Call to Order – Chad Willis, Chair

Welcome to the new members and New Executive Board members! 

Staff Council Executive Board

  • Chad Willis, Chair
  • Allison Pufal, Vice Chair
  • Alexis Finley, Secretary
  • Sloane Thompson, Treasurer
  • Natalie Davis, Vice Treasurer
  • Ashley Knopp, Historian
  • Catarino Becerra, Member-at-Large: Logistics
  • Kim Dunbar, Member-at-Large: Special Events

History and Archives

  • Ashley Knopp
  • Allison Menchaca
  • Ashley Spears
  • Loretta Alcala
  • Kathryn McDaniel

Council Effectiveness

  • Melissa Herrera
  • Vaughan Chestnutt
  • Natalie Davis
  • Ashley Knopp
  • Ben Walker

Elections, Scholarships, & Awards

  • Catarino Becerra
  • Alexis Finley
  • Jimmy Rico
  • Corey Weber
  • Kelly Gourlock
  • Christine Love
  • Ashtyn Davis

Marketing, Events, & Fundraising

  • Abigail Miller
  • Casey Samples
  • Allison Pufal
  • Remigio Casanova
  • Rosa Luera
  • Casey Samples
  • Michelle Hernandez
  • Omar Santiago Mojica

Staff Experience

  • Justin Cantu
  • Juan Gomez Ortega
  • Kim Dunbar
  • Shayne Futujma
  • Candice Mongellow
  • Rebekkah Rowlands
  • Vaughn Chestnutt
  • Amanda Garza
  • Natalie Duecker

UPPS

  • Krystyn Fleischauer
  • Sloane  Thompson
  • Alicia Rosas
  • Natalie Davis
  • April Rock
  • Ashtyn Davis

Item 1: Treasurer’s Report – Natalie Davis, Vice Treasurer

  • We have funds to utilize in MO
  • Admin Overhead – April 2026 – processing travel and PCRs which showed on our expense report in August
  • Scholarship funds: $337.34
  • Staff Council Excellence Fund: $1602.98
  • End of August – healthy funds to start our academic year

Speaker: Back the Bobcats Block Party: Karlie Beach Presidential Donor Events and Projects

  • Back The Bobcats - September 11th
  • Starts at 5:30, free event, family friendly, open to all
  • Boko and Cheer will be in attendance
  • Get there early for parking 

Staff Shouts – Alexis Finley, Secretary

  • Brittany Trosky, Asst. Professor of Instruction

Speaker: Employee Engagement Survey Dani Dalrymple, Manager of Talent Development and Comm, HR

  • Survey launches September 21 – October 2, 2026
  • HR partnering with GALLUP
  • 2 easy ways to complete: email link from GALLUP or friendly QR code
  • Do not forward the email link for your peers to take. Each member will receive their own confidential link
  • Survey will be brief. Take less than 10 minutes to complete. Completed in English or Spanish. Can be completed on computer, phone, tablets.
  • Please complete it while you are on the clock.
  • Pre-launch Timeline
    • Leadership Info Sessions – September 8th and 15th 

-https://txst.campuslabs.com/engage/event/12629981

-https://txst.campuslabs.com/engage/event/12632089

  • General Info Sessions – September 10th and 15th

-https://txst.campuslabs.com/engage/event/12630428

-https://txst.campuslabs.com/engage/event/12632206

  • Kickoff Celebration – September 17th

-https://txst.campuslabs.com/engage/event/12655746

  • Survey Launch – September 21st
  • Protecting Employee Voice
    • Strict “Rule of 4”
      • GALLUP will never generate or release a standalone workgroup report if fewer than 4 employees complete the survey
  • HR cannot see specific individuals who have not completed the survey
    • Why GALLUP Q12
  • Do you have clear expectations to do your job
  • Teamwork
  • Performance development
  • Post Survey 
    • Survey Close – October 2nd
    • Analysis Reporting
    • Platform Access and Action Planning
    • Resurvey – 2-year cadence
    • Only Staff with a hire date on and before June 21st and Faculty that were working before Summer

Committee Updates for AY 2026-2027 

Staff Experience: Justin Cantu, Juan Gomez Ortega, Kim Dunbar

  • Working to set up meetings for the new academic year

Marketing, Events, and Fundraising: Abigail Miller, Casey Samples

  • Shout out to our newest members!
  • Working on a poll to send out 
  • Meeting every 3 weeks
  • T-shirt design ideas, really committed to selling before any holiday season begins to avoid redesign
    • Affordable and showcasing as an employee of the community
    • Children sizes available
    • Casey, arm386@txstate.edu and cdf59@txstate.edu, or staffcouncil@txstate.edu
  • San Marcos and Round Rock campus events
  • Parking Permit Raffle 

Council Effectiveness: Melissa Herrera, Vaughan Chestnutt

  • A survey will be sent to Staff Council members to gauge current perception of Staff Council's efficacy in its supporting role for staff. Questions will include committee alignment, best practices, recommendations for improvement, and recommendations for processes to maintain.

UPPS: Krystyn Fleischauer, Sloane Thompson 

  • Welcome to the new UPPS committee members
  • Currently reviewing 6 non-staff related policies due this month

Elections, Scholarships, and Awards: Catarino Becerra, Alexis Finley

  • Shout out to Christine Love who served as Chair and will still be assisting with the committee
  • Timeline – high turnover of members switching committees for the academic year, overall hoping to retain the talent. 
    • Preparing for the spring semester is the committee’s busiest time. Establishing a timeline of deliverables and target completion dates for each meeting will help us stay organized and avoid missing deadlines.
    • Stay on top of sending out campus wide nominations for staff to review packets in a timely manner

History & Archives: Ashley Knopp, Allison Menchaca

  • Staff Council Retreat 
  • Meeting set up in a couple of weeks to review boxes and records
  • Set up a meeting with Archives

Speaker: Tailgate and PAC 12 Don Coryell, Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics/Director of Athletics, and Daniel Calderon-Martinez, Assistant Director of Operations

  • Boko’s Backyard – Tailgate Fan Zone
  • Tailgate Set-Up
    • Roadrunners this Saturday, September 12th
    • Stadium experience – tailgate, walking up into the stadium, watching the game
  • Food Trucks, Chick-Fil-A, food will be available. Drinks – alcoholic and nonalcoholic
  • Entertainment will be provided: live music, DJs on site, LED Screens 
  • Frees up parking spaces
  • Merchandise will be available from different vendors
  • Football team will walk through the tailgate tents
  • Faculty and Staff Complementary tickets are looking to go out next week
  • Reserving spaces 
    • Don’t need a designated space to come and hang out
    • 20 x 20 is $50, bring in your own tents, food, and drinks
    • Third party agreement available 
    • No personal DJs or mass consumption of alcohol to avoid individual parties in the tents
    • Allow Friday setup and open Sunday to pack up
      • Golf carts available to assist with maneuvering equipment                     

Announcements - Chad Willis, Chair

  • Block Party – September 11th
  • Employee Engagement Survey Kickoff Celebration – September 17th
  • Homecoming Week 2026 - October 19th – October 24th
    • Supporting Student Athletes
    • Round Rock Homecoming Tailgate – October 22nd
  • Faculty & Staff Appreciation Game – September 19th
  • Texas Conference on Student Success – October 7th – 9th
  • Campus Tours Qualtrics 
    • Thank you for helping the Welcome Center update campus tour training materials! Please share accurate, current, and meaningful information that will resonate with prospective students and families. While not all responses may be incorporated into training, your input will help tour guides highlight Texas State’s opportunities and authentic student experience. The survey takes approximately 7–10 minutes to complete.

Motion to move to closed session: Abigail Miller, second: Allison Pufall, motion passed.

Closed Session 

Staff Council members only – further discussion of Staff Committees

Adjournment – Chad Willis, Chair

Motion to close the meeting: Ashtyn Davis, second: Abigail Miller, motion passed.