Indiana University, Bloomington. Staff Council

The Indiana University Bloomington Staff Council was officially formed in November 1951, following authorization by the Board of Trustees. The Staff Council consisted of a body of representatives elected by and from the university employee staff. It provided University staff members with organized representation and a medium of exchange with University administration by which to advocate for staff rights and benefits. In 1993, the Staff Council was absorbed by the IU-CWA (Communications Workers of America), when the university Board of Trustees officially voted to acknowledge the IU-CWA as a formal union on campus.

The idea to form a Staff Council at Indiana University Bloomington was first conceived by President Herman B Wells prior to 1939. The Board of Trustees preliminarily authorized a Personnel Division in 1940, under which an Employee Advisory Committee was appointed. The purpose of this division and committee was to serve as liaison for relaying problems, desires, and grievances from non-academic employees to the university administration, as well as to advise the administration concerning relevant employee welfare policies and interpret said policies to employees.

The Staff Council was officially authorized by the Board of Trustees in November 1951; it existed as a body of elected employee staff representatives democratically selected by and from non-academic staff at the university. The purpose of the Staff Council was to provide members of the university staff with a means of representative participation in the formulation of policies and solutions for problems affecting the general welfare of university staff personnel. The elected group provided a respected, organized medium of exchange of information between staff and administration which worked to promote the rights and benefits of personnel.

Prominent issues with which the Staff Council dealt include the establishment of an employee credit union (1956), employee benefits issues, grievances, leave policies, and educational grants. The Staff Council also began the Fun Frolic, which is a highly successful fundraiser at Indiana University featuring a week-long carnival with rides, games, and food offerings. The idea for the Fun Frolic was originally conceived with the intention to use proceeds toward the establishment of a Staff Council Scholarship Fund.

In 1993, the Staff Council was absorbed by the IU-CWA (Communications Workers of America), when the university Board of Trustees officially voted to acknowledge the IU-CWA as a formal union on campus.