September Meeting Minutes
September 9, 2015 10:00am – 12:00pm
UC 326
Welcome & Call to Order
President Zellmer-Cuaresma called the meeting to order at 10:03am.
Roll Call
Attendees: Andi Armstrong, David Crowley, Kris Csorosz, Mark Fritch, Kiley Gage, Grace Gardner, Jefferson
Heath, Rochelle Krahn, Maggie Linder, Carlie Magill, Maria Mangold, Shaunagh McGoldrick, Candy Patrick,
Gloria Phillip, Stella Phipps, Caitlin Sager, Edi Stan, Renee Valley, Angela Weisenburger, Kellyn Younggren,
Jennifer Zellmer-Cuaresma, Judy Wellert (Administrative Associate)
Excused: Rozlyn Haley, Denise May, Sara Wade
Absent: Luke Alford, Cindy Ferguson
Quorum Present
Public Comment
A Forestry student sat in on a portion of the meeting.
UM Minute
Senator Sager: The Women’s Leadership Initiative has been announced and launched. They are taking
applications for the inaugural cohort. It is designed to help women learn job skills for the future and for the
University to meet diversity goals. You can find information at umt.edu/womens-leadership-initiative.
Senator Krahn: Trying to work on being heart-healthy and wants to get “stress tests” on campus as part of
wellness.
Senator Csorosz: Homecoming is on the way and grounds-keeping is getting ready to put out mums in key
locations! Also, if you see any hangers in the trees, let Ben Carson know – they can always use assistance with
spotting them.
Approval of August Meeting Minutes
Senator Linder: Suggests we apply the edit “It is believed…Rosie waived…” to the minutes. According to
Senator Linder, Rosie waived the move of funds from the general operating fund to visibility, but she does not
think it was the internal assessment that was waived.
Minutes APPROVED with this edit.
Staff Senate Officer Changes
The XO committee will be upholding the resignation of Staff Senate President Chelsey Porter.
Welcome to newly appointed Senators Karin Fried & Matt Cragwick.
Karin is from the President’s Office and Matt is with Custodial Services in the UC.
Senator Crowley moved to approve their joining Staff Senate, seconded by Senator Weisenburger. The motion
carries.
Senator Sager asked how the tabled SB 2 15/16 is impacted. Upon recommendation of the Bylaws Committee, SB
2 1/15 is remaining tabled for now.
Senator Linder asked why Karin and Matt joined Staff Senate.
Matt: It’s a way to get more involved in the campus community
Karin: There are so many factions and departments. This is a chance to see what goes on and possibly make
changes.
Judy asked Karin and Matt to describe their roles in their jobs.
Matt: He is a Custodial Associate, working nights cleaning different parts of the UC.
Karin: She is the office manager in the President’s Office. Deals with budgeting, finance. Going to serve on the
on the survey committee.
Financial Report
Senators Krahn or Gage will follow up with Flathead about money from the fundraising event.
Senator Phillip questioned why we are charged so much. There appears to be variance in what we’re spending out
of MAF009. Senator Linder suggested maybe there are percentages that vary or transfer charges? She is
continuing to dig and wants to talk to our accountant.
Discussion continued briefly about charges in our account. Senator Mangold moved to discuss this further at the
next XO committee meeting. Senator Gardner seconded. The motion passed.
Reminder from President Zellmer-Cuaresma – there is no need to approve financial statements.
Guest Speakers
Claudia Denker-Eccles from Legal Counsel presented the Policy on Policies from the Office of
Administration and Finance.
This can serve as a guide to campus on introducing policies. It is a bottom-up effort to engage the campus
community in suggested new policies. First, the Office of Legal Counsel and Internal Audit go through the
policies and provide assistance or feedback. The policy will then go to share governance, Staff Senate, Faculty
Senate and ASUM for suggestions. It will then return to Legal Counsel and Internal Audit who will revise the
policy and send to shared governance for a second reading.
After the second reading and final changes are made, the policy will move to the executive officers and cabinet
for review, who can at that point offer suggestions, adopt or refuse the policy.
Reasonable turnaround time is requested - this means 30 days in the academic year.
Claudia offered examples of policies that are on the way  One, coming because of federal regulations, includes
having a timely warning on missing students policy in place. They are also drafting a campus internal agreements
policy, records retention policy and signature authority policy.
The Office of Legal Counsel is looking at every policy on campus. Departments can identify risk levels to them
and the office will assess high risk first and commit to a date as to when policies will be reviewed.
Does Staff Senate need to make a procedure regarding the Policy on Policies?
Senator Mangold moved for the Bylaws Committee to take this and report back next month. Bylaws will be
meeting Tuesday, September 15th at 2:00 p.m. in Lommasson, Room 225. Anyone is welcome to offer
recommendation, comments.
Motion passed for Bylaws to provide an initial review of the Policy on Policies.
Sam & Meredith from ASUM presented on the Resolution Regarding Sustainability
ASUM does not want final approval, just for President Engstrom to present the resolution as an “information
item” at the Board of Regents meeting on September 16th. They need the resolution on the agenda in order to take
advantage of the Solar Investment Tax Credit tax incentive, which requires them to break ground on the solar
panel covered parking project by 2016.
There was a great deal of discussion about who the funders would be and the financial risk to the University.
ASUM indicated that President Engstrom would have conversations about this initiative but has not done so.
Staff Senate Discussion:
Senator Mangold: It’s a common refrain, ASUM is taking the torch for sustainability but summer gets in the way,
so the students don’t convene again until fall. Now the tax credit is about to expire in 15 months.
ASUM will email Staff Senate all of their information and will give us an update of the final version they pass at
their next meeting.
Senator Fried: Where is the $400,000 coming from? Recommended to ASUM that if you show you’re looking for
this money, it might help your cause.
Senator Crowley moved to support the resolution as an information point, given what we know. Seconded by
Senator Weisenburger.
Senator Sager reminded that we can continue this discussion on the Staff Senate Moodle page.
The motion FAILED.
Senator Linder moved that additional information will be posted on Moodle if the resolution is passed by ASUM.
Senator Crowley seconded. Electronic vote will be available on Moodle and tallied by noon Friday Senator Sager
moved to amend the vote be tallied by noon Monday September 14th. Senator Mangold seconded the amendment.
The motion carried.
Senator Csorosz: We do not want our body pushed by ASUM’s “urgent” timeline.
University Committee Reports
Shared governance meetings begin in October. Cabinet meetings are set for Wednesday mornings once a month
and the XO committee will have updates next month on the first meeting.
Senator Linder is on the committee for “Defining a 21st Century Education for a Vibrant Democracy.” Will be
held October 26th & 27th. All are encouraged to attend. An additional Unconference will be technology focused
and might be held October 15th.
Senator Gardner is on the Writing Committee and will report back next month.
Senator Phipps is on the IT Senate. Discussed budget and the amount of resources going toward Banner right
now.
Senator Mangold: Mario Schulzke is developing a UM app which is a starting point to get Banner up to speed.
Senator Mangold will be part of that meeting with Ellucian folks.
Senator Armstrong is part of the University Work Flow Committee. The School of Business will be guinea pig for
workflow solutions.
President Zellmer-Cuaresma mentioned the Administrative Advisory Retreat at which there were shared
governance conversations and discussion about how to make more concise committee process and possibly
reduce the number of committees. Maybe we need a committee on committees!
Staff Senate Committee Reports
Bylaws: SB 2 is remaining tabled. Senator Phillip reminded senators to send new resolutions to her for
numbering.
Professional Development: Senator Armstrong put a monthly calendar of professional development opportunities
onto the Staff Senate website.
Fundraising: Senator Krahn sent a signup sheet around with 2 tabling dates for raffle tickets. Also talking to
Runners Edge about the 5k we will be hosting.
New Business
President Zellmer-Cuaresma: Want to be sure we stay focused this year on the goals we established together.
These included:


Shared governance
Professional Development: Serving staff
Committee chairs please converse about goals with your committees.
Other
Senator Armstrong: The Women’s Leadership Initiative sounds difficult to do as a staff member. Senator Phipps
agreed, said it seems to be privileging certain staff over, for example, clerical. Senator McGoldrick noted that the
schedule was not conducive to her work schedule, so it prevented her from even applying. Senator Sager will pass
our feedback on.
Judy reminded everyone to give raffle ticket money to her by September 16th! Winners will be drawn the
morning of September 17th.
Meeting adjourned at 11:41am.
Next meeting: October 14, 2015, 10:00am – 12:00pm (UC 326/327)