Administrative professional employees throughout the WSU system will be receiving a survey in the coming days intended to help guide services and advocacy efforts on their behalf.
Sponsored by the Administrative Professional Advisory Council (APAC), the group serves as a liaison with senior university administration to communicate matters of interest to AP staff, solicit feedback, help make WSU a great place to work, and provide professional development opportunities.
But what does that mean to the approximately 2,100 administrative professionals working throughout WSU? That’s what APAC hopes to find out.
Today the group is launching the APAC Strategic Plan Survey, which is open to all AP staff. It closes Nov. 15. If you are an employee, a link to the survey will be arriving in your WSU Outlook inbox.
Of particular note, the current APAC executive council is emphasizing system-wide AP staff involvement, hoping to further expand not only cross-campus representation, but more diverse voices from within the WSU system as a whole.
Anna McLeod, APAC Chair, serving from the Everett Campus, reflects on her nomination to become the Chair in 2020: “It was important to our campus that we had representation on APAC. During my first year as a full council member I noticed how hard then Chair, Stephanie Rink, was working to engage APs across the WSU system and I appreciated her effort and support as a regularly forgotten staff member on the Everett campus. I was encouraged by her inclusiveness.”
The survey outlines the proposed APAC strategic plan for 2022-2025. It is based on feedback received through AP representation and committee involvement over the preceding years and aligns with the WSU Strategic Plan. Two strong focal points include expanding the representation of AP staff within the council, and concerns for COVID-related work-life balance. “We want all AP staff to know that they are valued and that we value the work that they do, the people that they are, and what they bring to WSU,” Anna explains.
APAC leaders see the survey as a way to level set or reset the organization. The survey is intended to help reveal the most-relevant current needs of AP staff so that the group’s efforts can be focused in those areas. For example, if current APAC priorities are not AP staff priorities, it will help the group make any necessary pivots. APAC committee members each join with a desire to serve, putting in additional hours of work as volunteers with the intention that this will be of use to their peers.
“When I was first asked to serve as Chair,’ McLeod said, “I was hesitant to throw my hat in the ring but knew that I could bring a new perspective and voice to APAC. There was so much going on with COVID and working remotely that it was hard to keep up with the changes. What kept me going was making sure that voices were heard. We had AP staff from across the system who were burnt out with Covid, understaffed departments, Workday, and more. Keeping these stories at the forefront and advocating for work-life flexibility and appreciation was important to me, and is important to all our APAC Committee Members. It is why we serve.”
If you have questions, contact APAC, apac.wsu@wsu.edu
More opportunities to connect with APAC are coming. The group is hosting a Pullman and Virtual Membership Awareness Drive on Oct. 28, and monthly APAC meetings are open to AP employees. Visit the WSU APAC website for more information.
