February TUSS News for Staff
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:
- Vice Chair Cheryl Brown provided highlights from the Academic Senate meeting. Thank you, Cheryl!
- VP Bradley thanked the staff of the Office of Inclusion and Institutional Equity (OIIE) for their continued work. OIIE acknowledges there are a number of questions about DEI at TU in light of the changing Federal landscape. OIIE continues to plan for a variety of scenarios and TUSS would like to acknowledge their work in supporting a diverse and equitable campus. Your work is appreciated!
- Ms. Myra Harris ’59, one of TU’s first Black graduates and a leader in education, passed away at 87 years old. Consider giving to TU to honor her memory: Barnes-Harris Scholarship Endowment
- The Business Travel Office will be available every Tuesday and Friday from 9 to 10 a.m. and 2 to 3 p.m. if you have questions or need help with travel: https://www.towson.edu/financialservices/travel/
- SVP Lowenthal reminded the Senate that TU’s portion of the USM’s overall state appropriations budget reduction is $10.9 million dollars. Towson will use the details from the reduction modeling exercises conducted earlier this fiscal year to best absorb the cuts while maintaining the classroom environment for students and protecting faculty and staff positions.
- TU has closed the RFP (Request for Proposals) for an external UStore management vendor on time and is currently finalizing a robust internal plan for the UStore operations. Once both aspects are completed, a data-driven decision will be made. Shared governance will have a voice in the decision.
- HR has added a One Stop callout on their homepage allowing employees to stay up to date with HR News: https://www.towson.edu/hr/
- Staff are encouraged to attend the College of Business and Economics Dean Search Open Forums: https://www.towson.edu/cbe/dean-search/
- Reminder about compliance training – it is not optional. If you missed or deleted either email, HR compliance sessions can be accessed via https://towson-md.safecolleges.com/ and Office of Information Security compliance sessions are found at https://training.knowbe4.com/
- Visit the HR Calendar to learn about training and development opportunities for faculty and staff, including the Nancy Grasmick Institute 2-Day Manager to Leader Workshop for TU faculty and staff supervisors: https://towson.my.salesforce-sites.com/events#/list?keyword=HR
- The revised Performance Review form is almost complete. More information to follow.
- TU will be sending out an engagement survey to faculty and staff this spring. This will be the fourth time this survey has been conducted on our campus. Watch your email for more information.
- TU Parking Permit rates will remain the same for FY26; however, some staff may see an increase as FY25 permit rates were based on salaries as of 6/30/2024 and thus did not include COLA/Merit raises implemented on 7/1/2024 which may have shifted an employee into a higher range.
- SVP Jones clarified that in the event of inclement weather delays, campus buildings should be open 30 minutes prior to campus opening time.
- SVP Jones gave a shoutout to Facilities Management – Landscaping and Operations and Maintenance for their excellent work keeping up with the snow and ice this winter. Thank you!
- Personal Conveyance Policy passed through the President’s Cabinet. More information to follow.
- Maryland Roundtable for Education will be new tenants and moving into 401 Washington in March.
- Speedbumps in Towsontown Garage have been shaved down!
- HR reported we are roughly 45 days into 2025 and have 45 staff position offers accepted, 17 of which are successful internal candidates. TU is not only a great place to work, but also to grow!
- TUSS Bylaws Committee presented a proposal to amend the bylaws regarding voting membership. After discussion, a motion was made, seconded, and passed by Senate vote to accept the change.
- TUSS Events and Engagement committee presented a proposal for Mini-Grants. After discussion, a motion was made, seconded, and passed by Senate vote to accept the Mini-Grants proposal.
QUESTIONS FOR STAFF: Do you attend events on campus? If so, where do you learn about them? If not, what barriers prevent you from attending?
Send your feedback to TUSS@towson.edu or anonymously via our feedback 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:
- Chris Kobus, Facilities Management
- Marcus Weeks, Event and Conference Services
- Joshua Hayes, Equity and Compliance
- Crystal Simmons, Financial Aid
- Layla Taqi, Housing and Residence Life
- Joshua Wilhide, Jess and Mildred Fisher College of Science and Mathematics
- Princess Lane, Housing and Residence Life
- Neil Thomas, Office of Technology Services
- Brian Green, Facilities Management
MARK YOUR CALENDAR:
TUSS Meeting: March 19, 2025, 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: General
This post was written by Primrose, Greg