Exempt Staff Senate

UMBC ESS: Representing UMBC Exempt Staff

What is ESS?

The Exempt Staff Senate (ESS) is the official representative body for exempt staff employed at UMBC. We provide a forum for discussing issues involving or of interest to exempt staff members, such as academic and administrative policies. We work diligently to maintain and contribute to community life at UMBC.

Who serves on ESS?

Exempt staff members elect 18 senators at large for two-year terms. Senators stem from all areas and offices of the University, including administration, academic departments, and research areas. Senators annually elect the Executive Committee, which consists of the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Communications Officer, and Past President.

View Staff Senate Roster

How can I get involved?

Attend our meetings – All Exempt Staff Senate meetings are open for the campus community to attend! Check our myUMBC page to get the meeting invitations. General body meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month from 2 – 4 PM in a hybrid format.
Join a committee – ESS committees are also open to all staff! Read more about our committees and their work here.

What does ESS do?

Support

UMBC is a community full of dedicated professionals committed to supporting their community through navigating a hybrid work environment. ESS is devoted to supporting our constituents and the community at large through regular communications and opportunities to let staff share their experiences.

How we do it

Advocate for increased transparency from administration/HR through frequent communication and act as a conduit for staff concerns.
Collaborate with other shared governance groups to define well-being at UMBC and establish recommendations for campus leaders.

Community

ESS sees members of our community as whole beings. Through developing thoughtful programming and events that support our campus community, no matter where they are located, ESS continues to build a network of staff committed to supporting one another and UMBC as a community.

How we do it

Conduct events throughout the year focused on inclusive community building at UMBC.
Holistically highlight work being done by staff across campus.
Encourage non-senator participation in meetings, committees, and events.

Advocacy

The UMBC community relies on transparency to support staff through challenging times. Through opportunities for providing feedback, ESS will continue to advocate on behalf of staff to the administration and will work to provide creative solutions to the challenges staff are facing.

How we do it

Identify and facilitate opportunities for culture change.
Use all communication channels to share important campus information with staff.
Support HR in developing policies and practices that support staff throughout their experience with UMBC.

Development

ESS believes UMBC is an institution where staff can grow through participating in several personal and professional development opportunities. We commit to promoting opportunities for staff to participate in, as well as providing staff resources to advocate for their development.

How we do it

Work with leadership to target staff participation in campus training and community-building events.
Help raise awareness of personal and professional development opportunities that exist currently.

How are you structured?

We host monthly meetings on the second Thursday of each month from 2:30 – 4:30 PM. Our meetings are hybrid and open to all staff on campus. To get Webex information, go to our myUMBC page.

Senators serve on University Committees and ESS committees each year. See more about Committees here.

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