Words from the Chair

Greetings!

Well, this will be the last note you will get from me as Chair of the UM Staff Advisory Council. I've enjoyed the 3 years I've served on the Council but I'm ready to turn it over to the capable hands of Nathan Billings who will be the new Chair as of October 7. I'm thankful for all the help I have received over these 3 years and blessed to have met many that I would not otherwise have had the opportunity to meet. I encourage each of you to talk with your Council members and let them know your concerns and the things you appreciate. Your Council meets monthly with VP Betsy Rodriguez and has the opportunity to share with her the things we are hearing….the good, the bad and the ugly. While she and her staff are well aware and share the salary concerns we all have this still is a topic of discussion. We continue to voice issues of benefits, including educational benefits for children of retirees as we have many long term employees who will be retired by the time their children reach college age. We also share concerns of those employees raising grandchildren and the desire for some type of early retirement incentive (85 and out, etc). Now more than ever employee morale is also something that the Council and management do our best to keep in mind. These things are also shared by UMSAC with representatives from each of the campuses through the Inter-Campus Staff Advisory Council which meets on a bi-monthly basis. Be assured that the same things we face are concerns with each of those campuses as well.

At this time the Council is still in need of a non-exempt representative to fill an open spot. Please consider submitting your name or talking with a colleague about submitting their name. Terms are for 3 years. Meetings are held on a monthly basis and normally take about an hour. On occasion a special meeting may be called but I don't think we had any this last year. Council members have the opportunity to serve on campus committees including Parking & Transportation and the Retirement, Benefits and Heath Committee. If you would like to have a voice in the things going on, please submit your name for nomination. If it doesn't work right now, remember each June there is a rotation of members going off the Council.

We're in the kick-off stage of our United Way campaign and I encourage everyone to give. The University’s goal this year is $620,000 and the UM portion of that goal is $62,000. Every dollar helps! The Central Missouri Food Bank can provide 20 pounds of food for $1! A $30 donation can provide a new book to a child each month each year from birth through kindergarten through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. The University makes giving even easier by allowing payroll deduction with at least a $1 contribution from each pay period. You won't even miss it! These are trying economic times for each of us and you may be thinking no raise, no United Way. If that is true I hope that you will reconsider. We all struggle from time to time but I know we all have many blessings to count as well. Personally, I look at the fact that my children and grandchildren are loved, healthy, have a roof over their head and know where they're next meal is coming from….and have way too many toys! (Smile) Many of the children served by United Way do not have many of these things we consider basic and normal. The Food Bank has seen a 24% increase since January. OATS has increased its clientele by 35% and Boys & Girls Club serves 104 children but has a waiting list of over 400! Some say they give direct to the agency versus giving through United Way but did you know you can specify one specific agency on your pledge form and that by giving to them through United Way they can increase that donation by 40% with various matching programs and grants the United Way can provide? Without the United Way most of these agencies would not survive! So fill out your pledge card, donate to the Jeans to Work on Friday’s and purchase your “Go Green” tote bags today! Regular bags are still on hand and more insulated bags have been ordered.

Thank you for the opportunities provided me during my term on your UM Staff Advisory Council!.

Warm regards,
Toni Monsen