Professional Council Newsletter

Member Spotlight - Julie Clay (Chair-Elect)

Happy Holidays! My name is Julie Clay and I am very excited to be your 2018-2019 Chair-Elect. It is an honor and privilege to represent MSU's professional staff while working together with the members of the Council to improve our university. Here is a little about myself: I work in the Portfolio Management Office (PMO) for the University Information Technology Department as a certified project manager. My primary responsibility is working with multi-campus teams to successfully implement enterprise initiatives. When I am not at the office, you can find me cheering on the Bobcats (from my cushy recliner.) GO BOBCATS!!! I do love Bobcat football, just not inclement weather! I also enjoy camping and relaxing by the lake and try to do as much as I can in the summer. I am an avid reader, a lover of most kinds of music, and of course, a huge fan all things T-REX! GGRRRRR!

I cannot wait to work with all of you to advance the land grant mission and vision of Montana State. With people like you, we can make 2019 the most amazing year on record at MSU!

Best wishes for a joyous holiday!

Julie Clay, PMP, COA
Chair-Elect, Professional Council
Montana State University

Hot Topics

Recently, Chris Murray of the MSU Foundation presented the Staff and Faculty Engagement Plan to the Professional Council asking for our support. The plan outlines how the MSU Foundation (MSUAF) will request access to all faculty and staff personal data for the purposes of marketing in order to intiate a once yearly donation ask and to communicate participation in alumni events. The Council felt this issue needed to be shared with all professionals before a decision could be made. Over the past several weeks, we have requested comments, receiving feedback in support of and against the plan. We have also received additional questions regarding how the plan works, how data is handled, and if your data is safe. A survey was emailed with a copy of the plan asking each of you to vote for or against and provide comments. The council received 67 responses: 42 "YES," 21 "NO," and 9 "OTHER." Some of the comments provided were: "I don't like sharing my personal data." "I've never heard of this plan before and the above is incredibley vague." "Giving additional personal information from employees to the Alumni Foundation for the purpoose of 'once yearly soliciation to donate to MSU' is insulting given the 0% raise in 2018, the 2% raises in 2017 and (hopefully) in 2019 which we do not even meet inflation. MSU has not made equitalble staff salaries a priority."

After much discussion and careful consideration, the Council voted in SUPPORT of the Faculty and Staff Engagment Plan.  Next, MSUAF plans to work on data stewardship details and opt-out messaging.  

To comment on this or other issues facing professionals at MSU, please email [email protected].

Professional Development and Training

Below are several of the training programs and certificates being offered this semester at MSU. We encourage you to continue to develop and refine your skills through our unique offerings. Don't forget! Professional Council will be providing two special workshops/trainings later this year.

MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT CERTIFICATE

The Management Development Certificate series is ideal for those MSU employees wishing to continue their professional development or are looking for an opportunity to develop and fine tune their management and supervisory skills.

Management Development offerings open for registration include:

MD501 Managing Conflict - Tuesday, January 8th, 2019 from 8:30AM to 12:00PM

MD401 Coaching for Performance - Tuesday, February 5th, 2019 from 8:30AM to 12:00PM

***The remaining Management Development course offerings will be opening up for regsitration later this year!

CRUCIAL CONVERSATIONS

Crucial Conversations (16 hours of training) is a course that teaches skills for creating alignment and agreement by fostering open dialogue around high-stakes, emotional, or risky topics at all levels of an organization. Susan Alt, Deb Barkley, Liz Bradley and Kris Wathne are certified to teach the content. Crucial Conversations open enrollment schedule is listed below; individual departments or units may also request the training. There is a $325 materials fee for participation in this copyrighted workshop (the workshop cost outside of MSU by VitalSmarts is $1,595; MSU employees can attend this program for the materials fee only). Note: All four modules must be taken to complete the full Crucial Conversations training.

The next Crucial Conversations offering is:

Module 1: Getting Unstuck and Start with Heart - Wednesday, January 9th 2019 from 1:00PM to 5:00PM 

Module 2: Master My Stories & State My Path - Wednesday, January 16, 2019 from 1:00PM to 5:00PM

Module 3: Learn to Look & Make it Safe I - Wednesday, January 23rd, 2019 from 1:00PM to 5:00PM

Module 4: Make it Safe & Explore Others' Paths -Wednesday, January 30, 2019

***DIVERSITY DEVELOPMENT CERTIFICATE*** (NEW)

A NEW CERTIFICATE PROGRAM ! The Diversity Development Certificate program provides training to students, staff, and faculty to expand their awareness, knowledge, and skills related to diversity to better serve in their role at MSU. The program is tiered in structure and employees can earn different certificate levels in the Diversity Development series by completing all workshops that compose each respective level of certification. Level 1 is a 9-hour certificate that is currently being offered and covers the topics of cultural identity, intersectionality and privilege, and microaggressions. Please note DIV100 Exploring Cultural Identity, is a prerequisite course and must be the first completed in the series. Future certificate levels are in development.

The next Diversity Development Certificate offering is:

DIV120 Implicit Bias & Microagressions - Wednesday, December 12th, 2018 from 2:00PM to 5:00PM

DIV100 Exploring Cultural Identity - Tuesday, January 22nd, 2019 from 9:00AM to 12:00PM

DIV100 Exploring Cultural Identity - Tuesday, January 30th, 2019 from 2:00PM to 5:00PM

DIV110 Intersectionality and Privilege - Tuesday February, 26, 2019 from 9:00AM to 12:00PM

DIV120 Implicit Bias & Microagressions - Tuesday, April 2, 2019 from 9:00AM to 12:00PM

Announcements

Next Professional Council Meeting

Look for the minutes from today's joint meeting with Staff Senate. The next Professional Council meeting will be in January 2019 (day and location TBD).

Professional Council, Montana State University
 Montana Hall Room 106 Bozeman, MT 59717
www.montana.edu/professionalcouncil | [email protected]