OPERATING STAFF COUNCIL MEETING

MINUTES 1/08/04

8:30AM – Human Resources Building

Present: Elizabeth Buck, Judy Burgess, Gay Campbell, Sara Clayton, Michele Crase, Marcia Dick, Linda Jennings, Theresa Kinniry, Joe Koch, Jay Monteiro, Andy Small, LaRonda Thuestad, and Rachel Turner.

Excused: Ada Hetland, Glenda Jones, and Dena Olson

Guests: Donna Smith and Jodi Tyrrell

I. Call to Order

The meeting was called to order by President Sara Clayton at approximately 8:35 a.m. in Room 166 of Human Resources Building.

II. Approval of Agenda

A motion was made to revise the agenda with Wellness Fair added to Old Business. The motion was seconded and passed.

III. Approval of Minutes of December 11, 2003, Meeting

A motion was made to accept the minutes with the letters put in correct order under Committee reports. The motion was seconded and passed.

IV. Treasurer’s Report

Treasurer Elizabeth Buck distributed copies of the December treasurer’s report for the Council’s perusal. After discussion of expenditures, a motion was made to accept the Treasurer’s report. The motion was seconded and passed.

V. Announcement/Correspondence

1. Donna Smith announced that President Peters has approved a name change of the Presidential Commission on Sexual Orientation to the Presidential Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity. The name change needs University Council approval before the campus community can be notified and it goes into effect.

2. Buck reported that the Council received a Thank You letter from the family of Dave Wirsing for the flowers and the donation.

3. Rachel Turner should have the Council photograph ready for the next meeting. [jeb1]

4. Clayton announced that the Open Forum went well. It was very educational and reasonably well attended for being the first event of its kind. The Council discussed the possibility of holding the Forum bi-annually.

5. Jay Monteiro announced that he needs all articles for the February Newsletter by Wednesday, January 14, 2004.

VI. Committee Reports

A. Personnel/Staff Developments/Benefits. No Report.

B. Elections and Appointments

Linda Jennings reported that membership elections are coming up. There are five members whose terms will expire this year. They are: Judy Burgess, Linda Jennings, Theresa Kinniry, Joe Koch, and Dena Olson. The committee will have the forms ready for approval at the February 2004 meeting of the Council. Elections are usually held in March. New terms for Council members start in July. Jennings will put something in the Newsletter about the election.

C. Public Relations. No report.

D. Visiting Committees

LaRonda Thuestad gave the report for the Campus Parking Committee. She announced that starting January 1, 2004, NIU faculty/staff employees who have not paid parking fines within the appropriate time period specified by Campus Parking Services and who have ignored collection attempts will have fines collected by means of a payroll deduction authorized by the office of Campus Parking Services. This follows a memorandum sent to faculty/staff last June with news of the new procedure. People with outstanding fines have also been contacted personally so they would know they had until December 31, 2003, to pay their fine before the payroll deduction would start.

Ron Pearson and his staff are doing an excellent job in checking parking lots for usage. This is something that changes each semester, and Parking Services reallocates the orange, brown, and yellow spots according to student needs.

Gilbert Drive is now open with 130 spaces instead of 116 spaces and the meters are gone. There is a metered lot south of the library. There will be no permit fee increases this year.

Joe Koch gave a report on the Campus Parking Appeals Committee. He informed the Council that the Parking Appeals Committee has three operating staff members on it and that the committee meets every Tuesday during the semester. The committee is comprised of two groups, so that everyone does not have to meet every Tuesday to read appeals. All members meet the last Tuesday of each month to hear oral appeals. On an average, there have been 60-100 written appeals every week and 10-12 personal, oral appeals every month. The committee has waived whole series of tickets for some of the dorm parking at the beginning of the semester. The committee normally approves about 15% of written appeals and about 60% of oral appeals. The Parking Appeals Committee is a very hard-working committee that meets weekly. Campus Parking Services compiles a report at the end of each fiscal year. Koch will get a copy of the report to the Council.

E. EAC

Clayton reported that the next EAC meeting will be January 22 and 23, 2004, at UIUC and the Merit Board is on January 28, 2004. EAC has asked Clayton if NIU could host the October 2004 meeting before the Council of Council’s meeting scheduled for October 15, 2004.

F. UAC. No report.

G. University Council. No report.

H. Special Events Committee

Thuestad reported that the committee would be meeting during January. The annual event has been scheduled for August 5, 2004, at the Ballroom in Holmes Student Center.

VII. Old Business

A. Wellness Fair

The annual NIU Wellness Fair will be held on the main floor of Holmes Student Center on March 24, 2004. The Council would like to participate again this year and award door prizes.

VIII. New Business

No new business.

IX. ADJOURNMENT

A motion was made to adjourn the meeting at 10:00 a.m. Motion seconded and passed.

Respectfully submitted,

Gay Campbell

OSC Secretary