October TUSS News for Staff

Published by on October 23, 2023 12:00 am Comments Off on October 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 general meetings. Meeting agendas and minutes are posted to TUSS SharePoint. 

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE RECENT TUSS MEETING: 

  • Continued improvements to Stratus. Travel tools are available. The Budget Office is offering training. https://www.towson.edu/financialsystems/stratus/training.html Stratus work group continues to meet.  
  • Upcoming Stratus Drop-In Office Hours: Tuesday, November 14th, 10am-11am, Wednesday, November 15th, 2pm-3pm, Thursday, November 16th, 11am-12pm 
  • New Reports, including an inventory report, have been released and formatting has been improved on some reports. All In One transaction report is coming soon.  
  • SECU Arena is now TU Arena. New naming partner to be announced in the first half of 2024.  
  • Year-end financial audit is on track to be completed by December.  
  • No major changes in the budget to date, the next milestone will be the Govenor’s budget in January. 
  • VP Lowenthal offered kudos to everyone who made Homecoming a success.  
  • TUPD continues to work with community partners on campus safety. 
  • AVP of Admin and Finance search has begun.  
  • Two new hotels in town opened on Towson Row. Towson is working with the hotels to get a competitive rate. A reminder that taxes are paid on hotel rooms, so be sure to include taxes when budgeting for travel or bringing guests to campus.  
  • In alignment with our institutional values, the University is investing in mental health resources, including adding two new full-time staff members in the University Health Center, and faculty/staff are reminded they have access to the Employee Assistance Program.  
  • Faculty/Staff affinity groups are organizing outings to attend TU home basketball games. 
  • The 2024 Significant Dates Calendar is available. https://www.towson.edu/hr/documents/2024_significant_date_calendar.pdf  
  • Staff who are at or near 50 days of annual leave have been reminded to use their leave.  
  • Improvements are ongoing at 401 Washington. Work is being done to seal the building and prevent leaks. 
  • Ridership is up 37% over the prior year on campus shuttle routes. Parking permit purchases are down 5%. Parking Services is a self-support department and will be reviewing the impact of the decline in revenue. Senators questioned what can we expect about the decline in revenue and expressed concern that the decline in revenue should not be solely borne by those who drive. TUSS will volunteer to participate in any workgroup that seeks to address how to balance the costs of parking permits with the University’s mission of promoting a sustainable carbon footprint.  
  • Packages are up over 40% from last year. Amazon lockers are being added in TowsonTown, 10 West, University Union, and West Village garage. Packages that are delivered to campus outside of the TU process will not receive support if they are lost or misplaced. TUSS inquired about the expected turnaround time on packages, and the response was they are reporting a 24-hour turnaround time. A Senator asked if Amazon lockers can be restricted to TU Faculty/Staff/Students, but Amazon does not support this. It was reported that TUPD has been consulted about the lockers and are taking proactive steps to secure them.  
  • Academic Senate is reviewing the equitable distribution of workload across committees.  
  • The next RAPC Meeting is October 27th, 2023.  
  • Board of Regents Staff Awards nominations are open. Nominations are due November 13th.  
  • Council of University System Staff are monitoring Retiree Prescription Benefits, telework policies and ombudsman.  
  • The Policy and Personnel Review is working on a policy for Job Cross Training. 
  • TU Fast, TU Furriest won the Homecoming Decorating Contest, Congratulations! 

REMINDERS: 

QUESTION FOR STAFF: 

Would you like to see more forms converted into DocuSign forms? If so, do you have specific suggestions? Let us know your thoughts at TUSS@towson.edu. 

AWARDS: 

Board of Regents Staff Awards 

Nominations are due November 13, 2023! 

The annual Board of Regents Staff Awards nominations window is OPEN! Know someone deserving of this highest-level recognition? Submit your nomination letter now. Self-nominations are accepted. Learn more about categories on our website, https://www.towson.edu/about/administration/staff-senate/staff-awards/board-regents-staff-awards.html  

 

Top Tigers 

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 a Top Tiger Award. TU faculty, staff and students can nominate TU staff members by submitting a Top Tiger Nomination Form: https://www.towson.edu/about/administration/staff-senate/staff-awards/top-tiger-award.html  

 

MARK YOUR CALENDAR: 

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

USM Board of Regents Meeting at TU: Friday, November 10, 2023 

Council of University System Staff Meeting hosted by TU: April 9, 2024 

 

Senator Spotlight: Marcela Bender (She/Her/Ella), Enrollment Management

How long have you worked at TU? 

I have worked at TU in the Division of Enrollment Management for a year and a half. 

What is your department and what does your position entail? 

In my role, I offer executive-level administrative and programmatic support to the Vice President for Enrollment Management as well as the Directors within the Division of Enrollment Management. 

What do you enjoy the most about your job? 

What I enjoy the most is collaborating with other divisions and departments to find ways to improve the customer service experience we provide to our students and families. 

 What do you do to relax? 

I listen to podcasts, go on walks and hikes with my dog, and spend quality time with my family. 

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

I am an ambivert. I do enjoy being social but also appreciate time being alone.   

 Why did you decide to get involved with the TUSS? 

Before being nominated and selected as a TUSS senator, I used to attend the monthly TUSS meetings. My motivation for joining the TUSS was to facilitate communication and information flow between TUSS and the staff within the Division of Enrollment Management. As a Latina, I saw an opportunity to represent and advocate for minority faculty, staff, and students, as well as promote diversity and inclusion within TUSS.

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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 Primrose, Greg