By Whitney Harder

(Sept. 25, 2015) — The University of Kentucky Staff Senate is welcoming a slate of new officers for the 2015-2016 year.

The Staff Senate serves as the administrative voice for the more than 17,000 full and part-time staff at UK, and also runs several key activities for the university community, such as the CRISIS financial assistance program, Outstanding Staff Awards program (OSA) and the annual UK Appreciation Day through the UK Appreciation Day (UKAD) Commission. 

This year, the leadership team represents a range of areas across campus.

Chair Jann Burks is in her 24th year at the university, currently serving as a 4-H Youth Development extension specialist. She has also worked in the UK College of Dentistry. Burks is beginning her 10th year on the senate and second term as chair, having served previously from 2010-2011. She has also served as chair of UKAD, treasurer of the senate and chair of the Presidential Advisory Committee.

Misty Dotson, UK HealthCare clinical application analyst, is the vice chair and co-chair of UKAD this year, as well as vice chair of OSA. Dotson began her career at UK in 2003 as a patient relations assistant and previously worked at the Pikeville Medical Center. She is president of the Lexington chapter of the National Association of Professional Women and was former board director of Lamplighters of America. Dotson has served on various committees of the Staff Senate since 2010 and served as secretary in 2011-2012.

Orvis Kean, administrative assistant in the Office for Institutional Diversity, is this year’s secretary. He is in his fourth year at the university and is currently working in both the MLK Center and the Office of LGBTQ* Resources. He previously worked in the College of Health Sciences and in the College of Dentistry. This is Kean's second year on the Staff Senate. He is currently the co-chair for the Appreciation Day Commission, and represents the senate as a member of the Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan Implementation Committee.

Troy Martin is serving as treasurer. Martin, human resources and payroll manager at UK Libraries, is in his eighth year at the university. This is his second year on the senate, serving as chair of the elections committee in 2014-2015.

Glen White is again serving as parliamentarian. He joined UK HealthCare in 2004 at the UK Albert B. Chandler Hospital where he currently serves as a customer relations specialist in the Office of Service Excellence. White was elected to the Staff Senate in 2006 before being elected as parliamentarian the year after.

Serving as immediate past chair is Michael Adams, space and facilities coordinator for the UK Department of Biology. He joined UK staff in 1996 as a teaching assistant and lab technician in the UK College of Arts and Sciences. Adams, who also served as chair twice previously, has served on the Staff Senate for nine years.