The inside scoop on the people and projects that support UNLV

In this issue:



• Take Your Child to Work Day 2024 Highlights
• Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month
• Mental Health Reimbursement Program
• March Employee Appreciation Recipients
• Open Enrollment Reminder
• Spotlight on Service
• Updating Your Digital Literacy
• New Hires
• Promotions
• Anniversaries
• Dates to Remember

Take Your Child to Work Day Highlights

Hundreds of little smiles and big energy flooded UNLV’s Pida Plaza on April 25 for Take Your Child to Work Day. Children of all ages and parents participated in curated events and activities that introduced them to the amazing things happening at our university. Attendees got a glimpse into the countless ways individuals, departments, and units across campus collaborate; a cornerstone within our four sets of campus values. 

Vice President for Human Resources & Chief People Officer Ericka Smith, greeted the crowd and encouraged attendees in Pida Plaza to keep up the good work! Business Affairs teams hosted several activities. The VP Office sponsored face painting, while Risk Management & Safety hosted fire demonstrations and a display table of cleaning brands that educated attendees on cleaning product safety. Rebel Recycling sponsored recycling games and demonstrations while the Community Garden engaged participants in nature crafts and garden fun. The fun-filled day featured liberal arts trivia, therapy animals, Police Services K9 dogs, and so much more. Attendees also enjoyed a sponsored lunch from McDonald's and catering from Capriotti’s. 

Take Your Child to Work Day is a national celebration that gives children in the United States a taste of the working world. UNLV is proud to provide an exceptional experience each year to attendees of all ages.

Check out the video below from the special day and watch for it on the CSB lobby screens!

Asian-American & Pacific-Islander Heritage Month

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in the United States. This year’s theme, chosen by the Federal Asian Pacific American Council (FAPAC), is Advancing Leaders Through Innovation. 

During this time, we recognize the contributions and influence of those whose ancestry is rooted in the Asian continent and the Pacific islands of Melanesia, including New Guinea, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji, and the Federated States of Micronesia. On October 5, 1978, President Jimmy Carter designated a week-long tribute in May to remember the first Japanese immigrants and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad; a feat in which APPIs played a major role. 

Today, individuals all around the country celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage in many ways during the entire month of May. From community festivals, government-sponsored activities, and educational activities for students of all ages, it is the perfect time to show appreciation for those of Asian and Pacific Islander descent.

UNLV is proud to offer programming, events, and learning opportunities throughout the entire year that highlight all the ways AAPIs enrich our society.

Mental Health Reimbursement Program

May is mental health awareness month. UNLV is committed to providing effective and convenient mental health resources to all faculty, staff, and students. Rebel Recovery has created a one-time Mental Health Reimbursement Program that seeks to ensure that members of our community continue to have access to the necessary support for healing and recovery. 

The program reimburses participants for qualifying payments for mental health services up to $1,500. This includes, but is not limited to, deductibles, co-pays, co-insurance, and direct payments made from December 7, 2023 to September 1, 2024 or until funds are exhausted. 

Visit the Rebel Recovery Mental Health Reimbursement Program webpage for information about eligibility and the reimbursement process or contact Tenaya Morningstar with any questions.

March Employee Appreciation Recipients

Matthew Diggins, Financial Services

Matthew was nominated for his strategic thinking on two significant initiatives. He was responsible for the complex process of setting fringe rates for the upcoming fiscal year. While doing so, he created a robust versatile tool for future decision-making.

Matthew also developed a communication strategy and necessary forms and processes for a recharge center that was struggling to comply with the Legislative Counsel Bureau (LCB) audit requirements and meet budget deadlines.

Rob Howard, Facilities Management

Rob was nominated for being a hard-working and caring individual who desires to affect change and improvement. He demonstrated these qualities during a recent renovation project at the Lied Library (LLB). As part of the HVAC team, he led an initiative to verify that essential components of HVAC units were clean and functioning properly throughout the building.

During this process, he repaired all issues and trained new hires on policies and procedures. This project was estimated to take a month to complete, but Rob's team finished in a week thanks to his due diligence.

The Public Employees Benefits Program (PEBP) and Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) voluntary benefits open enrollment is happening now through May 31. During this period, you can change your PEBP healthcare plan to Consumer Driven High Deductible Plan – PPO plan, HMO plan, copay PPO plan (formerly the Low Deductible plan), and more. 

Visit the open enrollment website for more information.

Spotlight on Service

In October 2023, we distributed our annual Business Affairs customer service survey. Many of our campus colleagues replied to the survey with notes of praise for our hard-working teams. See below for some highlights of Risk Management & Safety. 

“RMS is fantastic. They always return calls and emails. They never let me down. They really seem to care about getting things done correctly. I am very impressed.”

“Risk Management is a great resource for ongoing services and collaboration on new projects.”

“RMS assisted us with getting proper signs for our center labs and showed me how to work a fire extinguisher. Over the years, they have done CPR sessions in our building and conduct random checkups of the center.”

Upgrading Your Digital Literacy

Digital accessibility ensures that individuals of all abilities can independently acquire, engage, and enjoy the same information and services with equivalent ease of use within the same time frame. 

Visit UNLV’s Office of Accessibility Resources Tips and Tricks for Digital Accessibility website to learn how to create accessible digital content.

New Hires

• Bahareh Soltani, Financial Planning, Budget & Analysis
• Brenda Carter, Facilities Management
• Gage Pompa, Risk Management & Safety
• Michelle Hernandez, Facilities Management
• Perry Day, Facilities Management
• Rehmet Mahmud, Facilities Management
• Tommy Pelkey, Facilities Management
• Derek Collins, Facilities Management
• Kirsten Crenshaw, Risk Management & Safety
• Nathan Rincon, Facilities Management
• Marjala Mims, Risk Management & Safety

Promotions

• Darby Britt, Facilities Management
• Giuseppe Catalano, Facilities Management
• Jose Lopez, Delivery Services
• Kennedy Alila, Risk Management & Safety
• Nathan Frieders, Financial Services

Anniversaries

Congratulations to the Business Affairs employees celebrating work anniversaries in May! Years of service have been determined using the UNLV hire date - first employment date without any breaks in service here at UNLV regardless of job type or full-time status.

If you notice an error in your listing, contact Heather Ortiz.

Dates to Remember

• May: Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
• May 5: Cinco de Mayo
• May 10-11: Spring Commencement
• May 12: Mother’s Day
• May 16: Global Accessibility Awareness Day - Fix Your Content Day
• May 20: Summer Session I Begins