Minutes for June 2008

Thursday, June 26, 2008, 2 P.M.
Avaya Auditorium, ACES 2.302

Members Present:  Stacie Bables, Jose Barroso, Denise Berry, Craig Blaha, Benjamin Bond, Steven Brahm, Patrick Buckner, Anthony Bumpass, Enedelia Cano, Stephanie Cardenas, James Cooper, Jacqueline Dana, Victoria Drake, Lara Eakins, Danielle Fournier, Joseph Gregory, Chrissi Guerrero, Lori Hamilton, Martha Harrison, Phillip Hebert, Janice Hejl, Charles King, Sarah Kitten, Dianne Kline, Vicki Kullberg, Janet Larsen, Sarah Lind, David Macha, Gary Martt, Jennifer McAndrew, Robert Meyer, Rita Moreno, Linda Overton, Eric Patkowski, Cynthia Posey, Tina Radke, Janet Reed, Jo Ann Richmond, Ben Rodriguez, Janell Ross, Tracy Saenger, Christopher Scherer, Candace Shye, Mark Smyth, Peter Telck, Mindy Thompson, Robert Walker, Brandy Whitten, Ashley Williams, Blake Willms, Brittany Wilson, Sunni Zuniga

Members Absent with Notification: Susan Castellon, Michele Hallahan, Martha Harrison, Bob Hemby, Keith Hill, Ann Marie Holliday, Rebecca Ledbetter, Jennifer McClain, Louise Nelson, Pamela Owen, Heather Vacek, Erin Waneck, Barbara Welch

Members Absent: Nathan Bunch, Alma Craig, John Goutier, Melva Harbin, Troy Johnson, Richard Lee, Shelton Lewis, Jimmy Moore, Meredith Taylor, Evan Turner

Call to Order

With a quorum present, Vice Chair Danielle Fournier called the meeting to order at 2:00pm.

Announcements

Council Chair Erin Waneck was unable to attend today’s meeting, and asked Ms. Fournier to chair the meeting in her absence.

Next month’s meeting is scheduled on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 from 2:00-3:30pm in the Avaya Auditorium, ACES 2.302.

Ms. Fournier extends a warm welcome to all new Staff Council representatives and encourages all representatives to be active in Council and on committees the coming year, stating that the majority of work that comes out of Staff Council is performed within the various committees.

Officer Reports

Council Chair

This year’s Student Government student representative to Staff Council is Nathan Bunch. Mr. Bunch was unable to attend today’s meeting, but hopes to meet the Council at the July 16 meeting.

Ms. Fournier invites UTSC member Blake Willms to report on committee updates. Mr. Willms asks UTSC members to submit their completed committee sign-up sheets as soon as possible; committee assignments should be completed next week.

UTSC representatives are needed to serve on the University Police Oversight and Campus Safety committees. UTSC representative Allison Supancic submitted at-large representative Janell Ross as a nominee to serve on both committees, suggesting that it is most beneficial to have one person serve in both positions given the interrelationship between the two committees. Ms. Fournier asks for any other nominations for either committee. There were no further nominations.

Motion 1: Ms. Fournier - that Janell Ross serve as UTSC representative on the University Police Oversight and Campus and Safety Committees.
Second: Unanimous
There were no objections; the motion passes.

Ms. Fournier announced that two representatives are needed to attend Faculty Council meetings, take notes and present information to the UTSC assembly when relevant. Interested individuals should submit their names as soon as possible to the Council Chair.

Vice Chair

Ms. Fournier reports that she does not have any updates at this time.

Council Recorder/Secretary

Approval of Minutes

Recorder/Secretary Ben Rodriguez sent the May meeting minutes via email, prior to today’s meeting, and asked for any additional edits. There being no further changes, Mr. Rodriguez made a motion to approve the May minutes:

Motion 2: Ben Rodriguez – that the May meeting minutes be approved.
Second: Eric Patkowski.
There were no objections; the motion passes.

Committee Reports

Bylaws and Procedures Committee

Proposed change to Section VIII.F.1 (UTSC Standing Committees, Standing Committee Purviews): Addition of a Benefits Committee, which will serve to:

1. Address issues involving health insurance and coverage benefits, and retirement related benefits, and
2. Address issues concerning university benefits other than insurance and retirement.(see handout distributed via email prior to today’s meeting)

The proposed change merges the descriptions and responsibilities of the Insurance, Retirement and Miscellaneous Benefits committees, all of which address interrelated issues, to define those of the proposed Benefits Committee. Resources from all three of the above-mentioned committees will be most effective if utilized in support of one committee that will address all related issues.

After first reading of the proposed change, the general assembly accepts a motion to adopt the Proposed change into the bylaws:

Motion 3: Blake Willms – that the proposed change be adopted into the bylaws, and the Benefits Committee be accepted as a standing committee.
Second: Ashley Williams.
There were no objections; the motion passes.

Ms. Fournier: It is important to merge resources of these three committees in order to strengthen the Benefits Committee; also, the creation of this committee is more in line with composition of committees within Faculty Council.

New Business

Ms. Fournier moved to the next new business item, the 2008-2009 officer elections and candidate statements. She announced that officer elections are now open, and welcomes guest vote tellers Glen Worley and former UTSC member Janina Hurtado. Nominees for officers were invited to briefly address the Council, and were presented as follows:

• Recorder/Secretary – Janice Hejl and Ben Rodriguez
• Vice Chair - Ben Rodriguez
• Chair - Gary Martt and Mark Smyth

Elections Chair Gus Castellanos reviewed voting guidelines and opened the polls for eligible members to cast their votes by secret ballot. After all votes were cast, polls were closed and vote tellers retired to count the votes.

While awaiting election results, Ms. Fournier asks for any other new business items:

Gary Martt (District 540.1) gave an update on a suggestion to create an electronic resources handbook and make it available on CD-ROM. This suggestion was deemed not feasible as Human Resource Services determined they could not allocate time and staff resources to complete this endeavor; further, there was a question about how to handle handbook updates. The decision was made to make updates to the Resources page of the handbook on-line, and hard copies will be provided for staff that does not have access to a computer.

District 692 representative Peter Telck presented another item for discussion: the email from Rick Eason, Vice President for Development, soliciting charitable contributions from the University community for use toward initiatives to impact faculty and students. Mr. Telck states that many constituents voiced disappointment about receiving an email, soliciting from staff, monetary donations that do not include options for positively impacting staff or staff initiatives.

Jackie Dana (District 262) asks if Staff Council can issue a resolution stating the staff’s position regarding this solicitation.

Danielle Fournier (District 210.1) suggests that this item may be referred to committee for further review. Mark Smyth (District 451) concurs and suggests that the concerned constituent submit the issue for review by the Issues Committee.

Cindy Posey (District 522) states that this type of solicitation was standard operating procedure at most other universities to solicit donations campus-wide. She suggests that those not interested in donating should simply delete the email. Jose Barroso (District 231) states this is not an issue that should require a resolution and that bigger issues will be overlooked if the Council focuses on these types of issues.

Dianne Kline (District 182) states there are much larger issues with which Staff Council should be concerned.

Peter Telck (District 692) states that it is just as easy for staff to seek out donation opportunities through the Development Office on their own if they choose to do so.

Mark Smyth (District 451) states that it is important to hear all issues/concerns so as not to discourage staff from bringing forth to the Council other issues that may arise in the future.

Ben Rodriguez (District 132) states that he believes the email would have been less offensive to most staff if the options for which the donations being solicited would have included those that can positively impact staff.

Danielle Fournier (District 210.1) states that the concerned staff member can formally submit this issue to the Staff Council for review by the appropriate committee, if he/she feels strongly enough to do so.

Vote tellers returned to the general assembly and announced results of the 2008-2009 officer elections:

• Mark C. Smyth is announced as 2008-2009 Staff Council Chair.
• Ben A. Rodriguez is announced as 2008-2009 Staff Council Vice Chair.
• Janice E. Hejl is announced as 2008-2009 Staff Council Recorder/Secretary.

Questions For The Council

Martha Ramey posed a question to Ms. Fournier regarding the status of the representative position for District 610.3 for which she believed she was a candidate in the recent election. Ms. Fournier explained that Ms. Ramey’s name was not received as a nomination, and therefore, was not included as a nominee on the ballot. Ms. Ramey has served on the Council previously and expressed interest in being considered to represent District 610.3.

Motion 4: Linda Overton – that Martha Ramey be accepted as the Council representative for District 610.3.
Second: Ashley Williams.
There were no objections; the motion passes.

Adjournment

The Staff Council general assembly meeting adjourned at approximately 2:55pm.

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