Cody Henslee is the new Staff Senate President. Photo by Ben Krain.An Information Technology Services staff member will serve as the next president of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Staff Senate.听Cody Henslee, applications support and maintenance specialist, will serve as president-elect during the 2019-20 year, before becoming president in July 2020.听鈥淚t鈥檚 an honor to take the position of president-elect,鈥� Henslee said. 鈥淲hen I first started on campus as associate director for housing facilities, I was jokingly called 鈥楻andy鈥檚 son鈥� all the time because my father had worked in housing. I don鈥檛 think anyone used my name. So now it鈥檚 nice that I鈥檝e built my own reputation over the past five years, and my hard work hasn鈥檛 gone unnoticed.鈥�听Henslee earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in art history from 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock in 2013 and a master鈥檚 degree in education in 2016. He worked in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions as an imaging specialist for three years before accepting a position with the Office of Financial Aid as an advisor. He joined IT Services in 2019.听He became active in the Senate in 2016 to gain professional experience and to advocate for staff members on campus. He has been involved in campus committees, including the blood drive, staff awards ceremony, professional development, and Helping Hands.听鈥淚 enjoy the opportunity to be a voice and advocate for staff. I enjoy the camaraderie and being tied to the pulse of the university,鈥� Henslee said. 鈥淭here is a lot that goes on at this university. Being aware provides so much more flexibility and allows you to be more helpful. I get to hear and experience the university from a variety of perspectives, rather than just my own. It鈥檚 a rewarding experience.鈥�听As Staff Senate president, Henslee plans to focus on building resources and connecting with staff members.听鈥淎s president, one of the things I would like to do is leverage some of our free resources to build something for the staff, whether that be Blackboard resources or social events,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 want to build a connectedness during this time when people feel unsure. I want to give them a bright spot and let them know that someone is advocating for their needs and interests.鈥�听Henslee lives in Alexander with his husband, Paden, cat Cheddar, and dog Fosse. In his free time, he enjoys photography, music, and anything related to technology.听鈥淚 would like the staff to know I am an open book, I鈥檓 very approachable, and I can be very personable,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hile at work, I like to say I am on. I used to be a restaurant server, so I have the mindset of getting things done and being very outgoing. I am a primarily positive and warm individual. I always try to focus on my commitments and pull my weight.鈥�
