The Staff Advocacy Committee is responsible for coordinating, monitoring, and tracking information submitted through the Staff Council proposal structure process, ensuring that staff concerns and ideas are effectively communicated and considered by university leadership. The committee identifies trends in staff needs and issues, sharing these insights during Advisory Council meetings to help inform institutional decisions. Additionally, the committee represents Staff Council on the Employee Resource Group (ERG) institutional committee, fostering collaboration between staff and campus partners to advocate for an inclusive and supportive workplace. As needed, the committee explores additional ways to work with campus stakeholders to promote policies and initiatives that enhance the staff experience.
While the committee serves as a key advocate for staff concerns, it does not handle employee relations matters or function as a complaint department. Instead, it provides a structured avenue for staff to voice concerns, propose solutions, and contribute to a positive work environment at Rice University.
Members:
- Chair - Caitlin Lindsay
- Avery Franklin
- Amy McCaig
- Suzanne Jung
- Jessica Khalaf
- Andy Rodriguez
- Sam Byrd
- Joel Thompson
- Daniel Kirienko
- Jianhua Li
- Elaine Chang