WEEKLY STAFF NEWS | 11.23.2020
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
COVID and Reopening Update
Last week, Jim Cuno and Steve Olsen provided an update on Getty’s plans in light of rising COVID-19 cases in the L.A. region, with a record 5,000 daily cases recorded last week. They have asked all members of the Getty community to observe public health direction, including limiting travel and gatherings. The state also imposed a curfew on L.A. County and numerous others between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. We will not be able to reopen to the public in January as we had hoped. The good news is that everyone’s hard work and planning in recent months means we will be able to reopen our permanent collection galleries to the public on relatively short notice in 2021, as soon as L.A. County declares it safe to do so. Read Jim and Steve’s full message in the attached PDF.
Internal Communications Survey
Thank you to staff who participated in the recent survey on internal communications. We received 652 responses—and 1,486 individual comments—all anonymous. We have read and are considering your feedback now, and will use it to help improve internal communications going forward. We learned that the most important topics for staff are benefits; health and safety; and diversity, equity, and inclusion, and that THIS WEEK is a preferred way to receive information. Staff also said they have difficulty finding information on GO. Long-planned efforts to overhaul GO are in early stages now and will ramp up in 2021. And although people generally liked the all-staff update meetings, they offered many suggestions for making them more effective.
In response to suggestions from staff, THIS WEEK now includes a link to the GO archive of weekly newsletters. They are searchable by topic through the GO search function. For instance, a search for “MSA” brings up links to past THIS WEEK newsletters with items about MSA.
Thank you once again for your input. Don’t hesitate to make additional suggestions to Internal Communications.
Financial Wellness Virtual Day Schedule
Getty’s financial wellness provider, My Secure Advantage (MSA), will offer a free virtual day of workshops on December 3. Hour-long workshops will include investing topics such as getting started, managing risk, and monitoring investments. Participants will be entered to win a $50 Amazon gift card. See the attached flyer for schedule and registration links. Please be sure to register for the workshops in advance.
Library Curbside Service
This is a reminder that next month’s Getty Library Curbside Service is December 15–17. All requests for library items made from November 5 through December 2 will be available for the December curbside service. Please see the attached Curbside Service instructions for December 2020 and FAQ about requesting library materials. The December 7 THIS WEEK will have information and instructions about how to make an appointment in Reservio, the self-scheduling calendar, for this curbside service.
Getty Staff Handbook Updates
We have revised the Educational Assistance and Vacation Accruals policies, added clarification to our meal/rest period and timekeeping policies, and changed some leave policies in accordance with some recent legislation. Attached is a summary of the key changes. The full updated handbook is attached and may be found at https://www.gettyhr.com/resources > Documents. A Spanish language version will be available in the next week couple of weeks.
NEWS
Getty Featured in JEOPARDY! Clue
Contestants on the October 21 episode of JEOPARDY! received this clue, worth $1,200 under the category Architects and Architecture: “Travertine stone reflecting the Los Angeles sunlight is a feature of this art ‘center’ named for an oil tycoon.” Contestant Carlos Chaidez answered correctly—Getty Center, of course! Our social media followers were excited about the JEOPARDY! shout-out, posting “I can’t wait till it reopens” and “It’s my favorite place in all Los Angeles.” We are especially honored that Alex Trebek was able to tape the episode before his passing.
Animal Crossing Art Generator Award
Travel Marketing Watch, one of the most influential digital media platforms for China’s tourism sector, selected Getty’s Animal Crossing Art Generator tool as the winner of its 2020 Best Digital Innovation Award. The Animal Crossing Art Generator allows users to add artwork from Getty’s open-access collection to their islands, either as patterns for clothing, walls, and floors, or as paintings to display on easels and canvases. Congratulations to all in Getty Digital and Trust Communications who helped bring the Animal Crossing Art Generator to life!
Modernism in America Award Winners
Documomo US, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the documentation and conservation of buildings, sites, and neighborhoods of the modern movement, honored the GCI and Foundation with two 2020 Modernism in America awards. The Eames House Conservation Management Plan won the Inventory/Survey Award of Excellence, and Keeping It Modern (KIM) and Conserving Modern Architecture Initiative (CMAI) received a Special Citation for Documentation. Kudos to the KIM, CMAI, and Eames House teams for their hard work!
EVENTS
Closing Events for GETTY UNDERGROUND 2020 VISION
Join a virtual happy-hour Gallery Crawl or play a Scavenger Hunt challenge with prizes from the Museum Store. Connect with GU artists and fellow colleagues in an Open Mic Night, an unconventional Culinary Share, or a Jamaican-inspired Dance Lesson. The lively festivities will take place through Zoom on Tuesdays and Thursdays, December 1–17. See a calendar of closing events and find out how to how to participate in the fun.
Instagram Reels Class
Join us for a hands-on remote class on the Reels feature in Instagram. Learn how to easily build and edit short-form videos, as well as some tips and tricks for taking full advantage of the available features. Class will be capped at 20 people to provide some personalized attention. Registrations will be accepted in the order they are received.
Date: Thursday, December 3
Time: 11 a.m.–12 p.m.
Register for the Instagram Reels class.
STAFF SPOTLIGHT
Getty Anniversaries This Week
25 Years
- Gabriel Romero, Grounds and Garden
Comings and Goings
See how the Getty community is changing—and welcome new co-workers.
See and search past Getty THIS WEEK newsletters on GO.
From InternalCommunications | internalcommunications@getty.edu
