July News from VP Curtis Reynolds

Message from Vice President, Curtis A. Reynolds

As we welcome the summer months, I want to remind everyone that we are now in hurricane season. Please prepare by making a kit, having a plan, and staying informed.

Offices across Business Affairs have been busy all year and the summer is no different. I would like to thank you for your continued hard work and dedication to the university.

As we continue beautifying campus through many areas such as landscaping, renovations and construction, we are the center of many campus projects. I would like to share some before and after photos of some of the newly opened gateways to campus. Seeing the before and after images truly is remarkable and a testament to the great work of our teams at Business Affairs. These projects take collaboration, attention to detail and organization. The story and images can be found within the newsletter.

I also understand that these projects, while under construction, may make navigation around campus more difficult. We have soft-launched a new website called Campus Closures, which will show the timeline of the closures on campus. It will also mention if a parking area, sidewalk, building entrance, ADA access or road is closed and an alternative route/entrance.

Visit campusclosures.ufl.edu to view the site. We hope this site becomes a valuable resource to you as we continue to enhance campus through different projects.

I wish everyone a joyful and safe summer!

Thank you for reading and staying up to date across Business Affairs.

Go Gators,

Curtis A. Reynolds

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Visit Emergency Management's hurricane tracking resources. Click the image to view the site.

Captain Sasser: UFPD’s Wonder Woman

Captain Sasser of the University of Florida Police Department likes to stay organized. “I am always making to-do lists and marking things down in my very detailed calendar,” she declared. Once you realize how many hobbies she balances along with work, you’ll understand why she likes to stay on top of things.

Captain Sasser has been teaching barre since 2016. She is also an avid reader and book club member. She is a member of the Board of Directors for the Gainesville Commission on the Status of Women (GCOSW). She loves traveling and animals and has “a dog, two rabbits, and three cats.”

Her proudest achievement was recently graduating with her master’s degree with high distinction in public administration with a focus on law and legal policy.

She said that after about fifteen years of being out of school, it was difficult to dedicate all her free time to studying, especially since she also worked full-time at the UFPD. But, she stated, “I’m very proud of myself for sticking with it and making the sacrifices needed to do well and see it through.”

Between balancing work, school, and the barre studio, Captain Sasser says she has been “lucky to have a lot of support.” She explained that her husband and her colleagues have all been very understanding of her busy lifestyle.

Captain Sasser met her husband while working with the UFPD. “He was actually one of my field training officers when I first met him,” she explained. “We worked together for about three and a half years before we started dating.”

Since they came from a similar work environment, Captain Sasser says that her husband has greatly supported her. “It is nice to have someone who understands the kind of work I’m doing and the demand it has. It’s nice that he can be that listening ear for me.”

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The Office of Small Business and Supplier Diversity (SBSD) at UF actively helps small businesses no matter what stage the business may be in. From the Mentor Protegee Program to the Emerging Small Business Program, there are numerous opportunities available for small and diverse businesses and their owners to participate in at UF.

Joe Burns and David Delancy are two business owners who have participated in SBSD programs in the past. According to both, the department has had a positive impact on their respective companies.

David Delancy is the President and CEO of One Day Came Inc. He discovered the SBSD through their Mentor Protegee program in 2017. Mr. Delancy states that he keeps returning to the program because of the “opportunities to become a partner with the University and grow my company. Also, I could one day become a mentor to other up and coming small businesses.”

Similarly, Joe Burns also participated in the Mentor Protégé Program with his company BBI Construction Management Inc. This was around 2009, when the program was a part of Planning Design and Construction. However, Joe Burns returned to the program ten years later, in 2019, to participate with the SBSD.

Mr. Burns has participated in a variety of SBSD programs. He and his company have been active in the Mentor Protégé Program, Small Business Fair, and various seminars and workshops. He says that he continues to return due to the “exposure, networking, education, and monthly Eye Opener Speaker Breakfasts.”

Helping small businesses grow and develop relationships within the University of Florida is what the SBSD is here for.

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Facilities Services has introduced electric bikes to their staff through a partnership with REI. The electric bikes are also known as e-bikes. These bikes will be used for getting to different sites across campus easily and quickly. E-bikes differ from standard bicycles as the pedal assist is a model on the e-bikes that provide power from the motor to help the rider pedal easier and move quicker, shared Chuck Kammin, Director of Utilities at Facilities Services. He also mentioned that Matt Griffis’ team will be using the e-bikes for getting to meter reading, utility, and project locations.

“With more pedestrian only locations popping up on campus, having these increase the ability of our staff to get to different on-campus locations without a vehicle while being mindful of the sustainability efforts of these bikes,” said Kammin.

Each bike is powered by a lithium ion battery pack and have electric motors that are connected to the chain drive at the pedal points. Using these bikes will reduce carbon fuel consumption, extend current product lifecycle, and increase efficiency. This is a pilot program, and they hope to see it expand.

Unmasking the Gators: Iceland, Kayaks, and Adventures

Mairead Baker, Jordan Benton, Cami Stincer and Jeff Cutaio of Business Affairs are world travelers. When they venture out of the states, they enjoy exploring a variety of foods, landscapes, and cultures. While they all share a love for exploration, they each have a unique approach to travel.

Jeff Cutaio, Application Developer Analyst for Business Affairs, recently ventured to Iceland! He has also travelled to the Bahamas, Mexico, and Australia. With such an extensive list of destinations, one might assume that Jeff’s favorite place would be somewhere abroad. However, Jeff says his favorite place to visit is right here in the states.

“Chicago was the very first place I ever travelled to as a kid, so it gets full credit for sparking my love for travel. My favorite Chicago destination is still the Navy Pier because I was obsessed with the Ferris Wheel when I was little,” writes Jeff Cutaio.

Jeff’s favorite part of travel is the cuisine. He says that “anything you ever eat in Chicago is wonderful because it’s just so diverse. But my slightly embarrassing favorite Chicago cuisine is actually a slice of Cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory (again, because childhood memories are super powerful).”

While travelling outside of the states, Jeff explained that the best food he had was in Australia. “Everything there is giant, and the food was no exception. The first thing I had as soon as I got off the plane was this humongous cheeseburger, and it’s by far the best burger I’ve ever had.”

Australia is the next travel destination for another Gator world traveler. Cami Stincer, Assistant Director for Athletics at the O'Connell Center, says she wants to go to the southern hemisphere for her next trip.

“I am trying to determine where I should go first. Right now, I am leaning towards Tasmania, Australia. I’d love to hike throughout the island, kayak along the coast, and hopefully see the wildlife unique to Tasmania,” Cami Stincer writes.

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UF’s Gateway Project Makeover

The University of Florida unveils the latest updates to Newell Gateway, at the intersection of Newell Road and University Ave, and Northeast Gateway, at the intersection of 13th street and NW 2nd. Updates were also made to the Ballpark Way entrance, a major vehicular gateway at the intersection of Archer and Ballpark Way.

According to Cydney McGlothin, University Architect at Planning Design and Construction (PDC), Newell Gateway and Northeast Gateway were identified as priority projects within UF’s Landscape Master Plan (LPM). The updates “enhance UF’s connection to the Gainesville community,” according to Cydney McGlothin.

The updates on Newell Gateway improve pedestrian safety. New gateway entrance markers can also be seen at the new and improved gateway.

Similarly, Northeast Gateway’s updates improve pedestrian safety by transforming Union Road into a pedestrian only route. There is also a new bus and drop off circle, and an enhanced landscape in front of Tigert.

Linda Dixon, Planning Director of the PDC, states that Newell Gateway was a highly prioritized project. “The gateway connects to a new traffic signal project that the Florida Dept. of Transportation had been developing adjacent to that location for several years,” writes Linda Dixon.

There are many differences in the before/after appearance of each gateway. Cydney McGlothin states that Newell Gateway is now a “much more pedestrian friendly and welcoming entrance from University Avenue.” She also says that the Northeast Gateway is “much more welcoming, provides a place to pick up/drop off, and the landscape in front of Tigert is beautiful.”

Linda Dixon states that a significant difference that she notices is the brick wall gateway features, since it ties in the design with other UF architecture, such as the Ballpark Way gateway. She says the new gateways are better in terms of “branding and recognition.”

These gateways are often the first pieces of UF architecture that new students encounter. They welcome others into the Greater Gator Community. Now, after their makeovers, these entrances will be reflective of the university’s efforts to promote safety and connectivity. They are now more visually pleasing and practical for everyday use.