Staff Senate

Staff Senate meetings are held monthly on Wednesdays, 3-5 p.m., by Zoom video conferencing. Two hours of meeting time are scheduled, but we will work to hold meetings to one hour if possible. Please email staffsenate@pacificu.edu to request the meeting link. Please allow 24 hours for a response.

COVID-19 Updates

Due to COVID-19, fall governance meetings will continue to take place over Zoom. A decision if spring semester meetings will be able to be held in person, will be made in late fall 2021 based on current/projected health and safety protocols. Find the most up-to-date COVID-19 information at pacificu.edu/coronavirus. 

Sponsored Events and Announcements

Fall Supervisor Training Sessions
Human Resources wants supervisors to have the tools and resources to create work environments that facilitate overall well-being, a sense of fulfillment, and the ability to uphold our university mission every day. Such environments positively serve employees, supervisors, and students. 

All supervisors are invited to join Human Resources for a series of Fall Supervisor Training sessions that will explore a number of areas that can help build healthy, inspired environments for all. Topics will include Leaves of Absence, Onboarding, Employee Wellness and more. 

Live sessions are scheduled for Thursdays from September 2, 2021-October 21, 2021 from 10-11:30 a.m. Recordings will be available to those who cannot attend live. All supervisors are encouraged to attend live or watching the recordings. Take time to mark those times out on your calendar now. More details to come via Employee News and email.

New Faculty and Staff Employee Orientation
The annual New Faculty and Staff Employee Orientation will take place during two separate events. The events will be held in-person and over Zoom. 

The first event, held on Monday, August 23, will showcase a virtual Campus Tour, Benefits Overview, and Paycom Training. The second event, scheduled for Wednesday, August 25, will cover key Pacific University employment information and highlight speakers from a variety of departments. Invited participants will receive location information and schedule details via an email invitation.
 

Recruiting Members for Staff Senate Committees
Staff Senate invites you to get involved in a committee for the new academic year. There are six committees to choose from: Staff Development, Caring, Welcoming, Idea, Communications, and Governance. The committee chairs were recently elected and are recruiting members. Please visit this webpage for a brief description of each committee and how to contact the committee chair. We would love to hear from you! It’s a great way to share your ideas, collaborate with colleagues, and get involved in campus governance.
 

Upcoming Staff Performance Review Deadlines
All staff employees are encouraged to take an active role in the performance review process. This applies to supervisors and employees who don’t supervise other employees. Employees are asked to complete the 10- to 15-minute exercise and send their forms to their supervisors by July 16, 2021. This will allow supervisors time to complete their review and set up meetings to discuss the outcome. The completion of the process is set for August 13. The 90-day review will replace the annual performance review process for staff employees who have been employed less than 90-days. Get details on the process along with form and submission links today.
 

July 30 Gmail and Calendar Transition
On July 30 starting at 5 p.m. the ambitious project to unify our student and employee email and calendar systems, bringing more efficiency, better communication, and lots of other benefits, will take place. What you’ll need to do on Monday, August 2nd is to go to our collection of Google help articles (hosted in a preview of our upcoming help portal).  Here you’ll see:
•    What you’ll need to do after the change-over to continue to access your mail and calendar via your preferred email client.
•    See a schedule of live online training and workshops.

If our documentation doesn’t answer your questions or get you up and running on Monday, please join us in our Helpdesk Zoom Meeting. Or, learn to set up Outlook for Windows from 11 to 11:30 a.m. or between 4 and 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 2. Learn to set up email clients for MacOS from 10 to 10:30 a.m. or 3 to 3:30 p.m. on Aug. 2.

For additional trainings and information please visit this webpage. 
 

All-Staff Meeting is August 4
Join fellow staff on Zoom for our quarterly All-Staff Meeting next Wednesday, August 4 from 9 – 10:30 a.m. Enjoy presentations about the gmail conversion, Provost transition, and updates from students affairs, undergraduate and graduate programs, COVID Task Force, and many other announcements. You don't want to miss it!

Employee Benefit: Tickets at Work
Employees can get instant access to exclusive deals, limited-time offers, and members-only perks on select products, services, and experiences through Tickets at Work. Offers are updated every month. Along with discounts on hotels, theme parks, and rental cars, July’s promotions include deals from Omaha Steaks, Microsoft, and more! Interested? Check out this month’s flyer. 
 

Mental Health First Aid Training
Mental Health First Aid is a training — like regular First Aid or CPR — designed to give people the skills to help someone who is developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis. Through funding from the Human Resources Department and a grant from Nonstop Wellness, the training is being offered free to Faculty and Staff on an ongoing basis. Visit the Employee Wellness webpage for more information and to sign up. 

All-Staff Conference Keynote Speaker Recording Available
View a recording of keynote speaker Marli William’s inspiring and energetic presentation and a welcome message from President Hallick from the All-Staff Conference on June 8. Marli helps incredible people and organizations stop waiting for permission and start taking bold action to be the leaders and change makers they’ve always wanted to be through the power of PLAY.  
 

OEDI Lending Library – More Titles Added!
The Staff Senate recently donated $2,000 to the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion to further expand its anti-racist lending library. Twenty-two different types of books, with multiple copies of each, were purchased from Third Eye Books, a local Black-owned bookstore in Portland. These books are available just in time for summer reading! Feel free to reach out to Jennifer Teeter at teeterj@pacificu.edu to set up a time to stop by or for more information.
 

Meet Your 2021-2023 Pacific Staff Senate
Thank you to all who voted in the recent Staff Senate elections. We are pleased to announce the following eight new staff members who have been elected for a two-year term (2021-2023) to the Staff Senate which begins June 16. Congratulations to the new senators and our sincere thanks to all who were nominated and those who voted! 
 

Shop and Eat Local 
The Staff Senate has compiled lists of many local, small businesses in Forest Grove, Eugene, and Hillsboro to encourage our communities to support these local businesses. Although the majority of these businesses don’t provide Pacific employee discounts, we hope you’ll consider patronizing them when possible to invest in their continued success. Please double-check their website or give them a quick call to ensure they are still open, and what methods are available for shopping and pick up, as this may change from week to week. Thank you for helping our local business partners!

Forest Grove SHOP LOCAL.pdf (company only)
Hillsboro SHOP LOCAL.pdf (company only)
Eugene SHOP LOCAL Businesses.docx.pdf (company only)
 

Free, Confidential Support Resources
The Employee Assistance Program by Cascade Centers provides a variety of free, confidential support resources that range from 24/7 crisis counseling to home ownership assistance. Cascade Centers has also created a customized list of dependent care resources specifically for the Pacific University community. Learn more about the Employee Assistance Program and how to access tools that fit you and your life today.

Join the Pacific University Lunch Club!
Meals for staff and faculty can be bundled on your Boxer Card. 14 meals for $90. To add meals please stop by the Bon Appetit Business Office UC103 between 10-12:30 or 2:30-5 p.m. Debit/Credit card only please. Meal swipes can be redeemed in the Pacific Café during all meal periods for the Boxer Card holder only (no guest swipes).

TIAA Financial Support
Confidential, one-on-one consultations are available to everyone with a TIAA retirement plan. Get tailored guidance for your specific financial circumstances, including insight on investment options, budget approaches, and retirement planning. TIAA also offers a variety of webinars on an ongoing basis. Find out more on the Retirement Planning webpage.

Employee Assistance Program
The Employee Assistance Program helps you access a wide range of wellness and counseling resources to support you and your family through life's varied journeys - from moments of crisis and grief to phases of personal empowerment and career growth. The service can also assist with locating child and elder care resources in your area. Visit the Employee Assistance Program webpage to get more details.

Pacific University Virtual Yoga
Mallory Hiefield, Interim Director of Intramurals and Recreation, hopes to have a virtual yoga opportunity every Monday and is going to measure interest on an ongoing basis. May classes will take place from 5:30-6:30. Faculty, staff, and students who are interested in attending, please email Mallory (mhiefield@pacificu.edu) for details and Zoom login information.

Health & Wellness Opportunities
Regular classes and Fitness Center Hours have been impacted due to COVID-19 restrictions. We will post an update on this page as we get closer to fall 2020. Please contact Mallory Hiefield, Interim Director of Recreation and Intramurals for more information. 
 

Staff Senate Approves Themes for AY 20-21 - Approved at the 8/19/20 Staff Senate Meeting

• Build community and connection amongst the staff by supporting efforts to create a culture of health and wellness including physical, mental, and emotional health.
• Promote programs and opportunities for professional growth, life/work balance, and safety in the workplace.
• Encourage responsible stewardship of university resources through innovation, process improvement, and the adoption of technologies.
• Strive to serve, speak, and act in a way that honors every person in the Pacific University community and actively pursues Pacific’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Send Your Suggestions to the Staff Senate

The Staff Senate serves as the official representative body of the University staff community by actively participating in campus governance.  The Staff Senate shall foster a spirit of unity and cooperation, providing representation of non-faculty personnel in coordination with the faculty and student governing bodies.  The Staff Senate shall also provide a forum for the exchange of information between members of the staff, administration, faculty and students.

— from the University Handbook

Staff Senate exists to serve you.  We care about the quality of your life relative to campus and the larger global community.  We are committed to openness, collaboration and inclusiveness.  Any issues or concerns you have are welcomed by the Staff Senate.  Email us any time at staffsenate@pacificu.edu or complete the form, here. **Important note - if you send suggestions through this contact form with no contact information to provide a direct response, Staff Senate responses to comments and questions will be logged in the Staff Senate minutes.