This summer, Campus Outdoor Recreation and Education (CORE) is charting a new course for community engagement with the launch of a pilot outdoor adventure program designed specifically for faculty and staff. Blending fresh air, gentle adventure, and a dash of campfire nostalgia, the program offers a series of guided trips and activities aimed at fostering connection, wellness, and a shared appreciation for the outdoors.
The Summer 2026 pilot lineup features four unique events, ranging from relaxed lakeside evenings to full-day river excursions:
Friday, June 12 | 6:30 a.m. Sunrise Paddleboarding Early risers can greet the day on Lake Hartwell with a guided paddleboarding session launching from the Snow Complex. Cost: $5 (staff), $10 (guests) Registration Required: Maximum of 12 participants
Thursday, June 18 | 5:00 p.m. Paddle and Pies Participants will paddleboard or kayak from the Snow Complex to the Your Pie Dockside location, combining recreation with a well-earned treat. Cost does not include pizza. Cost: $5 (staff), $10 (guests) Registration Required: Maximum of 12 participants
Saturday, July 25 | 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Ducks on the Tuck This full-day adventure takes participants to Dillsboro, North Carolina, for an inflatable kayak or raft trip along the Tuckasegee River. Cost: $35 (staff), $50 (guests, ages 18+) Registration Required: Maximum of 15 participants
Participation Details
CORE has designed this pilot program with accessibility in mind:
No membership is required to participate in Summer 2026 pilot activities and trips.
Campus Recreation memberships and day passes remain optional.
The Snow Complex is open to all faculty and staff.
A valid parking permit is required for access.
Guests and Children
Participants are welcome to bring guests and children under the following guidelines:
All guests and children must be accompanied by a staff member.
Minimum age is 7 years old, or participants must be able to properly fit in the smallest available personal flotation device (PFD).
What’s Included
Each trip is designed to be as seamless as it is enjoyable. Participants can expect:
With its mix of relaxation and adventure, the CORE summer pilot program invites faculty and staff to step outside, try something new, and connect with colleagues in a refreshing setting. Whether gliding across calm morning waters or sharing stories by a fire pit, this initiative promises a season of memorable experiences just beyond the campus edge.
In today’s newsletter, Staff Senate President Victoria Perry welcomes a new season and new Staff Senators. Plus, the upcoming events from the South Carolina Botanical Garden, this month’s Clemson Champion, Ombuds report and more!
Join us Thursday, May 13 at 2:30PM in the Watt Center room 106 or virtually (https://clemson.zoom.us/j/98701587511) for the May Staff Senate meeting.
The Summer Concert Series kicks off with The Wobblers on May 16 at 4PM in the amphitheater. This concert is free!
For over 13 years The Wobblers have been a cornerstone of the Upstate South Carolina music scene, earning a dedicated cult following as one of the region’s most distinct and original-sounding acts. This powerhouse ensemble features a four-piece horn section, piano, organ, guitar, bass, and drums, delivering a high-energy performance that is as professional as it is soulful. Their expansive repertoire is a dynamic mix of original compositions and eclectic, soul-infused covers.
Have you ever been drawn into a conflict between co-workers or colleagues? Perhaps one or both people pressured you to take sides. If you felt uncomfortable doing so, because you could see valid points from both points of view, you were likely striving for impartiality. Situations like these are difficult in life in general but even more so within the office setting when you just want people to get along, so you can get back to work.
I recently met with a staff member who had been brought into the middle of an interpersonal conflict between two of his co-workers. They work in a very small office and have a culture that allows for frequent and open communication. Since starting in his role, other staff members have gone to him with their problems, but this particular conflict has been eating up too much of his time and energy. He wants his co-workers to get along, but he can see how they both can be right and both be wrong at times during the conflict. He also has a much longer history with one of the co-workers, while the other is new to the office. He really likes both colleagues, and he believes picking sides would ruin his relationship with at least one of them. He would like to be impartial, help them resolve this conflict, maintain these relationships, and ultimately get back to work but is not sure how.
So, what does it actually mean to be impartial?
If you have ever met with our office or attended one of our training sessions, you might have heard us mention that impartiality is one of our guiding principles. For an Ombuds, impartiality is a professional standard. Since we have no stake in the outcome of a conflict, we have the luxury of distance. We can focus entirely on a fair process where everyone is treated equally. But in the daily life of a department, you often don’t have the luxury of being uninvolved. You are involved because you share an office, a project, or a lunch table with the people in conflict. When you are in it, impartiality isn’t a default setting; it’s a conscious choice.
During an office conflict, you might find yourself wondering: “Do I want to be impartial, or do I have to be?” As a peer, the choice is often about protecting your environment. You might want to stay impartial to preserve your relationships; you value both people and know that picking a side could cause lasting damage to those relationships. Other times, you have to be impartial as a matter of professional integrity; perhaps because you are an informal leader in the group or because the team’s success is based on your decisions. The key is to realize that even if you aren’t an Ombuds, you can still employ the benefits of impartiality: listening to everyone, refusing to let personal bias sway you, and keeping your focus on objective standards rather than office politics.
Bernard Mayer suggests in his book, The Conflict Paradox, “true impartiality isn’t just about staying out of it but being a balanced resource holding space for the rightness and wrongness of both parties simultaneously.” In the scenario I described earlier, it’s the ability to listen to that long-time colleague and the new hire with the same level of curiosity and not letting your history cloud your judgement. Being impartial also means prioritizing what both people truly want to accomplish in the conflict. Whether it is your job to decide who is the winner or not, you can advocate for a fair process where all the facts and feelings are on the table before a solution is identified.
How can I be impartial at work when I am brought into a conflict?
First, clarify your role early. If you are being pulled into a conflict, it is okay to set a boundary. You can say, “I value my relationship with both of you, so I’m going to stay impartial. I won’t take sides, but I am happy to help you both brainstorm how to move forward.”
Next, have a “Heart at Peace.” Before you jump in, ask yourself if you’ve already picked a side in your mind. The Arbinger Institute’s book, The Anatomy of Peace, reminds us that if we see one person as a “problem” and the other as a “victim,” we’ve already taken sides and lost our impartiality. Try to see both individuals as people with legitimate needs and fears.
Finally, focus on the mutual problem: When you feel pressured to take a side, pivot the conversation back to what everyone wants. You might say, “It sounds like you both want this project to succeed, but you have different ideas on the timeline. Let’s focus on that goal.” If you have ever been through our Difficult Situations at Work training (shameless plug) we call this concept, “Us vs. The Problem” rather than “You vs. Me.”
Being impartial isn’t about being passive; it’s about being a steady anchor in a stormy situation. By staying impartial, you aren’t just staying out of it; you’re actually creating the safe space necessary for the conflict to finally be resolved.
Michael Scott Associate Ombuds Phone: 864-656-6353 Email: mesctt@clemson.edu Address: 135 Old Greenville Hwy, Ste. 203 (Next to Esso!)
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.
Save the date for upcoming Fall 2026 trainings offered by the Ombuds Office:
As we close the chapter on the spring semester, I want to take a moment to reflect on the energy, dedication, and resilience that each of you has brought to Clemson over the past several months. Spring is always a busy yet rewarding time, and your contributions continue to make a meaningful impact on one another, our students and faculty.
With summer kicking off this week, we also welcome a new season. One that often brings a slightly different pace with new opportunities for growth and hopefully some time to recharge. Whether your summer will be filled with ongoing projects or a well-deserved break, I hope it is both productive and refreshing.
This month, I am excited to introduce our newly elected Staff Senate officers and senators. These individuals stepped forward to serve, represent, and advocate for staff across our institution, and we are grateful for their willingness to lead.
We look forward to the ideas, perspectives, and enthusiasm they will bring as we continue our work together.
May is also a time of celebration, and I want to extend heartfelt congratulations to all staff who were recognized with end-of-year awards. Your excellence and contributions to Clemson do not go unnoticed and these honors are well deserved.
In addition, I want to extend congratulations to the many staff members who earned degrees, graduating this spring. Balancing work, life, and education is no small feat. You are all truly inspiring.
We invite all staff to join us at our next Staff Senate meeting:
Your voice matters, and these meetings are a great opportunity to stay informed, share ideas, and connect with staff across campus.
As we transition into summer, I encourage each of you to take pride in what you’ve accomplished this semester and to look ahead with optimism for what’s to come. It is an honor to serve as your Staff Senate President, and I look forward to working alongside all of you in the months ahead.
Wishing you a wonderful start to the summer season!
After a very successful winter event, the 2026 Entrepreneurship 101 Bootcamp for Clemson Faculty and Staff is returning this summer!
A combination of our staple summer courses, the Founders Academy for Faculty and the Side Hustle Course for Staff, this intensive workshop will teach you the fundamentals of entrepreneurship in one four-hour session!
Join us on Friday, June 5th, starting at 1:00 pm at the Brook T. Smith Launchpad, for a course of empowering learning, insightful discussions, skill enhancement, and personal growth. The session will feature the following modules: Refining your idea; Identifying customers & creating value; Conducting your competitor analysis; Making sure you make money and, Understanding legal issues. A certificate of completion will be issued to all attendees.
Register by May 29 using this link! This course is free, but seats will fill up fast! For questions or more information contact Maggie Guerra Ayala (magdag@clemson.edu).
Don’t leave your benefits on the table! Invest in yourself today. ETAP can help you earn your MBA while you work and it’s not too late to pursue your MBA in 2026! Contact admissions today to discuss your options.
Meet Emily DaBruzzi, Director of Military & Veteran Engagement
Can you tell us about your role here at Clemson?
I am lucky enough to lead an incredible team that works together to ensure the success, well-being, and sense of belonging of military-connected students by serving as both advocates for and experts on military-connected student needs. We oversee tailored support services, guide students through academic and VA-related processes, and equip them for academic, career, and personal success.
One of my favorite things about my role is that it is completely student facing. I get the privilege of working with students daily to empower them through personalized support, promote academic and career readiness, share knowledge about impactful programs and resources, and foster meaningful connections all alongside THE BEST team while collaborating with campus partners to enhance the overall student experience.
Ultimately, it’s my hope that my position ensures Clemson University delivers a high-impact, military-inclusive environment by aligning programs, communications, and resources to help military-connected students thrive from enrollment through graduation and beyond.
What is something fun we might not know about you?
My family has a brand new swimming pool at our house, and we can’t wait to enjoy it daily when the South Carolina summer is fully upon us!
What brought you to Clemson?
Our family relocated to the Clemson area from Jacksonville Beach, Florida, when I was offered my current role. We love the Upstate and Clemson University. Everything feels like home here and everyone feels like family. My youngest son, Maxwell, is so “All In” that he was 5 years old before he realized the color orange wasn’t actually named “Clemson.”
Is there anything you would like for people to know about your department?
There are actually two incredible offices on campus that support military-connected students 100% of the time- Military & Veteran Engagement, which falls under Student Affairs, and the VA Educational Benefits Office, which falls under the Registrar’s Office. While technically we belong to two separate divisions entirely, we work together as a team daily to ensure our students are cared for and successful. If you call either of us, we’ll be sure to assist you or connect you to the other office if they are the best point of contact for your question or need.
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.
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.
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!
