Staff Appreciation Day coming up Friday
Mississippi State's Staff Council will honor university employees Friday, May 18, with a Staff Appreciation Day Luncheon in the Junction from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The event includes lunch, entertainment provided by the faculty-led Bill Cooke Band, activities, door prizes and the Zacharias Distinguished Staff Awards presentation.
Staff t-shirts will be on sale for $10 during the luncheon. Available in sizes small through 3XL, the design can be viewed at www.staffcouncil.msstate.edu.
While the appreciation day may be the Staff Council's most recognizable event, the council actually provides numerous services and support for the university's staff.
"Staff Council is the voice for all MSU staff, and it is our role to make sure that MSU staff has the appropriate voice in the governance of our university," said Amanda Bell, president of the Staff Council and advancement coordinator for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. "It is Staff Council's duty to make sure that needs and desires of MSU staff are understood as our university plans for the future."
The 26 members of the open forum represent all of the divisions on campus. Each serves a three-year term and can serve up to six years total.
Duties of the Staff Council include: advising the president of the university; fostering and enhancing communication between the staff and university administration; providing a forum for staff to discuss their role in the total university system, as well as to discuss issues involving university policies and procedures; and advising university administration in matters relating to staff before the implementation of new policies, procedures and programs.
The council also recommends changes in existing policies as needed and serves as a resource through which staff employees may be nominated to serve on university committees.
The council currently is working with Human Resources Management and the university leadership on a staff classification and compensation plan. This plan will allow staff members to have a better understanding of their pay scale as it relates to similar positions within MSU, comparable universities and the Starkville community.
"Staff Council hopes that these improvements will eventually lead to more clearly defined 'career paths' that will facilitate the advancement of motivated and deserving staff within their existing titles, instead of encouraging them to transfer to different departments or leave the university in order to advance professionally," Bell said.
Margaret Kovar | University Relations
