Approved Minutes For Meeting On August 15, 2012

Date: August 15, 2012

Program:

1. The meeting was called to order at 1:00 p.m. by the Chair, Kathy Jones. Visitors and guests were welcomed and introduced.

2. Roll Call

Members Present: Steve Buhman, Don Castle, Pat Eckert, Jon Geiger, Jill Gobert, Jenni Janssen, Kathy Jones, Charlotte Sarao, Rod Sievers, Lori Stettler, Valerie Brooks Wallin, Keri Young.

Members Absent: Faye Joyner-Keene.

Visitors and Guests: Tuesday Ashner, Tracy Bennett, Elizabeth O'Neil.

3. Minutes

The minutes of the Council meeting on July 18, 2012, were corrected under Visitors and Guests to reflect the correct spelling of the name for Alysia Mayes. Minutes were approved as corrected.

4. Adoption of Meeting Agenda: The agenda was amended to remove item 5.4b (Advisory Committee for Director of Public Safety); that report will be rescheduled. C. Sarao moved to approve the agenda as amended; seconded by S. Buhman. Motion carried.

5. Reports

5.1 Chair 
K. Jones reported that in early summer, she had asked T. Bennett if she could do research on the number of A/P staff positions on campus. This was as a result of a comment Chancellor Cheng had made about the number of A/P positions staying static while enrollment has declined. Excluding the School of Medicine Springfield, the numbers came to 652 A/P staff in 2007; in 660 in 2009; and 634 in 2011. With the number of retirements during 2012, she expects the number will drop significantly. K. Jones believes A/P staff are heading in the right direction in terms of matching staffing levels. She will continue to monitor the numbers, noting she is unsure whether the list includes staff who may be more management types and possibly should not be included on the list. C. Sarao asked if the list includes tenured faculty who hold administrative positions. She believes that would be an interesting number to separate out. T. Bennett does not believe that deans/associate deans made the list; however, she is unsure about those who are in director positions where tenure is required. K. Jones indicated she will look at the names to see if the numbers are correct and then will make a decision on whether to ask for more data going farther back; she will pay attention to the data going forward as well. C. Sarao asked if it could be determined whether staff are on hard or soft money. She pointed out that grants have increased, which means more researchers are being hired all on soft money. T. Bennett thought it might be possible to identify staff by budget purpose; however, she is not sure the data could be easily interpreted.

K. Jones also reported: i) A/P staff have been asked whether they would be interested in volunteering to teach UCOL 101 courses. She noted that 50 of the UCOL 101 faculty who are teaching are actually A/P staff, which she believes is a significant number. Anyone interested in teaching a section can contact Amber Manning (amann@siu.edu); ii) it was suggested by D. Castle that the upcoming A/P fall luncheon be devoted to the topic of retirement--not just the nuts and bolts of what it takes to retire, but on the political environment for pension reform discussed by people who are experts in that area. K. Jones pitched the idea to the Public Policy Institute and suggested possible speakers who are or have been involved with the Institute, such as current director David Yepsen, John Jackson and Mike Lawrence. The staff at the Institute expressed interest in possibly piggybacking on the luncheon and doing some kind of all-campus event. K. Jones noted that this is an idea in which there is some interest; iii) Chancellor Cheng emailed the campus a letter from President Poshard which included a proposal sent to the Governor by the Illinois public university chancellors and presidents. The proposal states that universities would be willing to contribute up to 6.2% for the annual cost of pensions, but requests that it be gradually phased in at 1% a year. One of the caveats, however, is that the Governor not take away universities' funding while expecting them to pay part of the pension costs. P. Eckert commented that it equates to about what an employer would pay for Social Security; iv) everyone should have received an email from Human Resources about retirement education seminars that are being offered in Champaign in September, October and November. K. Jones hoped that there would be a significant number of people who would want to attend and suggested the idea of carpooling. C. Sarao believes it would be a good idea if A/P Staff Council was at least able to report on the seminars. K. Jones indicated it would be an all-day event, but if anyone is interested in going, she will look into getting a car. A report can then be made back to the Council; v) the Expanded Executive Committee met with past chairs of the A/P Staff Council from the last 10 years. Several topics were raised as issues that needed to be dealt with; no solutions were proposed, but K. Jones indicated she did not expect that. She just wanted to make sure there were no big issues out there on which the Council was not focused. Several past practices of previous A/P Staff Councils were mentioned as worthy of reconsideration. (See appendix 1 of these minutes for the complete report.)

5.2 Board of Trustees 
K. Jones reported on a special meeting of the Board held on July 19 to approve the purchase of professional marketing and communications services for the Carbondale campus (see appendix 2 of these minutes). J. Geiger asked if recruitment efforts are addressing why there is only 10% student enrollment from the southern Illinois area. K. Jones responded that they are visiting high schools and sending out view books. L. Stettler suggested inviting Katharine Suski to attend a Council meeting and give a 15-20 minute update on what is happening with recruitment in southern Illinois and the University's strategy overall.

5.3 Human Resources (HR) 
J. Geiger asked if there has been any word on the health benefits contract. T. Bennett responded that HR has not heard anything as yet. If something changes, there will be some kind of decision period.

5.4 Representatives to University Committees

5.4a Traffic Appeals Board - Elizabeth O'Neil 
E. O'Neil submitted and discussed her report (included as appendix 3).

5.4b Affirmative Action Advisory - To be rescheduled.

5.4c Chancellor's Planning and Budget Advisory - Tuesday Ashner 
T. Ashner submitted and discussed her report (included as appendix 4).

5.5 Standing Committees

5.5a Executive Committee 
D. Castle reported the committee met on August 7 and reviewed and made corrections to the minutes from July and the agenda for August. Also discussed was the elimination of the University Ombudsman office. Concerns were raised as to whether the Ombudsman Advisory Panel was consulted about the elimination. The question was raised as to what informal avenues will now be available to resolve issues.

5.5b Committee on Committees 
L. Stettler presented for approval the slate of University committee assignments (included as appendix 5). She noted the committee received a total of 36 volunteer forms. Nominations were approved.L. Stettler reported that the committee received a request from the Provost's office for three names (from which one will be selected) for the Search Committee for Associate Provost for Academic Administration. The committee submitted the following names for consideration: Derrick Williams, Center for Inclusive Excellence; Yvonne Spencer, SIU Foundation; and Alicia Chavira-Prado, Associate Chancellor Diversity. C. Sarao moved to approve submission of the three names; seconded by V. Brooks Wallin. Motion carried.

5.5c Constituency Relations 
V. Brooks Wallin reported the committee met and established its goals. 

5.5d Operating Paper 
P. Eckert reported the committee met last month via email and approved its goals.

5.5e Staff Benefits and Welfare 
D. Castle reported the committee met recently and then approved its goals via email.

6. Old Business

C. Sarao moved to approve the A/P Staff Council's FY13 Goals and Objectives; seconded by S. Buhman. Motion carried.

7. New Business - None.

8. Announcements

8.1 C. Sarao reported there will be ARGOS Dashboard training, which provides a new dimension on how to report class enrollments.

8.2 L. Stettler reported that Natalie Branca (one of the Academic Affairs representatives on the Council) is no longer in her position at the College of Education and Human Services [and therefore had to resign from the Council].

8.3 J. Gobert reported that move-in day, which occurred last weekend, went very well.

9. Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 2:08 p.m.