CAMPUS SERVICES BY THE NUMBERS

Campus Recreation

MainStreet

WHAT’S NEW IN CAMPUS SERVICES

Inaugural National Student Day A Success

On Thursday, October 6, Campus Services celebrated UC students’ service and volunteer accomplishments and social responsibility by participating in the 1st National Student Day, which was sponsored by the National Association of College Stores (NACS), the national association for college bookstores. The theme was Study, Serve, Celebrate and 561 colleges and universities participated nationwide. Major campus partners included Student Activities & Leadership Development (SALD), Student Government, the Center for Community Engagement, and UC Sustainability.

The day included giveaways including free coffee with a reusable cup, food samplings, NSD t-shirts, and NSD logo cookies, live music, a 15% UC Bookstore discount, as well as the opportunity for students to learn more about service and volunteer opportunities. Major results included:

• Increased traffic in TUC and the UC Bookstore;
• 100 students signed up to volunteer with UC’s Center for Community Engagement which coordinates volunteer opportunities for students at UC and beyond;
• 1,000 NSD t-shirts given out at the Bookstore;
• 1,000 water bottles given out at the CRC;
• 1,000 NSD logo cookies distributed; and
• 500 students attended a free movie at the MainStreet Cinema and live music performances on Bearcat Plaza and in Catskeller.
• an email from the student body president to all UC students outlining the day’s activities and the national competition for scholarships and prizes;
• partnership with key stakeholders on campus to get the word out virally to constituents;
• free-standing NSD banners in strategic campus locations with a QR code and web address to the event schedule;
• distribution of NSD logo cookies with event schedule to students as they entered the parking garages the morning of the event;
• live “mannequins” outside the UC Bookstore entrance modeling UC apparel available at a 15% discount;
• buttons worn by all professional and student auxiliaries staff advertising the event; and
• utilization of Facebook and Twitter.

In addition to the on-campus celebration, UC students had the opportunity to submit their volunteer experiences and participate in a national competition for scholarships and prizes. A total of 275 students submitted their entries and UC students submitted 19 entries – more than any other institution.

Three UC students, including Campus Recreation Center student employee Erica Broadway, finished in the top 10. On November 3, these students were recognized for their efforts and presented with iPads, courtesy of NACS, by President Williams and Steve Sayers, Sr. Associate Vice-President of Campus Services, who is also a trustee on the NACS Board of Trustees.

UC’s National Student Day success was featured as one of the participant schools in the NACS electronic newsletter and the News Record printed two articles about the event. Amy Browns Taylor, Campus Services director of marketing, will serve on a NSD panel at NAC’s Campus Market Expo CAMEX in Salt Lake City in March. In addition, the National Association of College Auxiliary Services (NACAS) will feature UC’s NSD in the spring edition of their publication.

Dining Services Brings Local Food from Findlay Market to UC Students
UC Dining Services and Ohio’s oldest municipal market house, Findlay Market, collaborated on Nov. 30 to prepare distinctive menus with locally-sourced food for UC students at a special dinner called Harvest Market @ MarketPointe. The goals of Harvest Market @ MarketPointe were to provide an exceptional culinary experience, support local farmers and businesses, introduce UC students to the historic market in their neighborhood, and to increase participation in sustainable practices. Compostable scrap waste, 210 pounds in total, was sorted by UC Sustainability volunteers and returned to Findlay Market’s composting system.

The event resulted in a 30% increase in participation as compared to a typical Wednesday evening at the MarketPointe dining center. Students enjoyed delectable food sourced from 11 Findlay merchants. Menu highlights included:

• Kung Pao Pork Stir Fry & Steamed Rice
• Grilled Italian Sausage & Roasted Pepper Panini
• Espresso Rubbed BBQ Beef Top Round with Creamy Cole Slaw
• Greek Orzo, Feta, & Olive Salad
• Cincinnati Style Chili
• Findlay Market Vegetable Soup
• Tuscan Chianti Cacciatore with Toasted Garlic Bread
• Spanish Paella with Fresh Market Seafood
• Adobo Pork Loin Ciabatta with Chipotle Aioli
• Apple Cider

Twenty UC students and staff participated in this outing to Findlay Market on Nov. 5. Rebecca Heine, Findlay Market’s Outdoor & Farmers Market Manager and a UC alumna, gave a historical and current overview of the facility and a tour of the market’s composting vessels (called “earth pots”) and urban garden. During this pre-shopping trip, students and Executive Chefs Kiril Gallovitch, Jonathan Hunt, and Cooper Thomas, met with Findlay merchants and farmers and began formulating the dinner including menus and how to return the event’s compostable waste back to Findlay’s in-vessel food waste composting system. Findlay Market is the only Class II composting facility in an urban area in the state. 

The chefs sourced the food for the event from the following vendors: Kroeger & Sons Meats, Mackie Quality Meats, Eckerlin Meats, Madison’s, Findlay Market Urban Farmers, LeGrand, Salatins, Gibbs Cheese, Silverglade’s, Colonel De Gourmet Herbs & Spice, and Skirtz & Johnston.

In addition to the special menu, MarketPointe was transformed into a Findlay Market-like atmosphere and included music by a regular Findlay musician, Darius, who has been playing the violin at Findlay since he was nine years old. Currently, he is in the 9th grade at the School for the Creative & Performing Arts. UC Dining Services and Findlay Market are continuing their partnership and will be doing future collaborative events.

Campus Recreation Center

Fall Programs Recap
Twenty three members of the Campus Recreation Center participated in the inaugural Fall Extreme Swim Challenge. CRC hosted 19 birthday parties this fall which brought 324 people into the facility.

CRC offers a variety of instructional programming in aquatics, climbing, fitness, martial arts, boxing and more in a program called iLearn. Revenue for iLearn programming is up 140% due to increased participation, diversity of offerings, and a new partnership with Children’s Hospital to offer classes to employees. Nine classes were offered in fall quarter and 15 are being offered this winter. 

CRC staff launched several new programs this fall including the first-ever fitness challenge called the Best of the CRC Fitness Challenge this fall in which 559 students participated. The 6-week program consisted of various challenges including flexibility, endurance, balance and strength. Other new programs/services included an 8-Week Nutrition Makeover which focused on weight-management and behavior changes and Hot Stone treatments during 60 and 90 minute massages for just a $5 additional fee.

Campus Recreation also purchased and installed the TRX S-frame on the fitness floor and also new ViPR training equipment. Programming around this very popular program began in the fall after staff received training.

Parking Services

Fall Brings a Rise in Parking Services
This fall, Parking continued to assist new and returning students purchase their permits with ease by providing easy-to-follow instructions for purchasing online. Additionally, the extension of online sales of parking permits for the convenience of students helped to reduce lines for purchasing at parking counters. The first three days this fall were glitch-free, and Parking Services facilitated free flowing traffic by adding traffic control over major intersections. Additional directional signs were added to help people get to their respective parking lots.

Parking Services saw a significant rise in the sale of student permits, selling 277 more permits than the previous quarter. The highest increase was seen in the CCM Garage (evening) (53.5%), Kingsgate Marriott (36.59%), Woodside (30.77%) and Stratford (30.59%) garages. 2,144 permits were sold for Campus Green Garage, the most of any garage. Stratford Garage saw a 71.83% increase in employee permits. Overall, more than 14,000 permits were sold.

Bearcat Card

Fall Recap
The 7th Annual Taste of Uptown even was very successful with more than 4,000 students in attendance and 31 merchants participating. Merchants gave away free food and prizes. The new students got a great opportunity to see what our Uptown community offers.   

The Bearcat Card has welcomed eight new merchants so far this year including Cliqq & Sip, Zoup, Bogarts, The 86 Club, Taco Bell, Papa Johns, Sprint, and Salon Envy.

Trademarks & Licensing

Sourcing Fair Labor Products
Did you know that part of managing UC’s licensing program involves managing how licensees source the products they manufacture? The University of Cincinnati, ascribes to a code of conduct that requires licensees to monitor the activities of the factories they source from to ensure they comply with fair labor standards within their respective countries. This is one of many components of our license agreements that we use to monitor the activity of licensees to ensure they produce quality products at fair and competitive wages.

University licensees, Knights Apparel and MoJo, place corporate responsibility as the cornerstone of their business. The Alta Gracia label, developed by Knights Apparel, is named after the factory they use in the Dominican Republic to produce the line. Knights Apparel has committed to pay the workers who produce the apparel more than three times the minimum wage for apparel workers in the Dominican Republic. This commitment has enabled their employees to provide adequate housing, food, health care, and educational opportunities for their families and help elevate them out of the poverty cycle. MoJo has a similar approach, but on the domestic side. MoJo is an abbreviation that stands for Moms and Jobs, and their mission is to create sustainable employment opportunities in the apparel manufacturing sector for mothers who are poverty-stricken. By providing higher than minimum wages and adequate daycare for their children, these employees are given a chance to start a career that can help them break the grip of poverty. 

You may see some of the products produced by these licensees worn by campus tour guides. This is a great way to increase the visibility of these products and promote that they are available in the UC Bookstores. This is also another example of how the university can provide benefit to others to help escape poverty through agreements with our licensees.

New Sponsorship Policy
In November, UC implemented the Use of University Trademarks for Sponsorships. Review the policy.

Conference & Event Services

Semester Conversion Summit Held
In November, the Semester Conversion Summit 2011 was held in TUC and was coordinated by CES. This one-day conference was a gathering of 17 public colleges and universities and three private colleges and universities in Ohio that are converting from quarters to semesters in 2012. More than 200 attendees gathered at UC for the day to attend sessions and network with colleagues who are facing the same challenges of the upcoming conversion.

February and March are a busy time for CES. Upcoming conferences include Update on Women’s Health at Kingsgate Marriott Conference Center, Michigan Association for Computer Learners in Learning (MACUL) in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and the Fourth BHD Symposium 2012 sponsored by the UC Cancer and Cell Biology department at Vontz and Kingsgate.

UC Bookstores

Fall Results Show Textbook Rental and Digital Book Increases
The UC Bookstores had a busy fall rush. Textbooks are still the mainstay of the business for the UC Bookstores, accounting for more than 55% of fall quarter sales.  Some highlights:

• The UC Bookstores rented almost 10,000 textbooks. This was approximately 3,000 more than last fall. Overall, there were 1,348 rentable titles or 42.1% of total titles available.
• Sales of CafeScribe digital textbooks, while still a small number, increased by nearly 400%, which demonstrates the increasing interest of our students in this format. CafeScribe digital books include the ability to highlight and take notes and are accessible from computers and mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets. If interested in a  CafeScribe book, visit www.cafescribe.com for a three-day free trial.
• Online textbook sales continue to grow. Online sales increased 21.5% for the fall quarter and accounted for 35% of total textbook sales.

Recap of Fall Events
The staff of the UC Bookstores and Campus Services hosted another successful annual Open House on December 2, with a 19.5% increase in sales over last year. A special event for faculty and staff, more than 500 people attended and donated 594 pounds of canned goods in exchange for the collector mug.  The canned goods were donated to the Freestore Foodbank, one of the region’s largest food banks, that donates 12 million pounds of food annually. The event featured music by a CCM jazz trio, refreshments, an extra 10% discount (25% total), and three author signings including New York Times bestselling author of Saving CeCe Honeycutt Beth Hoffman.

In October, the staff of the UC Bookstores launched the UC Book Club. The book club meets the last Tuesday of each month at 5 p.m. in the General Book Department area, Level 3, in TUC. The next month’s book is chosen by the attendees.  For further information, please contact Nicole Taylor at 556-1286.

CaféScribe Digital Textbooks
On Nov. 2, the staff of the UC Bookstores gave a presentation to faculty and staff on CaféScribe digital books in the MainStreet Cinema. The CafeScribe digital textbooks let students read, organize their studies, and work with others right within the textbook, while instructors can easily customize the textbooks to their specific classroom needs. Instructors can add notes, links, and insights directly within the text. Faculty and students can access CafeScribe textbooks online, offline or from most web-enabled devices (i.e., an iPad or smart phone).

Additionally, CafeScribe has its very own Blackboard Building Block available at no cost from Behind the Blackboard. This building block seamlessly integrates the text into the Blackboard Learn environment. Instructors can create direct links that launch the CafeScribe Reader. These links can be to specific chapters or pages, right down to specific paragraphs. A true value to students, the cost of CafeScribe digital textbooks are up to 40% - 60% less than the cost of a new textbook.

Housing

Bellevue Gardens Apartments
Numerous improvements have been implemented since Housing & Food Services assumed management of Bellevue Gardens Apartments in Jan. 2011. Improvements have included a complex-wide lock change, 24-hour maintenance services by UC Facilities, cleaning of the garages, and repainting and new carpet installed in the public areas. Moving forward, leasing will be 12-month, unit rental, sequenced in support of the new semester calendar.  While popular with graduate students, Bellevue Gardens Apartments are available to any UC student, faculty or staff.  Additionally, H&FS staff offer housing assistance to all entering grad students via a personalized welcome letter, which is sent to all graduate students upon admission to the university.  

Campus Housing 2012
January marks the kick-off of the annual Contract Renewal process for current residential students to self-assign for the upcoming school year. On Feb. 1, confirmed new students will begin applying for campus housing.  We are anticipating another “full house” for fall 2012. Morgens Hall, currently under renovation, is anticipated to be available for fall 2013, providing approximately 450 additional beds to the housing system.

• The UC Bookstores will host the annual Grad Fair for upcoming graduates on April 10 and 11 at the main store in TUC.

• The Campus Recreation Center will offer an American Red Cross Lifeguarding course in Winter Quarter. The course will certify participants in Lifeguarding and First Aid as well as CPR/AED use.  The course is open to members and non-members, and according to Red Cross standards, participants only need to pass a skills pretest and be 15 years old by the last day of class to enroll.

• After extensive research and RFP process, Conference & Event Services (CES) purchased a new event management software from Ungerboeck Software International (USI). This comprehensive software solution allows registration, scheduling, and abstract management in one system and will enhance the services that CES is able to provide as well as streamline accounting, billing, and reporting processes. Implementation process is in its early stages.

• “Minutes to Win It”, the 2012 Fitness Challenge will begin on Jan. 22 for all Campus Recreation members. Individuals will log their physical activity minutes for prizes! The program will run until March 3.

• Upcoming REC Kids Programs:
  • President’s Day Club (one-day event) runs on Monday, Feb. 20.  The cost will be $35 for members and $45 for non-members.  Activities will include climbing, swimming, sports, games, arts & crafts, and special prizes for kids wearing red, white, and blue.
  • Spring Break Camp (an entire week) runs from Monday, March 26 – Friday, March 30. The cost will be $160 for members and $190 for non-members. Activities will include climbing, swimming, sports, games, arts & crafts, and a week-long challenge competition comprised of various competitions and contests. Sign up today with Member Services.

• Hoxworth’s next All-Campus Blood Drive will take place Monday, May 21 – Friday, May 25, at the Campus Rec Center from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

• Don’t miss “A desultory and meandering, yet strangely entertaining History of the University of Cincinnati” lecture series narrated by Greg Hand each month at the MainStreet Cinema, TUC Level 2. More than 150 people attended the first event, “Patrons & Poltroons: Cincinnati’s Search for a Municipal University” on Jan. 19. Upcoming dates and topics include:
  • Feb. 16 – 140 Years in 55 Minutes
  • March 15 – 100 Campuses in 192 Years
  • April 19 – Breaking Barriers: Winona, Malachi, Frank & Herbert Couper
  • May 18 – The Red & The Black & The Bearcat & The Kraut

All sessions begin at 12:30 p.m. Brown-baggers are welcome and the event is open to all.

• Catskeller is participating in the Inaugural Cincinnati Beer Week which runs Feb. 2–9 and features local craft beers.

• Catskeller will host a Valentine’s Day-themed Belgium Festival on Feb. 16, featuring eight beers paired with chocolate. Catskeller will also host a special Leap Year Dogfish Head Brewery event on Feb. 29.

• Mick & Mack’s upcoming wine tasting themes include Wine, Cheese, & Chocolate on Feb. 2 and Wines of Italy on March 1.

• Mick & Mack’s upcoming Epicure’s Delights themed dinners include New Orleans’ Cajun & Creole on Feb. 16 and St. Patrick’s Irish Fare & Whiskey Tasting on March 15.

Yelp

The online urban city guide Yelp mentioned both the Catskeller and the Campus Recreation Center in their Cincinnati weekly online newsletter, Weekly Yelp (quoted below). Yelp’s mission is to help “people find cool places to eat, shop, drink, relax and play, based on the informed opinions of a vibrant and active community of locals in the know.”

““cozy” Catskeller Campus Pub, which has one of the most sipable selections in the city and “student-friendly prices" to boot.” – Dec. 14, 2011

“"huge" Campus Recreation. There are a lot of free weights, treadmills, unoccupied basketball courts and a four-lane track. I really like the climbing wall.” – Jan. 4, 2012

Twitter

Local 12/WKRC-TV retweeted a Rec Center tweet about the Tri Like Hell Mini Triathlon in October.

NACS Online Newsletter, The News Record

The National Association of College Stores (NACS) and The News Record featured UC Campus Services’ participation in National Student Day on Oct. 6, 2011.

Several Campus Services staff members presented educational sessions at the 2011 National Association of College Auxiliary Services (NACAS) annual conference in Orlando in October:

• Director of Parking Services Darlene Bunton presented “CASE STUDY: University of Cincinnati Parking Transition Using 21st Century Technology”.

• Assistant Vice-President Pallavi Patel, Director of Housing & Food Services Todd Duncan, and Director of Food Services John Hautz presented  “RFP Development: The Key to Getting the Most Out of Your Food Service Contract”.

• Campus Services Senior Associate Vice-President, Steve Sayers and Director of Marketing Amy Browns Taylor presented “The Campus Services Show – Marketing Your Services in a One-day Event and Other Marketing Tips for Cross-promoting Service”.

CRC Assistant Director of Fitness & Wellness Ashley Varol was accepted to present a webinar in May 2012 and as a speaker in July 2012 for the National Wellness Institute.

CRC Assistant Director of Membership Emily Piercey and Membership Coordinator Emilie Saltz presented “Handling Conflict and Difficult Conversations” at the Ohio Recreation Sport Association (ORSA) conference Youngstown State University in November.

Mary Beth Coil was recently promoted to catering director for Classic Fare Catering. Mary Beth has more than 20 years of experience in food services. Prior to coming to UC, she was the catering manager for Ovations Food Services at the Iowa Event Center in Des Moines. 

Missy Farmer was promoted to assistant catering director. Missy has been in food service for 21 years and with Classic Fare Catering at the University of Cincinnati for the past 11 years.

Stacy Mosley joined the Housing & Food Services team as the housing services associate. This is a new position on our agreements & assignments team. Stacy most recently served as the assistant director of housing operations at the University of Louisiana at Monroe.

UC Bookstores’ Nicole Taylor was promoted to manager of the computer department in the TUC Bookstore.

Kasey Waaland was promoted to supervisor of Mick & Mack’s Contemporary Café. Kasey is a graduate of UC and has been with Dining Services and Mick & Mack’s for the past three years. He is a familiar face at the Café and enjoys seeing new and repeat customers during lunch service and the monthly Think Thursdays Wine Tasting and Epicure’s Delight events.

Kaylee Wolf recently joined the Conference & Event Services team as the executive staff assistant. Kaylee is a recent graduate of Ball State University.

After 40 years of service at the University of Cincinnati, Parking Services’ Joyce Kenan retired this fall.  Kenan worked for Parking Services for seven years and had previously worked for UC Payroll and the College of Community Services.

Parking Attendant Robert Schoepflin retired in November after 12 years with Parking Services and 21 years at UC.

After 22 years of service to UC, all within Parking Services, Albert Smith Jr. retired in December.