Staff Council Minutes: 11-8-06
Members Present: Joyce Abbott, Robert Berkelman, Connie Bradford, Virginia Brooks, Dean Brumett, Melissa Chambers, Christopher Dew, Melissa Folsom, Patty Frisbee, Mindy Limback, Rhonda Long, Roy Soper, Cindi Vogt, Peggy Wilson
Members Absent: Kim Frazer, Willie Woolsey
Ex-Officio Members Absent: Larry George, Jay Goff
Welcome Guests: None
Opening: The meeting was called to order at 10:00 a.m. by Vice Chair, Chris Dew. The meeting was held in room 302 Library.
Approval of Minutes: Minutes from the October 11 meeting and special meeting of October 16, 2006 were read and approved.
Treasurer’s Report:
GO: $8,353.12
Special Events: $2,990.50
Development: $589.18 (Rolla Earth Day funds)
Old Business:
None
New Business:
Charitable Awareness: GRACE for Christmas will run from November 1 to December 1. Flyers are out and building coordinators are in place. Staff Council’s web page has a link for GRACE. Information has also gone out in e-connection.
Dress Down Day raised $779 for the American Cancer Society.
Motion made and passed that another Dress Down Day will be scheduled for Feb 28 with proceeds going to the American Cancer Society.
Iraq Packs- Mining paid for the shipping for this program and will no longer do so. Melissa is talking to ROTC to see if they will take over the program. The shipping is very expensive and Staff Council will not pay for it.
Staff Day Activities: Dean and Peg have met and discussed a “Pirate Day” theme. They will be setting up committees and report to the Council their recommendations. They feel that the ideas they have will be less expensive than last year’s. They will combine some of the committees that they have had in the past and will solicit volunteers through e-connection and e-mail. With the food service contract expiring close to this time they will seek a back-up plan for catering the lunch. Glen Cotia did the graphic design for last year’s t-shirt. Melisa Folsom will send information from last year to Dean. Other preliminary plans were discussed.
An employee donating sick leave to a fellow employee was discussed. This is still under advisement with Ken Hutchinson, UM Vice President for Human Resources. Staff Council needs to renew its effort to get this implemented.
Staff Survey: Robert will set up a committee to start the process. The committee will go over last year’s survey and if Staff Council can not take action on an item it will be removed from the survey. It will then be approved by the President of Staff Council and sent to the Chancellor before it is distributed. The results will also be shared with the Chancellor. Melissa Folsom will help Robert put it on line. Focus needs to be on addressing the needs of the staff brought about from the survey. Chris suggestion that Staff Council devote ½ of a future meeting to see what actions can be taken or implemented. Actions that come about as a result of the survey need to be publicized. The items need to be documented along with the outcome. It was suggested that to announce at Staff Day what Staff Council has done and the action that has been taken as a result of the survey. Committee member for the staff survey are: Chair, Robert Berkleman; Mindy Limback, Rhonda Long, Melissa Folsom and Connie Bradford.
UM Leadership Program: Lindsey Bagnall, Ted Ruth, John Terrill and Andy Careage will meet with Staff Council next month to discuss ways to work with Staff Council on a possible “UMR Pride” project. There were plans to hold a tailgate party before a football game, but it did not work out, and now with the proposed name change, they want to get some feedback from Staff Council and others on how we should proceed with such a project.
Committee Reports
ICSC - Happenings reported on the other campus:
UMKC: Candidates for Deputy Chancellor of Diversity and Equality are being sought. The council is looking at parking issues. The campus is having a Convocation Celebration.
UM System: Controller’s Office is finishing an audit.
UMSL: Express Scripts has a building on campus. Express Scripts is the first Fortune 500 to build on a university. A July storm tore up the gym, and is still under repair.
UMC: Mizzou is 3-0. Staff council is still working on information obtained from the survey.
UMR: Going thru the phases of eliminating deans. We have a new Provost Dr. Kent Wray.
The Board of Curators has appointed a new Compensation committee, which has 3 members. They will be looking at comparator groups. The benefit medical rates have not been finalized. We will have a vision plan starting January 1, 2007. It will be a separate cost from medical. Retirement indemnity will be reduced 2-4%. There will be a 0% increase for POS!
Committee Reports:
Academic Council – next meeting November 9.
Chancellor’s Cabinet – No Report
Parking – No Report
UM Intercampus Staff Council - Will meet December 19.
Home Page – Melissa Folsom is setting up templates to be consistent with the Academic Pages. The link for GRACE has been added.
Personnel – No Report
Welcome – New brochures were delivered to HR.
Campus Appearance – State Street Project – avoid the area
Campus Day Care – No Report
Self Accreditation - Melissa Folsom was nominated and elected to serve on this committee.
Chartwells RFP – First meeting was held on October 17. An overview of the process and project timeline was discussed. Committee will present their proposal to the Chancellor for approval on February 15, 2007 and then to the Board of Curators at their April 5-6, 2007 meeting. Two subcommittees were formed: The Board Plan and the Retail/Catering. Connie will serve on the Retail/Catering Subcommittee, which will meet every Tuesday. Discussions have included the current status of retail sales and future planning based on the consultant’s observations & recommendations.
Dean’s Offices Reorganizations Committees:
Financial Activities Planning – next meeting November 14.
Personnel Resources Planning - Positions open as a result of the restructuring will be open to all staff. No one will lose their job.
External Functions & Activities Planning – Committee has met many times. They are to identify those activities involving outreach and relations with individuals, organizations, and companies external to the university that are currently beneficial to the University and may continue to provide benefit to the University in the future. After identifying all external activities of benefit to the university, make recommendations regarding which activities should continue after the deans’ offices are eliminated and make further recommendations regarding what university unit should assume the responsibility for ensuring that these activities are successfully continued.
Administrative Planning – Committee consists of 2 major sub-committees; Academic Planning & Non-Academic Planning. Committees are dominated by faculty. Staff needs a voice on the committee. Minutes are on Provost’s website for review. Minutes and meeting are open.
Crisis – see if someone from Staff Council is needed on committee.
Library & Learning Resources – no contact has been made.
An issue concerning a Hostile Work Environment was brought to the attention of a member. The grievance process is on Human Resources web site.
Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 11:00.
Staff Council picture was taken after meeting.
Minutes submitted by Staff Council Secretary Joyce Abbott.