Faculty and Staff Appreciation Week Shows Good Turnout

Last week from March 3-7, SGA hosted faculty and staff appreciation week at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, giving students an opportunity to send thank you cards to faculty members and staff as well as to sign a banner to be presented to the Faculty Senate last Friday.

Student life and academic affairs director Julie Olaf spearheaded the project.  She said nearly 500 cards were sent out throughout the course of the week and the banner had a substantial amount of signatures on it.

“We really do appreciate our faculty and staff, but we do not show it enough. This event strives to go out on a limb and bring light to the hard work that our faculty and staff do and the effect they have on student success,” Olaf said. “Hopefully this appreciation can keep on going even after the event is over.”

SGA tabled in the Dreyfus University Center concourse, in DeBot Dining Center, and in the Learning Resource Center. Tabling allowed a prime opportunity to talk to students about the new wellness facility proposal.  Supplies were also distributed to all of the residence halls and to organizations across campus.

In addition to these efforts, e-mails were sent to all students to make them aware of the event along with advertisements in the student message of the day.

Olaf said that student organizations were especially active and that the library had the best turnout for student engagement.

“What we do may be time consuming, but we love it,” Olaf said.

The event was developed out of a positive psychology course two years ago. It was then added to the job description of the student life and academic affairs director at SGA.

SGA’s inclusivity director Shaun Ward tabled in the DUC.

“We have seen a nice turnout with people signing the banner as well as sending cards. It is a great opportunity to show our faculty and staff just how much they mean to us,” Ward said.

Student senator Taylor Gordon also tabled in the DUC, showing her support by drawing students in to sign the banner.

“We want our faculty and staff to know that we notice and appreciate them. Even if they do not realize it, they greatly influence us,” Gordon said. “That is why events like this are important.”

SGA plans to make faculty and staff appreciation week an annual event.

This week featured appreciation for bus drivers and workers, to show them how grateful UWSP students are for their hard work and dedication. This event also featured a banner to be presented at transfer stations and at the central office in Plover.

MyKayla Hilgart

mhilg143@uwsp.edu