Staff Council Elections
The Staff Council serves as the elected voice of ISU staff, representing both classified and non-classified employees. Members advocate for staff priorities, collaborate with administration, faculty, and students, and help advance the university’s mission. The council meets monthly (excluding summer) to address workplace concerns, discuss initiatives, and strengthen the ISU community. By participating, members influence policy, support colleagues, and make a meaningful impact. Consider voting for dedicated representatives—or running for a seat yourself—to help shape positive change for staff.
Staff Council 2026 Elections: Updated Process and Call for Nominations
As your Staff Council, our primary goal is to advocate for all staff members - both classified and non-classified - in the pursuit of the University's mission. To better reflect this shared purpose, we are implementing a change to our election process.
Historically, our elections have been siloed: classified employees could vote only for classified representatives, and non-classified employees could vote only for non-classified representatives. While this ensured peer representation, it also reinforced divides
and complicated the balloting process. We believe that great leadership impacts us all, regardless of classification.
What Is Changing? (The Voting Process)
We are moving to a single, unified ballot. During election season, every eligible staff member will receive the exact same ballot and will have the opportunity to vote for every open seat on the Staff Council, across both classifications.
What Is Staying the Same? (Guaranteed Representation)
The proportional makeup of the Staff Council is not changing. We will maintain the exact same number of seats for classified staff and non-classified staff as expressed in our bylaws (i.e., one guaranteed representative and one additional representative for every 50 staff members in each classification). The unified ballot simply means that the entire staff body gets a say in who fills those dedicated seats.
Why Are We Making This Change?
-Encouraging Campus-Wide Collaboration: We want to encourage voters to support strong advocates and leaders across the aisle, including individuals they might not work with on a daily basis within their specific classification.
-Fostering a Unified Culture: By voting together on a single ballot, we reinforce that the Staff Council represents the collective voice of the staff, rather than separate factions.
-Simplifying the Election: A unified ballot drastically reduces the administrative complexity of managing split voting pools, streamlining the process and preventing the technical ballot oversights that can delay election results.
What This Means for Nominations
If you are considering running for Staff Council, this change means you will still be nominated for a vacancy that matches your specific classification. However, your platform will now reach the entire university community. You will be campaigning to-and
ultimately elected by-the full breadth of the staff body, empowering you to advocate for the campus as a whole from day one.
Looking for New Non-Classified Members
Staff Council is now accepting nominations for ISU staff members from all campuses who would like to be on the ballot for the 2026 Staff Council Election. We have three (3) vacancies for non-classified staff. Representatives are elected to a three-year term beginning in May 2026 and ending in May 2029.
Duties of representatives include the following:
- Attend one monthly council meeting and committee meetings as needed
- Provide leadership in the development of University programs, policies, and procedures
- Promote an active role for staff in the University governance structure
- Make recommendations on behalf of staff in policy matters about personal and professional welfare
- Serve on internal and external committees as assigned
- Provide professional development opportunities for staff
- Recognize and honor staff members for their service to ISU
Please use the Google Form below to submit nominations and upload a photo that will be posted on the election site. The deadline for receiving nominations is Friday, April 3, at 5pm. The election will be open in MyISU from April 6 through the 13.
Link to Nominations Form:
https://forms.gle/
For questions or concerns, please contact Staff Council at Staff@isu.edu.
- What is the purpose of Staff Council?
Staff Council was established as a collective organization, providing a representation of all classified and non-classified staff on the issues that are important to employees. Staff Council operates under the umbrella of shared governance along with other stakeholders including Faculty Senate, ASISU and administration by participating in decision-making, policy development, and promoting transparency, accountability and collaboration across the University. Staff Council also promotes professional development and recognition of staff members.
- Who is eligible to serve on Staff Council?
All full-time classified and non-classified employees are eligible to run for staff council positions.
- How are Staff Council members elected?
Each year the Staff Council election committee determines the number of vacancies and opens the election process. Staff members are then self-nominated or nominated by their peers. Information about each nominee is posted on the Staff Council website. After about 2-weeks, a ballot is available through the MyISU portal. Classified and non-classified employees may vote for a nominee to serve for each vacant position. Voting is restricted so that classified and non-classified employees may only vote to elect nominees from their respective employee classification.
- What is the term for a Staff Council member?
Staff Council members are elected to serve a three-year term, however, if a vacancy occurs sometime outside of the official election process, the Staff Council may choose to elect an individual to finish out a vacated position. In this instance, the term will be end once the original term has expired.
- How are Staff Council Executive Committee members selected?
Staff Council officers are elected by the members of Staff Council by a simple majority vote. All members of the Staff Council, excluding the Past-President, vote by secret ballot to elect the positions of President-Elect, Secretary, Treasure and the Content Management Specialists. Members-At-Large are also selected by secret ballot, however, only Staff Council members may only vote in the election representing their respective constituents.
- How frequently does Staff Council meet?
The full membership of Staff Council meet once per month for about 2-hours. Individuals elected to serve on the Executive Committee will also meet for one-hour, one-week prior to the monthly meeting.
Each member of Staff Council will also be assigned to work on various committees or projects throughout their term. These meetings are determined by the committee chair and based on the workload of the committee, but typically do not exceed once every-other week.
- How can staff members get involved in Staff Council besides joining the membership?
Anyone is welcome to attend the monthly Staff Council meeting. Staff are also encouraged to volunteer for, or attend Staff Council sponsored events that occur throughout the year.
- Does participating in Staff Council activities require using personal leave time?
No. However, employees should communicate with their supervisor and talk openly about any challenges the department may encounter in their absence. Supervisors are encouraged to work with employees so that they may attend Staff Council sponsored events.