CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES COUNCIL
6 December 2007
Horrabin Hall 60
Electronic Classroom
Minutes
I.
Roll Call
Present: Suzanne Boussaard, Jim Buffalo, Laura Caldwell, Carla Farniok, Tammy Hiel, Ed
Lavin, Sam Marlow, Greg Phelps, Lois Retherford, Jamie Shuda, Hilary Churchill, Cerese
Wright, Martha Youngmeyer, James Weaver, Stuart Clauson
Excused: Richard Hamilton, Sam Marlow, Jackie Thompson, Sheila Kirby
II.
Guest
Joe Rives – Higher Values in Higher Education Update
Higher Values in Higher Education has a committee of 30 people. It was started about 5
years ago. The committee is making sure the goal or vision makes sense. They want to
make sure that the plan can be carried through. The vision statement is to be the leading
comprehensive university in the United States. The university is a great institution and needs
a quality education that is affordable. Opportunities need to be offered to grow. They have
already put through the Transfer with an Associates Degree plan. A transfer student can
transfer to Western with an Associates Degree and get the tuition rate for the previous year.
Students, faculty, and staff are here to serve.
The body of the plan started out with 180 actions. The plan is based on three chapters.
1. Things that effect recruitment.
2. What do the values mean?
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Academic excellence
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Personal Growth
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Social Responsibility
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Sustainability
3. Measurement – Proof the plan is working
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Key
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Graduation
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Salary
Is there anything the council would like to see in the plan? Go to co-workers and see what they
would like to see.
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Level or quality of service provided to students
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Keeping up with the staffing level
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Family friendly policies
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Maternity leave
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Programming at both campuses
The plan now has 156 actions. 88% of the actions are done or in progress. Most of the actions
went as desired. 12% went down and 10% are neutral. It looks like everything in the plan is a
priority.
III.
Minutes (Carla Farniok)
Lois needs to be added to roll call as excused. Greg passed the motion to accept and Jamie
seconded. The motion passed with changes.
IV.
Treasurer’s Report (Jamie Shuda)
We have a fund balance of $99,000 and we need $200,000 to become self sufficient. There
are a total of 1800 employees and 890 of them are Civil Service. If each employee would
contribute $24.00 per year, this would be possible. They could payroll deduct $2.00 per
month which would be $24.00 per year. Credit cards are accepted. New employees should
be invited to attend a CSEC meeting so the employee knows the council is here. A brochure
can be inserted into the employee’s packet.
A fund raising letter will be ready to go out in January.
The council gives 5 book awards per semester. This is 15 per year. A total of 9 scholarships
are given out. Dr. Goldfarb donates 1 and the council gives 8. The council should leave this
the same since employees are being encouraged to give more.
Hilary is checking out the possibilities of doing a Phone-A-Thon on behalf of the CSEC.
Tammy passed the motion to accept and Ed seconded. The motion passed.
V.
President’s Report (Suzanne Boussaard)
1. President’s Advisory Group meeting:
VI.
•
Jack Thomas was recently hired as the new Provost effective January 1, 2008.
He is young and enthusiastic. He did his homework on Western.
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Mike Sartorius-Internal Auditing
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Michael Rodriguez-Chief Technology Security Officer
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IBHE Meeting – Nursing program was approved
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Joe Rives said the University employees are 100% converted to Zimbra;
Students will be completed next semester
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Emergency Alert System - This will alert everyone if there is a crisis or severe
weather. Everyone can be alerted immediately so have all of your information
updated for this.
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Dave Steelman announced that Springfield will no longer accept hard drives
when sending to surplus. These must go to the Quad Cities first.
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Lobby day is in March.
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Capital budget is not approved yet.
Civil Service Employee of the Month (Laura Caldwell)
Kathy Artis – Non-Traditional Programs
Her presentation was on November 27, 2007.
VII.
Vice President for Administrative Services Report (Jackie Thompson)
No Report
VIII.
Director of Human Resources (Pam Bowman)
Anita Sells is now the Training and Development Human Resource Associate. Andrea
Henderson is the Interim auditor replacing Anita until someone is permantently hired for the
position.
IX.
Employee Advisory Committee Representative (Sheila Kirby) – No Report
X.
WIU Quad Cities Campus Report (Lois Retherford)
Extremely busy at the Quad Cities Campus right now finishing up the fall semester and
preparing for the spring semester.
I was fortunate to participate in the first ever Memorial Tree Planting at the Quad Cities
Campus last week. The tree was planted at the new Riverfront Campus in memory of Dr.
Marshall Parks.
The Quad Cities Campus will be having their Holiday Potluck next Tuesday.
XI.
Representative Reports to Council
1. Affirmative Action Internship (Tammy Hiel) – No Report
2. Affirmative Action & Equity Council (Martha Youngmeyer) – There could be a
change to the University Anti Discrimination Policy. Transgender is going to legal
council.
3. Women’s Center (Martha Youngmeyer)
The Women’s Center has been incorporating this year’s campus theme of Global
Challenges and Personal Responsibility: Environmental Sustainability into our
educational outreach by focusing attention on women and the environment and
ecofeminism. We've sent out a call for proposals for the REAL Women: Women as
Researchers, Educators, Activists and Leaders presentation series. The Women's Center
newsletter will be out the first of next week, so look for information about these and other
programs and activities. The Women’s Center will hold a Holiday Sale from Dec. 7 –
Dec. 22; in preparation for the upcoming celebration of National Women’s History Month,
March 2008, the Western Illinois University Women’s Center is calling for submissions of
poetry, short fiction, and other creative works for its first annual publication of the
Women’s Voices Journal; A program with HIV/AIDS awareness activities was held from
3:30-5 p.m. on Nov. 29 at the Macomb High School commons, as well as an essay
contest; Twelve WIU students have been cast for the 2008 performance of “The Vagina
Monologues,” which will be held at 7:30 p.m. February 14 and 15 in the Horrabin Hall
Theatre; The OASIS Organization held National Non Traditional Student week Nov. 4-10
with various activities; December 10, 2007 is Jane Addams Day, and the Women’s
Center, in collaboration with Western’s Social Work Department, sponsored an essay
contest for local Junior High (7th and 8th grade) students.
4. Web Page (Kevin Morgan) - James Weaver will be in charge of this.
XII.
Committee Reports
1. Appeals/Award Fund (Rich Hamilton) – Certificates are printed up along with the award
fund brochure.
2. Award Selection (Ed Lavin) – Covered in the Treasurer’s Report.
3. Constitution / Election (Jim Buffalo) – No Report
4. Education (Hilary Smith) – No Report
5. Mentoring (Sam Marlow) – No Report
6. Salary (Suzanne Boussaard) – Pay per performance should come to the council during
the spring semester. If it is approved by the council, it will start July 1, 2008 so raises will
not be seen until July 1, 2009. Employees have to be supervised for 1 year after the plan
is put in motion.
7. Social Events & Development (Jamie Shuda, Kevin Morgan)
Luncheon update – 305 people have sent in RSVPs. Rich and Suzanne will do
check-in. Greg will sell raffle tickets. Lois will sell cookbooks. The coat racks
are outside of the Grand Ball Room. There are 40 pictures for the Wall of Honor.
The computer system will be set up for past winners. There will be 8 singers that
will sing at 11:45 and the Color Guard presentation will be at 12:05. Thanks to Al
for charging less so the $10.00 charge will cover all meals.
8. Committee on Committees (Greg Phelps) – No Report
XIII.
New Business
1. Election Gear up – The election is in April. The statement of candidacy needs to be
received 2 weeks before the election. The council is hoping everything can be rolling by
February.
2. Audit promotions – It has been asked why these are not posted. There is a concern
that the employee may not want co-workers to know. The posting for audits would be
delayed. Human Resources will look into this.
Audit Procedures – The employee needs to request to audit their position. They need to
have an updated job description. The audit needs to be approved by the Vice President
and then sent on to Andrea Henderson. The Quad Cities Campus would go through Joe
Rives and through the President. The process is smoother with the correct classification
and the supervisor on board. If the audit ends up a lower classification than the position
currently is, the employee will keep the same classification. The position would be
changed when it is open again. Responsibilities can be taken away but the employee
would stay at the current level. Demotions are usually disciplinary unless someone
wants to take a lower classification for more opportunity to transfer out of their current
position.
3. Holidays – Veteran’s Day – This would have to go through CSEC as a recommendation.
The recommendation would then go to Human Resources to the President and then to
the Board of Trustees. All groups would have to agree on this.
XIV.
Old Business:
1. EOM Award Guidelines
2. Pay for Performance proposal – It should be ready for the council to see during the
Spring semester.
3. Cookbook sales update
4. Fund raising letter – The letter will be ready to go out in January.
5. Dr. Tom Morelock’s visit to campus – There will be 2 sessions. One session will be for
Civil Service employees only and the other will be for anyone that wants to attend.
6. Open Forum follow-up – The turnout was down. There was discussion about something
going to all of the supervisors from Jackie Thompson’s office about release time being
granted for this.
XV.
XVI.
Group Concerns:
Announcements
THE NEXT MEETING IS THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 2008 IN THE HORRABIN HALL
ELECTRONIC CLASSROOM.