January 15, 2004

NUSAC elects new board

When Northwestern President Robert H. Strotz chartered the Northwestern University Staff Advisory Council (NUSAC) in 1973, who could have imagined the organization would accomplish so much?

Karen Koehler-Davis

It has been 30 years since NUSAC was formed to serve the interests of staff and improve working conditions for exempt and non-exempt staff employees.

The organization recently elected its 2003-04 officers and members.

They are:

Chair: Karen Koehler-Davis, Media Management Center

Vice Chair: Rebecca Griffiths, University Library

Secretary: Jason Grocholski, McCormick Administration

Treasurer: Darlene Peterson, Auditing

NUSAC’s committee chairs are:

Benefits Committee: Beverly Aaltonen, Feinberg Institute

Human Resources Committee: SJ Murray, Galter Health Sciences Library

Communications Committee: Angelina Solorio, Office of the Registrar, Law

Other members of the NUSAC council are: Chris Fabri, Telecom and Network Services; Carol Henes, McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science; Claudia Kunin, Theatre and Interpretation Center; Sara McGilvra, University Housing; Stacy Oliver, Civil and Environmental Engineering; Clint Phillips, University Athletics; Shericka Pringle, Preventive Medicine; Barbara Reiffman, Medical Student Affairs; Thomas Sero, University Police; Valerie Thomas, Transplant Surgery; and Sue Whiting, Health Service.

Koehler-Davis said current NUSAC projects include updating the grievance and complaint procedure, proposing improvements to staff retirement and healthcare benefits and taking part in a University parking committee.

An important NUSAC undertaking is making sure University staff members are informed. “Sometimes when programs fail to be approved, staff say they didn’t hear about the proposals in advance. We are working to improve our communications through broadcast e-mails and other methods,” Koehler-Davis said.

NUSAC members also serve on the Employee of the Year Selection Committee. “We are happy to be part of a process that celebrates the efforts of staff in making the University a success,” Koehler-Davis said.

NUSAC is known for its brown bag luncheons. Career development will be the topic of the next brown bag held in February on both campuses. “Last year’s stress management brown bag was very successful and very popular,” Koehler-Davis added. Brown bags are held at least four times a year.

Koehler-Davis said NUSAC is proud of its accomplishments in the past, such as working with the General Faculty Committee (GFC) and student organizations and serving on the Childcare Committee. That committee developed the latest improvements to the childcare system and increased the number of available childcare options for the children of faculty, staff and students.

NUSAC is already thinking about benefit planning for next year. NUSAC has a white paper proposal in the works for changes in the retirement plan that would consider age and the number of years of service.

Northwestern staff can join NUSAC after working for the University for two or more years.

The application process for new members will be held in May. Applications will be available in the spring 2004 NUSAC newsletter or on NUSAC’s Web site at www.northwestern.edu/nusac/.