With the holiday season distant in the rearview mirror, the Office of Advancement, along with our colleagues across campus, is well immersed in this most unique of winter terms. For all of us, it will prove to be a period of challenge, opportunity, new learning, and, when we take a moment to reflect, accomplishment. Shortly we will all become more involved in the exciting Building a Better Workplace initiative. We will also turn our attention to forward planning for a very compressed slate of high-profile events in the fall, and many of us remain focused on our objectives as guided by Forward, Together. Suffice it to say that our upcoming planning cycle will be incredibly important as we consider the next fiscal and beyond.
Perhaps it is timely that our first item in this newsletter introduces a new request system in ITM that we trust will assist in our planning efforts and support of ongoing initiatives. In Advancement Services, no advanced notice is too advanced! We hope you will embrace the system as we endeavour to provide enhanced support to our colleagues through timely attention to request tickets. Please let us know how we can help.
New on-line request system
In early February, your colleagues in ITM will be rolling out a new online request system. Utilizing Atlassian/JIRA Service Management software, the Advancement Services reQuest System was built with the end-user in mind. Streamlined entry, easy navigation, and user experience were top of mind as we sought to provide a much more contemporary experience over the existing system. We would like to extend a special thanks to our colleagues who test-drove the system and provided valuable feedback.
Worried about losing access to the requests in our current system? Mickey has taken care of that. A new application has been created to access legacy requests from the last two years. As for our current system, sleep well, and thanks for handling more than 28,000 requests!
We look forward to launching this new system shortly, and hope you enjoy the 2021 experience! Additional details and training will be shared soon.
Upcoming learning forum session
Starting this February, please join us for Data Governance 101, hosted by Corrine Beckner, Associate Director, Data Governance and Data Quality.
In this interactive session, we will review the theory and aspirations of data governance, the strategic outlook of our developing program, and insight into how this unit supports the Office of Advancement's operational activities. Sessions are scheduled bi-weekly starting Feb. 23 for groups of 8-10 participants. Please register for an upcoming session here.
Data enrichment working group
On behalf of the Data Governance and Data Quality team, we are excited to announce the spring launch of our Data Enrichment Working Group.
This working group, composed of managers, senior data stewards, and subject matter experts from across the Office of Advancement, will be responsible for providing insight and recommendations on the strategic use of our data assets. This includes informing data acquisition opportunities and prioritizing the resolution of data quality issues. Members will act as advocates for Advancement data policy and uphold our commitment to ensuring the privacy and security of our constituent records. If you are interested in joining this new working group, or would like to learn more, please reach out to Corrine.
Advancement Data Challenge
January has flown by – and the Advancement Data Challenge is just around the corner! On Mar. 11 we are asking individuals and teams across Advancement to share a three to five minute presentation on how they use data to drive decision-making. If you need a refresh on the basics, please revisit Volume 71 of ALTogether now. Topics can be wide-ranging, from increasing productivity during the workday (see Microsoft MyAnalytics) to informing enhanced program delivery -- any example where you set a business goal and use data to drive your approach or measure outcomes. Calendar invites will be sent out soon, along with details on our prestigious judges and how the event will unfold.
As we prepare for the challenge, we are asking each team to register by Friday, Feb. 12.
Cybersecurity update
As the university continues the rollout of its cybersecurity program, Advancement continues to lead the way among the VP portfolios for adopting Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and Endpoint Protection (EP). Thanks to everyone who has signed up so far! There are still 16 individuals who need to register for MFA and 14 for EP. Knowing this will be mandatory soon, let’s get ahead of the program and show our support for this important university initiative. If you require assistance or you are unsure if you're registered, please contact Jon and Paul.
New gift of securities form
Gift Services is pleased to introduce a new gift of securities form. In addition to providing enhanced clarity for our donors, the new form will also shorten processing time for Gift Services staff and respective brokers. The form is a fillable PDF with refreshed branding, giving it a revitalized and updated look. Christa Walsh would like to extend her thanks to both Julia Bryan and Madelaine Johnson for their assistance with this project. The new form can be found on the alumni website.
And in the works…
Gift Services and ITM are in the early planning phase of converting our current gift remittal form to an online platform. Our current vision is to have fewer mandatory fields and enhanced drop-down menu options which will allow for a more efficient and less cumbersome submission process for frontline staff. This project is part of a larger initiative to move our operation to an increasingly paperless environment and to create efficiencies in our gift entry processes.
2021 CASE Circle of Excellence Awards
In the interest of celebrating all the extraordinary successes we had in 2020, please consider nominations for the CASE Circle of Excellence Awards.
Each year the CASE Circle of Excellence Awards recognize hundreds of institutions whose talented staff members advanced their institutions through innovative, inspiring, and creative ideas. The awards acknowledge superior accomplishments that have lasting impact, demonstrate the highest level of professionalism and deliver exceptional results.
Kate Bearse will co-ordinate entries on behalf of the Office of Advancement. Those planning a submission should let Kate know ASAP, with final drafts sent to Kate by no later than Mar. 3 for submission to CASE by the Mar. 10 deadline.
Employee Spotlight
The Employee Spotlight celebrates the arrival of our new staff by profiling responses they share through a fun and informal survey that will help us get to know them better. Be sure to review these profiles and use these fun facts and tidbits to find commonalities, embrace differences and spark a conversation.
This week we welcome Sara Franca to Advancement, in the position of Executive Director, Alumni Strategy. Learn more about Sara and what song you won’t find her singing at a karaoke night!
Jobs with Advancement
We need your recruitment help. Know great talent that would be a good addition to our team? If so, please promote the vacancies below with your networks and let’s find some amazing new team members.
Applications (including a cover letter and résumé) must be submitted through CareerQ. For additional information on this posting, please reach out to either Carla or the hiring manager for the position you are interested.
Available Position:
| POSITION | UNIT AND DEPARTMENT | CLOSING DATE | GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stewardship Officer, Communications and Engagement | Communications and Marketing, Faculty of Health Sciences | January 26,2021 | 8 |
| Senior Development Officer, Principal Gifts | Principal Gifts, Department of Development | Fabruary 19, 2021 | 10 |
| Administrative Assistant, Advancement Marketing Communications & Donor Relations | Advancement Marketing, Communications & Donor Relations | February 3, 2021 | 6 |
Fun fact
OK, it’s never too late to remember the holidays!
The Advancement Holiday Extravaganza Planning Committee is excited to *finally* announce that the winner of the Ugly Holiday Sweater Contest is…Smokey! For those of you who don’t now him, he is better known as Melanie Fortner’s furry friend! Congratulations! Thank you to all who entered the contest. There were a lot of great entries!