About the Advisory Council
The Professional Staff Advisory Council represents all South Dakota State University professional staff members (non-faculty exempt) as a function of the shared governance principles of SDSU.
Role of the Advisory Council
The Professional Staff Advisory Council is a body of peer-elected professionals representing staff in the areas of academics, athletics, business administration and facility management, extension, research and student affairs. The council fosters the collegial exchange of ideas; promotes the recognition, interests and concerns of professional staff; advises senior administration and the university community; and actively collaborates with other representative bodies in the shared governance of South Dakota State University.
Meetings
The Professional Staff Advisory Council meets the second Monday of each month at 2 p.m. We welcome all professional staff to join these meetings in Wagner Hall, room 236. professional staff can also attend the meeting via Zoom.
Agendas, minutes, by-laws and constitution
SDSU Professional Staff may access the council agendas, approved minutes and professional staff advisory council by-laws and constitution through the employee portal (login required).
Upcoming Events
TBD - Coming soon
Committees
Standing Committees:
- Executive committee: The Executive Committee consists of the Chair, Vice-Chair, Past Chair, Secretary and Historian. The Executive Committee’s role is to implement Council recommendations. Members of the Executive Committee shall act as a liaison between the Council and the administration of the University.
- Membership committee: The Membership Committee supervises the election procedures, declares nominees, distributes and collects ballots, and declares elected representatives for the Professional Staff Advisory Council. Council representatives from each constituency area up for election will facilitate nominations from their respective areas. The Committee will also be responsible for scheduling on-boarding sessions with new PSAC representatives. The Membership Committee also supervises the assigning of Professional Staff representatives for University Committees as needed and connects them with University Committee chairs and administrative liaisons for on-boarding sessions.
- Constitution and by-laws committee: The Constitution and By-laws Committee proposes revisions and additions to governing documents and facilitates member requested revisions in cooperation with University legal counsel. This Committee also prepares revised documents for distribution and approval as outlined in Section 7. All changes and revisions will be communicated to all Professional Staff once approved.
- Awards and Recognition committee: The Awards and Recognition Committee solicits nominations, reviews nominee materials, selects awardees, and facilitates awards and recognition presentations at the Annual Meeting. Committee members will liaise with university groups as needed to ensure access to awards and recognition is fair and equitable.
- Events committee: The Events Committee schedules, coordinates, and oversees all aspects of Professional Staff Advisory Council events, which may include coffee sessions, the Annual Meeting, professional development, and other events as identified. Committee members will liaise with university groups as needed to ensure events provide opportunities for enhancing collaboration and inclusion.
Awards
A program to recognize and reward exceptional performance, leadership and contribution to the SDSU community by individual members of professional staff at South Dakota State University was established in 2012 by the Professional Staff Advisory Council to highlight and celebrate the broad range of roles and accomplishments of professional staff employees within their unit, college, university and outside of SDSU.
Seven awards will be granted annually in two different categories: Presidential Award of Excellence (6) and Rising Star (1). Given annually, cash stipend of $3,000 is provided for each of the six Presidential Award of Excellence awards and $1,500 for the Rising Star award.
Presidential Award of Excellence
The Presidential Award of Excellence recognizes professional staff members who strive to exemplify South Dakota State University’s core values as a land-grant institution. Six professional staff members are chosen annually to each receive a plaque and $3,000 stipend, provided by the Office of the President, during the Professional Staff Advisory Council Annual Meeting held in March.
All regular, professional staff (non-faculty exempt) members who have been employed with SDSU in a professional staff role for three or more years are eligible for consideration. Recipients must be SDSU employees at the time of the annual meeting to receive the award. Prior recipients of this award (under its current or former name) are not eligible. Previous nominees not awarded are eligible; however, an updated nomination packet must be submitted.
Rising Star Award
The Rising Star award recognizes superior professional achievement by a professional staff member within the first three years of employment at SDSU. One professional staff member is chosen annually to receive a plaque and a $1,500 stipend, supported by university leadership, during the Professional Staff Advisory Council Annual Meeting held in March.
All regular, professional staff (non-faculty exempt) members who have been employed with SDSU in a professional staff role for less than three years are eligible for consideration. Recipients must be SDSU employees at the time of the annual meeting to receive the award. Prior recipients of the Rising Star award are not eligible. Previous nominees not awarded are eligible; however, an updated nomination packet must be submitted.
Members
John Maursetter
Environmental Research Coordinator
Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
Water Resources Institute
Laura Edwards
SDSU Extension State Climatologist
SDSU Extension
Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
Nathan Bylander
Coordinator for Programs, Events and Promotions
Wintrode Student Success and Opportunity Center
Amanda Bachmann
SDSU Extension Pesticide Education and Urban Entomology Field Specialist
SDSU Extension
Department of Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Science
