VCU Staff Senate continues to make history

By Malorie Burkett

The Virginia Commonwealth University Staff Senate this year plans on making even bigger strides in leading the way for classified employees within an institution that has promoted collaboration, innovation and growth among its schools, departments and programs.

The official representative body for classified employees of the university and health system communities recently welcomed new and returning members for the 2006-2007 academic year, and for the first time in its history, the organization did so with 100 percent participation of staff senators, alternates and volunteers.

“Having 100 percent participation means our presence is being recognized on both campuses and that the VCU Staff Senate is on the minds of faculty, staff and administration,” said LaForest Williams, president of the VCU Staff Senate.

Over the past year, the VCU Staff Senate worked to bridge the gap and build a community of one through fundraising and other community outreach activities.

The second annual walk-a-thon, held last April, more than tripled the previous year’s mark by raising more than $14,000 in donations from staff, faculty and community vendors. The total monetary donations made it possible to preserve the Virginia’s Caring University Scholarship awards for undergraduate students, which were presented to six students last month.

In addition, the Staff Senate implemented the first annual Back to School drive to benefit Martin Luther King, Jr., Middle School. As a result, the VCU community contributed more than 10,000 items to the local middle school.

According to Williams, the VCU Staff Senate will be collaborating regularly with the Faculty Senate as well as the student government associations from both campuses.

“We have individuals excited about carrying out the Staff Senate’s mission,” said Williams. “We’re cultivating the next world class staff while excelling to great new heights.”

The VCU Staff Senate serves to support the diverse staff of VCU and the VCU Health System by facilitating communication and making responsible decisions to meet the current and future needs of the university community.

The Staff Senate is composed of 25 members from the university's academic and health sciences campuses and 25 members from the health system. Staff senators serve three-year terms and are appointed by university vice-presidents and deans and group directors of the health system. Appointees must be full-time university or health system employees who have been employed for two years. For more, visit http://www.vcu.edu/staffsenate/.


2006-2007 VCU Staff Senate Executive Committee

President:       
LaForest Williams, Office of the Vice President for Health Sciences
Vice-President:
Dawn Mooney, VCU Business Services
Membership Secretary/Elections & Nominations Chair:   
Lori Floyd-Miller, VCU Graduate School
Recording Secretary:
Debbie Stewart, VCU Faculty & Instructional Development
Parliamentarian:
Norma Briggs, Biomedical Engineering
Historian:
Luival Mulder, VCUHS Pathology

Committee Chairs

Communications:
Tammy Berwanger, University Marketing
Constitution & Bylaws:
Teresa Alsko, VCUHS Financial Accounting
VCU Policies & Issues:
Delores Collier, VCU School of Nursing
VCUHS Policies & Issues:
Stephen Clark, Hume-Lee Transplant Center
Volunteer Committee:
Marquita Aguilar, College of Humanities & Sciences