Staff Senate
Full Senate Meeting
February 11, 2009
Senate Chambers
The meeting was called to order at 1:15 p.m. by President Schuman. There was a
quorum present.
Roll Call
Present: Mark Collins, Associate VP Operations; Joe Montelongo, HR Interim Director;
Myron Allen, VP of Academic Affairs
Senators Present: Kara Bobbitt, Angela Bules, Chris Clements, Lana Craig, Al
Emmons, Janean Forsyth, Cheri Frank, Dorie Gallegos, Carrie Hesco, Stacy Lane, Jamie
LeJambre, Lori Lewis, James Logue, Rachel Martin, Pam Mathewson, Kelly McMicheal,
Janis Phelps, Becky Riley, Sally Schuman, Tammy Scott, Tod Scott, Mary Ann Stout,
Diana Waggener, Kelly Wiseman, Jane Wolfinbarger, Kathi Zubrod
Senators Absent: Avery Cowardin, Kathy Hearne, Laurie Jaskolski (excused), Richard
Reynolds (excused)
Proxies: Joleen Pantier proxy for Ronda Whitman
Approval of Minutes and Agenda
It was moved and seconded to approve the January minutes and February agenda by
Senator Kelly McMicheal and Rachel Martin. Motion passed.
Administration Reports
Mark Collins, Associate Vice President for Operations, gave the Administrative report.
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The next Board of Trustees meeting is scheduled for March 5-7. Today, Friday
the 13th, the Board will participate in a conference call about the contract for a
construction manager at risk for enhancing ADA compliance and for remodeling
the first concourse on the east side of the stadium.
The supplemental budget request at the Legislature seems to be faring well. The
outlook for the State Vet lab and the Theatre Arts Complex seems good with
fifteen days left to go in the session.
Mr. Collins said he heard Governor Fruedenthal give an address and that his
message was very sober. He hopes we can be positive and realistic in planning
for Wyoming’s future. He is pushing for carbon sequestration and the planned
GE gasification plant.
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HR Director – The committee is in the process of screening the applicants. The
campus community will be notified so that we have a chance to interact with the
candidates.
Director of Environmental Health and Safety – The search had an open session
and there could be an announcement within the week.
Manager for Risk Management and Insurance – On February 27th, the candidates
for this position will be on campus for interviews. Administration encourages
staff to attend these since they hope to get campus input on the candidates.
On the construction front – The fuel facility is online, but they are going through
tests. They hope to open it up for everyone in the beginning of March. The new
police station is coming along fine and they hope to make the move in mid-May.
The Long Range Planning consultants for the east end of campus will be back for
the first full week in May. Please submit your comments on the Planning
Website. In order to build the Berry Building, and then the new School of Energy
Resources, part of Lewis street will be vacated and the space taken up for
construction. Administration deemed that a better approach than using parking
lots.
Joe Montelongo, interim Director of Human Resources, said he hopes to get his
recommendations on the Employee Assistance Program to Phill Harris by the end of next
week.
Educational Guest Speaker
Myron Allen, provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, was our educational
speaker. He first spoke about the budget planning memo from President Tom Buchanan.
He broke his explanation down into three parts:
1. Why did President Buchanan write the memo? The world’s economy is
depressed, and while other universities with huge endowments or in states that are
really floundering are looking at Draconian cuts, UW is in a state that actually
still has a surplus. Because our State’s situation may not continue, Governor
Fruedenthal has asked all state agencies to make plans for a 5% budget cut with
specifics. That means around $9.8 million for UW. This is not as bad as it might
be since UW’s Section I budget has increased by 80% since 2000.
2. What is President Buchanan asking for? Myron Allen has a deadline of June 1st
for presenting a list of budget priorities to President Buchanan. Governor
Fruedenthal, President Buchanan and Provost Allen all agree that across-theboard budget cuts are a lazy and ineffective method of reducing costs. Provost
Allen will be seeking input from Staff Senate, Faculty Senate, ASUW and Deans
and Directors and Vice Presidents. He would like the input by March 13th.
3. What should Staff Senate do? Provost Allen wants Staff Senate to write a white
paper addressing the core activities at UW, the essential support for those
activities and those items which are non-essential enhancements to the University.
He is not looking for real nuts and bolts items, but rather for our thoughts on the
core principles.
Please send your staff senator or Staff Senate President Jauque Schuman your feedback
so it can be included in the white paper.
Provost Allen then discussed the new Central Staff Management policy that is already in
effect for Section I employees. The policy results from a mandate from President
Buchanan to the Executive Council at the meeting a few weeks ago. It applies to
classified staff and means that, unlike the faculty pool, vacated positions stay with the
department, including money for new hires up to 15% above the pay grade minimum,
with rare exceptions. The excess money will be returned to a central pool to be used to
fund positions in areas where UW is expanding, or, in the worst case scenario, to help
meet our targeted budget cuts without having to eliminate positions or cut pay. He said
that Administration will have to make allowances for lateral transfers and that his feeling
was that the person would be able to maintain their salary if he/she already makes over
the minimum plus 15%. However, Provost Allen said that possible pay cuts that might
affect those seeking a promotion would have to be treated as exceptions on a case-bycase basis. Raises given to employees as they come off probation also are being
discussed. The same rules that apply to Section I employees will likely apply to Section
II employees in the interest of fairness. Provost Allen, Nicole Ballenger and Phill Harris
are circulating a draft about this issue and Provost Allen will share it with Staff Senate
after he has talked to the various Vice Presidents. He would then like feedback in the
next two or three weeks. So please let your staff senator or Staff Senate President Jauque
Schuman know your feelings so they can be included in Staff Senate’s response to
Provost Allen’s draft.
Old Business
President Schuman gave an update of the bike air stations. The Physical Plant is in the
process of ordering the unit.
The President election was held. Senator LeJambre nominated Diana Waggener. Senator
Becky Riley seconded. Senator Angie Bules nominated Senator Chris Clements for
President. Pam Mathewson seconded. The senators voted and Senator Chris Clements
was elected to be President starting 7/1/2009. Congratulations Chris!
New Business
Senator Becky Riley made the motion to nominate Brandi Brewer to Seat #1. Senator
Kelly McMicheal seconded and the motion carried. Welcome Brandi!
Committee Reports
ASUW Representative – Senator LeJambre stated information was handed out about the
Colleges Against Cancer. The money will be used for a bone marrow donor event.
Faculty Senate Representative – No report.
Communications Committee – Senator Chris Clements stated the committee is working
on the next issue of the Lariat. The deadline is April 5th so Staff Recognition Day could
be included. If you have any articles, please email Chris at clements@uwyo.edu.
Compensation Committee – Senator Jamie LeJambre stated the committee will meet on
Friday, February 20th at 10 a.m. in A&S 139. The committee is working on a new
mission statement. There will be an open meeting on February 11th from 5-7 in the
Classroom Bldg room 129.
Credentials & Elections Committee – The committee is working on getting ready for the
upcoming general election.
Employee of the Qtr – Senator Angie Bules had no report.
Ad Hoc Budget and Fundraising Committee – Senator Tod Scott stated the committee is
working on raffling a bike from All Terrain Sports for Earth Day. The committee will
also have a 50/50 raffle during Staff Recognition Day.
Policy and Procedures Committee – Senator Sally Schuman stated the policies and
Procedures draft was presented to the Exec Council last week for review. Please email
Sally at sschuman@uwyo.edu if you have any comments.
Recognition Committee – Senator Carrie Hesco reported the committee will meet today
to finalize the gifts. The Years of Service list for this year’s Staff Recognition Day is
posted on the Staff Senate website. Please review the list at:
http://uwadmnweb.uwyo.edu/StaffSenate/YOS.xls
Ad Hoc Wellness Committee – Senator Lana Craig stated the pilot exercise fitness
program has 24 participants.
President’s Report
Jauque thanked everyone for their comments and questions for Myron.
Open Forum
Senator Becky Riley made the motion for Exec Council to write two documents where
they can be posted on Wyo Web group for everyone to review. One document will be for
the new Centralized Staff Management policy and another document for President
Buchanan’s budget plan due to the State’s economy. Rachel Martin seconded the
motion. The motion passed.
The next Staff Senate meeting will be March 11th in the Senate Chambers at the Student
Union.
The next brown bag luncheon will be Thursday, February 26th in Old Main, Room 206 in
the boardroom.
The meeting was adjourned by President Schuman at 3:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by L. A. Chakmakian and Pam Mathewson