Staff Senate Committees

Committee rosters for the 2025-2026 fiscal year:

• Angel Bear Tree Committee
• Appointments Committee
• Basketball Committee
• By-Laws
• Compensation Committee
• Communications & Outreach Committee
• Courtesy Committee
• Elections Committee
• Emergency Fund Committee
• Employee Recognition Committee
• Football Committee
• Professional Development Committee
• UCA Public Appearances
• Scholarship Committee
• Spring Social Committee
• Staff Grants
• Staff Handbook Committee
• Winter Feast Committee

Angel Bear Tree Committee

Charge

To provide assistance with holiday expenses for ÍøÆØÃÅ and Aramark employees. Specifically, this is done through administering the Angel Bear Tree program on campus to gather, sort, and distribute gift donations.

Members

• Shalia Delph, Co-Chair
• Brandy Davis, Co-Chair
• Logan Wile
• Thomas McDaniel
• Logan Wolfe
• Jasmine Driver
• Jackie Easley
• Audreka Peten

Appointments Committee

Charge

Make recommendations to Senate of appointments to university and Staff Senate committees; make recommendations to Senate to fill vacant Senate positions.

Members

• Dylan Richardson, Chair
• Hannah Hanshaw
• Brandy Davis
• Melanie Watson

Basketball Committee

Charge

Acquire and equip workers to work as ushers for each home basketball game. These volunteer positions raise money for Staff Senate to use to benefit as many ÍøÆØÃÅ staff members as possible through Staff Senate sponsored programs.

Members

• Jasmine Driver, Co-Chair
• Robby Burton, Co-Chair
• Sherita Kern
• Teresa Burton
• Logan Wolfe
• Tiffany Block
• Tiffany Turner

Compensation Committee

Charge

Develop a 5-year plan for addressing salary concerns of staff within the budget and make recommendations to the Strategic Budget Advisory Committee (SBAC).

Members

• Melanie Watson, Chair
• Jackie Easley
• Anita Mahathay
• Bransen Dickson
• Jasmine Driver
• Tiffany Turner
• Alyssa Sparks
• Tiffany Block

Communications & Outreach Committee

Charge

Develop and implement a communication plan for Staff Senate.

Members

• Teresa Burton, Chair
• Bo Blew (PAT)
• Sandra Chikerotis (Courtesy Chair)
• Jahaziel Martinez
• Daniel Harris
• Alyssa Sparks
• Bransen Dickson
• Shelly Vangsnes

Courtesy Committee (Sub Committee)

Charge

Receive notification of staff and faculty members who are suffering significant loss or who are celebrating a significant milestone, and send Congratulations, Get Well, Goodbye, New Baby, Retirement, Sympathy, or Thinking of You greeting cards.

Members

• Sandra Chikerotis

Please complete this form to complete a courtesy card request. 

Elections Committee

Charge

Determine upcoming vacancies on the Senate and fill appropriately within the constraints of the approved constitution.

Members

• Dylan Richardson, Vice President (Chair)
• Shalia Delph
• Sherita Kern
• Bo Blew
• Teresa Burton
• Jenny Ruud

Emergency Fund Committee

Charge

To serve as responsible stewards of the Staff Senate Emergency Fund. The committee shall administer all activities related to review, approval, and fund disbursement related to all Staff Senate Emergency Fund applications.

Members

• Teresa Burton, Co-Chair
• Logan Wolfe, Co-Chair
• Shalia Delph, Non-Voting (Treasurer)
• Daniel Harris
• Audreka Peten
• Jasmine Driver

Employee Recognition Committee

Charge

Award deserving ÍøÆØÃÅ staff members by recognizing an Employee of the Quarter for each quarter, as well as Employee of the Year.

Members

• Shalia Delph, Chair
• Alyssa Sparks
• Melanie Watson
• Logan Wile
• Melissa Eubanks

Football Committee

Charge

Acquire and equip volunteers to work as gate attendants, ticket takers, and ushers for each home football game. These volunteer positions raise money for Staff Senate to use to benefit as many ÍøÆØÃÅ staff members as possible through Staff Senate sponsored programs.

Members

• Sandra Chikerotis, Co-Chair
• Bransen Dickson, Co-Chair
• Daniel Harris
• Audreka Peten
• Logan Wile
• Alex Smith-Todd
• Thomas McDaniel

Professional Development Committee

Charge

To assist staff employees in pursuing opportunities for professional development.

Members

• Hannah Hanshaw, Co-Chair
• Tiffany Block, Co-Chair
• Shalia Delph, Non-Voting (Treasurer)
• Tiffany Turner
• Robby Burton
• Bridget Fortenberry (University Training representative)

UCA Public Appearances Committee

Members

• Hannah Hanshaw, Co-Chair
• Robert Hall, Co-Chair
• Dylan Richardson
• Robby Burton
• Shelly Vangsnes
• Jackie Easley
• Brandy Davis
• Jahaziel Martinez

Scholarship Committee

Charge

The Committee is responsible for reviewing the electronic applications received for the following scholarships: Staff Employee, Staff Dependent, and Lily Harmon. After application review is complete, the Committee will notify the recipients of the award per semester.

Members

• Travis Johnson, Co-Chair
• Logan Wile, Co-Chair
• Robert Hall
• Tiffany Block
• Robyn Smith
• Bransen Dickson

Spring Social Committee

Charge

To organize a luncheon open to staff and faculty that is sponsored by the President’s Office and Staff Senate.

Members

• Melanie Watson, Co-Chair
• Sherita Kern, Co-Chair
• Robert Hall
• Logan Wile
• Anita Mahathay
• Robby Burton
• Robyn Smith
• Audreka Peten
• Brandy Davis
• Travis Johnson

Staff Handbook Committee

Charge

This committee is charged with keeping the Staff Handbook current and relevant to the needs of staff which includes the following: review board policies to ensure the most current policy is reflected in the handbook; make suggestions for revisions and updates to policies; work with HR to make any revisions needed; compare manual and policies to other universities our size to ensure we are current and transparent with all information that should be covered by asking committee members to research policies and table of content information in staff handbooks.

Members

• Robyn Smith, Chair
• Tiffany Turner
• Hannah Hanshaw
• Melissa Eubanks

Winter Feast Committee

Charge

To organize a fundraiser luncheon open to staff and faculty that is sponsored by the President’s Office and Aramark, the donations of which will go to the Angel Bear Tree Fund.

Members

• Melanie Watson, Co-Chair
• Travis Johnson, Co-Chair
• Logan Wile
• Anita Mahathay
• Daniel Harris
• Thomas McDaniel
• Logan Wolfe
• Shelly Vangsnes
• Sandra Chikerotis

Future-Ready Bears (ad-hoc)

Charge

Members

• Shalia Delph, Co-Chair
• Thomas McDaniel, Co-chair
• Brandy Davis
• Anita Mahathay
• Logan Wolfe
• Robby Burton