January 10, 2022
Dear FAS colleagues,
As we approach the start of the spring 2022 semester, I want to welcome all of you back to the important work we do together to advance the university’s mission. I hope you enjoyed the winter break and had opportunities to relax and recharge while also connecting with family and friends. If you are new to FAS, we are glad that you are part of our diverse, innovative and service-oriented team.
December 17, 2021
Dear FAS colleagues,
I am pleased to announce that Melissa Loe has been appointed to Chief of Staff for the Financial and Administrative Services portfolio effective Jan. 1, 2022. Most recently, Melissa served as Interim Chief of Staff since June 14, 2021.
December 13, 2021
Dear FAS colleagues,
As we approach the end of 2021, I want to thank all of you for your outstanding work keeping our university operating smoothly in the face of challenges while also advancing the university’s mission by embracing innovation and teamwork.
December 6, 2021
Dear FAS colleagues,
Heather Hanna will be Interim Executive Director for Enterprise Business IT Solutions eBITS) following the retirement of Dana Chapman, effective Jan. 1, 2022. Heather has over 20 years of combined experience supporting human resources, payroll, and financial processes and systems and was hired into her previous role as Director of Enterprise Business Solutions (EBS) for eBITS in 2019.
October 28, 2021
Dear FAS colleagues,
After many months of adhering to guidance from federal, state and local officials, as well as our own university health experts, our campus has seen a reduction in new cases of COVID-19. I applaud FAS staff for your contribution to reducing the spread of this disease by also following the additional guidance in the FAS COVID-19 Guide for Staff, which was developed largely with on-campus staff in mind.
September 29, 2021
Dear FAS colleagues,
Please join me in thanking Associate Vice President for Utilities and Energy Management Juan Ontiveros as he retires from the university after more than two decades of service. Juan’s last day with the university will be December 15. He has led the Utilities and Energy Management (UEM) department in various roles since 1997, and has served as AVP since 2014.
September 15, 2021
Dear FAS colleagues,
In his message to all employees, President Jay Hartzell extended the timeframe for some staff to return to campus to Oct. 4 while also allowing faculty to adjust their teaching modality during this time frame. This extension is intended to address concerns about community spread of COVID-19 and provide more time to continue to reduce density on campus where possible.
August 19, 2021
Dear FAS colleagues,
There is no denying this has been a challenging few weeks as the COVID-19 Delta variant has moved into Central Texas. In the last week, we have seen the university begin rolling out contingencies to help minimize density in classrooms, request students get tested for COVID-19 before returning to campus, and I have requested FAS leadership reduce any unnecessary on-site work to help with density as well.
August 10, 2021
Dear FAS colleagues,
University executive leadership and the university-level health and wellness committee have been meeting to discuss contingency plans for the fall as Austin and Travis County move into COVID-19 Stage 5.
