Minutes - July 21, 2005

These minutes were approved at the UT Staff Council meeting on August 18, 2005

In attendance: Yolanda Aldaco, Jeri Baker, Carlos Bowles, Layne Brewster-Smith, Vanessa Cobb, Johnnie Conley, Marlis Dagg, Vickie Drake, Neil Fahlund, Danielle Fournier, Patrice Fox, Christine Gauger, Phil Gavenda, Claudia Gerardo, Marco Gonzalez, Paul Grotevant, Philip Guerrero, Christy Habecker, Bretna Hackert, Phillip Hebert, Vicki Heydron, Tom Horn, Greg Howard, James Janknegt, Troy Johnson, Elizabeth Korves, Lynn Lecropane, Candace Legge, Keke Kelly Liao, Collin Logan, Noah Lowenstein, Debra Madden, Gary Martt, Kimberly Montroy, Terry Moore, Rita Moreno, Pamela Owen, Eric Patkowski, Billie Pierce, Janet Reed, Carl Roell, Kathy Romberg, Christopher Scherer, Craig Schroer, Sandra Sleeper, Olen Smith, Kim Snyder, Barbara Thompson, Kim Wallace, Erin Waneck, Sara Jackson Watson, Gabby Yearwood.

Absent with notification: Alison Louise Brown, Lisa Camero, Mary Criner, Amy Jones, Lou Ann Marrs, Albert Puga, Nadine Schulte, Alayna Wadleigh, JR Watson, Ashley Williams, Cynthia Wilson, Andrea Zabcik

Absent: Rufino Aguirre, Jennifer Betancourt, Melba Catchings, Curtis Drosche, Dreya Johannsen, Joyce Moyer, Laura Najera, Donna O’Kelly, Edie Shugart, Jennifer Trost, Kimberly Williams

Guests: Sarah Shafer, Susan Pedregon, Zachary Wormbratt, Debra Kress, Monica Reed, Terri Sullivan

Announcements:

• Next meeting is Thursday, August 18, 2005 from 2:00pm to 3:30pm, Main 212
• New members Kim Snyder, district 182, Joyce Moyer, district 462, and Janet Reed, district 482, were announced and welcomed.
• Special thanks were given to Sarah Shafer for putting all the notebooks together, and to HRS for providing the materials. Please note that there are two listings of UTSC reps: alpha by name and listed by district. Also, the scheduled dates for all UTSC meetings are listed in the notebook and listed on the Web as well. Returning reps were supplied with inserts for their notebooks and new reps were given folders.
• The staff representative for the UT System Employee Advisory Council will be Glen Worley. Erin Waneck will serve as alternate.
• It was announced that Terri Sullivan of UT System would arrive at 3 to speak on the presidential search committee and procedures.

Chair's report:

The chair announced the departure of Karen Landolt, representative for District 601. There will not be a special election for this position. It will be up to the District contact to appoint a replacement, or appoint the runner up from the election, whichever they choose.

The chair will report on the Employee Advisory Council meeting held in Austin July 21 and 22 at next month’s meeting.

The HR forum announced a spotlight link to up-to-date legislative TRS information on the HR website. http://www.trs.state.tx.us

HRS & Payroll Services is implementing (effective August 2005) the recommendation of the Compensation & Classification Committee in response to Issue #2003-19 that HRS & UT departments encourage departing employees to donate all or part of their sick leave balances to the Sick Leave Pool. The current *define module for Vacation Lump Sum Vouchers asks if the employee's separation form has been submitted to HRS. It was recommended that the module also ask if a SLP donation form has been given to the departing employee. The full report and issue can be viewed in the minutes of the December 2004 Meeting (http://www.utexas.edu/staff/council/minutes/2004_12_16.html) . The current DEFINE module OV6 (Vacation/Holiday Lump Sum Document) will be enhanced with a reminder that sick leave hours can be donated to the sick leave pool. This will take next month in August.

Recorder/Secretary:

The secretary asked for any additions or changes to the minutes. There were none.

The recorder informed UTSC members of the number of allowable absences to UTSC meetings. Tom Horn, chair of Bylaws, read the exact words of Article 3 Section C’s language on attendance. The Bylaws can be viewed online at the UTSC website.

Committee Reports:

Issues Committee: Phillip Hebert for Chair, Amy Jones

2005-1: Extend Staff Educational Benefit to Extension/Distance Education Center, submitted by Amy Jones, District 160 for James Gasser.

The Issues Committee recommended that it be approved and sent to the Misc. Benefits committee. There was question as to whether this issue has been brought up previously. While it is believed to have been brought up before, it was stated there is nothing preventing the council from discussing an issue twice. A motion to accept the committee’s recommendation was made and seconded. It passed.

2005-2: Need for multiple email accounts, submitted by Kim Wallace, District 130 for Sam Jeske.

The issues committee recommended the issue be accepted and sent to the Communications Committee. There was discussion as to the meat of the issue, specifically disagreement as to ITS' specific rules and the personal use of an email account. A motion was made and seconded to accept the issues committee's recommendation. It passed.

Committee on Committees : Craig Schroer for Chair, Cindy Wilson

It was reported that the Committee on Committees has appointed the Chair of Staff Council, Erin Waneck, to the Presidential Search Committee. They reported that after much deliberation, a conclusion was reached based on several factors that Erin is the best representative of the UTSC on the Presidential Search Committee being formed under the direction of Terri Sullivan. This decision was primarily made due to precedent set by other UT System institutions.

By-Laws Committee:

Jeri Baker shared the goals and the directions of the Bylaws committee this year. They hope to clarify and simplify the bylaws. She explained the process of amending the bylaws. She stated the first thing they are working on is recommendations made by the nominations and elections committee regarding sections 2 and 3.

Danielle Fournier spoke on the duties of the Bylaws committee and explained specifically their role as parliamentary advisor to council. She advised that Robert’s Rules of Order will govern meetings where applicable.

New Business:  

Tom Horn asked for a round of applause to Sarah Shafer for the notebooks.

A question was made about receiving minutes from the previous meeting and agenda for this meeting. It was determined that some people may not be on the group mailing list. Phillip Hebert will investigate the problem.

There was another question raised as to the charge of the Committee on Committee’s role in making appointments to University committees.

A motion was raised for the UTSC to investigate the correct method of changing one’s optional retirement options. The motion was withdrawn after being told of the traditional issues submission process.

Phillip Hebert talked about the issues process.

Someone asked about a link to Pat Clubb's response to the Pickle Research Center food issue. Phillip Hebert will find the link and add it to the minutes of the last meeting.

Tom Horn asked Erin Wanek about her proposal to bring guests to UTSC general meetings. Erin restated her suggestion that members bring guests to each general meeting. Sandra Sleeper expressed caution on having too many guests as it will be confusing for identification of voting rights. Terry Moore emphasized the right of people to attend the open meeting.

Guest Speaker: Terri Sullivan, Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, UT System.

Terri Sullivan explained the search process for the new President. She wanted to make sure everyone understood that anyone can make nominations and nominations can be made via email to utaustin@utsystem.edu. The Regents hope to have a selection made in December to allow transition time without an interim. She answered questions from the council.

Adjournment:

The meeting was adjourned at 3:30 PM.

Phillip Hebert
Secretary/Recorder
District 190 Representative
UTSC
Email: recorder@utsc.utexas.edu
Office: 232-9599