President’s Message
People often ask me, “What does the Staff Senate do?” This is a question that I always enjoy answering. The biggest challenge is deciding which one of the many accomplishments of the Staff Senate to mention first!
Charitable works
Contributing to the community is an effort in which we all should engage, and the Staff Senate leads a variety of philanthropic efforts. Perhaps one of our best known activities is the annual Walk-a-thon — a fundraising effort supported by hundreds of faculty and staff which has raised thousands of dollars for students studying at VCU. The VCU staff is passionate about our students, and we demonstrate this every day in our professional efforts, as well as by demonstrating our commitment to students by giving our time in support of efforts like the Walk-a-thon.
Recognition of excellence
The staff, in collaboration with the faculty and students at VCU, continues to break new ground in service, leadership, and professional accomplishments, and the Staff Senate endeavors to recognize these achievements. We often spotlight achievements by our staff online (http://www.staffsenate.vcu.edu/) and through organized award programs like the VCU Pride Ambassadors and the Dorris Douglas Budd Award.
Being a voice for the staff
We are honored to represent the university and its classified staff by serving on university committees including the VCU Board of Visitors, the VCU University Council and many more VCU and VCU Health System committees. In this role, members of the Staff Senate are able to provide a bridge between classified staff and VCU administration.
Providing leadership opportunities
Staff Senate has a long history of supporting the professional development of its staff, and our annual leadership conference series is just one way that we achieve this goal. We continue to evaluate new ways in which we can bring resources to our staff as part of our efforts to enhance their leadership skills and professional development.
As the VCU Staff Senate President for 2011-2012, it is my honor to serve alongside my colleagues in the Senate. We stand ready to address your concerns, and I encourage you to contact me at mboynton@vcu.edu with your questions or suggestions for the coming year.
Sincerely,
Melanie C. Boynton, M.P.A.
President, VCU Staff Senate
