Approved Minutes For Meeting On January 16, 2008

Date: January 16, 2008 

Program:

2. Roll Call

Members Present: Tuesday Ashner, Don Castle, Carla Coppi, Patty Cosgrove, Mike Cubley, Paulette Curkin, Brad Dillard, JP Dunn, Heidi Jung, Cordy Love, Dana McKenzie, Barbara Nowack, Mary Stammer, Allison Sutphin, Sharon Walters.

Members Absent: Dave Hahn, Lisa McKennedy.

Proxies: Patty Cosgrove for Phil Bankester, Pat Eckert for Sandra Rhoads, Allison Sutphin for Gabriele Hoffmann.

Visitors and Guests: Marge Selinger.

3. Minutes

The minutes of the December 19, 2007, meeting were amended under Old Business so that the second reads, "Unless there is some disagreement, the committee believed it best to begin drafting a revision that could be seen by the Council some time in the spring." Minutes were approved as amended.

4. Adoption of Meeting Agenda: P. Cosgrove moved to approve the agenda; seconded by JP Dunn. Motion carried.

5. Reports

5.1 Chair 
T. Ashner reported: i) Vice Chancellor McCurry has asked to attend the Council's February meeting to discuss the comprehensive campaign. Unless anyone has objections, he will be scheduled for February; ii) R. Viswanathan, who had been Faculty Senate President has been appointed interim dean of the College of Engineering. The new Senate President is Peggy Stockdale (Psychology); iii) President Poshard and Chancellor Treviño are presenting to the different constituency groups the University's 2008 goals. Civil Service Council has asked if the A/P Staff Council would be willing to participate in a joint open forum that all civil service and A/P staff could attend. T. Ashner asked Council members if they would want to hold a joint forum or just have the President and Chancellor attend an A/P Staff Council meeting. It was the consensus of the Council to have a joint forum that all A/P and civil service staff could attend.

5.2 Board of Trustees 
T. Ashner reported she will be attending the Board meeting in Edwardsville on January 17.

5.3 Human Resources (HR) 
M. Selinger reported she has discussed with Dave Hahn some issues that have come up in the Staff Benefits Committee with respect to term appointments. She suggested to him that he and the committee flesh out their questions so they can [present the Council with specific information]. She would also be available to answer any questions. T. Ashner commented that it was discussed in Executive Committee whether the Council should strive to make some changes in the area of term appointments, particularly in the areas of switching from term to continuing appointments after three years and allowing term staff to retain some of their vacation or sick leave. She believes what Staff Benefits is attempting to do is use some of the data they have collected to create a proposal that could be forwarded to the Chancellor. M. Selinger pointed out that the Council a few years ago investigated the possibility of retaining benefits for term staff. The committee worked with Mary Nippe in the HR Benefits Office, but M. Selinger was unsure how far their proposal went. M. Stammer remembered being on the committee that worked on a proposal, noting they did get pretty far on it before it was dropped. She will check to see if she still has a copy. T. Ashner believes these are issues staff would appreciate the Council looking into further.

5.4 Representatives to University Committees

5.4a Screening Committee, Director of Student Health Center - Pat Eckert 
Screening Committee, Director of Student Health Center - Pat Eckert P. Eckert reported the committee has not yet met. Though the original application date was December 5, 2007, more advertising/notices have been sent out. February 1, 2008, has been selected as the date to consider applications. Vice Chancellor Dietz hopes to meet with members of the committee the first week of February.

5.4b Search Committee, Dean of MCMA - To be rescheduled.

5.5 Standing Committees

5.5a Executive Committee 
A. Sutphin reported the committee reviewed the agenda and the minutes from the previous meeting. Also reviewed was a draft survey developed by the Staff Welfare Committee, as well as the data collected by D. Hahn with respect to term appointments.

5.5b Committee on Committees - None.

5.5c Constituency Relations 
P. Curkin reported the committee is part of the larger committee selecting the outstanding A/P award. They will meet on January 25 to review applications. The deadline for submissions is January 22. No applications have been received at this time.

5.5d Operating Paper 
C. Love presented for approval the proposed changes to the Council's Operating Paper (included with the December agenda). Proposed changes to the A/P Staff Council Operating Paper were approved.

5.5e Staff Benefits 
D. Castle reported the committee is developing questions on the issues alluded to by M. Selinger earlier. One of the topics the committee is focusing on is the term versus continuing appointments.

5.5f Staff Welfare 
JP Dunn distributed a copy of the draft survey on which the committee has been working. The goal of the survey is to get an idea of where A/P staff are in their information needs. Council members reviewed the survey and suggested some changes. The revised survey will be sent to Council members for final review before it is sent to the constituency.

7. New Business

D. Castle reported that it is time for spring A/P elections, and one representative is needed from each sector to form the Ad Hoc Elections Committee. The following Council members volunteered to serve: JP Dunn (Academic Affairs); Patty Cosgrove (General); Carla Coppi (Student Affairs); and Barb Nowack (School of Medicine).

8.1 D. Castle announced that [Student Affairs] is re-introducing College Bowl (similar to Scholastic Bowl) to campus. The deadline to sign up for teams is January 23, and the tournament is January 26.

8.2 C. Coppi announced International Festival begins February 12. She encouraged everyone to attend. More information on the festival will be forthcoming.

8.3 C. Love reminded everyone to contact him to add any important events to the upcoming Saluki Family Association Calendar, which runs from August 2008 to August 2009.

8.4 M. Cubley announced that Fall 2008 is looking good, provided those who applied also enroll.

8.5 C. Love announced that he is looking for great students to be Student Life Advisors. If anyone knows of qualified students, please contact him. The program is being expanded to do more activities year-round.

8.6 T. Ashner announced that the Alumni Association will be advertising for a new executive director in February. The interim director will be allowed to apply. M. Cubley announced that Undergraduate Admissions will soon be advertising for a new director. S. Walters announced that the last interviews for an assistant director for Touch of Nature were Friday.