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January 20, 2011

Two ad-hoc SAC committees approved

The Staff Association Council (SAC) has granted ad hoc status to two proposed standing committees.

The ad hoc diversity and inclusion committee and the staff mentoring committee have been charged by SAC President Gwen Watkins to prepare draft mission statements to be distributed to SAC members prior to discussion at the Feb. 9 meeting.

“They are now both ad hoc committees, so that they can continue to develop those committees,” said Watkins at SAC’s Jan. 12 meeting. The SAC president has the authority to name ad hoc committees. Watkins said SAC expects to discuss the committees next month, then vote in March on whether they should be made permanent committees.

SAC currently has nine standing committees and a steering committee, which comprises the officers, committee chairs and vice chairs.

The diversity and inclusion committee, initially proposed last June, had been foundering in the governance committee as members looked into which bylaws changes would be required to create a standing committee. Watkins said the governance committee is preparing a draft mission statement.

Jesse Nicholson, a member of the governance committee, argued for a diversity and inclusion committee in SAC.

“There is empirical research that shows diversity on a college campus improves the quality of education,” Nicholson said. “The purpose of the committee would be not just to support policies and procedures that champion diversity and inclusion and all the things the University should stand for and does stand for, but also it could serve as a liaison between the Staff Association Council and entities outside the University community like the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, to see how such issues are handled.”

The committee also would serve as an informational vehicle to raise staff awareness, he said. “We’d like to keep staff informed on issues that need to be addressed, like equal pay for women, for example.”

Nicholson acknowledged that similar entities already exist at the University, such as the Senate’s antidiscriminatory policies committee and the Office of Cross-Cultural and Leadership Development in Student Affairs, but none is devoted to staff concerns. “I think it’s something we really need to do to catch up with the times,” he said.

Watkins added, “Diversity and inclusion for faculty is different from staff. I just feel more comfortable if I can talk with my staff colleagues about issues.”

Proposed last fall, the staff mentoring committee would foster mentoring by hosting events and coordinating experienced staff volunteers. The committee also would offer advice on staff career advancement.

Deborah Walker, who serves on the program and planning committee, is charged with preparing the draft mission statement.

Watkins noted that both committees would need the approval of the steering committee before advancing to a vote by the membership.

In other SAC business:

• The SAC-sponsored brown bag lunch presentation, “Campus Safety,” postponed in November, has been rescheduled for noon-2 p.m. Feb. 3 in the William Pitt Union Ballroom. Presenters will be Kathy Humphrey, vice provost and dean of students; Walker, student conduct officer in Student Affairs, and Officer Ron Bennett of the campus police.

Topics will include the student conduct hearing process, security awareness, the scope of authority of campus security officers and criminal procedures.

• Rick Fabean, chair of the safety and security committee, reported that a SAC-sponsored CPR certification workshop is scheduled for Feb. 26. For more information, contact the SAC office at 4-4236.

—Peter Hart


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