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 OFFICE OF THE CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER

June 26, 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. 

Who’s your person? You know – the one you can vent to, who holds you accountable, tells you the truth (not just what you want to hear), and champions you to be your best self. If you haven’t identified your person yet, mark this message as unread, take some time to figure out who that person could be, and then come back to this message. (But don’t wait more than a couple of days - there are some important updates here! 😊 ).

Ok, now that you are back and ready, let’s talk.

It feels like a lifetime’s worth of events have unfolded since I last sat down to chat with you. Across the country, people are taking to the streets to exercise their freedom of speech - many through peaceful protests, others amid outbreaks of violence. And now, with military strikes erupting and immigration clashes occurring, civil unrest and emotional turmoil seem to define our shared experience, not just locally, but around the globe. Sigh.

In last month’s newsletter I shared that speculation is the enemy of peace. Today, I want to introduce you to its closest accomplice: fear. Together, they are a dangerous pairing - and that’s exactly why I’m naming them.

It’s only natural to feel fear. After all, so much is at stake – people's lives, the world economy, the prospect of peace. And I’ll be the first to admit it: I’m scared, too (I’m human, just like you). But to not dwell in that fear, I counter it with the most powerful tools in my emotional toolbox: faith, resilience, and human connection.

I don’t only mean the religious kind of faith, but also however else faith may show up for you – conviction, certainty, or the quiet knowing that somehow, some way, everything will be okay. I want you to hold onto that fiercely and relentlessly.

And to human connection, too. That’s what will make navigating this uncertainty possible. It’s relatively easy to walk - even skip or dance - when that sidewalk is smooth and familiar. It’s much more challenging when there are cracks in the sidewalk and construction is happening on the uphill road, making intentional navigation all the more necessary - and doing so with your person, all the more manageable. They can look up and forward while you look down and vice versa. They can help you regulate managing the here and now while also scanning to navigate the future environment.

With faith and human connection, you can stay tuned to all that’s going on, but not let it set your tune. Check in with your person to make sure you aren’t absorbing it all, and certainly, not all by yourself. I intentionally stack up moments of joy (dancing, getting froyo, doing a crossword, just standing outside in the sunlight). Literally arming myself with joy to shield my energy from the chaos trying to seep in. I lean into it with my whole being - my heart, my mind, my body. All of it.

This is how I practice resilience. For me, resilience doesn’t mean masking your feelings or pretending everything is fine. It means processing and learning about myself - intentionally and often. Because yes, speculation and fear are powerful. But they are not stronger than faith, human connection and resilience - especially when they’re grounded in unity.

So lean into that. Stay anchored in certainty. Choose human connection. And above all else, remain rooted in the one thing that binds us all: our shared humanity.

Stay human. And to those celebrating Pride Month - stay proud.

Now go check in with your person, and I’ll check on you all next time.

Lead with grace and courage,

Terri S. Winbush 

Campus Chief Human Resources Officer 

Following a recent article on phishing prevention, UCnet has shared new updates to help UC employees stay vigilant amid a surge in advanced direct deposit scams. Learn how to protect yourself and your paycheck, and visit UCnet for tips and resources.

Beginning July 1, the Campus ID Card pickup location and all ID card-related services for employees will move to Suite 170 in the Student Services Center (TritonPay Office, 1st Floor). New business hours will be Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Until June 30, you may continue picking up your ID card in Suite 354A. Please plan ahead for this location and hours change. For questions or updates, visit the Campus Cards website on Blink, or connect with the Campus ID team through the Services & Support portal.

As shared recently by Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla in a campus notice, the university’s whistleblower policy provides multiple avenues for employees to bring forward concerns of potential employee misconduct. The university encourages you to report concerns about possible improper governmental activity directly to the whistleblower hotline website; (800) 403-4744); or your supervisor, department head, Locally Designated Official (LDO), or other appropriate university offices or officials.

UC has launched a new Instagram account - @UCnet_work - where they celebrate the real stories, people and perks of working at UC. Complementing the UCnetwork staff newsletter, the new Instagram page gives employees a new, easy way to get the latest UC news and connect with colleagues. Learn more on UCnet, including how to get featured.

The Student Employment Office (SEO) is excited to share the launch of the new Supervisor Toolkit, a comprehensive resource that supports supervisors in managing and mentoring student employees with tools for performance management, effective feedback, leadership, career readiness, and more. SEO is also thrilled to introduce Student Employment Skillz Bundles in UC Learning – curated collections aligned with the 12 UC San Diego Competencies. These bundles make it easy for supervisors to guide student employees in developing key skills like communication, teamwork, and career development. Explore the toolkit and recommend Skillz Bundles as part of your student employee’s growth journey.

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). Multiple opportunities include Building Inclusive Teams (July 15), Communication and Collaboration Tools for Teams (new date: July 30), Supervising at UC San Diego (Aug. 14 and 21), Team Building: Setting Norms, Goals and Expectations (Sept. 5), and Supervisory Training Laboratory (registration closes Sept. 11 for the fall program). Register today!

In honor of Pride month, we’d like to remind everyone that UC San Diego is a safe space for all our campus LGBTQIA+-identified colleagues, allies, and also for those who may not identify with Pride. Our Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FSAP) is confidential and available for UC San Diego staff and faculty at no cost. Find resources on Pride month in our LGBT Resource Center site, and learn how to book an appointment with FSAP on Blink.

Designed to support faculty and staff in building a network of accountability and encouragement for personal and professional growth, this monthly facilitated group explores skills and strategies to navigate stressors and sustain well-being in daily life. In these uncertain times, maintaining resilience is more important than ever. Sessions are open to all campus faculty and staff and take place via Zoom on Fridays, July 18 and Aug. 15, Sept. 19, and Oct. 17 from 12 – 1 p.m. Meetings are facilitated by William Youngblood, LMFT, CEAP of our Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FSAP). Register in advance through Zoom. Questions? Email wdibbleyoungblood@ucsd.edu.

People Leaders on campus, join us on Thursday, July 10, 2025, from 1:30 – 3 p.m. for a two-part webinar series exploring Change, Community, and Agency - a focused conversation for employees navigating ongoing uncertainty in the workplace. In part one, we’ll unpack how to foster a sense of stability and cohesion amid disruption. Part two will shift the focus inward, offering strategies for career growth, upskilling, and reclaiming agency in the face of evolving professional demands. Together, we’ll explore how to lead with resilience, support others through transformation, and build strength in the midst of change. Register for session one on Zoom.

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.

Join us for the next Staff Town Hall on Tuesday, August 12 from 1:30 – 3 p.m., highlighting timely topics and featuring updates from HR, Staff Association, Wellness and more. Zoom link here.