The more than 600 non-union staff members who serve Mount Holyoke have at their disposal a team of problem solvers called the Staff Council.

Elected each spring by the MHC staff, Staff Council members meet throughout the academic year to provide a forum for employee suggestions, issues, and concerns; advocate for an environment of respect, fairness, and security; and build a sense of community by facilitating effective communication. All nonunion staff members are welcome to contact council members to raise work-related concerns in confidence and receive guidance on addressing them.

"I am pleased to help represent the MHC staff as Staff Council chair," said Yvonne Nicholson, senior administrative assistant for the English department. "I anticipate working closely with human resources, and I encourage all staff members to use this peer group for concerns large and small."

Staff members also are invited to take advantage of the Staff Council’s lunchtime learning opportunities. The first lunch program is set for October 15 at the Willits-Hallowell Center at 11:30 am. It will feature guest speaker Sherry Turner, ombudsperson and assistant dean of the College. Call x2217 for reservations.

In addition to hearing staff concerns and offering two or three lunch programs each year, the Staff Council participates in two all-staff events sponsored by the president’s office—the holiday Winterfest luncheon and the spring semester community open forum, both opportunities for fellowship and conversation with other staff members. The council also oversees the Mount Holyoke College Employee Scholarship Fund. Established in honor of former President David Truman, the fund provides a minimum of $200 each year to a child of an MHC employee for use at any institution of higher education. Scholarship applications, available through the council, are reviewed in April and May; selection is based on educational goals, high school achievement, and character.

Cochairing the Staff Council this year is Li-Ling Waller, senior administrative assistant in the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life. Council members are Maura Campbell, gift records specialist in the development office; Jackie Deane, purchasing coordinator in financial services; Susan Desjardins, administrative assistant in dining services; Rosemary Jackson, human resources representative; Marjorie Kochanowicz, senior administrative assistant in the Weissman Center for Leadership; Tracy Lynch, administrative assistant for the Frances Perkins Program; Shelley Richard, senior administrative assistant for the Office of Finance and Administration; Susan Rusiecki, coordinator for hardware and software purchasing and installation for Library, Information, and Technology Services; and Doug Vanderpoel, systems manager for dining services and the card services office. All can be reached at staff-council-1@mtholyoke.edu.