Elections and Nominations

Staff Council Member Responsibilities and Commitment

Minimum Time Commitment 

Three hours per month for a regular Staff Council member:

  • One hour for monthly Staff Council meeting
  • One hour for monthly assigned subcommittee meeting
  • One hour for subcommittee projects, providing feedback, answering emails, and participating in votes
  • NOTE: One extra hour for elected subcommittee chairs to attend a monthly Executive Committee meeting with the Executive Board (Third Wednesday of the month from 12 pm to 1 pm). Subcommittee chairs can rotate among subcommittee members, as desired.

Responsibilities as Staff Council Member

See Staff Council bylaws for full responsibilities.

  • Elected Staff Council members serve on the Staff Council for two years.
  • Attend Staff Council monthly meetings on the second Wednesday of the month from 12 pm to 1 pm. Members should not have more than four unexcused absences or six absences total per one-year term (June 1 to May 31) .
  • Attend assigned subcommittee meeting once a month (day/time will vary across committees)
  • Read and respond to all Staff Council emails from the Executive Board, as appropriate
  • Read and provide edits for monthly Staff Council minutes, as needed
  • Participate fully in subcommittee meetings, including contributing to any action items, communications, written recommendations, and/or Executive Board requests, as needed.
  • Help recruit colleagues to attend meetings, serve as Staff Council members, or otherwise publicize the Staff Council’s work on an informal basis.

Characteristics & expectations of usf staff council members

While the Bylaws are informative and guide the expectations of how the Staff Council shall function as a whole, below includes guidance related to what future individual council members will bring to the table to enable the Staff Council to flourish:

  • Staff Council members are, first and foremost, committed to the four purposes of Staff Council, which are:
    • Education. Staff Council members will be expected to educate themselves about the Staff Council's Mission, Values and Bylaws.
    • Transparency. Staff Council members will the opportunity to better understand the role of Staff in the function and success of the University, including realizing the varying constituent groups that staff are associated with across campus.
    • Listening and Advocacy. Staff Council members will actively listen to the input of colleagues in order to inclusively advocate for the needs of our staff to the President, his Cabinet, and USF Leadership groups across the institution
    • Communication. Staff Council will be a natural venue for communication between administration and various stakeholders. Staff Council members will be expected to make reports (or participate in town halls) to educate members of the community about the University's Staff related concerns, needs, successes, etc.
  • Staff council members are expected to participate in regular meetings, subcommittees, and activities as explained within the Bylaws, which include addressing special topics that will emerge.
  • Staff Council will follow established Bylaws and engage in meaningful discourse to amend as needed.
  • Staff Council members are charged with thinking about the common good of the University in the context of its mission, vision, and values.
  • Staff Council members will embrace cura personalis, i.e. care of the whole person, and consider the needs and resources of staff and the variety of roles staff hold on campus, including contingent, exempt, and represented.