NEW for Fall: WSA Book Club; Gorlok Greats Nomination Period (Aug. 15 - Sept. 30); Zoom Coffee Break Sessions for Faculty & Staff
August 2020 Newsletter | Issue 2
Webster Staff Alliance
The Webster Staff Alliance (WSA) affirms that staff are a vital part of the Webster University community. Our purpose is to build an active staff community that engages staff members across departments and campus locations in support of the University mission; to serve in an advisory capacity to University Leadership on the issues and concerns of our diverse constituency; and to support staff professional development opportunities.
Congratulations to all STAFF who celebrated a service anniversary in 2019-20! We would love to see your service pin selfies! Send to Nathan Coleman by e-mail to be featured on the WSA Facebook Page.
The WSA Special Events Chair position is currently vacant. Interested staff should contact Katie Knetzer, WSA Secretary, if they're interested in learning more about the role.
The Webster Staff Alliance is excited to announce its first Common Read Book Club Selections for Fall 2020.
Staff who are interested in participating in the WSA Book Club, should fill-out the Participation Form by Tuesday, August 18.
"White Fragility" by Robin DiAngelo
The New York Times best-selling book exploring the counterproductive reactions white people have when their assumptions about race are challenged, and how these reactions maintain racial inequality..
"The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
The New Jim Crow is a stunning account of the rebirth of a caste-like system in the United States, one that has resulted in millions of African Americans locked behind bars and then relegated to a permanent second-class statusādenied the very rights supposedly won in the Civil Rights Movement.
The Gorlok Greats Award will recognize staff members whose achievements, whether an individual act or sustained effort of exemplary service, relate to Webster University strategies and support the University's values and mission.
Fall 2020 Nomination Period: August 15 - September 30
The Professional Development Funds Committee will consider applications for professional development opportunities for which attendance adheres to the University's travel restriction policies (online training course, virtual conference, etc.).
Applicants would also need to meet the eligibility requirements as laid out in the Staff Professional Development Funds Policy and Procedures.
Last month, the WSA administered its annual staff climate survey. With nearly 100 staff respondents, the WSA Board would like to thank all staff who participated.
The information from the survey assists the WSA board shape its goals for the approaching year and identify opportunities to strengthen WSA initiatives.
WSA Initiatives
The WSA Annual Compensation Proposal leads the pack as the most valuable interest of the surveyed staff. Professional Development Funding through the WSA, the Gorlok Greats Recognition Program, and Professional Development Day follow as the most valuable WSA initiatives.
Hannah Verity, WSA Compensation Chair, will lead the Compensation Committee in this year's proposal.
Webster Zoom Coffee Break/Happy Hour Sessions for Webster Faculty and Staff
ļ»æVarious Webster faculty and staff will be hosting informal sessions for you to connect and socialize using our newest tool to enhance instruction, host remote meetings, and interact with others across the Webster network! These Zoom Coffee Break/Happy Hour Sessions are open to all Webster faculty and staff from all campus locations around the world.
Tuesday, August 11, 8:30 AM CST
Hosted by Heidi Vix (Head of Resources Management Services, Emerson Library)
Hosted by Amy Whited-Hylton (LMS Tech Support Specialist, Online Learning Center) and Kate Pitman (Online Student Orientation and Support Specialist, Online Learning Center)
Staff Service Spotlight: Justin Barton, WSA Associate Special Events Chair
He has climbed Mount Everest, swum the width of the Nile, and bungee jumped from the Golden Gate Bridge....ok not really, but he has thought about it. Instead Justin Barton has worked in the crazy, adrenaline filled world of post-secondary education for 17 years. In those 17 years Justin has worked as a Recruiter, Head Cheerleading Coach, Organizational Advisor, Adjunct Instructor, Assistant Director, and now as the Director for First Year Experience and Undergraduate Persistence.
Raised as a self-proclaimed āteacherās kidā, Justin has always felt that he was an educator by DNA. From a young age Justin has found himself always striving to be a leader. Perhaps it was all the motivational tapes his mom used to play to him growing up of renowned motivational speaker Zig Ziglar or maybe itās just because this is what he was meant to be.
Itās because of his passion for education, his love for leadership, his passion for student success, and the adrenaline rush he gets from sharing with others what he has learned is why Justin Barton continues his quest as a motivational educator.
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Justin Barton is currently the Director for First Year Experience and Undergraduate Persistence, Head Competitive Cheerleading Coach, and Advisor to the Webster University Pep Band.
āI am excited to serve on the WSA Board. This opportunity provides me with the ability to be of service for my colleagues and together I hope we can continue to make Webster University a change agent of positivity within this global community!ā
