StaffN EWS
Senate
LET TER
DECEMBER 2015
Wishing Everyone a Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!
Staff Senate at Mountain Heritage Day
Staff Senators sold Christmas ornaments and collected donations for Staff Senate Scholarship at Mountain Heritage Day on September 26, 2015. A
total of 69 ornaments were sold, proceeds of which will go to the scholarship fund. An additional total of $69.12 was collected in cash donations for the
fund. Many thanks to everyone who has donated to our Staff Senate Scholarship, which enables the dependents of our staff members to attend WCU.
Fall Forum on Human Resources Topics: Highlights
The Staff Senate at WCU sponsored a Fall
Forum on Thursday, November 19, 2015
from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm at the UC Theater.
Designed to provide an opportunity for open
communication on key campus initiatives, the
focus of the forum was on Human Resources
updates. Cory Causby, Associate Vice
Chancellor for Human Resources and Payroll,
led the discussion on a variety of timely HR
related topics. Key items discussed included:
• University Salary Plan and the upcoming
Step 3 implementation: Specifically, the
history of the strategic plan for addressing
salaries at WCU along with implementation
timelines were discussed. Step 3 increases
will be included in the November payroll
for eligible SHRA (previously SPA) staff
and the December payroll for eligible EHRA
(previously EPA) faculty and staff. Step 3
increases will bring all eligible employees to
77.5% of the labor market rate.
• $750 One-time Bonus: The NC State
Legislature awarded a one-time $750 bonus
to all state employees. The bonus will be
included in the December payroll and is
not subject to retirement contributions/
deductions.
•
Key legislative changes to include:
- Obtainment of Career Status for SHRA
employees has been reduced from 24 months
to 12 months effective 10/01/2015.
- Changes in Reduction In Force (RIF)
priority now require that a RIF employee take
any interview offered (at a similar or higher
position) or lose their RIF priority status.
• The Adverse Weather policy and potential
changes to the policy: until a new policy is in
place, the old policy remains in effect. Any
changes to the policy will be communicated to
the campus community.
• Key professional development
opportunities will include Franklin Covey’s
“Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.”
• New Employee Onboarding programs and
upcoming initiatives were also discussed.
If you have questions about any of the above
highlights, please feel free to contact Cory at
828.227.7218 or causby@wcu.edu.
WINTER 2015 | PAGE 1
Staff Senate Scholarship
Donations Now Available
Through Payroll Deduction
The Western Carolina University community has been so
generous in giving to the Staff Senate Scholarship, which was
established to provide assistance to the children and dependents
of WCU employees. Thank you! If you are interested taking your
commitment one step further, we now offer payroll deduction
as a method to contribute to the Staff Senate Scholarship. If you
would like to sign up, please contact David Rathbone or Jane
Buchanan for a deduction form.
David Rathbone - drathbone@wcu.edu
Jane Buchanan - jbuchanan@wcu.edu
Staff Senate Football Tickets
Coach Speir hand-delivered football tickets to Dr. Nicholas
Passalacqua, winner of the Staff Senate Employee Appreciation
Day raffle. Congratulations Nick! Enjoy the game!
New Staff Senator
Spotlight On:
Bob Alston
What is your Job title and Department?
I am the Assistant Director in the
Department of Student Community Ethics.
Where are you from?
I was born and raised in St. Petersburg, FL.
How long have you worked at WCU?
I have been a part of Catamount Nation for three and a half years.
What is your academic background?
I earned a Bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary humanities and a
master’s degree in Education, College Student Personnel Administration,
both from the University of West Florida.
What is your favorite thing about working at WCU?
I find that WCU’s focus on student success helps me in my day-to-day
work. Everybody is on the same team, even when we play different roles
in the Catamount experience.
International Staff
Spotlight On:
Yanju Li
What is your Job title and Department?
Job Title: Research Development Specialist
Department: Office of Research
Administration/ Graduate School and
Research
Where are you from?
I originally came from China. My hometown is located in Shengli Oil Field,
in the north of China. I moved from Houston to Cullowhee last October.
How long have you worked at WCU?
I have been at WCU for over 1 year. I started at WCU on October 1st.
What is your academic background?
I received my PhD in Educational Research and Evaluation from Ohio
University; Master’s degree in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering
from Hohai University in China; Bachelor’s degree in Electrical
Engineering from Qingdao University in China.
My research interests include methodology, statistics and Monte
Carlo computer programming. I am enjoy supporting faculty, staff
and graduate students with research design and research methods for
publications, grant proposals, projects, dissertations, thesis and others.
PAGE 2 | Staff Senate Newsletter
What is your favorite thing about working at WCU?
I enjoy working at WCU because my colleagues are amicable and helpful.
It is so gratifying to support faculty, staff and graduate students from
various departments/fields and to be involved in their fabulous research
and projects.