ANR Update

President Drake begins consultation process on possible expanded curtailment program

Dear Colleagues,

I have appreciated your remarkable efforts over the past seven months to manage what has been an unprecedented period in the University of California's history: a global pandemic led us to shift to primarily remote learning and campus operations, and our medical centers have been at the forefront of California's pandemic response. Through it all, the UC community has shown courage, compassion, and a fervent commitment to public service.

COVID-19 also resulted in significant economic challenges for our state and nation, which have inevitably affected our institution. I write today to tell you about another measure we are contemplating to address our budget shortfall while preserving as many jobs as possible and protecting our lowest-paid employees. No final decisions have been made, but I want our decision-making process to be as informed as possible.

As you may know, every campus and the UC Office of the President observe a certain number of curtailment days per year around the winter holidays. In consultation with UC Chancellors, Academic Senate leaders, the Board of Regents, and other UC stakeholders, we are currently considering a new systemwide program to achieve additional operational and salary savings. This program would expand the existing curtailment periods or add new curtailment periods as needed to achieve a minimum of five curtailment days at every UC location in fiscal year 2020-21.

Again, no final decisions have been made. At this juncture, we are simply considering our options and seeking feedback from UC constituents to help shape our approach. As we undertake these discussions, we will be guided by several core principles: 

• Measured cuts: we will only move forward with a curtailment expansion after implementing other prudent financial savings measures (you may recall former UC President Janet Napolitano implemented restrictions last spring and summer on hiring, business travel, and other spending);
• Protect as many jobs as possible: by taking measured steps early, we hope to preserve jobs, healthcare benefits, and pensions, and stave off the need for furloughs and temporary or permanent layoffs;
• Progressive approach: we will aim to ensure that our most vulnerable employees are the least impacted. Any cost-savings plan would be progressive and will have a larger impact on those with higher earnings;
• Minimal disruption: any plan we adopt will allow campuses to achieve material savings while providing flexibility to maintain essential campus and medical center services, such as UCPath and the UC Retirement Administration Service Center (RASC).

We know this is a challenging time for everyone, and that this news is difficult to receive. However, we must work collectively to ensure long-term financial stability for the University, its faculty and staff, and the people it serves. 

Thank you for all you do to keep the University of California moving forward and to maintain our standards of excellence and service as we all confront unprecedented personal and professional challenges. We may face additional hardships in the future, but I know that the UC community is adaptable, resilient, and creative. And I know that we will get through this together.

Sincerely,

Michael V. Drake, MD
President, University of California

 

Flu vaccination reminder, UC ANR modifies COVID-19 safety standards

Flu vaccination reminder 
Beginning November 1, 2020, an influenza vaccination is required for all employees accessing any UC ANR location, unless they receive an approved medical exemption or a religious or disability accommodation. The flu vaccination is encouraged for all employees and their families by November 1. 

See http://ucanr.edu/fluvaccine for information about how UC ANR will implement the executive order for our employees and workplaces. The page has been updated to include benefits of flu vaccination and information in Spanish. The UC ANR web page also links to a FAQs for all UC employees on UCnet, which has recently been expanded to include new questions (for example, nasal vaccines being an option for those with needle phobias, and vaccination requirements for contractors).   

UC ANR modifies COVID-19 safety standards 
UC ANR's Emergency Response Team (ERT) has released the latest modifications to UC ANR's COVID-19 Safety Standards. This update is based on the state's 4-tier Blueprint for a Safer Economy and the industry guidance for Institutes of Higher Education. The modifications update UC ANR's 5 basic safety protocols that must be followed for all in-person activities. The most notable change is a new approach to allowing and managing some meetings, programs, or workshops held by ANR employees or volunteers, with new limits on capacity that are based on a location's County risk tier status and the occupancy rating of the meeting space. 

Please review the Modified COVID-19 Safety Standards, Addendum #3 and assess the applicable risk tier for your location. If your programs are ready to allow increased occupancy for meetings or other gatherings, then you can work with your County, REC or Statewide Program Director to update your Location Safety Plan to reflect these changes in operations and safety protocols. 

We emphasize that no location, program or employees should feel pressured to resume in-person operations if they cannot do so safely and in full compliance with UC ANR's COVID-19 safety standards. These modifications to our safety standards are intended to provide the framework and guidance for a UC ANR location to use, based on the state's COVID-19 guidance and the local conditions in your community. As always, UC ANR Directors and program managers must also be aware of and abide by any local County Health Orders that may be more restrictive than these standards. Locations should be prepared to return to stricter protocols if there is a change in statewide or local COVID-19 risk, safety standards, or site-specific exposure or other operational concerns that may require a temporary closure. 

Brian Oatman 
Director, Risk & Safety Services

New flu vaccine FAQs; travel funds available for UCCE specialists; Zoom changes

New flu vaccination FAQs
To support the health and well-being of UC students, faculty and staff and our communities, the University of California, in consultation with UC Health leadership, issued a systemwide executive order requiring all members of the UC community to receive an influenza immunization before Nov. 1, 2020.

In addition to protecting ourselves, this requirement is designed to avoid a surge of flu cases at health care facilities across the state during the unprecedented public health crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

UC ANR has published Answers to frequently asked questions with information about how UC ANR will implement the executive order for our employees and workplaces.

Please take time get the flu vaccination soon.

 

Travel funds available for UCCE specialists
UC ANR will be making additional travel support available for UC Cooperative Extension specialists to collaborate directly with UCCE advisors or REC directors in fiscal year 2020-21. 

With the level of funds available, each specialist may apply for up to $1,800 for FY 2020-21 (travel reports must be submitted within 45 days of travel, and funds must be expended by June 30, 2021). These travel funds must be utilized by the UCCE specialists only and cannot be used for out-of-state travel. Funding is not for the purpose of presenting at or attending meetings.

Completing a short online survey is the only step to apply for these funds. A brief survey form is accessible from your ANR Portal. The direct link is http://ucanr.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=32069.

The survey asks 

• Name and title of specialist requesting support
• Project/program name
• Brief project description (one paragraph)
• Collaborating advisors

While there is no deadline for applications for these travel funds, they are first come, first awarded. They also must be expended in fiscal year 2020-21. Any travel completed toward the end of the fiscal year must be submitted and approved within the fiscal year, as no award will be carried forward.

UCCE specialists may apply for funds directly at http://ucanr.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=32069.

 

Zoom changes
Starting Sept. 27, Zoom will require all sessions to have either a passcode or a waiting room where guests gather until admitted by the host (a waiting room is the default option). The change is part of Zoom's security improvements. Zoom has posted FAQs at https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/360045009111.

 

Celebration corner
Congratulations to our colleagues who were honored at the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS) Virtual Annual Session!

• Deepa Srivastava and the UCCE Tulare-Kings Nutrition Education team are the second place Western Region winners of the SNAP-ED/EFNEP award
• Mary Blackburn received the NEAFCS Hall of Fame Award
• Mary and her role on the CalFresh Healthy Living, CNAP in Alameda County are the 3rd Place Regional winner of the Community Partnership award. She has served in this role since 2006.

 

While we all continue to shelter in place, it's a good time to learn more about food safety. Erin DiCaprio, Assistant Cooperative Extension Specialist in Community Food Safety in the UC Davis Food Science and Technology Department, created an 11-module online series of her Food Safety Training for Master Food Preserver Trainees and partnered with colleagues at North Carolina State University to create nine peer-reviewed fact sheets answering COVID-19-related questions about takeout food, food safety, handling groceries and more.

 

Glenda Humiston
Vice President

Sept. 18 deadline for multi-factor authentication enrollment

All UC ANR employees must be enrolled in UC ANR's DUO Multi-factor Authentication by Friday, Sept. 18, 2020. This is an additional enrollment specifically for UC ANR, which is separate from UC Davis DUO enrollment that happened few years back.

Increased cybersecurity threats make multi-factor authentication (MFA) essential for securing access to critical UC ANR systems.

Starting Monday, Sept. 21, 2020, MFA DUO will be required, and UC ANR personnel who have failed to enroll will not be able to access any single sign-on application through UC ANR. These applications include the UC ANR Portal and UCPath.

UC ANR personnel should already have received an invitation email from MFA DUO. For more information about enrolling in DUO, visit http://it.ucanr.edu/MFA-DUO/DUO_at_UC_ANR/. If you did not receive an enrollment invitation email from DUO, please contact help@ucanr.edu.

For those who already enrolled and requested physical tokens: Please note ANR IT will start shipping physical tokens this week to be ready for Sept. 21. Please submit a ticket to help@ucanr.edu with your home address if you are planning to use a token instead of your cellphone.

Thank you, 

Sree Mada, Chief Information Officer

The Multi-factor Authentication Project Team

UC ANR COVID-19 Update: Safety standards updated with new requirements; Hispanic Heritage Month; Town Hall 9/17

UC ANR COVID-19 safety standards updated with new requirements
To ensure that UC ANR's safety standards conform with UC guidance and with the State's guidance for Institutes of Higher Education, the Emergency Response Team (ERT) has prepared the Modified Stage 2 Safety Standards, Addendum #2. The addendum must be attached to each location's site and program-specific safety plan and the updated information must be shared with the employees and volunteers working at your location. 

Some of the new information of note that is included in this addendum:

• New stricter guidance regarding face coverings/masks 
• Face coverings/masks are required when: a) interacting in-person with any member of the public; b) working in any space visited by members of the public, regardless of whether anyone from the public is present at the time; c) working in any space where food is prepared or packaged; d) working in or walking through common areas, such as hallways, stairways, elevators, etc. 
• Face coverings may be removed when working in a private office or workspace that is inaccessible to the public.
• No indoor meetings (for Counties on State Monitoring List or experiencing widespread disease transmission)
• Enhanced investigation and follow-up protocols on COVID positive employees now required
• Monthly review/update of Location Safety Plans now required
• Discontinue use of drinking fountains – water bottle refill stations may still be used
• Ensure implementation of distancing/access controls – such as signage to mark 6' distances in any waiting areas or barriers to control access at reception desks, etc. 
• All visitors must now complete symptom screening when coming onsite

We continue to monitor changes in the state's guidance and will adapt UC ANR's safety standards as necessary.

 

Hispanic Heritage Month
Register now for ANR's upcoming events to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, Sept. 15-Oct. 15. News and Information Outreach in Spanish is hosting four virtual events to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (HHM) which recognizes Hispanics' contributions and vital presence in the United States. All events will be held in English. Learn more about Hispanic Heritage Month. 

Events will be on Fridays from 3:00-4:30 PM on the following dates:

Sept. 18:  Discussion and Documentary: The Mexican American Deportation

Sept. 25:  Meet the HHM 2020 ANR Honorees: Claudia Diaz, Sonia Ríos, Javier Miramontes

Oct. 2:  Discussion and Documentary: The Chicano Moratorium and the Zoot Suit Riots

Oct. 9:  COVID-19 and Hispanics

Find out more about the events here. Contacts for further information: Ricardo Vela, ANR News & Information Outreach or ANR Program Support Unit, 530-750-1361.

 

Sept. 17 Town Hall
Mark your calendars for the UC ANR Town Hall focusing on Hispanic Heritage Month on Thursday, Sept. 17 from 1:30-2:30 PM. Login info and past recordings are located at https://ucanr.edu/sites/anrstaff/All_Hands/.

Zoom Info 
https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/99952515909?pwd=ZEpBSm5jYkFmVTQ1VUxPUWpHR0h5UT09; Password: 559926; Webinar ID: 999 5251 5909
By telephone: US +1 669-900-6833  or +1 253-215-8782  or +1 346-248-7799  or +1 301-715-8592  or +1 312-626-6799  or +1 646-558-8656  
International numbers available: https://ucanr.zoom.us/u/aep8C9Dy84

 

Celebration Corner

Summer 2020 presented an opportunity to re-imagine activities for 4-H programs throughout California. With in-person events and overnight camps cancelled, 4-H staff and volunteers forged ahead to plan engaging virtual camp experiences. Two examples of their success were the “Our Wild California” and “4-H Grown at Home” virtual summer camps. Each week-long camp engaged more than 100 youth in online learning about anything from fire science to Zentangle. Another success was the 4-H Virtual Code Camp presented by the California 4-H Computer Science Team; more than 60 students learned from teen-led coding activities for varying skill levels. Additionally, more than 70 Latinx youth participated in the first virtual version of the annual California Juntos Academy that included sessions on career exploration and navigating higher education. 

Glenda Humiston
Vice President

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