SUBJECT:  Staff Resource Web Site

As UCSD faces a decade of unprecedented growth, there will be a significant impact on the staff members who support the teaching, research, and patient care activities of the campus. It is more critical than ever that we provide our staff with the tools and resources they need to be successful.

I am pleased to announce "Blink," a new Web resource for UCSD staff. Blink (http://blink.ucsd.edu) is an initiative designed to support our staff by presenting them information and resources in an integrated and convenient online format.

This week marks Blink's release to the wider campus staff community, after a limited release to beta testers that began in January. Site development continues, but these are some of the features you will find now:

- People and Technology information. These topic areas, the result of collaboration with experts in several campus departments, contain in-depth information that is accurate and easy to read. You can look for topics by using the search box at the top of each Blink page, or by clicking the "People" or "Technology" tab and navigating from there.

- Staff and faculty search. At the top of every Blink page you can use the enhanced staff and faculty directory lookup, which offers the ability to search on a name, part of a name, or phone extension. You can automatically transfer directory information into your personal address book.

- Title and Pay Information. One of the most popular new features on Blink is a tool that gives instant online access to current salary information for all job codes and titles at UCSD (http://blink.ucsd.edu/salary).

- News updates. The Blink home page (http://blink.ucsd.edu) will be updated several times a week to highlight news of interest to university employees, including benefits news, policy changes, and daily updates on the energy crisis.

Blink's team has worked closely with subject experts in Human Resources, Administrative Computing and Telecommunications, Academic Computing Services and other departments in its development to date. (The existing HR and ACT Web Sites will be phased out in July.

Blink is a "work in progress" and I want to particularly thank the Blink Advisory Team, and beta testers from academic departments and other units who are helping us develop this resource for UCSD staff.

The work will continue through 2001, as the Blink team will help subject matter experts in additional departments build content in areas including Buying, Finance, Facilities, and Safety. Also on the agenda in the coming months: enhanced search features, customization, and personalization.

When you visit the Blink site, you will notice that each page has a "button" designed to get staff ideas on how we can improve Blink to meet your needs. Please tell us what you think about this new resource and how we can make it better.

I invite you to visit and use the site, and to attend the Blink presentations at Sharecase on Wednesday (http://sharecase.ucsd.edu).

                                                Steven W. Relyea
                                                Vice Chancellor - Business Affairs