September TUSS News for Staff

Published by on September 27, 2022 1:00 am Comments Off on September 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 senate and are encouraged to attend meetings. Meeting agendas and minutes are posted to TUSS SharePoint. 

Highlights from the recent TUSS Meeting:

  • Stratus Financials: The reporting capabilities are lagging but the team is working on it. For all questions and issues, send an email directly to stratusfinancialsteam@towson.edu so that the team can capture all questions and make sure to get them addressed. 
  • Budget: TU reached enrollment numbers for Fall 2022, which is good news for the budget. 
  • Open Enrollment: Benefits Open Enrollment starts October 11, 2022. Blue Cross/Blue Shield members concerned about recent Johns Hopkins Medicine news should know that TU expects to know the results of this issue before the end of open enrollment and will communicate so that TU employees can respond accordingly. Employees may want to ask their doctors what other insurance plans they accept to help figure out potential next steps. See https://www.towson.edu/openenrollment for more information. 
  • RPAC Strategic Initiative Funding: RPAC (Resource Planning & Advisory Committee) has launched a new process to enable budget initiatives to bubble up from TU faculty and staff. More information can be found in TU Today and drop-in sessions. See https://tutoday.towson.edu/2022/09/22/apply-before-10-31-for-rpac-strategic-initiative-funding-2/. 
  • Open Positions: The Office of Human Resources (HR) encourages staff to use resources and support, such as their talent acquisition specialist, to seek out diverse and qualified applicants. In addition, please leverage your networks by sharing TU job postings on social media even if the position is not in your unit. 
  • Leadership Searches: Angela Scott is the new Assistant Vice President for Equity and Compliance in the Office of Inclusion and Institutional Equity (OIIE). Welcome, Angela! Formal searches for the Associate Vice President of Facilities Management and the Dean of Fisher College of Science and Mathematics (FCSM) are actively running. Timeline goals include naming the AVP of Facilities Management by the first week of November and having the Dean of FCSM accept the position before the end of the fall semester. The dean search will include open forums during the week of November 29-December 2, so mark your calendars. More information can be found at https://www.towson.edu/fcsm/dean-search/index.html. 
  • Campus Mail: The pilot program for One-Stop Mail-Drop has begun in administrative buildings. With this new program, pickup is now twice a day. The pilot for academic buildings is being investigated, noting that the buildings and work within them are different and have different mail requirements. 
  • Parking: The pilot of the vehicle counting system will run in Towsontown Garage for about 30 days. This program is intended to help avoid wasting time searching for parking spaces that aren’t available. 
  • HR Training: The new HR training calendar is available. Offerings are broader in scope and include topics that have bubbled up from performance reviews. You can find the calendar and more professional development opportunities here https://www.towson.edu/hr/current/development/.   
  • Pay Study: According to the study data and including the recent increases from January and July, staff at TU are compensated at or above the market range (80-120%) on average, but there are a few instances of equity concerns. Specifically targeted identification of salary inversion would be a place for changes to be made. HR will supply the necessary data to supervisors and aid supervisors in ensuring pay equity across race, gender, and age as well. 
  • Council of University System Staff (CUSS): Leaders in the Council of University System Faculty (CUSF) and CUSS are currently looking into a few initiatives: unionizing, improving financial literacy, improving funding for libraries, pet insurance, being more involved in policy development at the USM level, and a potential emergency loan system for staff. 
  • TUSS Elections: We welcomed two new senators, Greg Primrose (Division of Student Affairs Exempt) and John Spivey (At-Large Exempt). 
  • TUSS Events and Engagement Committee: The new committee has kicked off and will be focusing on campus engagement and professional development for staff. First up is bringing back the Homecoming office decorating contest and exploring the possibility of a “team photo” of all staff. More info about the contest will come in TU Today. 
  • Towson State University (TSU) gear: A throwback apparel line for Towson “State” University is available, marking 25 years since the name change to Towson University. Get yours before December 31, 2022, at https://www.towson.edu/TSUgear.  

Reminders:

  • Next TUSS meeting is October 19, 2022. Send agenda items to TUSS@towson.edu before October 11, please. 

Awards:

USM Board of Regents Staff Awards – Board of Regents Staff Awards nominations open soon. Start thinking now about exceptional staff members to nominate. Self-nominations are accepted. 

Top Tigers – Join us in congratulating recent Top Tiger Award recipients!  

  • Pam Hardy – Web Services Developer, Office of Technology Services 
  • Ashley Dore – Business Process Administrator, Financial Planning Accounting & Analysis 
  • Carl White – Athletic Trainer, Athletics 

TU faculty, staff and students can nominate TU staff members by submitting the Top Tiger Nomination Form. Help us shine a light on a deserving colleague today! Top Tigers receive a certificate along with a OneCard credit for lunch courtesy of TUSS. 

Mark Your Calendar:

Homecoming 2022 Office Decorating Contest: Judging will take place on October 19, 2022
More information will come in TU Today, including registration deadline and judging criteria. Dress in your TU gear for judging so we can snap a photo. Join in the campus-wide celebration and Show Your Stripes!

TU Holiday: October 17, 2022
TU is closed. 

TUSS Meeting: October 19, 2022, 1 p.m.
The October TUSS meeting will be hybrid in the Liberal Arts building LA 3101 and online.
Zoom Direct Link: https://towson-edu.zoom.us/j/98702752003?pwd=N05Id3JZTEhxM2Z4ZUNBRk5OSDAvUT09
Meeting ID: 987 0275 2003
Passcode: TUSSZoom 

USM Professional Development Week: October 17-21, 2022
“Empower Your Journey: Unleash Your Potential” – Learning tracks include Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), Personal Leadership Mastery, Workplace Productivity, and Workplace Wellness. Learn more about the schedule and register at https://www.usmd.edu/learning-and-talent/. 

Homecoming Football Game: October 22, 2022, 4 p.m.
Join your staff colleagues to celebrate our school spirit and cheer on our student-athletes. Tailgating starts 4 hours before kickoff.

TU’s DEI Summit: November 4, 2022
The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Summit is an opportunity to elevate racial consciousness and understand how race affects your students’ lives and your classroom practice. The summit is designed for campus and civic leaders, educators and administrators to deepen individual and organizational racial literacy. Learn more at https://www.towson.edu/inclusionequity/diversity/summit.html. 

Senator Spotlight: 

Vickie Hook is pictured smiling. She is a white woman with should length brown hair and brown eyes wearing glasses.

 

 

 

This month features At-Large Non-Exempt senator Vickie Hook, who is Administrative Assistant II in the Communication Studies Department. 

How long have you worked at TU?
9 years 

What is your current department and what does your position entail?
Department of Communication Studies in the College of Fine Arts and Communication. I am the Administrative Assistant II. I came to Communication Studies when they became their own department and major in 2017. I take care of event management, coordinate student workers, contracts, supplies, travel, budget, and files, among other responsibilities.  

What do you enjoy the most about your job?
The people I work with in Communication Studies are the best. They truly care about the students and each other. They are a true asset to Towson University.  

What do you do to relax?
I love just spending time with my family. 

If we were to create a TU playlist, what song would you want to include and why?
“The River” by Garth Brooks. It lets you know that life will have bends, curves and sometimes overflow, but you will make it through even when the water is rough.  

What’s one thing you wish you had known when you were a teenager?
That I should have kept my 1965 Ford Mustang fastback.  

If you could have any one skill or talent that you don’t already have, what would it be?
To be able to sing. I admire those that can.  

What’s the proudest moment of your life?
I recently dropped my oldest off at college and took my 13-year-old twins to their back-to-school night. Both places I received the highest compliments about my kids. I was told they are well-behaved, respectful to everyone, and a joy to be around. They told me kudos for raising such good all-around kids. I wanted to cry. I was so proud of my kids for so many things. I knew they were good people, but to hear it from teachers and coaches was an amazing feeling.   

Why did you decide to get involved with the TUSS?
I wanted to learn more about our university. I have learned a lot and look forward to continuing to support the University.   

Describe what you have learned (or hope to learn) during your time in TUSS?
I have learned a lot about the senate and how they support the staff and the University as a whole. This has been a great experience and I look forward to continuing to learn how to grow that relationship. 

 ___________________ 

Please visit our 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 Sorensen, Heather