WCU Staff Forum Meeting Minutes
February 14 , 2008
UC Cardinal Room
Members Present: Donna Welch; Colby Deitz; Debbie Justice; Lisa Surber; Carolyn Paris; Lisa
Frady; Tim Inman; Deborah Lovern; Cale Wilson; Jed Tate; Peter Lloyd; Walter Turner, and
Teresa Killian
Members Absent: Nancy Carden (excused); Larry Hammer (excused); Akum Jamir (excused);
Roseanna Belt (excused); Dawne Coward (excused); Kathleen Franks; Tamrick Mull (excused);
Lauren Bishop (excused)
Ex-Officio Members Present: Dianne Lynch and Kathy Wong
Welcome: Jed welcomed everyone to today’s meeting.
Approval of Agenda: The agenda was approved as submitted.
Approval of Minutes: The minutes for January’s meeting were approved as submitted.
Information Items: The next Executive Committee meeting is scheduled forThursday, March
6, 2008, 2:00-3:00, HFR 453.
The next Staff Forum meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 13, 2008, 8:30-10:30 a.m.,
Cardinal Room, UC.
Office of Human Resources: Kathy Wong reported that Christ Dahlquist has accepted a
promotion at UNC-Asheville. Vicky Knaack is now in charge of EPA Personnel paperwork. The final
stage of Career Banding is now underway and should be completed by May 1, 2008 with an
effective date of April 1, 2008. Consultants are currently on campus working on building the
payroll module in Banner. Employees should be receiving booklets for annual enrollment for the
Preferred Provider Plans. All employees and retirees currently on the State Insurance Plan will
need to choose one of the new plans or they will automatically default to the 80/20 PPO plan. The
HR Legislative Committee has submitted a proposal to create a substantially equivalent system
for the UNC System outside of the State Personnel System. WCU was not allocated any funds
from the Salary Adjustment Fund this year. There is a good possibility we may receive funds next
year.
Chancellor’s Office: Dianne Lynch reported that the UNC Tomorrow final report is completed
and on the website. The University has five weeks to draft our initial response. Applications are
way up and we do not know the full impact yet as to what this increased enrollment will mean for
next year. Service Learning has received a national President’s Council Award. It was suggested
that a comprehensive award list be compiled and be made available via the website.
Campus Committee Report: UAC – Jed Tate began a discussion on the Town Hall meeting
concerning the new Smoking Policy. Concerns were expressed that the meeting should be all
inclusive and include students as well as faculty and staff. Feedback gathered from the meeting
will be shared with Executive Council. A Resolution was passed by the Faculty Senate
recommending that domestic partners receive the same benefits on campus as spouses.
Staff Forum Committee Reports:
Human Resources - No Report.
Resource & Environment - It was reported that the bench proposal is waiting on approval and
funding. The Climate recommendation is waiting on a signature from the Chancellor. In addition,
this committee is currently soliciting ideas for projects they can undertake.
Public Relations - Colby Deitz reported that the committee is working on publicity for the Town
Hall Meeting and updating the website.
Scholarship - A report will be given under “Old Business”.
Governance - No report.
Old Business:
Scholarship – Lisa Frady shared a draft of the new verbiage for the application and the
requirements. A discussion followed resulting in some minor typographical changes; the
requirement for a certain number of years of service to be deleted; recommendations from the
committee to go to the Forum instead of the University Scholarship Committee; leaving in
contractual employees for consideration; and deleting the preference for current employees over
others. A motion was made and changes were voted on and passed. Lisa is preparing the final
version of the requirements and application.
Town Hall Meeting – This will be held on March 10, 2007, from 3:00-4:00 in the UC Theatre.
Indoor Yard Sale – A signup sheet was circulated. A campus email was discussed to promote the
sale as it relates to efforts to raise money for the Staff Forum Scholarship, but it was decided it
would not be appropriate under the new regulations. Members of the Forum were encouraged to
begin soliciting donations for their area. We need to look into whether a tax credit can be offered
for donated items. A room has been secured in the Ramsey Center for storage of donated items.
J.C. Boykin – Mr. Boykin will be attending the March meeting.
New Business:
UNC Tomorrow Discussion – Members of the Forum are encouraged to read the final report and
give all feedback to the chairs of the workgroups which have been set up to respond to the
report.
Open Comments:
Meeting adjourned at 10:00 a.m.