Chair’s Note

Saludos WSU AP Community,

Where has the time gone? It doesn’t seem like that long ago when we were just welcoming our new and returning Administrative Professional (AP) staff to begin the new term. Our campuses are bustling with a vibrant and engaged community of APs committing themselves to provide the best educational experience and pushing WSU to new heights. I am immensely grateful to be part of a group that day in and day out conducts themselves with integrity, exudes passion and creates spaces that nurture excellence.

The Administrative Professional Advisory Council (APAC) strives to effectively represent the voices that form our community and to provide an avenue in which all AP voices are heard. It is to that goal that we are constantly thinking of innovative ways to engage with all of you. I am happy to announce that in the next couple of months, APAC will host forums at each individual campus. The objective is to provide a space for all AP voices to be heard; to feel included in the conversations that occur with upper level administration; and to provide input on the ways we offer programming and professional development opportunities. It is our hope that these forums will serve as a starting point to a new level of engagement, transparency, and create a spirit of collaboration within the group. Please remain attentive as marketing information for these forums will be forthcoming. We hope that you will take some time out of your busy schedule to come learn how you fit into the vision of making APAC a truly representative body. Your participation is imperative!

Finally, you will notice that we have a new and improved website. Please browse through and discover all of the resources APAC has made available for you. Of particular importance check out the Contact section and send us your feedback, questions and concerns.

Vamos Cougs,
Ray Acuña-Luna, Chair

Employee training webinar aids undocumented students

In 2012, President Obama increased attention on undocumented students pursuing college degrees when he announced the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Since President Obama’s announcement, institutions of higher education have begun developing positions and trainings to help undocumented students navigate the higher education system. WSU is proud to be on the cutting edge of these developments with its new web training resource on teaching and supporting undocumented students.

Read more about the training.

Monthly APAC Meeting with President Schulz

Do you have issues impacting APs that you would like addressed with President Schulz? Please tell us what your comments and concerns. Please note that if you are raising a concern, President Schulz has expressed interest in hearing how you recommend the concern be resolved.

New APAC Website

Over the summer, the APAC Marketing Committee was hard at work revamping the APAC website. Take a look at the new, streamlined website.

Apply for a Mini-Grant (Deadline: 31 October 2016)

APAC is holding its second grant application cycle. You can apply for up to $250. Get your application and find more information.

APAC Council Member wins Chancellor’s Award

Congratulations to our APAC Council Member, Nikki Hinshaw, who won the Vancouver Chancellor’s Award for Staff Excellence! Read more about her award.

Nikki Hinshaw, left, with WSU Vancouver Chancellor Mel Netzhammer.

Upcoming APAC program

Our next APAC meeting is October 13, 2016, 9:00-10:30 a.m. The presenter is Guy Westhoff on enterprise systems for WSU.

Regular APAC meetings are scheduled for the second Thursday of each month from 9:00-10:30 a.m. Meetings are broadcast via AMS. All AP Staff members are invited to attend. Can’t attend the meeting in person? Call in on the phone bridge at 509-335-9445, meeting ID is 02722. All meetings will be held in Lighty 405.

August 15, 2016

From the Chair

The Administrative Professional Advisory Council (APAC) is gearing up for another great year! It is not without your endless commitment that we continue making APAC a site for engagement, professional development and advocacy on behalf all those that make Washington State University a great place to work. We are so lucky and thankful to be closely connected with WSU administration. Throughout the years, APAC has developed a close connection with the President, Provost and other upper level administration. They not only value but expect our feedback on how we can continue working together to improve Washington State University.

It is with that in mind that we want to be sure that we are as accessible as possible to all Administrative Professionals (AP) and we do realize that attending general meetings is not always possible. However, we want to encourage you to connect with us if you have a concern or feedback, events you would like us to consider or ways to better engage with you. No item is too little! As we continue improving our impact and presence on campus, your participation is key in making it happen. Visit our website at apac.wsu.edu to learn more about APAC and our meeting times.

Feel free to email me at ray.acuna@wsu.edu with any feedback. As a representative body, we truly seek to represent your views to the best of our abilities. Please engage with us!

Ray Acuña-Luna
Chair

New APAC officers

Welcome new officers elected for the 2016-2017 year. Please greet them and feel free to reach out to them with any questions.

Ray Acuña-Luna, Chair

Adam Williams, Secretary/Treasurer

Brigitta Jozefowski, Vice Chair

Northwest Coalition of Professional Staff Conference

WSU Pullman hosted the 2nd annual Northwest Coalition of Professional Staff (NCPS) Conference July 21-22nd and had an amazing turnout. 93 attendees from 12 universities representing Idaho, Oregon and Washington gathered to network and increase their professional development in topics such as Emotional Intelligence, Customer Service Attitude & Leadership, Advocacy as Empowerment and much more.

Opening the conference was Provost Bernardo; Glenn Johnson, Mayor of Pullman; and opening keynote speaker, State Representative Kevin Parker. Attendees were able to choose from 5 breakout sessions during the two days, attend the Thursday night banquet at Banyans with Cyndy Stevenson presenting and closed Friday with Cyndy’s final presentation titled “How to Lead Ourselves and Others through Change”.

Early reviews noted the high level of topics for the breakout sessions and the ability to network on several different occasions with other universities and their university colleagues.

If you were not able to attend this year’s conference stay tuned for more information for NCPS 2017 which will be held near Western Washington University in Bellingham.

For those that went this year, please share your experience with other AP staff here at WSU and other universities. We look forward to the program next year and hope you can all attend!

Fall Term Begins – Week of Welcome

Week of Welcome 2016 beings with the official University move-in on Wednesday, August 17th. Check with your campus to see what events are in store for the Week of Welcome. This can be from volunteering to help students during move-in day or waving a Cougar flag or simply being a friendly smile to a lost student.

August 22nd marks the beginning of Fall Term. Our roles are important not only to the campus and departments but also to our students. Some are returning for their second year or more while others are entering college for their first time. Let’s greet them with Cougar Pride and show them that they are important to the whole of WSU.

Changes Ahead to APAC Website

We here at APAC strive to assist our fellow APs with notifying you about events that we feel are important or alerting you to professional development classes or scholarships. We have noticed that our website needs a little updating and so we will begin doing just that. Our website will be under construction so you will see changes in the next couple of month that we hope will benefit you. Stay tuned for more information.

AP Survey

Every fall we send out a survey to all of our APs. Look for this in September and please take the time to respond. The information collected influences APAC’s programming and it is a helpful tool in allowing us to see what is important to you.

Upcoming APAC program

Our first APAC regular meeting of the fall is September 8, 2016, 1:30-3 p.m.

Beginning in October, regular APAC meetings are scheduled for the second Thursday of each month from 9:00-10:30 a.m. Meetings are broadcast via AMS. All AP Staff members are invited to attend. Can’t attend the meeting in person? Call in on the phone bridge at 509-335-9445, meeting ID is 02722. All meetings will be held in Lightly 405.