UC Staff Senate nominations now open
Get involved in the UC community and make an impact on your workplace
Nominations open now through March 31. All UC staff not principally charged with teaching, including part-time and full-time staff, are eligible to serve as a staff senator.
To nominate yourself or a colleague for Staff Senate, complete the online nomination form on Bearcats Landing by 5 p.m. on March 31, 2023. Candidates who have been nominated by another staff member will have the option to accept or decline their nomination, and all candidates must have approval from their direct manager/supervisor.
“Staff Senate is a wonderful place for emerging leaders at UC to learn by doing, to meet mentors who can help you along the way, and to increase your network and exposure at UC,” said Heidi Pettyjohn, chair of the staff senate. “Staff Senate can best represent the voice of all staff when we are as diverse as our labor force.”
Visit the Staff Senate nominations page on Bearcats Landing for more information about the nomination process.
As a senator you are expected to:
- Attend all senate meetings (minimum of five per year).
- Attend monthly committee meetings (as needed by your assigned committee).
- Participate in various other events based on availability.
- Must have prior approval from your manager/supervisor.
- Serve a two-year term
- Read the Staff Senate Bylaws.
Staff members do not have to be a senator to take part in Staff Senate activities, attend general Senate meetings or participate in a Staff Senate Committee. To get involved, email us. We welcome your nominations and your questions or comments.
Staff Senator Spotlight
Heidi Pettyjohn. Photo/provided.
Heidi Pettyjohn
Executive Director, Accessibility
Senate Service: Senator - 2019 - 2020; Chair Elect- 2020 - 2021; Chair 2021 - 2023; serve on Cabinet and Governance
"I was excited by the chance to get to be part of something so new at the university, that could really impact the experience of staff across UC."
"I was nervous about not understanding the structure and how we would impact change. I think we have made a big impact on how this group can impact change at the leadership level."
"What I enjoy most is meeting other senators who I never would have met, and building relationships across the university."
Featured top image: Staff meeting at the University of Cincinnati. Photo/provided.
Tags
Related Stories
CCM welcomes new film and media scoring faculty member J.R. Paredes
May 20, 2026
UC College-Conservatory of Music Dean Pete Jutras has announced the appointment of J.R. Paredes as CCM's new Assistant Professor of Film and Media Scoring. His faculty appointment officially begins on Aug. 15, 2026. Paredes is a composer, music producer and audio post-production specialist whose work spans film, television and commercial music. His credits include original scores for feature films and series distributed on platforms such as Apple TV+ and Prime Video, as well as extensive work in sound design and mixing for film and media.
6 ways starting a GLP-1 medication could affect your emotions
May 20, 2026
When patients first start taking a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) medication, they probably expect to feel full. But they might not anticipate how it can influence their emotions. The medications act on the stomach and the brain, said Malti Vij, MD, a University of Cincinnati adjunct associate professor in the College of Medicine's Department of Internal Medicine and a diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine.
UC researchers recruit older adults for extreme heat health study
May 20, 2026
The University of Cincinnati’s Center for Collaboration on Climate & Community for Health (C4H) is recruiting older adults to participate in a study tracking their health during periods of extreme summer heat.