Your Voice Matters From the Chair's Corner

Below is the email sent out via a Staff Senate Email to our colleagues on September 24, 2026.

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Dear Colleagues,

As Chair of Staff Senate, I often talk about the importance of telling our story. That story belongs to all of us. It is the story of you, our colleagues, who serve students, support research, care for patients, maintain our facilities, solve problems, and help make the University of Kentucky a great place to work and learn.

Staff Senate’s role is to listen, share information, elevate staff perspectives, and strengthen communication across the University. Through our conversations with you, our committee work, and our engagement with university leadership, we continue working so that staff voices are heard and the contributions of our colleagues are recognized.

Our Work This Year

With a new academic year underway, Staff Senate committees are actively pursuing their priorities and annual charges. Senators are identifying opportunities, discussing issues that affect employees, developing recommendations, and exploring ways to enhance the employee experience while supporting the University’s mission.

This work keeps staff perspectives connected to important conversations taking place across the University.

Staying Informed

In the months ahead, Staff Senate will continue receiving updates from University leaders on topics important to employees, including:

• Employee engagement initiatives
• Human Resources programs and policies
• Onboarding improvements
• Developments related to Beyond Blue
• Collaboration with Faculty Senate and SGA
• Technology and enterprise initiatives

As new information becomes available, senators will share updates and connect colleagues with reliable information and resources.

We Want to Hear from You

One of the most important responsibilities of a Staff Senator is engaging with colleagues across the University. We encourage you to connect with your elected representatives to:

• Share feedback
• Ask questions
• Discuss workplace challenges
• Recognize successes and effective practices
• Suggest ways to improve the employee experience

Not every conversation leads to a committee project or formal recommendation. However, every conversation helps Staff Senate better understand the experiences of the employees we serve and strengthens communication across our University community.

As Staff Senate continues its work throughout the year, our commitment remains unchanged: listening to employees, strengthening communication, supporting shared governance, and representing staff voices in the conversations that shape the future of the University of Kentucky.

We appreciate the opportunity to serve and look forward to continuing these conversations with you in the months ahead.

Carl Harper
Chair, University of Kentucky Staff Senate
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The University of Kentucky Staff Senate is the official representative body of university staff. Through shared governance, the Staff Senate elevates staff perspectives, strengthens communication with university leadership, and promotes collaboration among employees across the university. Staff Senate advocates for staff interests, supports a positive workplace experience and recognizes the people whose work advances the university’s mission and service to the Commonwealth.