I&R Employee Newsletter - October 2025

Dear I&R team,

As we settle into another busy semester, I want to take a moment to say thank you. The scope and scale of our work in I&R is massive—from construction, landscaping, lab safety and maintenance across campus—you’ve kept the wheels turning (some of you literally). Your work doesn’t go unnoticed. A few highlights I’m especially proud of:

• Hellems is close to reopening. This has been a huge lift. Your work to modernize and preserve this space will serve generations of students to come, as the original building did for one hundred years.
• I’ve also seen countless other wins: crews responding after hours, working collaboratively to fix issues before they escalate and adapting plans when something unexpected happens. These behind-the-scenes efforts are what keep our campus running smoothly. I see it, and I appreciate it.
• And on a lighter note—the Buffs are back on track now that Ralphie VII is here. It’s great to see the energy and pride flowing again! Now let’s get a win!

I know it’s not easy. Dust, noise, shifting schedules, juggling dozens of moving parts all while ensuring minimal disruption to campus. I appreciate the care that you put into not just the buildings, but the people who work and study in them, all in support of the success of our students and researchers.

Please remember: if you have ideas to make our work smoother, or if you want to share a concern, I would like to hear from you. My door is always open.
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Thank you again for everything you do,
Chris Ewing, vice chancellor for infrastructure and resilience
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How long have you been working at CU? It was 3 years in July

What is your favorite thing to do outside of work? I recently got my daughter into golf – we’re both hackers! But we’re outside and hanging out. She loves Top Golf.

Tell us something that might surprise us about you. After graduating from college in Memphis, TN, my first job was a manager for a casino in Tunica, MS. The name of the casino? Fitzgeralds Casino. I used to tell the customers I was the owner.

What do you love about ̽����Ƶ? I wish I found CU sooner in my career. It sounds cliché’, but it’s truly the teams and community I interact with every day. And working in safety, I can honestly say we all lookout for each other and make safety a priority.��

What is your favorite type of music? If you looked at my Spotify, you would see everything. But I have to go with the 80’s!

What are you currently reading? I recently finished John Grisham ‘Camino Winds.’ He’s a great storyteller especially since I spent time in the South.��

Are you a die-hard fan of anything? Watching International Rugby since the 2015 World Cup. ����

As summer winds down and we prepare for the fall season, it’s a good time to revisit outdoor safety best practices. With shorter days ahead, be sure to wear light-colored or reflective clothing and carry a flashlight or a headlamp if you're out after dark.Colorado’s weather can change quickly, so plan ahead for outdoor activities. Whether you're heading out for a weekend getaway or a day hike, let friends or family know your plans. Even a short 5–10 minute walk after dinner can be refreshing—it supports digestion and boosts overall well-being. We hope you enjoy the beauty of fall while staying safe at work and spending time with your family and friends.

FM safety committee

The committee meets monthly (third Tuesday) to review safety concerns, reports, and training needs. If you’d like to attend or share a safety-related idea, contact your area representative on the FM safety committee or contact our Safety Specialist Don Fitzpatrick.

SWAP (Student Worker Alliance Program) is a free, campus-based program that helps ̽����Ƶ staff improve their English and computer skills. CU students volunteer to teach one-on-one lessons to employees, many of whom are immigrants working in frontline roles. The goal is to build community and support across campus by offering practical help and friendly connections. Staff can sign up to receive lessons, and no prior experience is needed to participate. Learn more at www.colorado.edu/studentgroups/swap.

To retain access to your email, Teams, and other Microsoft 365 apps, everyone must enroll in enhanced Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) by Oct. 7. View the step by step instructions.

What does it mean to enroll in MFA?
Enrolling in Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) means adding an extra step to your login process to keep your account secure. After entering your password, you'll confirm your identity using a second method—like a code sent to your phone or an app notification.This extra layer of protection helps prevent unauthorized access to your email, Teams, and other Microsoft 365 apps.

Meridian system upgrade

Meridian, the document retention system used by Planning, Design and Construction, will have training starting the first week of Oct., with the system upgrade scheduled for Oct. 9.

Questions? Contact fmdesktop@colorado.edu.��

Thanh “Tanya” Nhan Nguyen (CBS Team 10), nominated by Maggie Reuter (Office of the Chancellor)

Tanya is a STAR because she is very "heads up" in her work. Tanya does not ONLY just her job with pride, industry, and attention to detail, but she is aware and dialed in to her surroundings. Here are a few of the things I have noticed: Tanya noticed a small ceiling leak in the 2nd floor bathroom of 914 Broadway, a small leak that many others may have missed. She noted that she noticed discoloration on the toilet seat while performing her duties, and looked up - and noticed a slight leak which she immediately called in and got mitigated - before this ceiling leak became a much bigger and very costly issue! Thank you Tanya! But that's not all. I have seen Tanya holding the door for other colleagues in our building, and just being engaged, positive, smart, industrious, and aware. She is an absolute asset to your team - and without a doubt -- a quick thinking STAR!!! Thank you, Tanya!

Daren Brown (Plumbing Shop), nominated by Sean McCullough

Daren Brown has been consistently excellent over the years. ��It is one thing to have a great week, but to be a solid performer over years an excellent work ethic is needed. He works the afternoon/evening shift for Plumbing. The reason this is important is he gets last minutes calls often, thus getting roped in to an emergency rather than going home at night. ��Furthermore, for afterhours calls he always answers, no complaints or pushback, and gets to campus super quick (about 20 minutes). Which minimizing or forestalling CU buildings from much damage, usually from floods.To reiterate, this behavior has been consistent for years.

I&R Constellation Award - September 2025

Property Services Team (Distribution Center), nominated by Walter O’Toole

Property Services partnered with the CU Environmental Center and the City of Boulder on Student Move-Out and Move-In efforts for the first time this year, and it was a great success! ��Between three Move-Out Events, Property Services received 10.8 tons of furniture and other household items. ��They then resold 94% of that (10.2 tons) at the Surplus Store, and at pop-up Move-In sales at Williams Village. ��The whole team put in extra effort to make this a success, including hauling the items from Campus and the Hill, reorganizing our warehouse space to store the items, and working on weekends to maximize our sales efforts. As Chris Ewing noted on the last I&R Employee Newsletter, the Move-In sale "was a hit with students and a win for reuse and sustainability."
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