Professional Staff Senate Committees

The work of the Senate is done through several standing and ad hoc committees. Membership on the following senate committees is open to all USM Professional Staff.

Want to join a committee? Please fill out this form to sign up! We'd be happy to have you!

The following is a list of 2011-2012 Committee Members. See a description of committees here.

Executive Committee: 

1. Kate Mitchell - Chair
2. Deb Nightingale, Vice Chair
3. Tyler Kidder, Co-Secretary
4. Frank Brooks, Co-Secretary

By-Laws Committee (ad hoc)
This committee will oversee the By-Laws, proposed amendments, and associated relationship to the University Governance Document.

1. Deb Nightingale
2. Janine Manning
3. Frank Brooks

 Professional Recognition and Awards Committee
This committee will coordinate the Professional Staff Recognition function including the nomination and selection process for the Distinguished Professional and Emerging Professional Staff Awards. The committee will periodically examine the feasibility of other recognition vehicles. Membership is open to all USM professional staff.

1. Sue Robinson
2. Sara Johnson-Berz
3. Janis Albright

Communications Committee
This committee produces two ProSen newsletters each year for distribution to the USM community and maintains the ProSen Web site. Membership is open to all USM professional staff.

1. Kat Schorr
2. Sara Litwiller
3. Dan Welter

Election Committee
The Election Committee coordinates and oversees the election process. Only Profession Senate members who are not candidates for the annual election are eligible for membership. Professional Senate elections are traditionally held in the spring, with the results announced during the annual recognition luncheon in May.

1. Stephen Houser
2. Frank Brooks
3. Cristi Carson
4. Susan Taylor

Professional Development Committee
This committee plans and delivers a minimum of one activity per year. Membership is open to all USM professional staff.

1. Deb Nightingale
2. LeeAnne Dodge
3. Cristi Carson

Retention Committee (Student Success/Retention)
The work of this committee is primarily about student retention, through various initiatives that recognize the quality, commitment and expertise of our professional staff. The retention of professional staff is one of the initiatives of the Colleague Connection Committee.

1. Kat Schorr - Chair
2. Tyler Kidder
3. Carol Sadler

In addition to these committees, senate members participate in the work of the larger USM community by representing professional staff on the following University committees:

• Classified Staff Senate: Nicole Vinal-Harvie, Janine Manning
• Distinguished Professional Staff Award: Julie Atkins
• Divisional Excellence Award Committee: Colleen White
• Emerging Professional Staff Award: Michelene Decrow
• Faculty Senate: Hilmar VonStrunck
• Honorary Degree Committee: Stephen Houser
• Parking & Transportation: Sue Robinson
• President's Budget Advisory Committee: Stephen Houser
• President's Council on Climate Neutrality: Tyler Kidder
• President's Council on Diversity: Susan Taylor
• Student Senate: LeeAnne Dodge, Frank Brooks, Dan Welter & Cristi Carson
• USM Board of Visitors: Kate Mitchell
• USM Governance Constitution Rewrite Committee: Kate Mitchell

Other committee assignments will be announced as they occur.

Updated 12/20/2011