current topics >>>
REACHING FOR THE TOP
• Large Freshman Class
• Faculty-Staff Recognition Program
and Staff Appreciation Week
• All University Conference Notes
• New TU Staff Members
• Staff Performance Award Winners
• Homecoming 2023 Highlights
Chairman’s Corner
– by Dr. Preston Robinson
A Publication of the Tuskegee University Staff Senate
in this issue >>>
For more go to www.tuskegee.edu/news
#OneTuskegee
Greetings Tuskegee University Family!
It has been a pleasure to serve
as your Staff Senate Chair for
the past four years. We have
an
exciting new year planned
for
everyone, starting with
professional development to
collaborations with other Senates. Our Lunch
and Learn Series began in October, starting
with a partnership with University Archives
Month. We will also have sessions on Mental
Health, Health &
Wellness, Microsoft Office,
and many more.
Our goals this year are to increase morale, to
promote transparency, and to work with
Ranked among the top HBCUs in the
2024
U.S. News & World Report rankings, TU
was
designated as a 2023 Fulbright HBCU
Institutional Leader, as recognized by the U.S.
Department of State. The Fulbright HBCU
Institutional Leaders Initiative was established
in 2019 by the Bureau of Educational and
Cultural Affairs, Tuskegee actively recruits
and supports a diverse range of scholar
applicants, ensuring that persons
from all
backgrounds and types of institutions are
represented in the Fulbright Program. The
university is committed to enabling
successful
and enriching experiences for participants
throughout their exchange journeys.
INSTITUTIONAL LEADER
improvements for the university.
and Faculty and
Ceremony.
Staff Senate Committees:
• Communications and Public Relations
• Staff Development and Recognition
• Special Events and Community Building
Professional Development and Positive Improvements
Issue
NOV
2023
T
and most of all … STUDENTS.
The university is undergoing a major
transformation to re-
position itself to provide an
even better quality of education for its students,
but also to create an environment and
workplace setting that leads to better job
satisfaction for all employees, while meeting
institutional goals. Thus, the goal is to educate
and prepare students with academic degrees for
their chosen career choice.
Tuskegee University cannot exist without
meeting this institutional goal.
Recognizing this
important fact, it is critical that we deliver the
best possible customer service to stud
ents and
each other every day.
Customer S
ervice is a primary objective of
President Morris and the campus Strategic
Plan, and it aligns with the theme of “One-
Tuskegee”.
There are three (3) critical
components of “Customer Service” as we
know it. It begins
with the personal
“ATTITUDE” we have daily, and how it is
displayed with the people we interact with
during the typical workday.
Obviously, a more positive attitude can go a
long way to delivering the se
rvice everyone
does every day.
A positive attitude tends to be
polite, patient, and empa
thetic to the people we
serve. A negative attitude sombers the
workplace with complaints, pessimism, and
poor service. Let’s get rid of the latter.
Secondly, a clear understanding of our
“ROLE” and responsibilities with the best
training allows us to perform the job and meet
the needs of the position. Most of us do more
than the actual job description, but our
commitment to providing good service dictates
Guest Editorial >>>
This year the AUC kicked off the school year with a full slate of activities
for faculty and staff.
Staff heard presentations from the Offices of
Business and Fiscal Affairs (BFA) Units, HR,
Marketing and Communications, Sponsored
Programs, Grants & Contracts, and ADA
. Each
was followed by Q&As.
Another Speaker was
our own Provost, Dr. S. Keith Hargrove
, who
spoke from the subject: Are YOU Plugged In?
… and speaking of Dr. Hargrove,
see his editorial below.
Customer Service…is Everyone’s
Responsibility!
– by Dr. S. Keith Hargrove
All University Conference
Welcome Aboard
New Hires!
ready, set, go >>>
this and is also a function of our Attitude.
Therefore, let’s always seek to improve, get
better, and be the best in our role. And lastly,
recognizing the “PURPOSE” of why we are
employed and the mission of the university.
When we understand the big picture, it gives
us meaning and loyalty to our role and job
position. I am confident that every Tuskegee
University employee has this idea in mind, and
we all must continue to practice and deliver the
great service we all deserve. As your Provost, I
often say that “We are only as GREAT…as we
will ALLOW ourselves to BE”!
―S. Keith Hargrove, PhD, serves as Provost
& Sr. Vice President for Academic Affairs at
Tuskegee University.
Name Department__________
Maurice Antoine CAENS
Akemi Cannon Financial Aid
Aaryn Dubose Biomed. Research/RCMI
Chemar Huntley COE
Montel Jones Women's Basketball
Tameka King Cooperative Extension
Sumaiya Mahmud Human Resources Mgt
Anthony Pinkston Cooperative Extension
Latrenda Porter Student Health
Wesley Reynolds COE
James Ross CAENS
Veronica Royal CAENS
Alexis Russell Residence Life
James Satchell Architecture
Matthew Smith Basketball
Tyrone Smith Cooperative Extension
Brian Sorrells Information Technology
Shakeya Tate Central Lab Animal Facility
Aariyan Tooley Office of VPBFA
Recep Ulucak Agricultural Sciences
Akhil Vinithakumari Pathobiology
Ebony Wells TU Police Department
Chiante Wester Athletics Department
Gerald Young Counseling Center
Planning for t
he Fall 2023 All University
Conference (AUC) began several months
prior
to the event. The Aug. 14
th
conference was held
in the Gen. Daniel “Chappie” James Center and
focused on “Opportunities for Growth and
Transformation.”
The f
eatured speaker for the event
was Dr. Travis Smith, an ass
t.
professor at Auburn University.
His
focus is on
inquiry, practice, and
pedagogy that helps
disrupt
oppressive systems to
support racially
minoritized
students. Dr. Smith’s research
centered on Black student involvement, HBCUs,
and Black graduate education.
He is Executive
Director of Unite Inc,
which he founded to
improve freshman retention rates.
After enjoying the delicious boxed lunches
,
attendees were treated to plenary sessions
and
concurrent breakout sessions.
On behalf of President Charlotte
Morris, I bring you
greetings
from the administration. As
Provost, I want to commend and
say thanks to the STAFF for
your dedication, commitment,
and service to each other, faculty
Gwen
2023 STAFF PERFORMANCE AWARDS
Category Winners
ADMINISTRATIVE/CLERICAL
Natasha Staples-White – CBIS
Lillie Echols – Office of Alumni Affairs
PROFESSIONAL (NON-FACULTY)
Stacie Henderson – Business & Finance Dept.
Christina Donner – Business & Finance Dept.
TECHNICAL/PARAPROFESSIONAL
Cassandra Cooper – OCPRM
RESEARCH ADMINISTRATION
Peter Gichuhi – CAENS
Gwen Brown – CAS
SERVICE
Lenard Walker – CVM
Anthony Pearsall – CVM
The Tuskegee University Staff Senate strives to highlight and recognize the
outstanding service rendered by TU staff members.
Recognizing Staff for Dedicated
Service and Superior Performance
The 70th Annual Staff and Faculty Recognition
Awards Ceremony
was held on May 9, 2023 at
2pm in the Tompkins Hall Ballroom, with Dr.
S. Keith Hargrove, Provost and Senior VP for
Academic Affairs presiding.
Chief Administrative Officer John D.
Chambers brought the greetings, and
Staff
Employee Awards were announced by C
hief
Operating Officer Dr. Rolundus R. Rice.
Retirement and Twenty-
five Year Service
Awards were also presented.
Dr. Gregory S. Gray, Dean of the Chapel
brought the Invocation
for the awards
ceremony. He
also brought the Benediction
and the Blessing of the Food a
fter the Faculty
Achievement and Performance A
wards were
presented. To top it all off, toe-
tapping musical
selections were performed by the Tuskegee
University Saxophone Ensemble.
Congratulations to all nine of the Staff Performance category winners. (Photos not available for some.)
Staff Appreciation Week is an annual
celebration of Tuskegee University staff
members to recognize their
valiant
contributions to the university. Throughout
the week of March 6-10, 2023
(while students
were on Spring Break), activities wer
e
planned for staff members.
Monday — W
e greeted everyone at
Lincoln Gates with “appreciation b
ags” full of
healthy snacks and hand-written messages of
encouragement
. We followed that up with a
virtual Quiz Bowl on Tuskegee trivia.
Tuesday — W
e hosted a Scavenger Hunt.
Players were asked to locate various objects
around their offices
and workspaces. Items
such as jump drives, cell phone chargers, and
pictures of historical figures were among the
hardest to find.
Kudos to Janeen Roberts and
her team for organizing the Scavenger Hunt.
It was a big hit and will most likely
be
repeated.
Wednesday — W
e hosted two workout
sessions to promote physical fitness. The in-
person session was led by Pressure Fitness, an
on-
campus student organization dedicated to
teaching people how to be physically fit. The
virtual workout session, led by David
Henderson focused on quick and easy
exercises that anyone could do at their desk.
Thursday — O
ur annual luncheon was
carried out in a picnic style—
but inside. DJ
Reggie Reg on the ones and twos. Richard
Glaze II had the karaoke station all ready to
go. Kimberly Pointer led the l
ine dancing and
there were board/card
games to keep everyone
busy until the delicious lunch was ready.
Friday — W
e planned a Day Party, themed
as “College Day” where staff were asked to
wear paraphernalia from their alma mater.
Overall, the
feedback received indicated that
staff had a wonderful time. We would
like to
thank everyone involved in making Staff
Appreciation Week a huge success!
STAFF SENATE WEBSITE:
www.tuskegee.edu/staffsenate
Employee of the Year – Stefan Smith
is congratulated by Dr. S. Keith Hargrove, Provost
and Dr. Preston Robinson, Staff Senate Chair.
Appreciation Week
Employee of the Year – Dawn Calhoun
is congratulated by Dr. S. Keith Hargrove, Provost
and Dr. Preston Robinson, Staff Senate Chair.
Lillie
Cassandra
Peter
Natasha
Staff
TU alum and Bitcoin expert Sinclair Skinner
served as Grand Marshal and Convocation
speaker of TU’s 99
th
Homecoming Celebration.
Gospel Explosion:
Oct 8 at 5pm, Logan Hall,
featuring Koryn Hawthorne.
Mister & Miss Tuskegee Gala:
Oct. 12 at 6
pm, Chappie James Arena, featuring the 26th
Mister TU
, Keith Kimbrow II, and the 94th
Miss Tuskegee University, Brianna Miles.
The Homecoming Parade:
featuring dazzling
floats, the Marching Crimson Piper Band, and
many participants local and surrounding areas.
Alumni Reunion Events: Celebrating Classes
of 1988, 1993, 1998, 2003, 2008, 2013, and
2018. Class Reunion Brunch, All Black Party
featuring Chubb Rock and Pastor Troy.
Homecoming Game: The TU
Golden Tigers
hosted Edward Waters Tigers at 1:00 pm.
Homecoming Concerts: Fri, Oct. 13, Lady K,
Kashdoll, and Rob 49 performed for SGA HC
Concert in Chappie James Arena. Alumni and
Friends
enjoyed the All Black Party featuring
Chubb Rock and Pastor Troy in Logan Hall.
NPHC Stepshow: Sat, Oct. 14 at 7 pm,
Chappie James Arena, hosted by Mr. Bankshot.
upcoming events >>>
Getting the Numbers Back Up
• Dec 3 – Choir Christmas Concert
• Dec 14 – University Holiday Social
• Nov 23-24 – Thanksgiving Break
• Nov 28 – Giving Tuesday (give a donation)
• Dec 20-Jan 1 – Christmas & New Year Break
• Apr 2-5, 2024 – Staff Appreciation Week
• Apr 2024 – Staff & Faculty Recognition
Due to strategic and innovative recruitment
efforts, a hard-
working admissions team,
dedicated alumni, engaged faculty and
energetic student recruiters, these 750 new
students
grew to over 900 new and
transfer students for Fall 2023!
Homecoming 2023 was
…
“TUgether”
There’s a Large Freshman Class on Campus!
need to know info >>>
Using the many
achievements of
Tuskegee to set a theme, students were
encouraged to…
GET READY TO
TAKE FLIGHT: Your journey
to greatness starts here!
The influx of applications and campus
tours was a true testament of the legacy of
Tuskegee University. Recruitment is truly
the job of everyone
, and we want to thank
the entire Tuskegee University
community for their role in growing new
student enrollment and expanding the TU
'paw' print. #OneTuskegee!
The
Tuskegee University
Office of Admissions and
Recruitment, with its four
(4) recruiters and two (2)
s
upport staff, set out to
recruit 750 new students
for Fall 2023 semester.
Dr. Courtney Griffin