Telling Our Story: A Year of Impact, Advocacy, and Partnership July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026
The 2025–2026 Staff Senate term has come to a close, and I want to take a moment to reflect on a year defined by engagement, collaboration, and meaningful representation of staff across the University of Kentucky. Guided by our theme, "Telling Our Story," Staff Senate remained focused on ensuring that staff voices were heard, represented, and included in important conversations shaping the future of our institution.
Throughout the year, Staff Senate strengthened its role as a trusted partner in shared governance by maintaining regular engagement with university leadership, participating in key committees and workgroups, and serving as a conduit between staff and administration. We continued to build strong relationships with our shared governance partners and reinforced the importance of transparent communication between senators and the constituents they serve.
One of the most significant areas of involvement during the year was Staff Senate's participation in the Enterprise Services Partnership process. Staff Senate held a full voting seat on the evaluation committee, ensuring that staff perspectives remained part of the conversation from beginning to end. Throughout the process, we remained engaged with university leadership and worked to elevate staff concerns and questions as information became available.
The Senate also remained actively engaged in conversations surrounding the Beyond Blue and Integrate Blue initiatives. Through presentations, briefings, and ongoing communication, we worked to help senators stay informed and provide resources that could be shared with staff across campus. As change continues across higher education, maintaining open dialogue and advocating for transparency remain critical priorities.
Advocacy for staff remained at the center of our work. The Senate partnered with Human Resources and university partners on topics ranging from technology and AI-enabled support tools to benefits education and employee wellness initiatives. We monitored workforce impacts, gathered staff concerns through committees, and continued to ensure that staff perspectives were represented in institutional discussions.
Recognition and engagement were also highlights of the year. The Outstanding Staff Awards celebrated the tremendous contributions of employees across the university. Staff Senate also helped coordinate Employee Appreciation Day and supported numerous outreach and community engagement efforts that strengthened connections among staff and fostered a culture of appreciation.
Communication and transparency remained recurring priorities throughout the term. Our monthly meetings featured and will continue featuring leadership updates and institutional briefings, along with shared executive summaries, reports, and communications designed to keep staff informed about issues affecting the university community.
Most importantly, this year demonstrated the value of shared governance and the impact of staff engagement. Through periods of institutional change and opportunity, Staff Senate remained committed to listening, advocating, collaborating, and communicating. The work accomplished for the year has positioned us well for continued success as we move forward into this new term focused on strengthening communication, enhancing staff engagement, and building upon the partnerships established during this past year.
Looking forward, one area I would like to continue strengthening is communication. Staff Senate does important work on behalf of staff across the university and the university enterprise, and I believe we have opportunities to tell that story more consistently. While there is always room for improvement, I am hopeful that in the coming year we can continue finding new ways to share updates, highlight accomplishments, and keep you informed about the issues and initiatives that affect you most.
As chair of the Staff Senate, I want to say thank you to every senator, committee member, university leader, and staff member who contributed their time, ideas, and energy throughout the year. Together, we demonstrated that when staff have a voice at the table, our university is stronger.
Carl Harper
Chair, University of Kentucky Staff Senate