Staff Senate Committee
Staff Senate Committees
The Staff Senate represents staff interests to university leadership to ensure staff are an integral part of key decision-making. In order to accomplish its work, the Senate is organized into committees, which include the following: executive, advocacy, communications, membership and university partnerships.
- If you are a Senate member and would like to join one of the committees, please review the descriptions below and reach out to the appropriate co-directors.
- If you are a staff member at UVA and would like to get involved in the work of the Staff Senate, please reach out to our Advocacy Directors to learn more about how you can participate. You can also view some of our current and past projects. You do not have to be a staff senator to participate in Senate work.
- Executive
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The Executive Committee directs the work of the Staff Senate, ensuring adherence to the Senate mission and transparency to the university community. It is comprised of 2 co-chairs, 2 advocacy directors, 2 communications directors, 2 membership directors, 2 university partnership directors, and 1 past co-chair. Executive Committee members have the opportunity to work directly with UVA leadership and to help shape policies and programs that directly impact staff. They have the authority to speak or act on behalf of the Staff Senate when there is a need for prompt action and can convene working groups to address issues important to UVA staff. The Committee makes every effort to ensure that diverse representation of Staff Senate leadership is maintained.
The Co-Chairs oversee the Executive Committee and serve as the voice of the Staff Senate. The Co-Chairs meet with University leadership and Staff Senate partners to further strengthen the Senate relationship with the University community and ensure staff voice is well represented across Grounds. They are also responsible for planning and leading the monthly Senate meetings, for developing and recruiting senators for leadership on the Senate, and for staying abreast of issues important to staff.
The Executive Committee meets monthly in addition to the full Senate meetings.
- Advocacy
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The Advocacy Directors work with the Senate to identify objectives that will improve the work lives and well-being of university and classified staff (usually 1-2 focal areas for the year). The Advocacy Directors set measurable targets for progress, research related policy, and collaborate with appropriate groups and offices on grounds to implement positive change in university culture. The Advocacy Directors may utilize working groups, as needed, to support their work.
Contact the Advocacy Co-Directors if you have questions or would like to get involved in the work of the Senate.
- Communications
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The Communications Directors are responsible for taking, preparing, and disseminating Staff Senate minutes. The Communications Directors maintain and update the Staff Senate website to accurately reflect current events, Staff Senate membership, and any significant findings from Staff Senate surveys or working groups.
- Membership
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The Membership Directors create and maintain best practices for recruiting members and managing membership programs. They track attendance and the transition of seats (onboarding and offboarding) for senators; provide support and resources for new senators; and ensure accurate representation of each organizational unit. In addition, the directors are responsible for the new member onboarding event, the July luncheon for Senate members, and reviewing bylaws and making recommendations for changes when necessary.
- University Partnerships
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The University Partnerships (UP) Directors build collaborative partnerships with key committees and groups on Grounds to better engage staff in the University community. The purpose of UP's work is to ensure staff are fully and equitably represented in University-wide initiatives and shared governance. The Co-Directors are responsible for facilitating the Chair’s Summit, a monthly meeting where representatives of Employee Resource Groups and elective bodies discuss topics relevant to one or multiple groups. This helps to ensure that the Staff Senate maintains a strong connection to other leadership groups on grounds to help facilitate communication and shared governance. The Co-Directors maintain a current list of representatives from all groups, set up the monthly Chairs Summit meetings, invite guest speakers, take notes and distribute minutes, facilitate the meeting, and report back to the Senate as needed.