November TUSS News for Staff

Published by on November 25, 2025 1:05 am Comments Off on November TUSS News for Staff in General

The Towson University Staff Senate (TUSS) serves as the advocacy body for all university staff. All TU staff are considered general members of the Senate and are encouraged to attend our meetings. These meetings are opportunities to engage in institutional planning and ensure that staff voices are recognized. Join us!

HIGHLIGHTS FOR STAFF:

Digital Accessibility (Title II)

  • TU is taking a pragmatic, phased approach towards digital accessibility compliance. Requirements apply to documents, images, multimedia, links and navigation, and tables and data.
  • A new Digital Accessibility Hub website is coming to centralize updates, tools and resources.
  • Compliance deadline: April 24, 2026
  • All HTML pages on the TU website are already Title II-compliant.
  • University Marketing and Communications’ Digital Strategy team is leading the next steps. Staff will be notified if/when action is needed.
  • Accessibility updates will also apply to internal platforms (e.g., Blackboard, SharePoint), though implementation will be gradual.

Office of Inclusion & Institutional Equity

  • In collaboration with the Office of Human Resources (OHR), a new inclusive leadership professional development course will launch in the spring.
  • The Inclusive Excellence Education & Support team is developing dialogue initiatives. Courses will be open to the entire campus.

Academic Senate

  • The Academic Senate has created a task force to examine the process for creating or eliminating academic departments. Staff representation is included.

Operations & Human Resources

  • Beginning in 2026, health insurance premiums will be spread over 26 pay periods instead of 24, resulting in slightly higher January paychecks.
  • The Spring 2026 HR training calendar is now live with expanded wellness offerings.
  • USM Winter Wellness Day is Tuesday, December 16, from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. with sessions led by ComPsych GuidanceResources professionals.
  • Nationwide supplemental retirement is shifting to Empower. Contact the Employee Benefits team if you have questions or are interested in switching to Fidelity or TIAA.
  • A university-wide communication coming in December/January regarding several topics including the telework pilot, performance review pilot, well-being initiatives, and employee engagement survey follow-up.
  • The State of Maryland is transitioning from Payroll Online Service Center (POSC) to Workday for payroll data access. This is a statewide change. More information is available on TU Today.
  • Campus Master Plan focus groups are underway. Staff are encouraged to participate.
  • Sustainability & Climate Action hosted a successful town hall and is updating their goals based on feedback.

Administration & Finance

  • The external financial audit is nearly complete with no major findings.
  • The FY26 Budget Book is available online.
  • The Board of Public Works approved TU’s request to outsource UStore operations to Follett. The contract begins 12/1/2025 and the operations transfer to Follett is tentatively the Friday before Spring Break 2026. The store will remain TU-branded. OHR will meet individually with UStore staff to discuss employment options and provide support.

Staff Senate

  • Senators approved the creation of the Learning & Growth Ad Hoc Committee to administer professional development mini-grant program, coordinate staff learning opportunities, collaborate with OHR Training, and make recommendations for long-term staff development planning. General members are welcome to join this committee. If you are interested, contact tuss@towson.edu.
  • Welcome new senators Kristin Pinkowski (at-large) and Benita Bazemore-Cook (Division of Research)!

Important Reminders

QUESTION FOR STAFF:

Did you attend the Fall Staff Town Hall on November 18? What was most beneficial to you? If you were unable to attend, what prevented you from attending? Send feedback to TUSS@towson.edu or submit anonymously via our feedback form.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR:

TUSS Meeting

Wednesday, December 10, 1 p.m. (Off-Matrix Due to Commencement)
Zoom Direct Link
Meeting ID: 987 0275 2003
Passcode: TUSSZoom

President’s Holiday Celebration for Faculty & Staff
Wednesday, December 10, 4–6 p.m.
University Union Ballrooms
(donations collected for The Hub) Register to attend

AWARDS:

Top Tiger

Nominate an individual or group who makes TU a great place to work! Top Tigers receive a certificate and gold pin in recognition of exceptional service. TU faculty, staff, and students can nominate TU staff members or groups by submitting a Top Tiger Nomination Form.

Congratulations to recent Top Tigers: Brianna Fuller, Crystal Simmons, Emily Halligan, Kimberly-Ashley Mocombe, Laurianne Brown, Patricia Bradley

_____

Please visit our website for meeting details, senator listing, staff award information, and more.

Categorised in:

This post was written by Sorensen, Heather