Minutes for October 2008

Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Avaya Auditorium, ACES 2.302

Members Present: Ben Bond, Steve Brahm, Lewis Bowen, Patrick Buckner, Mary Campbell, Nellie Cano, James Cooper, Jackie Dana, Lara Eakins, Suzanne Ewing-Brethe, Danielle Fournier, John Goutier, Joe Gregory, Chrissi Guerrero, Lori Hamilton, Melva Harbin, Martha Harrison, Phillip Hebert, Janice Hejl, Keith Hill, Charles King, Dianne Kline, Janet Larsen, Sarah Lind, Jennifer McClain, Rita Moreno, Linda Overton, Eric Patkowski, Cynthia Podolnick, Cindy Posey, Tina Radke, Martha Ramey, Janet Reed, Ben Rodriguez, Tracy Saenger, Chris Scherer, Mark Smyth, Meredith Taylor, Peter Telck, Mindy Thompson, Heather Vacek, Robert Walker, James (Bobby) Wawak, Barbara Welch, Brandy Whitten, Ashley Williams, Blake Willms, Brittany Wilson-Balakrishnan, Luis Zamora, Sunni Zuniga

Members Absent with Notification: Jose Barroso, Denise Berry, Stephanie Cardenas, Vicki Kullberg, David Macha, Gary Martt, Louise Nelson, Pamela Owen, Jo Ann Richmond, Madison Searle, Candace Shye, Rachel Sidopulos

Members Absent: Anthony Bumpass, Alma Craig, Bobby Hemby, Sarah Kitten, Richard Lee, Shelton Lewis, Jennifer McAndrew, Robert Meyer, Jimmy Moore, Amy Olson, Janell Ross, Evan Turner

Call to Order

With a quorum present, Chair Mark Smyth called the meeting to order at 2:00pm.

Announcements

Next month's meeting is scheduled on Thursday, November 20, 2008 from 11:30am-1pm in GRE 3.102.  Council will convene for its monthly meeting while celebrating the Thanksgiving season with a potluck lunch.  Council members are asked to bring a side dish, salad or dessert to share. Council member Linda Overton has volunteered to coordinate the sign-up for members to bring a side dish, salad or dessert; please contact her to indicate what you plan to bring.  

Officer Reports

Chair

Chair Mark Smyth announced the first guest speaker Nick Bain with Campus Computers.  Mr. Bain introduced Sales Team Manager Charles Mallory, who accompanied him to today’s meeting.  Campus Computers is owned by the University of Texas, managed by Hi-Ed and is a H.U.B. (Historically Underutilized Business), so users can receive H.U.B. credit with purchases from Campus Computers.

University IT Services oversees Campus Computers, which serves the entire UT community.  The store will stock any products that individuals use regularly; any UT student, faculty or staff can call Mr. Bain or Mr. Mallory to submit their requests for products that they would like to have stocked in the campus store.

Planned improvements to the new web site include a) ADA compliancy b) ProCard-ready and c) ability to copy and paste Apple web proposals into the “shopping cart” on-line, allowing users to transfer part numbers directly and finish their purchase(s) more quickly.  The new web site can be found at www.campuscomputer.com. 

The Campus Computers Store team is looking for feedback from students, staff and faculty for any improvements to their processes, products and/or services, and Mr. Bain encouraged everyone to submit input directly to him or Mr. Mallory.  Retail sales requests can be submitted at deptsales@computerstore.utexas.edu.

Following Mr. Bain’s presentation, Chair Mark Smyth introduced Associate Vice President Susan Clagett, from the Office of Relationship Management and University Events, who gave a presentation about the Orange Santa program.

Orange Santa is an annual campus-wide toy and food donation program for the UT community, which began in 1994 with the start of Longhorn Halloween, and is managed by the Office of Relationship Management.  The mission of the program is to try and find a means for others to share their generosity of spirit and strengthen the internal community.  The program was created and developed by staff, and is managed by volunteers in the Frank Erwin Center.  New toy donations are accepted for children up to the age of 17.  Campus departments and/or groups can organize donation drives to collect toys and/or food for the program.  Cash donations and gift cards are also accepted.

H.E.B. grocery store donates shopping carts and the layout mirrors that of a grocery store in which families can shop for toys.  Volunteers fulfill roles of ‘personal shoppers’ and translators as needed.  Families sign up for shopping times so adequate staff can be available to provide assistance. 

Applications are self-selected based on need, and are available either in printed hard copy or on-line; families are asked to provide ethnicities and ages of their children in need in order that appropriate toys can be collected.  Families are allowed to select two toys per child.  Smaller toys can be used as ‘stocking stuffers’.  Any leftover toys are stored at the Pickle Research Center campus for use the following year; some are given to the Austin Christmas Bureau.

Last year, 500 volunteers assisted 485 families, which included 1,750 children - a 15% increase from the previous year.  The number of student families that received assistance also increased by 18%.  Approximately $1,960 was donated last year, all of which goes directly toward assisting the families in need.

Throughout the year, University Police Department raises money to buy bicycles for families each year.  The University Co-Op also provides donations, and this year, has donated ~ $4,000.  UT Athletics donates all kinds of sports balls – basketballs, footballs, volleyballs etc to the Orange Santa program. 

Ms. Clagett advised that a campus-wide email will be sent out next week to advise volunteers that the sign-up period has begun; historically, the sign-up slots fill quickly.

Chris Scherer (District 511):  Do you prefer toys to be sealed in packaging?
Ms. Clagett:  That is up to you; toys come in all forms.

Vice Chair

Vice Chair Ben Rodriguez reported that he had no further updates to provide the Council at this time.

Recorder/Secretary

Approval of Minutes
Recorder/Secretary Janice Hejl sent out the August and September meeting minutes via email, prior to today's meeting, and asked for any additional edits. Danielle Fournier asked that the minutes reflect that she is soliciting volunteers for the Ad Hoc Evaluations Committee, and that she did not volunteer to chair the committee, as reflected in the August minutes. Ms. Hejl noted the requested change. There being no further edits requested, Ms. Hejl made a motion to approve the August minutes:

Motion 1: Linda Overton - that the August meeting minutes be approved as amended.
Second: Chris Scherer
There were no objections; the motion passes.

Ms. Hejl asked for any additional edits to the September meeting. There being not further edits requested, Ms. Hejl asked for a motion to approve the September minutes:

Motion 2: Cindy Posey
Second: Chris Scherer
There were no objections; the motion passes.

New Business

Before the start of committee reports, UTSC Representative Ben Bond stood to make a motion to amend the meeting agenda and move the Chair and Vice Chair elections ahead of the committee reports:

Motion 3: Ben Bond – that the agenda be amended to move today’s elections ahead of committee reports.
Second: Joe Gregory
There were no objections; the motion passes.

With a quorum present, Nominations & Elections Chair Joe Gregory reviewed election guidelines, reminding everyone that a simple majority – half of today’s council representatives present today plus one – will determine the election of a candidate to each position. Mr. Gregory announced today’s vote counters – Emil Kresl, Erin Waneck and Denise Zuniga.  He made a motion to approve the vote counters:

Motion 4: Joe Gregory – that the Council accept the vote counters announced for today’s elections.
Second: Ashley Williams
With a few objections, the majority overrides and the motion passes.

Mr. Gregory called for any other nominations for Chair and Vice Chair positions.  There being none, he moved to candidate statements and invited Chair candidates Ben Bond and Danielle Fournier, followed by candidates for Vice Chair Steve Brahm and Gary Martt, to give brief introductions of themselves.

Following candidate statements, all Staff Council representatives present are asked to cast their votes.  Vote counters and Mr. Gregory retire from the room to count the ballots. Following committee reports, Mr. Gregory announces that no one candidate received a simple majority of the vote, and there will be a run-off election between the following individuals who were the two top vote-getters for their respective positions:

Chair: Ben Bond and Danielle Fournier
Vice Chair: Steve Brahm and Gary Martt

Mr. Gregory announced that the run-off election would be held at the November 20 meeting.

Committee Reports

Bylaws Committee

Committee Chair Eric Patkowski reported that the committee did not meet this month as there have been no issues submitted for review.

Peter Telck (District 692):  University ITS is developing a procedure for departments to use to implement procedures on-line, secured with EIDs, that can track changes.  I would suggest that Staff Council look into using the same procedures for posting its bylaws with that same system.

Benefits Committee

Committee Chair Danielle Fournier reported that the committee has not met since September.  She asked committee member Brandy Whitten to give an update on wellness issues with the committee.  Ms. Whitten reported that several wellness issues overlap with faculty and student health issues; therefore, the committee is trying to connect with the Wellness Network, which welcomes anyone who wants to join.  Funding and resources for the Wellness Network are very limited and focused, but it is an option for networking with other campus groups that are dealing with similar wellness issues.  Email either Brandy Whitten or Danielle Fournier if you are interested in becoming a member.

Ben Rodriguez (District 130.2):  Does this cross over with Work Life Services?  Perhaps you all should invite them too?

Cindy Posey (District 522):  Human Resource Services has been working on implementing wellness programs but all attempts have been declined due to a lack of funding.  Connie Deutsch, who is the Director for Employee Assistance Program, is a member of the Wellness Network, and this is a great way for staff to network for support of these types of programs.

Committee on Committees

Committee Chair Blake Willms reported that there was no new committee information on which to update the Council at this time.

Communications Committee

Committee Chair Ashley Williams reported that the committee met last week to continue discussion of the web site redesign.  The committee is developing a survey to send out to all Staff Council representatives to gather feedback on changes to be made to the web site.

Infrastructure & Parking Committee

Committee Vice Chair Barbara Welch reported that the committee met on October 2, 2008.  The committee is reviewing a new issue concerning the UT shuttles running for staff on “no class” days.  The committee is also researching old issues to confirm their disposition.

Issues Committee

Committee Chair Ben Bond reported that the committee met last week and voted on three issues. There are two issues to present today:

Issue 2008-03: Employee Student Loan Assistance
This issue requests assistance with repaying student loans, incurred by staff during their undergraduate careers at UT.

Motion 5: Chris Scherer – to send issue to the Benefits Committee.
Second: Lara Eakins

Danielle Fournier (District 210.1):  I do not believe this issue should be sent to the Benefits Committee.  This individual signed a contract with a financial lender, so this is a financial issue, and one that is outside of the purview of Staff Council.

Jackie Dana (District 262):  I agree; I don’t see how we can take on this issue; if we start down this road, it could end up being very murky.

Brittany Wilson (District 701):  Employees can choose to do a tax deduction now and then get the money back at the end of the year.

Chris Scherer (District 511):  By law, UT cannot deduct money from pay checks for anything but the usual insurance benefits – medical, dental, vision etc.

Peter Telck (District 692):  As a member of the Benefits Committee, I would like to take on this issue since I work with people in Student Financial Services; we can research the issue and see
what we can do with it.

Issue 2008-04: Mr. Bond advised that the committee was still working with the submitter to clarify the language in this issue.

Issue 2008-05: Staff Requests for Departmental Personnel Records
This issue focuses on a staff member who worked at the Texas Union, then moved to a different UT department.  The staff member wanted to request copies of all documentation in her personnel file, and was advised that she would need to submit an Open Records request.  Committee research determined that the Texas Union was following current UT policy on this issue.  Recommended action includes the UTSC Chair submitting a letter to HR Services to request a policy change, allowing UT employees to request copies of their personnel records directly from their previous employer department without the mandated use of an Open Records request.  Mr. Bond requested a motion to support this recommendation:

Motion 6: Ben Rodriguez – that the UTSC Chair submit a letter to Human Resource Services to request a change to UT policy as noted above.
Second: Eric Patkowski
There were no objections; the motion passes.

Nominations & Elections Committee

Committee Chair Joe Gregory reported that the committee has been working together to fill vacancies, and to prepare for today’s planned elections for Chair and Vice Chair.

Resources Committee

No report submitted at this time.

Questions For The Council

There were no questions for the Council.

Adjournment

The Staff Council general assembly meeting adjourned at approximately 3:35pm.
 

NOTE: Webcast is not available for this meeting.