by Sunny Astorga
Staff Writer
Members and officers of the University of Houston Staff Council say they are concerned about the lack of staff representation on the present search committees seeking to permanently fill open administrative positions on campus.
The search committees were formed by Arthur Smith, UH System chancellor/UH president to locate a UH provost and an athletics director.
Nina Goan, outgoing president of the council, said a letter signed by the Staff Council officers was sent last week to Smith voicing their concern.
"I felt (the lack of representation) was an oversight due to the newness of the administration," Goan said.
Smith has not given the council a response yet.
Councilwoman Dina Ward said, "It could be that some committees have staff representation, but it is not representative of the entire staff."
While the committees have staff representation as well as faculty and student representation, members said they feel that only the administration or upper-level staff are represented on search committees.
"Representatives on the committees are usually department heads, but we are talking about the staff that don't even have titles," said a council member who wishes to remain anonymous. "(Staff Council) represents all staff."
During the monthly council meeting Thursday, Sybil Todd, deputy chancellor and vice president for institutional advancement, spoke to the council on making the university a community.
Although Todd is serving on both search committees, Staff Council members didn't question her about the lack of staff representation.
Todd did, however, address the popular sentiment among the group that the staff feels neglected by the university.
"We have got to be honest. (Staff) doesn't have the same clout as faculty. That's not a put-down, that's a reality," Todd said.
"All of us have the same end goal - to educate young men and women and help them secure a degree," she said.
Todd advised members to avoid losing track of this goal by getting caught up in their individual jobs, whether it be working in financial aid or handing out parking tickets.
"(Staff Council) has been very critical of the university, students and faculty," Todd said.
Building a sense of community may lessen this criticism, she said. Despite a general feeling of neglect, staff is actually more visible than administration, since staff members are the ones who interact most with the public and students.
"We are all part of the same university," said Goan, who was succeeded as Staff Council president Thursday by Student Publications Director Richard Cigler.
"(Representation) doesn't mean getting everything we want, but we at least need to know we are asking for it," Goan said.