Projects

Correspondence

The Professional Staff Association of Western (PSAW, but formerly the APA) tracks and evaluates University initiatives that impact PSAW-eligible employees and communicates concerns with senior leadership. Following are links to letters delivered to senior leaders about PSAW concerns:

Letter concerning Covid-19 and return to campus, submitted in September 2021

WMU Administration's response to APA Covid-19 letter, received November 3, 2021

Reduction in force letter, submitted jointly with the Professional Support Staff Organization in May 2021

Proposal for paid family leave, submitted in February 2021

Staff Engagement Surveys

WMU Employee Engagement Surveys

• 2022 WMYou Employee Engagement Survey Website
• 2019 Employee Engagement Survey Website 

2017 APA and PSSO Staff Engagement Survey

Preliminary report (April 25, 2018)

To fulfill their missions and contribute to the academic excellence goal of The Gold Standard 2020, Western Michigan University’s Professional Support Staff Organization (PSSO) and Administrative Professional Association (APA) periodically solicit input on employee concerns by surveying their memberships. This year, the two groups collaborated on development of an employee engagement and satisfaction survey open to all of the University’s benefits-eligible non-bargaining staff members governed by the Staff Compensation System to inform data-driven advocacy on behalf of this group.

The APA and PSSO boards believe the survey can help bridge the recognized gap in assessing staff at WMU in the absence of a staff climate survey, such as those conducted for faculty and students. The information collected via the survey will be the basis for ongoing forums with WMU senior leadership (e.g. WMU’s president, provost, vice presidents, associate provosts, deans and associate deans) in developing solutions to issues vital to both the University and its employees. The boards believe the survey results will also be helpful to the incoming president to gauge and understand the work climate and experience of WMU’s benefits-eligible non-bargaining staff members governed by the Staff Compensation System.

Primary development of the survey was handled by APA Vice President Monica Liggins-Abrams, Associate Director of the Center for Research on Instructional Change in Postsecondary Education, in consultation with faculty and research associates in that office. The survey was vetted extensively by both the APA and PSSO boards, and a communication plan is in place supported by University Relations to promote survey participation.