Executive Committee Meeting
Minutes
June 22, 2001
I.
II.
Call to Order - President, Linda Abresch, called the meeting to order at 7:45 a.m. In attendance:
Linda Abresch, Mike Burton, Linda Beall, Ken Kundell, Ross Leisten, Judy Lowe, Mary Luke,
Bob Meigel, Melanie Stefursky, Tammy Trivits, Vaughn White and Lea Wimbrow. Absent:
Vicky Adeniran, Tony DiAntonio, Alexis Dashield, Sally Jackson, Marylane McGlinchey,
Heather Milligan, John Shortt and Donna Test.
Minutes - Melanie Stefursky
Results of Vote on motions from June 1 Committee of Whole meeting All motions carried by written vote of majority of Executive Committee.
Motion by Bob Meigel and duly seconded that the minutes of the June 1 meeting
Executive Committee meeting be approved as amended. Motion carried.
III.
Name Change Celebration - Melanie Stefursky
President Dudley-Eshbach has announced that Salisbury University’s name change celebration will
take the place of this year’s traditional welcome back/faculty/staff picnic. The celebration will take place on
Thursday, September 11 following the annual Fall Honors Convocation, which is held from 3:30-4:30 p.m.
in Holloway Hall Auditorium. The committee planning the event says the party will have a “good luck”
theme and will follow convocation on the lawn of Holloway Hall from 4:30-6 p.m. The celebration will
feature music and food. The President is also considering ending the staff/faculty picnic is in favor of perhaps
a holiday event of some sort.
IV.
Chairs Report - Linda Abresch
A.
Forwarded the Senate’s request to pro-rate the cost of parking permits to Jim Phillips.
B.
Attended interviews with the 4 HR Director candidates.
C.
Contacted Dr. Zinner regarding staff representation on the deans’ search committees.
Dr. Decker, Chair of the Perdue School dean’s search, indicated that the search the
Committee was appointed by the President and the same members were asked to continue.
Janine Vienna will serve as staff member on the committee. Dr. Zinner will advise Linda as
to who is appointed search committee chairs for Seidel and Fulton School dean’s searches.
The Senate can propose staff members to serve on the search committees.
D.
All senators should have been notified of the schedule of interviews for director of the
Book Rack. Next interview will be held today.
E.
Committee chairs are asked to compile a list of issues addressed this year by his/her
respective committee. These lists will be passed on to the next Senate president and
the newly elected committee chair. The issues should also be announced at the next full
meeting of the Senate and possibly posted on the Web site.
F.
President has indicated that there will be a separate faculty/staff directory for next
year. She is hoping that everyone will include his or her home address and phone number
information in the directory, since she plans to include hers. An e-mail about this came out
from Brenda Stanley yesterday afternoon. Staff is encouraged to include personal information
in the new directory
G.
Chair plans to update our Web site with the University’s new name.
H.
Chair thanks all members of the Staff Senate Executive Committee for the progress
made this year in addressing staff concerns.
V.
Reports of Standing Committees I.
Membership & Elections Committee - Ross Leisten
1.
Results of Staff Senate Election - A total of 181 total legal ballots received.
Elected for a two-year term - July 1, 2001 through June 30, 2003
Alan Selser, Kevin Mann, Dave Gutoskey - Regular Exempt
Ray Pryor - Regular Non-Exempt (Admin & Finance)
Nancy Isaacs - Regular Non-Exempt (Student Affairs)
Linda Beall - Contingent Exempt
Maggie Cohea - Contingent Non-Exempt
Estella Young - Contingent Non-Exempt
2.
Two additional positions will be appointed by the Executive Committee in July.
Membership & Elections Committee motion by Ross Leisten that the Executive Committee
accept the write-in nomination and election of Estella Young under Contingent Non-Exempt Category.
Motion carried.
3.
Elections for University Forum committees will begin after July 1
4.
All ballots from 2000 -2001 elections are confidential, kept in a sealed envelope
under lock and key, and later next month will be shredded.
C.
V.
Staff Development & Training - No report
Threats of Violence Policy meeting - Linda Abresch
On June 18th, Anne Donahue of the Maryland Attorney General's Office met with Barry King, Doug
Marshall (Faculty Senate), Melanie Stefursky and Linda Abresch regarding the University's Threats of
Violence Policy. In the spring, the Faculty Senate had proposed revisions to the University's current Threats
of Violence policy. The Staff Senate reviewed and endorsed the new policy, as did the SGA. After
reviewing the Faculty Senate's draft, Anne Donahue indicated that it was a significantly weaker policy than
the original. The Staff Senate then indicated that we could not support the weaker policy. Our meeting on
the 18th was to help us decide if we needed one general policy, or if each constituency would require its own
policy. After much discussion, it became clear that the Faculty Senate committee that reviewed the policy
worried that a strong policy might compromise a faculty member's tenure rights. Anne Donahue assured
Doug Marshall that the ART policy for tenure in USM could not be displaced by another policy. The Staff
Senate previously supported a strong policy, and we indicated that we still wanted a strong policy for
protection of staff that are threatened. Anne Donahue will review the current policy, making a few
modifications, and will send it back to the Staff Senate. It seems likely that the Faculty Senate will have its
own separate policy. We have asked to receive a copy of the Faculty Senate's proposed policy, as we will
need to ensure that staff would have reasonable recourse if threatened by a faculty member.
VI.
Unfinished Business
A.
Senate Priorities
Added to list of priorities list is conversion of contingent and grants employees. List of
priorities will be sent President under cover memo from Linda.
B.
VII.
CUSS -Judy Lowe has accepted the appointment to serve as representative to CUSS
from exempt staff. She replaces Vicky Aderinan. CUSS reports from April 24 and
May 22 were distributed. (Attached)
C.
HR director interviews All interviews have been completed. No further information available regarding new HR
director position.
C.
Transition Issues –
Committee chairs asked to create list of activities/accomplishments from
past year. Outgoing senators are asked to provide materials to new senators.
Copies of Roberts Rules and Staff Senate Bylaws will be provided.
New Business A.
Request for Computer terminal
Request received from Ray Pryor of Physical Plant for a computer in Commons building
maintenance area to be used by staff members to check e-mail.
Motion by Bob Meigel and duly seconded that the request, with an attachment which lists
other sites on campus where similar staff are in need of computer terminals, be forwarded to
the President. Motion carried by a vote of 11 in favor and 1 opposed.
B.
E-mail access for all employees
Linda will contact the President to verify that all employees can access e-mail during
working hours
All senators, outgoing, current and newly elected, are invited to attend the next meeting
to be held on Thursday, July 12 at 7:45 a.m. at a location to be announced.
Meeting adjourned at 9:20 a.m.