A Note From Our FY25 Chair

Greetings and welcome to a new fiscal year!

 I am extremely honored to serve as your Chair of the University Classified Staff Council.  I have been with UT Systems for 22 years. I began my career with UTHealth in 2017 as an Administrative Manager in the Cizik School of Nursing.  I transferred to Revenue Cycle Management in 2023 where I am a Senior Administrative Manager.  I believe that classified staff should have easy access to the necessary resources for continued professional development. This holds a very special place in my heart and is a huge part of why UCSC is so important to me. I have experienced first-hand what similar organizations such as UCSC can do to assist classified staff by cultivating career growth and advancement to reach their career goals.

 I have three goals for fiscal year 2025.  First and foremost, I want to increase campus awareness about who WE are and what WE do as members of the University Classified Staff Council. I intend to strengthen existing partnerships, form new collaborations, and expand communications that will reach all classified staff. 

 My second goal for all of classified staff is to feel that they have a forum that will not only listen to their issues, questions, or concerns, but will also be able to witness actionable responses to them.  To do this, you and our council need to be empowered as individuals while working together to effect real measurable change in our institution. 

 My last goal is to increase engagement by everyone across the institution with the University Classified Staff Council.  Classified staff occupy the majority of the UTHealth employee population. UCSC meetings are open to all classified staff.  I understand that a large number of classified staff work in a clinical setting and this could pose as a challenge to attend the meetings in real time.  As I mentioned with my first goal, I will strive to increase collaboration with direct supervisors in these environments to find compromises that will allow ALL classified staff to attend meetings and become active members of the future.

 You are what allows this council to be successful and accomplish as much as we have and will continue to do in the future.  I serve you and the importance of that is not lost on me. I am here for you. If you have anything that you would like for me to address during my term, please, do not hesitate to contact me directly by any form that you feel comfortable.  I will always foster a safe and open space to help address any and all issues. Everyone’s voice is valid and important to me. 

 Again, I am honored to serve as the Chair for the University Classified Staff Council and I cannot express how excited I am to begin this new year!  Please do not hesitate to contact to any UCSC member. Please visit our website and consider joining our email list so that you are up to date on all of our events. 

 Thank you,

 Nena Fairbanks, MBA