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What is SAC advocating for?

SAC is advocating for the institutionalization of the systematic inclusion of A&S staff and A&S staff voices. Currently, we are advocating for staff to be involved in both ASC processes and the college reorganization as a whole.

SAC is advocating for not only a closer relationship between SAC and the ASC/ASFS, but deeper involvement with the ASC/ASFS for staff at large. SAC is committed to growing a positive relationship with the ASC, but importantly, we continue to vocally champion staff voices and amplify staff concerns. Many faculty have expressed support of staff voices in this process. SAC aims to continue to advocate to shift the needle on making staff desires/words to tangible, documented, institutionalized actions and behaviors that support staff/faculty partnerships.

How has SAC participated in college reorganization efforts so far?

The ASC was charged by Provost Russell Moore to consider faculty governance aspects of the college reorganization. In November 2020, the ASC invited SAC to provide feedback on the proposed faculty governance bylaws. SAC did so on behalf of SAC; we presented a rationale for this feedback and answered questions during the December 8, 2020 ASC meeting. SAC recommended to faculty that wider staff input should be solicited. When the ASC issued a revised version of the bylaws in February 2021, SAC solicited feedback from the staff at large that was then sent to the ASC with additional comments from SAC.

SAC representatives have met with Jeff Cox and Emily CoBabe-Ammann, leaders of Academic Futures; Dean James White, Anna Jensen, Bernadette Stewart and Amy Lavens; Rob Rupert, ASC Chair; as well as Provost Russell Moore to ask about each of their involvement with the reorganization process. All focus is on faculty governance currently. Our goal with these meetings is to emphasize the importance of staff being part of these conversations, especially when structure and budget are being discussed. SAC also submitted to the provost a motion regarding the formation of a Stewardship Council.

How does SAC plan to keep the wider staff audience informed?

SAC sent an initial email to A&S staff at large on December 7, 2020 with the ASC's proposed bylaws and SAC’s feedback. SAC shared many of the updates listed on this page at the December 11, 2020 A&S Community Meeting and continues to share additional updates at these meetings. When the ASC released revised versions of the bylaws for review, SAC sent a survey to collect A&S staff feedback on February 12, 2021. SAC shared the results with the ASC. SAC encourages staff to provide feedback on the reorganization process via our feedback form. We will incorporate any feedback we receive via our feedback form into our continuing conversations with the ASC, college administrators and the provost.

SAC is also working on identifying how SAC fits into the college structure and equation. We encourage you to read about our subcommittee goals and recently revised bylaws, which show that we are actively engaged in thinking through how SAC represents the interests of staff at large now and in the future. One of our other recently completed projects was creating a staff listserv with the A&S Communications Department to capture all college staff members’ email addresses.

Timeline of SAC's involvement

SAC endeavors to remain an active participant in the college's academic reorganization process. The following list outlines our involvement to date and intentions for each meeting in which we've participated.

• 4/19/20 Met with Amy Lavens, Bernadette Stewart and Andy Cowell, head of the ASC Budget Committee. Goal: Discuss a recommendations document that will specify how the reorganization will work in the college related to budget issues.
• 4/8/21 Met with Dean White and Anna Jensen. Goal: Discuss college governance and staff involvement in college reorganization structure and budget implementation committees.
• 3/5/21 Shared updates on SAC's involvement in academic reorganization conversations at an A&S Community Meeting.
• 2/24/21 Met with Amy Lavens and Bernadette Stewart. Goal: Understand how they envision staff involvement with the reorganization of the college structure and budget.
• 2/23/21 Attended an A&S Chairs and Directors Meeting to discuss the current steps of the academic reorganization process. Goal: Represent SAC as an interested party advocating for staff.
• 2/19/21 Sent feedback from the staff at large along with a statement from SAC on the bylaws to the ASC.
• 2/12/21 Solicited feedback from the staff at large on the proposed bylaws for faculty governance.
• 2/10/21 Sent a motion to the provost regarding the formation of a Stewardship Council advocating for staff representation.
• 2/5/21 Shared updates on SAC's involvement in academic reorganization conversations at an A&S Community Meeting.
• 1/14/21 Met with Provost Moore. Goal: Share with the provost SAC's perspective on the importance of involving staff voices in the reorganization process and understand his plans for staff and faculty involvement in future aspects of the reorganization process (structure, budget, etc.).
• 12/11/20 Shared SAC's feedback and rationale at an A&S Community Meeting.
• 12/8/20 Presented a rationale at an ASC meeting for SAC's feedback on the proposed bylaws for faculty governance. Goal: Share with the ASC SAC's feedback on the proposed faculty governance bylaws and advocate for the importance of staff involvement with the ASC/ASFS.
• 12/4/20 Rebecca Allison, SAC Chair, and Meghan Perea, SAC Vice Chair, met with Rob Rupert, ASC Chair. Goal: Discuss SAC's and the ASC's perspectives around staff involvement with the ASC/ASFS, the reorganization and college decision making.
• 12/3/20 Rebecca Allison, SAC Chair, and Meghan Perea, SAC Vice Chair, met with Dean White, Bernadette Stewart and Anna Jensen. Goal: Discuss the reorganization process to date and gain their perspective on how SAC should advocate for staff involvement going forward.
• 11/24/20 Drafted and submitted feedback to the ASC on the proposed bylaws for faculty governance.
• 11/11/20 Rebecca Allison, SAC Chair, and Meghan Perea, SAC Vice Chair, met with Jeff Cox and Emily CoBabe-Ammann, leaders of Academic Futures. Goal: Understand how the faculty governance committee was intended to be formed and how staff and SAC might be involved with the reorganization process.