In attendance

Niki Mott, Elly Lewis, Karen Fennell, Sulastri Carr, Angela Beale, Lindsey Tollefson, Sandra Quinn, James Salmen Erick Chavez-Navarrete, Carri Boothe, Kayla Ahr, Anne Beard, Rose Chang, Jenn Ambrose

Proposed Budget

• $500 for Hollaback training was voted upon
• Extra Swag can go to welcome event and work annniversaries
• Gift Cards: $75
• Professional Development Training: $3,000
• Events: $1250
• Ice Cream Social $75
• Misc: $100
• Karen Motioned to vote on budget as proposed
• Vote: 7 yes 1 abstention

Ice Cream Social

• Location for that: Reserve Outside student commons gallery spaces
• The event will be held from 12:30-1:30pm
• Do what's best for your schedule if you would like to help put together the swag bags
• Google Doc to sign up to distribute swag bags: James Salmen volunteered to do Bio & Chem
• The goal is to distribute them by the second week of classes
• Karen will put together a draft for the bags
• Angie will purchase ice cream treats including options for vegan, gluten free, dairy-free etc

SubCommittees

• Professional Development could be one committee with Community Building
• Communications/Tech
• Each committee should have a point person
• Sub-Committees and their Members:
  • Advocacy Members: Karen, Rose, and Angie as needed
  • Community building and Professional development Members: Erick, Carri, and Sulastri
  • IT/Comm: Elly and Lindsey
• Erick motioned to establish these committees
• Seconded
• Voted: 7 in favor 1 abstention

Mental Health Resources

• Psychology puts together a list of resources for Mental health for staff members periodically, but can we make a list of resources for our staff?
• FAST Team: Faculty and Staff about safety concern or question
• Other resources: CO State Employee Assistance Program - for assistance perhaps finding resources for mental health as well as possibly legal advice, etc.
• Auraria Health Center https://healthcenter1.com/covid-19/
• Kathleen Bollard is the Dean for Faculty and Staff Affairs
• What issues are there for for staff as opposed to faculty vs students - especially with power dynamics?
• Is there anything that is particularly effective for workplace bullying?
• Can we have a Staff Advocate? Where someone else could start conversation on behalf of staff needing support?
• There is a power imbalance between faculty and staff with a lack of intermediary steps
• The existence/creation of the Staff Council helps to mitigate that
• Colorado State Employees Union - https://www.coloradowins.org/

What are some ways that we can make greater change/workplace culture change?

• Create a mentorship program to facilitate connections among staff? - a network of volunteer mentors?
• Develop list of resources but focusing on workplace issues
• Promote the roles and responsibilities out there of CLAS Staff for advocacy
• Representation on Faculty Council?
• A brainstorm session?
• More advocacy/visibility through Deans' Notes for greater understanding of what staff does that faculty may be aware of
• Within professional development committee, explore policies that affect staff as well as faculty - folks could come to this subcommittee
• Mentoring=professional development
• The council needs to be careful when dealing with certain staff situation because they don't want to become HR