Allyson Holliday has been an employee of UA Libraries for over 20 years. She catalogs rare books and published materials for Special Collections. She is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary community studies through UA’s New College LifeTrack program.
Holliday is serving her fourth term as president of the Office, Clerical and Technical Staff Assembly.
What were some of OCTSA’s highlights this past year?
OCTSA hosted a variety of guest speakers from across campus last academic year. These included colleagues from the Women and Gender Resource Center, the Office of Information Technology, Human Resources and the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment. The implementation of the new staff performance review process was a high priority – and we thank Susan Norton and Travis Railsback for attending multiple meetings to answer questions and solicit feedback.
A professional development session was held with Academic Impressions to showcase the wide variety of training workshops available to UA employees. We also hosted a UA Agility training presentation on Psychological Safety.
In May, OCTSA presented the Outstanding Staff Awards to Jacky Chapman with the College of Education’s Office of Student Services and Lisa Myrick with the department of advertising and public relations in the College of Communications and Information Sciences. Congratulations to both of them and all who were nominated!
What are some of OCTSA’s goals and major projects for the 2023-2024 academic year?
OCTSA representatives will continue to work closely with members of the Faculty Senate, Professional Staff Assembly and Student Government Association to engage in projects and policy recommendations aimed at addressing employee concerns and improving campus life at The University of Alabama. The development of a new childcare facility for UA faculty, staff and students is a high priority.
Items related to salaries, professional development and career advancement opportunities, and new outreach opportunities/partnerships are also being discussed.
How can more employees get involved with OCTSA?
All full-time OCT staff who have been employed by UA for at least six months are eligible to serve on the assembly. If someone is interested in joining OCTSA, they can contact us by sending an email to octstaff@ua.edu or contacting any officer. For more information and announcements visit the OCTSA website or find us on Facebook or Twitter.
What was the biggest lesson OCTSA learned from the past year that will continue to make an impact on the assembly?
Zoom has been a great tool for online meetings over the past few years. However, in order to foster engagement and increase open discussions, OCTSA would like to return to in-person assembly meetings. We may look at a hybrid option for future meetings.
Contact
Jennifer Brady, UA Strategic Communications, jennifer.brady@ua.edu