End-of-Year Celebrations, Updates, Reminders and more | December 2023

Monthly Student Affairs updates, info, events and shoutouts

End-of-Year Celebrations, Reminders, Updates, and more

Dear Student Affairs Colleagues and Friends,

I look forward to seeing you next week when we will have the opportunity to be together, celebrating the winter holidays and your impactful student-centered work at UC San Diego.

Our annual VCSA Holiday Celebration will take place for the first time in the Epstein Family Amphitheater at UC San Diego on Dec. 12. I don’t know about you, but I can’t believe that this exceptional venue debuted just over a year ago!

The sixth annual Professional Development Day (PDD ‘24) will also happen in-person on Dec. 12, leading right into our holiday party that afternoon. I’d like to shout out this year’s planning committee members: Fairoza Allie, Nic Alonzo, DJ Aniciente, Diana Go, Kaylee Howard, Buu Huynh, Priscilla Ju, Eddie Paje, Jeanne Rawdin, and Nicolette Solarez.

Kudos to the collaborative spirit that ensures that the keynote speaker, workshop sessions, and content topics reflect our colleagues’ and team members’ interests. PDD ‘24 has been designed as a no-cost experience for any professional staff member at UC San Diego – so I encourage you to please spread the word and join us next Tuesday.

I would also like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the many team members and colleagues across our campus community and UC San Diego Health system who have been serving as free expression event monitors, providing many additional hours of on-going student support late into the evenings and on weekends this quarter. Thank you is not nearly enough; please know that your contributions and sacrifices are seen and deeply appreciated.

I am wishing you all a peaceful winter break, good health and time with loved ones. Again, thank you for the compassion and care you show one another and for consistently striving to make UC San Diego a more student-centered community.

Today (Dec. 5) is the final day to register for the sixth annual Student Affairs Professional Development Day, taking place in-person on Dec. 12.

The day’s transformative programming will include sessions on navigating your next career move, such as: continued education opportunities, salary negotiation tactics, combatting impostor syndrome, and more.

Immediately following the Professional Development Day proceedings on Dec. 12, I hope to see you for our annual VCSA Holiday Celebration from 2 - 4p.m. at UC San Diego's Epstein Family Amphitheater. Please join us for food, beverages, gift drawings, and of course – fun with colleagues and friends.

As a reminder, UC San Diego (excluding hospitals and clinics) will officially close for seven (7) days during the holiday period between Dec. 25, 2023, and Jan. 2, 2024.

The closure includes four (4) university-paid holidays (Dec. 25, 26, and Jan. 1, and 2, 2024). Staff employees must charge any regular working days during the closure period not covered by paid holidays to accrued vacation, accrued compensatory time off (non-exempt only), or leave without pay.

For more information, please refer to this Holiday Schedule Campus Notice.

In addition to hosting our very own VCSA party, holiday cheer will be on full display throughout December at the Epstein Family Amphitheater (EFA).

The venue’s inaugural series of holiday performances and concerts for the whole family is presented by ArtPower, featuring a lineup of artists that not only celebrates the diversity of holiday traditions through the universal language of music, but also aims to foster a sense of community during this special season.

Tickets can be purchased online at artpower.ucsd.edu.

As the year winds down, I would also like to remind you to complete your required UC trainings.

New for this year, UC has launched a system-wide required training on Abusive Conduct in the Workplace, in support of President Drake’s policy on Abusive Conduct, effective January 2023.

Based on individual requirements, you’ll receive automated assignment emails and reminders from the UC Learning Center with information about required courses and relevant due dates for training. Please pay close attention to these emails, and complete your assigned courses as soon as you are able.

Your proactive completion of these trainings is critical in helping our division and UC San Diego achieve 100% participation, not only for the purpose of compliance and auditing, but more importantly to foster a healthy, positive, and supportive workplace. If you’d like to check your status on compliance courses, please login to UCLearning.ucsd.edu.

Jan. 13-14, 2024

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade and Day of Service Committee would like to invite staff, faculty and students to join UC San Diego in the campus traditions of serving our local community and marching in the 42nd Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade!

Day of Service - Saturday, January 13
Mission Bay High School
Work alongside students, faculty, staff, and community members to make improvements at a local K-12 school.

Parade - Sunday, January 14
Downtown San Diego
The UC San Diego contingent will include a float, university spirit groups, students, staff and faculty. Colleges, departments and organizations are encouraged to showcase their own banners and signage as we march together.

More information will be available in the coming weeks at mlkday.ucsd.edu.

Jan. 24, 2024

The next iteration of UC San Diego's annual Student Well Fest will take place on Jan. 24, 2024, aimed at promoting student wellness and overall well-being on campus.

The event – which is centered around the eight dimensions of well-being – will feature a variety of activities, workshops, and resources designed to support students' mental, physical, and emotional health.

Please reach out to Christine Glissmann (cglissmann@ucsd.edu) with any questions.

Finally, I want to recognize that a number of us have on-call duties during this time period, but I remain optimistic that you will manage to find some precious downtime to rest and rejuvenate for the New Year. I’ll be with my family, enjoying our tradition of smorgasbord, eating Doritos, and singing bad karaoke.

Until I see you next, please take good care of yourself.

In Peace and Gratitude,