UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD
STAFF ASSOCIATION MEETING MINUTES
March 13th, 2013, Woods Family Classroom, Mortensen Library – 1:00 pm
PRESENT:
Karen DeGrace, Lisa Belanger, Sajesh Reyes, Erik Pavesic, Bonny Taylor, Connie Yoczik,
Ben Ide, Jillian Holt, Erica Light, Cheryl MacMath, Evelyne Haldimann, and Nancy Fields.
MINUTES: The February 2013 meeting minutes were discussed. In the Pure Wellness section of the
February minutes the donor of the generous grant was erroneously referenced. The
actual donor is The CIGNA Foundation. The correction was made to the minutes prior to
the March meeting and the February minutes were approved with the correction.
UNIVERSITY COMMITTEE REPORTS
BAT
No report.
PURE WELLNESS
Lisa Belanger reported Wellness activities are continuing on campus. A Cardio
Circuit is offered on Mondays, Yoga is offered on Wednesdays and Zumba classes are
offered on Thursdays. All classes are offered in early evening (5:15-6:30 pm). On Friday
mornings Weight Watchers on Campus is available at a subsidized rate. There are also
smoking cessation seminars available to employees. Soon, a Farmer’s Market will become
active on campus. A survey (through UNOTES) might soon be available which will allow
employees to express interest in a Farmer’s Market and to suggest which day/what time
of day might be most convenient. Lisa noted that several area institutions and schools
have had good success with a Farmer’s Market.
BTF
Lisa also provided a brief update on Benefits Task Force activities. Currently BTF is
reviewing short and long term disability benefits and bench marking these University of
Hartford benefits against similar benefits offered by other institutions across the
country (using the CUPA-HR benefits survey) and Universities in the area. The first
meeting on this topic discussed some specific policies to be selected for bench marking.
SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE – No report. There was some discussion about whether or not this
committee was still an active group. Jillian Holt volunteered to check with our last
appointed Staff Association representative to this committee to ascertain the status of
the committee.
STAFF ASSOCIATION REPORTS
WEB ADVISORY COMMITTEE – No report.
FACULTY SENATE – Ben Ide reported that the Faculty Senate continues to review Foundation of the
Future recommendations relative to divested programs. Because the Senate is so involved
with topics of such importance and intensity, Ben suggests that it might be better to wait
for a more appropriate time to request a new representative from this group to join the
Staff Association.
COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE – No Report.
MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR’S REPORT – Most recent membership count is 161. Unfortunately the
University and the Staff Association have recently lost two members.
TREASURER’S REPORT – There was no change to the balance since the February 2013 report. The
current balance is $2,596.06. Treasurer, Cheryl MacMath pointed out that since the
Staff Association subsidized the Staff Thanksgiving luncheon, we need to engage in fund
raisers to help replenish the coffers.
OLD BUSINESS –
1. Daffodil Days – Coordinator, Jillian Holt, extended “incredible thanks” to Staff
Association Community Representatives for the tremendous help they provided in
selling or otherwise bringing attention to this fund raiser for cancer research. Jillian
stated that she is “beyond grateful” for the success Daffodil Days had this year by
exceeding what she had once believed to be a nearly unattainable goal of $1,500.00.
Actual funds raised were $1,560.00. The daffodils will be delivered on either March
20th or 21st. Marlene Hall has offered to sort and distribute orders if Jillian is not
able to deliver the flowers (as she is due to deliver her baby soon).
2. Bringing back the Bar-B-Q was discussed in further detail. A tentative date for the
Bar-B-Q was set for August 21st – just prior to the start of fall classes. It was
believed that most 10 month employees would be back on campus by that time. It was
also suggested that we might sell tickets to this event (similarly to the way we handled
the Thanksgiving Luncheon), subsidizing a portion of the cost and allowing current
Staff Association members a pre-emptive jump on ticket purchase before opening
ticket sales to non-members. This would help off-set the cost of the food and might
allow us to reach out to non-members with the hope of converting them to
membership.
a. Evelyne will attempt to contact the same representative from Aramark that
helps provide the Bar-B-Q for the annual Faculty and Staff versus Student
softball game to ask about help with the food.
b. Sajesh Reyes will ask how the Barney School of Business handles their Bar-BQ event.
c. Nancy Fields will contact Rachel Gafney in Aramark Catering to ask about what
menu items/prices she might be able to make available.
d. We will check with SCA to determine whether or not we can reserve extra
tables and chairs for the event and perhaps use the GSU patio (the most
effective past location).
e. Perhaps we need to place an article in UNOTES asking for volunteers to help
us organize this event? Perhaps we could email all Community Reps and ask for
volunteers?
3. This is a year for electing (re-electing) Executive Board Members. There needs to be
a minimum of three people on the nominating committee and only one of those members
is allowed to be an Executive Board Member. Evelyne reported that Sue Fitzgerald
has agreed to chair the nominating committee for the Staff Association Executive
Board and members-at-large. Cheryl MacMath is the one Executive Board member to
help with the nominating committee. We need another volunteer from Staff
Association membership to help. Nominations will be accepted via an electronic survey
and once all nominees have accepted nomination, voting will be accomplished via survey.
It is unlikely that this process will be completed in time to install officers at the April
meeting. Evelyne will send out communications stating that installation may have to
occur at the May, 2013 meeting.
4. We need to start seriously considering fundraising activities and form a committee.
We are looking for committee volunteers. It is important to note that money was
spent from our budget to support the Thanksgiving dinner and we now need to
replenish the coffer. Please bring forward any ideas you may have for fundraising. A
thought mentioned last year was to sell kites to faculty/staff/students and have a
kite flying event.
5. Membership annual verification – still needs resolution. Some strategy regarding
membership verification was discussed. Should an email be sent to all persons
currently on the membership email list asking members if they still want to be
considered members or if they would like to opt out of membership? Perhaps the
email could begin with “You are receiving this email because you are currently on the
Staff Association membership email list.” It was suggested that:
a. All existing members would receive the email allowing them to opt out if they
wanted.
b. All employees (non-members) would be notified via a “UNotes” article which
describes the Staff Association, Staff Association membership eligibility and
contact information which will allow them to opt in for membership.
c. All newly hired employees will continue to be contacted by our Membership
Director, Nancy Clubb regarding membership.
d. Community Representatives will be asked to email and personally recruit
eligible employees within their community.
e. It was further noted that we need to prepare some “marketing” materials that
will list some of our recent staff advocacy accomplishments and that will “sell”
our new approach as primarily an advocacy group.
NEW BUSINESS –
1. Bonny Taylor made the recommendation that Tai Chi classes be made available on
campus. It was suggested that early morning (7:30 or 8:00 am) might be a good time
to hold class. This suggestion was received very enthusiastically and location
suggestions such as the center green (during warm, dry weather) and perhaps the
atrium of the new Shaw Center (during cooler, wet weather) might be excellent places
to hold sessions.
2.
Some basic marketing strategies for Staff Association were discussed.
a. Perhaps we could begin putting monthly articles in UNOTES which include a
few basic topic points?
b. Nancy Fields will find out how much it might cost to get a large banner
“University of Hartford Staff Association” from Howie’s Printery that can be
hung at all Staff Association events such as the Bar-B-Q, Softball game,
Thanksgiving luncheon, and fundraisers.
Respectfully submitted by
Nancy Fields, Secretary