OPERATING STAFF COUNCIL MEETING
MINUTES
2/10/05
8:30AM –
Present: Elizabeth Buck, Gay Campbell, Sara Clayton,
Michele Crase, Marcia Dick, Margie Foshe, Linda
and Rachel
Turner.
Absent: Glenda Jones, LaRonda Thuestad
Guests: Jodi Tyrrell, Tim Griffin
President Donna Smith called the regular meeting of
the Operating Staff Council to order at 8:35 a.m. on Thursday, February 10,
2005.
A motion was made to remove Review of the
Ombudsman’s Office from Old Business and to add Retirees on Committees
instead. Buying a new Digital Camera was
also added under New Business. A motion
was made to accept the agenda with the changes.
The motion was seconded and passed.
III. Approval
of Minutes of January 13, 2005, Meeting
A motion was made to accept the minutes. The motion was seconded and passed.
IV. Treasurer’s Report
The treasurer’s report was presented for discussion.
A motion was made to accept the Treasurer’s report. The motion was seconded and
passed.
1. Jodi Tyrrell reported that HRS had recently experienced the
loss of two employees – Gary Smith and Dick Flournory. Both were long-time employees of the
university. She also reported that Steve
Cunningham sent out a memo about CMS.
HRS is still working to find out about the 4-day workweek for
summer. A final decision cannot be made until
the state budget is announced. She also
reported that the annual retirement seminar will be held March 30 from 8 a.m.
to 4 p.m.
2. Donna Smith passed around the ISU newsletter. She also presented an e-mail from the Secretarial Advisory Council asking the Council to clarify what additional information we would need in regards to their proposal to change the parking permit fee structure. She also passed around e-mails from Deb Haliczer about the University Benefits Meeting and also the Fitness Release policy and copies of letters Haliczer wrote to President Peters on those proposals.
3. Smith also attended the University Benefits meeting on
January 27. Items of discussion included
trying to get faculty to accept a 9-month appointment but benefits would be
paid over 12 months, a proposal for reimbursement for hearing aids, domestic
partner dependent tuition waivers, class action suit concerning female
contraception, and SURS issues.
4.
Smith reported that she met with Paul Stoddard and Shey Lowman on January
31. Items of discussion dealt mostly
with various award programs for constituents and pension issues.
5. Smith also passed around the agenda and some notes from the Reader’s Advisory Board meeting with the staff of the Northern Star. The meeting was held to invite various representatives on campus to voice their opinions about how well the Northern Star does what it does.
6. On February 22, Smith, along with Paul Stoddard and Shey Lowman, are scheduled to meet with President Peters at his invite.
A.
Personnel/Staff Developments/Benefits – Did not meet.
B.
Elections and Appointments.
1. Rachel
Turner reported that Kay Shelton from Founder’s Library has been
officially
appointed
to the Presidential Commission on the Status of Minorities. Turner also pointed
out that
she now has a full list of all of the committees and commissions.
C. Public
Relations.
1.
Jay Monteiro reported that four applications had been received for the
Dependent Award and two recipients had been chosen for the award. The committee also recommended that the
application deadline be changed to September 30 so it can be awarded in the
fall semester. The committee will begin
publicizing the award in August and especially at the annual Staffest luncheon.
2.
Theresa Kinniry reported that work is continuing on the Council Member
handbook. Feedback was received from
Elizabeth Buck, Marcia Dick and Donna Smith.
A new draft copy will be prepared for the March meeting for the
Council’s final approval.
D. Visiting Committees/Guests.
1.
The two Operating Staff Dependent Award
recipients were on hand to be recognized by the Council. Sarah
Burke
was present with her parents Juanita and Jack.
Jack works at Materials Management on campus. Ashley Buie was present with
her mother Candy. Candy works at
HRS. Both recipients will receive $500
to be placed toward their education.
E. EAC –
1.
Sara Clayton attended the Merit Board
meeting. She said new officers were
elected to the
board.
She also reported that there were two discharge hearings and both
employees were
reinstated. The Pilot Program was given a three-year
extension. The next EAC meetings
are April 14 and 15 at UIC-Rockford, July
14 and 15 at
at EIU with the Council of Councils
meeting to follow at EIU on October 7.
F. UAC - Did not meet.
G. University Council .
1.
Joe Koch reported that the University
Council met January 26. He said that the
state universities have made their recommendations for the FY06 IBHE
budget. He said the budget calls for
$328 million for SURS, which is a $55 million increase. The plan also calls for $350 million in
capital improvements. HECA Grants have
been cut in half. We will have to keep
an eye on SURS changes. Three terms are up on the BOT. The University Affairs completed their
evaluation of the Ombudsman’s Office.
They recommended that the office be retained in its current form. They also recommended that a review of the
office be completed every eight years as opposed to every four years. President Peters also offered a resolution in
memory of Dan Griffiths, former University Council executive secretary, who had
died.
H.
Special Events
– No report.
VII. Old Business
A.
The August 2005 meeting of the Council will
be in Room 406 at 8:30 a.m., August 4.
B.
Larry Sallberg who is currently the
representative for the Operating Staff to the SURS Member Advisory Committee
will soon retire and he would like to stay on the committee. The OSC had decided at our January meeting
that retirees should not serve on committees.
However, Sallberg was appointed to the committee and some Council
members noted that SURS issues are relevant to employees even after retirement. Smith will check with Steve Cunningham
regarding the appointment to this committee.
VIII. New Business
A.
The Annual Wellness Fair will be held on
April 6 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. It was
decided that
the OSC will again have a
table set up. We will be given a 6-foot
table, two chairs and ˝ of a backboard.
Andy Small made a motion that we spend $100 for prizes for the fair and
Joe Koch seconded the motion. Smith
asked Monteiro and the Public Relations Committee to make the arrangements.
B. It was suggested that the Council purchase
a digital camera to be used for OSC events.
Sara
Clayton
volunteered to purchase the camera. A
motion was made, seconded and passed to
allow
Clayton to spend no more than $200 on the camera. Since the existing camera is still in
good
working condition, it will be maintained and used for larger events such as
Staffest.
C. Tim Griffin thanked the Council for its
support of his office. Smith thanked him
for participating
in Council meetings.
IX. Adjournment – The meeting adjourned at 9:45 a.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Theresa Kinniry
OSC Secretary