President's Address

Good afternoon, All!

Wow, what a whirlwind of a first month! I can hardly believe it’s been a month since I started on this exciting (and slightly overwhelming) journey of representing you as Staff Senate president. It feels like I just blinked and here we are—welcoming our next group of Tigers and preparing for the excitement of the fall campus life!

First, let me tell you about my meeting with President Tate. I walked in with little foresight of what to expect and a whole lot of anxiety about being the one to represent all of you! However, that anxiety quickly dissipated as Faculty Senate President Dan Tirone and I got into discussions with President Tate about current events on campus and the culture and future growth of LSU. We met for over an hour discussing everything from the budget to our pie-in-the-sky dreams for LSU. Our conversation was transparent, forthcoming, and hopeful. While we know there are a lot of issues to tackle, from the budget to campus maintenance to enrollment and there is a whole lot of unknown, we all agree that we are deeply committed to furthering the wellbeing and engagement of our staff, faculty, and students. And while we didn’t solve any of the problems facing staff or the institution, we did establish a collaborative foundation to seek out solutions and affirmed our commitment to winning as a united team.

I also had the honor of participating in commencement, where I witnessed more than 1,000 graduates walk across the stage. It was a powerful reminder of why we’re all here—helping students achieve their dreams. The magic of graduates’ families cheering and celebrating their success reminded me that, while I don’t know their stories, I do know they earned the right to celebrate their achievement. And while I don’t know each of your stories, you have also earned the right for us to celebrate your wins! So, we have developed a submission form for you to submit your wins, and we will share them in our newsletter in the future. You are welcome to submit anything you’d like—graduations, awards, marriages, babies, adoptions, etc. My only ask is that if you submit on behalf of someone else, please ask their permission first. We need to respect those who wish to keep their wins private. To submit, please click here.

Now, as we settle into the daily fall life with students and football, it is a good time to revisit campus safety. There have been some good wins for us with the completion of the campus lighting project, installation of blue lights, and a new pocket safety guide with a QR code for reporting safety hazards. There is an upcoming Campus Safety Day on September 4 that includes visits and exercises across campus to increase awareness and practice our response in the event of an emergency. I would encourage each of you to check with your supervisor on your unit or building’s emergency plans and reach out to the Office of Emergency Preparedness for copies of the pocket guide or with any questions or concerns about our campus safety.

Speaking of preparedness, some of you have started receiving communications from Teachers’ Retirement System of Louisiana (TRSL) about Act 109. This law provides a much-needed opportunity for employees to switch from the Optional Retirement Plan (ORP) to TRSL. However, before making any switch, each person needs to consider the impact on their own retirement. I wish I was a legal tax advisor to give you specific advice, but since I’m not, the best advice I can give you is to attend one of the upcoming town halls with TRSL and HRM on September 4 and 5. This is where you will find the experts who can guide you through your questions and help you make the decision that is best for you. You can register to attend one of those town halls on the Training and Events registration page.  

Finally, we are full-on planning for Fall Fest, the New Staff Reception, and Holiday on Campus! If you’ve ever seen a well-orchestrated circus, that’s what we’re aiming for but with fewer clowns and more purple and gold cheer. I can’t wait for us all to come together for these events and celebrate all the reasons we have to be grateful for one another and our institution.

Let’s keep the momentum going, stay connected, and, above all, continue to show up for each other. If you have any ideas, questions, or just want to chat, my door is always open—unless it’s closed, and I’m listening to crime shows while I work. In that case, just knock a little louder.

Thank you all for your enthusiasm and support. Here’s to a winning and fun-filled year ahead!

Cheers and Geaux Tigers,

Olivia

Staff Senate President
oliviaphelps@lsu.edu