START
Quarterly Meeting
DATE: FEBRUARY 21, 2013
LOCATION: SACRAMENTO HALL ANNEX
TIME START: 2:00 PM TIME END: 3:00 PM
ATTENDANCE LOG
MEMBERS PRESENT
SUZANNE BRACAMONTE
ELENA COMPO
GINA LOMBARDO
JOEY MARTINEZ
ROBYN PITTS
ANDREW STIFFLER
SARAH WHYTE
AGENDA
NEW START SCHEDULE
MEMBERS ABSENT
NORMAN KWONG
OTHERS PRESENT
ACTIONS
Sarah announced that START meetings will now meet on a quarterly basis as
opposed to a monthly basis. The decision behind this change included several
reasons:


Schedule of staff programs (newsletters, recognition programs, etc.) has
settled into a pattern, and we feel we can continue to get good
feedback through a more strategic schedule.
This change will better reflect the busy schedules of START members.
Additional meetings may be scheduled beyond quarterly for ad-hoc issues.
START members will be notified beforehand.
We will continue to call on START members for ideas and feedback via e-mail,
and START members will continue their role as liaisons with their family
members.
ABA FOCUS NEWSLETTER
The next proposed meeting will be in May or June. While originally scheduled
for May 16th, it may be delayed to late May or early June, so that we can get
feedback following after the ABA Staff Peer Awards.
The Spring 2013 Newsletter: We will begin drafting stories next week, for
publication in March. While an outline has been constructed, START members
contributed several additional ideas including:
 Recycling Mania event: a nationwide contest rewarding organizations
that collect the most of certain types of recyclable product.
 Mulching Mania event: sponsored by the Sac Tree Foundation.
 Facilities Services Employee of the Year – a recipient has been selected
CUSTOMER SERVICE TRAINING
FEEDBACK
In addition, Sarah and Andrew will be working together to draft the last START
meeting proposed idea, ABA Behind the Scenes – Sac State After Dark,
highlighting employees who work after hours.
Sarah mentioned that Customer Service is one of ABA’s foundational goals
related to Redefine the Possible.
START members were asked to provide feedback from the most recent
Customer Service Training with Dennis Snow.
The training was very well received. Every START members indicated that they
both enjoyed the training, and learned more from it than previous workshops.
In addition, several members also mentioned that their colleagues and
coworkers also enjoyed the training.
ABA WEBSITE UPDATE
Some of the comments made about the training and/or Mr. Snow:
 Great speaker, great examples, effective at hitting home with his
audience.
 Good refresher on topics, made a lot of sense when explained that
“everyone is your customer.”
 Funny and entertaining, good at relating to our concerns and needs.
We will continue to emphasize customer service in different ways over the
coming year.
Andrew shared some of the websites in progress, as well as the websites that
have been published since the last START meeting, including Facilities Services,
Financial Services, and Space Management.
START members like the progress, and provided feedback, including a comment
that the Staff page for Financial Services should include links to the other
offices’ staff pages. Currently it may give the impression that just two people
comprise all of financial services.
THANK YOU BLOG
UPCOMING EVENTS
This suggestion will be implemented as the remaining Financial Services
websites get migrated to the new design.
The Thank You Blog has been featured on the ABA homepage, but there still
hasn’t been enough activity. START members were asked to please inform their
colleagues of this feature and to utilize it.
Andrew will run tests to make sure recipients of thank-yous receive them as
intended.
There are several upcoming events:

ABA Speaker Series - April 16 from 9-10:30. Speaker and location TBD.

VP Coffee & Conversation – Tuesday April 16 from 3-5, Sac hall 161.

ABA Staff Peer Awards – April 22 through May 10 (tentative nomination
window). Tentative award presentations May 23-29. We will need to
rethink in light of change in Spring Social date.

ABA Spring Social – Thursday May 30 12-2:30, two sessions. Located at
the Unitarian Universalist. Andrew, this has since been rescheduled to
May 21.
RECORDED BY: ANDREW STIFFLER 2/21/2013