February TUSS News for Staff

Published by on February 20, 2023 12:00 am Comments Off on February 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:

  • University System of Maryland (USM) Advocacy Day in Annapolis was February 15, 2023. TU was well-represented. 
  • Employee engagement survey: The deadline to complete the employee engagement survey distributed by Great Colleges has been extended to February 20, 2023. Please complete the survey and help TU reach 100% participation. 
  • Compliance training: The compliance training email was sent on February 15, 2023. This training is required, not suggested – faculty/staff must participate and not doing so could affect performance reviews or merit. 
  • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Training: The Office of Inclusion and Institutional Equity (OIIE) includes DEI expertise which means TU units do not need to outsource DEI training. The affectionately named DEI Educators Team is working on professional development based on the book Fix Your Climate by Myron R. Anderson and Kathryn S. Young, pertaining to bullying and bad behavior that does not rise to discrimination. Interested groups and staff can request this meaningful opportunity for their areas. 
  • Mental Health First Aid: Staff are encouraged to check out upcoming training opportunities offered at no cost. To register go to https://recreation.towson.edu/ and select Mental Health First Aid tile.
  • Building coordinators: The building coordinators program is being reviewed and changes might be coming. Feedback will be requested in the coming months. 
  • Legislative audit: Reminder to participate honestly with legislative auditors. FAQs can be found here: https://www.towson.edu/compliance/documents/legislative-audit-faqs.pdf 
  • Safety: Staff are encouraged to review the university communication about TU public safety resources that was sent on February 13, 2023. 
  • Inventory records request: VP Lowenthal acknowledged that the inventory update request was difficult for staff campus-wide and pledges to do better work in partnership with campus inventory coordinators to keep inventory records accurate. 
  • Oracle/Stratus: More reports and access continue to roll out. VP Lowenthal offered, and we second, shout out to TU staff who recognized and identified a potential issue with an upcoming Oracle update. Oracle then resolved it   before the Stratus update and avoided a problem for campus-users. Great job! 
  • Research and R2: Research dollars have doubled in one year, which is great for our progress toward R2 status. 
  • Faculty/Staff events planning: TUSS will continue to advocate for input on campus event planning, such as holding a faculty/staff picnic or other joint impact opportunity. We encourage planning committees to make data-driven, inclusive choices. 
  • Parking: Parking and Transportation Services is planning to extend the parking counter system to additional areas on campus. The previously mentioned “Park Once” idea is still on the radar, but it is known that other variables must be in place for that to be successful. 
  • Packages Delivery: TU is looking at adding package lockers for student packages at various locations on campus. 
  • Smith Hall: Renovations funding was approved. Probably won’t see major activity on campus for 6 – 8 months. 
  • Teleworking: Office of Human Resources (OHR) is gathering data to review the current telework policy and report to leadership. 
  • Procurement and OTS Project Management directors presented an informative and educational session on how procurement affects every area of campus and how staff can ensure positive experiences. Thank you, Directors Joselyn Johnson and Carol Wettersten! If you would like to see the slides, contact TUSS@towson.edu.
  • College Councils: TUSS will continue advocating for staff representation on college councils. 
  • HR Partners: Director Nate Barker shared information with senators regarding the HR Partners program. Senators are committed to working closely with OHR to provide ongoing feedback. 
  • TUSS by-laws committee: By-laws were updated to add up to two additional seats for the new Division of Enrollment Management. These will be included in the upcoming elections. 

QUESTION FOR STAFF:

TUSS Engagement Committee is considering offering micro-grants to staff pursuing professional development. What might the value of this offering be to you? How could some financial support be meaningful to your career goals? Please send your input to TUSS@towson.edu. 

REMINDERS:

AWARDS:

USM Board of Regents Staff Award 

Four TU finalists have been submitted to the USM Council of University System Staff (CUSS) Awards Committee for review. Recommendations from CUSS will then be forwarded to the USM Board of Regents for consideration. Finalists receive a recognition certificate and a $1000 stipend to acknowledge their achievement. 

Join us in congratulating our TU Finalists: 

  • Kathryn Knaus, Exceptional Contribution 
  • Karen Pottash, Extraordinary Public Service 
  • Anthony Rosas, Effectiveness and Efficiency  
  • Mary Stapleton, Inclusion, Multiculturalism, and Social Justice 

TU Impact Award 

Nominations are now open for the TU Impact Award! Nominating an individual or group is easy! To nominate an exceptional staff member or group/team, submit the nomination form by 8 p.m. on April 17, 2023. More information can be found at the TU Impact Award webpage. 

The TU Impact Award recognizes impactful contributions from staff employees to Towson University, the community, and beyond. Award categories include exceptional contribution; outstanding service to students; extraordinary public service; effectiveness and efficiency; inclusion, multiculturalism, and social justice. Recipients receive a recognition certificate and a $500 stipend per award. 

Top Tigers  

Join us in congratulating recent Top Tiger Award recipients: 

  • Gail DeShields  
  • Sara Cofflin  
  • Meredith Harris  
  • Liz Strauch 
  • Henry Basta 

Top Tigers receive a recognition certificate and a lunch credit in honor of their work in making TU a great place! 

If you have received exceptional service from a staff member, please nominate them for the monthly Top Tiger Award. This award is designed to recognize staff excellence. TU faculty, staff and students can nominate TU staff members by submitting the Top Tiger Nomination Form.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR:

Celebrate Black History Month
Learn more about celebrating black history and culture at TU and view campus events at: https://www.towson.edu/black-history-culture/ 

TUSS Meeting: March 15, 2023, 1 p.m.
Zoom Direct Link: https://towson-edu.zoom.us/j/98702752003?pwd=N05Id3JZTEhxM2Z4ZUNBRk5OSDAvUT09
Meeting ID: 987 0275 2003
Passcode: TUSSZoom  

SENATOR SPOTLIGHT:

Keiwana Perryman

This month features Executive Division Exempt senator Keiwana O. Perryman, D.Ed. (she/her), in the Center for Student Diversity in the Office of Inclusion & Institutional Equity. 

How long have you worked at TU?
4 years in June. 

What is your department and what does your position entail?
I serve as the Associate Director in the Center for Student Diversity. In this role I assist the director with managerial leadership for the center to create a more inclusive campus climate for historically excluded populations (i.e., African/African American, Latinx, LGBTQ+, Asian/Pacific Islander/Middle Eastern/Desi American [APIMEDA], Mature Students, First Generation). Specifically, I develop and facilitate a calendar of programming, services, and initiatives that aid in the academic, professional, social, emotional, and cultural development of those who identify as part of the African diaspora. 

What does a typical workday look like for you?
I spend most days program planning with campus partners and student organizations. This means I am almost always in a meeting. When not meeting, I am hanging out with students, building community and relationships that will transcend our TU experience. 

What do you enjoy the most about your job?
Having a program idea and seeing it come to fruition in partnership with students. 

What do you do to relax?
What is relax?! Is that English? I have a 5- and 7-year-old at home, they don’t let me relax. 

If we were to create a TU playlist, what song would you want to include and why?
“It’s The Climb” by Miley Cyrus. A college professor challenged me to lean into the process, rather than focusing on the end goal and what I thought success looked like. The shift in thinking has been valuable in processing lessons learned. This song so accurately portrays that message.  

What’s one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
I received a full ride (tuition, room, and board) to The Ohio State University when I was in the 6th grade. 

What’s one thing you wish you had known when you were a teenager?
How to navigate and control my emotions. Had I learned at a younger age, I wouldn’t struggle so much as an adult. 

If you could have any one skill or talent that you don’t already have, what would it be?
I wish I could sew. I’m far from a fashionista and hate shopping (more so trying on clothes). 

What’s the proudest moment of your life?
Hearing “Congratulations, Dr. Jones!” after my doctoral defense at Penn State. 

Why did you decide to get involved with the TUSS?
TUSS provided a space for me to tap into parts of the campus community I typically did not engage with.  It also created the space for me to advocate on behalf of my colleagues, those whose voices are not heard, and those who feel they don’t have one. 

Describe what you have learned (or hope to learn) during your time in TUSS?
Advocacy looks different for everyone. I have watched fellow senators speak up and out on various topics, knowing their opinions weren’t the most popular. That is brave and dope on so many levels. 

___________________ 

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 Arnold, Ashley