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STAFFLINE: A Publication of the UVM Staff Council August 3, 2018 |
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An Interview with Staff Council President Steve Lunna: Life Lived Looking Through a Dirty Windshield
By Caleb Gilbert, Staff Council
Vice President Steve Lunna is well known around
campus. Partly,
this is because of the role he held for three years in
Professional Development and Training where he helped
train staff and faculty from all walks of campus life in
topics ranging from software skills to leadership
development. But anyone who meets Steve will tell
you it’s his sense of humor that you remember the most.
“What’s your guilty pleasure?”
I asked Steve when we sat down at Henderson’s
Café this summer to interview him over a cup of blueberry
pomegranate iced tea.
“Well that’s easy,” Steve shot back with a grin
without giving his answer too much thought.
“It’s chocolate chip cookies.
And make sure you tell people that cookies will
work perfectly good as bribes now that I’m President of
Staff Council!” he added for good measure. Steve is entering his first year as
President of Staff Council, but he is no stranger to
leadership. His
years of service in the US Army Mountain Warfare School in
Jericho, Vermont, taught him that leadership is about
developing constructive relationships with colleagues
throughout all levels of an organization.
Steve’s current role at UVM as a
Community Outreach Specialist in the Supportive Services
for Veteran Families Program dovetails nicely with his
perspective of leadership.
“Fellowship and a sense of how to work together
to reach higher goals is what has really stuck with me
from my military background.” How does UVM measure up to Steve’s
notion of leadership?
“On the frontlines, there are a lot of motivated
and passionate employees who want to do a good job.
But there’s an opportunity for UVM’s higher
levels of leadership to stay engaged with the frontline
staff while providing clear lines of career progression
and opportunities for growth.” Steve is committed to exploring whether
Staff Council can champion these issues by being more than
just a voice at the table when decisions are made.
“It’s great to be heard, but I’d also like Staff
Council to have a binding vote as a fully respected and
equal member of our governance body.”
What about the obstacles that Steve
might encounter as he leads Staff Council to achieve these
goals? “I
just want an explanation about why things can’t happen,”
he suggested. “It’s
not enough to hear that we haven’t done things that way in
the past. I
want to know why and how we can move forward to do things
better in the future.” Seeing through obstacles is something
Steve is accustomed to from his time spent cruising on his
motorcycle though the bug-ridden and dusty, winding roads
of Vermont. He
said that, though he has never dreamed of writing an
autobiography ("who would dare to read it?!" he said),
he’d give it the title “Life lived looking through a dirty
windshield.” Perfect words to consider as our Vermont summer roles to an end and Steve’s term as Staff Council President is just beginning. Staff Council MeetingThe first Staff Council meeting of this academic year will take place on Tuesday, August 7th, 12:05-1:30pm in Waterman's Memorial Lounge. Click here for the agenda. Information from Staff Council:The Staff Council
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802-656-4493
Staff Council Office
85 So. Prospect Street 313 Waterman Building Burlington, VT 05405 Hours Please note that our hours are limited while we are in the process of hiring an Office Assistant. Make sure to call 6-4493 or email us to make an appointment before coming over. |
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