Staff Senate Meets Thursday, Wrap-up from April Meeting Discusses McLean Staff Survey

The Staff Senate will have its regular monthly meeting Thursday, May 21, from 2 to 3 p.m. The meeting is open to the campus community and will be held in the HR Training room in the Madison Plaza (910 Madison Ave., Suite 755) and also via Zoom.

On the agenda:

• Update on annual compliance training
• Report from Employee Engagement Committee on upcoming appreciation pop-up events
• Other business

Report from April 16 Meeting

The April 16 meeting of the Staff Senate focused on results of the McLean Staff Survey.

Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer Raaj Kurapati presented results from the annual survey.

Kurapati noted overall employee engagement has remained relatively consistent. However, the survey showed there is an opportunity to improve, particularly among younger and newer employees.

Longtime employees at the university are the most engaged staff. Kurapati discussed plans to address staff concerns based on recent evaluations and surveys. He committed to engaging deans and vice chancellors to develop action plans and to ensure staff input is incorporated.

Kurapati discussed staff concerns about compensation and benefits, including promotion opportunities, cross-training requests, and salary issues. In addition, he addressed facility concerns, outlining plans for elevator upgrades, HVAC system improvements, and enhanced campus safety measures including fencing and security infrastructure.

Kurapati said his long-term vision to transform the campus into a more community-oriented destination through public-private partnership that could involve retail, dining, and student housing. He also noted the excellent news that the General Assembly appropriated the $311 million included in Governor Bill Lee's budget for construction of the new College of Medicine Interdisciplinary Building on the Memphis campus. The building will cost $350 million and is projected for completion in 2029. The university is mounting a philanthropic campaign to raise an additional $50 million in philanthropic support for the projecy, including $39 million toward the costs of the building and additional funds for specialized equipment and programmatic support.

Kurapati also mentioned plans for more town hall meetings, increasing leadership presence on campus, and conducting an inventory of current staff recognition efforts.

Staff Senate Business

The senators reviewed updates to their bylaws and discussed upcoming events, including plans for a Campus Police and Security Department appreciation event. Additionally, the group decided to support Administrative Professionals Day, April 22, by contributing treats to honor fellow staff.

Call to Action: The Staff Senate serves as the voice of the staff to the university. The Senate meets monthly to discuss issues of concern and to forward opinions on staff-related policies, procedures, and activities to the university administration. Share your thoughts with your staff senators. Know your representative. Here is the Staff Senate list.