I have been the Director of Facilities for the College of Human Ecology for over 18 years and feel a strong sense of commitment and dedication to the CHE Community.  In 2016, I was elected as the EA Representative for the College. In 2017, in alignment with my work responsibilities and interests, I was elected to chair the EA Transportation Taskforce which worked in strong partnership with Transportation Services to elevate and address issues and concerns of the employee body regarding parking and other elements of the transportation system.  In 2019, I accepted the responsibility to chair the Employee Welfare Committee. While we have remained in strong and active partnership with Transportation Services, our committee has expanded our collaboration with the Office of Work/Life to advance initiatives associated with employee wellness at a broader level.  I appreciate the opportunity the EA has provided me to represent the staff of CHE and to develop a strong partnership with Transportation Services and the Office of Work/Life for the past 4 years.  I would be honored to continue this service for upcoming term.  Thank you for considering my candidacy.

 

 

I am Karen Michelle LoParco and I am seeking re-election for the Graduate School, Law Schoool, and Johnson School Representative on the Employee Assembly (EA). I have held this position for the past term as well as the Parliamentarian position on the Executive Committee. My role at the Law School is in events coordination and due to the pandemic, I have been assisting other departments as needed. During my tenure on the EA, we have worked very hard to listen to our constituents and work with the administrators on addressing your concerns. Several resolutions have passed out of our committees for President Pollack to review. One important resolution from the Benefits Policy Committee sought to have the Funeral Leave (bereavement) policy adapted to be more inclusive of the modern family. We are grateful that President Pollack approved that portion of our resolution. This experience has shown me that shared governance is important for a healthy work environment. The Staff Forums have also quantified the high level of engagement with staff across campus and the importance of the collective voice to our administrators. The EA is your voice and I would like to continue this work as your representative. Thank you for your support!

 

When I joined the Employee Assembly in November of 2019, I could never have imagined the radical disruption our campus, our region and the world would experience this spring. Despite the dramatic impacts COVID-19 has had I am proud of the work we did on behalf of all Cornell staff and hope to continue representing the staff who support the School of Hotel Administration. 

 

While Cornell prepares for a return to campus it is more important than ever that Employee voices are heard and considered in the University decision making process. Staff are vital to Cornell’s continued success, and critical to our faculty and student achievements. Without the staff there can be no University.

 

If I am fortunate enough to be elected to serve another term representing the Hotel School staff I will keep listening to staff and relay any questions and concerns they might have through the available channels. 

 

 

Hello, my name is Amanda Simpson.  I am currently the Undergraduate Program Coordinator for the Office of Student Services at the School of Hotel Administration; I have been happily employed with Cornell for almost 13 years.  I reside in a very small town called Waverly, NY with my husband and two children (ages 8 and 3).  

 

Cornell has made such a lasting impact both for me professionally and in my personal life. During the pandemic I have attended many of the EA sessions offered and learned more about this group.  I would love the opportunity to be the voice not only for those in my college, but employees across the university to!  It is imperative during these uncertain times that the employees have a voice and we continue to pursue initiatives that not only provides a healthy work/life balance but fosters a sense of community and support.  I'd love the opportunity to be part of that change and growth.  Thank you! 

 

I am running for reelection as the Employee Assembly Representative for the Division of University Relations. 

 

In my initial two-year term, I’ve served on the EA’s Welfare Committee and on the Transportation task force. These groups, in conjunction with the full EA, have worked with staff colleagues to address topics related to transportation, wellness and wellbeing, work-life balance and inclement weather. We also review and share resources available to staff through Human Resources, such as the CARE fund and Faculty Staff Assistance Program.

 

The EA partnered with the Division of Human Resources in 2018-2019 to sponsor a series of informal Staff Conversations and worked with HR to synthesize key points to help guide the EA’s priorities moving forward. 

 

During the COVID-19 pandemic the EA has supported transparency and served as a conduit for staff concerns. The EA and HR initiated the 2020 staff forum series to facilitate communication between staff and senior leadership as we all move through this unprecedented and ongoing period of change.

 

I am honored to participate in Cornell’s shared governance system on behalf of my divisional colleagues and would welcome the opportunity to continue serving you.

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Hi, I am Brian Goodell and I would like to be your voice on the Employee Assembly. I feel that I bring a unique perspective to the Employee Assembly because of my vast array of experience that I have acquired during my 30+ years at Cornell. I have always been an advocate for my fellow Cornell employees, and have served on the Employee Assembly and the University Assembly in the past. I served as the UAW 2300 President from 2001-2004, where I fought for better working conditions for my constituents. I returned to the Employee Assembly this past year where I was elected by my peers on the Employee Assembly as the current chair of the Benefits and Policies Committee.

 

While serving as the chair of this committee I am happy to report that we were successful at passing resolutions that updated the Funeral Leave Policy to add a more inclusive definition of “Family”, and we were also able to pass a resolution in support of employees for continued employment during the COVID-19 Crises. I am asking for your vote so that I can continue serving you, and I can continue advocating the issues that are most important for all of us at Cornell. 

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I began working at Cornell in January 2020 as an Assistant University Registrar managing records compliance. I have worked at several institutions in my career and chose to become a Cornell employee because of its inclusiveness and respect for all individuals. As the LGBTQ+ Representative At-Large, I would bolster this inclusiveness and respect by ensuring LGBTQ+ voices, and the voices of all Cornell employees, are heard and represented. As an institution, we cannot make progress until all of us are fully included. Cornell is universally known as a welcoming institution where "any person can find instruction in any study," and I believe this founding principle can, and should, be broadened to encompass not only those attending Cornell, but those of us lucky enough to work here as well. "Any person" is welcome at Cornell, no matter their role. As a new employee with previous Staff Council experience, I believe I will bring a fresh perspective to Cornell's Employee Assembly and help us continue to move Cornell forward. Cornell is a special place, especially for those of us in the LGBTQ+ family, and I would be both honored and humbled to serve as your LGBTQ+ Representative At-Large. 

 

 

As a queer-identifying and transgender/non-binary-identifying employee of Cornell, I believe I can help represent the interests of LGBTQIA2+ Cornell employees. As someone with both of those identities, I frequently look at issues in the workplace and at large through both the lenses of sexuality and of gender. As a part of my work at eCornell, I am also explicitly working to bridge the gaps between Cornell departments and employees of all walks of life. I am a part of the development team that is creating the Cornell staff-wide training on belonging, diversity, inclusion, and allyship, so I am thinking about how Cornell staff communicate and work together, as well as with the university. This experience in particular has given me a lot of insight into how staff members experience Cornell differently based on their marginalize identities, as well as their particular role. I also have served on several boards and hiring committees, and have a background in training people on LGBTQIA+ issues at Ithaca College, which I believe will give me additional skills needed to serve in this role. 

 

Hello! I’m Kit and I’m running for the Non-Exempt Employee Representative seat. I’ve held non-exempt temporary, UAW, & full-time positions in my 8 years at Cornell, bringing a variety of perspectives to this seat. 

 

In 11/19, I started my involvement in the EA through the Benefits & Policy Committee (BPC) and have accomplished the following thus far:

Thank you for considering your vote in support of advancing my unwavering employee advocacy efforts in the EA.

 

 

I’m Research & Administrative Manager with Weill Institute for Cell & Molecular Biology and currently serve on Employee Assembly in the Non-Exempt Employee seat. I actively participate in both the Benefits & Policy Committee and Communications Committee.

 

Serving the non-exempt employee constituency is not easy with over 3,600 employees falling into that classification. I found my best approach has been to arm myself with knowledge. It’s been my priority to familiarize myself with policies, procedures and resources available to employees. My main focus has been equal access to benefits, professional development, and campus engagement for staff across all colleges, units and departments.

 

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