About the Staff Council

The American University Staff Council is an elected body that represents full-time and permanent part-time staff members of American University, Washington, D.C. The council’s mission is to serve the interests and needs of the staff pertaining to their daily activities and work conditions as they strive to support the university’s goal of quality education. Toward this effort, the Staff Council promotes understanding and cooperation by facilitating communication among campus constituencies and by serving as an advocate for staff issues which affect them. In our efforts to enhance the quality of the American University work environment, the council provides leadership and support to work together with all members of the university to enrich community spirit.

In addition, the council serves the following:

• To provide a forum for hearing and reviewing staff concerns and interests.
• To serve as a sounding board for the administration regarding proposed actions, programs, policies, and procedures that will affect the staff.
• To participate, assist, and advise in decision-making processes that affect the staff’s relationship with the larger university community.
• To initiate suggestions to improve university staff relations, and help bring useful ideas that may originate from within the staff to the attention of the administration.
• To recommend to cabinet staff members who can serve as appointees on other university or Human Resources committees.
• To act, in general, to help make American University’s educational community an efficient, fulfilling, and attractive environment for employment.

For further information, please note the following:

• Statement Regarding Vision for 2007-2008 by Aaron Tobler, Chair 2007-2008.
• The Staff Council has its own set of bylaws. You can read them here.
• During the Board of Trustees and former President Ladner issues during 2005-2006, the Staff Council worked with campus groups to help build consensus while promoting staff interests. For letters by the Staff Council to the Board of Trustees, please click here. For a general timeline of the events as they progressed, please click here.
• For a listing of Staff Council Executive Officers, Members and Committees, please click here.
• For further information about the Staff Council, please visit our frequently asked questions page.

November 13, 2007, Adrienne Frank

Staff Council. Back row, from left: Rebecca Davis, Tarek Mahfouz, Christine Gettings (cochair), President Kerwin, Amy Wielunski, Jose Mauricio Burgos, Kristi Plahn- Gjersvold, Chris Hughes, Lee Schwentker, Zen Hunter-Ishikawa (chair) Front row: Aaron Tobler, Amir Tejani, Sandra Coaxum, Alicia Rodrigues (Photo by Jeff Watts)

During last Monday’s annual Staff Council fall reception, AU President Neil Kerwin reminded the 200 staffers in attendance that, while faculty and students are at the core of the university’s mission, “this should never be viewed as a lack of respect and admiration for the contributions of our extraordinary staff.”

“Your list of contributions is longer than I could list, even if I did have an hour and 15 minutes to speak,” said Kerwin, who joked earlier about the length of his remarks.

“Your work is highly regarded and appreciated in every corner of this university.”

As staff munched on sandwiches, salads, and cookies, Staff Council chair Zen Hunter-Ishikawa encouraged them to savor the spotlight.

“Within these walls for the next two hours, you are the most appreciated people at AU,” he said.

During the luncheon, the winners of the Civitas staff essay contest, which challenged entrants to imagine the future of civility, were announced. Jill Grinager of the School of Communication took first place, winning a $500 gift card to the campus store, while second place, and a $250 gift card, went to Divya Hemnani from the University Center, who came to AU only two months ago.

During the event, Staff Council member Aaron Tobler also presented the results of the staff climate survey, in which more than 500 people—about 30 percent of the staff—participated.

According to the survey, staff are most concerned about: days off between Christmas and New Years; flex-schedules and flextime; parking issues; tuition remission; and health care issues. PMP evaluations and transparency in administrative decision making also rated high on some staffers’ lists.

Tobler said the categories “were intentionally vague,” and that working groups have been formed to flush out the issues related to each concern. “For example, do most people want days off between Christmas and New Years, or do they want more flex-time,” he said.

Even before the working group convenes to discuss that issue, the answer seems to be clear. When Tobler mentioned days off around the holiday, the room erupted into applause.

“So, clearly, this is something on your minds,” joked Tobler to the crowd.

Staff Council will host a forum to discuss these issues from noon to 2 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 15, in the Kay Spiritual Life Center. Sarah Bayne and Beth Muha from Human Resources will be on hand to discuss everything from maternity and paternity leave to AU’s smoking policy.

Photo and article courtesy of American Today

Want more information? Have questions or comments? Please email or call us at (202) 885-2300.
This page last updated June 4, 2008, by Aaron Tobler.