Newly elected Staff Council members with fresh ideas are looking to improve staff morale and staff members’ relationships with administrators.
Director of Community Projects Ann McFarland, who was elected Staff Council president in July, has several ideas for this academic year. She said the Council will work collectively to accomplish its goals.
‘I would like to increase and improve communications with staff,’ McFarland said. ‘I’ll have to see what the Council decides to do.’
McFarland said the Council’s purpose is to ‘represent staff in an honest and moral way’ and ‘make sure all colleges and departments have representation.’
She believes the Council can accomplish its goals by ‘professionalizing and helping others understand they do have a voice through Staff Council.’
McFarland will also focus on compensating staff in non-monetary ways, which is an issue of concern because raises will not be given due to budget crunches. She hopes to ensure that the University’s administration will find other ways to show staff appreciation.
‘Valuing staff is very important to the success of the University,’ said McFarland, who believes staff is the biggest key to keeping the University in good shape.
Troy Hopkins, a Bauer College of Business academic adviser who was elected to a position in the Academic Affairs Division, echoed McFarlands’ comments about the importance of staff.
‘Staff is really the skeleton that holds the University together,’ Hopkins said. ‘If they don’t have a voice, then things won’t run smoothly at all.’
He believes the administration has several non-financial options for rewarding employees. One idea includes reducing the amount of time employees spend at UH.
‘I think having a more and more flexible schedule would be good, where (staff) could maybe work from home,’ Hopkins said.
Hopkins feels communication between staff, advisers and administration can be improved.
‘My main goal is to make sure staff has a good amount of input, especially from advisers,’ Hopkins said. ‘It’s important to have a voice before implementation of policy instead of at the point of implementation, so that there’s a smoother transition.’
Keith Kowalka, who serves on Staff Council’s Executive Committee, believes Staff Council incorporates employees in UH’s overall plans and promotes Cougar pride.
‘(Council members) have a broader sense of what’s going on Universitywide, more of a connection, and have a stake in the University’s success,’ Kowalka said. ‘It’s great to see the work you do that affects the University and its overall mission.’
