Martha Greer moves Staff Council forward

Martha Greer, Staff Council president. Photo by Tom Jorgensen.

Martha Greer knows The University of Iowa. Her parents each received degrees here—her father from the College of Engineering, while her mother earned a master’s in geology—and she completed her undergraduate and graduate-level studies here. She’s worked as a professional advisor at the Academic Advising Center, and now serves as the International Studies coordinator in UI International Programs.

Greer also knows Iowa City: she attended school in the Iowa City district until her senior year of high school, and has been living here since her days as a UI student. That’s not to say she hasn’t seen the world—Greer has lived in cities such as San Diego, Houston, Denver, and London, and she loves domestic and international travel.

It was this perspective that Greer wanted to bring to UI Staff Council, which she holds in the highest regard. She was recently elected vice president/president-elect for the council, and found herself moving into the presidency nearly a year ahead of schedule with the recent resignation of president Duncan Stewart.

Greer sat down with fyi to discuss what she sees as primary issues affecting UI staff, what sorts of challenges she faces in her new role, and what she likes to do when she has a moment of free time.

fyi: How did you become involved with Staff Council?

Greer: This is my third year on Staff Council—a colleague asked permission to nominate me. The University of Iowa has a tremendous number of staff who provide direct academic services to students, whether as adjunct professors or through their full-time staff duties. Others work on curriculum design, research support, advising—I thought it was important to get involved.

fyi: What have you enjoyed most about your time on Staff Council—something that might have prompted you to run for a post on the executive committee?

Greer: I am constantly and consistently impressed by the dedication of the staff members who take the time to serve on Staff Council. I have learned more than I ever thought possible from the various perspectives that come to the table at Staff Council meetings and on Staff Council committees. It’s impressive—there’s no other way to say it. These folks are invested in making the University a better place to work; they are tremendous advocates for the quality environment we already enjoy.

fyi: What are the big issues facing staff in the upcoming year?

Greer: I see four main issues that will affect most, if not all, of campus. First, there is potential for major changes to the flex benefits system. Some staff members might see changes that appear to correct inequities—this might put them and their families in a better situation in hard economic times. For others, it will be tough to restructure family finances. Once the Funded Retirement and Insurance Committee’s work is complete, we will be pushing for immediate staff education programs and more advice on how staff can receive individual family financial planning if they need it.

Other issues include how we move forward with the professional and scientific classification structure based on what we heard from the recent Buck Consultants Report. If we are to attract and retain the educated and skilled workforce that the University community has thrived on, we must look both at the internal inequities caused by a system that is more than 20 years old and to new realities of the external marketplace.

There’s also the very immediate issue of smoking on campus. Because of the new state law that goes into effect July 1, 2008, breaking the smoking ban will go from a violation of UI policy, which had been set for a July 1, 2009, implementation, to a misdemeanor offense. Staff Council is looking at how to move forward as a community in this climate, and will be a strong advocate for the health of all staff. This includes those who are smokers and those who are affected by secondhand smoke.

The final point I want to raise is the research faculty track as it affects our research staff. This has been a very closely watched issue by research staff constituency. Staff Council was pleased to hear President Sally Mason’s address to the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, and the University of Iowa Foundation board, in which she stressed that the research faculty track will be watched very closely to see if it is operating as intended and to the benefit of the University. Staff Council will continue to advocate for research staff to be considered in that conversation.

fyi: You’re taking office a year sooner than you anticipated. What challenges does that pose?

Greer: I had not served on the executive committee before being elected vice president/president-elect, so I am learning a great deal quickly. I work well in that environment, so I have no immediate concerns. We have a strong and committed executive committee—they have offered any and all support in this time of transition. We have a strong past president (Kathy Klein) and I know I have the full support of the committee. Staff Council is more than one person, after all.

It is important to thank Duncan Stewart for his service to staff. He has been a wonderful advocate to staff and Staff Council. I understand that his decision to resign from Staff Council couldn’t have been an easy one, and we respect his decision. I’m confident I can keep things moving forward, continue to sustain and develop the efforts of Staff Council. I am up to the challenge.

fyi: What do you like to do outside of work?

Greer: I love active travel, and I’m up for anything outdoors that doesn’t involve a motor. Whitewater kayaking, cross-country and downhill skiing—I even ride a unicycle! When my mom was going to school at Iowa and I was in elementary school, she would park in the Iowa Memorial Union parking ramp, and I’d grab my unicycle out of the car and pedal through the Pentacrest to my school. I can still ride it! I’ve been kayaking since I was 11, and I was president of the UI kayaking club during my student days. I also love going to my son’s sporting events—he plays every sport, it seems!

by Christopher Clair