September Staff Senate Meeting Updates
Office of International Programs
Dr. Jeff Cohen,Assistant Vice Provost for International Programs, reviewed Office of International Programs offerings available to staff and invited feedback on how the office can better support staff participation.
Campus Dining
Elizabeth Riede, Executive Director of Campus Dining, Catering, and Hospitality, shared updates:
- Catering: Catering moved into University Operations at the beginning of the year, better positioning the unit to meet the needs of campus partners. All requests for food service on campus now go through one place, and a one-page ordering guide is available. The result is a simplified planning process for food and events, and the process is the same at the Hickory campus.
- Faculty and Staff Meal Plans: Employees may enroll in ASU Charge Express through payroll deduction and save 10 percent on purchases, excluding Chick-fil-A and packaged items, with the goal of making affordable meals available on campus. The Flex 25 meal plan is $265 for 25 meal swipes, and unused swipes roll over from fall to spring.
Human Resources
Kevin Delgado, Talent Acquisition Director, gave an update on the new HR ticketing system. Human Resources is moving to a centralized approach for HR inquiries using a Jira ticket-tracking system beginning October 1. The system will replace the "Contact Us" form on the HR website. Employees may still email HR, but may be directed to Jira to submit a ticket.
Staff Senate Updates
Appointment of Chair-Elect: Madeline Christopher was appointed and confirmed as the new chair-elect of Staff Senate, filling a vacancy.
University Committee Service: Seats remain available on several university committees. Senators interested in serving should email the Chair. Available roles include the Awards Committee, which could use two additional members; Library Services, which could use one or two additional members; and Registration and Calendar, which could use an additional member.
UNC Staff Assembly Meeting: App State will host the UNC Staff Assembly on October 19–20, 2026. Collection of swag items for gift bags needs to begin now, with approximately 75 of each item needed.
Meeting minutes, the Zoom recording, and additional documents can be accessed from the Meetings page.
Next Meeting: The next Staff Senate meeting will be held on October 13, 2026 1:30 - 3:00 PM. Join us in Boone (Belk Library, 421), Hickory (1421), or on Zoom.