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Inside this issue:

NEW YEAR STAFF SENATE UPDATE

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BRONCHO BRAGS

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GET-TO-KNOW A BRONCHO HOLIDAY HELPING HANDS

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MAY I SUGGEST… UCO NAMED A 2017 “TOP WORKPLACE”

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SERVICE ANNIVERSARIES

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JANUARY BIRTHDAY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS

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WELLNESS CENTER UPDATE 8

January 2018

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2018 AND GREAT

EXPECTATIONS FOR CAMPUS IMPROVEMENTS

HUMAN RESOURCES

Written By and For the Employees of the University of Central Oklahoma

It’s the beginning of a new year and we’ve all gone through the wonder of

the holidays. Perhaps we’ve even made really great New Year’s resolu-

tions, which, of course, we all know will be faithfully kept.

For UCO, 2018 looks to be very bright and busy. As usual, we have great

expectations of campus improvements currently underway and those that

will begin their lives in 2018.

We will have the joys of experiencing construction on our campus with

projects that span from north to south and areas in between. Multiple

renovations, new buildings, parking lot improvements and all the usual

smaller improvements projects align with our adoption of a newly

revised Campus Master Plan, over 2 years in the making.

Projects with great expectations during 2018 include continuation of construction on our new

STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) building on the south side of campus.

STEM will be a wonderful addition to campus and with classes to begin Spring 2019. STEM

will bring a new esthetic to campus with a rich mix of building materials, both old and new, to

reflect the history of campus and offer glimpses of the future. STEM will include our old

standards of brick, glass and clay tile roofs but will also include new materials such as zinc metal

panels and terra cotta exterior elements. STEM will include a new auditorium that will also serve

as storm shelter for the facility.

Early December 2017 saw work begin on the College of Liberal Arts Addition (CLA) on the east

side of campus. CLA is scheduled for classes fall 2019 and will offer its own version of brick,

glass, cast concrete and cast stonework and includes multiple classrooms and student oriented

spaces as well as a “new” modernized Pegasus Auditorium which will also function as storm

shelter.

Our far north side of campus will also be busy! Based upon major donor gifts, several athletic

projects are underway or will begin. Construction continues on the Sports Performance Center

(SPC) and the Temporary Wrestling Facility (TWF). The SPC completion is late fall 2018 with

the TWF to be complete for occupancy Spring 2018 to allow demolition of portions of Hamilton

Field House (HFH) during Summer 2018. Once demolition is complete, the North Hamilton

Annex (NHA) construction will begin Summer 2018. The NHA will be the permanent home for

the Wrestling program, a new practice gymnasium and provide new homes to several Athletic

programs including Women’s Basketball, Volleyball and Tennis plus work associated with the

Baseball Turf and Field Improvements project is to be complete in February for use during the

2018 season.

In addition, design work is moving forward on the new Dining Center that will be located just

south of HFH and north of Ayers Street. As a part of this project, a section of Ayers will be

closed as a street and re-open as a pedestrian walkway similar to our internal walkways on cam-

pus. Dining Center construction will begin late summer 2018 and will open for meals January

2020. The Dining Center will seat more than 550 and will become a gateway facility connecting

Housing and Academics, it will be a focal view point, easily seen from the Nigh University

Center.

Continued on page 2...

David G. Stapleton Director, Architecture &

Engineering Services

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NEW YEAR con’t. David G. Stapleton, Director of Architectural & Engineering Services

It will also include a large storm shelter as part of the dining seating areas. Once the new Dining Center is in operation, Buddies will come down and make way for new and needed green space for the enjoyment of all. Summer 2018 will also be busy. Renovation and reconstruction of Visitor Lot # 10 (east side of NUC) will begin and create a new focal entry drive to campus and the NUC. Work will create four defined parking lots that can be used for visitor, event or student usage in order to maximize flexibility and occupancy. Due to the need to maintain full use of the NUC during the work, a first phase will be done during summer 2018 with the balance during summer 2019. The first phase work will open fall 2018 as a much more functional and attractive entry into campus and the NUC.

Other projects scheduled for 2018 include major ADA modifica-tions and renovations to restrooms in the Business Building; work in and around the 1935 era Murdaugh Hall to continue making improvements to what is the first student housing and dining facil-ity built on campus; addition of enhanced performance lighting and other improvements in the Radke Recital Hall at the CTL; con-tinuation of sidewalk and exterior lighting improvements around campus plus other projects in the que for approvals. As you can tell, 2018 will be a very busy year and we have great

expectations of the fulfillment of our Campus New Year’s goals!

STAFF SENATE UPDATE Justine Tozer, Assistant Director of Parking

UCO Staff Senate held their last meeting on Tuesday, December 5. The guest speakers were David Herd, Director of Compensation and Talent Acquisition and Dr. Meagan Baskin, Assistant Professor College of Business; and Josh Stone, Director of Transportation and Parking. Mr. Herd and Dr. Baskin presented on the compensation project, which is nearing the final stage of the project. Mr. Stone gave an overview of the Transportation and Parking Model Advisory Committee’s goals and plans. Tiffany Bryant and Brenton Wimmer were appointed to the remaining seats within Academic Affairs. With these appointments the senate has full representation. For more detailed information regarding this meeting, and the senate, please see the UCO Staff Senate website. The next meeting will be on Tuesday, January 9 at 2:00pm in the Dogwood Room, Buddy’s Cafeteria. Please ensure you stay up to date on your current senators. Contact any senator from your division with topics or concerns that may impact UCO employees, so that the Senate can best represent and assist you.

HAPPY

NEW YEAR!

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Broncho Beat wants to celebrate with you! Email Broncho Brag submissions to

ecerda@uco.edu. All announcements are

subject to editing and publication.

Congratulations Years of Service Honorees! Congratulations to all the Years of Service honorees celebrated at the Years of Service Celebration on November 28th. UCO recognizes employees who have reached landmarks in their Central careers, beginning with 10 consecutive years of service. This year included three employees celebrating 40 years of service to the university. For a complete list of honorees, visit the Years of Service Celebration website.

Bravo CeCE! UCO’s Center for eLearning and Customized Education (CeCE) was recognized for Excellence and Innovation in Online Faculty Development at the 2017 Online Learning Consortium Accelerate conference held November 14-17, 2017 in Orlando, Florida. OLC international awards recognize the advances in online learning made possible by the vision and endeavors of indi-viduals and institutions of higher education around the world. The Excellence and Innovation in Online Faculty Devel-opment award acknowledged initiatives led by Tracy Fairless and CeCE’s Learning Design Team that guide CeCE’s team-wide collaborative efforts to deliver meaningful, innovative, flexible, and customized development for UCO faculty who teach online, blended, or technology-enhanced courses. Dr. Bucky Dodd, UCO’s Chief Learning Innovation Officer, was also acknowledged as the recipient of the OLC 2017

Bruce N. Chaloux Award for Early Career Excellence in Online Education, an honor that recognizes extraordinary early

career achievement in leadership, service to the profession, and scholarship in the field of online education.

Also representing UCO and CeCE at the conference through contributions to a presentation and exhibit activities for

UCO’s Institute for Learning Environment Design were: Michael Willis, CeCE Assistant Director for eLearning Strategy

and Program Development; Carolyn Muller, CeCE Client Relations Manager; and Dr. Stacy Southerland, UCO Professor

and CeCE Faculty Liaison.

Pictured from left to right are Dr. Marie Cini, OLC Board of Directors President; Tracy Fairless, M.A., CeCE Assistant Director of Instructional Design; Dr. Bucky Dodd, UCO Chief Learning Innovation Officer; Dr. Stacy Southerland, UCO Professor and CeCE Faculty Liaison; and, Dr. Kenneth Hart-man, OLC Senior Fellow and Principal Analyst.

Dr. Joan Luxenburg Liberal Arts

Dr. Ronald Miller Engineering & Physics

Ofelia Tovar College of Business

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Meet Kris Pittman, Supervisor, Day Field Operations!

What is your background? I was born in Albuquerque New Mexico, but hail from the western Oklahoma town of

Weatherford where I graduated high school. I have a Bachelor of Science in Industrial

Safety from UCO. I am currently working on my Master's degree in Adult Education:

Student Personnel at UCO as well. I joined the UCO employee family in 2016 as the Lead

Enforcement Officer for TPS and was later promoted to the Supervisor of Daytime Field

Operations. I am a social introvert with a true passion for people and I really enjoy the

student/mentor opportunities that this job provides.

Tell me how you first got involved at UCO. Since undergrad, I’ve wanted to work at a university. When I started researching grad

school options, I also started looking for employment opportunities. UCO has always held a special place in my heart

and when the chance to work for my Alma Mater arose, I jumped at that chance without

hesitation.

What would you say are your strongest beliefs about your contribution to the university? I am a strong believer in the power of self-awareness. I view this as the ability to not take oneself too seriously, to self-assess and remain objective, and to always see the positive intent in others. Life is a series of connected circumstances and it is my intention to reflect those characteristics not only to those I supervise, but to everyone I come in contact with. For me, working at UCO is so much larger than just a job, and while I believe in taking pride in everything I do, my real purpose is to bring a bit of levity and to leave others feeling a little more encouraged and hopeful than they did before. I also value the importance of life-long learning. People have this remarkable ability for growth, to be a better and

more knowledgeable person than they were the day before if they would but make that choice. If I can somehow

inspire or reinforce that belief in others, then I can take solace in the fact that I stood true to myself.

What do you do when you are not working? I love to read, write, binge Netflix, and lift heavy objects in intense repetition. I enjoy people and trying to puzzle out

the chaotic rhythm behind the things that we do but I’m also pretty awkward so some social interactions can be quite

challenging. I’m a big fan of concerts, sporting events, ping-pong, bowling, good food, and deep conversations. I also

require a touch of solitude and tend to enjoy the occasional long drive with the radio blasting to quiet my mind.

HOLIDAY HELPING HANDS Mary Deter, Employee Relations Specialist

We all know how hard it can be at times to make ends meet. Stress and financial worries can take the “happy” out of the holidays for many. Continuing an established UCO Holiday tradition, several departments across campus extended “Holiday Helping Hands” last month to UCO families who needed a little extra support or assistance during the holiday season.

Four grateful colleagues and their families were recipients of household goods, clothing, toys and more. It was a delight to see the excitement and holiday cheer of both the givers and the beneficiaries!

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May I Suggest...

If you’re looking for a place that will show others that you know where good food resides, The Fixx is just the place. As a bonus, it is owned by a Broncho Alumni and if patrons mention UCO, they provide a 10% discount along with veterans and other groups. While I didn’t ask how it got the name, it’s certainly a place with all the fixin’s. A modest 7 minute drive from UCO stationed at 644 W. Edmond Rd. between Kelly and Fretz St., there’s a high chance you’ve driven by this hidden gem and never knew it was there. The Fixx is known for its certified Angus beef burgers, chili, and freshly-cut fries, but also serves sandwiches, hotdogs, chicken, salads, and appetizers with creative names you’ll have to see to believe. I went for all of their specialties combined in one dish: the chili cheese burg-er with fresh-cut fries known as The Chili Cheddar. The Fixx’s chili that coated the thick burger with pizzazz was the star of the show. I wanted a cup, bowl, and a gallon. The chili was so flavorful and meaty that I unapologetically lost the flavors of the beef patty. Thankfully, my fellow-taster on this adventure made the poignant decision to order a cheeseburger (to have the experience I yearned for) and exclaimed “this is the best burger in Edmond.” I, almost regretfully, cannot personally comment on the quality and preparation of the patty itself.

The fries are certainly a talking-point as in our opinion, have a higher quality than most and are not as greasy. You know those restaurants that are affec-tionately known as “greasy spoons?” The Fixx does not fit in that category. It has a higher quality product than those eateries. With TV’s on nearly every wall, there isn’t a bad seat in the “house” to watch at least one of them. So the next time you need a fix and have a hankering for some quality grub, don’t miss The Fixx. Have a recommendation? Email rkolb@uco.edu. Your idea may be featured next!

Ryan Kolb Professional Development

Coordinator

UCO NAMED A 2017 “TOP WORKPLACE” David Herd, Director of

Talent Acquisition/Compensation

For the fourth consecutive year, The Oklahoman named the University of Central Oklahoma as one of the state’s “Top Workplaces.” Central ranked No. 20 in the newspaper’s large business (350+ employees) category and was the only university included in the list of 80 workplaces.

The Oklahoman’s annual Top Workplaces list was first published in 2013 and is based on the results of a survey of faculty and staff overseen by a research firm that specializes in organizational health and workplace improvement.

UCO faculty and staff identified that Central exemplifies ranking factors such as effectively sharing different viewpoints and encouraging new ideas, as well as setting a clear direction for its future and building strong connections with its employees.

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CELEBRATING CONSECUTIVE YEARS OF SERVICE TO UCO

YEARS YEARS YEARS

April Haulman 35

Joseph Grzybowski 35

Mark Hanebutt 30

Terrie Silvers 29

Glenda Lietzke 23

Carl Shortt 21

Julie Byer 21

Mike Cook 20

Pamela Edwards 18

Douglas Reed 18

Angela Conley 17

Brandi Smith 16

Cristy Smith 16

Brian Gorrell 16

Deborah Thompson 16

Adam Johnson 15

Janette Wetsel 15

Karen Vessier 14

Aaron Wheelbarger 14

Myron Pope 14

Debra Clark 13

Robert Phelps 13

Tamela Clavin 12

Lisa Gant 12

Constance Squires 12

Thomas Jourdan 11

Dallas Caldwell 11

Regenia James 10

Malisa Jennings 10

Ryan Hays 10

Heidi Vaughn 10

Shay Rahm 9

Tamra Kitsmiller 9

James Creecy 8

Kathy Edgin 8

Elise Ellis 8

Christ Telemeco 8

Tyler Weldon 8

Diane Feinberg 8

Virginia Hatton 7

Jackie Horton 7

Amy Rogalsky 7

Kristi Archuleta 7

Sarah Woolwine 7

Jeannine Nyangira 7

Linda Banks 7

Adrienne Martinez 6

Brett King 6

Russ Pickett 6

Nickolas Bobeck 6

Caleb Cash 6

Jeffrey King 6

Andrea McCoy 6

Mark Kinders 6

Julie Watts 5

Jennifer Flygare 5

Teresa Delaney 5

Lisa Kern 5

Thomas Chen 5

Nadeeka G.J.Siriwardana 5

Kimberly Weathers 4

Sarah Harrel 4

Feifan Zhou 4

Caitlin Porterfield 4

Katherine Jones 4

Christine Edwards 4

Sandra Kent 4

Samantha Kramer 4

Katherine Saylor 3

Michael Crook 3

Matthew Shawdee 3

Jace Knox 3

Brittany Holbrook 3

Charlene Watley 3

Tracie Cornett 3

Greg Everidge 3

Stephanie Boykin 3

Shatera Landrum 3

Jackie Tucker 3

MaKinsley Jemison 3

Nicholas Graham 2

James Turnbow 2

Tanner Brubaker 2

JoAnnie Rios 2

Rachel Fairchild 2

Stephanie Capps 2

Jenan Alleman 2

Stanislav Gravchikov 2

Chelsi Dennis 2

Dorothy Swanda 2

Tara Simmons 2

Alyssa Salaswat 2

Michelle Robertson 2

James Thorp 2

Gina Sigl 2

Michael Peterson 1

ChienFu Hsiueh 1

Kaitlyn Palone 1

Lindsay Berry 1

Diane Bell 1

Beverly Coon 1

Evan Hartwell 1

Kiersten Durning 1

Alexandra Brown 1

Kaitlyn Henry 1

Vicki Weaver Payne 1

Jarod Walker 1

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January 2018 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 Nathanael Medlam

Cheryl Reed, Stephanie

Capps, Patricia Gass, Dale

Reeves, Beverly Endicott,

Crystal Mohamed

2 Alina Istrate

Sarah Harrel

Joao Santos E Silva

Gary Steward

3 John Mabry

Heather Davis

Kristi Robertson

David Seigman

4 Loretta Risley

Katherine Brown

Charlotte Waddle

Cassie Murphy

5 Oksun Lee, Benja-

min Hardwick, Mucio

Macedo, Felicia Young,

James West

6 Dillon McDaniel

Alexis Quinn

7 Karis Barnett

Zain Chishti

8 James Killian

Stephen Law

Kelly Davis

9 Pamela Rollins, Lara

Randolph, Adriana Ed-

wards-Johnson, Jennifer

Goldman, Reginald Jordan

10 Shama Hernan-

dez

11 Willis Mwangola,

Brett Sharp, Michael

Springer, Lisa Haque,

Amanda Means, Cody

Roberts

12 Karel Joyce

Kalaw, Megan Bolin,

Jeffrey McCarroll,

Niccole Miller

13 Mary Sheets

Corey Smith

John Horton

14 Shelia Murry 15 Hui Cha Poos

Frankie Weatherington

Nina Coerver

16 Lliana Rocha

Angelia Barrera-

Medina, Michael

Richardson, Richard

Bernard

17 Mary Teal, Glenn

Elmore, Daniel Wagner,

Stacey Vladovich, Michael

Willis

18 Shawna Ellis

Jessica Doolin

John Gillmore

19 Andrew Magnusson

Nicholas Graham

Howard Durham

Carol Williams

20 Allyson Fenwick

Ian Huff

Bradley Keim

Jeannine Nyangira

21 David Broyles,

Herbert Johnson, Nicholas

Polite, Alicia Schenk,

Lindsay Berry

22 Thomas Hankins

Jefferson Baum

Latricia Reichman

23 Austin Bolding 24 Lindsey Churchill,

Dana Rundle, Tiffany Hull,

Gena Ford, Katherine

Jones, Weldon Rice

25 Charles Hughes

Ralph Morris

Virginia Hatton

Kama King

26 Laressa Beliele

Kato Buss

Holly Osburn

Teresa Delaney

27 Eric Hoefer

Paul Olson

28 Jacque Hocking

Dorothy Swanda

Rod Edwards

29 Joseph Gillian

Robert Helton, Taro Iwase,

Rick Embry, Shannon

Watson

30 Rachael Elliott

Alicia Limke-McLean

Ralph Jones

31 Eli Brennan, Brian

Buckley, Brittany Platt,

Hannah Leftwich, Darnell

Smith

Register Online

Learning Center

Professional Development Course Title Start Date Classroom

Advanced Banner Finance 1/17/2018 14:00 ADM 101A

Banner Finance 1/10/2018 14:00 ADM 101A

New Employee Orientation (NEO) 1/2/2018 8:00 NUC 312

New Employee Orientation (NEO) 1/22/2018 8:00 NUC 312

STLR Module 1 Training 1/4/2018 8:30 None

STLR Module 1 Training 1/29/2018 13:30 None

STLR Module 2 Training 1/4/2018 13:30 None

Adobe Photoshop 1/19/2018 12:00 ADM 101A

Banner Navigation 1/3/2018 14:00 ADM 101A

Banner Navigation 1/24/2018 14:00 ADM 101A

D2L - Foundations 1/5/2018 12:00 ADM 101A

MS OneDrive Training 1/29/2018 15:00 ADM 101A

NEO: Central Technology 1/3/2018 10:00 ADM 101A

NEO: Central Technology 1/24/2018 10:00 ADM 101A

Web Content Management System Essentials 1/11/2018 15:00 ADM 101A

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