Department of Intercollegiate Athletics Hosts Campus Community

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Basketball head coaches Tom Collen (left) and John Pelphrey volunteered as servers at Thursday's staff appreciation picnic in Razorback Stadium.

FAYETTEVILLE – Razorback Athletics played host to the 12th annual University of Arkansas Staff Senate staff appreciation picnic and vendor fair on Thursday at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. The department has hosted the annual campuswide picnic each year since 2003.

The picnic took place in the east and south end zone concourses of Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. In addition to hosting the event, the department was well-represented by volunteer servers, including head coaches, athletic department administrators and student-athletes.

"We were honored to once again partner with the University of Arkansas Staff Senate to host the campus community at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium for the annual staff appreciation picnic," Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Jeff Long said. "We appreciate the Staff Senate for coordinating the picnic and allowing Razorback Athletics to be a part of this great event. As a member of the campus community, we are grateful to all of those who play a role in helping make the University of Arkansas an outstanding institution."

Each year the University of Arkansas Staff Senate coordinates with upper-level campus administrators, coaches and other volunteers to serve lunch for University of Arkansas staff. A total of 36 Razorback student-athletes pitched in for the event, including representatives from football, men's basketball, men's track and field, women's golf, women's tennis and soccer.

Athletic Department personnel participating as volunteers included Long and several other athletic department senior administrators. Razorback head football coach Bobby Petrino, men's basketball coach John Pelphrey, women's basketball coach Tom Collen, men's tennis coach Robert Cox, women's tennis coach Michael Hegarty, men's track and field coach Chris Bucknam and assistant coaches from a number of the program's 19 sports also volunteered to serve their fellow campus employees at the picnic.

Volunteers served hot dogs, veggie dogs, hamburgers, chicken breasts, coleslaw, baked beans, ice cream and tacos. Each year, much of the food served is donated by local businesses.

The Staff Senate is an employee group on the university campus with the primary function of working with university administrators to address staff concerns related to the quality of work life on campus. The Staff Senate represents nearly 3,600 employees.