College of Medicine HR Administrator Karmen Swim Begins Term as Staff Council President

September 8, 2016 by Jennifer Nachbur

University of Vermont College of Medicine Human Resources Administrator Karmen Swim is the new president of the UVM Staff Council for the next two years. She was elected in May 2016 and began officially serving in her new role on July 1.

Karmen Swim, UVM College of Medicine Human Resources Administrator and 2016-2018 UVM Staff Council President (Photo: UVM COM Design & Photography)

University of Vermont College of Medicine Human Resources Administrator Karmen Swim is the new president of the UVM Staff Council for the next two years.  She was elected in May 2016 and began officially serving in her new role on July 1.

Swim, who joined the UVM College of Medicine’s Dean’s Office as human resources coordinator in 2011, has worked as the College’s human resources administrator since April 2014. A member of the Staff Council since joining UVM five years ago, she has been actively involved in both the Outreach and Executive Committees and has volunteered on the Staff Appreciation Celebration Committee, Our Common Ground President’s Staff Award Committee and at UVM Move-In Day.

As Staff Council President, Swim is the chief advocate for more than 1800 UVM staff members and leads a team of staff representatives who are elected by each unit/division throughout the university (eight represent the College of Medicine). She is also charged with ensuring that Staff Council maintains a collaborative and collegial advisory relationship with UVM’s administrative leaders. You can read a monthly summary of her leadership meetings in the Staff Council Officers’ Report.

In the July Staff Council newsletter, Swim said “I am honored to be the Staff Council president for the unrepresented staff at UVM and am pleased to be working hand-in-hand with the elected representatives from each of your units/divisions. We strive each and every day for staff to be recognized as an important factor in the equation that contributes to the sum of the success of the university.”

Among the strategic initiatives the Staff Council will be focusing on over the next two years are: benefits and compensation; diversity awareness; wellness/work-life balance; employee engagement; professional development; supervisor training; empowering the staff; and improving communication efforts.  For more information, please visit the Staff Council web page.