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Tuskegee University Staff Senate 

Contact Phone: 727-8541  |  Email: [email protected]

Purpose

The purpose of the Staff Senate is to serve as the legislative body to develop and recommend policies to the University staff not covered by labor union contracts. During intervals between meetings of the staff as a whole, it shall have jurisdiction over all matters pertaining to staff affairs and policies of the University. The University Staff Senate has a major role in the formulation of legislation falling within the following areas:

  • To assist in the communication of issues and activities affecting staff members.
  • Actively promoting and facilitating staff participation in the University community.
  • Developing and recommending policies governing appointments, status and promoting of staff, working conditions, and fringe benefits.
  • Reviewing periodically the effectiveness of the total staff personnel program.

Becoming a Member

To become a member, persons must meet the following criteria: 

  • Be a full-time and active staff employee
  • Employed at the institution for at least 6 months
  • Attend monthly meetings

Meetings

Staff Senate meetings occur on the third Thursday of every month at 3:00 pm. Meetings are sometimes held virtually. For more information on General Staff meeting dates and minutes, please contact a Staff Senate Officer. 

Virtual Meeting Login

Click here to log into monthly virtual meetings. 

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Tuskegee University Staff Senate 2024-2025

OFFICERS

Dawn Calhoun Cassandra Cooper

Dawn Calhoun
Staff Senate Chair
Administrative Assistant
Department of History and Political Science
334.727.8541
[email protected]

TERM ENDS: June 30, 2025

Cassandra Cooper
Staff Senate Vice-Chair
University Webmaster
Office of Communications, PR & Marketing
334.724.4969
[email protected]

TERM ENDS: June 30, 2025

Dr. Courtney Griffin Shannon Payne

Courtney Griffin, Ph.D.
Staff Senate Secretary
Director, Admissions
Office of Admissions & Enrollment Management
334.727.8500
[email protected]

TERM ENDS: June 30, 2025

Shannon Payne
Staff Senate Treasurer
Director of 1890 Land-Grant Operations & Management
College of Agriculture, Environment & Nutrition Sciences
334.727.8334/8012
[email protected]

TERM ENDS: June 30, 2027

Brianna Preston Tiffani Williams

Brianna Preston
Staff Senate Communications Officer
Administrative Assistant
Ford Motor Company Library
334.724.8894
[email protected]

TERM ENDS: June 30, 2026

Tiffani Williams
Staff Senate Parliamentarian 
Administrative Assistant/Program Assistant
Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences 
334.727.8848
[email protected]

TERM ENDS: June 30, 2026

MEMBERS

Odessa Agalaba Carol Banks

Odessa Agalaba
Library Assistant
Ford Motor Company Library
334.724.4688
[email protected]

TERM ENDS: June 30, 2025

Carol Banks
Project Manager
Office of Research and Graduate Studies 
334.724.4444
[email protected]

TERM ENDS: June 30, 2027

Christine Berry Nikasha Jones

Christine Berry
Office Manager
Provost Office
334.727.8029
[email protected]

TERM ENDS: June 30, 2027

Nikasha Jones
Academic Support Services Coordinator
R.E.A.C.H. Center
334.725.2394/2395
[email protected]

TERM ENDS: June 30, 2027

Dawnelle Robinson Gabrielle Ross

Dawnelle Robinson
Associate Vice President for Business Affairs/Controller
Office of Business and Fiscal Affairs
334.724.7333
[email protected]

TERM ENDS: June 30, 2026

Gabrielle Ross
Clerk
Campus Mailroom
334.727.8357
[email protected]

TERM ENDS: June 30, 2027

Michael Thurman

Michael Thurman
Academic Advisor
R.E.A.C.H. Center
334.727.8322
[email protected]

TERM ENDS: June 30, 2026

EX-OFFICIO

Dr. Mark A. Brown photo Dr. S. Keith Hargrove

Mark A. Brown, Ph.D.
Staff Senate Ex-Officio
President
Office of the Presdient
334.727.8501
[email protected]

 

S. Keith Hargrove, MBA, Ph.D.
Staff Senate Ex-Officio
Provost & Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Office of the Provost
334.727.8164
[email protected]
Dexter Odom Cassandra Tarver-Ross
Dexter Odom
Staff Senate Ex-Officio
Chief Financial Officer 
Office of the Chief Financial Officer
334.727.8855
[email protected]
Cassandra Tarver-Ross
Staff Senate Ex-Officio
Chief Human Resources Officer
Office of Human Resources Management
334.727.8510
[email protected]
Dr. Preston Robinson

Preston Robinson III, Ph.D.
Staff Senate Ex-Officio
Director, Institutional Research
Office of Institutional Effectiveness
334.724.4873
[email protected]

Immediate Past Chair (Term ended: June 30, 2024)

UNIVERSITY STAFF RESOURCES

STAFF SENATE RESOURCES

COMMITTEES

The Standing Committees of the Senate are:

a. Executive Committee


The committee shall consist of the President of the University, or in his/her absence a person named by the President, or, in his/her absence a person named by the President; the officers of the Senate, and the chairman of the standing committees of the Senate. The presiding officer shall be the Chairman of the Senate.

It shall prepare the agenda for the Senate meetings; assign or refer the business of the Senate to appropriate committees for consideration and report; recommend abolition, alternation or creation of abolition, alteration or creation of Senate committees and generally expedite all work of the Senate. It shall prepare an operating budget for the Senate,  which shall be forwarded to the administration.

b. Staff Personnel Committee

This committee shall concern itself primarily with  policy matters and guidelines for administrative implementation pertaining to: appointments, status and promotion of staff,  working conditions, and fringe benefits. Member shall include the Vice President for Business and Fiscal Affairs.

c. Personal Development Committee

This committee shall concern itself primarily with policy matters and guidelines relating to workshops, short courses, institutes, and other activities designed to upgrade of performance of members of the staff.

d. Newsletter Committee

This committee shall concern itself primarily with the development  of a newsletter. The newsletter should provide information about personnel currently employed at the University.

Contact the Staff Senate

Dawn Calhoun, Chair
Phone: 334-727-8541
[email protected]