Minutes - September 16, 2004

These minutes were approved at the UT Staff Council meeting on October 21, 2004.

Members Present: Yolanda Aldaco, Pat Alfano, Mack Andrews, Philemon Brown, Alanna Burney, Johnnie Conley, Julie Cinniff, Marlis Dagg, Laura Davis, Nelson Fahlund, Linda Frost, Royce Gehrels, Freida Golden, Mark Gonzalez, Christy Habecker, Charlotte Harris, Phillip Hebert, Bert Herigstad, John Hibbitts, Margaret Hill, Tom Horn, Marcus Horton, Greg Howard, Georget Hughes, Sara Jackson Watson, Dreya Johannsen, Amy Jones, Liz Landeros, Sonja Lane, Lynn LeCropane,Noah Lowenstein, Debra Madden, John Nelson, Chuck Pearson, Billie Pierce, Albert Puga, Jorge Puig, Leslie Saucedo, Frank Simon, Didi Smith, Sheril Smith, Jerry Spillar, Barbara Thompson, Jennifer Trost, Alayna Wadleigh, Erin Waneck, JR Watson, Sara Jackson Watson, Shane Williams, Teresa Williams, Cynthia Wilson, Glen Worley, Gabby Yearwood

Members Absent with Notification: Alison Louise Brown, Melba Catchings, Patricia Fox, Phil Gavenda, Philip Guerrero, Gayle Hight,Kim Johnson, Elizabeth Korves, Suzanne McIntyre, P.G. Moreno, Jo Ann Richmond, Kathy Romberg, Craig Schroer

Members Absent: Vickie Amidon, Tara Carlisle, Oscar Carmona, Augustin Collazo, Margaret Evans, Rick Garza, Donna O’Kelly, Anna Sergi, Sandra Sleeper

Guests:

Quorum: 75 filled UTSC representative places divided by 2-38(for quorum)

Call to Order

Chair Glen Worley called to order the regular meeting of the UT Staff Council at 2:03 p.m. on Thursday, September 16 in Main 212. 53 UTSC representatives were present.

Announcements:

Next meeting is Thursday, October 21, 2004 from 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. in Main 212.

Chair's report:

Brief overview of University Leadership Council retreat and September 13 meeting

• Commission of 125 report will be released September 30.
• Enrollment expected to decline slightly over the next few years down to around 48,000
• Way finding task force made recommendations on proposed new signage for UT and also around Austin to direct people to campus. Garages will be clearly marked and maps with 'you are here' information will be posted at each garage. New signs are proposed for all buildings. University Leadership Council members were asked to assign staff members to respond to the task force recommendations.
• Letters of Representation - CFO Kevin Hegarty proposed that heads of various parts of UT Austin sign 'letters of representation' which assign responsibilities for financial accounts, compliance issues, etc. This is in preparation for the upcoming UT System wide audit by Deloitte and Touche in FY 2005.
• Procurement Card limits - CFO Kevin Hegarty recommended to President Faulkner that the single transaction limit on procurement cards be increased from $999 to $4500. The president approved this on Wednesday. This is expected to save the University money as it costs around $100 to generate a check. If approved, people would have to ask that their procard limit be increased. It will not be increased automatically.
• Fair Labor Standards Act concerning Graduate Research Assistants - Department of Labor said that GRA's do not have the traditional employee-employer relationship and are exempt from the new FLSA. This is consistent with their 1994 opinion.
• Legislative Budget Board Management and Performance review - The Legislative Budget Board (LBB) has mandated a management and performance review of UT and Texas A&M to be conducted by an outside consultant, the Pappas Consulting Group. Various groups on campus will be meeting with the consultants, and the Staff Council Executive Committee will meet with the consultants at the end of the month. The findings of the group will be made available to UT on November 29, and UT will have one day to review the findings.

The Chair asked for a show of hands of those interested in seeing the report once available. There was a lot of interest shown.

Electronic Media Standards Taskforce – UT System created a task force to draft a system wide policy for the use of electronic media. This policy was approved by Chancellor Yudof and sent to the System components. President Faulkner asked the Staff Council Chair to designate a member of the Staff Council to be part of the committee, chaired by Patty Ohlendorf, that will draft a response on behalf of UT Austin. The Chair designated vice chair Phil Gavenda to represent the Staff Council. The UT System Employee Advisory Council will also draft a response to the new policy.

The involvement of the Staff Council in the Legislative Budget Board, Management and Performance Review and participation in the UT Austin response to the new UT System Electronic Media Policy shows that the Staff Council continues to be included in important University affairs. This involvement will continue so UTSC members should expect that they may be given the opportunity to serve on committees, task forces, or asked to respond to proposals. We must take these opportunities seriously and conduct our affairs such that we bring credit to our organization and to the staff that we represent.

The Chair wishes to acknowledge the excellent work of Craig Schroer and his Committee on Committees to provide nominees for the various groups and committees for which the Staff Council has been asked to provide members.

Response from HRS concerning request for staff legal benefit - Kyle Cavanaugh sent the chair a response to the Staff Council request that HRS explore the possibility of establishing an employee funded legal benefit option for staff. He will honor our request, but suggests that, before he forwards the request to UT System, the ad hoc Legal Benefit committee meet with him to discuss his experiences with the kind of benefit. The Chair will give a copy of his response to the chair of the ad hoc committee and suggest that he follow up on this suggestion.

Update on Grievance Policy - Kyle Cavanaugh contacted the Chair to say that he thinks that HRS and the Staff Council should consider working together to review the effectiveness of the new grievance policy after it has been in effect for a year. Dispute Resolution Officer Monica Reed is making presentations to various campus departments on the new policy, and any department that wishes to have this presentation needs to contact her. Monica also points out that HRS is offering three classes on conflict resolution skills, two for supervisors and one for employees.

Trash can update - The staff member that originated the trash can at the bus stop issue contacted the Chair to say that trash cans have now been placed at the bus stop in question. Many thanks to the Staff Council Facilities Committee for making this happen.

Vice Chair's report:

Vice Chair Phil Gavenda was away on a work related assignment.

Committee Reports deadlines (for vice chair) - Phil Gavenda reminds all committee chairs that committee reports need to be submitted to him two weeks before the Staff Council meeting at which they will be presented. Phil also apologizes for not getting out his usual meeting notes for the August meeting to everyone, as he has been very busy at work. We will try to get these out as soon as possible.

Recorder/Secretary:

Minutes from the previous meeting:

The minutes of the August 19, 2004 meeting were approved with one amendment. The Chair made available for review by the UTSC the letter written to President Faulkner regarding issue 2004-7.

Committee Reports:

Standing Committees:
Issues Committee, Didi Smith, Chair:

Didi has compiled a committee workload survey to find if some committees are overloaded with work. This was distributed at the meeting. Issues and summaries will be posted on the web every other month, accessible from the Issues page: http://www.utexas.edu/staff/council/proposals.html

There were two new issues presented by Didi Smith from the Issues Committee:

2004-17 The Staff Council Tree, submitted by G. Yearwood, Distr. 242

Objective: Plant a tree on the south side of the Main Building, to replace the large old mesquite that was blown down about a month ago, and dedicate it to the Staff Council.

Reason: The location of this tree would be very prominent and if dedicated to the Staff Council, would place an enduring and positive symbol of the University staff in a very important part of our campus. Like 'Beck's Lake,' it might well become known as the 'Staff Council Tree.' FYI, I saw the grounds crew cleaning and filling in the hole today (8/20). If the Council doesn't act, the tree might not even be replaced.

Expected UTSC action: Request

Expected University action: Physical Change

Result: Issue was accepted and referred to the Facilities Committee.

2004-18 Watering Hours, submitted by P. Hebert, Distr. 190

Objective: To prevent waste of water and be able to have UT as a model of water conservation

Reason: Watering is often occurring in the heat of the day on the lawn in front of the Sanchez Building, and other locations around campus.

Expected UTSC action: Investigate and report; Letter of recommendation to Physical Plant

Expected University action: Change of watering hours

Result: Issue was accepted with no discussion and assigned to the Facilities Committee.

The Chair thanked Didi Smith for the great job she has done on getting the Issues organized.

Announcement was made that Marcus Horton will remain on the Committee with Parking and Transportation as well as the Shuttle Bus Committee.

Craig Schroer still needs a volunteer for PCA

New Business:

Shane Williams made a motion that the Communication Committee draft language to set guidelines for use of email for staff council business.

The Chair gave background information about the understanding from the UTSC beginning that the use of email correspondence to the UTSC would be limited to minutes and agendas that are informational in nature.

Discussion ensued about whether there was a written policy, and if the by-laws should be amended.

Some UTSC members felt if email was informational it was a great way to communicate. Others felt unsolicited email would not be appreciated and that it could circumvent the issues process.

Many suggestions were offered including: Anyone receiving unwanted email could simply email the sender and opt out of the selected group.

Others felt that any email being sent by a UTSC representative should first be sent through the Executive Committee, especially if it is related to UTSC business.

It was brought up that use of email is fast becoming the accepted way the University communicates with students. It was also recognized that we must follow rules of etiquette and keep our comments professional. There is difficulty in sending information that might lead to discussion, and having numerous emails going back and forth. This would limit discussion and communication and full participation from some members.

Shane amended his original motion, that an Ad Hoc committee be formed instead of referring the email issue to the Communications Committee, since it would allow for more broad input from the general UTSC and not limit participation of any members who would like to serve.

Discussion took place. One member felt there was no reason to study this issue. Free speech should not be limited. Others felt the Ad Hoc committee was necessary since everyone attending is elected and expected to receive information by attending meetings, not to receive information in other forms.

Frank Simon then called for a rising vote on the question of whether there had been enough discussion to vote on the motion. The rising vote was unanimous.

The motion passed, to form an Ad Hoc committee to formulate policy regarding the use of email for Staff Council business.

The Chair asked those members interested in serving on the new committee to meet after the UTSC meeting to gather names and establish a date and time to meet.

A UTSC member has funds left over from a defunct UT organization that would perhaps donate the money to UTSC. The Chair will follow up with HR about the protocol for accepting money for our organization.

Adjournment:

The meeting was adjourned at 3:03
The next meeting of the UTSC will be October 21, at 2:00-3:30 in Main 212