“Over the coming year, my goal is to continue to lead our Staff Senate into an era of growth, influence and shared governance,” said Ledford, who is enterprise systems programmer III for UofL’s Information Technology Services. “I firmly believe that our Staff Senate should be a central pillar of our institution, representing the voices, concerns and aspirations of our dedicated staff. By working together, we can build a stronger, more inclusive and engaging environment that benefits us all.”

One of Ledford’s primary objectives is to raise awareness and understanding of the essential work the senate undertakes. Ledford adds that he will advocate for creating an institution where staff feel valued in a workplace that nurtures both personal and professional growth.

“To effectively champion our staff, we must cultivate strong relationships, build bridges and promote open dialogue,” said Ledford. “I am dedicated to fostering an inclusive and transparent environment where everyone feels heard and represented.”

Kari Donahue, director of communications and marketing for the J.B. Speed School of Engineering, was elected as the senate vice chair, and Carcyle D. Barrett, a paralegal in the Office of University Counsel and past president of the Black Faculty/Staff Association, was re-elected secretary-treasurer.

Smith, assistant director of Intramural and Recreational Sports, will remain on the Staff Senate as an at-large member. In his remarks to the senate, Smith noted how grateful he is to have served the university throughout leadership transitions, the COVID-19 pandemic and efforts to improve employee compensation.

“I think our senate is much stronger than it has been due to the number and quality of individuals who commit to this service,” said Smith. “I am so grateful for the opportunity to work with every one of you.”

In other news:

Additional security cameras will be installed throughout Belknap Campus in the coming months. The new cameras are a proactive measure to improve campus security. Additionally, UofL’s security cameras are connecting to 135 City of Louisville cameras in the immediate vicinity of campus to improve coordination between Louisville Metro and University of Louisville Police Departments.

Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems will be replaced in several university buildings in the coming months. This may cause disruption in some workspaces. Unit managers will be advised on the timing of HVAC replacement.

The agenda, committee reports and other information from the June 13, 2023, UofL Staff Senate meeting is available on the Staff Senate .

John Smith, assistant director of Intramural and Recreational Sports, will serve a fifth term as senate chair. In his remarks at the June 14 monthly Staff Senate meeting, Smith, who also serves as the staff constituency representative on the UofL Board of Trustees, said his priorities for the next year will focus on the presidential search and the compensation and total rewards study.

“I believe we will have a strong candidate pool for the university’s next president,” said Smith who is on the presidential search committee. “I will consider candidates who are committed to shared governance, and I encourage all of our senators to keep sending me their ideas, questions and concerns about the presidential search.”

Where the compensation study is concerned, Smith said he will focus on how the results of the study will be addressed and will push against measures that put unnecessary strains on university departments.

Kevin Ledford, enterprise systems programmer III for UofL’s Information Technology Services, is the newly elected vice chair. He served as the senate’s secretary-treasurer in fiscal year 2021-22 and replaces Andrew Grubb who decided not to run for another term as vice chair.

“I see a lot of challenges and opportunities with shared governance and human capital,” said Ledford. “We must do what we can to make sure our university retains good employees. Our senate must also be sure we have a voice in every room where decisions are made.”

Smith, Ledford and several of the senators thanked Grubb for his service.

“You have all done much more for me than I have done for you,” said Grubb, senior academic coordinator for the University Honors Program. “It was a pleasure to have served you.”

Carcyle D. Barrett, a paralegal in the Office of University Counsel and immediate past president of the Black Faculty/Staff Association, was elected secretary-treasurer. She said, given her capacities at the university, she is confident in her awareness of issues of importance to the senate and university staff and will look for opportunities for the senate to be part of university decision-making. Further, she hopes that the Cardinal Anti-Racism Agenda (CARA) will remain a priority for the new administration and the entire university.

“CARA is not just a characteristic of previous administrations,” said Barrett. “This is a characteristic of all employees now and into the future.”

New Staff Senate website

The new fiscal year also brings a refreshed resource for the Staff Senate and UofL employees. Thanks to the efforts of Senators Kari Donahue and Gretchen Henry, the UofL Staff Senate have been updated to provide more and easier access to senate information. Donahue, a marketing and communications specialist in the J.B. Speed School of Engineering, and Henry, senate coordinator, said the new webpages are the result of about two years of work. Adjustments to the pages will be made as the university’s web improvement project falls into place, and information will be updated as necessary.

Guest speaker: Josh Heird, Athletics

Josh Heird, UofL’s new athletics director, was the guest speaker at the Staff Senate meeting. In his comments to the senate, Heird, who previously served as interim athletic director since December 2021, said that more frequent communication between Athletics and the Staff Senate is integral to strengthening trust throughout the university community.

“Athletics may be the most visible department in the university, but it is certainly not the most important,” said Heird, who also noted fiscal responsibility and providing student-athletes with the resources they need to succeed as some of his other priorities. “All of us work together to make sure our students are proud to learn here and work here.”

Other business

• Committee reports for the June 14, 2022, Staff Senate meeting are available on the Staff Senate .
• The next UofL Staff Senate meeting is Tuesday, July 12, and will be held via Microsoft Teams.