October 2020 Campus Updates

Posted on by lfetting

Update Provided By: Courtney Reiswig

  • The BSC Staff Senate Employee Retention Committee has launched a couple new initiatives to engage employees: the monthly campus “scavenger hunt” where cryptic photos from around campus are posted and whoever submits the most correct answers first receives a prize, and the Staff Employee Highlight where we recognize one employee monthly from a different department/staff senate district.
  • The senate explored BSC COVID-19 data as compared to Burleigh-Morton county data. The specific chart that was presented by John Carroll, Director of Institutional Effectiveness & Strategic Planning, was entitled “Active BSC Cases as a percentage of Active Cases in Burleigh County.”

Update Provided By: JaLee Lynnes

  • No Updates

Update Provided By: Josh Nichols

  • The next Staff Senate meeting will take place on Wednesday, November 4, 2020 at 1pm via Zoom.
  • Our Above and Beyond recipients for this quarter are:
    • Kayla Noah – Director of Student Opportunity and Resource (SOAR) Center / Interim Disability Services Specialist
    • Cindy Splichal – Information Specialist, Academic Records
    • Anthony Willer – Director of Technology Resource & Education Center (TREC)

Update Provided By: Mike Englman

  • Policy changes: In the future, Bobbi Lunday will get the changes from Council to Anne Rasmusson for adding/recrding.
  • Officer Elections –
    • Vice President – Brandi Nelson
    • Secretary/Treasurer – Erin Wood
  • Discussed Christmas Party and what can be done with COVID-19 protocols.
  • Exploring option of creating a taskforce on need for a Staff Senate survey.

Update Provided By: Heather Johnson

  • Heather Johnson is now MSU’s Staff Senate President. Ashley Kulland has stepped down from Staff Senate. We will bote on a new VP next meeting in November.
  • Adopt-a-Highway-Fall cleanup was a success! We had 12 staff/faculty members participate and the weather cooperated.
  • Homecoming Events (many of our other campus events were cancelled due to inclement weather). For staff, our Event Planning Committee coordinated dress-up days for the week: “Other” College day, Most Creative Mash day, and Comet Pride Day.
  • Due to COVID, we did not have a Staff Association Meeting in the Spring. Our Fall Staff Association Meeting is planned for November 17.
  • Current projects include: a General Staff Senate email, COVID-19 survey for staff, and holiday event planning.

Update Provided By: Lindsey Benson

  • Diane Pierson, Administrative Assistant in the Communication Science and Disorders Department, was named Minot State University Staff Senate’s September High Five Award winner.
  • Professional Development committee had to postpone having a social justice speaker on campus due to the uptick in positive cases int he state. Hoping to reschedule in the spring. The committee is also planning to do a financial wellness session in November.
  • Fall into Giving: Food, Hat, and Glove drive will be November 2-20. Donations will be made to our Minot State Food Pantry.
  • Working on ideas/events to help staff/faculty deal with the stress and mental drain of COVID-19.
  • Staff Senate President attends weekly meetings with our COVID-19 response team.

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Update Provided By: April Helgaas

Update Provided By: Brian Schill

  • Staff Senate President, Wasylow is still attending weekly for the NDUS Smart Restart and Pandemic Briefing meetings.
  • Pres. Wasylow spoke at UND President Armacost’s Inauguration.
  • Senators were present at Pres. Armacost’s virtual “State of the University” meeting.
  • Continuing to present UShines to one staffer/month.
  • Stated our 31 Days of Glory staff fundraiser on October 1, 2020.
  • Senate leadership held its monthly meeting with UND Pres. Armacost; discussed Day After Thanksgiving, which President brought to the Chancellor.
  • Staff Recognition Committee distributed a boxed breakfast for overnight staff, boxed luncheon, and a boxed pie pickup for State Employee Recognition Month.
  • Legislative Committee distributed a survey showing that staff priorities are wages/compensation and health-related issues – not only COVID, but health insurance, FMLA, etc.
  • Community Relations Committee continues to run Jeans Give Back every Friday, donation to local nonprofits.

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  • No Update Provided.

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Updates Provided By: Benjamin Ford

  • We are doing a pumpkin carving contest right now. Voting wraps up on Friday, October 30. It has been awesome to see the pumpkins so far.
  • Several new items have been placed on our NDUS clothing store, including NDUS masks that people are able to purchase.
  • Usually, around the holidays, we do a bake sale as one of our fundraisers. This year, we are changing it into an online silent auction.