MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — A Middle Tennessee State University advisory group has launched a series of on-campus informational sessions to raise awareness about how the myriad areas across work to increase engagement and sense of belonging among faculty and staff.

Titled “Get to Know Your MTSU,” the sessions were kicked off in the fall by the Campus Workforce Subcommittee of the Community Engagement Advisory Group, which is comprised of faculty and staff from across campus under the direction of Monica Smith, special assistant to the president for Community Engagement and Inclusion.
Smith is leading the group, which is made up of three subcommittees, in an effort to develop initiatives and programs that will enhance the sense of belongingness and increase engagement among employees at all levels. The group, which was formed in January 2023, is operating under a theme of “Belong. Engage. B.E. True Blue.”

Most recently, the workforce subcommittee hosted a Jan. 29 session at Keathley University Center Theater on campus life and events featuring Justin Reed, director of MT Unions, and Quintina Burton, director of Event Coordination, who both shared details from their respective areas on items such as reserving space on campus and organizing and hosting events.

Sharing information ‘is a key tool’
Previous sessions held in the fall focused on campus safety, employee well-being and recreation, and compliance and administration. Future sessions will include topics ranging from a tabling day for university centers in February to Student Affairs and student organizations in March, with more sessions throughout the spring into the summer before previous sessions begin repeating.
The goal is to strengthen the collegial, professional and even personal ties across a campus with more than 2,400 full-time employees shouldering a collective responsibility of providing the best educational experience for more than 20,000 students during a given academic year — with thousands of new scholars becoming Blue Raiders each year as thousands of others earn their degrees and begin professional careers.
That’s a lot of moving parts that can become disjointed if not properly maintained. The Campus Workforce Subcommittee’s work will complement that of other subcommittee’s addressing issues such as campus climate, student success and community engagement.
“MTSU’s greatest asset is its people. Our campus community thrives when everyone is empowered to contribute, and sharing information is a key tool in fostering a thriving work environment,” Smith said. “I want to express my gratitude to the Campus Workforce Subcommittee of the Community Engagement Advisory Group for their commitment to sharing information that enhances our understanding of the many departments that work tirelessly each day to make MTSU a leading institution.”


The Campus Workforce Subcommittee is co-chaired by Kathleen Schmand, dean of the James E. Walker Library, and Beverly Keel, dean of the College of Media and Entertainment. Schmand noted that subcommittee’s focus shifted last spring, leading to the development of the “Get to Know MTSU” series.
“The group decided to focus on building a monthly program that will provide all institutional employees, including facilities and contract workers, with the opportunity to learn about MTSU and all the work on campus. Our goal was to complement HR’s employee orientation efforts, not necessarily duplicate that work,” Schmand said.
“As a co-chair, I am excited to see this series become a reality. We know that this series will be of interest not only to new employees, but those that may have been here for a few years and looking to learn more about MTSU.”
While most sessions are in-person, there will be virtual sessions on some topics that will be recorded and made available for employees unable to attend.
Mark your calendars
Upcoming sessions for spring include:
• Tabling Day for university centers: Learn about the unique centers on campus, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Feb. 18, outside McCallie Dining Hall in Keathley University Center, 1524 Memorial Blvd.
• Student Affairs and student organizations: Learn about Student Affairs and how student organizations work, 3-4 p.m. March 19, Keathley University Center Theater.

• Academic Affairs (Deans and Provosts): Meet the Provost and academic deans, 3-4 p.m. April 3, Keathley University Center Theater.
• Walker Library, Writing Commons, Tutoring Sport, Learning, Teaching and Innovative Technologies Center (LT&ITC): Learn about these learning and teaching resources that are available to employees, 2-3 p.m. May 20, Keathley University Center Theater.
— Jimmy Hart (Jimmy.Hart@mtsu.edu)
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