September TUSS News for Staff

Published by on September 24, 2024 12:00 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 general meetings. Our meetings are opportunities for all staff employees to be involved in institutional planning and amplify staff input. Join us! 

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE RECENT TUSS MEETING: 

  • Save the Date: TU’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Summit is November 1  
  • SVP Ben Lowenthal welcomed new Senators and reported on budget-related items. The only known state budget reductions are the ones that have already been announced. The campus will undergo several simulations to prepare for possible future budget cuts.  
  • We can all help the University save money. If you are aware of ways the University can save money, bring it up. If you can do things to help the University save money, you are encouraged to do so.  
  • SVP Ben Lowenthal and SVP Steve Jones attended the successful opening of the College of Health Professions building and thanked everyone who worked to make the building a success. Shout out to Facilities Management and Office of Technology Services (OTS) staff!! 
  • At the request of President Ginsberg, TU will be looking at budgeting models via a workgroup chaired by SVP Lowenthal. 
  • Joselyn Johnson (Director of Procurement) is moving up to the University System of Maryland (USM) office. Congratulations and thanks for your work here at TU!  
  • Enrollment for Fall 2024 came in at 19,403 students. 
  • A presentation was given on the new Redwood invoice module in Stratus. 
  • President Ginsberg will be a Keynote Speaker at USM’s Professional Development week https://www.usmd.edu/learning-and-talent/PDWeek2024 
  • A four day per week telework pilot launched in August with OTS. HR is conducting quarterly check ins and will report out in future TUSS meetings.  
  • We are currently in a hiring pause, but HR encourages everyone to submit fillable vacancies. There is a spot in the form to request an exception if needed, but still submit the vacancy even if you are not requesting an exception.  
  • Over the last six months, our TU workforce increased by 33 staff positions and 88 staff moved to different classifications. 
  • Open Enrollment for Benefits is coming in October. Watch your inbox for more information.  
  • The Council of University System Staff (CUSS) chair was impressed by the strength of TU’s shared governance model. Thank you to TUSS Vice Chair Andrew Rosenblum and SVP Steve Jones for their welcome remarks during the recent CUSS meeting hosted by TU. 
  • TU is the only institution that is doing a hiring pause to accommodate budget cuts. TU was recognized as being very transparent with budgeting.  
  • The Glen Towers are scheduled to be completed in July 2025.  
  • Several points of the ASCME agreement are being discussed by USM regarding how they relate to all staff system wide. 
  • President Ginsberg has asked HR to review our performance management evaluation metrics and consider a method other than meets/does not meet expectations.  
  • A question was raised by a TUSS Senator about the lack of employee parking spaces in the University Union garage during middays of the first several weeks of the semester. Parking Services monitors usage and responded that they were continuing to do so before any recommendation. SVP Steve Jones will follow up and provide an update at the next TUSS meeting.  
  • The Events and Engagement committee’s plan for this year’s Homecoming Office Decorating Contest was approved by Senator vote.  
  • A discussion was held on the significant dates calendar and how to use the three University holidays (The day before Thanksgiving and two days over Winter Break). The general consensus was to keep things as they are unless we receive additional discretionary holidays in the future. In that case, staff have an interest in adding either the Friday or Monday of Spring Break. #TeamLeaveThingsTheWayTheyAre 

 

QUESTIONS FOR STAFF:  

  • Did you patronize on-campus dining options this summer? Why or why not?  
  • What kinds of events or activities would interest you during Staff Week 2025 (April 21-25)? 

Send your feedback to TUSS@towson.edu or anonymously via our form.   

AWARDS: 

Top Tiger 

Top Tigers receive a recognition certificate and a gold pin in honor of their work in making TU a great place! If you have received exceptional service from a staff member or group, please nominate them for a Top Tiger Award. TU faculty, staff and students can nominate TU staff members or groups by submitting a Top Tiger Nomination Form: https://www.towson.edu/about/administration/staff-senate/staff-awards/top-tiger-award.html  

Congratulations to these recent Top Tigers! 

  • David Elliott – Facilities Management 
  • TU Pipe Shop (John Harris, Mark McCullough, Nolan Sluder, and Kyle Smith) – Facilities Management 
  • Sandra White – Student and University Billing Office 

USM Board of Regents Staff Awards 

The University System of Maryland Board of Regents Staff Awards represent the highest honor bestowed by the Board of Regents for achievements of exempt and non-exempt staff employees from institutions within the University System of Maryland. Learn more and be ready to nominate yourself or a colleague this fall!

 

MARK YOUR CALENDAR: 

TUSS Meeting: October 16, 2024, 1 p.m.
Zoom Direct Link: https://towson-edu.zoom.us/j/98702752003?pwd=N05Id3JZTEhxM2Z4ZUNBRk5OSDAvUT09
Meeting ID: 987 0275 2003
Passcode: TUSSZoom 

  

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. 

Categorised in:

This post was written by Primrose, Greg