P&T InMotion (July 2023)

MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR

BY JOSH STONE, CAPP

Happy summer, everyone! I hope you're having a wonderful summer, making the most of quality time with loved ones and exploring the beauty of Virginia and its surroundings As for P&T, we've been keeping ourselves occupied since our last newsletter in April However, with the students on summer break and fewer events at the Altria Theatre, things have eased up a bit

First up is the response from IPMI on our accreditation submission. My last letter stated that we felt we met all required criteria and over 90% of the remaining criteria. You heard from me in April announcing that IPMI agreed and we are officially an accredited parking organization with distinctionputting VCU in the top 10% of parking organizations in the country Our accreditation is good through 2026 when we will need to recertify This is a wonderful accomplishment and one we should all be proud of

We have been actively engaged in construction at both the Henry St Decks and the Laurel St Deck This construction was prompted by our 2018 deck assessments, which revealed the need for necessary work on the last three decks In total, we invested approximately $2 million in these three decks to address issues such as crack repair and concrete spalling, among other improvements As of this writing, the Laurel St Deck has already reopened, as has one Henry St Deck The other is expected to be open by August 1

Our progress with LED lighting and camera installations in our decks is going well Both projects are on track, and we expect to complete them in late fall or early spring However, the license plate recognition implementation has faced some challenges, causing us to miss the initial August 1 deadline I set We encountered IT-related issues, but we are actively working to resolve them We have informed the campus community that our new go-live date for the license plate recognition system is now January 8, 2024 In the meantime, we will continue to use hangtags for one more semester We are considering a soft launch in the fall, and I will provide further details during our upcoming all-staff meeting.

During the spring semester, we conducted our internal audit, participating in several meetings and providing various details to the auditor. The good news is that the findings were not unexpected, and this audit went much better than the one in 2017/2018. The main issue identified was non-compliance with the "Virginia Debt Collection Act " which obliges us to make an effort to collect citation debt While I wasn't aware of this act's requirement, we had already planned to address it this year Our next step is to work on developing a collections policy throughout the early fall, with the goal of implementing it within a year

We continue to strive to have a full staff heading into the fall semester We are in the recruitment or hiring process for an ESO Supervisor, two full-time ESOs, two part-time ESOs, and a Special Event Supervisor We hope to have several of these filled by the start of the fall semester

Our next all-staff meeting will take place on August 8 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the Grace & Broad Residence Center in the Innovation Center. We’ve been in this room before We will have food and beverages available for this required staff meeting I look forward to seeing you all then!

Remember, my door is always open should you need anything

VCU PARKING & TRANSPORTATION: ACCREDITED WITH DISTINCTION!

After months of dedicated effort, VCU Parking and Transportation has achieved the prestigious status of an Accredited Parking Organization (APO) Even more remarkably, we have been awarded Accredited with Distinction by the International Parking and Mobility Institute (IPMI), placing us among the top 10% of parking organizations in the country, surpassing the 80% threshold required for accreditation.

Not only that, but we are proud to share that our facilities, including West Broad St Deck, West Main St Deck, and Eighth St Deck, have been recognized with Premier Facility status This accolade reaffirms our commitment to excellence and industry best practices.

Our distinction as the sole university in Virginia to achieve APO status and the only entity with accreditation with distinction in the state is a testament to our unwavering dedication to continuous evaluation and improvement and the hard work and dedication of such a talented team here at VCU

This achievement was announced during the Awards & Recognition General Session at the 2023 IPMI Parking & Mobility Conference & Expo held in Fort Worth, Texas

Learn more about this remarkable accomplishment in the VCU News article at news.vcu.edu/article/2023/06/vcu-is-the-firstuniversity-in-the-state-to-achieve-institutesaccredited-parking

BREAKING BAD NEWS AT IPMI

Jonsette Calloway-Martin, Communications Manager, recently delivered an insightful session at the IPMI Conference in Fort Worth, TX. The session, titled "Straight Talk: Breaking 'bad' news to paying customers," focused on equipping attendees with essential tools and strategies to enhance customer communication for organizational success

During her presentation, Jonsette delved into the importance of transparent and responsive communication with customers She provided practical approaches to effectively engage with customers, promoting buy-in and building trust. Additionally, she emphasized the significance of integrated communication methods to improve the organizational reputation

The audience at the IPMI Conference gained valuable insights, leaving with actionable knowledge and practical tools to elevate their own customer communication practices, especially when breaking bad news.

CONSTRUCTION UPDATES AT LAUREL AND HENRY ST. DECKS

Recently, the Laurel St and Henry St decks underwent scheduled closures for an extended period to facilitate essential maintenance work revealed from 2018 deck assessments. The maintenance work included a series of crucial tasks aimed at ensuring the safety and efficiency of these parking facilities. Among the activities carried out were various concrete repairs, joint replacements, sealant replacements at multiple locations, and the painting of bollards

Our primary focus is to provide an exceptional parking experience, and these upgrades play a key role in achieving that goal. By enhancing the structural integrity and aesthetics of the decks, we are committed to offering our customers safe and well-maintained parking facilities now and into the future

A SEASON OF SUCCESS: HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATIONS AND EMPLOYEE LUNCHEON

This May and June, thousands of graduates and their families had the opportunity to experience VCU during high school graduations Thank you to all the dedicated team members who contributed to the seamless implementation of these events Your hard work was noticed and truly made a difference, from meticulous planning and coordination to ensuring a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The smiles and joy on the faces of our graduates and their families are a testament to the positive impact of your efforts.

We also extend our gratitude to Mia Williams, Assistant Director of Accounts Management, for coordinating the employee luncheon and those who assisted The event was held to honor and appreciate all staff members who diligently worked during this period. Mia's efforts in organizing the luncheon were instrumental in making it a memorable and enjoyable occasion for everyone. Special thanks to Mia and team for her dedication and commitment to ensuring our staff feels valued and recognized for their hard work

LPR UPDATE: NEW LAUNCH TIMELINE

Due to unforeseen supply chain challenges and integration hurdles with our VCU infrastructure, the LPR system's deployment will experience a slight delay.

Our top priority remains to ensure a smooth and reliable LPR experience for everyone This brief setback is essential for us to address these challenges head-on Special thanks to all who have been diligently working to resolve every issue and finalize the integration process, all to provide a seamless transition for our customers.

However, we'll have a smooth ride back on track! The installation and integration are now projected for mid to late August, followed by system configuration As part of our revised plan, we'll be gradually activating the system during the fall semester, offering customers the choice between utilizing the LPR system or RFID hangtag alternative Our ultimate destination will be a full transition to LPR by January 8, 2024.

LED LIGHTING UPGRADE AT EIGHTH ST. DECK

This past May, we officially transformed the Eighth St. Deck with the installation of state-of-the-art LED lighting. This upgrade marks a significant milestone in our ongoing commitment to elevate sustainability, safety, and efficiency within our parking facilities

The decision to upgrade to LED lighting goes beyond just brightening up spaces. LED lights are renowned for their energy efficiency, consuming significantly less power while providing superior illumination. Beyond the environmental benefits, the LED lighting installation is set to enhance safety and security for all parkers

We look forward to retrofitting all of our parking facilities with new lighting in the coming year.

EV CHARGING FEE UPDATE

As of July 1, 2023, a usage fee was implemented for utilizing the Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations in VCU parking facilities This fee structure, as previously communicated, aims to expand access to EV charging while supporting the surging demand for EV charging infrastructure across VCU's campuses.

Users are charged $1 per hour of usage in addition to $0 10 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) consumed during the charging process Furthermore, to encourage the availability of charging stations, an idle fee of $2 per hour has been applied for each idle hour after a vehicle reaches full charge.

A MOBILE HEALTH JOURNEY: VCU FLEET PARTNERS WITH MASSEY

In a significant milestone for Massey Cancer Center, VCU Fleet Management has officially taken on the acquisition of their new mobile health clinics This collaboration marks the culmination of years of hard work, providing invaluable tools for Massey's Outreach and Education team to serve rural communities in cancer assessment, education, and access to vital resources.

With this new partnership, VCU Fleet Management will manage the maintenance, facilitate setup, and coordinate all arrangements for these state-of-the-art mobile health clinics. The smooth operation of these vehicles is crucial to ensuring they can effectively reach and serve communities in need.

Jesse MacLelland was able to travel to Ohio to oversee the final construction

In the photos below, you can see the faces of those who will be working tirelessly in these clinics to make a difference in the lives of countless individuals

With VCU Fleet Management's support, Massey's Outreach and Education team is now better equipped to bring cancer assessment, education, and resources directly to the communities they serve

WE'RE OUT AND ABOUT ON CAMPUS!

HR BENEFITS & WELLNESS FAIR AND VCU PREVIEW DAYS

MOTHER'S DAY & FATHER'S DAY LUNCHEONS, HOSTED BY MIA WILLIAMS

NEWS YOU CAN USE

Excess Leave Carry Forward

Any excess leave carried forward as a result of the pandemic (up to 160 hours were possible for University employees) will expire on January 10, 2024

VCU Staff Survey

VCU HR conducts an annual survey to hear employees' feedback and ensure our programs and services remain responsive to staff needs and priorities. Survey responses are anonymous If you have not already done so, please take this 5-minute survey to share your feedback The survey is open through August 4

Career Development

If you have not already done so, please complete your Career Pathing training modules in Talent by August 31 (This is an extension of the original deadline ) Additionally, you should have a career development plan in place

To get started on your career development plan (if you have not yet created one), review the career path framework associated with your assigned university job and level. (You can find your assigned university job title in the "My Profile" tab in Talent@VCU.) The framework provides suggestions for learning and development activities you may want to include in your plan Your plan should serve as an outline of your specific desires for growth and development for the year More information about career pathing can be found here.

Community Service Leave

University and classified employees and 12-month faculty (with or without children) are provided with paid Community Service Leave (up to 16 hours) each calendar year to meet with public or private school officials about their children, attend school functions in which their children are participating, perform school-approved volunteer work in a public school, or to participate in volunteer community service organizations.

In addition to the 16 hours of paid community service leave, University employees are further granted an additional 16 hours of paid time off to engage in volunteer service activities sponsored through VCU or VCU Health either individually or as part of a group Now is a great time to plan your community service activities!

Work, Life, & Well-being Programs

You can find information about wellness resources, as well as a list of new well-being programs scheduled for the month of August here Or, check out the RamStrong On Demand Sessions

ALL-STAFF ALL-STAFF

MEETING MEETING

TUESDAY,AUG.8

1P.M.TO3P.M.

(FOOD/BEVERAGESWILLBE SERVED)

1000 W. Grace Street, 1112A/B LEAD Lecture

1000 W. Grace Street, 1112A/B LEAD Lecture

Room Room