If anyone is going to stick with a New Year’s resolution to get healthy and stay fit, it’s going to be staff members.
Jan. 12, Staff Council’s social committee compiled a list of potential softball team members and pep squad members, discussed a new Zumba class and gave an update on Walking Wednesdays.
Staff Council meetings are regularly led by Joel De La Rosa, council president and superintendent of building maintenance. In De La Rosa’s absence, January’s morning meeting was led by Jillian Reddish, president elect and communication specialist. De La Rosa attended the afternoon meeting at Brooks City-Base Campus.
Christina Martinez, co-chair of the social committee and administrative assistance of enrollment management, said in an email Jan. 18 that it’s important to have a social committee so staff members can build relationships with co-workers away from work.
“At our last Staff Council general meeting we had a request to do Zumba, and for softball we thought ‘hey, we have some softball players in the university and we could use some people to cheer us on, so why not get the best of both worlds,’” she said.
Walking Wednesdays, a social event where staff members take a walk on the mile-long University Way at 5:30 p.m., began at Jan. 18 and will continue Jan. 25. Martinez said walking participants meet in front of the large fountain in front of Main Campus Building.
Zumba, offered at Gillette Campus, will be at 6:30 p.m. every Thursday beginning today.
Martinez said, “We are too busy during the work day, so we are looking at other times to strengthen our team.”
JJ McQuade, social committee member and assistant of procurement services, said any person who desires to participate in any physical activity in conjunction with the council needs to sign an a waiver, indemnification and medical form with the Texas A&M-University System.
“You can’t just walk in the room and participate,” he said.
He said the member should have the form submitted before the participation date. Forms were distributed during the meeting, and can be picked up from Staff Council during their monthly meeting.
As discussion arose, a wellness program was suggested, but Martinez said she wanted to see how many people are interested in activities already being offered before moving ahead with a formal program.
Softball team looks at venues, including Koger Stokes Softball Complex
Also, the question of sponsors for the softball team came up, but McQuade said the sub committee decided against it.
“Being a public university like we are, it’s very difficult to have one company or one bar to sponsor you,” he said.
Although Martinez did not know when the softball season would officially begin, she said registration for each member would be about $45, which includes funding for equipment.
She also offered the council the option to fundraise to cover expenses, but nothing was decided at this meeting.
In addition to the team, Martinez said a pep squad would be formed to cheer on the softball team. Squad members would have to pay the $2 admission fee for the games. As of the end of the meeting, no staff had signed up for the pep squad.
The softball team is limited to 15 players and nine is required to complete a team. Martinez said if only eight are present, the team would have to suffer an out at the end of the line up. She said it is possible to have a back up person in a player’s absence.
As of today, Martinez said 12 staff members had signed up to play softball and eight for the pep squad. Also, she said the committee wanted to keep the team close to staff members, but if slots are available, members’ spouses may be able to play.
The Koger Stokes Softball Complex is near the downtown area and central to everyone, but Martinez said that venue is subject to change.
Uniforms and a name for the team will be decided on once the committee formulates a team.
Last Friday Social Hour
The committee also will continue facilitating social hour at 5:30 p.m. every last working Friday of the month. The next social hour on Jan. 27 will be at Buffalo Wild Wings on Southeast Military Drive. McQuade said they selected a location near Brooks City-Base Campus to accommodate staff members there.
Fundraising Opportunities
In other news, the fundraising committee will be pre-selling roses and carnations for Valentine’s Day. Also, for the main attraction, they will be raffling off a basket, which will be made by Jolene DesRoches, co-chair of the committee and counselor/disability services coordinator. The basket will include items for a couple to celebrate the holiday.
Angie Barrera, co-chair and director of academic advising, said the committee is asking for donations for the basket. She said they’ve already contacted a vendor to donate a bottle of champagne, a companion to two champagne flutes.
Other fundraisers the council is preparing include two pre-sales in April and May for Mother’s Day, May 13 and Father’s day, June 17.
Prudence Morris, council secretary and library specialist, said the council’s budget is $5,523 with pending expenses from the philanthropy committee’s holiday drives.
Staff Trainings
The staff development committee, co-chaired by Dale Harville, network manager for information technology, and Frank Sanchez, assistant vice president for enrollment management, prompted suggestions for staff trainings.
Harville said the committee has met and decided on technology training, which will begin in February and continue once a month. Job-based training opportunities will also be available.
He also said the committee is about to release their first survey on what technology staff members want to be trained on, what the committee can offer and what days and times are best.
He said trainings will last an hour, possibly during lunch.
Suggestions for additional staff training:
• Microsoft and Publisher programs,
• languages,
• LinkedIn, a press center where professionals can network,
• public speaking,
• diversity,
• and Librarian Stefanie Wittenbach said she would be willing to train staff on the services that are available in the library.
Community Impact, Holiday Giving
Robert Vasquez, chair of the philanthropy committee and assistant registrar, gave an update about the committee’s former holiday events benefiting the South Side.
He said throughout the holiday break, more than 30 families in the community were fed a full Thanksgiving meal and more than 19 children and siblings received gifts for Christmas.
He said the committee participated with the Food Bank, employee donations and a financial donation from the School of Business to provide a Thanksgiving meal to families.
Staff Council provided meals to families in conjunction with Abraham Kazen Middle School, located west of Gillette Campus, Shulze Elementry, also located near Gillette Campus on Yette Blvd, and St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. Vasquez said although the church isn’t a school anymore, it provided the committee a list of people in need.
Gifts received through donations were given to students at Kazen Middle and Shulze Elementary schools who “wouldn’t have had a Christmas without us,” a committee member added.
Vasquez said the next function will be Fill the Bus, a school supplies drive that will begin in May.
The final report from the staff appreciation committee was given by Morris because co-chairs, Joni Foster, senior assistant to the provost, and Cynthia Kinney, office manager of the School of Business, were not present.
Morris said the committee is planning to work on a Staff Council banquet. She said they’re also teaming up with human resources to give out service awards.
Other matters discussed with tentative dates included an employee appreciation picnic, a movie showing in May and a book sale in July.
Reddish also said the council will be participating in the university Fiesta event scheduled for April 22. No decisions were made about participation.
Staff Council’s next meeting will be 9 a.m.-11 a.m. February 9 and continue every second Thursday of the month.
For more information email staff_council@tamusa.tamu.edu.
