News from UMKC Staff Council

August 2025

Kasey Kudos is Now Roo Recognition

Staff Council has rebranded Kasey Kudos. It's now called Roo Recognition, but the purpose remains the same: providing a simple way to recognize and appreciate members of the UMKC community.

Staff can log in with their UMKC SSO to access the system and send a virtual note of thanks, appreciation or encouragement. Whether it’s for a major accomplishment or a small, meaningful gesture, Roo Recognition makes it easy to give someone a well-deserved shout-out.

More information about raffle prizes and other incentives and activities related to Staff Council recognition initiatives will be coming soon.

Recognize a Roo

Help Welcome New Roos to UMKC

UMKC faculty and staff help make Roo Welcome a positive, welcoming experience for new students and their families and supporters. Your involvement is key to its success.

Fall Roo Welcome runs Aug. 20 through Sept. 12. Here’s how you can help:

Work a Residential Life move-in shift
Staff a Roo Welcome table or event
Show pride by wearing UMKC gear during the first weeks of the semester

Welcome our new Roos

Work a Residential Life move-in shift

UMKC Honors Blood Drive, 10am-2pm Sept. 3 Student Union 401

Donate Blood at Sept. 3 Community Blood Center Drive

Donate blood to save lives. Staff Council encourages participation in the Community Blood Center drive on Sept. 3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Student Union Room 401. Register at the Community Blood Center website.

UMKC Night at Starlight Featuring Life of Pi, Sept. 20

Join us Sept. 20 for the second annual UMKC Night at Starlight, featuring the Tony Award-winning production of Life of Pi. UMKC students, faculty, staff, alumni and constituent groups can receive exclusive discounts of up to 25% on tickets in seating levels 2 through 6 by entering promo code UMKC before selecting seats. Discounted tickets are available through Sept. 20.

Purchase Life of Pi tickets

2025 Virtual 5K Registration Now Open

Run, walk or bike anywhere between Sept. 27 and Oct. 5. Registration is $25 and all proceeds support the Dr. Raj Bala Agrawal Care Center, which provides food assistance to Roos in need. Register by Sept. 26.

Human Resources Offers Employee Referral Incentives and Professional Development Funds

UMKC Human Resources offers opportunities and resources to support staff, including:

Employee Referral Incentive: UMKC is hiring! Explore a variety of faculty and staff positions across campus and help us grow by referring exceptional candidates. Look for the flame icon in eRecruit to find roles eligible for a $500 referral incentive. Visit the UMKC HR Careers website for details or email jobs@umkc.edu with questions. Learn more.

Staff Professional Enrichment Fund - Next Deadline Sept. 1: The Staff Professional Enrichment and Emergency Relief Funds (SPEER) supports qualified staff by reinforcing their competencies and strengthening talents. The fund can help cover registration fees and travel costs for professional development opportunities and is available to individuals or groups. The next deadline to apply is Sept. 1. Learn more and apply.

Learn more about the Employee Referral Incentive

Learn more about SPEER

Other Helpful Staff Resources and Upcoming Events

Digital Accessibility at UMKC: New digital accessibility requirements affect course content, websites, emails, PDFs and more. Efforts are underway to meet the April 2026 deadline at both UMKC and the University of Missouri System. Trainings and resources are available:

UMKC Digital Accessibility webpage for guidance and resources.
UM Academic Technology webpage for knowledge base articles, self-paced trainings, and an events calendar with upcoming training sessions.
New rules also apply to university social media accounts. Accessibility includes alt text, captions, graphics and more. Register any UMKC social media accounts you manage by Oct. 1, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, X, LinkedIn, Threads and others.

Fall Sports Are Back: Catch men’s and women’s soccer and volleyball at KCRoos.com or on the free KC Athletics app. Season tickets start at $50, with BOGO deals for UMKC staff and faculty plus perks like free food and drinks. Join fellow Roos for free UMKC Faculty-Staff Nights at these home events: Sept. 21 (men's soccer), Oct. 9 (women's soccer), Oct. 15 (women's volleyball). Use code FAC-STAFF at checkout to get $5 guest tickets. For details and tickets, visit KCRoos.com or call (816) 889-8758.

New Chat Support Available from Information Services (IS): IS now offers faster, more convenient technical support with a new AI chatbot available 24/7 and live chat with technicians Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The chatbot provides answers from IT resources and can automatically create support tickets when needed. To start a chat, visit KCRooBot at the bottom right of ithelp.umkc.edu or any IS webpage.

Next UMKC Staff Council Meeting: Sept. 3 at 8:30 a.m.

All staff are welcome to attend Staff Council meetings. Staff Council typically meets the first Wednesday of each month from 8:30 to 10 a.m., both in person and via Zoom.

The next general body meeting is scheduled for Sept. 3 in Bloch Heritage Hall, Room 006, and via Zoom. Subsequent Fall 2025 meetings will be held Oct. 1, Nov. 5, and Dec. 3.

August 2025 meeting minutes

August 2025 TLDR

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