April 25, 2025 Update
| by Caroline Crawford
Staff Council Spring Events Updates
Staff Council events are continuing this spring on the college campus. Remember that you can enter to win $50 gift cards by attending our events!
Thanks to those who came to the Meet the Makerspace event on April 10. Check out their site to learn more about this resource in Johnson.
We also enjoyed seeing everyone who stopped by our table at the Wellness Fair in Wilson Hall on April 16.
Incoming President Ian Baucom Visits MIIS
Staff Council representatives met with Ian Baucom during his visit to the Monterey campus this week. It was a reversal of our usual Staff Council meetings where Monterey representatives join us on Zoom. You can read Ian’s reception remarks at MIIS and his comments on the budget proposal online.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Staff Council Clothing Swap and Mocktails (VT)
Monday, April 28, 3:30 to 5:30 pm in the Axinn Winter Garden (by the waterfall)
In the spirit of spring and sustainability, Staff Council is hosting a staff clothing swap as part of college-wide Earth Week programming. To participate, bring (clean) clothes, shoes, and/or accessories you’re looking to swap. We’ll bring the clothing racks, hangers, and refreshments! Come a little early if you have a lot of contributions to organize, and stay until the end if you want to keep your unclaimed clothing. Otherwise, Staff Council will donate whatever remains to a local organization.
Spring Employee Gathering (VT)
Thursday, May 1, 4:30-7:00 pm in Kirk Alumni Center
Let’s gather to enjoy appetizers, conversations, and great company. One drink ticket provided. See more HR events.
Campus Tree Tour (VT)
Wednesay, May 14, 12-1 p.m. Our final spring event is a Campus Tree Tour with Middlebury’s Landscape Horticulturalist Tim Parsons. Meet at the McCullough patio before noon to join the tour.
FYI
McCullough ATM Being Removed (VT)
As campus is increasingly cashless, the ATM in McCullough is going to be removed following Commencement weekend, a change that will save Middlebury tens of thousands of dollars.
BUDGET PROPOSAL UPDATES
Staff Council has kept busy following the budget proposal announcement. Staff Council reps have been gathering feedback, comments, and questions, and speaking with members of their districts on the recent budget proposal. As a Council, we are bringing those to senior leadership to share perspectives and get answers to questions or concerns. We are also taking that information and using it to represent staff interests in the meetings we participate in, including with senior leadership, the incoming president, committees, and in open meetings. We are also communicating with members of the Board. Please keep your comments and questions coming!
Staff Council’s priority is maintaining the staff annual market salary increase in the FY26 budget. This will have an impact on the greatest number of staff by giving them an increase in base salary. It also provides staff with the option to apply that increase to their expenses or contribute it to their retirement savings. Focusing on increasing base salaries has the largest, long-term impact for staff and increases the dollar value of their future retirement match across percentage rates.
Staff Council acknowledges that we need to make structural changes and work to identify how we as an institution can shift from being driven by new initiatives to reevaluating and/or reinvesting in existing infrastructure, including programs, addressing workloads, and finding a more sustainable services model. We have been firmly expressing how the institution can no longer have the same expectations in the current circumstances.
Your Budget Suggestions Welcome
The budget is divided up among various constituents throughout the institution. Annually, most areas need or want more in their budget, not less. What meaningful changes could you identify in budgets, workloads, or staffing? If you have suggestions for structural changes, send them to staffcouncil@middlebury.edu.
For more information, see the official proposal page posted FAQs.
You can also submit the budget proposal suggestion form.