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 OFFICE OF THE CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER

April 24, 2025 

ALL STAFF AT UC SAN DIEGO (excluding UC San Diego Health and Health Sciences) 

People Leaders:  For staff without ready access to email, please print and post a copy of this email. 

There are a few “special reserve anchors” I draw from whenever I find myself in times of distress (beyond my daily, unwavering faith, of course). These anchors are courage, resilience, and certainty. 

Courage to face discomfort and the unknown, grounded in a wholehearted belief that I will get through it, and that I don’t walk alone. Resilience in remembering that life isn’t happening to me, but for me, and that my superpower lies not in controlling outcomes, but in how I choose to respond rather than react. And certainty - not in the sense that I know everything, but in trusting with wholehearted conviction that everything will unfold exactly as it’s meant to. Which takes us to my next point.  

In general, but now more than ever in this precise point of our collective timeline, it is absolutely critical that we suspend assumptions - about everything and everyone. We must resist the reflex to think we know what someone else is going through, why they made a choice, or how they might respond. It is harmful, exhausting, and fruitless. 

We cannot assume a person’s ideology, their socioeconomic status, or the weight they carry behind the scenes. Right now as tensions rise in the workplace and society at large, as people receive incomplete information about layoffs, as performance evaluations loom, and as emotions run high, those assumptions become even more dangerous.  

We need a reset. We need to equip ourselves with the special reserve anchors and replace assumption with something more powerful: curiosity. When we lead with genuine curiosity (and grace) we create space for real understanding - even when we disagree.  

Eradicate assumption from possibility, and lead every conversation with healthy curiosity. That space is where our shared humanity lives. That space is where we must begin again. 

To those who celebrated, I hope you had a joyful Easter and a meaningful Pesach. 

Lead with grace and courage, 

Terri S. Winbush   

Campus Chief Human Resources Officer  

In his recent message, President Drake addresses the challenges our university community has faced in the last several months. Read more on UCnet. 

As announced last month, UC Systemwide Human Resources is collaborating with Deloitte Consulting LLP to conduct a comprehensive faculty and staff employee benefits survey. The benefits survey launched April 11, 2025, and closes tomorrow, April 25, 2025. Check your inbox for an email from April 11 from UC Benefits Survey <UC.Benefits.Survey@ucop.edu> with a personalized link to complete the survey. The survey will be administered on an approved external site, hosted by Deloitte Consulting LLP. Please visit UCnet for information about the survey, and don’t miss out on this opportunity to voice your opinion on our systemwide benefits offerings. 

The Performance Appraisal process for policy-covered (non-represented) employees for the 2024–2025 cycle spans from May 1, 2024, through April 30, 2025. Appraisals must be completed within 45 calendar days following the end of the cycle—by close of business on Friday, June 13, 2025.

 

What does this mean for you? Please connect with your People Leader to learn about your department’s specific steps and internal deadlines. The appraisal process is a collaborative effort, so take time to reflect on your accomplishments, growth, and areas for development. This is a great foundation for your self-appraisal. If you're unsure where to start, this resource can help spark ideas on what to include in your self-appraisal. 

   

A few reminders:  

For general guidance, please visit our Annual Performance Appraisals page. You can also reach out to your People Leader or departmental HR contact for support. 

We are pleased to announce the nomination period for the 40th annual UC San Diego Exemplary Staff Employee of the Year award program is now open through May 23, 2025. The program recognizes employees who make exceptional contributions to the UC San Diego and San Diego communities in support of the vision to be a student-centered, research-focused, service-oriented public university. Learn more on this recent campus notice. 

Undocumented Student Services (USS) has compiled an interactive guidebook with statements, resources, and tips to help our campus partners support students, faculty, and staff who identify as undocumented or are from mixed-status families. Collectively, we can help our undocumented and mixed-status Tritons overcome obstacles that arise from their immigration status, encouraging personal and academic excellence at UC San Diego. The guidebook, available on Blink, is continually revised. We recommend adding it to your bookmarks bar and return to it regularly. For questions or support on how to support students, contact Dayan Castañeda Muñoz, USS Program Manager, dlcastaneda@ucsd.edu, or Juanita Razo Dueñas, Director, Student Success Programs, jrazoduenas@ucsd.edu.

This workshop on July 17, 2025 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. Pacific will cover the most important concepts to keep in mind when responding to accommodation requests involving religion, disability or pregnancy and preventing retaliation. As subject matter experts and as managers who’ve fielded requests themselves, former and current EEOC San Francisco District Directors Nancy Sienko and Chris Green will help attendees properly train new leaders to handle reasonable accommodations, prevent rookie mistakes and build leadership skills. Learn more here.  

Join us for the continuation of the newest offering hosted by Campus HR, People Leader Support Series - an interactive, recurring webinar shaped by feedback from People Leaders, and designed to explore key topics that help them support their teams throughout the employee lifecycle. The spring 2025 People Leader Support Series will focus on performance. Be sure to register for the remaining spring sessions on Blink, as they each address a different aspect of performance management: Delivering Performance Feedback (May 15) and Navigating Challenging Performance Conversations (May 22). 

Do you want to connect with colleagues who are also leading teams? Are you new to people leadership at UC San Diego or looking to refresh your People Leader toolkit? Check out our managerial and leadership development course offerings within our Subway Stop 2 series (course descriptions and registration links available in our 2025 calendar). Upcoming session highlights include Communication and Collaboration Tools for Teams (May 30), Team Building: Setting Norms, Goals and Expectations (June 25), and Building Inclusive Teams (July 15).   

The University of California Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) cohort launches Wednesday, May 7, 2025, with an information session on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, from 5 to 6 p.m. (sessions are virtual). The DPP is a free, one-year lifestyle change program available to all UC San Diego employees 18+ who have pre-diabetes or are at risk for type 2 diabetes. The program helps cut your risk of developing type 2 diabetes in half while building a supportive community. To register your interest, fill out this Qualtrics interest form.  

Join your colleagues systemwide in recognizing May Movement Month by participating in UC Moves. Represent your UC San Diego in this systemwide 4-week movement and activity challenge. You can start logging activity May 5. Want to create or join a team? Don’t forget: Teams of 4-40 can be formed anytime up until May 25. This friendly competition will end June 1, but you can continue to record activity until the team scores freeze on June 8. Prizes will be raffled for those that participate, so make sure to join. Register and learn more on Blink. 

Bright Breaks, a free and voluntary wellness program brought to you by Employee Wellness, now offers the ability to run internal departmental challenges. Looking to create a fun, engaging, wellness-focused way to support your team/unit? Try running a mini challenge. You choose the duration, topic/focus, and prize, and Employee Wellness will set it up for you in the platform. Contact tguglielmo@ucsd.edu to learn more.  

Mark your calendars for Tuesday, May 13 from 10 – 11:30 a.m. for our upcoming Staff Town Hall, focusing on staff performance appraisal, as well as critical and relevant topics that matter the most to UC San Diego staff. Can’t make it the day of the event? A recording will be available on Blink a few days following the meeting. Register in advance and ask questions through Zoom. 

Join Trevor Finneman, UC Legal, and Jennifer Lofthus, Ethics, Compliance, and Audit Services, on May 15 from 12 to 1 p.m. Pacific for a deep dive into new Digital Accessibility Regulations. This session will break down key differences from existing policies, highlight new requirements, clarify exceptions, and provide best practices for achieving compliance. Whether you’re responsible for digital accessibility, policy implementation, or compliance, this webinar will equip you with the knowledge needed to navigate these changes effectively. Register on Zoom here.  

Hosted by UC San Diego, Process Palooza is a high-energy collaborative experience showcasing and celebrating the power of continuous improvement. This year's theme, Optimizing -> Transforming -> Disrupting, highlights how the convergence of process improvement and artificial intelligence powers a continuous cycle of enhancement, change and innovation. Join Process Palooza on August 6 - 7, 2025 at UC San Diego. Register here and learn more on Blink.