ABOUT STAFF COUNCIL

Since its inception in the Spring of 1992 the Smith College Staff Council has provided a comprehensive communication network for the exchange of information between staff and administration, organized college-wide programs to facilitate personal and professional growth, promoted college-wide discussion of issues through public meetings and forums, and planed “extracurricular” activities such as trips to NYC, cookie swaps and the Media Exchange event.

The Smith College Staff Council is made up of 27 of your peers. Twenty-five are elected from Smith College administrative, academic support, and service staff and two are appointed by the president. The Council meets monthly and works in many different ways to provide all staff with an opportunity for focused and direct involvement in the Smith College community.

STAFF COUNCIL CHARTER (revised 09/10/09) DOC file
STAFF COUNCIL RELEASE TIME POLICY from Staff Handbook Community Involvement - Section 603 (DOC file)

Ways to take part in Staff Council:

Contact any member of Staff Council if you have any questions about what the Council does, or if you feel there is an issue the Council should address. A list of Council members is posted on this website.

Attend a Staff Council meeting. Meetings are open to all staff. See first-hand what we do and how we do it. Meeting times are posted on this website.

Join a standing committee. You do not have to be a Staff Council member to participate on a committee. Click to see the list of Council committees.

Last, but certainly not least, you can run for election to the Staff Council. Each Staff Council representative serves a two-year term and, each year, half of the Council stands for election. (College release-time is provided to Staff Council members to take part in monthly and special meetings.)

Even if you are not an elected member, you can still be an important part of Staff Council . . . because as hard as Council members work, your input will always make the Staff Council stronger and more effective.

So, what are the best things about Staff Council?
Staff Council opens up new horizons for all who participate. The Council actively involves all segments of the college’s diverse staff. Get to know us all!

You can have your voice heard someplace other than at the water cooler! Staff Council members take pride in listening to one another and they know how to get the word out to all members of the college.

Participating in change is empowering and constructive and communication is what Staff Council is all about.

Staff Council looks forward to meeting you!

Please join us when you can!

STAFF COUNCIL COMMITTEES
The Staff Council has 6 standing committees. Since much of the work of Staff Council is conducted in committee, each Staff Council member is expected to serve on and attend all meetings of a Staff Council committee. Staff from the entire Smith community are welcome and encouraged to join any of the Staff Council committees.

The chairperson of each committee shall be elected by the committee and shall have the responsibility of reporting regularly to the Staff Council on the committee’s work and progress unless another staff council member has been designated for this purpose. All committee chairs or their designees shall also serve as members of the Staff Council Steering Committee.

The Staff Council shall have the following standing committees:

Steering Committee – responsible to meet and communicate as needed to ensure that issues are brought to and discussed with administrators and committees and information is gathered from various segments of the College community for discussion at Staff Council meetings. This committee will consist of: (1) Staff Council Officers – the Chair, Vice-Chair/Parliamentarian, Secretary, and Treasurer; (2) the chair or a designee of each Staff Council standing committee, as long as the chair or designee is a Staff Council member; (3) the two information liaisons appointed by the President; and (4) the editor of the Council Chronicle. The information liaisons and the editor of the Council Chronicle will serve on the Steering Committee in a non-voting capacity. The Chair of the Staff Council shall also act as Chair of the Steering Committee.

Nominations and Elections – responsible for all elections and appointments. This committee will ensure that elections are conducted properly and provide nominations for appointments to campus committees. This committee will consist of the Vice-Chair/Parliamentarian, and when possible, representatives from each of the staff groups.

Communications Committee – responsible for keeping the staff informed of the actions of Staff Council and other issues of interest to staff, thereby fostering a sense of community via the Council Chronicle newsletter and other means. This committee also advises administration regarding the dissemination of other information to staff and the community at large. This committee will consist of representatives from each staff group when possible, at least three of which must be elected members of Staff Council, including the Secretary of Staff Council. There will also be one non-voting information liaison appointed by an appropriate college office, according to the needs of the committee.

Personnel Policy Committee – responsible for examination, review, and comment on College personnel policies and for promoting improved staff training and development. This committee will consist of representatives from each staff group when possible, at least three of which must be elected members of Staff Council. There will also be one non-voting information liaison appointed by an appropriate college office, according to the needs of the committee.

Activities Committee – responsible for participating in the coordinating, organizing and publicizing of special events, which allow staff to meet and interact with colleagues in other departments across campus, thereby, fostering an atmosphere of cooperation and community spirit. This committee will consist of representatives from each staff group when possible, at least three of which must be elected members of Staff Council. There will also be one non-voting information liaison appointed by an appropriate college office, according to the needs of the committee.

Diversity Committee – responsible for identifying and planning activites on campus that reflect the Staff Council’s commitment to its original roots by promoting diversity as one of our organizational priorities for each year.

The Staff Council will create ad hoc committees as the need arises. Ad hoc committees should have broad representation. Employees who are directly involved in an issue that is being studied should be represented. An employee need not be a member of Staff Council to serve on an ad hoc committee.