Innovator Vol. 36 No. 1 - Winter 06: The M Difference
Return to contentsStaff: Bonita Kothe
When administrative assistant Bonita Kothe started working at the School of Education four years ago, she found it diffi cult to meet people outside her department. After she joined the Staff Advisory Council--where she subse- quently became chair-- she not only met many more School of Education employees, she helped a number of them feel a greater con- nection to the School.
As SAC chair, Kothe initiated several activities that brought staff together. Th ese included a retreat, job-related presen-
tations from the Human Resources Department, weekly walking groups, and participation in the citywide Ann Arbor Reads project (one of the books read was the provocatively titled, “Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria and Other Conversations About Race,” by Bev-
erly Daniel Tatum). She also made it a point to invite new staff to lunch with other employees. “It {the lunch} helped me feel more at home,” recalls Administrative Assistant Jean-
nie Loughry.
SAC functions, Kothe explains, “as a liaison between the dean and the staff .” School of Education administration from the dean on down has supported SAC’s eff orts, she em- phasizes. Kothe notes that one reason the council was formed fi ve years ago was to boost morale among the staff who “felt disconnected” from each other. “We’re spread out all over the building,” she explains. Noting that recent budget cuts have been stressful to employees, she says, “Part of our goal is to reassure people that we’re listening.”
Kothe is pleased that other SAC members have initiated activities, including a “show and tell” hour where employees have demonstrated belly dancing and read aloud their own poetry. Even as she ends her term as SAC’s chair, Kothe continues to weigh possible new activities, such as ongoing book discussion groups. Says Jeannie Loughry, “She is always thinking of ways to get people involved.”
