PROFESSIONAL & ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF COUNCIL
Professional & Administrative Staff General Meeting Minutes
Meeting Date: 11/12/09
Called to Order Time: 11:35
Called to Order By: Karla Fennell, Chair
Present: Angela Agans, Karen Barrett, Barbara Brown-Shor, Elisabeth Cain, Vicki Clark, Paul DeShane,
Erin Draper, Karla Fennell, Jennifer French, Stacey Hawkins, Jennifer LaPointe, Matthew LeBire,
Patricia Perrier, Linda Petroccione, Kelly Rathbun, Susan Scott, Shawn Seymour, Kelly Sharlow, Cindy
Smith, Peg Walrich, Sue Wood.
Guest Speaker: Marilyn Ardito, Executive Director of Human Resources
1. Marilyn wants to be sure that she is using consistent messaging in her discussions with all
employees.
2. HR will become a team of five people (Marilyn, 3 generalists, and an HR Administrative Role)
and the goal is to have the three generalists signed by December 1st.
3. Originally the three generalist job descriptions were specific to a functional area; they were
modified before interviewing began and are now generalists. Each generalist will be assigned
to an area of the university so that employees know who their own representative is.
4. The generalists will undergo cross-training to be able to answer a majority of questions, each
will also specialize in a particular subject.
5. HR will be a resource for professional development, coaching, training, and performance
reviews.
6. Marilyn is working to build the credibility and visibility of the department - she admits there is
a lot of building to do.
7. HR will not sit behind a desk, they will be out around campus to help promote respect in the
workplace.
8. Marilyn is 100% open door and the generalists will be as well.
9. The HR staff will be employee advocates but will also have to protect the assets of the
University. Sometimes difficult conversations must happen – and that is ok.
10. Things she’d like to do right away to increase visibility.
a. She appreciates being asked to come to the meeting today.
b. HR moving to Graham Hall in February
c. Create a more comfortable environment to come in to the HR office and get help.
d. Begin developing talent and provide a constructive environment for employees.
Council members:
Chair – Karla Fennell
Secretary – Erin Draper
Parliamentarian – Angela Agans
Vice Chair – Open
Treasurer – Jennifer French
PROFESSIONAL & ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF COUNCIL
11. Question: Salary and Benefits Structure
Answer: Salary scales exist and grade levels exist. It does not appear that they are followed.
Once the generalists are on board they will conduct a salary survey to create levels with
quartiles within them. From there they will begin to put people in the right level and quartile
based on job function/description. Decisions need to be data driven and levels/quartiles
must be transparent.
12. Question: Performance Appraisals
Answer: “Not everyone gets a trophy”. Some people work harder than others. Doing a good
job is rewarded by your paycheck, doing a very good job or going above and beyond warrants
more. Raises should not be 3% across the board; this is a de-motivator to those that do go
above and beyond. One of the goals Nancy Kin set for Marilyn is to implement a performance
management system with concrete goals to measure against. HR will need to teach
employees how to write measureable goals and will have to teach managers how to measure
the goals. It will take a couple of years to get everyone writing effective goals and having
effective performance discussions.
13. Question: What are the plans for job descriptions?
Answer: The first objective is to validate information such as pay rate, date of hire, pension,
etc. After this is complete, job descriptions will be written, salary levels will be evaluated and
then they will match jobs to levels. Job descriptions are what you are hired on, goals are
what you are paid on and what you are doing.
14. Question: How will communication be improved?
Answer: Supervisors met on November 11th and a follow up will be held in December. There
will be institutional actions and there will be departmental actions. One idea being discussed
is the creation of an intranet site to share information within the organization.
15. Question: Campus Climate vs. Modern Think Survey
Answer: Some common themes, Modern Think will be what we are working on.
16. Question: How will you decrease subjectivity in performance appraisals?
Answer: Teach managers the value of rewarding great work and not rewarding poor
performers, even though this may be a difficult conversation to have. There is not a lot of
turnover at Clarkson; everyone’s children go to school together, etc, so this will be a difficult
process. There are two parts of compensation: merit and equity. There should be a pool of
equity money set aside for people whose salaries are behind.
17. Question: When the same person that is controlling raises is also doing reviews how do you
be sure things are equitable?
Answer: We need the written reviews to measure stated goals clearly and be well written.
This will take time to teach.
Council members:
Chair – Karla Fennell
Secretary – Erin Draper
Parliamentarian – Angela Agans
Vice Chair – Open
Treasurer – Jennifer French
PROFESSIONAL & ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF COUNCIL
Treasurer’s Report:
1. Given By: Jennifer French
2. General Fund Balance: $1129.99
3. Scholarship Fund Balance: $1351.00
Committee Reports:
1. Fundraising Committee
a. Eco Bag Sales (numbers corrected after meeting)
i. Beginning Inventory: 560
ii. Bags Remaining: Approx 175
iii. Initial Inventory Cost: $2448.10
iv. The bags were paid for via the following:
1. $440 from Marketing to cover imprinting cost
2. $1050 from pre-orders
3. $958.10 from sales of bags before bill was due
v. Current Profit: $349.76
b. Fundraising Committee would like volunteers to help sell the remaining bags. If
anyone has any ideas, please come forward, they could use help.
i. Sell at hockey games
ii. Liquidate at cost
iii. Study Abroad Office may purchase some
iv. Everyone in our group take two bags to sell.
c. Electronics Recycling has made $51.80. There is no cost or risk to our group for this
fundraiser. The only cost is time.
2. Finals Week Planning Committee
a. Brooke Kelly has volunteered to Chair the committee, she has raised $1000 from
various campus departments. This is double last year and we are able to provide the
snacks for both semesters. Thank you Brooke!
b. Tables will be in Science Center, Gym, and Camp.
3. Randy Brockway Memorial Scholarship
a. Currently 104 wreaths have been sold. Last year 200 were sold.
Council members:
Chair – Karla Fennell
Secretary – Erin Draper
Parliamentarian – Angela Agans
Vice Chair – Open
Treasurer – Jennifer French
PROFESSIONAL & ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF COUNCIL
New Business:
1. Charitable Gift for 2009: we will accept suggestions and vote on providing a donation. The
following were suggested at the meeting:
a. Potsdam Animal Shelter
b. Norwood Holiday Fund
c. Potsdam Holiday Fund
d. Farmer’s Fund
2. Kate Mikel is coordinating the Salvation Army Bell Ringing again this year. Please e-mail Kate
if you are interested in helping.
3. Thank you to council for setting up meaningful speakers. Suggestion to have one meeting per
semester with a member of the HR staff. (Council will take suggestions for other speakers as
well!)
4. What is the purpose of Group III?
a. Mission stated in Policies and Procedures is vague; we may need to revisit it. Any
changes will need to be passed through the appropriate channels.
b. In Fall 2008 the council suggested changes to the mission and this did not pass the
membership. It may be time to look at these again.
Old Business
1. Vice Chair Nominations are still being accepted. If you are interested or would like to
nominate someone please contact the council.
Motion to Adjourn at: 12:45
Motion to Adjourn by: Sue Wood (Vicki Clark)
Council members:
Chair – Karla Fennell
Secretary – Erin Draper
Parliamentarian – Angela Agans
Vice Chair – Open
Treasurer – Jennifer French