November 2024 Meeting Minutes and Handouts

Call to Order – Samantha Williams, Vice-Chair 

10 a.m.

Item 1: Treasurer’s Report – Abigail Miller, Treasurer-Elect

Treasurer's Report for the month of October.

Made note the Staff Council fall 2024 scholarship transaction was charged to the wrong account and will get moved to the scholarship expenses. 

Leadership Academy Nominations – Caitlin Goode, Training Specialist, Human Resources

The Leadership Academy Experience is a 5-month program designed to help individuals develop their leadership skills through a combination of expert-led sessions, cohort collaboration, and hands-on learning. Participants engage with subject matter experts, focusing on topics like effective communication, conflict resolution, leadership styles, and intentional upskilling. Activities include role-playing, case studies, and discussions in a safe space to experiment with new leadership behaviors.

To qualify, participants must be a full-time, benefits eligible employee with at least one year of service, no disciplinary actions, and receive supervisor approval.  Nominees are nominated through a survey in Qualtrics. Nominations can be made by employees themselves or by others who recognize leadership potential. Only one nomination per applicant will be used in the selection review process. The program selects 20 individuals from across the university who shine through the nominations.

Key benefits of the Leadership Academy are that you get to try different behaviors, maybe you are a current leader or aspiring to be a new leader to use new words and try new skills before taking them to your workspace. Discover confidence and what you are capable of.  Monthly presentations by seasoned leaders and include a “safe space" to try new behavior skills, help those that aspire to be a leader and haven’t been able to yet, mentorship from both senior leaders and peers, and the opportunity to connect with colleagues from different areas of the organization, discussing challenges and celebrating wins. There are also monthly presentations featuring seasonal leadership and alumni. If you or anyone you know is a Leadership Academy alumnus and would like to present, please reach out.

Participants also engage with a leadership book over the course of the program, discussing key takeaways and how to apply them to their roles. The sessions are on 1 or 2 Fridays of each month. The nomination window for Spring 2025 is open until November 15th and the program starts in January.

For more information and to access the nomination form, visit the Leadership Academy website here.

Q: Has the leadership book been chosen?

They’re currently brainstorming ideas, and one book that comes to mind is The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. If you have any other book recommendations, please feel free to reach out.

TXST Global and Accelerated Online Programs (AOP), Dr. Thilla Sivakumaran, Vice President, TXST Global

TXST Global was established last summer to oversee international and online programs, previously known as ODEL (Office of Distance Education and Learning). The unit manages communications, extension studies, education abroad, and online education, as well as international services, which include two key areas: educational outreach and immigration support. In early fall, enrollment management was added to the unit, bringing in financial aid, the registrar, recruitment, and admissions. Additionally, TXST Global oversees Winter and May sessions, summer hubs, and regional locations.

This unit serves as a logistics and support hub, helping to facilitate and address various issues across campus.

TXST Global has launched approximately 38 undergraduate and graduate programs online, including specialized concentrations that count as degrees. These programs primarily cater to adult learners who are employed and unable to attend in-person classes, not targeting seniors in high school that will soon be graduating and attending. The average age of undergraduate students nationally is around 30, and for graduate students, it is about 32. You may see some students much younger, in their twenties with full-time jobs, choosing not to go on the traditional route, getting a job and then earning a college degree.  TXST also has a partnership with Amazon, where the company directly covers the cost of tuition for its employees.

Staff members also receive the same discount for accelerated online programs as they do for on-campus courses. This applies to undergraduate, master's, and even new PhD programs rolling out in the fall. The primary difference is that these online programs are typically offered in 8-week sessions, rather than the traditional 16 weeks, making them more manageable for students balancing family and work commitments. There are 5 or 6 start dates per year, depending on the program, including options for Fall I, Fall II, Spring I, Spring II, Summer I or Summer II.

For more information on available online learning opportunities, visit TXST Online.

One additional development: we’re working with Coursera to provide free certificates for anyone with a txstate.edu email address. While the contract is still being finalized, there will be approximately 50 certifications available in areas like project management, data analytics, U.S. design, and real estate. These certifications will be free, self-paced, and available by the end of Spring.

Two projects with Coursera:

  1. A certificate program for anyone with a txstate.edu email address including alumni.
  2. Two degrees within the OWLS program; BAAS in Information Technology and BAAS in Data Analytics. These degrees will offer up to 24 hours of Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) credits, which are available for free if you are enrolled in these degree programs. These PLA credits will count toward the 120-hour degree requirement for online students.

Stay tuned for more details on these offerings!

Q - Do the Online Self-Paced courses also benefit from the Employee Education benefits?

Employee tuition benefits do not apply to extension or correspondence courses.  https://www.distancelearning.txst.edu/self-paced/course-offerings.html

Q - Will there be an email updating us when the Coursera is available? 

Yes, there will be an announcement once the projects have been finalized.

Upcoming Presidential Events for Employees, Holly Hirsch, Director of Special Projects

We are so excited for Thursday night’s celebration, where we’ll come together with our entire community—students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the broader surrounding area—at the UFCU stadium. This event marks our signature celebration for the university’s 125th anniversary, and we can’t wait to share this moment with all of you!

Production has already kicked off, with the first truck arriving at 8 AM this Tuesday, November 12th to begin staging. The Louisiana-based team is building out the Deep South production setup, including scaffolding over the bleachers on the east side of the stadium, where the student section will be. The field will be open for general admission, so feel free to bring your family and friends to join in the celebration.

Parking and transportation information went live on the Celebrate 125 info page this morning.  There is parking currently available for prepurchase in lot 4 (east lot) and Thorpe Lane Lot. Lot 5 will be available on the day of event for paid parking if lot 4 and Thorpe Lane lots sell out. 

There is a huge Volleyball game on Friday, attendees can park at the University Events Center (UEC) and walk to the stadium from there. 

Shuttle Information for 125 Celebration on November 14, 2024

  • Regular route shuttle runs every day; stops running at 10 pm not a great exit strategy but can get you there. 
  • Game day shuttle; makes loop by LBJ parking garage/students center, Edward Gary parking garage and San Jacinto Hall starting at 5 p.m.  Shuttles continuously run till one hour after the event ends.

Gates open at 5:30 p.m., Events begin at 7 p.m. and will conclude between 10 & 10:30 p.m.

5:30-7 p.m. Music, fun and games on field; football, corn hole, hula hoops, etc. Candy pop up shop, face painting (TXST student group led).

7 p.m. Bobcat Spirit rally with band and cheerleaders, Grupo Fantasma, 125 tribute video, speakers (President Damphousse and Student Government President), a SWT\TXSTATE spectacular drone show, Headliner is Josh Abbott Band with a full 90-minute set and grand finale will be the fireworks show. 

Check out the Celebrate 125th for more event details, including parking - https://125.txst.edu/events/celebrate.html

Q - Will food and drinks be provided or will attendees need to bring money to purchase food and drinks?

Food and drinks will not be provided. Chartwells will be handling concessions. You can also purchase AJ’s BBQ, funnel cakes, and light up swords. The field will be open for general admission as well.

Q - Are our mariachi’s performing? 

No, they are lined up for other events until the end of school year. 

Q: Do all ages need a ticket? 

Yes, unless a “lap” baby. Tickets are free, you may claim up to 5 on the Celebrate 125th page.  Electronically, download to google or apple wallet. 

Q - Can we get more than 5 tickets? 

Yes, tickets are by email address, different people in your party can claim tickets. 

Q - Do handicap vehicles have to pay for parking? 

Email Txst125@txstate.edu prior to the event to make arrangements for accessible parking in lot 3.  

Canva for Campus, Kelly King-Green, Director  , Division of Marketing & Communications

We have officially launched the University-sponsored instance of Canva for Canvas, now available for free to all staff for login and use. They have created 250 brand-compliant templates to support your marketing and communication needs.

A recorded webinar was hosted last week, and while it’s being edited, it will be posted on the site soon. The session covered how to effectively use the templates, emphasizing that they are designed to be used as-is or as starting points, while also integrating with the brand kits. You can create a wide range of marketing materials, both digital and print such as email headers, social media graphics, banners, brochures, and more. They are looking to partner with others in this tool to grow and evolve, encouraging your feedback.  A request form is available on the site for additional needs. 

Start designing today - https://brand.txst.edu/assets/templates/canva.html

Item 2: Staff Shout-Outs – Joshua Lopez, Member-at-Large for Special Events  

  • Cody Hughes, Network Technician, Network Operations

Item 3: Staff Concerns – Krystyn Fleischauer, Parliamentarian

Check the status and full responses of submitted Staff Concerns.

Item 4: Tip of the Month - Holiday Party Tips, Samantha Williams, Vice-Chair

As your teams prepare for the upcoming holiday season, we want to remind you of the following resources: 

  • Chartwells provides a 5% discount to all TXST Departments if they pay for their order fully with a PO number. This discount is added when Chartwells creates the invoice, typically after the event has passed. 
  • EHSREM offers online Texas Food Handler training via Canvas. This is available for students, staff, and faculty at no cost to you! To get access, please email foodsafety@txstate.edu. Note: This certificate is required to be present while serving food at an open event or for the sale of food to the public.

Item 5: Committee Updates for AY 2024-2025 

  • Goal 1: Parking, Joshua Lopez 

Great news: due to popular demand, there will be additional parking options coming soon! Last month, Mr. Algoe announced that two new parking garages and a commuter lot will be built, adding 700 new parking spaces. The commuter lot is expected to be completed by Fall 2025. Nothing has been confirmed but we believe the lot will be located on Thorpe Lane and will be serviced by shuttles.

One of the new garages will be constructed at the Ingram Lot, aiming for completion by 2030. 

The committee continues to seek out faded or hard-to-see signage across campus.  Please report and send pictures to Josh Lopez at Josh.Lopez@txstate.edu.

  • Goal 2: Employee Benefits and Accessibility, Stephanie Daniels 

We are working on arranging speakers for the general meeting and exploring options for site improvements and campus wide statistics that could help promote training options for managers around accessibility and being mindful of how we are distributing communications.  Working with the internal council committees as we work in develop staff to gage general staff at TXST on their experiences; how interactions, overall make sure we get our pulse current accessibility is and how we can continue to improve for all our Bobcats.

Heather Kristoff, staff council representative ADA committee recently met. 

Mikala is still feeling the ADA coordinator position at this time, hoping to have fully funded by next FY so we can have a full time ADA coordinator. USDA assessment of ADA and Civil Rights; full report in early 2025 with the findings of that, they did receive positive feedback for policies and processing for implementing accommodations. 

Disability Services (DS), formerly known as the Office of Disabilities, has seen a continued growing trend in the past 5 years, doubling with more than 3,000 students registered with them for services this semester. That is 8,500 accommodation letters that were sent out this year, which is an increase of 7,000 from just last year. If you happen to conduct classes, make sure you follow the accommodations listed on the letter, do not provide accommodations out of the letter to protect yourself as the faculty member and the university.  If you have any questions, contact disability services.

DS was awarded an autism program grant for post-graduation success. Document remediation was discussed, DS has a contract with a separate company, they use it for course content and are going to follow up on availability for other staff members to use. If you have difficulty making a PDF accessible reach out and they may be able to assist you.

 Electronic resources: Evan has moved to ISO, his responsibilities have expanded beyond accessibility.  He also supports HIPAA compliance and digital privacy initiatives. 

TXST must comply with Title II digital accessibility standards by April 24, 2026, for any web or mobile apps, ensuring they meet VPAT 2.1 standards. SiteImprove is already monitoring these upgraded standards.  Biggest changes are with user created content, non-text contrasts for colors; can’t be in gray and white, need to be in black and white. Additionally, make sure Canvas is accessible. There are exceptions for Title II, anything archived or no longer updated, posted by 3rd parties, or password protected.

Facilities have been reviewing campus accessibility, particularly focusing on routes and maps. They are working on updating the campus route map, especially with ongoing construction, as it hasn’t been updated recently. A more current version will be available soon, and they are ensuring that information on building accessibility and routes is accurate.

Heather shared feedback from the Welcome Center regarding campus tours, with visitors noting issues with long and narrow ramps. The team is evaluating options for improvement. Several projects are in progress, including:

  • Centennial Hall bathroom upgrades
  • Backstage bathroom renovations at Evans Auditorium
  • Refreshed and upgraded accessible parking
  • New Bobcat Village bus shelter location

Major renovations include the LBJ Ballroom, JCK’s first-floor center for the Registrar and incoming students, STEM building updates, James Street housing, Hilltop 1 housing, and the south endzone of UFCU Bobcat Stadium.

There was also a discussion about the use of ramps, particularly by students using scooters, and how to ensure those needing accessibility are prioritized. Plans are being considered for better communication and education on proper ramp usage.

Additionally, there is a growing concern regarding the charging of rechargeable batteries in residence halls due to fire risks, and Facilities is looking into insurance and safety measures related to this.

  • Goal 3: Leave/Time Off, Kathy Weiser 

The committee has drafted a flexible work policy education survey, and it has been routed for approval and distribution hopefully soon. They also continue benchmarking parental leave at Texas universities. Their next meeting is on November 21st.

  •  Marketing, Events, and Fundraising, Abigail Miller

As mentioned last month, we’ve been working on a potential T-shirt for staff, and while there are only a few updates at this stage, progress is being made. We’ve come up with some exciting designs, including a word cloud featuring "Super Cat," which is currently in the works. We hope to have a design ready for the Staff Council to vote on next month, and we're in the process of getting quotes. The staff pride shirts are shaping up to be a fun project! We're also exploring support options through an endowment. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Abigail or Hana.

  • Council Effectiveness, Krystyn Fleischauer 

Krystyn presented the annual bylaws review for the Staff Council, which includes several proposed amendments. These proposals are posted in the Teams site for council members, and as per the bylaws, they will be discussed at this meeting and voted on next month. Members are encouraged to review the amendments and direct any questions to Krystyn or post them in the Staff Council Effectiveness chat for broader discussion.

Here are the key proposed amendments:

  1. Increase in Staff Council Elected Positions: With the campus community growing, the proposal is to add 10 additional positions to ensure better representation. This change will take effect in Fall 2025, with elections held during the Spring election cycle.
  2. Proportional Representation: An additional position will be allocated for Round Rock campus employees to ensure more balanced representation.
  3. New Positions: The addition of two new roles: Vice Treasurer and Historian. The Past Chair position will also remain active with a defined role in supporting the council post-term.
  4. Nominations and Selection: A process for how members in these new positions would be nominated and selected.
  5. Position Duties:
    • Vice Treasurer: Serves as a junior treasurer, completing all necessary trainings and stepping in when needed.
    • Historian: Acts as the public representative officer, maintaining historical records of the Staff Council's activities, including a pictorial record, written documentation, and ensuring all records are archived appropriately on the official Staff Council website.
    • Past Chair: Extends the chair’s responsibilities for one additional year without requiring re-election. This ensures continuity within the council, with the past chair becoming a non-voting advisory member for the year following their term.

Council members are encouraged to review these amendments with their colleagues to ensure proper representation and understanding of their potential impact.

  • UPPS, Brandi Martinez

No updates.

  • Elections, Scholarships, and Awards, Jade Figueroa

No updates.

  • Compensation and Benefits, Leslie Burgess 

The compensation and benefits committee met yesterday, November 11th. They are finalizing their staff incentives survey that focuses on what other universities offer for staff; discount incentives, but also career ladder/advancement and parking. They are hoping to begin sending the survey within the next month.

Item 6: Announcements – Samantha Williams, Vice-Chair  

  • Bobcat Bounty, the TXST food pantry, is available to staff, not just students. Housed in FCS 187. RRC community has launched The Pantry at TXST Round Rock: https://www.studentsuccess.txst.edu/roundrock/the-pantry.html
  • Brown Santa toy drive November 1-December 6 in THH. New unwrapped toy, ages toddler to teens. A QR code for donations, Venmo or square is posted on the physical donation box, located in THH lobby. Donations must be provided by noon, Friday, December 6th.
  • TXST Presents staff pricing for College of Fine Arts and Communications Divisional/Student recitals.
  • Staff Student Recreation Center membership – staff discounts half off for the remainder of the semester.
  • University Camp
  • Open call for announcements.
  • Wellcats have fitness class that are Free to all employees.

Q - Any discussions on mini semesters and how it would impact energy conservation?

For the upcoming winter semester, there are only courses offered through TXST   Global (online only). If you are in a program that is not within TXST Global, you should not be impacted by this session. We will encourage university leadership, that if there is other information to be shared that it is communicated. The winter semester will be considered part of the spring semester for purposes of registration and graduation. Please note that winter semester courses cannot be used as prerequisites for other spring semester courses. If you're finishing up classes, they will not serve as prerequisites for spring courses.

Q - When do you think a copy of this meeting will be available to view online?   

We do not record this meeting; however, the information will be transcribed and posted on Staff Council’s website soon. 

Closed Session

Adjournment 

Motion: Heather, Second: Abigail