November TUSS News for Staff

Published by on November 22, 2021 1:01 am Comments Off on November TUSS News for Staff in General

The Towson University Staff Senate (TUSS) is the advocate body for all university staff employees. All TU staff are general members of the staff senate and are encouraged to attend meetings. Meeting minutes are posted to TUSS SharePoint. 

Highlights from the recent TUSS Meeting 

  • The Campus Master Plan has gone to the Board of Regents and full committee. TU is expecting approval in December. 
  • Robert Karp (TUSS Vice Chair) has volunteered as the TUSS representative on the Committee on Institutional Effectiveness (CIE). 
  • Approval for final funds to complete the University Union has been received. 
  • Vice President Lowenthal is cautiously optimistic about the budget for FY2023. 
  • TU Impact Award recipients were announced. 
  • The significant dates calendar for 2022 will be posted by the Office of Human Resources soon. 
  • The pay study is moving towards Phase 2 for exempt staff. 
  • Two searches for Vice Presidents (Inclusion and Institutional Equity and University Marketing and Communications) are active. Keep an eye out for open forums in the week after Thanksgiving.  
  • A motion will be submitted to the Resource Planning Allocation Committee (RPAC) to get the Academic Senate bylaws section updated to reflect TUSS representation accurately. 
  • The USM Chancellor recently reported that 94% are vaccinated throughout USM and stated that USM campuses are among the safest places in their communities. 
  • The Telework Taskforce has met several times and recommendations have been submitted to HR. 
  • The 2022 Staff Development Conference Committee is looking for a few more sessions to offer. If you have ideas, please submit the form. 
  • Postal operations changes follow-up continues to be important. \
  • Bob Campbell is retiring the end of December, and changes in responsibilities are effective in Admin & Finance areas as of November 29 to allow a smooth transition. Congrats, Bob! 
  • The Black Faculty and Staff Association (BFSA) is adopting a family for holidays. Contact them at BFSA@towson.edu for more information. 
  • HR Training Workshops are posted at https://www.towson.edu/hr/current/development/workshops.html    
  • Next TUSS meeting is December 15, 2021. Send agenda items to TUSS@towson.edu before December 7, please. 

Awards 

TU Impact Awards
Join us in congratulating the inaugural TU Impact Award recipients: 

  • Marissa Berk-Smith, Assistant to the Dean, College of Fine Arts and Communication – Inclusion, Multiculturalism, and Social Justice 
  • Aaron Droege, Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach – Exceptional Contribution to the Institution and/or Unit to Which the Person Belongs 
  • Dan J. Fricker, Solutions Analyst – Effectiveness and Efficiency Regarding an Academic or Administrative Transformation 
  • Justin Mason, Assistant Director, Residence Life – Outstanding Service to Students in an Academic or Residential Environment 
  • Kerry Spence, Facilities Planner – Extraordinary Public Service to the University or Greater Community 

Top Tiger
Join us in congratulating Top Tiger Award recipients: 

  • Keiwana Perryman, Associate Director in the Center for Student Diversity 
  • Leah Fondersmith, Experiential Learning Coordinator & Career Advisor in the Career Center 

TU faculty, staff and students can nominate staff members for a Top Tiger award by submitting the Top Tiger Nomination Form.  

Mark Your Calendar 

TU Chef Series: December 7, 2021 

Join us for the final installment in a series showcasing the culinary expertise of TU’s chefs! This session will feature Chris Shoul, Executive Chef. More details to come in TU Today and events.towson.edu.  

Catch up on previous sessions  

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TUSS Meeting: December 15, 1 p.m.
Zoom Direct Link: https://towson-edu.zoom.us/j/98702752003?pwd=N05Id3JZTEhxM2Z4ZUNBRk5OSDAvUT09
Meeting ID: 987 0275 2003
Passcode: TUSSZoom 

Notify TUSS@towson.edu by Monday before the meeting if you need to attend in person, please. 

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Staff Development Conference: March 23, 2022 – “Push What’s Possible: Make an Impact”
The Staff Development Conference Committee invites you to submit a proposal for a workshop that will broaden and advance an employee’s professional and personal well-being — Submit yours today! 

 

Senator Spotlight 

This month features the Executive Division’s Exempt Senator, Elysa Newman (she/her). She is the Director for Athletics Academic Achievement/Athletic Academic Advisor (Football & Women’s Golf). 

How long have you worked at TU?  

In January it will be 7 years. 

What is your department and what does your position entail?  

I work in the Athletics Department, specifically in Athletics Academic Achievement, and I provide a holistic advising approach to working with student-athletes by preparing them for success in and beyond the classroom. Areas consist of academic progress, personal growth (life skills), and professional/career development. 

What does a typical workday look like for you?  

I like to describe my daily/weekly schedule as “organized chaos.” I usually have set meetings with either student-athletes, coaches, administrators, professors, prospective recruits and their parents, as well as meetings for TUSS (plus the Awards Committee), Transfer Mentor Program, MentHER Program (CBE), or our national organization (N4A). 

What do you enjoy the most about your job?  

Making an impact, no matter how big or small, on a student-athlete’s life to help prepare them to be independent lifelong learners. Getting to be a part of a student’s journey from their recruiting visit all the way to walking across the stage at commencement is very satisfying, professionally speaking.  

What is your favorite place to eat on or around campus?  

I’m a big fan of the variety that West Village dining offers, but the dessert area in Newell is very tempting! 

What do you do to relax?  

I love spending time with my husband and chasing after my 2-year-old daughter, as well as attending CrossFit classes 3-4 times a week. 

What’s one thing people would be surprised to know about you?  

That I used to compete in Powerlifting and was able to deadlift more than some of my student-athletes… including football. J 

What’s the proudest moment of your life?
Having my daughter, Lenore. 

Why did you decide to get involved with the TUSS?  

I wanted to help give a voice to/advocate for other staff members at the university. Selfishly, I also wanted to meet people outside of my Athletics bubble to make connections and be able to collaborate on projects/programs/initiative. This is the same reason I got involved with the Women’s Faculty & Staff Association (WFSA) affinity group. 

Describe what you have learned (or hope to learn) during your time in TUSS?  

I have learned a magnitude of things during my 2.5 years of being a TUSS senator. A lot of it has to do with the hierarchy and protocols of how a university is ran, but more importantly how we (TUSS members) are trying to make the lives of all staff members at Towson better… one initiative at a time.  

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Please visit the website for more information about TUSS, details about upcoming meetings, the list of senators, and details about staff awards: https://www.towson.edu/tuss . 

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This post was written by Karp, Robert J.