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USAC still a strong voice after 25 years

Posted on | May 4, 2011 | 1,362 views | Comments Off

By Adam King

Asked what Ohio State would be like for staff without the University Staff Advisory Committee, former Chair Richard Wofford said he couldn’t imagine such a scenario.

Jamie Mathews-Mead, another former chair, said USAC has done so much to advocate for staff issues at the university that its nonexistence would create a void since it’s the only formal voice for staff at Ohio State.

Twenty-five years after President Edward Jennings created USAC, its list of accomplishments continues to grow — and that, Mathews-Mead reasons, can only make the university stronger.

“Staff play such an important role at the university that it is sometimes overshadowed by the academic mission and the focus on faculty,” she said. “With USAC being here, there is an opportunity for staff to be involved and learn about how the university operates so they can be even better at their jobs and play an active role in issues that are important to all.”

President Gordon Gee has spent nearly 11 years working with USAC, and he considers the group an invaluable resource in helping take the university from excellence to eminence.

“USAC has served as an essential advisor to me in so many ways over the years,” Gee said. “The leaders and members have brought critical issues to the fore. And not only that, of course, but also they have proposed meaningful solutions. Together, we share a vision of a vibrant, ever-improving university where talented, dedicated, creative people choose to devote their careers. I really view USAC as a close partner, one in which we have a mutual trust and mutual aims.”

Mathews-Mead is proud of the impact of the committee during her yearlong tenure as chair from 1999-2000. USAC invited then-President William Kirwan to attend its retreat, and part of the discussion centered on work-life issues and obtaining enough resources to get something done.

Because of that engagement with USAC, Kirwan established the President’s Commission on Staff Development and Work Life. Mathews-Mead was appointed as co-chair of the commission and stayed on for a year after leaving USAC to complete its mission.

“What we were charged with was getting a baseline for what happened at the university for career and professional development opportunities and work-life issues related to staff,” she said. “There had been previous surveys for faculty, but nothing had been done to get baseline data for staff so we could take informed levels of action on things important to staff at the time.”

After reviewing the survey, in 2002 the university established the Work Life Program in the Office of Human Resources with the idea of becoming a best-practices leader in this area.

“Soon after came,” Mathews-Mead said. “So I like to think in some small way that effort paved the way for those efforts to continue and allowed the university to build on that foundation based on the information we were able to gather.”

What started as a group of 17 members, USAC now has 30 members who are appointed by the president and serve staggered three-year terms. They advocate directly with the administration on behalf of staff, open dialogue on key issues and weigh in on policies and procedures being considered by the university.

Wofford, who served as chair from 2000-01, said USAC membership on University Senate committees such as the Athletic Council, Government Affairs, Health Plan Board and Fiscal Committee, and its presence (non-voting) at University Senate and the Board of Trustees also is invaluable.

“There are a lot of committees out there, and USAC puts members on behalf of staff on those committees,” Wofford said. “The committees get the work done and that’s where USAC has members involved. We don’t have a vote in the senate, but we do help shape those policies that get there.

“USAC is something every staff member should do if they have the opportunity.”

In addition to its policy work, USAC (usac.osu.edu) sponsors the staff town hall conversations with President Gee, the annual Hidden Benefits Fair, the Staff Pep Rally and co-sponsors the Staff Arts and Crafts Exhibit and Rally for Wellness.

“I’ve been removed from USAC for quite some time but I remain genuinely interested in and passionate about staff professional development and work-life issues,” Mathews-Mead said. “I believe it is important for everyone to acknowledge the importance of both staff and faculty for the One University goal to become a reality. And because of this goal, and to ensure that staff continue to have a voice, it is incredibly important that USAC exists.”

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