FBS Cornerstone - Winter 2023

Cornerstone

MIAMI UNIVERSITY FINANCE AND BUSINESS SERVICES

Transforming Bell Tower

CJ Coman

Bell Tower will be making waves next fall as it transforms from renovation to innovation. Next fall, Bell Tower’s renovation will be transformed into dining innovation for the entire Miami community. Guests can expect a ghost kitchen hub, a home base for food delivery autonomous robots, and offices for Aramark. Bell Tower is expected to open at the start of the fall semester, while Ogden’s residence hall is expected to be occupied in the fall of 2024.

So what is a ghost kitchen? Most dining venues are built to a specific brand, which includes providing a specific menu. A ghost kitchen’s brand is all virtual. The location where you retrieve your meal is not designed and built to look a certain way. The “brand” is what you see when you select your meal options from the Grubhub app or the kiosk within Bell Tower. The ghost kitchen will have at least three different brands or restaurant selections to choose from. Pick up of the food order will be inside Bell Tower via food lockers or delivered directly to the customer's location by the Starship robots.

Bell Tower will have some seating for people to sit down and enjoy their meal. But, its primary focus will be designed for people to order food quickly and take it on the go to accommodate the very busy lifestyle on the academic quad. The ghost kitchen concept also allows Bell Tower to host a variety of different types of venues that may change at any time, instead of permanent concepts year-round. Variety, speed, and efficiency!

Bell Tower will be the most innovative food service concept breaking onto the collegiate dining scene. The key to this new concept is to provide Miami’s campus with a sustainable, efficient, and technologicallyforward dining experience.

So say goodbye to the old traditional Bell Tower, and say hello to the new innovative Bell Tower that Miami is sure its community will grow to know and love even more.

CR Architecture interior renderings, subject to change.

KEEPING IT COOL

Skylar Perry

If you’ve ever been to an event at Goggin Ice Center, chances are you’ve seen the funny-looking machine that resurfaces the ice. The Zambonis are an essential part of maintaining the frozen surface so that events like hockey, figure skating, broomball, and classes can occur.

The Zamboni works by washing the ice of any impurities, shaving it down, and then leaving behind a new layer of ice by putting fresh water on the surface. The job is technical by nature, but it is nothing that Miami University students and Zamboni drivers, Izzy Sanders and Lauren Oskam can’t handle.

Sanders and Oskam are two female Zamboni drivers who work at Goggin. It is less common for women to drive Zambonis than it is for men. In fact, there are only two female Zamboni drivers in the entire National Hockey League.

“People can and will question your knowledge but as long as you have the knowledge and the desire to work it can be very fun and rewarding,” Oskam said.

Despite working in a primarily male dominated industry, the girls embrace this part of their job rather than shying away from it. Oskam said that she uses her Zamboni driving job as a fun go-to fact when she introduces herself to people. Sanders said getting to tell people what she does for work is one of her favorite parts about driving a Zamboni.

“No one expects a young female to say that's their job,” Sanders said.

Sanders has been driving the Zamboni since she was a first-year student in the fall of 2019. The biochemistry major originally got the opportunity to drive the Zamboni when Goggin’s Facility Manager, Jon Elliott offered to train student staff.

Oskam, who is a junior kinesiology major at Miami, has been driving Zambonis for five years now. Like Sanders, she just happened to be offered the opportunity to start driving while working at an ice rink.

“The first time I drove the Zamboni, I was a junior in high school at the rink I used to work at,” Oskam said. “It was late at night and we were about to close and my supervisor asked me if I wanted to do the ice cut with him. He talked me through it and I was so excited I called my mom on the drive home.”

While the first time driving a Zamboni can be exhilarating, it can also be very nerve-wracking due to the complexity of the job.

“The first time I drove the Zamboni, I was so nervous I must have only been going one mph,” Sanders said. “I kept turning early, and when I was told to turn a little later, I rammed the machine into the boards. It was a very chaotic experience, but I was eventually able to figure it out.”

Oskam said that the hardest part about driving a Zamboni is when there is a problem. When things go wrong, she said she tries to stay calm and do what she has been trained to do to fix the problem. Sanders said that hydraulic controls can also be very tricky.

“It takes a lot of muscle memory to make the turns because the wheel doesn't straighten itself,” Sanders said.

Despite the difficulties that come with the job, both Sanders and Oskam have mastered the craft. Oskam attributes some of her success to her time playing hockey and her understanding of the importance of good ice.

“Being at a rink makes me so happy, '' Oskam said. “It is my way of giving back to the hockey community I got to be a part of when I was a kid.”

Both Oskam and Sander work two shifts a week at the ice center, each with 5-10 ice cuts per shift. With this in mind, it’s easy to see that Oskam and Sanders are a significant part of keeping the ice, and other operations at Goggin, running smoothly.

FACILITY PLANNER RETURNS TO MIAMI FOR THIRD TIME

Robert Bell

Denette Callahan began working for the Department of Planning, Architecture and Engineering on October 17, 2022 as a Facility Planner. But this is not the first time Callahan has “attended” Miami University. Her first time at Miami was as a student in the Interior Design program. Before graduating in 1996, she met her husband and eventually became a Miami Merger. From 2004-2010, Denette came back to the Department of Architecture and Interior Design to teach as an adjunct faculty. She also taught at Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati for two years.

Denette worked professionally as an interior designer, planner, and project manager in the corporate world before coming back to Miami for her third time as Facility Planner. In her new role she will work with people across the university to plan and manage the university's almost nine million gross square feet of space.

Denette also coaches varsity dance for the Batesville Community School Corporation, and serves as their program director. She is the proud parent of two children–one studying at Indiana University and one currently serving in the United States Marine Corps.

ELECTRONIC SURVEYS LAUNCHED AT THE MARCUM

Paula Green

With assistance from Finance and Business Services Marketing, The Marcum has launched satisfaction surveys electronically. Done in tandem with paper surveys available in each hotel room, the Formstack surveys are emailed directly to guests on their checkout dates.

Using Formstack logic, the form prompts guests for additional feedback if results are below standard, as well as gathers new input on The Marcum event spaces and services if they've attended an event during their stay.

A guest's intent to return to a hotel or recommend it to someone else is a key goal that every hotelier strives to achieve. These results, as well as quick trackable input on hotel cleanliness, staff friendliness, and problem resolution will form metrics to steer future business decisions and staff feedback.

AVAILABLE TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES HOSTED BY MUPD

James Bechtolt

The Miami University Police Department offers several different programs tailored to educate the campus community in personal crime prevention strategies to reduce the likelihood of crime on and off campus as well as workplace safety topics. These topics are presented by police officers who are members of the MUPD Community Relations Team (CRT). Most of these programs are offered free of charge.

Some resources include:

• Bike Storage and Bike Roundup

• Civilian Fingerprinting

• Emergency Text Messaging System

• Victim Services

For the full library of resources, visit MiamiOH.edu/Police/Services/SafetyPrograms to view the available presentation/training topics and submit a request for a presentation for your department.

CASINO NIGHT WAS A HIT

Wallace

On November 15, Miami Dining put on a Casino Night at Western Dining Commons. It was a hit! Chef Anne Liston curated a delicious menu for the night featuring favorites such as prime rib, salmon, lobster mac and cheese, and there was even a chocolate fountain! Along with this mouth-watering menu, there were casino games such as blackjack, Texas hold 'em, craps, and roulette. Students got some play money to gamble with, and with the winnings they had, they were able to exchange them for fun prizes! It was such a fun night for staff and students and we can't wait to have more fun events on campus!

Christian

NEW YEAR, BETTER YOU

Rhett Butler

It’s a new year, and a great time to set some personal goals. One of the most common New Year’s resolutions is always, “getting back in the gym.” This year, Miami Recreation wants to help you stick to your goal. Miami faculty and staff receive 50% off memberships throughout the year. However, during our annual membership drive, New Year, Better You, you can purchase an annual membership for an additional 20% off. That’s only $173 for the entire year for an individual membership! Not only will you receive access to the fitness center, but you will also be able to access the pool, indoor track, pickleball, racquetball, basketball courts, and more. Don’t waste time, the sale ends Friday, January 20!

We know that the Rec Center can be a busy place at certain times of the day, but there are always available times to workout. In fact, there is almost 70% less foot traffic from 6:30-9:30 a.m. than 4:30-7:30 p.m. Check out our Faculty and Staff page to find out more about workout opportunities.

If you’re already a member, this is the absolute best time for renewal. Memberships are now available online. If you would like to renew your membership or purchase a new one, visit MiamiOH.edu/JoinTheRec.

GRILL COMING TO WESTERN

Christian Wallace Athenian Grill is bringing the taste of the Mediterranean to Western Dining Commons in the spring! Athenian Grill will be joining Miami Dining with great Mediterranean flavors at their very own station inside Western Dining Commons! Athenian Grill did a station takeover for a week at Western and the feedback from the students was overwhelmingly positive about our partner.

UPCOMING MIAMI DINING EVENTS

Christian Wallace Miami Dining has some exciting events for the spring semester planned! Follow us on Instagram @miamiudining to find out when these events and pop-ups are coming!

• Meet The Chefs

• Soul Food Lunch

• Commons Chili Cook-off

• Carnival Night

• Smash Bros Tournament

• French Fry Bar

• Plant Forward Picnic

• 7th Inning Stretch

• Chef Ed's Maplestreet Cheesesteak Grill

• Crawfish Boil

• Late Night Breakfast

ATHENIAN

Brad Grimm

Workday is coming! Miami University’s Board of Trustees recently adopted a resolution supporting the replacement of our current legacy Banner system with Workday, a cloud-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. As a result, we will begin deployment of the new system–going live with HR and Finance in July 2024, followed by a phased student implementation slated for completion in 2026. By implementing Workday, Miami will transform how it delivers essential business services and provide seamless end-to-end experiences for faculty, staff, and students.

What is Workday?

Workday is a comprehensive human resources, financial management, and student information system that brings together a wide range of HCM (Human Capital Management), Finance, and Student functionality into one single, inclusive system. As a self-service tool, Workday puts the power of access and information into faculty, staff, and students’ hands, allowing for extensive self-service functionality. Workday will enable process efficiencies across the university, empower our community to make timely strategic decisions, and offer effective tools to improve how we operate as a higher-ed institution.

Why is Miami making this change?

Moving to Workday will simplify how work gets done, but there are many more reasons. For example, Workday will:

• Streamline and modernize the university’s systems and incorporate industry best practice processes while making student, faculty, and staff data more easily accessible than ever before.

• Allow all students, faculty, and staff to view their job-related and educational information, as well as customize their personal data, such as preferred name and gender identity.

• Eliminate the need to access multiple systems to get the data many students, faculty, and staff utilize.

• Provide easy access to hundreds of standard reports.

• Allow for extensive self-service functionality from any digital workspace.

Workday is a modern, comprehensive, human resources, financial management, and student information system that will bring together much functionality into a single, inclusive, user-friendly system. Workday will also put the power of access and information into your hands, empowering us all to make more timely and strategic decisions.

What is the project timeline?

A dedicated Workday implementation team is currently being formed to facilitate a smooth and successful transition to Workday. Over the next several years, this team will work with our implementation partner, Avaap, to ensure the Workday system is configured and tested appropriately to meet Miami’s needs. Check out this high-level Workday project timeline to get a sense of the project scope.

How can employees learn more?

As the Workday project progresses, relevant information will be shared in Cornerstone, as well as numerous other communication channels to keep the university up to date on Workday happenings. We are also working to establish a network of Workday Change Agents, who will become active over the next several months. Change Agents are individuals from all parts of the university who work together to help champion communication, engagement efforts, training, and overall strategy for a successful Workday implementation, positive end-user awareness, and adoption. Change Agents for every functional area will be identified to ensure broad engagement and two-way communication relating to the Workday project.

Stay tuned for more information about the Workday project, including the benefits of using Workday, upcoming events, and training plans.

A NIGHT AT THE MOVIES: GOGGIN SPRING ICE SHOW

Skylar Perry

At the end of April, Goggin Ice Center will host its annual Spring Ice Show. This event features participants from the Goggin Learn to Skate program and the Miami Skating Academy, as well as skaters from the collegiate varsity and intercollegiate programs.

The theme this year is "Night at the Movies,” and skaters will be performing to iconic movie music. The performances will take place at 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 29 and Sunday, April 30. The Ice Show Director, David Goodman, is looking forward to putting together another wonderful production with talented skaters.

“I'm always excited for the ice show because it's a season-ending celebration for all of our skaters after a long year of school and competition,” Goodman said. “Seeing our youngest, newest skaters take the ice alongside our top-level varsity athletes is a heartwarming treat for our audience members.”

For those interested in attending, tickets to the ice show will become available at the Goggin Pro Shop for $10 starting on April 1. Children 5 and under have free admission. Whether you are a fan of ice skating, a friend or family member of a performer, or you live in the surrounding area, everyone is encouraged and welcome to enjoy the show.

“We love it when our Miami and Oxford community turn out to see our show because the skaters greatly appreciate having a big audience and feeling their support,” Goodman said. “In return, all will be treated to a wonderful performance.”

HUMAN RESOURCES STAFF DEVELOPMENT

Brenda Curry

Staff Development is currently offering courses for staff and faculty at the Staff Development Center in Oxford and the Voice of America Learning Center in West Chester. For a complete list of current courses, visit the Staff Development website. Here are a few highlights:

Driving Change

All organizations are experiencing unprecedented change and Miami is no exception. Learn best practices for leading change effectively. Participants will gain tools to help people move from resisting change to embracing change!

Performance Management Series

This series of five courses will provide the tools to manage performance successfully.

• Communicating for Leadership Success/ Communicating with Impact

• Setting Goals and Reviewing Results

• Coaching for Peak Performance

• Addressing Poor Performance

• Developing Yourself and Others

Miami LEARN

Put Your Training in Miami Learn: Does your department offer learning that could be housed in Miami Learn? Read on…

Appropriate content for Miami Learn:

• Content is for training or development purposes

• Department-specific training

• University-wide learning opportunities

• Functional training (job/role, system, technical)

Microsoft Excel

2019 Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced

Become proficient using Microsoft Excel by attending all three levels of Microsoft Excel 2019 or hone your Excel foundational skills by attending just the intermediate or advanced levels.

• Content is for faculty and staff (students do not have access at this time)

• Content is intended for multiple users (department, division, university-wide)

• Content can be in-person or online

Contact Human Resources Staff Development at staffdevelopment@MiamiOH.edu to inquire about adding content to Miami Learn.

BOOK NOW FOR 2023

Paula Green

Happy New Year from Conference and Event Services!

We are excited to start 2023 with an expansion of our planning team in Conference and Event Services.

Please welcome Lexie Withrow back to Miami in her new capacity as Conference and Event Planner. Lexie is a graduate of Miami University, having worked in several Campus Services operations as a student employee during her pursuit of a teaching degree. In addition to a successful teaching career, Lexie has valuable event planning and execution experience paired with innate organization and communication skills.

Lexie joins the team of Alicia Rizzo and Susan Coleman who prepare the plans for successful events and conferences involving university facilities, catering, accommodations, and the many logistics necessary to meet our clients' needs. We look forward to introducing her to you, our valued clients, as she begins her career with Miami.

Thank you, Paula Green Sr. Director for Conference and Event Services

Reach out to the Conference and Events Services team and start booking your 2023 event today. Email confandeventserv@MiamiOH.edu, call 513-529-3591, or visit our website at MiamiOH.edu/eventservices and chat live with a planner during business hours.

USEFUL TOOLS AND REMINDERS FROM TREASURY SERVICES

Ben Taylor

In the Fall of 2020, Miami University officially became a “cashless campus.” Treasury Services would like to provide some tools, resources, and reminders to efficiently collect funds while remaining cashless and adhering to Treasury policies:

eMarkets: A customized payment webpage on Miami’s Nelnet platform that is great for collecting funds for dues, fees, registrations, and sales of goods/services. Just keep in mind that eMarkets cannot be used to collect gifts, which the Office of University Advancement will be happy to assist with should you wish to create a giving page!

Loaner Credit Card Reader: A physical wireless or Ethernet credit card reader is available to be checked out from Treasury Services to physically collect funds via credit card. Reservations are first come, first serve! These work well for walk-up purchases and infrequent events where proceeds are collected (i.e., annual conferences/lectures).

Dedicated Departmental Credit Card Reader: Purchasing a dedicated credit card reader for your department is great if you have sufficient transaction volume and a regular or ongoing need to collect funds.

Payment System/Software: If your department would like to utilize ANY payment software/systems, or is planning to replace an existing system that accepts payment, it is imperative to contact Treasury Services early in the process to ensure it is compatible with existing Miami platforms, as well as compliant with Miami’s PCI policies

Please note that departments should not use unauthorized credit card processors/devices such as a mobile phone Square, PayPal link, Eventbrite, etc.

Please do not hesitate to contact Treasury Services if you have any questions at 513-529-7020.

CJ Coman

At Miami we believe in Love and Honor. Though that code was designed around academics, it has the ability to reach beyond such a scope. That’s exactly what happened when James and Lisa met at Martin Dining Hall back in 2018. Lisa, who worked at Martin Dining Hall at the time, met James when he came over to help. They both described it as an instant connection. As soon as their eyes met, they just meshed as if they had known each other forever. Though they didn’t start dating right away, they immediately became fast and close friends.

Eventually they would work together at Bell Tower which only made their bond stronger. They recall when coworkers would claim that they would eventually be together, even when they didn’t believe it themselves. Well those coworkers were right, and they eventually began dating in February of 2020.

However, that’s not where this story ends. Out of the few things that can blossom in the winter, their love was one of the

things that bloomed in December of 2021. James, who knew Lisa was the one, decided he would propose on his birthday.

He got a ring that was very similar to Lisa’s mother’s ring because he knew she adored it. He would then get the help of his bosses Carey Higgins and Robin Jackson who went completely out of their way to make sure everything went according to plan. Once everything was set, James, in a nice suit and flowers in hand, walked up to Lisa while she was working. Lisa remembers being confused because it was his birthday yet he brought her flowers, but when he got down on one knee and proposed, she gave him the best gift of all by saying “yes.” The now Mr. and Mrs. Smith, live happily as Miami Mergers.

This story is more than just a basic love story of two people. It shows how people from the Miami community have supported their journey and shown us a different side of what Love and Honor is.

LOVE AND HONOR

The Brick & Ivy Team

Brick & Ivy wants to thank all of the Miami University faculty and staff that joined us for our special Open House event on Tuesday, November 8. We saw so many familiar faces.

In case you weren't able to make it to the event, Brick & Ivy is here to partner with you in the following ways:

• Adoption support to help you research and select best-fit content for your courses

• Training on our Faculty Adoption Support Tool

• Host book signing events

• Assist with departmental shopping needs

• Host fundraisers

• Meet all your official Miami gear needs, including an expanded professional wear collection

You may reach us via email at MiamiOH@ecampus.com for any questions you may have.

Reduced Winter Break Hours

Brick & Ivy will reopen from winter break on Monday, January 9 with reduced hours until the spring 2023 semester start.

We will be open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed on Saturday and Sunday. Normal business hours will resume on Monday, January 23, 2023.

THANK YOU, MIAMI FACULTY AND STAFF!

Thank you to the entire PFD team for keeping our campus safe and beautiful. We appreciate everything you do!

Above, left then right: Lloyd Cameron, Shawn “Michael” Wayman, Dan Smith

Christian Wallace

Miami Dining celebrated all the team's hard work this semester with a fun holiday party! Team members brought their family and had a great time chatting and eating great food with their teammates.

Ben Taylor

Treasury Services

Thank you Ben for always being available to help with troubleshooting so many areas at a moment's notice. I have learned and continue to learn a lot from you! - Judy Vest

Diana Byrd Markets

In 2022, Diana Byrd celebrates 40 years of working at Miami Dining! Diana has become a staple to the program and the Miami community through providing excellent customer service to customers throughout the years. Thank you Diana! - Christian Wallace

Craig Martin

Human

Resources

I'd like to welcome Craig Martin to the Employee and Labor Relations team. Craig has been an invaluable asset to our unit, taking on new responsibilities with enthusiasm and a great desire not only to learn, but to contribute with meaningful ideas. Thank you! - Lauran Franklin

Entire Martin Dining Commons Team

Dining has started a friendly competition between the locations with our customer feedback surveys (YourDiningVoice.com) and Martin Commons received the highest score for the month of October! Congrats to the team at Martin! - Christian Wallace

Angeline Poling IT

A huge thank you to Angeline Poling for her tremendous work on getting the Miami Digital ID project off the ground and to completion! You devoted much time and effort with collaboration across numerous offices and departments to get this new service implemented and in full use. - Sarah Persinger

Do you want to shoutout someone in the next Cornerstone? Click Here.

Amy Poppel

The Marcum Hotel and Conference Center

Amy is extremely dedicated to The Marcum, its employees and especially the guests who enjoy our hotel. I'm extremely grateful for the years of Love and Honor she's given Miami. - Paula Green

Barry Krauth and Tim Mull PFD

Thank you to Barry and Tim who also take great care of our department vehicles. - Bridget Maney

Kara Knight PFD

Kara Knight designed and planted this, representing the Myaamia tribe logo. - Brandon Pitman

Steven Feck and Julie Schlicter PFD

Thanks to both Steve Feck and Julie Schlicter for the guiding hand in the hiring process. Their patience and thoroughness is a great asset to PFD. - Paula Green

Entire Maplestreet Dining Commons Team

Miami Dining

Sincere THANK YOU to the Maple Dining Team for all of the teamwork this semester! You are all greatly appreciated for all the hard work and dedication that you all provide each and every day! - Amy Allen

Caitlyn Brock

Garden Dining Commons

Goes above and beyond for her staff and customers. - Priscilla Whiston

Entire Withrow Starbucks Team Miami Dining

Withrow Starbucks was the Customer Service Team of November! They will hold the trophy until February 1st, so please stop by in the spring semester to give them a congrats! - Christian Wallace

Cathy Schuck PFD

As an approver in Buyway for Campus Services, I'm amazed at the quantity of invoices Cathy processes. She's always helpful when I inquire about invoices and payments. Thank you! - Sherri Bowling

SPRING CORNERSTONE SUBMISSION FORM, IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER

>> Formstack Submission Form Use this link to submit your stories, ideas, and shoutouts to share.

>> Next Cornerstone: April 17 Content for the spring edition is due by March 17. We will send reminders before this date, but please feel free to send along information through the form at any time.