SSU Staff Senate
Executive Committee Meeting
Minutes
March 30, 2001
I.
Call to Order - President, Linda Abresch, called the meeting to order at 7:45 a.m.
In attendance: Linda Abresch, Vicky Aderinan, Mike Burton, Linda Beall, Ross Leisten,
Judy Lowe, Mary Luke, Marylane McGlinchey, Robert Meigel, Heather Milligan, John
Shortt, Melanie Stefursky, Tammy Trivits and Vaughn White. Absent: Tony D’Antonio,
Alexis Dashield, Sally Jackson, Ken Kundell, Donna Test and Lea Wimbrow.
II. Minutes - Motion by Robert Meigel and duly seconded that the minutes of the
March 9 Executive Committee meeting be approved. Motion carried unanimously.
III.
Chair's Report - Linda Abresch
A.
As requested at last meeting, the Chair:
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asked President to reaffirm or revise the policy on union
representatives visiting campus. The request was referred to Ellen
Zinner and Richard Pusey. The policy was reaffirmed, reprinted
and provided with the invitation letter to speakers invited to the
Collective Bargaining Information Fair.
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forwarded the fiscal note for SB 207 to all staff via e-mail on
March 9.
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sent Barry King a memo outlining the Staff Senate’s response to
the Faculty Senate’s draft of Threats of Violence proposal. A copy
was distributed to Executive Committee.
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sent a general memo on March 23 to all staff via e-mail outlining
the Staff Senate’s past, present and future activities regarding
collective bargaining issue.
B.
Richard Pusey informed Chair that the Emergency Conditions Policy is
currently being clarified. A copy of the clarifications will be sent to the
Staff Senate for review.
C.
Recommendations for staff to serve on HR director and Special Assistant
to the President for Diversity Issues/Affirmative Action search committees
were forwarded Richard Pusey.
Announcement of individuals appointed to serve on HR search committee
as well as acting HR director will be announced today by Pusey.
D.
Since UD personnel were unable to attend the general collective
bargaining information meeting with Brian Polkinghorn and Pat
McDermott on February 26, an invitation was extended to Jane Fandray to
schedule a special session for UDS personnel It was reported that there is
no interest on part of UDS for such a meeting.
E.
Dr. Brian Polkinghorn has been formally appointed as second step hearing
officer for non-exempt grievances, effective immediately.
F.
The President has asked the Executive Committee to ask for volunteers
from staff to serve on search committees for Director of International
G.
H.
IV.
Education and Dean of the Seidel School. Ross Leisten was previously
appointed to serve on International Education search committee.
President requested that Chair, as President of Staff Senate, send a letter to
Senator Neall addressing the need for funding for SSU’s three-year
contingent conversion plan
Next University Forum meeting - Thursday, April 19 in Caruthers Hall
Auditorium.
Reports of Standing Committees A. Membership & Elections Committee - Vaughn White
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Voting on the amendment to abolish the Forum sunset clause has been
completed. Results
will be reported at next Forum meeting.
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Committee will meet on April 11 to send out call for nominations to fill
non-exempt and exempt one-year staff senate seats to be vacated June 30.
The call for nominations to fill one-year terms on Senate standing
committees will go out in May.
B.
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Compensation & Benefits Committee -Tammy Trivits
Priority list submitted to Chair.
Oasis - Committee reported that meals are already discounted so there is
no reason to discount further. Since people enjoy eating with the students
and that there is enough dining, the Committee recommended against a
restricted dining area in the Commons. After discussion with the
Executive Committee, the C&B
Committee decided to investigate the
matter further by traveling to UMES in the future for lunch at the Oasis.
C.
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Staff Development & Training - John Shortt
Priority list submitted to Chair.
D.
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Communications and Public Relations - Melanie Stefursky
Committee produced 200 flyers for Collective Bargaining Fair
Additionally, the following e-mail was sent campus-wide to all
non-faculty staff. The Executive Committee of the Staff Senate represents
the interests of all staff and, as such, will not take a position for or against
collective bargaining. In an effort to provide information to staff, the
Executive Committee arranged for two speakers to present information
and answer questions on the issue of collective bargaining on February 26.
Because of the lack of readily-available information and the fact that
several collective bargaining bills have been introduced during this
legislative session, the speakers addressed only the general idea of
collective bargaining. Since the feedback received from the February 26th
meeting made it evident that more information is needed, the Executive
Committee is currently arranging for a speaker who will interpret SB207
and its approved amendments. We anticipate that the bill will move
quickly from committee to the Senate floor. Therefore, the meeting will be
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held in the very near future. In the meantime, staff have expressed an
interest in a meeting where the various unions could make presentations.
To this end, a Collective Bargaining Information Fair has been scheduled
for Tuesday, March 27 from 2:30 to 4:30 in the Guerrieri University
Center, Wicomico Room. Please keep in mind that if SB207 passes, it
grants employees the right to vote. Employees will be able to choose
whether or not they want to be represented by a union. If they choose to be
represented by a union, they will also be able to choose which union will
represent them. We hope to see you on March 27th.
Priority list submitted to Chair.
VI.
Ad-hoc committee on collective bargaining - Melanie Stefursky
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Representatives from AFSCME, MCEA, Teamsters and CUSS were in
attendance the
Collective Bargaining Information Fair.
In spite of efforts to encourage staff to attend, attendance was poor
with approximately 50 staff in attendance.
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Amendments to SB 207 are still being formulated. When the bill and
amendments are adopted, another full staff senate meeting will be set to
discuss the bill.
VII.
CUSS report - Tammy Trivits
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Contingent Policy - (Policy VII-1.40) was approved by USM Board of
Regents. The policy, which includes jury duty leave, is very prescriptive
regarding the conversion of Contingent II employees after two years. The
effective date is February 9, 2001 until February 9, 2004 - a period of
three years. A mandatory two years of continuous service must be
completed before conversion. If service is continuous, service credit will
be given (no limit). The purpose of the policy includes seniority and leave
and excludes retirement.
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Board of Regents Staff Awards - Roy Ross indicated that the response to
nominations was poor, only 20 submissions were received versus 45
received last year. Ross indicated that many system schools turned
applications in well after the deadline. These applications, which
included those from College Park, were refused. Suggestions/changes for
next year include:
1.
Better definition of "staff"
2.
Supply a generic application
3.
Schools should be more proactive
4.
Time line change
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Collective Bargaining - Discussion about SB 207, which will be voted on
by the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee on April 2. The bill will
then move to the Senate Floor.
CUSS encouraged employees to contact their representatives and express
opinions.
Next CUSS meeting scheduled for April 24 at UMES.
VIII. Threats of Violence Policy - Linda Abresch
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After our recommendations were submitted to Barry King, he forwarded
them, along with those from the Faculty Senate and SGA, to Anne
Donahue in the State’s Attorney General’s Office. She stated that the
proposed revisions would weaken the policy. She also stated that her
office could not provide the legal representation that the Staff Senate had
requested. Barry King stated that he would forward the Threats of
Violence policy issue to the President, and suggested that the Staff Senate
might want to do the same in regards to the legal representation issue.
Motion by Linda Beall and duly seconded that Executive Committee of the
Staff Senate submit its recommendation regarding legal representation for staff to
President Dudley-Eshbach.
Motion carried unanimously.
IX.
Senate Priorities - Linda Abresch
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Chair will combine lists of priority suggestions submitted by each standing
committee into a single list. List will be sent to members of the Executive
Committee. Senators are asked to prioritize and bring to next meeting on
April 20.
X.
Shared Governance Luncheon - Linda Abresch
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President Dudley-Eshbach will host a shared governance luncheon on
May 4. All staff members who serve on the Executive Committee, Senate
standing committees as well as elected and ex officio members of the
University Forum standing committees will be invited to attend. Linda
will compile the list of staff members and send them an invitation to the
luncheon.
XI.
Periodic Review Report @
Report is the five-year follow-up/response to accreditation report. Linda
read the 92 page report and suggested changes/clarifications to Bryan
Price. One area of concern was the statement about the moratorium on the
hiring of Contingent II employees. We are still hiring Contingent II
employees. In a discussion with Richard Pusey, he stated that we are
creating no new Contingent II positions. Linda asked Bryan Price to
correct the statement in the PRR.
XII.
2001 Service Odyssey - Heather Milligan
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Distribution of list of agencies and volunteer requests for Service Odyssey
2001 to be held April 19-28. Members of the Executive Committee were
encouraged to volunteer.
Meeting adjourned at 9:45 a.m.