University Times

Rich Colwell began his one-year term as president of the Staff Association Council (SAC) at its June 17 meeting. On staff in the School of Engineering's Office of the Associate Dean for 13 years as an electronics specialist III, Colwell has been a member of SAC for 12 years, serving seven years as chair of the safety and security committee, two years as chair of the elections committee and, most recently, three years as vice president of steering. He has also been a SAC-designated member of the University Planning and Budgeting Committee (UPBC) and Senate Council for the past three years.

Following are excerpts from a June 18 interview of Colwell with University Times staff writer Peter Hart.

UNIVERSITY TIMES: Why did you join SAC and why did you seek the presidency?

COLWELL: My wife says I'm not a joiner, I'm a leader. I've always felt that SAC is a communication vehicle that should keep staff informed and gather staff's input to accomplish shared governance. This communication should address issues that are of most concern to staff and I wanted to be involved in that.

What do you think are the biggest problems affecting staff?

Right now I think the biggest concerns affecting staff are the ongoing health care deliberations [involving a restructuring of the Pitt-UPMC Health System relationship] and the restructuring generally in the medical area. On the first issue, first we heard that more than a hundred staff would be affected. But the real count is about 50. Human Resources has really helped a lot. I know Ron Frisch [associate vice chancellor, Human Resources] has been meeting one-to-one with employees who are affected.

Obviously, downsizing is an issue because of financial constraints that the University is facing. [SAC officers] Linda Marts and Carol Neuner have been working with Ron closely on the benefits and salary and job committees and we hope that that relationship will continue, to keep channels open.

I'm glad that Linda Marts won election as vice president for communications, because she's from the health area and I think they need representation. I'd like to see ties between Health Sciences employees and other staff grow stronger.

I'm really impressed with our new Health Sciences leader, Dr. [Arthur] Levine. I was on the search committee, and he impressed all of us, really. He's just a presence. When he talks to you in a room, he really talks to you. Not at you. Not around you. But with you. And he's brilliant. He knows six languages or something like that. But I didn't at all get the feeling that he's above me, or whatever. I really think he will listen to us and that he believes in shared governance, too.

Could you describe your leadership style, that is, how you will communicate with the administration, your role in SAC?

My style is to take a positive approach to problems. I believe in empowered leadership, meaning that I have a strong set of officers to work with, committee chairs, council members and staff-at-large, and I expect to take advantage of that. I believe in delegating authority and listening.

I have an open-door policy and will try to address any issue brought to me by staff. I was instrumental in developing a closed-door session as part of the regular SAC meetings so staff could feel free to speak openly. I want staff to know it's okay to voice concerns.

I have no hidden agenda. My loyalties lie not with special interest groups, but with all staff. I am here to work on and respond to issues that concern the staff person, and will go to bat for them whatever the issue may be. I value open communication at all levels and will continue to collaborate with faculty and students on common issues.

What are your ideas for SAC? What changes are you going to work for?

I expect we will become more proactive in our deliberations with the administration, faculty and students during the upcoming year.

One thing I will press for as president: Any policy decisions that affect staff should have SAC representation on whatever committee is discussing it. I feel very strongly about this. I don't know that it's been a problem exactly; it seems, really, that all we have to do is ask and the administration says yes. And that goes back to at least when this provost took over.

Obviously, I cannot speak to SAC's priorities without first consulting with the new officers, council members and non-SAC staff members to set these for the coming year. But, as far as ongoing issues to address, I would list four: salary distribution, job performance evaluation, job classification and the staff handbook. I've seen the draft of the new staff handbook and it's pretty far along from what I can tell. Linda [Marts] reported [at the June 17 SAC meeting] that there is a target of printing in September.

As far as other changes, I would like non-SAC members to become more involved with SAC. I think people think if they belong to SAC they need to be officers or always in someone's face. But a lot of the work that's done is on the committee level — like the newsletter committee. Non-SAC members can join that and help with putting the newsletter together. Or they could join the program and planning committee, which puts together things like Kennywood Day. They'd be very welcome and I want to encourage that. Anyone interested should just contact me.

From within SAC, I'd like to see more members [as opposed to officers and committee chairs] serving on the University committees like Senate Council subcommittees or senior administrative search committees. I want to get members involved in the serious business of staff concerns.

I've been instrumental in having non-steering committee members on the Board of Trustees subcommittees and in moving most SAC business down to the committee and member level, which makes good use of the enormous amount of talented staff within the organization.

As SAC president, you will be serving on some University committees. How do you see your role, for example, on the Board of Trustees and other committees?

Our role on the Board of Trustees is simply as observers. Senate Council, though, is extremely participative, which works well, as does our role on UPBC and with the provost, who has been fair and diplomatic.

The current administration has exhibited an open-door policy. Jerry Cochran is available, listens and acts on matters we bring to him. The chancellor is and has been accessible, and we value the respect they have both shown us. And, as you know, SAC endorsed Ron Frisch's permanent appointment because of the positive relationship we share.

How do you feel about the overall situation at Pitt?

I think things are getting better. Morale is higher. We've come a long way as far as representation is concerned. We still have a way to go, though. I think we all feel salaries could be higher.

I'm a great believer in the importance of staff, especially in the governance process.

You mentioned the SAC newsletter. What do you see as its mission?

The newsletter is very important. Staff have to know what's going on. And not just in their own department. We want to get it on a four times a year track. I know we've slipped with that. But we're going to do it.

We will have a SAC web page by the end of the summer, too. I want to have minutes of meetings on it, the newsletter, maybe committee reports and other SAC business.

What would people be surprised to learn about you?

I'm probably the least educated of any SAC president. I didn't go to college; I've had 13 years of OJT [on the job training]. I earned a Bronze Star in Vietnam. I have a First Class FCC radio/telephone license, and a general radio/telephone operator license and an amateur radio license, advanced class. I've been president of the Greater Pittsburgh VHS Society, a group of area radio operators, for 18 years and helped increase its membership from 105 to 324 members.