UC Merced Staff Assembly is pleased to announce changes that will realign several of our key programs in order to better support staff retention, incorporate some of your ideas into those efforts and continue to advance our campus’s public service goals.
Late last spring, Staff Assembly asked you to respond to a survey to offer feedback on a number of topics, including our events, programs and processes. Many of you replied with thoughtful comments and good suggestions. We appreciate the feedback we received and heard your concerns.
As a result, Staff Assembly has developed a new program called the Networking and Public Service (NPS) Series. This program, to be co-sponsored with and funded by the Office of the Chancellor, will replace the monthly First Friday and First Wednesday Coffee Hour events held on campus and at our off-campus locations. The final First Friday and First Wednesday events will be held on Friday, Nov. 1 and Wednesday, Nov. 6.
The new NPS series will consist of three networking and public service events held during the academic year and an annual staff service award recognition ceremony. Although a launch date is not yet firm, we anticipate the first networking event will occur in early 2014.
Similar to First Fridays/First Wednesdays, the networking events will provide a venue where staff can come together to socialize and network and will be held in multiple locations -- on campus, at The Promenade, Mondo Building and Castle Commerce Center. In addition to networking during these events, participants will have an opportunity to contribute to or volunteer for public service projects that support UC Merced’s mission of public service. The networking and public service event, for example, would incorporate a canned food, toy drive, clothing drive or another similar charitable cause similar to giving events held during the holiday season and Staff Appreciation Week.
Staff Assembly is dedicated to promoting the interests and well-being of all staff members and your opinion matters to us. We want your voice to be reflected in what we do. As such, your input is critical. In the coming weeks, Staff Assembly will administer a survey to glean your input as we move forward. We hope that you will take the time to respond and share your ideas.
The Staff Service Award Recognition event, meanwhile, will be held in partnership with the Office of the Chancellor and will acknowledge and honor staff for their benchmark years of service to the University of California and to UC Merced.
In the past, Staff Service Awards were distributed during the Staff Appreciation Picnic. Staff members with 20 or more years of service were publicly acknowledged while those with less than 20 years picked up their award after the picnic. Under the new program, all staff who’ve attained five, 10, 15 and 20-plus years of service will be publicly acknowledged. We recognize that all staff -- whether they have achieved five years of service or 25 years -- play a crucial role in the University’s success and deserve to be commended for their contributions.
The Staff Service Award Recognition event will take place at the main campus. Honorees will receive their award from a senior leader in their unit or school, such as a vice chancellor or dean.
We are excited about this new initiative, and we hope that you share our enthusiasm. We look forward to hearing from you and thank you for all your hard work and the daily contributions you make at UC Merced.
Best regards,
UC Merced Staff Assembly
