Monthly Communication: May 2020
Good evening: My term as Staff Council President is almost at an end – though it’s been extended to June because of COVID-19 and Staff Council Elections processes. I very much enjoy getting to speak to each of you directly – even for a few minutes – to try and show you how hard each member of the Staff Council is working to represent our interests and advocate for your needs, and also to provide important updates! Staff Council Precinct Elections
At last month’s Staff Council Business Meeting voted to move forward with the 2020 Precinct Elections effective immediately. The period to campaign is now active and the election will be held beginning at 8am on Monday, May 4th, and will end at 5pm on Friday, May 8th, 2020. The Staff Council also approved a measure asking all Precinct Councilors and the Council's officers to hold their seats for an additional month, to expire in June 2020 when the Precinct Election Results can be ratified and new councilors seated. Several factors were important in determining that we should move forward: - If no action was taken, the 30 Precinct Councilor seats would expire on May 15th, leaving no precinct representation on the Council at all
- If no action was taken, President-elect Nancy Shane would lose her seat (as a Precinct Representative) on May 15th, leaving the Staff with no clear point of contact with UNM Administration
- If no action was taken, all officers’ terms would expire on May 15th, leaving no one to conduct Staff Council regular operations
In a time where shared governance is more important than it has ever been, the act of choosing our Staff Council representatives is an essential activity that must go on. Many of the discussions about how UNM moves forward require a full council, council officers, and our new President, as planned. Many staff have expressed concern about access to ballots for employees in all three limited staffing operational tiers. The Staff Council Executive, Rules & Elections, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committees are working together to execute plans to expand access to ensure that every staff person who chooses to vote will be able to do so. Ballots will be emailed to eligible staff beginning Monday, May 4, 2020. If you are working on campus, you can post this flyer in a conspicuous area to help remind eligible staff to vote. Voter instructions are available in English and Spanish, and we’ve also created a hotline for calls during the election period. If you have any trouble voting, please call the bilingual election hotline at 277-0778 for assistance. Election volunteers will be on hand to assist in English and Spanish. Finally, Dane Smith Hall will have a computer lab open where staff can vote if they don’t typically have a computer that is accessible in order to vote. COVID Survey
Staff Council has been working with UNM Administration to highlight some of the challenges and potential gaps that exist for us (in the various operational tiers). We also want to highlight the things that have been done which have been successful! One of the ways to determine exactly what is happening is through the survey that UNM HR compiled and sent out. If you missed that email, you cantake the survey here. The survey is also available in Spanish here. Please consider sharing your experience during this period of limited operations. Administration are listening and the more people who complete the survey they greater our ability will be to advocate for changes (or reinforce particular policy decisions) is to hear your voices! Please be sure to discuss things that are challenges and if you include your contact information someone will reach out to you. If you choose not to include that information, that’s okay too! I know that work from home can be difficult – especially when caring for children and loved ones. I’m advocating for a phased-in return to work policy to allow for as much flexibility given the various roles we’re now fulfilling in addition to our work. That said, we’re all still being held accountable. I’m inspired by the ways I’m seeing staff going above and beyond to complete their work and juggle these responsibilities. Thank you for maintaining a high level of work accountability in this environment. Project ECHO for Parents: Helping your students learn during Covid-19
Project ECHO reached out to me to share a webinar they’re hosting which has pretty important implications for staff who are parents and who are having to adjust to the new technology they’ve become expected to understand – Spanish translation will be provided! When: (tomorrow) Thursday 4/30/2020, 4:30 – 5:45 PM
What: "Supporting K-12 Students During At-Home Learning"
Where: Click here to register. Presentations include: - Understanding the basics of my student’s technology: Zoom, Google Applications, and Apple Devices
- Supporting my child’s learning, building skills, and providing enrichment with PBS Learning Media, KNME K-5 programming, and Kahn Academy
Please continue to check your email for updates and the UNM Coronavirus website for important updates. Working together we have seen our curve flatten while delivering on our mission as The University for New Mexico. It’s because of the efforts of our Governor, Mayor, President Stokes and our fantastic medical community (not to mention every one of you for doing your part to stay home and to help one another) that we are keeping the impact of COVID as small as possible. I appreciate the hard work that each of you do each day, and through this difficult time. We’ll get through it because we’re stronger together. Respectfully, Ryan E. Gregg
Data Manager | Admissions
President | UNM Staff Council
greggr@unm.edu
scpresident@unm.edu |
