Staff Senate held its annual transition luncheon and awards ceremony on Monday, April 15. From left to right: Past President Sue Whorton, 2024-25 President Jeff Anthony, Past President Melinda Fischer, Immediate Past President Jake Anderson, Past President C.J. Smith, Past President Tina White, Past President Devereaux Williams.
Staff Senate Immediate Past President Jake Anderson (left), 2024-25 Staff Senate President Jeff Anthony (middle), Staff Senate Past President Melinda Fischer (right)
Hello Fellow Staff,
This week we celebrated the exchanging of the gavel in Staff
Senate. As my term as President has ended, I am reminded of the many
interactions and experiences from this past year. I am reminded every day of
what makes this place special and it’s the people.
We had a fantastic year on Senate and accomplished a lot.
Last April, I challenged our Senators with ambitious and strategic goals. I am
pleased to report that we met, and in many cases surpassed all our goals. We
engaged with approximately 1,500 Clemson staff this year through various
outreach, recognition, and service efforts including appreciation luncheons,
blood drives, and department visits.
We are implementing a senator mentorship program and adopted
a new representation model which will position Senate for strategic and
moderate growth. We raised nearly $15,000 in our “Battle of Senates” campaign
for the Employee Emergency Fund and we are currently selling limited-edition
watercolor cards to benefit the Staff Senate Endowed Scholarship.
We partnered with leadership in Faculty Senate and Human
Resources to form the Tuition Remission Benefit Task Force and continued
serving as liaisons to university committees and commissions. We established a
new Staff Senate blog and held our monthly meeting in CU-ICAR in February where
we had the pleasure to fellowship and engage with staff not on main campus.
Each of our committees contributed significantly to fulfill
our goals. The impact will be felt for years to come as we have positioned
Senate for continued success to advocate and serve our fellow staff.
I had the opportunity to highlight our accomplishments to
the Board of Trustees at their quarterly meeting in April and detailed the work
of our 52 senators.
At the 2023-24 Staff Senate Awards Luncheon, treasurer Christy Babb (left) was named Staff Senator of the Year and Kevin Allmond (right) won the Sam Hoover Staff Senate Innovation Award.
Senate will be in great hands with Jeff Anthony! He is one
of the most genuine, dependable, and active senators. He will be an outstanding
President.
Being a graduate of Clemson, a native of Aiken, SC, and
having served 10 years as an employee, I have always been proud of my alma
mater. However, after serving in this role and becoming familiar with the
internal structure and unique characteristics of our university landscape, I am
beyond proud of this university and the leadership in place.
Thank you all for your many continued contributions to this
special place we call Clemson University.
Burn bright, not out.
Go Tigers!
Jake Anderson Staff Senate Immediate Past President
Staff Senate will celebrate 40 years of Clemson’s Staff Senate on Tuesday, May 21, with a drop-in reception in the Daniel Hall Annex Atrium from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event will feature heavy appetizers and giveaways.
Current and former senators are invited to join a commemorative “family picture” taken at noon.
April
marks a time for recognizing and celebrating the different identities within
our Clemson University Community, specifically LGBTQIA+ and Asian Pacific
Islander Desi-American Heritage Month.
It’s an opportunity to highlight these communities at Clemson by hosting events and ways to connect with others. By taking a moment to look at different events that are taking place during April, we can foster an inclusive environment of all cultures and practices during this month of celebration. Clemson staff members can engage with University Commissions like the LGBTQ Commission and APIDA Commission, which focus on broadening the communities and providing events for everyone to learn, grow, and engage.
Consider joining the many events at the Harvey and Lucinda Gantt Center that help coordinate events focused on building community and belonging at Clemson for the LGBTQIA and APIDA community this month.
How to get involved?
Let’s Kiki About the History of House and Ballroom
Wednesday, 10 April from 6 – 7:30 p.m. in Hendrix Meeting Room B
Take a lesson on the history of house music and the origins of the ballroom scene, followed by a dance lesson on ballroom dance moves!
PRIDE Trivia with U-Nites
Thursday, 11 April from 10 p.m. – midnight in The Barnes Center
Join us for a night of fun, prizes, snacks, and knowledge as we celebrate PRIDE with our trivia night with U-Nites! Get ready to put your brains to the test and show off your trivia prowess.
PRIDE Prom Disco with U-Nites
Friday, 12 April from 10 p.m. – midnight (doors open at 9 p.m.) in The Barnes Center
Step into the spotlight and dance the night away at our PRIDE Prom Disco! Get ready to groove to the beats and make unforgettable memories under the glittering lights.
Stride to PRIDE hosted by the LGBYQ+ Commission
Sunday, April 14, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Botanical Gardens
Create community and connect through the Botanical Gardens while strolling or biking (no skates or skateboards allowed). Feel free to bring your picnic baskets, family, friends, or fur babies and enjoy this fun Sunday event.
As the semester comes to an end, I think it is an important time to talk about time management. The spring semester in particular is one of the busiest times for me. You have spring break, ring ceremony, classes, and graduation ceremonies, and extracurricular activities that could engulf your time like March madness, softball, and baseball. For me in particular, I found myself in a place where I feel like everything is coming around so fast. I remember writing my first column for this newsletter, and now I’m finishing out and I must say this semester and this internship has been great. I say all this because I am in a place where I feel like all my assignments and deadlines are approaching faster than I anticipated. In school, work and in our daily lives, we may encounter people who seem to have it all together. They are productive, stress-free, high achievers, but chances are they were not born that way. Managing, organizing, and distributing time are skills that we can learn. Doing so can help with controlling your time and promoting overall satisfaction. With this being said the topic for this month’s newsletter is time management.
Time management is the process of consciously planning and controlling time spent on specific tasks to increase how efficient you are. I am sure everyone is familiar with setting deadlines, writing to do lists, and giving yourself small rewards for accomplishing certain activities. Motivating ourselves is a core part of time management, and it takes intentionality to cultivate good habits to work and live efficiently. Figuring out a process that works for you, whatever that may be, is key to creating an efficient life. When I feel like deadlines are approaching fast, I write down all the due dates for assignments and projects that I have, and it helps calm me down. When I have a lot on my plate like anyone else I get stressed out, and it sends me into immediate panic. So what I am about to give below are some examples to use in your everyday lives and in the workplace to better your time management skills.
One time management skill is conducting a time audit. This strategy starts by assessing where you actually spend your time. A time audit includes creating a visual map of the approximate time you spend on work, school, housework, chores, commuting to and from work, social media usage, and leisure activities. By doing this you can actually see how much time you spend on these activities and then make changes to help prioritize your work and still give you the free time to have time to do the things that you enjoy. The second method is to employ methods to chunk your time. This is also called the pomodoro method. This method was developed in the late 1980s by Francesco Cirillo, a university student who was overwhelmed by studying and assignments. This method requires using a timer to break down your work into a 25-minute interval, separated by 5 minutes of break time. After you complete 4 of these pomodoros, you can start taking longer 15-30 minute breaks. The word pomodoro is Italian for tomato, which promotes concentration and relieves mental fatigue. This strategy can be useful for open-ended work like conducting research, studying for an exam, or finishing a consulting project.
Finally, focusing on one thing at a time is essential for time management. Multitasking is generally less efficient than focusing on one task at a time. In fact, I found a study that suggested that only 2.5 percent of people are able to effectively multitask. Doing too many things at once can impact your cognitive ability, making you feel unproductive or dissatisfied with your progress. Arranging your time so that you complete one task before starting another can boost your confidence. The last thing I want to offer is some benefits of having time management skills. Some benefits consist of reducing stress, increasing energy, achieving goals more effectively, prioritizing what’s important, reducing procrastination, boosting confidence and getting further in your career and education. These are just a few reasons why managing your time is important. I will be taking some of these skills with me as I move forward to the end of the semester. Have a good spring!
What is the Ombuds Office?
The Ombuds Office is a confidential, independent, neutral, and informal space for staff to process concerns, get information, and develop options for how to move forward in a difficult situation. I can provide education, conflict coaching, mediation, and facilitation as well as referrals to other resources across Clemson. If you are unsure how to move forward in any way, I can help you work through it. Contact: Tessa Byer, 864.656.5353 or tbyer@clemson.edu 135 Old Greenville Hwy, Ste. 203 (Next to Esso!)
As a reminder, new
supervisors or staff hired or promoted after February 21, 2022 are required to
complete the Supervising for Success program within 12
months of assuming their position. For more information on this requirement, please
see the Required Training Policy.
Questions about registration
or the Tiger Training system should be directed to the Tiger
Training team.
Clemson University’s Executive Leadership Team and President Jim
Clements recently approved a new
policy regarding the Family and Medical Leave Act
(FMLA).
This policy does not change the process to request
FMLA. Rather, it formalizes the already operational process for requesting and
receiving FMLA benefits, while providing consistency across the University.
The FMLA entitles eligible employees of covered employers to take
unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons with
continuation of group health insurance coverage under the same terms and
conditions as if the employee had not taken leave.
The policy lays out the eligibility requirements to take FMLA leave
and the parameters under which FMLA leave may be taken. It also gives employees
and supervisors guidance on the required procedure to request FMLA leave.
Employees who may need to take FMLA leave should review the FMLA
policy and the FMLA Guidelines and Packet.
For initial consultation on FMLA matters, please contact your HR
Service Center Manager or Ask-HR.
Did you know you can do more than take a stroll in the Botanical Gardens?
This spring and summer are full of opportunities for all ages. See some of the upcoming events below.
2024DocentOrientations Do you like interacting with the public? Do you have an interest in plants or nature in general? This is the volunteer opportunity for you! We are seeking docents to support our mission of education and outreach and to enhance the visitor experience at the SCBG. Orientation will introduce attendees to our various weekday and weekend docent opportunities and will equip participants with information about the SCBG’s history, mission, garden spaces and features, as well as techniques for communicating effectively with the public. Register for one of the following Saturdays: April 13, June 15, August 17 or October 19
Saturday GardenTours Have you been wanting to schedule a guided tour of the garden but can’t find the time during the week? We’re now offering monthly Saturday tours of the Garden! These tours last approximately an hour and focus on the Garden’s history, development, and seasonal highlights. From the Camellia Trail to the Butterfly Garden, there is always something of interest and beauty to see. Register for an upcoming tour on May 4, June 1, July 6 or September 7
Second Chance Spring Plant Sale, April 20 Take home beautiful plants to enjoy while supporting the SCBG! We have a wonderful selection to choose from- natives, tons of perennials, fruit trees and shrubs, colorful annuals, vegetables and more! April 20 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Tuesday, April 9, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. $5 Adults/FREE Students Brooks Theatre
Make plans to join the Clemson University Jazz Ensemble, The Jungaleers, for an exciting evening of jazz..
CU Men’s and Women’s Choirs
Thursday, April 11, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. $10 Adults/$5 Students Brooks Theatre
The Men’s and Women’s choirs will perform an evening of inspiring choral music, featuring a collaboration with special guests from the Choral Arts Exchange program!
The Dancing Double Bass Michael Geib, Alumni Recital, solo bass
Friday, April 12, 2024 at 5 p.m. FREE Samuel J. Cadden Chapel
Double Bassists are constantly searching for music to perform, as there is not an abundance of solo music written specifically for the instrument. Domenico Dragonetti’s 12 Waltzes are likely the first known works written for the unaccompanied modern double bass, yet they are not considered a standard part of the pedagogical repertoire. Geib hopes that these works will enable double bassists of all levels to add this wonderful, idiomatic music to their performance catalog. This concert features these brilliant waltzes, as well as other short vignettes written during the 18th and 19th Centuries.
The Taming by Lauren Gunderson
April 15-20, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. April 21, 2024 at 3 p.m. $15 Adults, $10 Students Bellamy Theatre
Tweetering, pandashrews and undying giddiness for James Madison – what else could you expect to find at a Miss America pageant? In this hilarious, raucous, all-female “power-play” inspired by Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew, contestant Katherine has political aspirations to match her beauty pageant ambitions. All she needs to revolutionize the American government is the help of one ultra-conservative senator’s aide on the cusp of a career breakthrough, and one bleeding-heart liberal blogger who will do anything for her cause. Well, that and a semi-historically-accurate ether trip. Here’s lookin’ at you, America.
CU Symphony and String Orchestra
Tuesday, April 16, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. $10 Adults, $5 Students Brooks Theatre
Enjoy an exciting performance by the Clemson Symphony and String Orchestra as they celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Brooks Center.
CU Percussion Ensemble and CU Steel Band
Tuesday, April 19, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. $10 Adults, $5 Students Brooks Theatre
The CU Percussion Ensemble features contemporary drumming and percussion from around the world.
CU Symphonic Band and CU Contract Band
Tuesday, April 23, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. $5 Adults, FREE Students Brooks Theatre
Enjoy selections performed by the CU Symphonic Band and CU Concert Band led by conductors Mark Spede and Timothy Hurlburt.
CU Singers and Cantorei
Tuesday, April 25, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. $10 Adults, $5 Students Brooks Theatre
CU Singers and Cantorei will perform an evening of inspiring music ranging from classics to contemporary choral music. This performance will include a World Premiere of a new choral work by Emmy Award-winning composer Jake Runestad featuring Clemson Cantorei and our collaborative pianist, Grace Berardo.
The Student Veterans Association and SALUTE Veterans Honor Society are proud to host the Mile of Honor event on April 6, 2024. The event begins at 8:30 a.m.
The one-mile walk begins at the President’s Rotunda in President’s Park and ends at the Scroll of Honor, where participants will plant a flag to commemorate Clemson’s 498 heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
The event is free and open to the public. Please register to attend here:
A limited number of Mile of Honor t-shirts will be available for purchase for $20 each the morning of the event, beginning at 7:30 a.m. Sales will be through the Marketplace storefront via credit or debit card; cash and checks will not be accepted. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Clemson military-connected community.
Please reach out to the SVA President, Chase Carter (cmcrtr@g.clemson.edu), or the SALUTE President, Seton Hall (setonh@g.clemson.edu), with questions or to request additional information.
