Please join the Staff Senate in congratulating this year's newly and re-elected staff senators! Senators will be serving three-year terms beginning July 1. Staff Senate appreciates the people who step up and take on the added responsibilities of serving the community of staff on this campus as the senate is transitioning on so many different fronts involving the staff concerns of salary, benefits and parking, among other things. Please continue to make your voices heard as the Staff Senate begins the new year of hard work ahead.

Here are the results by acclamation:

At Large

• Chris Butler
• Carrie Whitmer

Academic Affairs

• Vince Capps
• Chelsea Martin
• Cleston Murray
• Ashley Reeves

Student Affairs

• Erin Butler
• Kaitlyn Riggin

Chancellor/System

• Myrlinda Soedjede
• Trish Watkins

Finance & Administration

• Stephen Ritterbush

Staff Senate is the campus governance group which represents and advocates for staff employees on the Fayetteville campus. As the representative voice for staff on policy matters such as benefits, parking, campus safety, working conditions and compensation, the senate functions as an advisory and policy-referral body to the administration and staff. When changes happen that can affect staff, your representatives continuously advocate for the best possible scenario in each case.

Annually, the Staff Senate coordinates employee recognition programs such as Employee of the Quarter, Employee of the Year, the Outstanding Staff Team Award, the Part-Time Employee Award, Staff Appreciation Week and the annual Staff Appreciation Picnic. The Staff Senate also manages the Staff Scholarship program awarding scholarships to staff pursuing a degree at the U of A.  

Staff Senate holds monthly meetings at 9:30 a.m. on the second Thursday, and anyone is welcome to attend. Only by staying engaged and keeping the staff voices heard at all times can the Staff Senate work together toward a better environment for all staff at the U of A. To learn more about Staff Senate, visit staffsenate.uark.edu.