MARCH 2, 2020 — The UTSA Staff Council has announced an exciting step forward in the organization’s 22-year history. As of spring 2020, Staff Council has officially rebranded as Staff Senate. UTSA is the second institution within the University of Texas System to align faculty and staff organizations under the senate brand.
“This change supports the Staff Senate’s goal to create a larger and more visible presence among the UTSA community as a shared governance body that works to advance staff initiatives,” said John Shaffer, Staff Senate chair. “This year the Staff Senate has already developed a variety of new collaborative efforts, such as the upcoming Staff Helping Staff campaign, as well as personal and professional staff development sessions designed to align with President Taylor Eighmy’s well-being initiative.”
In addition to adopting a new brand the Staff Senate cocreated Faculty Senate and Staff Senate liaison positions to better align initiatives and efforts between the two organizations.
“This change supports the Staff Senate’s goal to create a larger and more visible presence among the UTSA community.”
“Faculty Senate and Staff Senate are working together more closely than ever before,” said Veronica Salazar Mendez, chief financial officer and senior vice president for business affairs, who also serves as Staff Senate adviser. “With the alignment of the senate branding and the dedication to collaboration between governing bodies, I feel confident that these groups will continue to achieve excellent results for our faculty and staff.”
⇒ Learn more about the Staff Senate, including your reps and Staff Appreciation Awards.
Since its inception, the 35-member shared governance body has:
- Lobbied to increase employee tuition assistance for graduate school (from 6 to 12 credit hours),
- Established UTSA scholarships for staff,
- Led the charge for a tobacco-free campus,
- Launched the annual Great Staff Appreciation event, and
- Recognized outstanding staff across campus through Staff Appreciation Awards.
