Current Activities

Staff Senate will actively participate in the achieving the UVA 2030 Plan’s key initiative to cultivate staff success. In addition to that work, the Senate is currently focused on the following:

• Representing staff on the development of a revised remote work policy for the University;
  
  In June 2022, Staff Senate sent out two surveys to all University staff regarding flex/remote work, one for all staff, and one for managers. Excluding Classified staff, who are subject to the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Telework policy, the survey was sent to over 6,235 employees. We had 1,540 employees complete the staff survey, and 355 managers complete the manager’s survey (resulting in a 30% response rate).  
   
  The Staff Senate Flex Work working group reviewed the results and have compiled a final report and recommendations. This report was sent to UVA leadership in October 2022, and our Staff Senate Co-Chairs are now meeting with leadership to discuss the report and recommendations. 
  View the Flex Work Executive Summary View the Flex Work Presentation  
• Collaborating with HR to understand changes to the health and prescription drug plan and improve management of this benefit for staff;
• Staying abreast of University initiatives that specifically impact staff members' work environment, such as the Finance Strategic Transformation and identifying opportunities for staff input;
• Identifying professional development opportunities for staff, particularly in the area of diversity, equity, and inclusion;
• Convening monthly with the Chairs Summit that includes leaders from all major elected representative groups on Grounds: Faculty Senate, General Faculty Council, Student Council, Graduate and Professional Council, and Medical Center Employee Council to identify common concerns and work together to find solutions.

Past Accomplishments

Through advocacy and partnership, Staff Senate has taken action on behalf of our constituents. Here are a few of Senate’s accomplishments:

• Cosponsoring staff town halls to hear from University leaders about UVA’s COVID-19 response and share staff concerns.
• Representing staff in conversations with UVA leaders to influence policy and decision-making about topics such as the future of work at UVA, COVID-19 operations, mask/vaccine policy updates, and the 2030 Plan key initiative to cultivate staff success.
• Advocating for staff through a letter to University leaders about staff involvement in key committees/working groups and representation of average staff members when key decisions are made that affect the nearly 7,000 academic division staff members.
• Establishing the Chairs Summit to bring UVA elected representative group leaders together to exchange information, collaborate on shared concerns, and engage regularly with the University’s senior leaders. Melissa Goldman and Rachel Kiliany were the University Partnerships co-directors who founded the Summit and received President Ryan’s Building Bridges Award.
• Partnering with UVA Human Resources to improve the education benefit. As a result of our research and input, the education benefit was expanded to include tuition coverage.
• Collaborating with University leadership to support the adoption of a policy for paternity leave.
• Centralizing clear, easy-to-understand information on staff compensation policies to promote transparency and support career planning.