The campaign to oust three Iowa judges who ruled in favor of marriage equality in 2009 succeeded. An independent judiciary is now threatened and no organization is more responsible for that than NOM. And they’re feeling good about it.

Following Tuesday night’s result, NOM president Brian Brown said, “The three judges were overwhelmingly rejected, sending a powerful message to any judge who thinks they can impose gay marriage by judicial fiat against the wishes of the people.”

Brown went on to reiterate NOM’s commitment to hammering its anti-gay agenda in states like New Hampshire, Iowa, and Minnesota.

So, just who are these NOM characters who could soon be flying into your state? Watch our video over at NOMExposed.

The Professional Staff Senate (PSS) provides a forum for discussing issues involving or of interest to exempt staff members. Such matters include academic and administrative policies that affect exempt staff. The senate is an active member in UMBC’s system of shared governance, presenting the interests and concerns of its constituents to the University Steering Committee and seeking improvements for the mutual benefit of staff members and the university. PSS works diligently to maintain and contribute to community life at UMBC.

Access the PSS Blackboard siteto view meeting minutes and governance documents.

Members of the Professional Staff Senate (PSS) represent all members of the Professional Staff is by serving on various committees and task forces. For details about these committees and their functions, and to find out who among your Senators is serving on which committees. A full listing can be found in our documents tab labeled 2012 - 2013 Staff Senate.

Professional Staff Senate Roster 2012-2013

EXECUTIVE BOARD

Carrie Sauter, President

Laila Shishineh, Vice-Preseient

Steve Bowers, Treasurer

Keisha Campbell, IT Officer

Alison Ginder Secretary

Stanyell Bruce, Past President

SENATORS

Steve Bowers, Financial Services, bowers@umbc.edu, 5-1496

Stanyell Bruce, Alumni Relations, bruce@umbc.edu, 5-2632

Keisha Campbell, Office of the Registrar, campbelk@umbc.edu, 5-5770

Dayna Carpenter, dayna@umbc.edu, 5-3377

Hans Cooper, Office of the Registrar, hcooper@umbc.edu, 5-1886

Joel DeWyer, Commons Administration, dewyer@umbc.edu. 5-1446 (CUSS)

Alison Ginder, Residence Life, alisong@umbc.edu, 5-3575

Ben Goldberg, Off Campus Student Services, beng@umbc.edu, 5-5672

Delana Gregg, Sondheim Publ. Affairs Scholars, delana1@umbc.edu, 5-2916

April Householder, McNair, Scholars Progam, aprilh@umbc.edu, 5-3057

Joshua Lubben, Undergraduate Admission, jlubben@umbc.edu, 5.1224

Michelle Massey, Int'l Education Services, massey@umbc.edu, 5-6705

Jenny O'Grady, Institutional Advancement, jogrady@umbc.edu, 5-1711

Michael Oettel, Shriver Center, moettel@umbc.edu, 5-5655

Jerron Peatson, Athletics, jpearson@umbc.edu, 5-6797

Matthew Poland, Sponsored Programs, mpoland@umbc.edu, 5-8155

Alison Rohrbach,  University Heatlh Services, arohrbach@umbc.edu, 5-1599

Carrie Sauter, Interdisciplinary Studies, csauter@umbc.edu, 5-2037

Laila Shishineh, Undergraduate Education, lailams@umbc.edu, 5-3737

Brian Souders, International Educations Services, souders@umbc.edu,5-2624

Kristin Waters, Office of the Registrar, kwaters@umbc.edu, 5-8121

Beth Wells, Provost Office, bwells@umbc.edu, 5-8907

UMBC Professional Staff Senate 2011-2012 Action Plan

1. Support University efforts to create a healthier campus community

• Identify and develop complimentary avenues to support the HR Wellness Initiative
• Promote and educate staff about healthy lifestyles via PSS events and other campus events/initiatives
• Encourage departments that have created health initiatives to share broadly with other staff
• Explore and promote health subsidy opportunities

2. Identify ways to increase staff morale

• Promote opportunities for professional development
• Work with campus leaders to address the issue of an increased workload
• Continue to promote telecommuting and carpooling policies and opportunities
• Advocate for increased leadership training for supervisors to increase staff morale and retention
• Pilot PSS mentoring program

3. Continue to advocate for merit and COLA increases and address disparities in compensation packages

• Work with campus and CUSS leaders to advocate for merit and COLA increases and how they will be distributed
• Examine issues related to changes in health and retirement benefits for new employees, existing employees and retirees
• Address issues related to salary inequity, compensation and promotion

4. Increase communication with professional staff

• Make better use of PSS communication vehicles (listserve, groups page, etc)
• Encourage better two way communication (share information broadly and quickly with staff and encourage staff to bring concerns to the senate)
• Continue to work with campus leaders to strengthen communication with professional staff
• Increase communication with staff as it relates to budget issues and decisions

5. Advocate for the establishment of an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

The Mac App Store will be opening soon. You can get ready by submitting your Mac apps for review now. Log in to the Mac Dev Center for details on setting up an iTunes Connect account, creating Apple-issued Mac Distribution Certificates, and preparing your apps for the review process.

The Mac App Store will be opening soon. You can get ready by submitting your Mac apps for review now. Log in to the Mac Dev Center for details on setting up an iTunes Connect account, creating Apple-issued Mac Distribution Certificates, and preparing your apps for the review process.

The App Store Resource Center offers a wealth of information to assist Mac developers prepare their apps for submission to the Mac App Store. You'll find details on setting up an iTunes Connect account, the metadata you'll need to submit along with your app, assigning keywords, what to expect during the review of your app, and managing updates to your app once it's on the App Store.

The App Store Resource Center offers a wealth of information to assist Mac developers prepare their apps for submission to the Mac App Store. You'll find details on setting up an iTunes Connect account, the metadata you'll need to submit along with your app, assigning keywords, what to expect during the review of your app, and managing updates to your app once it's on the App Store.

Contact:
Dinah Winnick
Communications Manager
Social Sciences and Erickson School
University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)
(410) 455-8117
dwinnick@umbc.edu
twitter.com/UMBCSocSci

Today, millions are learning what it means to live in an aging society: postponing retirement, supporting aging parents, seeking long-term care. UMBC’s innovative Erickson School is cultivating a new generation of professionals to respond to the “graying of America” and our growing need for supportive aging services. Our interdisciplinary Erickson, gerontology and aging studies faculty can provide insight from research-, practice- and policy-based perspectives.

Judah Ronch, professor and dean of the Erickson School, is a nationally-renowned expert on improving the treatment and mental wellbeing of elders. His writing has focused on the debilitating effects of dementia and he has pioneered major reforms in the long-term care industry to improve the mental health of older adults and the working conditions of their caregivers. His books include “Culture Change in Long-Term Care,” “Mental Wellness and Aging” and “Alzheimer’s Disease: A Practical Guide for Those who Help Others.”

Joe Gribbin, Erickson School professor, previously served as associate commissioner at the Social Security Administration (1987-2005), where he oversaw quality assurance and international programs for the agency. Gribbin has lectured extensively on global aging, retirement planning and services for older adults, including the nation’s social insurance programs and their impacts across generations.

Bill Thomas, Erickson School professor, is an international authority on geriatric medicine and eldercare, heavily involved in the movement to promote elderhood as an honorable and valuable position in US society. He is the founder of the Eden Alternative program and Green House initiative, which have promoted the de-institutionalization of nursing homes, replacing them with small, home-like environments that support a full and interactive life. Thomas has been profiled by the Wall Street Journal, US News & World Report, NPR and Baltimore Sun. He blogs at changingaging.org.

J. Kevin Eckert, professor and chair of sociology/anthropology, and Leslie A. Morgan, sociology professor, are co-authors of “Inside Assisted Living: The Search for Home.” Eckert has written extensively on aging services, senior housing and care with a focus on the social adjustments and wellbeing of older adults in assisted living settings. He is the PI or co-PI on several National Institute on Aging (NIA) studies. Morgan has received generous funding from the NIA for her work on the long-term care industry, care providers and the quality of supportive housing environments. She has also studied the costs to caregivers with relatives suffering from dementia.

Nancy A. Miller, public policy professor, has conducted interdisciplinary health policy research, focusing on disability and aging issues, for the past 18 years. She served as chair of the Gerontological Health Section of the American Public Health Association and is known for her expertise on Medicare and Medicaid.

Robert L. Rubinstein, anthropology professor, has studied aging in the US and South Pacific. He is currently PI on five NIA-funded research grants. His research has explored a range of topics, including food in long-term care facilities, suffering in later life and experiences with death and dying in nursing homes.