At its first meeting of the semester, the Professional and Scientific Council approved implementation of a mentoring program for female staff.

An extension of the council’s peer advisory committee, the mentoring program is designed to recruit and retain female professional and scientific staff.

The motion, presented by Brenda Van Beek, an administration specialist in natural resource ecology and management, said the council will work with the Margaret Sloss Women’s Center on the program, which will help bridge the gap between male and female staff and provide support to new staff. No funding will be required for the mentoring program.

“It’s good that people know we, as a council, support this program,” said Linda Brinkmeyer, administration specialist for the Athletic Department.

The P&S Council held an open forum and committee meeting Thursday in the Pioneer Room of the Memorial Union. Provost Ben Allen presented the forum “Priorities, Challenges and Opportunities: Views from the Provost.”

Ellen Rasmussen, assistant provost, gave the provost’s report and said the search is well under way and a new provost could be in place by Thanksgiving.

President of the council Rex Heer, graphic designer in the Instructional Technology Center, presented information on nominations for President Gregory Geoffroy’s advisory committee on planning and the budget. He also brought up the possibility of the P&S Council contributing to the budget-strapped tuition reimbursement program. Those items will be discussed at a future meeting.

The group of 34 discussed the possibility of spending a day at Reiman Gardens to boost morale in the wake of budget and other stresses.

“We’re looking for ways to make the council more effective,” Heer said.

Lynne Mumm, program coordinator at the ISU Research Foundation, recapped the “campus lenders breakfast” where members of the council met with state senators and representatives regarding budget cuts, tuition and the economic role of the Regent schools.

Mumm said it was agreed that despite cuts to the budget, quality needs to be maintained.

The P&S Council consists of non-faculty ISU employees and its goals are to provide information and help to professional and scientific employees of Iowa State.