Author: callara

Click on each month to view approved minutes from that meeting. If a month you would like to view is not listed, it has not been approved.
NOTE: The senate does not have meetings in July or November.

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Starting on March 2, Andy’s spring hours begin! With the warm weather on its way we’re switching to our spring hours so you can spend even more time outdoors. Visit us Monday to Friday from noon to 8 p.m. and weekends from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Whether you’re gearing up for a camping trip, grabbing a paddleboard, or trying something
new, we’ve got the equipment to help you make the most of the season.

And don’t forget, the beach remains open from sunrise to sunset, offering the perfect
backdrop for early morning peace or golden-hour adventures.

Come explore, unwind, and enjoy the fresh spring air with us at Andy’s!

Andy Quattlebaum Outdoor Education Center (Andy’s) is in the Snow Family Outdoor Fitness and Wellness Complex beside the lake. Rentals require a membership. Hanging out on the beach does not!

The SC Botanical Garden’s spring plant sale is April 10 – 11.
Find more information here: https://www.clemson.edu/scbg/visit/events/plant-sale.html

Summer camps for children 6-11 years old begin in June.
Mountains to Sea Camp, June 1-5: https://events.clemson.edu/event/22953-mountains-to-sea-camp

Garden Creativity Camp, June 15-19: https://events.clemson.edu/event/22954-garden-creativity-camp

Creature Power Camp, June 22-26: https://events.clemson.edu/event/22954-garden-creativity-camp

Great Green Adventure Camp, July 6-10: https://events.clemson.edu/event/22956-great-green-adventure-camp

Time Traveler’s Camp, July 13-17: https://events.clemson.edu/event/22957-time-travelers-camp

Garden Discovery Camp, July 27-31: https://events.clemson.edu/event/22957-time-travelers-camp

Meet Lt Col Kelley Gonzales, USAF (Ret.)

Kelley is currently the Interim Director of Export Control and Research Security. She was awarded the Research Division’s Special Achievement Award, highlighting her work surrounding Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). Notably, Kelley also earned the Certified CMMC Professional (CCP) credential. At the time of this recognition, the credential was held by fewer than 5 people across all U.S. higher education institutions.  

Can you tell us about your role here at Clemson?  

I joined Clemson’s Division of Research to help build and strengthen the University’s approach to research security and export control at a time when federal expectations were evolving rapidly. I started as Research Information Security Manager, working closely with faculty, research administrators, and IT partners to establish Clemson’s first comprehensive framework for protecting Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) in research. I later served as Associate Director and now as Interim Director of Export Control and Research Security, where I provide strategic leadership and senior advisory support across research security, export control, and classified research governance. Throughout these roles, my focus has been on translating complex regulatory requirements into practical, scalable processes that protect the institution while enabling Clemson’s research mission to thrive. 

What is something fun we might not know about you?  

I love playing free, tournament-style poker. It’s a game full of strategy and never gets old for me.  Before coming to Clemson, I played well enough in a free poker league to receive an invitation to the annual national championship, where I placed 12^th out of 45 after only about a year and a half of playing. That was a really rewarding experience. 

What brought you to Clemson?  

When I came to Clemson, my older son had just graduated in Computer Science and was awaiting orders after being commissioned through Clemson’s USAF ROTC program. My younger son is also in the area studying nursing and hopes to finish his schooling as a Tiger. Those were the biggest draws for me initially, but the location is beautiful and the people here are truly exceptional. Those are the things that have kept me here. 

Is there anything you would like for people to know about your department?  

The Department of Export Control and Research Security directly supports the Clemson Elevate pillar of doubling research by 2035 by helping the University responsibly grow its portfolio of sensitive and regulated research- an area that is expanding rapidly as federal agencies and major research sponsors embed research security requirements earlier in agreements and funding vehicles. Our work focuses on supporting research at the award and agreement stage, where federal research security and export control requirements most directly shape how projects can move forward. We partner closely with faculty, research administrators, and campus stakeholders to translate complex regulations into clear, practical expectations that protect the University and our sponsors while enabling Clemson’s research enterprise to grow in a sustainable way. 

The Clemson Champion is Staff Senate’s spotlight for exceptional staff and teams at Clemson. Stay tuned and meet more Clemson Champions in future posts.

Dear Fellow Staff,

It’s hard to believe that it’s March and we are halfway through the Spring Semester. Fun fact: Before 153 BC, March was the 1^st month of the year in the Roman Calendar. So, if that’s the case and you haven’t continued with your New Year’s Resolutions, start a new one.

March is also a time at Clemson when a portion of our Staff are being evaluated and are developing planning stages with their supervisors. Please take this time for your development and think broadly about the next steps in your career.

So, what have Staff Senators been up to during February and March? Your President-Elect, Victoria Perry, and I represented you at Clemson Day held at the S.C. State House. We were honored to be invited by External Affairs. Past President, Jeff Anthony, represented Staff Senate at the Degree Attainment Luncheon, sponsored by Clemson University Human Resources. This event honors staff and faculty who earned degrees in the past year.

Staff Senate honored two of our own at the luncheon: Ryan Real and Levi Roach. Congratulations to all the honorees.

Thank you to all who donated to the Battle of the Senates. We ended in a tie, so we plan to hold a runoff for a couple of days. Next week, be on the lookout for the article in Our Clemson. We need your help to pull the staff through as the winner. No matter the winner, this is a great cause. Your donation helps us endow the Staff and Faculty Emergency Fund to support your Clemson University neighbors for years to come.

Elections are here. Everyone should have received a ballot to vote, unless the seat was not contested. Please take time to review the nominees and vote; your vote and voice matter to Clemson University.   

Please let me know if you ever have any questions or concerns by reaching out to me via email at smille3@clemson.edu or by contacting your local senator, who can be found on the website below: https://www.clemson.edu/faculty-staff/staff-senate/contact-us.html.

Next Meeting: Thursday, March 12, 2026, from 2:30 to 4:00 PM at the Watt Center, room 108. Reminder: If you would like to ask a question, please request to speak during the open comment period by contacting our office or relaying your questions to your senators.  

As always, stay kind, Tigers and take care of yourself and those around you.

Go Tigers!

At a training session recently, a participant asked me what she should do when she is in a difficult conversation, and her face communicates something before anything comes out of her mouth.  She admitted that this has gotten her into trouble personally and professionally, even when she is trying to be wise and measured in her responses.  Before she can acknowledge what she has heard someone say, ask thoughtful open-ended questions, and use the concern formula to express concerns, her face gives her away!

This is not an uncommon phenomenon, and it is not a dealbreaker in having productive conflict resolution conversations.  Our bodies react to situations instantaneously, while our brains and language centers take a minute to catch up.  This may come out on your face, your body language, or your tone.  You might make a quick, snide comment before you can catch yourself.  You might find yourself raising your voice to someone before you remember making the decision to yell.  Some people turn red when they are upset or frustrated, even if they have not said a word.  If this happens to you, there are ways to prevent damage from occurring. 

The first step is to know about these reactions and explore why they might be happening.  If your body is reacting before you say a word, the odds are someone has said something to you about it.  Awareness of your reactions is key, but it also helps to reflect on why they might be occurring in the first place.  When you know how you react, you can make those around you aware as well.  In both personal and professional relationships, you can call out your tendency to react physiologically and let the other person know that your face’s reaction is not always indicative of what you are thinking or feeling.  In other words, warn the people in your life that this will happen in times of conflict or tense conversations, and request that they withhold judgment until you have a minute to think and say what you actually want to say.  I know that my husband retreats into silence if our discussions become tense.  After I say something, I might have to wait 10 to 30 minutes for his response.  When we were first together, I thought he was refusing to talk to me.  Now I know that I will need to wait for his response.  Relationships involve negotiating how you are going to interact and resolve conflict.  Being able to share with someone that you know this about yourself, and here’s the best way for you both to handle it can help prevent difficult conversations from escalating.

Of course, it is not possible to tell everyone you interact with about your instinctive physiological reactions.  So if it happens with someone who does not know you well, a great response is to acknowledge it.  Saying something like, “It seems like you are reacting to the expression on my face, but I don’t want you to take that to represent how I am thinking and feeling.  I know that my face reacts before I’m ready, and I might need a minute before I can respond to you.”  Calling it out makes it clear that you are not trying to hide the reaction, but you are also requesting some time to state what your actual reaction is. 

Finally, whether you are able to preempt these responses, or you are scrambling to respond to them after they emerge, you can work on them.  You can work to control your face, tone, or body language, so they don’t give away what you are really thinking.  My husband has lowered his response time the longer we have been married, so I’m not waiting quite as long for his responses to my questions.  We can evolve and get better.  Our faces, bodies, and tone might betray us, but the betrayal is not detrimental.  It can even lead to knowing ourselves and each other better.    

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.

Tessa Byer
Phone:  864-656-5353
Email:  tbyer@clemson.edu
Address:  135 Old Greenville Hwy, Ste. 203 (Next to Esso!)

Navigating Intergenerational Workplaces
April 10, 2026, from 9:00 to 11:00
In person at University Facilities Center, sign up here: 
Registration link

Dear Fellow Staff,

I hope this year is off to a great start, and you were able to enjoy the snow. Fun fact: Did you know that February is the mid-point between the winter solstice and spring equinox – sunny days are ahead.

So, what have Staff Senators been up to during the first couple of months of 2026? We welcomed Interim President Jones at our January Staff Senate Meeting, engaged in conversations with the B.O.T. members regarding the Presidential Search, sponsored a blood drive where we collected 23 units of blood (thank you all who came out to donate), put out a call within Staff Senate for officer elections, geared up for Senator elections, and planning the Battle of the Senates, and the next Staff Senate Golf tournament to help raise funds for the Employee Emergency Fund and Endowment.

We have an exciting lineup for this month’s Staff Senate meeting. We hope you can attend.

a) Cole Smith, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost

b) Rick Petillo, Sr. Vice President & CFO, Finance & Operations

c) Heather Humphreys, Executive Compensation Consultant, HR

d) Jamie Jasperson, Training Lead – Director of Curriculum Delivery, Workday

e) Dan Hofmann, Director of Parking and Transportation Services

Elections are upon us. If you have ever considered getting involved, consider running for a Senator’s seat. The other way to help your fellow staff is to donate to the Battle of the Senates – a friendly rivalry to see who can raise the most funds for the Faculty or Staff Employee Emergency Fund and Endowment.

Please let me know if you ever have a question or concerns by reaching out to me via email: smille3@clemson.edu  or by contacting your local senator, who can be found via the website below: https://www.clemson.edu/faculty-staff/staff-senate/contact-us.html

Next Meeting: Thursday, February 12, 2026, from 2:30 to 4:00 PM at the Watt Center Auditorium. Reminder: If you would like to ask a question, please request to speak during the open comment period by contacting our office or relaying your questions to your senators.  

As always, stay kind, Tigers, and take care of yourself and those around you.

Go Tigers!

Stacey Miller
President 2025-2026

Clemson students and employees can enjoy free guided wildflower walks at SCBG! 

Step into spring with us! Clemson University students, faculty, and staff are invited to enjoy free weekly guided wildflower walks along our peaceful Natural Heritage Trail. Wander at a relaxed pace with an experienced guide, soak in the beauty of the spring while discovering the hidden stories of our local plants and wildlife.

On Wednesdays, beginning March 11, join us to discover brand-new landscapes—fresh blossoms, unfolding leaves, and the ever-changing colors of spring. No two walks are the same, so come often and watch the Garden come alive! Space is limited, so pre-registration is required. 

More details can be found on our Eventbrite registration page.

Campus Recreation is offering several opportunities this spring for staff to become certified in First Aid and CPR. No Campus Rec membership is required.

Upcoming February sessions are scheduled for February 26-27, with more class dates available in March and April. These courses equip participants with the knowledge and confidence to respond appropriately during a wide range of medical emergencies, including cardiac arrest, choking, and other life‑threatening situations. Learning how to recognize an emergency, provide immediate care, and coordinate with first responders can make a critical difference in the outcome.

All full CPR certification courses use a blended learning format, which combines online and in‑person training. Participants must complete the assigned online learning modules before the start of the in‑person session at Fike. This allows the classroom portion to focus on hands‑on practice, skill application, and real‑time instructor feedback.

All sessions are held at Fike Recreation Center, making it convenient for staff across campus to attend. You can also book a custom course for your own group, whether it be your office or a team you may be on. For those inquiries, contact Nicole Taylor. Her email is linked below.

For information on registration and available dates, visit the Campus Rec CPR/First Aid training page or email Nicole Taylor.

Clemson – Staff Senate is proud to host a community blood drive on Wednesday, February 4th, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. This event is a vital part of our commitment to supporting and enhancing the health and well-being of our community.

As a token of our appreciation for your time and support, each donor will receive a $40 eGift card from TBC. It’s our way of saying thank you for joining us in this crucial mission to save lives. We could not do it without you!

📍 Location: Clemson – Staff Senate | 101 Calhoun Drive Clemson, SC 29631 | BOWMAN FIELD

This is more than just a blood drive—it’s a community effort to provide essential help to those in need right here in our area. Every pint of blood collected can save up to three lives, making a profound impact. See how your donation goes on to impact a life in your community here!

👉https://donate.thebloodconnection.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/299142

Click this link to sign up and reserve your spot to donate. Your participation is crucial, and together, we can achieve something remarkable. Thank you for considering joining us in this life-saving initiative. Your support not only contributes to the health of our community but also strengthens the bonds that make our community great.

Clemson – Staff Senate Sponsor Code: 8CSS

We look forward to seeing you there!