Reflections from the Chair
A big thank you goes out to President Rebecca Cunningham who joined us at our Civil Service Consultative Committee (CSCC) meeting on January 15. Among other things, our discussion focused on the persistent exclusion of civil service staff from the early stages of policy development. President Cunningham acknowledged our concerns, admitting that task forces often lean too heavily toward faculty representation and committing to a renewed push for consistent civil service involvement in future administrative initiatives. We addressed the impact of federal immigration agents’ presence near campus. She stated that the University is committed to an environment where people from all backgrounds feel safe to live, work, and learn. She added that despite a constrained financial environment, the University remains focused on legislative advocacy and maintaining its status as a top-tier research institution amidst shifting federal landscapes.
Most years I appreciate the stillness and quiet of winter. It is a time to review and reset; a time to do the hard, slow work of re-tooling goals and recommitting to work. This winter has been different, less quiet and less peaceful, especially for those of us who live and work in the Twin Cities. Each day, we are struggling with fear, confusion, and grief--destabilizing feelings making it difficult to focus on the future, or even to accomplish simple day-to-day tasks. We’ve been knocked around and yet our co-workers, our students, our communities, and our mission require us to be resilient, but what does that even mean?
For me, it means finding a way to keep our promises: to ourselves, to our students, to our community, and to our university. It means bouncing back from adversity—not unchanged, but unbroken and untwisted. Resilience isn't about working harder, or continuing on as if nothing has happened. It’s much more about taking stock and figuring out how you can get around obstacles and deliver the most with what you have. Resilience is built quietly through intentional self-care and refocusing on the purpose underlying our work.
There is still enough of winter left (it’s Minnesota, for crying out loud) to reset and build resilience. Focusing on our shared mission of educating Minnesota’s future: teachers, scientists, farmers, veterinarians, health professionals, leaders (add your school’s profession here) will help to keep us grounded, energized, and continuing to create good in the world.
The things that mattered to us before, still matter—let’s find ways to keep doing them.
Stay focused, stay safe, and carry on delivering Minnesota’s future!
Sincerely,
Rosemary Burns Velez, CS Chair
Market Refinement Project Update: Administration Job Family Up Next!
Melissa Haines
Senior Compensation Consultant | Office of Human Resources
There are a total of 1,400 employees in the Administrative job family, more than 800 of whom are in the Civil Service employee group. Many of you have been patiently awaiting for the refinement of the Administrative job family, so we are happy to share the following update.
The primary objective of the market refinement project is to expand job titles to more accurately reflect the specialty or type of work being performed within each job family, as well as establish up-to-date and accurate salary ranges that align with the external labor market. These improvements allow for data-driven decision-making regarding our workforce composition and distribution and support informed pay strategy decisions that strengthen our ability to recruit and retain talent. To date, this work has been completed for 19 of the University’s 20 job families. Refinement of the final job family, Administration, began in January 2026 and is expected to be implemented in summer 2026. Information regarding our job families can be found on the OHR website.
Apply to a Senate Committee - Apply by March 1
Please submit your application to express your interest serving on a senate committee by March 1, 2026.
We need broad representation to ensure that shared governance is an authentic representation of our diverse community. Committee members also enjoy opportunities to grow networks across the University; collaborate with and influence University leadership.
As a civil service employee, you are invited to express your interest in serving on a University Senate committee by completing this form. Responses will be reviewed by the Senate Committee on Committees. Open seats will be filled throughout the 2025-2026 academic year.
Please check the meeting schedule for the committees to which you are applying to ensure that the meeting time works with your schedule. Meeting days of the week and times do not change from year to year.
Civil Service Governance Updates
Civil Service Compensation and Benefits Subcommittee
Minnesota State Retirement System (MSRS) Presentation
Mary Voss from MSRS will present at the next Comp and Benefits Meeting on February 25, 2026, at 10:00 am. Join via Zoom!
Hannah Bergquist
Chair, Comp & Benefits
Communications and Outreach Subcommittee
Are you curious how we choose our article content? This happens collectively and by a few different methods. During our general senate meetings, as Communications and Outreach Chair, I listen for new information presented to the senate group that is timely and relevant to our whole body of members, and I ask the experts to craft some of the information you receive in this newsletter.
Another approach involves the subcommittee directly. Members can volunteer for oversight and content creation for sections of this publication. For example, the “Did You Know” section is a collaborative brainstorm of interesting and new topics that can enhance our experience as CS employees at UMN. A topic is decided on by the committee and is then championed by one of our subcommittee members. Remember, you do not have to be a senator to be on our subcommittee. If you would like to join us to contribute in this way, please email me.
The “Because you asked…” topic is derived from reviewing a collection of submissions to our Communications and Outreach Subcommittee via Google form by CS employees. A common theme is identified from the submitted questions, and one of our committee volunteer members conducts research to craft the article for publication. See the article below and the link for which you can submit your question for consideration in the next publication.
I want to extend my gratitude to the CS members working on these topics and content that allow us to publish this newsletter, our chairs of subcommittees who take the time to provide our CS membership with timely and resourceful information in their reports, and to our Senate Office staff who format and publish this resource for all of us to learn and grow from.
The Civil Service Senate is a living body created by us collectively.
Sarah Backman
Chair, CS Communications and Outreach Subcommittee 25-26
Did You Know?
The Twin Cities St. Paul Campus is home to a number of gems that employees and the public can use.
The College of Biological Sciences Conservatory is free to the public and open to self-guided tours Monday-Friday between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Guided tours are also available upon advance request and fee.
The College of Design has the only design museum in the Upper Midwest, The Goldstein Museum of Design, which is available to the public. Check out their website for current exhibitions and hours.
The College of Veterinary Medicine offers tours at the Raptor Center Tuesday through Sunday. During the 30-minute tour, you’ll visit outdoor bird enclosures while learning about owls, hawks, falcons, and eagles! Each visit to the Raptor Center is free with your U Card, while other visitors will be charged a small fee. Tours can be booked online; pre-registration is strongly encouraged.
If you have a furry (or not so furry) friend at home, keep in mind that the College of Veterinary Medicine offers services through their Veterinary Medical Center and has been for over a century! They also offer emergency veterinary services 24/7, but make sure to call ahead.
The College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) Meat and Dairy Salesroom is open to the public on Wednesdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Enjoy beef, pork, sausage, cheese, ice cream, and more, which are all produced by our own faculty, staff, and students. One Civil Service Senate member suggests trying one of their favorite ice cream flavors: Whitehouse (Vanilla/Cherry Base with Bordeaux Cherries and Chocolate Chunks).
CFANS is also home to the Bell Museum, Minnesota’s official natural history museum and planetarium. You can visit Wednesday through Sunday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Make sure to bring your friends and family to enjoy the St. Paul campus!
Because you asked…
Harassment and inequitable treatment
Q: Is the Civil Service Senate able to help in cases of workplace harassment and inequitable treatment?
A: The Civil Service Senate can provide guidance and resources, but a senator does not represent employees in a dispute. The Civil Service Senate is a representative body to address concerns for the overall civil service employee group, but not interpersonal conflict, including harassment and inequitable treatment. The University of Minnesota conflict resolution policy has an informal process, which is the most common way to resolve issues, and a formal process. Steps to resolving conflict include:
- Discuss the issue with your immediate supervisor, as you feel is appropriate. Likewise, encourage the person who is experiencing concerns about their treatment to reach out to their supervisor or other university resources indicated below.
- Contact your human resources representative to discuss the issue and your options.
- If you are unable to resolve your issue locally, there are University-wide services, such as the Student Conflict Resolution Center, and the Office for Conflict Resolution (OCR) for non-bargaining unit employees. A special note about conflict resolution services at the University: service starts with a consultation with the individual who brings an issue forward and offers them the opportunity to decide if they only want a consultation or follow-up action with other parties.
- You may opt to report misconduct related to employment, research or bias. Anonymous reporting options are available.
Supervisors may also benefit from the Supervisory Development Program module on “Managing Conflict” from Talent Strategy, Office of Human Resources. Proactively addressing conflict in teams can be a helpful skill for supervisors and direct reports alike.
Experiencing challenging situations in employment is best addressed with professionals who have the training and expertise to work with workplace conflict. Thank you for an excellent question as everyone who is experiencing a stressful and not productive workplace should consider reaching out to available resources to work toward a resolution. We hope that you seek support for the issues you are facing or encourage others who are experiencing such issues to use these resources.
Submit a question to “Because You Asked…” Fill out this Google form if you have a topic you would like to see addressed in this section of the newsletter. The communications subcommittee reviews these submissions for common themes and timely topics for publication to best address the inquiring minds of our civil service work group.
Paid Leave Time Change and Resources…
UMN Paid Leave website; Leave administration email [email protected]; The HR Contact Center email [email protected]; The HR Contact Center Phone 612-624-8647 or 1-800-756-2363, Option 2
Take a look at the Minnesota Paid Leave Law (MN Paid Leave) for uses and eligibility to learn more about the program. It entitles eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks (and in some circumstances up to 20 weeks) of partially paid, job protected medical or family care leave. The Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) accrual is ending for civil service employees with this change as the MN Paid Leave Law supplements pay for time away from work. There will be a one year grace period to use any accruals currently banked in this account. The sick bank policy and definitions are expanding to include what the ESST use policy covered in the past.
Contact Us
Rosemary Burns Velez, [email protected], Civil Service Senate Chair
Daryl Lawrence, [email protected], Civil Service Senate Chair-Elect