WCU Staff Senate Meeting Agenda
April 12, 2012 (8:30-10:30 am)
Cardinal Conference Room (University Center)
Members
Tammy Ammons-Hagberg
Present
Excused
Suzanne Baker
Kay Benson
Mike Corelli
x
x
Keith Corzine
William Frady
Sheila Frizzell
Jeff Gunter
Leah Hampton (new)
Homer Harris
Robin Hitch (new)
Heather Hoyle
Alison Joseph
Jason LaVigne
Amy McKenzie
Caden Painter
Joseph Philpott (new)
David Porter
Kathleen Prindiville
Will Shivers
Carrie Shuler
Jeff Tatham
Walter Turner
Andy Voelker (new)
Shawna Young
Dianne Lynch (Ex-Officio Member) – David Belcher
Kathy Wong (Ex-Officio Member)
Erin McNelis (Faculty Senate Chair)
TJ Eaves (SGA President)
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
New Representatives – Introduction and brief orientation
I.
II.
III.
Not Excused
x
Approval of the Meeting Agenda (Jason LaVigne)
Approved
Approval of the Minutes of the Previous Meeting (Jason LaVigne)
Approved
External Informational Reports
a. Office of the Chancellor Updates (Chancellor Belcher/Dianne Lynch)
Not present
b. Human Resources Report (Kathy Wong, ex-officio member)
No new items. Active conversation on possible raises for 2012-2013. It’s an election year
and the state revenues are looking good. Will know more after April 15th. Will know even
more after the HR video conference later this month.
c.
Faculty Senate Report (Erin McNelis, ex-officio member)
FS leadership positions open and slated to be in place next week. Collegiality still a topic for conversation
as is the liberal studies task force.
d.
Student Government Association Report (TJ Eaves, ex-officio member)
None
Treasurers Report
With $16.00 that we left for me today gives us a total of $992.61 for the yard sale. Minus the $50.00 dollars we
have to give Regina leaves us with making $942.61 on the yard sale. Not sure if this was the best we have ever
done, but I do know it was better then last year.
Scholarship fund has a balance of $30,272.32
Discretonary Fund has a balance of $1404.63
Will Shivers update: (JL) we will be giving 2 $1K scholarships
Staff Assembly Update (JL):
Board of Governors Personnel Authority (SB 575) – As a reminder this is the initiative to move SPA under the Board
of Governors purview. The new guiding principles in points 4 and 5 are possibly of concern. In particular, point 4
and SPA positions not becoming at will in their ‘current positions’ – does this mean that if current SPA transfer
positions that they will automatically become at will. Exec committee says no, this is not the case – positions will
not become at will as current employees move on.
KW: it’s important to note that the guiding principles are very representative of the staff assembly and the GA.
The HR directors didn’t really have a lot of input.
Erin: it’s important to note that Faculty assembly input is limited to the chair of the faculty assembly not the full
assembly
Jason: section 5 language change: grievence process will remain in place similar to what’s currently in place. Staff
assembly will also have a role in policy review (SPA v EPA) as personnel lines are consolidated
State employee association of NC held a meeting last nite about this bill. Kathy had a person attend but hasn’t
touched base with them yet.
KW: for the new members – please understand this is not new, the combining of SPA and EPA has been discussed
over the last 20 years. The state system has been slowing giving more authority to the UNC system Board of
Governors. FAQs are being developed and will probably be released once the Board of Governors approves the
guiding principles.
Leah: Why are people continuing to be nervous about this if it’s been such a long conversation and NCCC have
gone through the change?
KW: I’m not sure. I think that it’s been such a long and incremental change that people don’t actually see what’s
already changed. The reality is the local university will be given full authority over personnel in terms of benefits,
time off, etc.
Amy – can you remind us of the timeline?
JL – Legislative short session starts next month. They didn’t get this bill to the legislature in time to vote
individually on the bill. So this will be added to the budget bill. Staff Assembly meets May so our June meeting will
have a great deal more information. Our staff assembly reps are currently William, Jeff and Jason. William and Jeff
are rotating off so we’ll need new reps.
Committee/Council/Task Force Reports
Budget Advisory Committee: Budget Advisory committee work has finished. It was one of the most informative
and substantial committees I have served on. We will also be looking for representatives for the upcoming year.
Installation Committee: Work is finished and went well
Updates from sub-committees:
PR: Creative Services will be laying out the newsletter as we move forward. As long as we can get the articles to
them 2 weeks in advance. This will go a long way in sustaining this new effort from the SS.
Scholarship: (Jason for Will) – will be awarding 2 $1K scholarships
HR: (Jason for Jeff) – recommending an ‘education leave’ like the community leave that we currently have. This
complements the flex scheduling policy.
Leah – is this true for EPA and SPA?
KW/Jason - yes
Resources and Environment: no update
Governance: no update; new senators have been elected
Jason – we’ll be giving all the new senators an orientation packet with details on the sub-committees, by-laws,
roles of leadership positions
Old Business
Suggestion Box – Jason: Results are consistent with what we expected. Some really good suggestions and some
that won’t be able to be accommodated. Some suggestions show that the university needs to do more outreach
and education especially as it pertains to flex scheduling. The results will be compiled and shared with the
chancellor.
Job Shadowing/Mentor Program – no update
Full Spectrum Farms – working to schedule a SS work day in May. Are we still interested? Yes. Will schedule during
a Friday afternoon so we can use community leave.
New Business
Walter – memorial garden update?
Jason – the chancellor has tabled it but I’ll bring it back up in our next meeting
Walter – I know that DSA has scheduled a tree planting ceremony for the students who have passed during the last
12 months.
Jason – background on memorial garden for the new senators
Amy – what about the cost of parking concern that a staff member brought up?
Jason – We reviewed proceedures and explained to the staff member how to bring the issue up formally to the
staff senate.
Amy – printed out section 4-6 of the draft strategic plan. Can we discuss this at some time.
Jason – yes, and I would encourage people to attend the meeting on April 17 th. The spirit of the subcommittee
discussions is well represented in the draft.
Jason – SS and FS will have representation on the upcoming salary studies. Caden and Shawna will be representing
the SS on the committee we will also be inviting non-senator staff members who are interested in the topic.
Shawna – Amy, are you thinking we might need a sub committee in the future to focus on the strategic plan that
pertains to staff development once it’s approved?
Amy – That could be useful, I hadn’t thought that far, though.
Walter – announcement: Relay for Life is Friday nite and football spring game is Saturday as well as baseball.
Leach – a subcommittee might be a good idea when you consider the that divisions, etc. will be expected to
develop initiatives that relate to the implementation of the strategic plan.
Carrie – State purchase contracts be impacted by the personnel bill?
KW – not sure. The 2011-2012 budget bill did give us new flexibilities. You might want to invite Arther Stevens to
attend a SS meeting and give an update.
Jason – yes, that’s a good idea we have other issues that such as the surplus property sale and potentially allowing
employees first pass at the items in the sale rather than allow people from out of state to come in a stock up on
electronics.----scy follow up--Carrie – if we had flexibility not to buy stuff on a state purchasing contract, we would save a lot of money.
William – this is an example of state rules that prevent local autonomy in purchasing
Leah – Gov. Purdue’s goal is to privatize state purchasing in the next couple of years.
Adjourn 10:06
Note: add new people to sharepoint site and email list;
Scy – orientation doc - sub-committees, leaderships, staff assembly delegate info, budget advisory committee
exec cmt mtg – review of sub-committees, nomination for all leadership positions including staff assembly
Information Items:
1.
Next Staff Senate Meeting:
[May 12, 2012] (8:30-10:30 am)
Cardinal Conference Room (UC)