STAFF COUNCIL MEETING
10:30 a.m., AUGUST 30, 2001
CHAPPELL 106
Present: Cindy Diaz (presiding), Barbara Monnett, Ainsley Eubanks, Neil Jones, Lindy Ruark, Terri Pope, Ann Portwood, Lynda Grable, Kenneth Manson, Bill Bloodworth, Alma Hall, Robert Ethier, Valerie Smykal, Kendall Stiles. Excused: Rose Murner. Guests: Harry Keim, Bonnie Sims, Priscilla Hooks, Michelle Williams. Clarice McLin also attended as a guest.
Call to Order/ Welcome and Introductions. Cindy called the first meeting of the new year to order and welcomed everyone. We introduced ourselves and let everyone know the area we represent.
Update from Bonnie Sims. Bonnie Sims, Director of Human Resources, recapped the accomplishments from last year. We had a handout listing these improvements that were made as a direct result of our positive requests to President DePaolo. Among the accomplishments were:
Staff news area in each monthly newsletter
Expanded orientation for new employees
Increased awareness of other offices with mini "how-to" courses for staff
Mini computer training courses for staff (Chappell 203)
Increased employee participation in campus events
Uniforms for Physical Plant employees
Employee Benefit Day-October 31, 2001
Pay study classification
Computer access in Physical Plant
Printing Services delivery
Increased staff budget
Some of these items have already been implemented, and others are in the process of implementation. A proposal to provide supervisory training for staff that supervise others was recently made to Human Resources for forwarding to President DePaolo soon. The computer lab for staff will be in Chappell 203, but the construction is not yet complete. Other items that were requested but are not listed here were: casual dress, flex work schedules, and flex summer schedules. President DePaolo states these are
department-level decisions.
Cindy asked that we bring more positive suggestions forward at our next meeting. She will get feedback forms to those without access to them in time for us to have some feedback from other areas before our next meeting on September 13.
Bonnie Sims and Harry Keim, Vice President of Business and Finance, also updated the group on the progress of the pay study group. The process is moving along well. All of the non-exempt employee questionnaires have been submitted, they are being revised now, and are about 2/3 of the way complete. As soon as this process is finished, the process will begin on the exempt employees. We will know where our salaries stand as soon as the whole process is finished. The goal is to have the entire process completed in time for raises next year, but the process will not be hurried at the expense of our employees. The committee is not deciding salary; they are evaluating the questionnaires we submitted and assigning a point system for different jobs. A radius of fifty miles is used for comparison for non-exempt jobs, and a national comparison is used for exempt jobs. Non-exempt employees are not being compared with other University System of Georgia institutions but comparable positions within the same market. When all the reports are made, they will be open for examination by anyone interested. The entire university will have the chance to input, discuss, and review the results before the plan is implemented. When the time is appropriate, there will be forums for this purpose. Staff Council has already asked to have a forum with President DePaolo to discuss the results of the pay study. This is just the preliminary process, and we are all asked to be patient. If it is found that the results of the pay study are not beneficial to employees, it will not be implemented. This is only being done for the benefit of the university, not the detriment of our employees.
Next, Harry Keim updated the group about some exciting things going on around campus. There are plans underway for a parking deck, major improvements in student housing, improvements to the bookstore, a new information sign in front of Maxwell Student Union, new architectural designs for that area, discussions with the local credit union for an office here, and many, many more exciting changes planned.
Cindy thanked Harry and Bonnie for their information and for coming to the meeting.
University Meeting. President DePaolo shared information about the improvements for staff at the recent university meeting. As stated before, these improvements are a direct results of requests made to her in a positive manner. However, we still are not receiving much feedback from staff. Even with easy access to feedback forms, easy contact with Staff Council delegates, and obvious results from our feedback, there is still not much. Staff are encouraged to provide feedback.
Benefits Day. This day will be October 31, 2001. Among the topics we hope to have information on are tax shelter annuities, Teacher Retirement System, Social Security, flex spending, blood pressure checks, wellness activities, etc. These activities will be going on all day to give all interested parties an opportunity to attend. Some activities will be done in multiple sessions, and some will not. Cindy asked Kendall Stiles to provide some service from the GIVE Center during the day. We also discussed having a lemonade stand to provide information about other departments on campus and Staff Council. This is an opportunity for some high visibility for us.
Brown Bag Lunches. We discussed having some hour-long brown bag lunch sessions for staff. We may invite speakers from around the state who could come to campus for a reasonable rate. There is interest in these sessions, and the motion was made, seconded, and approved unanimously to try it in October and see how it works.
Staff Council Publications. We would like to have a Staff Council brochure. Barbara and Cindy could work with Mitch Clarke, Associate Director of University Communications, on a four-fold brochure that would promote Staff Council. It could include a promotion on the college, a note from President DePaolo, tell a little about the campus, our community, the GIVE Center, and maybe a small blurb about training opportunities from the Human Resources area. Web site links could also be listed for each of these areas. It was decided that Barbara and Robert Ethier would collect information and send it to Mitch. Kendall will provide information on the GIVE Center, and Neil Jones will contact Mark Pelton for information about the wellness opportunities provided by the Centennial Center. Cindy will continue to talk with Lynn Allen, Training Coordinator, about training opportunities. It would be great if we could have this brochure ready in time for the October 31 Benefits Day. Cindy asked us to have information to Robert and Barbara before our next meeting on September 13.
On a related note, Terri Pope asked if anyone had pictures she could put in a scrapbook she is compiling for Staff Council. She is especially interested in pictures from when GCSU hosted the state conference a few years ago. We also have a new display board for Staff Council promotion, and Terri will work on this also. Lindy Ruark volunteered to help Terri with the display board.
Staff Council also has a section in the monthly newsletter, a Staff Corner, that can be used to highlight staff. If we have any ideas about a staff member we could highlight, we need to let Cindy know at the September meeting. It was suggested we could highlight the Denim Day in October or the activities we will have on Benefits Day.
New Part to Award Ceremony. Since Dr. DePaolo wanted to introduce new staff at the recent university meeting, but she could not because of time constraints, new staff will be invited to the award ceremony for introduction at that time. Hopefully, this will increase our attendance at these functions.
Update from Kendall/GIVE. Kendall updated us on her recent move to Ennis and plans for an upcoming volunteer opportunities fair on September 12 scheduled for front campus. She also told us about plans for Denim Day (probably on September 28), a blood drive on October 31, and plans to support two students who will walk in the Avon Three-Day Breast Cancer Walk.
State Staff Conference. The state conference will be held at Kennesaw State University on October 4 and 5, 2001. Ainsley Eubanks distributed registration forms at the meeting, and more information is available on our internal web page. The registration fee of $40 must be postmarked by September 27, 2001, and onsite registration will be $45. A motion was made, seconded, and approved unanimously for Staff Council to pay the $40 registration fee for staff interested in attending. Individual travel is not covered by development funds, but staff funds can pay for van rental for a group to attend. Cindy will be unable to attend, but Barbara Monnett will attend for her. The individual total for staff development was $125 per person, but a motion was made, seconded, and approved unanimously to raise the minimum individual total to $150.
Councils & Committees. Cindy stated she requested that a member of Staff Council be added as a voting member of the Technology Committee. The Technology Committee meets on September 7, 2001. Barbara will also attend this meeting.
Adjournment. The meeting adjourned at 11:35. The next meeting will be on Thursday, September 13 at 2:00 p.m. in Chappell 106.