October 26, 2020

Morrill Hall in the springtime

Topics include changes to spring Semester calendars, information on the Wellbeing Program and the Maroon and Gold Network. P&A Driving Excellence features Calee Cecconi, Amelia Narigon, Jeff Henning-Smith, and Rutherford Johnson. Also included are updates on the work of the P&A Senate, P&A Consultative Committee, and its four subcommittees (Benefits & Compensation; Communications; Outreach, and Professional Development and Recognition).

September 28, 2020

A woman in a U of M tshirt and a mask sits on a bench outdoors, 6 feet away from a man who is also wearing a mask.

Topics include ergonomics information for working from home, the role of Human Resources and Employee Relations in addressing staff safety concerns, information on changes to the the Wellbeing Program, and open enrollment. P&A Driving Excellence features Amelia Reigstad, Dr. Nicole LaVoi, and Antonio Alba Meraz. Also included are updates on the work of the P&A Senate, P&A Consultative Committee, and its four subcommittees.

August 12, 2020

A mother, father, and baby wearing full Gopher gear sit on the football field.

This has been an unusually busy summer for the P&A Senate and P&A Consultative Committee (PACC). We have been working on a variety of concerns and issues related to campus safety and security and racial justice, Title IX changes due to new federal regulations, and increased transparency in parental leave policies. 

May 26, 2020

A woman site on the floor working on a laptop on and adjustable-hight desk. She rests her hand on the back of an infant who is sleeping face down on the floor next to her.

"We are not working from home. We are sheltering in place during a crisis…and trying to work."

Since March and the transition to working from home, a lot of employees have been thinking about ways to stay connected and engaged with colleagues and adjust to the challenges that come from working at home. Jaden Hansen, associate development officer, School of Public Affairs, explained, "The three of us are working in different areas of development at the University and started the ECDP Alumni Group to help our newer colleagues stay connected and build a network with one another. We invited our colleagues to convene virtually to talk about overlaps in our work and to share resources. What we learned is that the work conversation was just the icebreaker.” (Photo by Standsome Worklifestyle on Unsplash.)

Looking Ahead

A look ahead to the coming academic year by Erin Heath, 2020-21 Chair of the P&A Senate

Legislative Update

Last week, the Minnesota Legislature adjourned the 2020 regular session sine die without passing a bonding bill. Despite a flurry of negotiations over the final weekend, legislators were unable to reach agreement on capital investment funding for the second year in a row.

We expect the governor will call legislators back into a special session on or around June 12 to address several unresolved issues, including the next steps in the state’s COVID-19 response. This will likely be the first of multiple special sessions in the coming months as Minnesota continues to respond to the pandemic.