Frequently Asked Questions

General

What is a People & Culture sponsored staff organization?

While staff organizations may be sponsored by units other than People & Culture (P&C), P&C sponsored staff organizations exist for the purpose of professional development, community building of historically marginalized UCB staff, increasing employee engagement and providing an ongoing identification with the University. People & Culture sponsored staff organizations offer networking, mentorship, leadership, and professional development opportunities. Campus organizations may not have religious, political, commercial, or other outside agency interests as their focus.

What are the expectations of P&C staff organization sponsorship?

  • Complete the Mid-Year Budget Check and Funding Cycle Form annually

  • Use funds and complete reimbursements by May 15th

  • Have a fully open membership policy open to all staff on campus

  • Focus on UCB staff professional development or community building of historically marginalized groups that cannot be met by currently sponsored staff organizations

  • Uphold UC Berkeley's Principles of Community

  • Meet with sponsorship team as needed

  • Maintain and actively check an organization SPA e-mail address that will remain constant for the organization’s leadership 

  • Attend Council of Staff Organization (CSO) quarterly meetings

  • Add and remove organizational members from the CSO bCal as needed

How do I apply to become a P&C Sponsored Staff Organization?

Applications for P&C staff organization sponsorship will begin on a biannual basis (every 2 years) starting on February 1, 2022 and are due on May 31st of the application year. P&C sponsored staff organizations will maintain sponsorship for 2 years at a time and need to reapply at the end of their 2-year sponsorship term. Please see the application here

What is the difference between a Staff Organization and a Community of Practice?

Identity-Based Staff Organizations are generally based on supporting the interests of historically marginalized groups. These organizations range from the Berkeley Veterans to the Black Staff and Faculty Organization and more. In contrast, Communities of Practice are based on a particular professional interest or skill, such as facilitation, event planning, etc. Both types offer networking, mentoring, leadership, and professional development opportunities.

How can I post my event to the campus calendar?

  • Visit the UC Berkeley Events calendar. Click "Submit or Edit an Event" and log in with your CalNet ID.

  • Provide the details of your event.

  • At the bottom, submit to the calendar "Human Resources." If accepted, your event will appear on the UC Berkeley People & Culture Events calendar and in their RSS feeds.

  • You can also copy and share bCal links to your events by clicking "Add to my Google calendar (bCal)" from any event on the calendar.

How do I update information about my organization on this site?

Staff Organization leaders can request content updates by emailing csownie@berkeley.edu.

Who do I contact if I have more questions about P&C Sponsored Staff Organizations?

Please contact Shirley Giraldo, Employee Engagement Consultant, at shirleyg@berkeley.edu

Staff Participation Policy

Does PPSM 50 guarantee each staff member that they will get, as applicable, 10 days or 80 hours per year?

No. Although this is not a guarantee, we expect that it will be unusual for a staff member to be unable to take, as applicable, 10 days or 80 hours.

Is there a maximum amount of release time allowed?

No. However, we expect that the amounts set forth in PPSM 50 are sufficient to allow staff members to fully benefit from campus-sponsored activities.

Can a staff member who has recently received disciplinary action or who is on a performance improvement plan participate in campus-sponsored activities?

Yes. However, managers should caution the staff member to make sure that they understand that their job performance should not suffer as a result of participation in a staff organization.