Are you an NC State employee who has used paid parental leave after the birth of your child? Or, have you or someone you know been able to take home a laptop through the university’s Computer Loan Program? If you answered yes to either of these questions, you can thank the Staff Senate for its work to help bring about both of these programs.

Since its inception in 1995, the Staff Senate has served as an advisory body to the chancellor, advocating for all SHRA, EPS and county Extension employees and working to ensure that staff voices are heard. There are currently 97 staff senators representing 472 units across campus. Jameco McKenzie, director of Multicultural Student Affairs, is the current chair.

“Serving as chair of the NC State Staff Senate has been a meaningful opportunity to represent the people who help move this university forward every day,” McKenzie said. “Throughout my year as chair and my broader time in Staff Senate, my focus was simple and intentional: to elevate the staff experience, ensure the staff perspective was consistently represented in conversations with university leadership, and strengthen staff skills and leadership capacity across the institution. With more than 7,200 staff members serving on campus and throughout North Carolina, our work centered on recognizing that the university’s mission is carried forward through their daily commitment and expertise.”

Over the years, senators have worked to meet the needs of workers through a wide variety of initiatives. One example is the Employee Emergency Loan Program. Launched in 2020, the program allows NC State faculty, staff, county Extension employees, house officers and postdoctoral scholars to borrow money for short-term emergencies. The Staff Senate has also championed professional development by promoting the tuition waiver program and the Janet B. Royster Memorial Staff Scholarship, which provides financial assistance for eligible employees working toward a degree or other professional certification. 

Community service is another key component of the Staff Senate’s work. Senators regularly organize donation drives for Feed the Pack and the Blood Connection on campus. Since 2012, the organization has collected and donated more than 12,000 holiday gifts for local children through the Toys for Tots program. The Staff Senate’s BackPack Drive, meanwhile, has provided school supplies to more than 450 K-12 students since 2022, and a winter clothing drive in 2025 helped give 700 jackets, blankets and other items to staff members and their families. Along with members of the Wellness Champions group, senators also organized a special volunteer trip last fall to western North Carolina, where they assisted in the Hurricane Helene relief efforts at the Black Mountain Home for Children. 

“No matter the need, the Staff Senate, and particularly the Community Service and Engagement Committee, remains committed to creatively addressing barriers that impact not only our workplace but also the lives of our colleagues beyond the four walls of the institution,” said committee chair Alexis Steptoe. “As new challenges arise, from access to warm winter clothing and nutritious food to blood drives and back-to-school supplies, this committee and the broader Staff Senate consistently rise to the occasion, responding with thoughtfulness, innovation and resourcefulness to support our Wolfpack community.”

Fostering collaboration and community across the university is another aim of the Staff Senate. The organization regularly hosts small group tours of places employees may otherwise never visit, such as Carter-Finley Stadium, the Plant Sciences Building and the PULSTAR nuclear reactor. Last year during Red and White Week, it also hosted a coffee and community event where employees got to meet Chancellor Kevin Howell and learn about the university’s direction and ongoing work. 

Building a Foundation

Those who serve as staff senators enjoy unique opportunities for collaboration and community building as well. Corrinda Watkins was one of the founding members of NC State’s Staff Senate and served as an ex-officio officer until her retirement from the university in 2020. In the early 1990s, then-Chancellor Larry Monteith charged University Human Resources with creating a better system to consolidate and address staff needs. Watkins was one of several employees who took on the assignment, which involved hosting listening sessions, forming committees and establishing trust from employees and leadership.

“Campus really bought into it, and that was because they saw results taking place,” Watkins said. “We were the voice for the staff.”

NC State was the first UNC System school to organize a staff senate. It has since served as a model and been called upon to help answer questions and establish staff senates at other institutions. 

“We put a lot of time into getting the foundation right, and thanks to that, it’s stood the test of time,” Watkins said.

Janice Sitzes, Extension community services director in the College of Natural Resources, has also been a mainstay on the Staff Senate. She has been involved for more than 10 years, first as a senator and then as chair during the 2019-2020 academic year. She continues to serve today as an alternate senator for her college.

“I enjoy being able to give back and make this a better place for our staff,” Sitzes said. “As employees, we spend so much time here, and our work life affects our personal lives, so we want to make sure everyone has the best experience possible.”

During his tenure as chair, McKenzie has valued the opportunity to connect with colleagues through the University Council, share updates and reports with the Board of Trustees and serve on numerous university committees and advisory groups. He has also partnered with the Student Government and Faculty Senate to work with Howell and the university administration on strengthening effective shared governance and advancing priorities that benefit the entire NC State community.

Most recently, McKenzie presided over a yearlong celebration of the Staff Senate’s 30th anniversary and the launch of a new employee recognition program called the Cornerstone Awards. More than 50 people were nominated for the inaugural award, which honors staff members whose dedication, integrity and collaboration strengthen NC State’s foundation. Jessica Williams, Hillary Stone, Keith Smith and Charla Blumell were honored as the first winners last week.

“This experience as Staff Senate chair reinforced my belief that lasting institutional impact happens when staff voices are heard, their contributions are recognized and their leadership is cultivated across the university,” McKenzie said. “Serving in this role has been a one-of-a-kind experience.”