Staff Forum Holds Fall Meeting and Social

On Tuesday, October 27, and Thursday, October 29, more than 100 staff members at Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) convened at the Dental Health Center, 930 Commonwealth Avenue and 100 East Newton Street to participate in the Staff Forum Fall Meeting and Social.

The three meetings offered staff members both on the GSDM campus and at 930 Commonwealth Avenue an opportunity to come together to meet their new representatives, learn more about the Staff Forum’s role at GSDM, and enjoy some delicious seasonal treats provided by the Staff Forum Representatives.

The meeting was facilitated by GSDM’s five Staff Forum Representatives: Alumni Coordinator Leslie Caiola; Continuing Education Coordinator Janine Lipsky; Infection Control Manager Pamela Simmons; and Alternates: Group Practice Administrator Alexa Styrczula; and Dental Assistant Roberta Flynn. These five Staff Forum Representatives each take turns representing the staff at the GSDM Executive Committee meetings.

“We were thrilled to experience such a great turn-out for our first meetings – at both campuses,” said Continuing Education Coordinator and Staff Forum Representative Janine Lipsky. “We enjoyed connecting with our fellow staff members, discussing the purpose of the staff forum, and enjoying some delicious fall treats.”

Some staff members dressed up in costume for the fall-themed meeting. Costumes included characters from the Netflix series Orange is the New Black, the different lines of the MBTA, and a costume of a nun that read: “nun of your business.”

The main event of the meeting was a PowerPoint presentation delivered by the Staff Forum Representatives that included information about the role of the Staff Forum and how GSDM staff members can use it to their advantage.

The Staff Forum Representatives explained that the purpose of the Staff Forum is to allow for discussion of issues of concern among the staff, and to establish and maintain a formal system of two way communication with the Executive Committee.

The staff members who attended the meeting participated in an electronic survey that required participants to text their answers in with their mobile devices. The questions on the survey were both fun and productive, and they gave participants a chance to provide direct feedback to their representatives.

Some of the questions were about: what type of meeting would be best for the Staff Forum; if supervisory staff should have a separate meeting; if a meeting could take place after business hours; and what everyone’s favorite fall pie flavor was—930 Commonwealth Avenue voted Pecan while 100 East Newton Street voted apple.

The Staff Forum Representatives also explained to the meeting participants that any staff member can start an interest group if they want to. To do so, staff members simply need to contact one of the current Staff Forum Representatives. Contact info can be found here.

Currently, the Staff Forum sponsors both a Nutrition Group and a Book Club that meet once a month. After the meeting, interest was expressed in creating a Yoga Group and a Mindfulness Group.

“The Staff Forum is a necessary component of the GSDM community that provides a wonderful venue for staff to come together to share ideas, voice their concerns, make recommendations for improving the School and just to have a good time amongst colleagues” said Dean Jeffrey W. Hutter. “I would like to thank all the Staff Forum Representatives for their hard work in making the Staff Forum Fall Meeting and Social a success.

Photos from the Staff Forum Fall Meeting and Social can be found on Facebook and Flickr.