Council hosts staff training and development panel
Communication Committee
A panel of training and development experts from across campus spoke at the July 16 Staff Council meeting, providing council members with an over-arching view of many of the training opportunities available to staff at the university.
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Tricia Anderson, of the eTraining program, stressed that the free, online program focuses on computer-related skills, as well as other business skills. Anderson also discussed the new V-Class, a virtual training system that is customizable and can be accessible as a website or podcast.
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Linda Bryant, director of Organizational Development and Consulting, talked about how her group works with department and unit leaders to develop strategic training plans.
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Cheryl Johnson Ransaw, who directs the new Employee Development and Wellness unit, said that her organization helps individual employees in the areas of consultation, development, and wellness.
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Robert Elmore, director of Payroll, Benefits and HRIS, described the training efforts related to the PeopleSoft HR system. Elmore talked about working with the HR training staff and the Spectrum office to inform the university community of upcoming changes to policies and procedures in the system.
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Mary Franklin reported on services provided by the Spectrum Office including instructor-based and on-demand classes. Franklin said that an anticipated upgrade to the software will allow for more online training.
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Princeanna Walker, of University Research Services and Administration, told council members about the office's training programs -- a mix of classroom-based and online programs on subjects including pre- and post- award grants, compliance, and animals.
The meeting allowed council members to engage the panel members on issues including coordination of training opportunities for staff across organizational units, improving attendance at training sessions, and using the Staff Council to publicize existing training programs and classes. Council members and the panel members also discussed using the Staff Council website and the new university web calendar as tools to help bring attention to staff training and development opportunities on campus. Visit the Training & Growth section of the council site for an overview of such opportuniites on campus.
Recycling at Georgia State
Georgia State's recycling program has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years -- so much so that many of us aren't sure what we can recycle or where. To help resolve the confusion, the Green Issues committee has created a Frequently Asked Questions document about recycling. Chris Jackman, director of building services for Georgia State, was kind enough to provide the answers.
The Staff Council will be printing up a poster version of the FAQ, and plans to send copies to every department in the university. In the meantime, the FAQ has also been posted to the Staff Council web site (see link above).
Staff Council Retreat Round-Up
The Staff Council held its annual retreat on June 27 at the Indian Creek Lodge. The theme of this year's event was "Becoming effective staff leaders."
Deon Locklin, director of the university's Public Performance and Management Group, led council members through an exercise stressing ways to increase personal influence by examining one's role, reputation, behavior, trustworthiness, expertise, and attraction.
Council Chair John Medlock gave a presentation on decision-making in the university, focusing on policy and procedures. He discussed the role of the University Senate, the Administrative Council, the Policy Advisory Group and other major committees on campus and how they work to develop policies and implement procedures on campus.
Further discussions centered on optimizing existing committee structures and committee duties. It was suggested by many of the members present that the ad hoc Green Committee should be a full-time Staff Council committee. Other ideas included working to develop a town hall meeting when the new university president takes office, and creating more training and development opportunities for staff.
Lunch was provided by the university thanks to President Carl Patton.
Deadline Approaching for Staff Scholarship
The deadline to apply for the fall Staff Scholarship is Friday, August 22, 2008. Applicants must submit completed application and waiver/verification information by the deadline date in order to be eligible for a scholarship award. The Staff Scholarship Fund provides up to $400 per student per semester to staff members enrolled in degree programs at the university. The competitive award consists of payments for student fees, books, and other direct educational expenses that relate to the recipients' degree program. Award winners will be notified by Wednesday, September 10, 2008.
Click here for more information, a full list of eligibility criteria, and to download an application.