Northern Illinois University
Supportive Professional Staff Council Meeting
MINUTES
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Sky Room, 10:00 A.M.
Present
Pat Anderson, Nancy Apperson, Sam Baker, Frankie Benson, Terry Borg, Michelle Bringas,
Steve Builta, Bobbie Cesarek, Kay Chapman, Jen Clark, Neil Dickey, Dana Gautcher, Norden
Gilbert, Missy Gillis, Deborah Haliczer, Julia Lamb, Todd Latham, Steve Lux, Jonathon
Ostenburg, Lyndon Perkins, Scott Peska, Michelle Pickett, Judy Santacatarina, Donna Smith,
Roslyn Snell, Michael Spires, Tim Trottier, Rachel Turner, Phil Young, Rita Yusko
Guests
Angie Gutierrez-Vargas, Alan Rosebaum
Absent
Monique Bernoudy, Cliff Bottigliero, Dan House, Al Mueller, Grant Olson
I.
Call to Order
SPS Council President Bobbie Cesarek called the meeting to order at 10:05 AM.
A. The agenda was approved with the following additions:
Announcements:
D. 2/14 Anniversary meeting
E. Supplier Diversity Networking Fair
F. Text Alert
G. 9/11 Anniversary
H. Heritage Room Next Meeting
New business:
B. Holiday Work Schedule
C. Increments
B. A motion was made and seconded to approve the August 14, 2008, minutes with the
following correction: Under V.C., change “Campus Park Committee” to “Campus
Parking Committee.” Motion passed unanimously.
Attendance was taken and a quorum was confirmed.
II. Announcements
A. Benefits Choice Period #2. Haliczer reported that the second Benefits Choice Period
for FY 2009 will be October 27 through November 14. She added that increases to
premiums will be minimal and an employee can change any benefit except
enrollment in the MCAP/DCAP programs. However, an employee can change the
amount deducted under either of those programs.
B. Ethics Training. Haliczer reported that mandatory ethics training will take place
October 16 through November 14.
C. Flu Shots. The dates for free flu shots for NIU employees are October 8, 10:00 –
2:00 and November 13, 2:00 – 4:00, HSC Regency Room.
D. February 14 Anniversary. Cesarek reported that she has been invited to participate
in the planning for the February 14 one-year observance(s).
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E. Supplier Diversity Networking Fair. Guttierez-Vargas reported on behalf of Snell and
distributed fliers for the event, which will take place on October 1, 9:00 – 12:00, HSC
Ballroom. For additional information or questions, contact Snell or her assistant,
Tara Mitchell.
F. Text Alert. Latham reported on the new text alert system that is available. Dickey
expressed concern about cell phones jamming if there was high volume usage.
Ostenburg explained that is why text messaging will be used as that is more stable
than cell phone calls. Ostenburg added that there were concerns about what would
be considered for the text alert such as weather closings. It was decided that only
matters of immediate public safety would be considered, and weather closings are
not included.
G. 9/11 Remembrance. Cesarek asked Council members to remember that today is
Patriot’s Day in honor of those affected by the attacks of 9/11/01.
H. Next Meeting in Heritage Room. Cesarek will also remind Council members closer
to the meeting time.
III. Committees of the Council
Cesarek distributed a list of committees and names of Council members serving on each
committee.
A. Awards
Haliczer reported that the deadline for the SPS Presidential Award is December 3,
2008. She also noted that she does not have information at this time on the Faculty
Development/SPS grants. But as soon as she does get the information, she will get
that out to SPS employees.
B. Communications
Pickett and Turner will be co-chairs. The plan for the committee for the coming year
is to meet about two times each semester and then via e-mail to finalize the
committee’s procedures.
C. Constitution and Elections
No report.
D. Events
Chapman reported that the first Between-Hours lunch will be October 3 in the
Chandelier Room for a buffet lunch. The guest speaker will be Dr. Irene Rubin who
will discuss the referendum up for vote in November regarding a constitutional
convention. The committee is also looking at dates for a November and December
Between Hours. The plan for those lunches is for attendees to bring donations of
food for the food bank and toys for Toys for Tots, respectively. She asked for
volunteers for the October lunch. Haliczer and Smith volunteered to collect money.
Ostenburg asked if an enrollment form would be needed and Chapman responded
yes.
E. Finance
Cesarek passed on Chemers’s report that no requests for funds have been
forwarded to her to date.
F. Legislative
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It was reported that Ken Zehnder, associate director, External Affairs and Economic
Development, has been invited to speak at the October Council meeting.
G. Technology Resources
No report other than preparing an enrollment form for the October Between-Hours
lunch.
H. Workplace Issues
Perkins reported that the committee identified 13 potential topics for the Council to
discuss in the upcoming year. He distributed the list and asked Council members to
rank issues they feel would be important to discuss. The committee is also looking
at the tuition waiver process.
I.
Vice President
Cesarek reported that she forwarded to President Peters the Council’s
recommendations for SPS representation to the Athletic Board. She has yet to hear
who he appointed and will follow up with him. Latham reported on the Retirement
Fair, which was forwarded to him by the University Benefits Committee. State
University Retirement System (SURS) representatives will come to campus.
Employees eligible for retirement in the next four years, who have not met with
SURS in the last year, may attend. Also, this only applied to employees with the
traditional or portable plans through SURS.
IV. Guest Speaker, Alan Rosenbaum, Faculty and SPS Personnel Advisor.
Rosenbaum began by discussing how best to inform SPS employees of his services.
He said that changing the title is one step; another step is for Council members to
spread the word. He provided the Council with his background. He is a professor in the
Department of Psychology and a clinical psychologist. His research and clinical work is
mostly with aggression and violence, primarily domestic violence. He also teaches
ethics for the Department of Psychology. He sees faculty and SPS personnel as a little
like an ombudsman in that he provides faculty and SPS with information and directs
them to the appropriate department. But he is not like an ombudsman in that he is not
neutral in a lot of situations and can be an advocate for faculty or SPS. Rosenbaum said
that in the past the position ranged from being strictly a provider of information to
employee advocate, depending on the person holding the position. Rosenbaum leans
more towards being an advocate. He will provide all the necessary information, but he
will also give his opinion on the situation and accompany the faculty or SPS employee to
meetings. Rosenbaum made several other points. First, meetings with the faculty and
SPS personnel advisor are strictly confidential. Griffin has informed him that materials
presented to him have been protected by the courts as confidential. Second, the
employee has complete control over the relationship, including who calls at what time
and where the meetings take place. Third, he has no power. However, his presence
tends to keep meetings calmer and the person who has the authority at the meeting may
feel the need to be fairer.
V. Old Business
A. SPS Between Hours.
See report under Special Events Committee.
B. Materials to Archives.
Smith reported that Haliczer sent her quite a few sets of minutes from past years.
She will report on what is still needed at the next meeting.
C. SPS Sabbaticals.
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The ad-hoc committee (Haliczer, Lux, Stang) will be working on the proposal soon.
Cesarek asked about the timing of the proposal. Haliczer stated that it should go to
Provost Alden around January, 2009, with the request that he share it with the
cabinet for consideration. This would not affect the current year’s process.
D. Grievance Procedure.
Haliczer reported that the ad-hoc committee had an initial meeting and reviewed
previous drafts of the procedure. Spires has proposed revised language. Spires
added that the Faculty Senate just elected a panel for the faculty procedure, which is
in addition to the university grievance procedure.
E. Ride Share.
Cesarek reported that the Administrative Professionals Advisory Council is asking for
administrative endorsement of ride sharing/car pooling to encourage employees to
save the costs of transportation as well as promoting it for a greener environment.
Some suggestions from that group’s proposal were year-round four-day work weeks,
flexibility to work from home, summer hours starting earlier, incentives for employees
who car pool, and a parking fee structure based on salary. Baker noted that Parking
Services does not have the software at this time to handle payments for permits
based on salary. He suggested that this issue be brought to them when they are
better equipped to handle it.
VI. New Business
A. Meeting with President Peters.
Cesarek reported that she will be meeting with Peters, Stoddard, and Monteiro. She
asked Council members for input on issues to bring to him. Suggestions were the
salary survey, recording secretary, and lack of mention of SPS in Peters’s e-mail
regarding salary increments. Cesarek elaborated on the latter issue. She stated that
there are two initiatives regarding salaries that the Board of Trustees is taking on in
addition to the 2% across the board increases. The first is additional increases to a
small portion of operating staff employees who have consistently been at the bottom
of the pay scale. The second is to retain junior faculty who are leaving at about the
same ratio as senior faculty who are retiring. The intention is to add to the increase
faculty receive when they are promoted to full professor to encourage them to stay at
NIU. Cesarek added that a more complete report on all the increases is forthcoming
from HRS. Haliczer noted that salary compression, especially among faculty,
becomes a morale problem and a pay equity issue. Latham suggested that it would
be valid to investigate SPS employees who leave NIU; if faculty and operating staff
are leaving because of salary issues, so are SPS employees. Cesarek asked what
groups could be looked at. The following groups were suggested: admissions
counselors and temporary SPS who don’t qualify for across-the-board increases.
Discussion followed regarding other reasons employees stay or leave their places of
employment. Benefits were cited as one reason why NIU employees stay. Snell
suggested that the focus be on those reasons why employees stay and enhance
those benefits. Haliczer asked Cesarek to thank Peters and the administration for
finding increases at all during the current state budget problems. The rewards
system was also discussed, noting that SPS are considered faculty in this situation
and do not receive a service award until they have been at the university 25 years.
Operating Staff start receiving recognition at five years, and after10 years may start
attending the service awards banquet. Perkins suggested that the Council come up
with ways of recognizing SPS before the 25-year mark.
B. Holiday Work Schedule 2009.
Cesarek reported that for 2008-09, NIU is scheduled to work Monday and Tuesday,
December 22 and 23, off December 24 through January 1, then come back to work
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on Friday, January 2, 2009. The administration is asking for feedback regarding a
closure on January 2, with employees using vacation benefit for that day. They are
also considering a closure on December 22 and 23, also where employees would
use vacation benefits. All closures are being considered as energy savings for the
university. Discussion followed regarding the pros and cons of a closure on January
2, 2009, or December 22-23 and January 2. Some arguments in favor would be the
savings to the university and the fact that most people would like to have two full
weeks off. Some arguments against were that there are employees who may not
have enough vacation time to use and that some employees would have to work
regardless in offices with less heat. A suggestion was made to offer flexible work
schedules similar to summer hours so that employees could make up the hours
without having to take time off. Apperson made a motion, seconded by Gautcher, to
proceed with a closure on December 22 and 23, 2008, and January 2, 2009, and
to encourage flexible scheduling so employees are not forced to use their
benefits. Motion passed.
C. Salary Increments. This was discussed under meeting with President Peters above.
VII. University Committee Reports
A. BOT. Academic Affairs and Personnel Committee and Finance Facilities and
Operations Committee reports. Cesarek’s reports were e-mailed to the Council. A
$75 per semester fee was passed for all students. These funds will be used for the
emergency fund. Cesarek added that the Board of Trustees is not happy with an
increase in technology fees from $50 per semester to $100-$150 per semester,
however, due to lack of support from the state, it was necessary to raise the fee.
B. Faculty Senate report. This was e-mailed to Council members.
C. University Council report. Members were reminded of the president’s State of the
University Address, October 2, 3:00, Altgeld Hall Auditorium. Peters will note what
has happened at the university over the last year. Also, there are three searches
going on at the executive level.
VIII.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 12:00.
Minutes submitted by Angie Gutierrez-Vargas, recording secretary, and Donna Smith, SPSC
secretary.
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