STAFF ASSEMBLY
The Southern Oregon University Staff Assembly, established in 2021, is an elected body of classified and unclassified staff responsible for representing and protecting the interests of all SOU staff.
NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
SOU STAFF APPRECIATION EVENT
A heartfelt thanks to all of you who attended our annual appreciation event. From the delicious food to our fierce Cornhole and ‘Roshambo’ (what some of us who are transplants know more familiarly as the game ‘Rock, Paper, Scissors’ 😁) competitions, it was a wonderful time that we could not have had without you!
BE A STAFF COMMITTEE MEMBER
We still have a few openings on all three of our fantastic committees. You DO NOT need to be a Staff Assembly representative to serve as a committee member. Make your voice heard, make us stronger, and make some new friends! Interested? Please fill out this form.
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MEMBERSHIP & CONTACTS
Executive Committee
Stephanie Hanigan, Chair
Melissa Matthewson, Chair-elect (As of July, 2025)
Stacey Westrum
Service Committee
Aubrey Owens
Bylaws & Elections Committee
MEETINGS
Staff Assembly meetings are generally held via Zoom on the 4th Thursday of each month at 10am.
BYLAWS
QUESTIONS/HELP NEEDED
If help is needed or staff have questions they would like Staff Assembly to assist in answering, please use the form below:
Staff Workload Survey Results
STAFF ASSEMBLY WORKLOAD SURVEY
In January 2024, 78 SOU staffers responded to the Staff Assembly’s Workload Survey that offers tremendous insight and suggestions for improvements on campus, including better communication and streamlining processes, plus requests for better onboarding practices.
There’s a lot of valid information to absorb from the Staff Workload Survey Results Overview and Analysis, so check it out to see what your fellow staffers are saying!
STAFF RECOGNITION
Outstanding Staff Award Recognition
Have you noticed commendable work by an SOU classified or unclassified staff member? You can nominate them through the end of each March for the university’s Outstanding Staff Award, which honors two people each year for their achievements, service, leadership and dedication to the university.
Nominees will be considered by a campus-wide selection committee, and the 2023 recipients of SOU’s top award for staff members will be recognized at the university’s annual, end-of-year celebration breakfast in June. Each will receive a $750 honorarium and glass trophy, and the winners’ names will be added to a perpetual plaque in the first-floor hallway of Churchill Hall.
The Outstanding Staff Award has been presented each year since 2018. All current staff members who have worked at least three continuous years at SOU in a regular, non-faculty position are eligible. Previous winners are not eligible.
The selection committee will determine this year’s winners by considering to what extent each of the nominees meets the award criteria: goes above and beyond to build relationships and enthusiastically assists colleagues and/or customers; is dedicated and loyal to the university; demonstrates expertise in their job; exhibits creativity, resourcefulness and initiative; and consistently demonstrates one or more of SOU’s values.
Service Excellence Coins
Service Excellence Coins are provided to staff and faculty in recognition of jobs well done. They’re typically initiated by managers and supervisors. The Coins themselves are held in the Office of the VP for Finance and Administration and a Coin registry is kept by that office.
To request a Service Excellence Coin, email the VP for Finance and Administration at dyssegars@sou.edu.
CISR Coins
Core Information System Replacement (CISR) Coins were created in the initial stages of the CISR process (transition from Banner to Workday). They are available for distribution to those engaged in the system replacement project. Their intent is to acknowledge, recognize and thank staff and faculty who are giving of their time, energy and expertise for the project—above and beyond their normal day-to-day duties.
To request a CISR Coin for the acknowledgement of a staff member, reach out to the Office of the VP for Finance and Administration at dyssegars@sou.edu.
Staff Assembly Employee Appreciation
The Staff Assembly has a committee that focuses on staff recognitions. Their committee recently distributed a survey asking staff to indicate how they like to be recognized and appreciated. In light of that, the decision was made to give supervisors and managers the opportunity to handwrite notes to their staff indicating their appreciation. Notes are held by the Office of the VP for Finance and Administration. To receive a notecard, contact the VPFA’s office at dyssegars@sou.edu.
The Service Committee of Staff Assembly would like 2023 to be named “The Year of Gratitude” at SOU!!