Council connects classified staff, mentors

Even with 25 years of service at UW–Madison, Human Resources Assistant Pam Andreoni says that she can always learn something new about the campus and its complex operations.

One vehicle for learning, Andreoni found, was by serving as a mentor through a Council for Non-Represented Classified Staff program that started last year.

“The idea of mentoring kind of intrigued me,” says Andreoni, who spent more than 20 years with the Medical School before joining the General Library System. “I had learned some things that I wanted to share.”

For several months, Andreoni and Dorothy Timm, a program assistant in continuing studies, met every two weeks in Andreoni’s office during lunch, and talked about Timm’s questions regarding payroll and human resources. Timm wanted to expand her general knowledge about campus.

Andreoni says Timm taught her about helpful Web sites, while Timm learned more about campus computer systems, and their payroll-and-benefits functions.

“It was a mutual exchange,” Andreoni says.

Timm agrees. “I’m really glad that I had the opportunity to participate in the program, and meet and work with Pam. She’s a good resource. Pam has been very helpful in sharing information and explaining things,” says Timm, an assistant to continuing studies Dean Howard Martin, and benefits and parking coordinator for continuing studies.

The Council for Non-Represented Classified Staff is seeking mentors and mentees for this year; the deadline to sign up is Thursday, Oct. 30. An application form is available at http://www.cncs.wisc.edu/mentoring.htm. The kickoff and training will be Thursday, Nov. 6.

Timm encourages others to be mentored “to expand their knowledge and appreciation of the institution, to gain a better understanding of why certain policies and procedures are the way they are,” she says. “It adds to the feeling that you’re just more well-rounded.”

She adds that she liked the flexibility of the program, which enabled her to cover topics she wanted to know more about, and that they could meet informally during lunchtime.

The mentoring program, which will last six months this year, can help non-represented classified staff build a campus network, develop leadership skills, learn new ideas and help others enhance their professional development, says Donna Ford, council chair.

Anyone with a “tool box” of skills to share, and an interest in networking and learning more about campus culture should consider becoming a mentor, she adds.

The council, now in its fourth year, represents approximately 650 non-represented classified staff, and has about 60 non-represented classified employees involved in council committees and campus governance. The council promotes networking, communication, understanding and cooperation among the faculty, staff, students, and the university and state administrations. It offers opinions on compensation and benefits, promotes professional development, publishes a newsletter and maintains a Web site, http://www.cncs.wisc.edu/.

Even though their “official” relationship has ended, Andreoni and Timm keep in touch by e-mail, and by seeing each other at campuswide payroll-and-benefits meetings.

“I feel comfortable continuing to ask her questions as they occur,” Timm says.

“It’s developed into a nice relationship,” Andreoni says.