Early Bird

Staff Senate recap

Guests present on the Safer Spaces Resolution and Roadrunners Safe Return efforts.

By Lindsey Coulter

January 28, 2021

The Staff Senate’s January meeting welcomed several guest presenters to share updates on important campus initiatives and conversations.

Safer Spaces Resolution

Authored by faculty within the Gender Institute for Teaching and Advocacy and the Africana Studies and Chicana/o Studies Departments, the Safer Spaces Resolution asks the University community to make a clear stand against all forms of discrimination and oppression.

The authors were represented by Netty Rodriguez, associate director, GITA; X Johnson, student-government representative, GITA student employee and founder of student organization Blacx Era; and Nastasia Santana, GITA student employee and Iota Iota Iota president.

In part, the resolution states: “We strive to offer environments where our students can learn free from harassment, threats and violence. Declaring the Gender Institute for Teaching and Advocacy (GITA) and the Africana Studies and the Chicana/o Studies Departments as ‘safer spaces’ magnifies our existing commitment to building a world we wish to inhabit: one that is equitable/egalitarian, where Black, Brown and Indigenous lives are valued, and a world where white supremacy, settler colonialism and other forms of systemic oppression have been dismantled.”

The resolution is intended to ensure solidarity, intentionality and sustained support for the Black Lives Matter movement and related actionable steps with regard to anti-racism work, academics, student care, programming, institutional equity and more.

Learn more about the Safer Spaces Resolution.

Roadrunners Safe Return update

Leone Dick, chief of staff to the vice president for Administration and chief operating officer, presented on the work of the Roadrunners Safe Return Committee. The committee is exploring the University’s future state and is actively preparing for an eventual safe return to the Auraria Campus.

Dick invited Staff Senate members and all Roadrunners to share their ideas, concerns and questions regarding the University’s future, focusing on topics such as workstation distancing, remote working, on-campus services, the University’s budget, continuing virtual events, recruitment and retention, workload, vaccine distribution, policy, equity and inclusion.

Roadrunners who would like to weigh in on any of these topics are invited to submit their comments, questions, etc., via the Safe Return Survey on the Safe Return to Campus webpage.

Updates

• See the Bursar website for updates on the Regional Transportation District CollegePass and the Early Bird for updates on the RTD EcoPass.
• The Senate Policy Committee continues to work on the Alternative Work Arrangements Policy, partnering with Human Resources and the Learning and Development team.
• Remember to take the Universitywide Engagement, Leader and Self-Identification Survey.
• Lisa Lanford will serve as the new chair of the Staff Senate Policy Review Committee.
• Erica Buckland Anderson was confirmed by Staff Senate members to serve as the new at-large senator.
• Preliminary results from the recent Workload and Wellness Survey show that respondents are generally happy with communication from leadership and with the flexibility and support of supervisors. Respondents remain concerned about workload and balancing work with life/family obligations. Stay tuned for follow-up reports and next steps.
• Roadrunners are invited to take part in this semester’s fitness challenge.
• Roadrunners are also invited to consider joining the Alumni Book Club.