Staff Council is the voice of UNM staff, and new President Vanessa Shields said she’s here to be the voice of Staff Council. Her principal role, as she sees it, is not to set the council’s goals but to communicate its initiatives to the university administration.
Photo: UNM Staff Council President Vanessa Shields with David Harris.
Her experience of working with UNM President David Schmidly has so far been promising. She said he’s been open and has followed through on his promise to regularly include staff, faculty and student leaders in executive cabinet meetings.
Shields has played several roles within the university, giving her a broader perspective. “I’m able to give a lot of input – not just as staff,” she said. She joined UNM in 1998, playing Lobo volleyball while studying for her B.A. in criminology and women studies.
While working on her M.S. in sports administration, she became a graduate assistant at the Graduation Project, where she is now a full time student programs specialist. The project finds UNM seniors who dropped out and helps them navigate re-admission, financial aid and other potential hurdles to graduation. “We try to cut the red tape for them,” Shields said.
Shields became a staff councilor after a coworker’s pregnancy made her aware of the need for paid maternity and paternity leave. She joined Staff Council in 2004 to advocate for improved maternity/paternity benefits, an issue that remains important to her.
In her new role as president, Shields will provide continuity to see the council’s initiatives through to completion, which can be a multi-year process. “My job is to make sure that nothing falls through the cracks,” she said. Some ongoing issues include catastrophic leave, tuition remission, dependent education, and APS/UNM spring break alignment.
Shields also represents UNM staff on a statewide coalition, the New Mexico Higher Education Staff Association. At her first meeting, she was appointed to represent all New Mexico higher education staff on the Higher Education Advisory Board, which advises the New Mexico Higher Education Department. In this position, she will help shape state policy on critical issues like retirement and compensation.
The next Staff Council meeting is Tuesday, Aug. 21, 1-3 p.m. in the Hokona-Zuni theatre.
Media Contact: Sari Krosinsky, (505) 277-1593; e-mail: michal@unm.edu
Posted by scarr at August 20, 2007 05:46 PM