This past month, the Employee Assembly (EA) welcomed five new members to fill vacant seats:

Adam Howell, communications specialist for the Cornell Local Roads Program, is now the EA representative for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. He is looking forward to having “a positive impact on our university community.” Howell is a native of Illinois who moved to Ithaca in early 2016 with his wife Donna. An avid hiker, camper and nature lover, he enjoys spending time with their baby boy Harrison and dog Daisy. 

Arla Hourigan, graduate education manager and now EA representative for the College of Veterinary Medicine, has worked at Cornell since 2006, primarily offering student support services to undergrad and graduate students. She enjoys connecting students, staff and faculty to the various opportunities Cornell has to offer, and looks forward to relaying information and perspectives from university leaders to her colleagues and vice-versa.

Andrea Haenlin-Mott, the new EA representative for Infrastructure, Properties & Planning (IPP), is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) coordinator for that division. In her role, she works with many organizations and units across campus on compliance and inclusion concerns. She looks forward to the opportunity to work with the Employee Assembly in representing the perspectives of the hundreds of staff members who work for IPP.

Daniela Harris, EA disability representative, is Cornell’s lead Title IX investigator. As a new employee at Cornell, she is looking for ways to become more involved in the university’s governance and policy-making process. An attorney, immigrant and millennial, Harris has a professional background in employment law and is passionate about employee rights, especially disability rights.

Hei Hei Depew, EA representative for staff working at Cornell for less than five years, has been a financial professional at Cornell for two-and-a-half years. She has worked at Engaged Cornell and is now working at the College of Human Ecology. She also is a member of the 2016 Staff Survey working group to explore the staff connection to the mission and direction of the university and a member of the Employee Assembly Transportation Task Force.

The Employee Assembly consists of 28 members, representing the community of Cornell employees, and is committed to providing staff with a means of continuous involvement in the governance of the University. Working closely with members of the administration, the EA encourages higher visibility for employees as community members, more equal participation with faculty and students in the policy-making process, and an increased sense of community through shared responsibilities.

The EA meets the first and third Wednesdays of each month, 12:15-1:30 p.m., usually in 401 Physical Sciences Building but check the meeting website. All staff are welcome to attend any of the EA general meetings and to join any of its committees. For more information, see the EA website.