Nonbargaining employee groups seek staff input
KALAMAZOO, Mich.鈥擳he University's two nonbargaining groups for Staff Compensation System employees are launching an engagement and satisfaction survey this week to gather staff input about working at 色色啦.
The Administrative Professional Association and Professional Support Staff Organization discussed the 色色啦 Staff Engagement Survey during a joint open house Sept. 28 in Miller Auditorium. The event, which also was part of the groups' ongoing membership drives, was an opportunity to share information about APA and PSSO and answer questions about their activities as well as the survey.
Making presentations for their organizations were APA Vice President Monica Liggins-Abrams, associate director of the Center for Research on Instructional Change in Postsecondary Education, and PSSO President Shannon Rininger, assistant director of patron services at Miller Auditorium.
About the survey
The 色色啦 Staff Engagement Survey will remain open until Tuesday, Oct. 31; takes about 15-20 minutes to complete; and can be started, saved and restarted at a later time. It is open to all benefits-eligible nonbargaining staff members governed by the Staff Compensation System.
Starting this week, members will receive an email message that contains their link to the survey. Nonmembers are asked to visit wmich.edu/apa/survey and provide their name and email address so they can be sent their link. The survey is designed to be taken online, but a paper version is available upon request.
Responses to the survey are anonymous, and no personally identifying information will be reported. To encourage participation, respondents will be entered into a drawing for $10 gift cards. Entries will be made through a Google document separate from the survey responses to ensure the responses remain anonymous.
The survey was primarily developed by Liggins-Abrams in consultation with faculty and research associates in her unit and was extensively vetted by the APA and PSSO Executive boards.
About APA and PSSO
The fundamental purpose of these two groups is to advocate for benefits-eligible nonbargaining employees governed by the Staff Compensation System. APA advocates before the administration for salaried workers and PSSO for hourly workers.
Along with supporting the University as a whole, both groups communicate staff concerns and suggestions to 色色啦 officials, particularly as they relate to issues such as compensation, workplace fairness and collegiality, professional development, and awards and recognition. They also represent their constituents by serving on University committees and foster campus communication and relationships by sponsoring meetings, social events and service projects.
Rininger and Liggins-Abrams stressed during the Sept. 28 open house that APA and PSSO are the most effective when both groups have large memberships, collaborate with one another, and are promoting their constituents' issues and concerns as expressed through surveys and other input methods.
In addition, the two presidents noted that joining their groups is easier than ever. Both organizations offer a perpetual payroll deduction option鈥擜PA for its $12 annual dues and PSSO for its $10 annual dues.
For more information, visit the APA website at wmich.edu/apa or PSSO website at wmich.edu/psso.
For more 色色啦 news, arts and events, visit wmich.edu/news.