Staff Council Newsletter

 

 

April, 2011

Welcome to the March edition of the Staff Council Newsletter.  The goal of this newsletter is to enhance communication with staff members across campus.  If you have questions, comments or suggestions regarding the content of the newsletter, please use our Web form (linked).

Physical Plant staff can also obtain a paper form from Mary Anderson.

Topics Include:
  • New Staff Members  
  • All Staff Meeting
  • Upcoming Committee Elections
  • Google Applications
  • University Image
  • Suggestion/Question Boxes

  • Answers to Staff Questions

    New Staff Members
    Katharine Ritter - Office Coordinator II, Ames Library, November 2010
    Talley Gentry - Data Information Coordinator, Registrar's Office, December 2010
    Kathryn Grey - Data Entry Operator, Office of Residential Life, January 2011
    Kara Mehrkens - Gift Information Specialist, Advancement, January 2011

    All Staff Meeting
    Staff Council hosted the third annual All-Staff Meeting in January.  President Wilson announced that employees will receive a 1% increase in salary as well as a 1% restoration of retirement benefit beginning in the fall semester of 2011.  For those who were not able to attend, the meeting was videotaped and you may check out a copy from Human Resources.

    Upcoming Committee Elections
    Elections for campus committees are coming soon.  Self-nominations will be taken in April.  Please give strong consideration to nominating yourself or others for a committee.  Your involvement is vital to ensuring strong staff representation across campus.

    Google Applications
    IWU is  moving their support of e-mail services and collaborative applications to Google Apps for Education.  Information Technology’s plan is to move to Google Apps for Education in July of 2010.  More information will be provided to the IWU community in the coming months.  IT will be providing a timeline for implementation and offering informational and training workshops.  This is an exciting project and Information Technology Services looks forward to improving the services available to the campus community!

    University Image
    Staff Council would like to encourage all staff members with concerns about wages, workload, etc., to utilize the avenues already in place, such as departments or committees to address those concerns.  Voicing concerns in the presence of students may adversely affect their experience at IWU.

    Suggestion/Question Boxes
    Staff Council has three suggestion/question boxes located on campus.  They are located in the Memorial Center across from the Davidson Room, in Holmes Hall by the Business Office windows and at Physical Plant near the time cards.  Please feel free to drop anonymous suggestions or questions into the boxes.  Staff Council will review them at each meeting.

    Answers to Staff Questions

    Q: An anonymous staff member asked why there was a speaker on work-life balance for faculty in November, when the topic seemed to apply more to staff than faculty.  

    A: “The speaker was addressing specific issues of work-life balance that pertain to faculty; that is what the heart of her research focuses on, specifically as these stresses pertain to scholarships, teaching and service. Anyone was welcome to attend. There will be another speaker on campus in the spring—March or April—who will address Work Life Balance for a general audience, and anyone will be able to attend.”

    Her information came from Professor Irv Epstein, who arranged for both speakers.  Missy has offered to help Irv promote the spring speaker, since that has a wider reach to both faculty and staff.