Getting conversant with the technology related to online learning when the UM temporarily shut its doors was a huge challenge for some UM staff, support staff Council representative told the Newspoint team. However, barely a month into the situation, a significant shift has been made, and “hopefully, the momentum is not lost once this saga is over”.
Ms Abood was referring to the move to e-learning, which she called “a long-desired learning priority for some” and “a mammoth task for certain technology-averse others”. The shift was both unexpected and quick to take place, she said.
On exploring the element of flexibility in this day and age
Another shift experienced by staff was the sudden reality of working from home, and the subsequent resurfacing of the perception that remote working is less productive and that it would slow down the volume of work being collectively produced by certain departments.
“The COVID-19 experience is proving people wrong, especially those who feared less input from their colleagues. I do hope that this experience will shift this perception for good and help us think more in terms of faculty needs as well as task-oriented goals – through good communication”, says Ms Abood.
Asked about whether such flexibility previously was on the UM agenda, she told Newspoint that it was, but that she things need to be looked at macro-level. “With the traffic issues and office space challenges faced by UM, the term flexibility has been on the discussion cards for quite some time. But I think we should go beyond that”.
She noted that the majority of support staff working at the University are women, most of whom are relatively young and who are raising families and trying to strike a balance between work and home. UM staff who fall within this category are usually averse to asking for telework opportunities, but that again, this situation brought work-life balance under the spotlight again, with optimistic changes that she hopes will keep leading decision-makers in the right direction.
On the several changes at UM in the last decade
Over the last 10 years, Ms Abood says she has witnessed a number of upgrades, which positioned the educational institution successfully within the education sector.
Thanks to the introduction of a number of training programmes, the UM has become more sensitive in matters such as mental health.
Salary progression and growth opportunities, including not just promotions but opportunities of visiting universities abroad for mobility training, as well as increased access to work resources, have also registered a significant improvement.
Indeed, Ms Abood has been at UM long enough to see the institution go through many changes.
On her fondest memory of working at UM
But perhaps the fondest experience she has had so far is one which made her realise she cherishes her role in relation to another faction of the UM community; its students.
“One day, a woman walks into my office carrying a big tin of biscuits. She was there on behalf of her son, who had fared badly in his exams. She told me it wasn’t because he wasn’t attentive, but because she was sick and had weeks left to live. She asked me to look after him and watch him graduate in her stead. I kept my promise and on his graduation day, I hugged him and told him ‘this is from mum. I am still friends with this grown man nowadays. It’s an experience that changed me forever”.
This true story took place more than 10 years ago whilst Ms Abood was serving her role as Council representative, which is one of the platforms where students are also represented.
On equal representation of all groups of UM community at Council level
“I strongly believe that yes, there should be equal representation of all staff and students on the Council”, Ms Abood says of how different parts of the UM community deal with their respective issues.
While UM students have their say on Boards of Studies, Faculty Boards, Senate and Council, academic staff are also heavily represented.
Ms Abood is the voice of support staff, who are represented at Council, which deals with governance, recruitment, capital expenditure and policy making.
Who is Ms Stephanie Abood?
Ms Abood is Manager II at the Faculty of Economics, Management & Accountancy. She has been employed at University since 1998, but other than this official role at University, she also has a number of other roles – including that of Council representative for support staff since 2004. She is the first female to have been elected from and by the support staff to represent them. She is also a member of the UM’s Health and Safety Committee, the Scholarships and Bursaries Committee, the Centre for Liberal Arts & Science Board, and the Secretary of the Committee on Race and Ethnic Affairs. She also chairs the UM’s Welfare Fund.
Ms Abood will be on the next edition of the Health & Wellness Talks, on Friday 24 April. Watch the livestream .
