awards honor individuals who, through their perseverance and success, have made a significant impact on their industries at the local, state or international level. 

Boyd received the Excellence in Leadership award (President, Trustee, Administration) for Philanthropy, Humanitarian and Community Engagement.  Dickens also received an Excellence in Leadership award for education (Chief Human Resources Officer) for Philanthropy, Humanitarian and Community Engagement.

Congratulations!

Brian Dickens represented the UT System at the recent Diamond Awards in Atlanta.  Stacy Lightfoot, vice chancellor for access and engagement at UT Chattanooga, also won an award.

The UT System Office of Risk Management has initiated a new online reporting system: Origami. This will change the way on-the-job injuries, auto accidents and general liability incidents are reported. The biggest change is that paper forms will no longer be used for incident submissions.

Anyone reporting an incident should navigate to the website by clicking the button below and selecting Report an Incident. Read it before you need it! You can avoid incurring any state penalties by reviewing the new reporting process today by clicking the button below.

As experienced recently, during the winter season it may become necessary for UT System employees to work remotely due to adverse winter weather or poor road conditions in the area.  

UT System employees are asked to make a determination that is in the best interest of their individual safety as road conditions could vary throughout the area.  In the event an employee needs to work remotely due to unsafe conditions, the employees should discuss a work-from-home option with their supervisors.  Supervisors are encouraged to allow for employees in unsafe conditions to work remotely.  

All department heads are encouraged to ensure that they have appropriate remote work capabilities in place. 

As a reminder, if you do not already receive UT System RAVE alerts, you can sign up today for updates on weather and other safety related matters.

A big thank you to everyone who participated in the third round of DASH town hall sessions - a great opportunity to get a preview of what is ahead with DASH as we countdown to go-live on July 1. Town hall presenters provided demonstrations of DASH processes, from facilities maintenance (requesting facilities services work), finance (chart of accounts), and human resources (employee self-service and manager self-service).

If you were not able to attend or you would like to see a review of what was covered, the recordings can be accessed below. The next town hall event is scheduled for March 7, and you won't want to miss it!

Be sure to become a Friend of DASH to learn more about future town halls, as well as other exciting news happening on the DASH Project.

UPCOMING EVENTS OF INTEREST AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

UT System Administration HR, EOD presents the Conference for Women’s Leadership (CWL) to address professional development needs of UT women. The conference provides sessions on topics relevant to women at varying stages of their leadership journey, from those who are emerging as leaders to women in advanced leadership roles.

The CWL will explore the meaning of women’s leadership in our current higher education environment. We are duty-bound to prepare women who lead at all levels to learn, develop, and grow their leadership abilities. In our current environment, there are calls for persistent, tenacious and resilient leadership. The 2024 CWL theme is Journey Together, and this year’s event includes a disco!

Date: May 22-23, 2024

Location: UT Health Science Center in Memphis, TN

Price*: $250 will be charged after the event via internal transfer

*For non-exempt employees, the Career Development Fund (CDF) is available for registration assistance.

Whether you lead a team in a hybrid work environment or simply want to improve your relationships within a hybrid work environment, the Hybrid Work Relationships Learning Pathway has learning opportunities to support your growth. This learning pathway contains three online classes, two videos, two websites, and three articles to help you improve relationships in a hybrid work environment. Pick and choose topics that meet your needs or complete them all for more than 2.75 hours of professional development credit in K@TE.

View the pathway below, and note that you may need to log in to K@TE before clicking on the link in order for the link to work.

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

Tax Director, Office of the Treasurer

Anna Tilson joined the UT System on Jan. 22, and is from Knoxville. She has a bachelor's and master's in accounting from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Tilson is also a certified professional accountant. Her professional background includes public accounting for more than four years, plus four years at Kimberly-Clark in accounting/financial reporting. When not working Tilson enjoys spending time with her two boys, watching movies and tv shows, and getting breakfast or coffee with her girlfriends.

Financial Specialist, Office of the Controller

Taylor Christian joined the UT System on Feb. 1 and is from Powell. She has a bachelor's degree and a professional background as business manager with University Printing and Mail at UT Knoxville. When Christian is not working, she enjoys spending time with her husband and their three children.

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.