Bulletin No. 96
Date/Time sent: 08/15/2022 9:00 amE ala! E alu! E kuilima!
Awaken! Come together! Join hands!
A Message of Inspiration and Gratitude
“Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.”
~ Malcolm X
Welina mai kākou!
Hoʻokāhi ka ilau like ana (Wield the paddles together)
I begin this bulletin from my desktop to your desktop with a message of inspiration to our students and of appreciation for our faculty and staff who work tirelessly to inspire discovery and creation!
Welina!
Bienvenue, Herzlich Willkommen, Fáilte, ברוך הבא (ba-ruch ha-ba),
Bem-vinda, Bienvenidas, ようこそ (Yokoso),
환영 (Eoseo Osibsio)
Welcome Back Faculty and Students!!
UH West Oʻahu Fall 2022 Convocation and PD Day
We begin our Fall 2022 semester with convocation and professional development on Tuesday, Aug. 16. Our professional development round robins will include (a) Okinawan cultural presentation, (b) presentations by our faculty/staff scholars curated by the Institute for Research and Engaged Scholarship, and (c) a presentation focused on health and well-being
Masking indoors during convocation and professional development round-robins is required.
The CONVOCATION PRESENTATION ONLY will be recorded and made available at a later date.
Additionally, because there was a request that we also provide access to the three (3) professional development sessions, we will live stream the three round-robin sessions, beginning at 10:15 a.m. Know beforehand that it may not be the best live experience but you will be able to hear the presentation. If you are interested in viewing/listening to the round-robin professional development presentations please contact uhwochan@hawaii.edu and a link will be sent to you. Please request by close of business (5 p.m.) today, Monday, Aug. 15.
Faculty/Staff Portraits to be Shot on Convocation/Professional Development Day
The UH West O’ahu Communications Department will be taking official headshots of faculty and staff members during Convocation/Professional Development Day on Tuesday, Aug. 16, for use in publicizing faculty research, academic news, and other official University business. It has been several years since the last effort to take headshots, and we have an updated backdrop, so even if you have taken photos in the past, please do so again!
Photos will be taken between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. in C225. Your portrait will be in front of a red backdrop. One photo will be taken from the shoulders up and one from the waist up. Please stop by before or after Convocation/PD Day sessions. For questions, contact Brian Miyamoto at 808-689-2605 or brian99@hawaii.edu.
Working to keep our campus safe!
Aloha UH West Oʻahu ʻOhana!
As the State of Hawaiʻi, in particular the County of Honolulu, continues to experience a large number of COVID-19 cases, we want to do all we can to ensure the health and safety of our campus communities. As a reminder, here is the UH System masking policy for all campuses:
Masking continues to be required in classrooms, shared laboratory spaces, and tightly confined educational spaces, such as advising offices, and in campus venues when the number of attendees is close to maximum capacity or if it is anticipated that high numbers of higher-risk persons will be attending. Campus officials may further specify areas where and when face masks are required to enhance safety.
- Masking is still encouraged indoors when around people during crowded events, especially for those who are not vaccinated or who are immunocompromised. If there are signs requiring masks posted outside a space or office, honor those
signs. - Campuses may require masks indoors based on the level of COVID-19 community transmission as recommended by the CDC, UH medical and public health experts, and HDOH.
- Masking is optional for outdoors and outdoor events.
- Instructors or presenters may remove their masks while teaching, provided that they maintain 6 feet distance from others.
- Masks must be worn by anyone who has been exposed to someone with the virus or who is returning to campus after a quarantine or isolation. The well-fitted mask must be worn for the full duration of the 10-day period, up to five (5) days
after you return to campus.
Masks that “meet a standard” (N95, N99 or N100 masks) are not required. Gaiters do not provide adequate protection. All masks should be well-fitted, which means the mask:
- Has a nose wire to crimp down on top of the nose
- Has at least 2 or more layers of washable fabric (for cloth masks)
- Covers both the nose and mouth entirely
- Fits snugly against the sides of your face without gaps
Note: Masks, or respirators with exhalation valves should be avoided as they do not protect others from expelled respiratory droplets and aerosols.
Also, please consider the following to help prevent the spread of the virus:
- If you know you have been exposed to the virus, or begin to experience symptoms, please get tested (PCR or at-home antigen test) before returning to campus or UH facility, regardless of your vaccination status.
- If returning from personal or university-approved, out-of-state travel, it is strongly recommended that you take a COVID-19 test (PCR or at-home antigen test) within two days of return to the state and BEFORE returning to a UH campus or facility. It is also strongly recommended that a follow up test be taken on day five after your return.
- Everyone is strongly recommended to be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccination that includes receiving the 1st booster shot, and 2nd booster shot, if eligible.
The 10-campus system will continue to provide recommendations and update guidelines depending on the level of community transmission, and recommendations by UH medical and public health experts and the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Health. Mahalo for your understanding and cooperation in helping prevent the spread of COVID-19, and doing your part to keep our community healthy.
Keep in mind, kūkulu kaiāulu!
Announcements and Reminders
From Human Resources: Employee Self Service
The Employee Self Service (ESS) through PeopleSoft is now available to all UH employees. ESS provides easy access to employment information, such as payroll notification forms (PNF’s), while also encouraging UH campuses to become more sustainable by adopting paperless systems. ESS is part of the latest upgrade to the university’s PeopleSoft Human Resource Information System.
New features and convenient links include:
- Personal details, including the ability to add a preferred name
- Business address and phone number
- Access to the Employment Change Summary, which contains current and historical employment, and PNF’s
- Link to the UH Directory, which provides search capabilities by Preferred Name as well as First and Last Name
- Link to the Office of Human Resources Portal
- Link to the Hawaii Information Portal for payroll information
Employees can access ESS by logging in here with UH username and password. Please note that access to PeopleSoft will require that Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) be enabled. For instructions on enabling MFA, please use this link: https://www.hawaii.edu/askus/1681. If you are accessing the ESS page remotely (eg if teleworking from home), you will need to first setup and connect to the UH VPN (to get on the UH network) before logging into ESS. For more information on VPN and setup instructions, please proceed to the UH ITS VPN information page.
From Hawaiʻi State Ethics
The Hawaiʻi State Ethics Commission is pleased to offer upcoming ethics training classes for all state employees on the following dates:
Aug. 18, 2022, 10 to 11:30 a.m.
Oct. 20, 2022, 10 to 11:30 a.m.
Dec. 16, 2022, 10 to 11:30 a.m.
Jan. 24, 2023, 10 to 11:30 a.m.
These classes will meet the mandatory ethics training requirement currently being considered by Governor David Ige.
Individuals can register for a course online at https://ethics.hawaii.gov/training/. Space is limited, so early registration is encouraged.
Additionally, state employees can take an online self-directed training course at https://ethics.hawaii.gov/ethicsonlinetraining/. This 30-minute, interactive training provides basic information for state employees subject to the Ethics Code, including all executive and legislative branch employees, and judiciary employees (other than judges and justices). Individuals who complete the training will obtain a certificate of completion that satisfies state ethics training requirements. An online training specifically for volunteer board/commission members is also available at this link.
For more information, contact the Hawaiʻi State Ethics Commission at 808-587-0460 or ethics@hawaiiethics.org.
Mahalo nūnui for taking the time to review this week’s bulletin.
E mālama pono!
Maenette Benham, Chancellor