LSA Exec - Minutes - May 25, 2026

LSA Exec Minutes
5/27/2026

 

Present: Rebecca Schroeder, Melissa Mayhew, Andy Poland, MC Mack, Sydney McFadden, Kevin McCarty, Erika Earles, Angela Andres, David Whittaker., Asher Dean, Jamie Young, Warren Lambert

Absent: Grace Brazell

Agenda:

  • Approve minutes from 4.29.26 meeting
  • Bus tour logistics
  • Student Appreciation review
  • Transition meeting
  • Final reports
  • Climate survey
  • New business
  • Conclude

 

Notes:

  • Approved minutes from the April meeting
  • Bus tour logistics
    • Leaving at 9am from Watson. Arriving at UMKC and starting tour at 10. Lunch at UMKC from Tiki Taco and Mud Pie. Tour at Union Station for Berlin Wall Exhibit. Planetarium showing at 3pm for ~45min. Leave by 4pm, get back by 5pm.
    • Mostly staff signed up, with a couple faculty members joining as well.
  • Student Appreciation review
    • Handled by Syd.
      • Had a meeting with Carol on how to handle this in the coming years.
      • Never meant to be an exclusively LSA initiative – ideally taken up as a broader student supervisor project.
        •  At more risk of ending if kept solely in LSA over the years as responsibilities/priorities change with membership. 
        • Student employees work for both faculty and staff.
    • A list of students and student supervisors is provided by Mike Broadwell, and the appreciation initiative is open to all student employees, not just those in certain units.
    • This year’s bags were bolstered by donations, and future semesters may have more opportunities for collaboration with outside organizations.
  • Transition meeting
    • The election results have been announced.
    • Next LSA meeting will be the transition meeting.
  • Final reports 
    • Final reports will be done by the end of June.
  • Climate survey
    • Results were sent to LSA members today. 
    • Sent the survey out on the recommendation of LFA. LSA will create final report and provide it to staff like LFA did with theirs. LSA’s is following their model, essentially. Final report/summary will also be sent to the Dean as well.
    • 40+ respondents.
    • Intended as a pulse-check, especially with a new committee coming in. Climate surveys are one of the ways to hear back from the body LSA represents.
    • The more people participate and contribute their feedback, the better governance can function.
    • Working with supportive colleagues was a frequent response in the “what is going well” question, wages and transparency were frequent in the “what is not going well” question.
  • New business
    • Talent Development Committee
      • Conference share-out may happen in June/July.
      • April is stepping out as Chair of the Talent Development Committee to be a regular member.
    • May discussion with the Dean
      • Talent development funds – Rich working on a 1-page guide.
      • Location of student appreciation initiatives – possibly a committee.
      • Continuing the dialogue sessions between LSA and the Dean once a quarter.
        • LSA can submit topics to the Dean ahead of time. Meetings still won’t be recorded or hybrid.
      • Position descriptions.
    • Shout out to the Voyager transition team for the toll all the additional work has taken on them. 
  • Adjourned

 

Action Items:

Climate report – Aiming to send out by the end of the week.