As early as next July, Missouri Southern could be voting in members of it’s first Staff Senate.

Dr. Terri Agee, senior vice president, has established a committee for the formation of a Staff Senate in the hopes of opening a formal and effective channel for staff input.

“For a long time I’ve been wanting to pursue the creation of a Staff Senate,” she said. “I think we’ve got a good climate for forming this organization.”

Agee also said she hopes an official avenue for staff input will increase transparency and “shared governance” at Southern.

Currently the committee, chaired by Elisa Bryant, alumni relations coordinator, is establishing Staff Senate bylaws, but its hope is to help create a good representation of full-time University employees who do not hold faculty rank.

“We just hope to have a communication link between the staff and the administration,” Bryant said. “Faculty has a say, so staff needs to have a say also.”

In addition to communicating with the administration, in its first years the Staff Senate could work to create their own Web site, and establish a “staff sick leave pool.”

Library clerk and committee member Staff Senate looks at the creation of staff senate as a way to bring the University up to speed with others in the area.

“I think it’s progressive and I think it shows Missouri Southern is progressive,” she said. “There’s just not really an avenue, not a place where people could communicate and share their views.”