The UHD Staff Council was formed on July 30, 1986, when former UHD President, Dr. Alexander Schilt, sent a memo to staff proposing the creation of a staff council. Lee Ellwood, Dr. Schilt's assistant at the time, was deemed the Council liaison.
Staff-wide elections, involving more than 200 staff members, were held on October 13, 1986. The first group elected to create the new UHD Staff Council met with Dr. Schilt. Those members were Penny Ellis, Vickie Black-Lewis, Robert Jurica, Terry Elliot, Marilyn Allen, Angie Mifflin, Laura Olejnik, Martha Cantu, Lloyd Matzner, and Kenneth Allen.
On December 18, 1987, the group met and elected Penny Ellis as President. Also during this meeting the first Staff Council Bylaws were established.
On January 7, 1988 the first official meeting of the UHD Staff Council commenced.