One of the duties of being the president of UAAD, is that I am called upon to sit on the Academic Planning Committee (APC) during the budget discussions along with the president of UNOPA. It's a very humbling and somber experience as we look over budget numbers that is not just money, but people. Everyone involved in the process is very aware of the impacts being made to staff, faculty and departments. It is not easy to talk about losing any part of the university we love and support, but it is a necessary discussion. Please be mindful of our co-workers as during this time they may have lost one of their peers, a part of their funding or be affected because they are a parent of a student. If you or anyone you know needs to discuss their emotional well-being, contact the EAP at 402-472-3107 (888-445-9881) or eap@unl.edu to schedule a Zoom or phone session with a counselor.
While the faculty have a voice to administration through the Faculty Senate, as staff, our voice is through UAAD. If you have any employee concerns, please reach out. You are welcome to email anyone on the board including myself at ranelle@unl.edu. One of our organizational goals is to "provide a vehicle of communication between University of Nebraska–Lincoln administration and the administrative and managerial/professional staff."
U2 Meeting, September 16, 12:00 pm–1:00 pm
It may be fair to say that 2020 has been one of the most interesting years in living memory. While this year is a stand out, the adage that the only constant is change holds true for staff at UNL every year. To help us navigate current and future change, our September 16, 2020 U2 meeting will feature two UNL experts. Kyla Gorji, Director of the Employee Assistance Program will present on self-care and staying engaged while working on campus, working remotely and working in hybrid environments. Ranelle Maltas, Technology Training Services Associate for Human Resources and UAAD President, will discuss features of Zoom and Microsoft Teams that make connecting and achieving our goals easier. Please register to receive the Zoom link.
U2 meetings are held the third Wednesday of every month from 12-1PM.
From the UNL Journey Co-Leaders
Have you noticed anyone out of the office on September 8 and 9? A national call to action directed at American academics along with the #ScholarStrike hashtag is taking place. The action is a strike for “social justice” in response to recent events surrounding police violence against communities of color. The details of the effort are contained in a story published on August 28, 2020 by Inside Higher Education. If you have any questions about this, please reach out to the Office of Diversity & Inclusion at diversity@unl.edu.
Renew Your UAAD Membership
A huge thank you to the 44 people who have renewed their UAAD membership as of Monday, September 7! We also have one new hire and one new member. Both heard about us from a co-worker, so thank you for spreading the news of UAAD.
For those who have not yet had the chance to renew, you have until October 31, 2020, before your membership ends and you are removed from this listserv. This means you will no longer receive our newsletter and program information in your inbox. Dues are $20 for the fiscal year. To renew, click this link, https://uaad.unl.edu/membership-form, and follow the prompts. You can pay online with a valid cost object number or you can mail a check to Ranelle Maltas, 407 ADMS (0438).
Husker Dialogues Seeking Volunteers
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln is an institution that believes in the power of every person and where every person and every interaction matters. These fundamental principles are what the Office of Diversity and Inclusion wants first-year students to learn during upcoming Husker Dialogues events.
The event gives participants tools to have difficult, but meaningful conversations centered on diversity and inclusion. Marilyn Fenton, a business systems analyst and past Husker Dialogues volunteer, said the experience is a great experimental learning opportunity. “We can all improve our responses when it comes to privilege and using old-fashioned aren’t inclusion,” Fenton said.
The Husker Dialogues committee continues to seek faculty and staff to volunteer for the upcoming sessions. Learn more about those opportunities here.
Husker Dialogues sessions are at 7 p.m. Sept. 10, 15, 16 and 17 via Zoom. All first-year Huskers are pre-assigned via Canvas a session to attend. Learn more about Husker Dialogues.
