Staff Council

The Staff Council, serving in an advisory role to the President, will examine issues related to staff members and encourage a balanced perspective and the open exchange of information. Its primary charge is to support the professional well-being of Grinnell College staff members while contributing to the College's mission.

The members of the Staff Council will meet a minimum of once per month. Generally, there will be two meetings per month, with one scheduled to include the President and his/her designee for the purposes of guidance, information sharing, and open communication. 

 
Send your ideas, comments, suggestions to the Staff Council at staffcouncil@grinnell.edu

* Help us! - One of the items that was consistently mentioned on the staff input survey was that you would like more communication from the Staff Council. So we’re wondering how you would like to receive information from us!

We’ve set up a ONE question survey. (Click SURVEY)

BONUS – when you submit your survey, you will see LIVE results, and will know immediately what your colleagues think!

Staff Council Election Results 2012

The following newly elected members will serve three-year terms beginning in April:
Non-exempt (hourly) staff members
Diane Hawkins
Mark Watts

Exempt (salaried) staff members
Brent Jaeger

Staff Council members invite you to participate in the

Staff Input Survey

This is your opportunity to share your opinions and views and suggest things that the Staff Council can consider for priorities during the upcoming year. Your responses to this survey are anonymous.

 
Staff Council Progress Report March 2012

STAFF COUNCIL – FIRST FOUR MONTHS PROGRESS REPORT

(Staff Council minutes are located in PioneerWeb, under the Organization ~For Staff.)

Committee Members:

Carlie VanWilligen, Chair

Carlie has been with the college since July 1996, and while she’s held many positions, is excited to have stayed with the same employer for so long! She spent the first 11 years working her way up the Information Technology Services organizational chart, and since 2007 has been in the Office of Analytic Support and Institutional Research. Carlie has lived in Poweshiek County for most of her life - except the decade from age 18-28 when she was out "discovering herself!" She didn't get very far, only to western Illinois, and returned to her roots when she started at the college. Carlie has a degree in Mathematics and Secondary Education from Simpson College, and a Master's in Business Administration from St. Ambrose University. She has served on the Benefits Committee and is a member of the Staff Council and Assessment Task Force. Carlie participates in Staff Council to help the college develop action plans that signal not only do we care about our employees, but that we respond to concerns that resonate with the staff. She also wants to encourage more transparency in campus operations, and facilitate the development of a formal avenue for sharing of information and activities across offices. In her free time, Carlie is an adjunct instructor of Business, Communication, and Information Technology courses, spends way too much time watching TV, and loves reading mysteries where she can figure out who-done-it before the big reveal.

Brent Jaeger, Co-Chair

Brent, his wife Dawn, and son Kyle moved to Grinnell from De Pere, Wisconsin in 1994 when Brent joined the College’s Development & Alumni Relations staff as Director of Development Operations. In 2000 he transferred to Information Technology Services (ITS) as Manager of Campus Information Services (CIS), and in 2006 was promoted to Assistant Director of ITS. Brent served as co-chair of the Datatel Implementation Planning Team (IPT) and now chairs the Grinnell College Data Users’ Group (GC DUG). He has been involved in the implementation of Ellucian (formerly Datatel) – Colleague & Benefactor; Pioneer One-Card system; PioneerWeb community portal; The Raiser’s Edge fund raising & alumni relations system; alumni on-line communities; Recruitment PLUS for student recruiting & admission; Enterprise Content Management (ECM) system of ImageNow, and the Slate student recruiting system replacing Recruitment PLUS. Brent and his wife Dawn are graduates of Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa where their son Kyle became third-generation Wartburg Knight. Brent is pleased to be working with the members of the Staff Council using a balanced perspective examining issues of importance to staff members in support of the well-being of staff, students, and faculty in accord with the College’s mission of educating bright, inquisitive, exploring, and maturing students.

Sondi Burnell

Sondi Burnell has worked for Grinnell College since 1998 and currently works in Goodnow Hall, under the Academic Affairs and Dean of the College. During Burnell’s term she has worked for the Office of the Registrar and Office of Admission. Burnell appreciates the very diverse climate that exists among the different departments and how each department is successful and have their own unique challenges. Training and experiences in these departments have given her the knowledge to understand the processes and goals of the different segments of the college, and how we all strive for the common mission of the college. Burnell has served on multiple ad-hoc committees: Ombuds, SSRC, Information Technology Assessment, Campus Climate Assessment, Community Space, and Process Committee. Serving on these committees has given her the opportunity to represent staff from many different perspectives. Solving challenges and issues that arise in a progressive environment must have representation from all who are impacted to obtain success. Burnell believes open communication and the move toward a more collaborative working environment at all levels of the institution is one of the key components to making Grinnell College the best liberal arts college and the most desired employer.

Diane Hawkins

Diane Hawkin’s employment at Grinnell College began in the Accounting Office the Fall of 1981. During her years at the College, she has also worked in the offices of the Registrar and Dining Services, and is currently in the Career Development Office as Technical Assistant II. Over the years, Diane has observed many aspects of the Grinnell College community, and appreciates the opportunity to be a staff advocate focusing on issues dealing with campus climate. She would like to work on improving communication, building trust within the campus community and promote opportunities for open and honest dialogue allowing individuals to have their voices heard.

Beth Meldrem

Beth Meldrem has worked at Grinnell College since 1990. She worked 15 years in the Communication office and is currently serving as assistant to the Vice-President for Development. Beth grew up in Brooklyn and graduated from BGM community schools. She attended the American Institute of Business and graduated in 1989 with an AA degree in Business Administration. Beth has served several times on the Support Staff Relations Committee and now serves on the Staff Council and Process Analysis Committee. She is dedicated to her work at Grinnell College and committed also to the support and enhancement of communication among staff.

Mary Phipps

Mary Phipps has worked at the College since March of 1987 when she relocated to Grinnell from Tacoma, Washington. She has worked in the Office of Admission for the entire time, initially as a member of the support staff and since October of 2007 as Operations Manager. She came to Grinnell with an AA degree from Tacoma Community College and has recently returned to William Penn University’s College for Working Adults to complete her Bachelor’s degree. Mary served previously on the Support Staff Relations Committee and the Affirmative Action Committee. She prides herself on being able to view issues from different perspectives and is excited to be serving her peers as a member of Staff Council.

Barb Shell

Barb Shell has been a member of Grinnell College’s staff since 1976, joining the college shortly after receiving a bachelor’s degree in home economics from the University of Iowa. Barb has worked in different areas of the Dining Services department over the years, including eighteen years as associate director and manager of the (now closed) Cowles Dining Hall. Her current duties include the oversight of the department’s office functions, and the operation and maintenance of the campus ID system, the Pioneer One-Card. Through her work on the Staff Council, she is particularly interested in how college programs, policies, and benefits are administered across the campus and how they affect different segments of the staff. She appreciates the opportunities for the open exchange of information that the Staff Council is involved in.

Kim Stevenson

Kim Stevenson joined the Accounting Department in November, 2006 where she currently serves as Accounts Payable Supervisor. Prior to coming to Grinnell College, Kim worked for 29 years at Maytag Corporation, where she was involved in a variety of committees to increase staff morale. Kim appreciates the opportunity to be a member of Staff Council and looks forward to working with other staff members to make positive changes on campus.

 Mark Watts

Mark Watts has worked at Grinnell in ITS since 1998, originally doing all sorts of training, and now as an Information Technology Support Specialist. Mark interacts with many people on a daily basis, helping with technology issues and opportunities. In his travels, he visits with lots of different areas of campus, and hear lots of great comments about things they see, ideas they have, and ways to make this a better place for the students, faculty and staff. Mark is interested in joining the Staff Council to be able to share those ideas, and hopefully make a positive impact.