University Times

Staff Association Council leadership will take a new form with the start of the July 1 fiscal year.

Following more than two years of review, SAC has developed bylaws updates that will revamp the organization’s leadership structure. Members gave their final okay to the changes at SAC’s Dec. 12 meeting.

Under the current bylaws, SAC’s executive committee is comprised of the president, vice president for steering, vice president for marketing and communications and treasurer. However, this spring’s elections will seek to fill a new slate consisting of a president, executive vice president, vice president for public relations, vice president of finance and parliamentarian.

Officers will serve two-year terms with no individual permitted to hold the same office for more than two consecutive terms and no more than four terms total.

Committees also have been streamlined from the current operational committees (steering, marketing and communications, governance and elections) and general committees (benefits, grievance, program and planning, research and information, safety and security and salary and job classification) to a shorter list consisting of the executive, steering, operations, external relations, staff relations, and health, safety, information technology and transportation committees.

The new bylaws also have changed the requirement that SAC meet at least 10 times per year in favor of a more flexible mandate for eight-12 meetings per year.

The SAC bylaws received their last major overhaul in 2008.

SAC President Deborah Walker told members, “It was a large process. We’ve been talking about these bylaws since I came into the organization — and that was over two years ago. It was much needed.”

She added, “I’m so glad this is passed and now we can move forward. … I feel that it’s going to make our organization more efficient and I’m looking forward to good things for our organization.”

SAC Vice President for Steering J.P. Matychak, who oversaw the completion of the bylaws update, thanked the governance committee for its work. “It’s been a long time coming, but I think it sets us up to be more efficient and more like how we operate going forward here at the University,” he said.

The new bylaws are to be posted at www.sac.pitt.edu.

*

In other business:

• Walker asked for suggestions on topics that staff would like to see covered at SAC’s technology fair. The event is set for March 11.

• An information session for members interested in running for SAC offices will take place following the Jan. 9 meeting. Walker said current officers will be available to discuss expectations, time commitments and related issues.

• Pitt Day in Harrisburg is set for Feb. 12. Walker noted the date is earlier than usual, adding that it falls shortly after the governor’s budget address is expected to be presented (typically on the first Tuesday of February).

• Treasurer Monica Costlow reported SAC has spent $676.50 to date for telephone, mail and office administration expenses. She said upcoming bills will include some larger purchases, such as SAC’s holiday cookie and coffee event, the December luncheon meeting and the upcoming technology fair.

• Costlow reported that SAC book fund applications had increased from three to 26 this year thanks to efforts to more widely publicize the award.

Four students were selected for awards of at least $300, which were to be presented at the annual long-term staff recognition event.

Book award recipients were Christopher Broadwick, son of Joyce Broadwick of occupational therapy; Anthony Deangelo, son of Robin Deangelo of radiology; Ralph Mell, son of Brenda Sperski of medicine, and Melissa Slogan, daughter of Michelle Slogan of physics and astronomy.

• Ken Doty of safety and security reported that David Kirchner will be the Pitt police liaison to SAC, replacing community relations officer Ron Bennett, who left the University last year.

—Kimberly K. Barlow