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On October 7, 2004, several UGA staff members traveled to
Columbus, GA to take part in the annual University System of
Georgia Staff Council Conference. This unique opportunity allowed
staff members from across the university system to gather and
share experiences, knowledge and fellowship. In addition, the
conference offered helpful breakout sessions, a motivating speaker and a good
bit of fun and entertainment.
According to several attendees,
one major highlight of this year's conference was the Friday
night concert put on by Columbus State's Jazz band at the
RiverCenter for the Performing
Arts. Explained Nelda Parker, "The jazz was
flawless, and the RiverCenter is a fabulously conceived, acoustically
perfect cooperative venue, adaptable to any type of arts performance
and Columbus State's music education."
There were other highlights as well. The
keynote address, "Quality
of Work Life," was given by Mr. Jim Blanchard, CEO of
Synovus Financial Corporation. According to Larry Peter, "...[he]
gave a very moving talk dealing with one's accomplishments
during his/her life. It was a very different perspective from
what I expected, and very timely."
 The
heart of the conference, however, was the breakout sessions.
The topics included Servant Leadership, Team Building, Appreciating
Diversity, Conflict Resolution, Customer Service and Best
Practices. This was Robyn Ansley's favorite part of the conference
as she explained, "You had very good people
who really knew what they were talking about." Christie
Sanders agreed, "...I really enjoyed the sessions, particularly
the one on team building!"
These highlights combined to create an experience that
each UGA attendee found rewarding. As Brenda Keen summarized, "Statewide
conferences are extremely beneficial... to learn how things work
in the university system. It's very interesting to compare
how different universities approach similar issues." 
Now, all eyes turn to UGA, the 2005
host. For more information about this conference, see the
article "Strides
toward SSTEAM 2005" elsewhere in this issue.
You may wonder, "Why should I attend the Staff
Council conference?" According to Margot Peter, "Anyone
working in the system should really come to these conferences.
They are a tremendous opportunity to connect with our fellow
system employees in a relaxed and educational setting. The
breakout sessions usually offer something of value for us all
and getting to know others who are walking the same path is
an incredible opportunity.
 "Anyone at UGA who doesn't attend next year is
crazy - it will be held here at the Georgia Center so you don't
even have to ask your department for travel money, just the
registration fee, which we hope to keep very low and which
will include all sorts of entertainment and food to keep your
stomach happy! Plan now for October 13th-14th, 2005 - let's
show the rest of the state what a great conference we can put
on!" Christie Sanders agrees, "You should
attend because this is your university!" Christie Sanders
agrees, "You should attend because This is your university!"
Bonnie Norwood says it best as she explains why these
conferences are so vital to all staff across the university
system. "It is important that staff across the state come
together to share their ideas and concerns. We must be united
in our efforts in order to continue to grow and prosper in
our respective institutions."
2004 |
2005! |
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