Category: Employee News

OLLU Employee Summer Volunteer Day: A Garden Dedicted To St. Francis!

This Friday, August 7th, the OLLU Center for Service-Learning and Volunteerism and the Biology and Environmental Science and Sustainability Programs are partnering with the San Antonio River Authority to start a native pollinator garden on our campus.  This new garden will be dedicated to St Francis of Assisi, for whom we are celebrating a Jubilee Year in 2026, and will be located on OLLU land behind our softball fields and alongside Elmendorf Lake Park.  Last semester, we partnered with the Bexar County Audubon Society to build Bexar county’s first chimney swift tower on this area, this structure provides important shelter for locally threatened birds.

This week we are going to begin preparing the lot for future planting in October and we need your help!  We will be “solarizing” the ground which means laying down cardboard and covering with mulch to allow the August sun to kill the undesirable plants underneath.  This will allow us to start fresh with selected native flowers and shrubs.  After lunch, come on out and join us – you should be prepared for the sun and to work with your hands, but we will provide gloves, sunscreen, tools, and plenty of ice cold water!  If you have an OLLU t-shirt please wear it.  Feel free to bring your family or friends, all are welcome!  You can park by the softball fields or on Cesar Chavez Blvd near the Worden Building or walk over.

If you have any questions or concerns please reach out to Jesse at joharasta@ollusa.edu or at (210) 431-3990.

Taking a Fresh Look at Campus-Wide Email Communications

If it seems like your inbox has been filling up with more campus-wide emails lately, you’re not alone. That’s one of the reasons Our Lady of the Lake University is taking a fresh look at who can send broadcast emails to the entire campus community.

Right now, 56 individuals and offices are authorized to send messages to all faculty and staff. As part of this review, the university will be updating that list to reflect current roles and organizational changes. In some cases, authorized senders are no longer with the university or represent offices that no longer exist.

The goal isn’t simply to reduce the number of emails—it’s to make campus-wide communication more meaningful. By ensuring that broadcast emails are reserved for information that truly affects the entire university community, important announcements will be easier to recognize and less likely to get lost in a crowded inbox. At the same time, more targeted messages can continue to reach the people who need them most.

This review will also help establish thoughtful guidelines and consistent practices for campus-wide communications moving forward, making it easier for everyone to know when a message is intended for the entire OLLU community.

As this work continues, we’ll keep the campus informed about what’s being considered and invite feedback along the way. Your input will help shape a communication process that better serves everyone across the university.

OLLU Launches “State of the University” at 2026 Convocation: Recognize Excellence in Service

Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) will introduce a new tradition during its 2026 Convocation with the inaugural State of the University, a mandatory quarterly gathering designed to strengthen communication, transparency, and collaboration among faculty and staff.

Held four times each year — August, November, February and May — the State of the University will provide employees with regular updates on the university’s strategic priorities, institutional direction, key initiatives, and administrative policies. Cabinet members will deliver brief reports on their quarterly goals and accomplishments, offering faculty and staff a clear understanding of the university’s progress and priorities.

In addition to administrative updates, each quarterly gathering will recognize university accomplishments and milestones. This year’s Convocation will also mark the debut of the Customer Service Excellence Award, a new recognition honoring staff members that create a welcoming, respectful, and caring environment for students, colleagues, visitors, and the university community.

Every member of the OLLU community will have the opportunity to nominate a deserving colleague. Nominations must include specific examples describing when and how the employee demonstrated exceptional customer service, the actions they took, and the positive impact those actions had on students, coworkers, visitors, or other members of the university community. The deadline for submitting nominations is Tuesday, August 4, 2026, by 5pm.

Nominees should consistently demonstrate one or more of the following qualities:

  • Exceptional service to students through compassion, responsiveness, patience, and professionalism.
  • Kindness, courtesy, and respect toward students, colleagues, visitors, and community members.
  • Pride in maintaining a clean, safe, attractive, and welcoming campus environment.
  • Collaboration across departments to ensure seamless service and successful outcomes.
  • Responsiveness, reliability, and clear, professional communication.
    Initiative and problem-solving by removing barriers and taking ownership of challenges.
  • Professionalism, integrity, accountability, confidentiality, and ethical conduct.
  • A positive, solution-oriented attitude, even during difficult situations.
  • A commitment to continuous improvement and service excellence.
  • A daily embodiment of OLLU’s mission and values through hospitality, service, community, compassion, respect, integrity, trust, and the spirit of Providence.

Celebrating Community

While the State of the University will focus on institutional updates and employee recognition, it will also celebrate the university community through interactive games, prizes, and giveaways.Lunch will be provided.

Submit a nomination by August 4th by 5pm below.
(If your nominee was not selected, please know that their contributions are valued and they may be considered during a future nomination period.)

Submit nominations here

Faculty Publish Research Advancing Science Communication and Student Learning

Faculty from Our Lady of the Lake University, The University of Texas at San Antonio, and St. Mary’s University have published a new peer-reviewed article in the inaugural issue of Literate Activity: Perspectives on Textual Practices in the World that explores how interdisciplinary teaching can strengthen science education and prepare students for today’s workforce.

The article, “Composing Science: Everyday Genres and the Power of Literate Activity,” highlights an innovative assignment developed in BIOL1410: Environmental Science & Sustainability II, a lower-division general education course at OLLU. The project brought together expertise from Environmental Science and English faculty to help students translate complex scientific concepts into engaging, public-facing formats like short-form animations, infographics, videos, games, and social media content.

In an era when misinformation is widespread and scientific issues such as climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and public health affect communities every day, scientists must do more than conduct research; they must also communicate their work in ways that are accurate, accessible, and meaningful to the public. This project demonstrates that science communication is not a “soft skill,” but an essential component of scientific literacy and professional preparation.

The publication also reflects the interdisciplinary philosophy of OLLU’s Environmental Science & Sustainability program, where students combine scientific knowledge with communication, creativity, critical thinking, and community engagement to solve real-world environmental challenges. By designing authentic assignments with audiences beyond the classroom, students gain practical experience developing the skills increasingly sought by employers and graduate programs.

The article features numerous examples of student-created projects developed in the course. Additional examples of student work can be viewed on the Department of Mathematics and Science YouTube channel (@OLLUDeptMathSci), on Dr. Briana Hauff Salas’s Instagram page (@brianasalasphd), or are available upon request. The full article is available open access here:https://wacclearinghouse.org/docs/literate-activity/v1n1/hum-crosswhite-salas.pdf

hum_crosswhite_salas_2026Download

Campus Q – An Appreciation Event June 30th

HAPPENING TODAY!!

The President’s Cabinet invites all faculty and staff to join us for Campus-Q, a special Bar-B-Q celebrating another successful academic year and recognizing the dedication, service, and contributions of our employees.

Date: Tuesday, June 30
Time: 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Location: Mall Area

This gathering is an opportunity to celebrate another successful academic year, connect with colleagues, and recognize the impact of our collective work in support of OLLU’s mission and students. As a special thank you, members of the President’s Cabinet will be serving lunch.

Wear your favorite OLLU swag and show your Saints spirit as we enjoy great food, lawn games, fellowship, and a few fun surprises along the way.

Departments may determine their own office coverage and out-of-office arrangements during the event to support participation while maintaining essential services. We hope you will participate and enjoy this exciting event.

Please RSVP using the link below so we can plan accordingly.

Thank you for all you do to make OLLU a place of transformation, opportunity, and service. We look forward to celebrating with you!

CPS Energy Demand Response Notice: Energy-Saving Actions Needed Across Campus

OLLU is currently under a Demand Response request from CPS Energy. Please walk through your areas and ensure lights are off in unoccupied spaces, window air conditioners are set 4 degrees higher or turned to LOW/off in empty rooms, and all space heaters, coffee pots, and other unused appliances are turned off or unplugged. Response leads should complete their assigned actions immediately.

Thank you for your commitment to OLLU’s energy efficiency efforts.

Annual Performance Evaluations Now Open for OLLU Staff

The 2025–2026 Staff Annual Performance Evaluation period is now open from May 18, 2026, through June 12, 2026, and we ask that all evaluations be completed on or before Friday, June 12, 2026, through Teamflect in Microsoft Teams. This review period covers the current academic year, June 1, 2025 through May 31, 2026, and provides an important opportunity to reflect on accomplishments, recognize contributions, and support continued growth across our campus community.

Please note that annual evaluations are not required for employees hired within six months before May 31, 2026, as those employees will have already received a 90-day evaluation. For guidance on completing the Staff Performance Evaluation, please refer to the instructions available on the HR SharePoint site. We are grateful for your support and for the time and care you dedicate to this important process, and we encourage you to complete your evaluations promptly to ensure they are submitted on time.

Adelante 2026 Begins May 20: Learn, Connect, and Grow Together

Dear OLLU Community,

The Adelante Professional Development Conference is set to begin May 20–21, bringing together our community for two days of learning, connection, and growth.

Hosted by Staff Assembly with support from the President’s Cabinet, this year’s conference features dynamic speakers from across the OLLU community, along with a special guest speaker who will lead an engaging keynote and masterclass on Emotional Intelligence.

Participants can look forward to a wide range of sessions, including topics such as data-driven decision making, workflow automation, well-being, cybersecurity, and more. The conference will also include a leadership panel and conclude with a wine and cheese reception.

📅 Wednesday, May 20 & Thursday, May 21, 2026
📍 San Antonio Campus (with hybrid options for Houston and RGV)
Adelante SharePoint Site- most up to date information

Employees are encouraged to attend in person for meaningful engagement, with hybrid access available for all sessions.

We look forward to learning and growing together—Adelante!

OLLU Helps Lead the Way in Inaugural Network Improvement Community

Our Lady of the Lake University is proud to announce its participation in the very first cohort of the Network Improvement Community (NIC). On April 27–28, five OLLU representatives traveled to Austin to join peer institutions in a collaborative effort to shape the future of Texas higher education.
   
Working alongside leaders from UTSA, St. Edward’s, St. Mary’s, TAMIU, TAMUCC, and TAMUK, the OLLU team engaged in data-driven strategy sessions aimed at fostering more inclusive and effective learning environments. This initiative is supported by the Hector and Gloria López Foundation in partnership with the Texas Higher Education Foundation.
   

Our OLLU Representatives:
   
   Dr. Beatriz Barkholtz, López Scholars Director
   
   Gianno Gomez, Data Visualization and Research Analyst
   
   Newman Wong, Director of Institutional Research & Analytics
   
   Sabrina Zertuche, Retention Specialist
   
   Dr. Stacy Ybarra Evans, Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence
   
By joining this inaugural cohort, OLLU reinforces our mission to provide an education built on faith and wisdom, ensuring our graduates are prepared to lead and transform their communities.