Ellen Schmidt, Master Electrician, Mitchell Hall Theatre 

The Staff Senate was created in the spring of 2014, so we’re still a relatively new organization. As with any new endeavor, we had a lot to learn, and we’ve been consistently working to improve our operation. This year we’re working on how to communicate more effectively with our constituents. Staff Senate President Adri Edwards-Johnson works in IT, so she was in a position to realize that we can easily livestream all our general Senate meetings. The UCO community has always been welcome to attend our meetings, but our hope is that having a streaming option will allow people who can’t leave their desk to watch virtually. The link to the meeting is on the Staff Senate website and requires UCO login credentials.  

We’ve also added divisional caucusing to our meetings. This allows time for Senators from each division to meet with each other to problem-solve things like how best to communicate with constituents. Beyond official communication like Broncho Beats and posting agendas and meeting minutes on the Senate website, communication has largely been left to individual Senators, and we know that has led to pockets of staff being left out. The Senators from Academic Affairs have started experimenting with group emails, an on-going survey for feedback, and a town hall style meeting for all Academic Affairs staff. Senators from other divisions are watching those developments closely, and they are working to determine what will work best for their divisions.  

Do you have suggestions for how the Senate can communicate better with you? Please get in touch with a Senator from your division or the Executive Committee. For divisions with more than one Senator, there’s a link so you can email all your representatives with one click.  

Locations and guest speakers for upcoming meetings are TBD as of this writing, but you can put the dates and times in your calendar if you’re interested in attending. More information will be posted on the Staff Senate website as it is finalized.  

March 1, 2022, 2-4PM  

April 5, 2022, 2-4PM

May 3, 2022, 2-4PM

June 7, 2022, 2-4PM 

For more detailed information regarding the roles of senators, meeting agendas, minutes, how you can bring legislation topics to the Senate, or to learn who your Staff Senate representatives are, please visit the UCO Staff Senate website.