Q&A with Cameron Ward, chair of Management and Professional Staff Advisory Committee

Cameron Ward

Cameron Ward, an associate systems engineer in IT Customer Relations and Process Management, is serving as the 2021-22 chair of the Management and Professional Staff Advisory Committee. Here, he answers questions from Purdue Today about his plans in leading MaPSAC.

How long, and in what positions, have you worked at Purdue?

I started at Purdue in November 2013. Initially my title was desktop support specialist. My first office was in the old South Campus Court buildings. Drafty old dorms or maybe barracks from the 1940s, I think. Now my office is in Stewart Center.

Why did you decide to become involved in MaPSAC? In what capacity/on which committees have you served?

I was made aware of APSAC (now MaPSAC) and its mission right at the start of my time at Purdue. I was initially very interested, but as I was getting used to a new working environment, my interest waned. Once my office was moved more centrally to campus, my interest was renewed and I applied shortly after getting to Stewart Center. I initially served on the Professional Development subcommittee working on grant application evaluation and working with the rest of my committee to make awards. I also served on the University Senate subcommittee for Arts and Visual Design, and also on the Staff Memorial subcommittee. I was also the MaAPSAC representative sent to the University Senate meetings.

What did you learn as vice chair or as a committee member that will assist you as chair this year?

My principal lesson last year was the value of clear, concise and transparent communication. I hope to continue that tradition in the coming year and to guide continual improvement in communication for the foreseeable future.

What will MaPSAC be working on during the upcoming academic year?

We have some exciting prospective speakers coming in for our Lovell and Hadley speaker series. Grants will continue in similar vein to previous years. We also hope to do our part to restore a sense of “normal” for the on- and off-campus management and professional staff. 

What are your own goals as the chair of MaPSAC? What do you hope to have contributed as chair to MaPSAC and the University once your term ends?

My No.1 goal is to bring value to the management and professional staff and do our part to help the University administration understand the needs, desires and opinions of our members. To that end, we continue to improve our communication quality and frequency, and we are working with Leadership and Organizational Development to find ways to improve our leadership development programs and opportunities. I also want to ensure that MaPSAC’s role and value are well understood and that members of MaPSAC are ever more accessible to staff in their areas.

What would you like faculty and staff to know about MaPSAC?

We are here to help and offer advice as called for in our founding policy. We have a decades-long tradition of helping faculty, staff and administrators with the two-way communication that is crucial to the success of Purdue University. 

How can staff get involved with MaPSAC?

There are three ways to get involved. First, find out who the MaPSAC members from your department, college or area are by checking our website: https://www.purdue.edu/apsac/. The second way is to respond to our monthly newsletters with your needs, thoughts and concerns so we can advise University leadership accurately. Finally, please consider becoming a member of MaPSAC. You have a real opportunity as a member to influence decisions and to meet great people with an interest in leadership from across the University.