Staff Senate Committees | Staff Senate

Staff Senators are required to serve on at least one standing committee and attend all committee meetings to which they are assigned, unless excused by the committee chair. Committee members shall be appointed at the first meeting of the term. Committee members will be appointed by the President or presiding Chair. Standing Committees will meet on opposite months of the full Senate unless otherwise noted. Standing committees include the Executive Committee, the Bylaws Committee, the Liaison Committee, the Communications Committee, The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, the Elections Committee, the Personnel Affairs Committee, and the Recognition Committee.

* denotes the committee chair(s)

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall consist of six (6) members, including the President, the Vice President for Internal Affairs, the Vice President for External Affairs, Executive Advisor, the Secretary, and the Executive Secretary.

Duties of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall meet once per week or as necessary. The Executive Committee shall act for the staff between meetings of the Senate and the Assembly. The Executive Committee shall meet with the Chancellor of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln at least once per semester, except when waived by mutual consent. The Executive Committee shall advise and otherwise assist the Chancellor in implementing all the duties and administrative functions specified in 2.8.2 of the Bylaws of the Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska. The Executive Committee shall report to the Staff Senate about such meetings and receive instructions from the Staff Senate concerning the position of the staff relating to the operations of the University. The Executive Committee shall also meet with the Chief of Staff at least monthly, except when waived by mutual consent, and shall advise and otherwise assist the Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief of Staff in carrying out the duties and functions specified in Section 1.2.2.3 of the Bylaws of UNL.

Executive Committee Members:

Bylaws Committee

Purpose: Review of and make recommendations for amendments of the bylaws and the Staff Senate policies and procedures.

Duties of the Bylaws Committee:

Serve as a resource for the Executive Committee and the Staff Senate regarding potential amendments to the bylaws
Review proposed amendments to ensure they are consistent with the current bylaws and bring proposed amendments to the Staff Senate at the next regular meeting for a vote of approval
Compile the approved amendments and present the amended bylaws to the Executive Committee at the last meeting of the year
Act as a parliamentary advisor during Staff Senate meetings

Bylaws Committee Members:

Liasion Committee

Purpose: Oversee the appointment of Senate members to liaise with other campus committees and bring issues or important information to the attention of the full Senate.

Duties of the Liaison Committee

Coordinate representation of Staff Senate members with organizations and commissions both within and outside of campus
Recommend who will serve as representatives on organizations and commissions
Find and recommend replacements for liaisons as seats become available
Compile committee reports to present during Senate meetings
Review and update annually a list of Senate and other campus-wide standing committees

Liaison Committee Members:

Communication Committee

Purpose: Create and maintain communications for the Staff Senate

Duties of the Communications Committee

Promote the Staff Senate's work and opportunities for staff engagement on a consistent basis
Work to establish and increase awareness of the Staff Senate's role to advocate for and impact staff-related concerns and issues
Highlight applicable messaging from campus partners via Staff Senate's social media channels and its website
Supervise and suggest updates for the Staff Senate website
Maintain an active list of University staff for communications purposes

Communication Committee Members:

Elections Committee

Duties of the Elections Committee

Solicit candidates for open seats in the Senate, prioritizing candidates are representative of staff job categories and diversity
Organize elections in accordance with Section X.3.3
Maintain records of election results and terms of office
Evaluate the composition of each electoral constituency to ensure proper representation and provide a report to the executive committee prior to each election
Propose the apportionment of Senate seats according to established guidelines every other year at the October meeting

Election Committee Members:

Stephanie Hanson* | Joan Kunzman* | Erica Radach | Jaclyn Tan | Rhonda Zugmier

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee

Purpose: Work toward an equitable, diverse, and fully inclusive Senate body and campus

Duties of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) committee

Address policies and long-standing practices that perpetuate racism and inequity on campus, particularly regarding staff affairs
Represent Staff Senate in campus and regional committees and workshops about diversity, inclusion, and equity
Solicit information from and interact with the various diversity groups on campus and in the community in support of their goals
Sponsor events/programs with other diversity groups on campus

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee Members:

Recognition Committee

Purpose: Recognize and reward staff for exemplary service to the University or community

Duties of the Recognition Committee

Determine what campus-wide awards are available and propose new staff awards
Call for nominations for the awards each spring
Review submissions in terms of requirements
Notify nominees and recipients
Notify appropriate University offices and work with Communications Committee to publicize outcomes
Plan and implement an annual Staff Celebration Day

Recognition Committee Members:

Personnel Affairs Committee

Purpose: Provide an avenue for the regular exchange of ideas on personnel policies, employee benefits, University policies and procedures, and other matters that relate to University staff

Duties of the Personnel Affairs Committee

Review personnel-related grievances filed by staff members upon request
Review current benefits and personnel policies regarding compensation, hiring, hiring freezes, etc.
Make recommendations for changes that affect employees
Propose new benefits and policies that would benefit employees

Personnel Affairs Committee Members: