Staff Senate Newsletter | Fall 2025

President: Marissa Marshall, Business Coordinator, Office of Audit, Risk & Compliance

President-Elect: Jessica Chilcoat, Associate Director, Finance Shared Service Center

Mataia Gales, Education Program Manager, Student Involvement & Leadership Center (SILC)

Danielle Hemingson, Laboratory Program Director, Undergraduate Biology Program

Michelle Wilson, Education Program Manager, Achievement & Assessment Institute

Xoe Cranberry , Office Manager, Geography/Atmospheric Science

Wyatt Haywood, Financial and Office Manager, Spencer Museum of Art

Ashley Kalatusha, Administrative Associate, KU Edwards Student Services

Jennifer Laverentz, Office Manager, Center for Remote Sensing and Integrated Systems

Willisha Thompson, Accounting Specialist, Finance Shared Service Center

Ian Adkins, Progam Coordinator, School of Business

Jessica Brown, Assistant Director, Custodial Services

Abby  Coffin, Assistant Vice Provost, Academic Success

Kim Conard, Grant Coordinator, Office of Research

Mishelle Denton, Functional Systems Manager, Student Lifecycle Technology

Corinna Lynn Johnson, Assistant Director, Achievement & Assessment Institute

Allison Johnson, Finance Manager, Finance Shared Service Center

Trina Weekly, Business Director, Achievement & Assessment Institute

Samantha Demmerle, Student Program Manager, KU Writing Center (senator at-large)

Melinda Robinson, Aministrative Associate Sr, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences (senator at-large)

Johnathan Grant, IT Assistant Director, Information Technology

Jasmine Keys, IT Support Technician, Information Technology

Jeremy McLeod, IT Support Technician Senior, Information Technology

Felix Mercader, IT Technology Manager, Information Technology

Brian Alfers, Assistant Custodial Supervsior, Custodial Services

Michael Geffre, Electrician Senior, FS Maintenance Services

Aaron Howard, HVAC Technician, FS Maintenance Services

Chris Wallace, Locksmith Senior, Facilities Planning & Development

Kennedy Chrisco, Lab Coordinator, Undergraduate Biology Program (senator at-large)

Joseph Andrew, Associate Researcher, Geology

Andrew Johannesen, Associate Researcher, Molecular Biosciences

Angela Robb, Research Project Specialist, Achievement & Assessment Institute

Megan Sims, Manager - Research Collections, Biodiversity Institute

Caroline Sloan, Curr & Assessment Specialist, Achievement and Assessment Institute (ATLAS)

Caty  Movich, Administrative Associate Senior, Institute for Policy & Social Research (senator at-large)

Amea Chandler, Student Program Manager, School of Social Welfare

Jordan Wade, Student Program Manager, School of Architecture & Design

Sarah Wilson Merriman, Academic Accommodations Advisor, Student Access Center

Candace Bond, Managing Editor, Achievement & Assessment Institute

Mike Krings, Public Affairs Officer, KU News Service

Brian Moss, Reference Services Manager, Libraries

The Diversity & Inclusion committee has been rebranded to better reflect our values and priorities. The acronym CARE stands for Community Action, Respect, and Engagement. Here’s what these words mean to us: 

• Community: Fostering collective learning, personal and community growth that is centered on increasing a sense of caring, belonging and collective values.
• Action: Engaging in processes that include multiple perspectives in order to affirm the contributions of all individuals, their skills, creativity and innovation.
• Respect: Promoting a sense of safety in an environment that nurtures a variety of ways of thinking, learning and knowing, where everyone feels welcomed, valued and heard.
• Engagement: Fostering interconnected social networks where partnerships are valued and contributions by a variety of perspectives are enhanced. 

The committee ACTION teams continue to do important work for the Staff Senate by engaging, educating, and communicating to the campus community committee initiatives and accomplishments. 

The Engagement and Collaborative LED Solutions ACTION Team focuses on engagement and connecting with Staff Senate and other staff members. The committee plans to host a Fall event. Stay tuned for more details.

The Communication ACTION team publishes a committee newsletter, The Lens, twice a year in the Fall and Spring. The most recent issue was published in September. If you wish to receive a copy of the Lens, please sign up using this link: https://kusurvey.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6xMYG7daHs56J0y.

The Education ACTION team focuses on the development and facilitation of presentations, workshops, and lunch & learns for Staff Senate and other staff.  The team is currently hosting a book club which meets every other week to discuss the Feminist Killjoy by Sarah Ahmed.  If you wish to join the book club, please email Kim Conard or Tanya Spacek.

Trina Weekly | FY2026 CARE Committee Interim Chair

Caroline Sloan | FY2026 CARE Committee Chair-Elect

Each spring semester, KU staff nominate and elect colleagues to represent them as members of Staff Senate. Elected senators serve three-year terms. Joining Staff Senate is a rewarding way to stay connected to university initiatives, build campus connections, and make a positive impact on the staff experience at KU.

This year, the Elections Committee successfully filled all open seats and continues to welcome members who bring a range of perspectives and experiences to the Senate.

The Elections Committee is responsible for the following charges:

• Coordinates annual Senate elections, including recruitment of candidates.
• Coordinates election of officers at March meeting.
• Maintains records of election results and terms of office.
• Coordinates all changes to Staff Senate code.
• Works with Governance Office and Human Resources to obtain a list of current KU staff in each of the HR job families to determine the number of Senate seats needed for the next year.

The next Staff Senate election will take place in spring 2026. If you are interested in serving, please contact ewallace@ku.edu. New voices and perspectives are always welcome—consider getting involved and helping shape the future of staff engagement at KU.

Chris Wallace | FY2026 Elections Committee Chair

Candace Bond | FY2026 Elections Committee Chair-Elect

The standing charges of the Personnel Affairs Committee are to 1) provide an avenue for the regular exchange of ideas on employee benefits, University policies and procedures, and other matters that relate to University staff; 2) review staff-related survey results and incorporate in Personnel Affairs Committee work during the academic year; and 3) incorporate and evaluate IRISE and institutional values across all initiatives. The committee will align its 2025 - 2026 ACTION with the focus areas of The Docking Institute USS and UPS Employee Satisfaction Survey Results 2025. The ACTION Teams will specifically focus on Compensation and Benefits; Nature of Work; and Leadership, Appreciation, and Recognition.

If you are interested in getting involved on the Staff Senate Personnel Affairs Committee, please contact Ashley Kalatusha, Chair, ashleykalatusha@ku.edu or Ian Adkins, Chair-Elect, iadkins@ku.edu.

Ashley Kalatusha | FY2026 Personnel Affairs Committee Chair

Ian Adkins | FY2026 Personnel Affairs Committee Chair-Elect

The Staff Senate Professional Development Committee is committed to supporting staff growth by funding opportunities that strengthen skills and knowledge. We believe investing in our employees not only builds confidence and enhances job performance but also broadens professional networks, opening doors to valuable industry insights. Our mission is to foster career development and long-term success for all staff members.  This fiscal year the committee has already received fifteen applications and awarded $2,046 in financial assistance.

Willisha Thompson | FY2026 Professional Development Committee Chair

Brian Alfers | FY2026 Professional Development Committee Chair-Elect

Michelle Wilson | FY2026 Public Relations Committee Chair

vacant | FY2026 Public Relations Committee Chair-Elect

It’s official that an IT Committee is coming to KU Staff Senate! The committee is excited to serve as a hub for transparency, collaboration, and advocacy in all things IT-related across campus. Among various roles, the committee is here to work to ensure that the needs and concerns of staff members are being heard. Stay tuned for future updates as we move forward!

Jeremy McLeod | FY2026 Technology Committee Chair

vacant | FY2026 Technology Committee Chair-Elect

The USS/UPS Council is made up of University Support Staff and Unclassified Professional Staff representatives from all six Kansas Board of Regents universities (KU, K-State, Wichita State, Fort Hays State, Pittsburg State, and Emporia State). The council is currently reviewing the results of the 2025 Docking Employee Satisfaction Survey that was distributed to staff members at all six universities earlier this year, and we will soon be hosting additional feedback sessions before presenting the results to university leadership and the Board of Regents. Watch for more information about feedback sessions soon – and in the meantime, you can view the results of the previous Docking survey, including subsequent recommendations and implementation team updates, at https://aire.ku.edu/docking-institute-employee-satisfaction-survey-2022.

Brian Moss | FY2026 UPS Council Representative

Chris Wallace | FY2026 USS Council Representative