Staff Senate Meeting 8/13/09 (8:30 am)
Members
Present Excused Unexcused Comments
Anne Aldrich
X
Lance Alexis
X
Angie Song attended.
Wiley Danner
X
Virginia Fowler
X
Tammy Frizzell
X
Brenda Holcombe
X
Jeff Hughes
X
Kim Jamison
X
Tom Johnson
X
Joe McFalls
X
Eric Margiotta
X
Kathleen Prindiville
X
Carrie Shuler
X
Susan Skibbe
X
Scott Swartzentruber
X
Jeff Tatham
X
Donna Welch
X
Debbie West
X
Dianne Lynch (Ex-Officio Member)
X
Kathy Wong (Ex-Officio Member)
X
***Bring copies to next meeting for representatives that do not have access to printers.
Introductions (Brenda Holcombe)
Motion to approve the meeting agenda - Motion made by Donna Welch and seconded by Jeff Hughes.
Motion to approve the minutes of the last meeting - Attendance must be added to the document.
(This was done 8/24/09).
Elections of the Alternate for Staff Assembly
Current Positions
3 year position Tom Johnson
2 year position Jeff Tatham
1 year position Brenda Holcombe (Staff Senate Chair)
Job Duties
The alternate will represent WCU when a regular representative cannot be present.
They will participate in the voting if attending for an absent member.
Serve on committee.
Nominations and Voting
Jeff Hughes nominated. Jeff Hughes accepted nomination. Nominations were closed.
Jeff Hughes passed as alternate.
University Advisory Council (UAC)
The council was not active last year, but the Staff Senate needs to have representatives in place.
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Staff Senate Meeting 8/13/09 (8:30 am)
The Staff Senate must elect 4 representatives; the Chair and Vice Chair are automatic representatives.
Listing of Past Nominees
Lance Alexis
Ken Bates
Shandon Bates
Kate Murphy
Jeff Carter
Sandra Oldham
Betty Dishman
Maryann Peterson
Colby Dietz
Debbie Smith
Voting
Voting was carried out by Staff Senate members by writing the names of each representative’s 4 picks
on pieces of paper collected and tabulated by Donna Welch (Governance Committee).
Outcome
Colby Dietz
Betty Dishman
Jeff Carter
Run-off Election – Debbie Smith and Lance Alexis
Donna Welch will contact the 3 nominees and see if they are willing to serve on the UAC. (Email and get
everyone’s vote on the Staff Senate?) The Governance Committee will report back at the next meeting.
University Advisory Council Report
As the UAC did not meet this past year. There is nothing to report.
Committee Reports
1. The committees are to meet before September 1, 2009.
2. They are to elect a committee chair to head the committee and serve on the Staff Senate Executive
Committee. (Names of the Committee Chairs are to be sent to Brenda Holcombe, Tammy Frizzell and
Donna Welch.)
3. Committees are asked to discuss their thoughts on a potential Staff Senate service project. (Please
see section entitled “Community Service Project” for more details.)
Emergency Assistance Committee (Ad Hoc Committee)
Current Members
Carrie Shuler
Wiley Danner
Leann Busby (Human Resources)
Membership Opportunity - Please think about joining this committee.
Accomplishments
Rough Draft
Put Proposal into Action –
Who keeps the paperwork? Who cuts the checks?
Hurdles Allocating funds.
They have reached out the Faculty Senate, but the FS may not be interested in joining. It may be a
timing issue.
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Staff Senate Meeting 8/13/09 (8:30 am)
Vacant Staff Senate Seats
Professional Seat
Kelly Hammer has left the University.
Technical Seat
There is not an alternate for this seat.
The alternate has been contacted.
Someone will have to be appointed.
Board of Trustees Presenter
Dr. Betty L. Seigel is slated to appear on September 2nd, 2009. She will speak on leadership and
diversity. The Staff Senate will assist in promoting the event. The Office of Multicultural Affairs will be
contacted. Former Staff Senate Chair Jed Tate was working on this project with the former Director of
Multicultural Affairs, Tanisha Jenkins.
Location (To Be Determined)
Brenda Holcombe will contact Jed Tate and follow up with Jeff Hughes about a location.
Community Service Project
The Staff Senate has been contacted by the Center for Service Learning about the Senate participating in
a service project. – The Staff Senate has not done one in the past. Discussion was in favor of taking up a
project.
Brainstorming on the Community Service Project
1. Adopt a Highway – Call and see what is available.
2. Helping out with the Christmas Store
3. Clothing to the Hospital Auxiliary
4. Community Table
5. Recycle used electronics and donate the resulting funds.
6. United Christian Ministries
7. CatMan2 (spelling?)
8. Animal Shelter
9. REACH
Individual committees are asked to discuss this issue at their first meeting.
Human Resources Update (Kathy Wong)
1.
2.
3.
SPA Annual Services Luncheon
a. Tuesday, September, 29th, 2009 in the University Center Grand Room.
Budget
a. There is no new news on the budget.
b. 84% allotment – We are operating tightly, utilities and payroll.
c. We have accomplished our 8%, no more layoffs.
d. The Chancellor intends to send out a budget email before opening assembly.
Payroll Project is on target.
a. Payroll will be done in house January 1, 2010.
b. It will be a bi-weekly cycle for students and hourly employees subject to overtime. (12 paydays
to 26 paydays)
c. They payments will be made at mid-month and month’s end.
d. Phase II
i. Utilizing web time entry. (2011)
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Staff Senate Meeting 8/13/09 (8:30 am)
4.
ii. Lag Payroll (2011)
Employee Appreciation Day
a. Wednesday October 14th, 2009.
b. It will have a wellness component.
i. Theme of Health and Wellness based around Employee Appreciation.
ii. Wellness Fair
1. If the Wellness Committee meets their initiative, BlueCross BlueShield will give
the committee $4,000.00.
c. Benefits Fair may be adversely affected by travel restrictions.
d. Go Green Initiatives (with community representatives)
Staff Assembly (Tom Johnson)
1. Position descriptions have been written for the Executive Council of the Staff Assembly.
2. There is incongruence between the terms of the people serving on the Staff Assembly and the terms
they are serving at their institution. For example, a person may serve for 2 years on their institution’s
body but be elected to a 3 yr term for Staff Assembly. The Staff Assembly is unsure how to address the
issue at this time. They do not want to dictate terms to the institutions.
3. The Budget – It is possible that the Governor could order a rollback if revenue does not meet
projections.
4. SA is working on a position paper due to the News and Observer Expose. A few positions have been
blown into a state wide affair.
a. Retreat Rights – Administrators back to a faculty level position
b. Comp Time/Overtime 5. Employee Pay – They are drafting a letter to President Bowles. The economy is not favorable but the
issue must not be allowed to die.
New Business
1. (Tom Johnson) H1N1 Virus – There is concern over a possible outbreak when students return.
However, this is not worse than the regular flu. The usual precautions are in order. Wash your hands
and stay at home if you are sick.
a. (Kathy Wong) Pam Buchanan will be sending out a mass communiqué to address the issue.
i. Flu Kits
ii. How to handle isolation (The CDC recommends 2-3 days.)
2. The Police Department – training for students, faculty and staff on how to handle an outside shooter.
It will be mandatory.
3. (for Joe McFalls) Defibrillators a. Viriginia Fowler’s Committee (Res & Env) met with Emergency Manager, Tammy Hudson.
b. A request has been made to purchase defibrillators. The units will be placed in police cars. (Tom
Johnson)
Item for next meeting
Brainstorming about the direction of the Staff Senate 2009-2010
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