Staff Senate

Frequently Asked Questions

We have comprised a list of some frequently asked questions.  If you have additional questions, please feel free to contact us.

 

The Staff Senate advises the UBalt President and Executive Committee on staff matters, recommends and reviews University policies as they affect staff, keeps staff informed, and provides a forum for discussion and recommendations on matters of interest to staff.
The Staff Senate is made up of 12 Senators who are democratically elected to two-year terms (staggered). Of those 12 Senators, seven serve in internally elected executive board positions (one-year terms): Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Communications Coordinator, and three Council of University System Staff (CUSS) representatives. The remaining Senators are considered to be Senators At-Large.
If you are a regular exempt, nonexempt-nonunion, or Contingent 2 staff employee at UBalt, you are automatically a member of the UBalt Staff Senate and are represented by the senate in all staff-related matters.


If you are unsure if you fall within one of these employment categories, contact the Office of Human Resources.

At the beginning of each session, each Senator At-Large is assigned a constituency. The assignments for 2023-2024 can be viewed here.

When senators are assigned, you will receive an introductory email from your senator. Nonetheless, all senators may represent you.

You can find a list of all Senators on the Staff Senate home page.

As stated in USM Policy I-6.00, II. C., you are responsible for "... informed participation and collaboration ..."

You also may:
• attend the monthly meeting
• nominate yourself or a colleague as a candidate for senator
• serve on a committee
• provide your expertise and input regarding items of interest to shared governance, or voice your concerns to your senator or at any open meeting
• spread the word among your colleagues about shared governance and about the UBalt Staff Senate

As a member of the Staff Senate, you are entitled under USM policy to participate in shared governance, as appropriate to skills and knowledge, regarding decisions that affect the overall welfare of UBalt and of the University System of Maryland. This entitlement also comes with the responsibility to provide informed, collaborative, and respectful support to the collective members of the governance bodies and to the processes by which they are managed.
The current UBalt Staff Senate was initiated in August 2012 under the newly adopted Plan of Organization for Shared Governance at UBalt. The previous configuration, called the UBalt Administrative Council, was a stand-alone body and wasn’t empowered to implement change nor recognized as a true contributor to shared governance. Since the beginning of the 2012-13 year, the UBalt Staff Senate is an equal partner (with the University Faculty Senate and the Student Government Association) in the Governance Steering Council.

Staff will be elected to represent the University of Baltimore in the Council of University System Staff, which addresses system-wide issues that pertain to staff. The mission of CUSS is to provide a voice for Staff employee concerns in reference to basic decisions that affect the welfare of the University System of Maryland and its employees.

Learn more:
Constitution for the Council of University System Staff
Policy on Shared Governance in the University System Of Maryland