AIT Campus Bulletin

In this issue:

A. Announcements 

B. Events

C. Faculty and Staff Travel

D. Classifieds (jobs)

A. Announcements 

1) Updates from the AIT COVID-19 Task Force

Email from the Director, Office of Academic Administration on 15 November 2021

Dear AIT Family,

Additional Measures for Re-opening the AIT Campus – As we prepare and get ready for re- opening the campus, everyone—faculty, students, staff—are required to submit their vaccination records to AIT.  Starting from now, we would like to request you to please send in your vaccination records to the Office of the Human Resources Services (OHRS; hro@ait.ac.th) for employees, Office of Student Affairs (OSA; osa@ait.ac.th) for students, and the Office of Facilities and Assets Management (OFAM; callcenter@ait.ac.th) for contractor staff.  Once the campus opens, those who have not been vaccinated with two doses yet will be required to take weekly ATK test, at their own cost, and submit the results to the same email accounts earlier mentioned to be allowed entry into offices.  The AIT Management Team (AMT) members will monitor and enforce the above policy for employees and students in their respective Schools, Centers, Offices and Units.

Overseas Arrivals Notification to AIT – With the change in the entry requirements into Thailand and for our record purposes, all overseas arrivals from any country, must inform the AIT COVID-19 Task Force (covid19TF@ait.asia), the date of your arrival in Thailand as soon as they are confirmed.  This is especially important for our planning purposes and for allocation of the designated AIT Self-Isolation (SI) units for those who would be doing their Phase 2 SI on campus.  For those not availing of the AIT OQ facilities, please also provide your hotel details and scheduled discharge for proper coordination. 

Overnight Guests – Although we have now allowed overnight guests as part of the further easing of certain restrictions at AIT, we would like to request AIT campus residents to kindly discourage inviting overnight visitors in their accommodation units on-campus during this transition and uncertain pandemic period.

Vaccination Opportunity for Thai and non-Thai children aged 12-18 years – The Department of Disease Control (DDC) is providing Pfizer vaccines for children aged between 12-18 years old (born between 1 January 2003 and 10 November 2009) and have never been vaccinated before.  Children currently studying at the AIT International School or elsewhere, or even those out-of-school who fall in this age group are eligible.  The vaccination will take place only with the parents’ consent.  The Pfizer vaccination will be administered at the Central Vaccination Center at Bangsue Grand Station during 1-10 November 2021, 1-5pm (1300 to 1700 hours).  Please enter from Gate #2, which is meant for risky and fragile persons.  This is on a walk-in basis and no registration is needed.

Extraordinary Leave Status – We note for you that following the evaluation, authorization and special approval of requests to work remotely and discharge functions from an alternate location outside Thailand, departure date from Thailand must be within three weeks of application date.  And we urge you not to book flights until your application is approved.  With the improvement in the pandemic situation in Thailand and other countries, with travel restrictions easing worldwide—including Thailand, and with the likelihood of the resumption of in-person / hybrid classes and employees returning to office soon, the provision and length of Extraordinary Leave status will be continuously reviewed.

It is of utmost importance that despite the relaxation of measures we must still have a vigilant mindset and continue to adhere to good practices.  Please keep abreast of the news, and continue with D-M-H-T-T-A precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19: D – Distancing, M – Mask wearing, H – Handwashing, T– Temperature check, T– Testing for COVID-19, and A– alert application.

Please check with the Task Force if you have any queries and also visit the Intranet page where all COVID-19 related information and updates from the Task Force are available.

Thank you for your cooperation.

AIT COVID-19 Task Force

2) Medical Center will be Closed From Today Until Further Notice

Email from the Medical Center on 9 November 2021

Dear AIT Community,

This is to kindly inform you that the Medical Center will be closed from today until further notice. 

If you have any appointments today, please email the medical@ait.ac.th to reschedule your appointment. 

Thank you.

Medical Center

3) Laboratory work guidance

Email from Prof. Shobhakar Dhakal, VPAA on 4 November 2021. 

Dear All,

With the easing of the COVID-19 related restrictions in Thailand, you must have seen the recent announcement from the AIT COVID-19 Task Force on 31 October 2021. Online classes and Work-from-Home (WFH) will continue until 30 November 2021, or until further notice.  However, laboratory work with social distancing will be allowed. 

There are, generally, four types of laboratory-based activities as below. 

· Laboratory work needed for specific courses. Classes are online at least till the end of November and many students are not on campus yet. The physical lab work should be done at an appropriate time later or in other ways (such as, online demonstration, if useful) as planned by the instructors. Deans to make the call on physical lab classes in consultation with the relevant instructor based on need, feasibility and number of students on campus.

· Laboratory work for thesis/research-study/dissertation. Students pursuing research study, thesis or doctoral dissertation can conduct their laboratory work in consultation with their advisors and laboratory supervisors following basic protocol*.

· Laboratory work for sponsored projects. The laboratory work related to sponsored and other projects can be conducted in consultation with project PIs and respective laboratory supervisors following basic protocol*.

· Laboratory work related to testing and other services provided by AIT labs to outsiders. The laboratory work related to testing and other service to outsiders can be conducted in consultation with respective laboratory supervisors or in-charge following basic protocol*.

*The basic protocol include:

· Maintain social distance in the laboratories; entry to be limited up to 50% of the venue capacity to allow social distancing and avoid crowding of the laboratories. The maximum occupancy of the lab to be stated at the entry door

· Mandatory wearing of face mask

· Availability of sanitizer at the lab entrance to be used when entering the lab

· Lab supervisors to display protocol clearly, guiding users and ensure their implementation

4) Wellness Counseling - Available Online this November 2021

Email from the Office of Student Affairs on 5 November 2021

Dear students,

Greetings from the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) ! 

We are pleased to inform you that this November starting from Wednesday, 3 November 2021, special health counseling sessions will be conducted again every Wednesday and Friday by a professional psychologist.  This is to provide the best possible welfare to AIT students which includes mental health counseling and wellness, especially in this challenging time of the COVID-19 pandemic and social difficulties.  

The schedule on Wednesdays and Fridays, from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 pm is online through 2 platforms: Zoom Meeting and Google Meet.

The first session started last 3 November 2021 (Wednesday) from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.  The doctor can accommodate approximately 45 mins counseling and mental health promotion for each student.  

Appointment will be on a first-come-first-serve basis through the Wellness Counseling registration form in this link 

Students who wish to cancel or postpone their appointment with wellness counselor must inform osa@ait.ac.th one day in advance before their schedule so as not to lose appointment time and pay charges for missed appointments/ no show. 

We look forward to welcoming you and encourage you to make use of this opportunity, which is currently twice a week.

 

5) Performance Evaluation Phase 3 is Now Open

To all Immediate Supervisors, Unit Directors of Centrally-Funded Staff Members and Centrally-Funded Staff Members,

The third phase of our Performance Management System 2021 is now open. The online system can be accessed through HRIS (https://hris.ait.ac.th) until 6 December 2021.

Phase 3 is an “Employee Self-Assessment and Immediate Supervisor Feedback”. This is the time where the immediate supervisor and the employee meet at the end of the performance cycle to discuss the employees’ overall performance and the competencies demonstrated in achieving the work plan and goals. These are discussed, along with any changes or comments from the informal progress review, to assess achievements throughout the year.

Please follow these steps below to successfully complete the Performance Evaluation process online for PHASE 3.

A. For Employees

To help you prepare for your self-assessment, please refer to the “Employee Preparation” and “Preparing for a Performance Review – Checklist for Employee Self-Assessment” on pages 14-16 of our Guide to AIT Performance Management for Staff.

1. Click "Employee Evaluation" then follow the following steps.

1.1 Click the “PE Cover Form”

1.2. Set the date of your meeting with your immediate supervisor.

1.3. Write your additional comments if you wish at the box provided.

1.4. And click "SUBMIT".

2. Click the “Employee Reflection”. In this section, you can reflect on your own performance, review what was accomplished in the work plan. Your self-assessment should be brief and highlight the major accomplishments of the reporting cycle. After completing the Self-Reflection form, click "SUBMIT”.

3. However, if you are not confident to submit your self-assessment yet and you need more time to finalize it, you can click “SAVE” first and return to this page later to complete it. Make sure you complete this task before your meeting.

4. A notice on top of the page will inform you if you have successfully submitted your form. Watch out for this notice!

5. Click “Comments and Sign Off”. This will ONLY follow after your immediate supervisor had completed the competency assessment and performance evaluation rating and had a discussion with you.

6. Write your general comments on the box provided and click “SUBMIT”. This is the end of your performance cycle process.

B. For Immediate Supervisors (Evaluators)

The immediate supervisor rates the employee based on the performance factors that best describe the employee’s performance during the period under review. The immediate supervisor provides an overall recommendation based on the performance factors.

To help you prepare for your meeting with your subordinates, please read “Immediate Supervisor Preparation” on page 15 and the rating guidelines on pages 17-19 of our Guide to AIT Performance Management for Staff.

1. You will be notified once your subordinates have set the date of your meeting. Please make yourself available on that date and be prepared to discuss the self-assessment of your subordinates.

2. Employee Self-Assessment should be discussed with your subordinates on the scheduled date. However, if for some reason the scheduled date is not followed, the date of the meeting should be changed to the actual date that the meeting takes place. To set a new meeting date, please follow the instructions described in points 6 and 7 below.

3. To view your subordinates' self-reflection, click "Supervisor Evaluation” and follow the following steps.

3.1 Click “Employee Self Assessment”

3.2 Click “APR” to view your subordinates' "Employee Reflection".

3.3 Write your comments in the designated space and click “SUBMIT”. Remember you can only "submit" after you have written your comments.

3.4 A notice on top of the page will inform you if you have successfully submitted your form. Watch out for this notice!

4. Click “Immediate Supervisor Assessment”
4.1. Click “APR” to complete your performance rating. Review the rating guidelines if needed.
4.2. Click “SUBMIT”. At this point, you have already completed the assessment in your capacity as the immediate supervisor. If you are also the Unit Director or Department Head, you may want to immediately complete your feedback on the “Recommendation from the Department Head/Dean” and click “SUBMIT.”

5. Click “Comments and Sign Off”. This will follow after the employee has signed off. This section should be completed by the Unit Director or Department Head. Click “SUBMIT” to complete the performance evaluation cycle.

6. To reset the meeting date or employee reflection or supervisor feedback, click "Click to Reset".

7. A new page will open and click the “Reset” which corresponds to the activity you would like to reset.

Important Reminders:

1. A rating of “Exceeds Expectations” or “Does not Meet Expectations” should be supported by evidence (anecdotal or documented).

2. Any rating of “Does Not Meet Expectations” requires an agreed-upon and monitored improvement plan or PIP. To access the PIP Form, click on “Performance Improvement Plan”. Complete the form and click “SUBMIT”.

PIP is implemented, at the discretion of the supervisor, when it becomes necessary to help an employee improve their performance. The supervisor, with input from the affected employee, develops an improvement plan; the purpose of the activities outlined is to help the individual to attain the desired level of performance. Please refer to page 11 of our guide for more details.

Please complete Phase 3 by December 6, 2021.

Should you encounter technical problems, please report them to Helpdesk (helpdesk@ait.asia). Please convey other feedback to OHRS (director-ohrs@ait.asia).

Thank you.

Office of Human Resources Services

 

6) Lecture: Green Financing for REDD+ / Forestry Project

The Natural Resources Management program, Department of Development and Sustainability will have a special guest lecture below.

You are cordially invited to attend.

Lecture: Green Financing for REDD+ / Forestry Project

Date: 11 November 2021

Time: 9:00-10:00 AM

Where: Zoom

Meeting ID: 3832200169

Meeting Password: 582810

Guest Speaker:

Ms. Ladaporn Khunikakorn

Regional Director for Southeast Asia

South Pole (https://www.southpole.com/)

More information about the lecture

https://dds.ait.ac.th/news/2021/10/28/special-lecture-green-financing-fo...

7) The Circular Economy Webinar Episode II: How to Deal with Non-Recycled Plastics?

Dear AIT Faculty, Staff and Students,

We are pleased to invite you to the Circular Economy Webinar Episode II: How to Deal with Non-Recycled Plastics? organized by the Embassy of Finland in Bangkok, Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) and Ministry of Industry (MoI), Thailand.

Countries have come up with new policies on how to encourage recycling and use more of recyclable materials, how to replace single use plastics, giving incentives for development of bioplastics, and how to dispose of the remaining waste in a safe way.

This webinar with the leading experts from Thailand and Finland aims to capture the robustness of these developments sharing the experiences and lessons learnt.

We hope that you will be able to join us and contribute to this event. Join us on Thursday, 11 November 2021 at 13:30 hrs. (Bangkok time).

For registration, please click this link: https://www.ait.ac.th/2021/11/invitation-to-the-circular-economy-webinar...

 

8) The virtual 50th AITAA Governing Board Meeting and Global Reunion

The Asian Institute of Technology Alumni Association (AITAA) is inviting all AIT alumni and friends to join the virtual 50th AITAA Governing Board Meeting and Global Reunion with the 1st Global AITAA Symposium and Exhibition on 20-21 November 2021 to be hosted by AITAA Vietnam Chapter in partnership with AIT Extension. Please check all activities and register to reserve your slot by clicking this link AIT Extension (https://extension.ait.ac.th/page/50th-aitaa-governing-board-meeting-and-...)

50th AITAA Governing Board Meeting and Global Reunion

1st Global AITAA Symposium and Exhibition

Connect, Communicate, Collaborate, Contribute

… for a better tomorrow…

20-21 November 2021

Vietnam

The Asian Institute of Technology Alumni Association (AITAA) holds an annual Governing Board Meeting (GBM) for all its member chapters spread worldwide. This year 2021, AITAA Vietnam Chapter hosts the 50th AITAA GBM for our AIT Family. The 1st Global AITAA Symposium and Exhibition will be inaugurated to showcase solutions on key regional issues. The Exhibition will be accessible globally 24x7 for 365 days.

 

B. Events

Training Courses/ Conferences/ Workshops

1) Certificate Course on Lean Six Sigma Black Belt

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