February 2021 Campus Updates – North Dakota State Staff Senate

Update Provided By: Courtney Reiswig

The BSC Employee Retention Staff Senate subcommittee, in collaboration with the Faculty Senate, is working to provide all full- and part-time staff and faculty with an appreciation gift. Gifts will be distributed across campus late February or early March. Gifts will include a color changing stress ball, some chocolate, and a thank-you note.

Update Provided By: Heidi Hauf

Update Provided By: Josh Nichols

Next meeting – March 3, 2021 @1:00pm via Zoom.
Our Staff Senate collaborated with the holiday party planning committee for this year’s festivities. We had a successful event on January 20, 2021 raising funds that will contribute to Staff Senate initiatives such as employee development and scholarships.
Information will be coming soon regarding nominations for the next Above and Beyond award, timeline for this year’s Staff Emeritus distinctions, and ballots for the 2021 Staff Senate election.

Update Provided By: Mike Englman

Update Provided By: Alyson Beckman

Mayville State University did not have a February Staff Senate meeting. Our next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 9, 2021.

Update Provided By: Lindsey Benson

Michael Linnell, director of university communications, was named Minot State University Staff Senate’s January High Five Award Winner.
Financial Aid and Enrollment Services received Department/Team Shout outs in January.
Public Relations committee has scheduled Jerry Stai, assistant professor in the College of Business, to present on Financial Planning at the end of this month.
Members of our Staff Senate served on a Focus Group to help provide feedback on how staff fell today regarding COVID and looking forward. There was a lot of great discussion and input from the staff.
Election and Staff Satisfaction committees are in the planning phase for our upcoming election and the staff satisfaction survey. Elections and the survey will take place in March.

Update Provided By:

Update Provided By: April Helgaas

NDSU Staff Senate nominations have opened. Those interested in becoming senators can be nominated by someone or self-nominate. Nominations will close on March 19th. Elections will be held via email March 23-24. Elected senators will be inducted to their two-year term in May 2021. The Elections committee is hosting a competition for current senators to nominate new senators. The current senators with the most elected nominations will win a small prize.
The NDSU Staff Senate 30th Anniversary committee paired with the NDSU Staff Senate Scholarship committee and sold masks. Masks were sold for $5 a piece plus tax and proceeds will fund future NDSU Staff Senate Scholarships.
The NDSU Staff Senate Campus Engagement committee will be hosting a blood drive the beginning of April. More details will be forthcoming in March .
The NDSU Staff Recognition committee awarded two Campus Kudos at the February 3rd meeting. Kelly Lopez and Edie Nelson were the recipients.

Update Provided By:

Update Provided By: Kelsie Carter

Employee Appreciation – lunch and recognition/games of employees at a basketball game.
Valentines Day Activity – express your appreciation to a staff member by sending them a note, email, text, or doing a random act of kindness.
In lieu of potlucks, we have asked our staff to send us 2 recipes and we will combine this into a PDF recipe book for all staff to have.
We are currently working with our EMT and President to try and do an Employee Recognition Dinner for this Spring with respect to COVID guidelines.
We are sending out nominations to replace facilities representative this week and facilities will vote on their choice to fill a 1 1/2 year term.

Update Provided By:

Updates Provided By: Benjamin Ford

We had our first ever Staff Senate Online Auction. Most years we do a bake sale before Christmas, which is usually our major fundraiser. This year that wasn’t possible, so we did an online auction. It went so well, we may do it again.