OPERATING STAFF COUNCIL MEETING

MINUTES 5/13/04

8:30AM – Holmes Student Center 406

Present: Judy Burgess, Gay Campbell, Sara Clayton, Marcia Dick, Linda Jennings, Glenda Jones, Theresa Kinniry, Joe Koch, Jay Monteiro, Andy Small, Donna Smith, LaRonda Thuestad, and Rachel Turner.

Absent: Elizabeth Buck, Michele Crase, and Dena Olson.

Guests: Tim Griffin and Jodi Tyrrell.

I. Call to Order

The regular meeting of the Operating Staff Council was called to order at 8:35 a.m. on Thursday, May 13, 2004, by President Sara Clayton.

II. Approval of Agenda

A motion was made to accept the agenda as presented. The motion was seconded and passed.

III. Approval of Minutes of April 8, 2004, Meeting

A motion was made to accept the minutes with one name change. The motion was seconded and passed.

IV. Treasurer’s Report

No treasurer’s report.

V. Announcement/Correspondence

1. Clayton passed around the April 2004 Illinois State University Newsletter, Open Line, and a copy of the SURS updates newsletter. She reported that the Civil Service Awards Banquet held on April 30, 2004, was very nice.

VI. Committee Reports

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

Marcia Dick distributed a copy of a draft of a letter she had prepared for Michael Rumman, Director of Central Management Services in the State of Illinois, regarding health care plans for Civil Service workers statewide and for reopening the insurance issue. After discussion, motion was made for Dick to send Mr. Rumman a thank you letter for reinstating the Request for Proposal for health care plans. This letter will be sent on OSC letterhead. Motion carried. Dick will try to get the letter out early next week, asking the Council for any changes or corrections to be e-mailed to her in the next twenty-four hours. Dick also distributed a copy from the CMS website regarding frequently asked questions concerning managed care plans and benefit choice period. Council decided to inform constituents of this action in the next Newsletter.

B. Elections and Appointments. No report.

Jennings led a discussion of the procedure for an operating staff employee to be our representative on a Presidential commission. Motion made to change wording on application’s to read as follows: “Send your resume and letter of interest to Operating Staff Council.” Motion carried. Deadline for these items will be June 30, 2004.

C. Public Relations

Joe Koch said the meeting was brief and that the committee discussed compiling a list of the meaning of acronym’s used in the daily life of NIU. Rachel Turner will put the list together graphically and post on the Council’s web page. The committee discussed some of the ramifications of the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act [SOEEA] laws. Jay Monteiro reminded the Council that articles are always needed for the Newsletter.

D. Visiting Committees/Guests. None.

E. EAC

The meeting was held at the University of Illinois School of Medicine, Peoria, on April 15 and 16, 2004. Clayton reported that the committee discussed the Pilot Program and how Information Technology Services [ITS] is being brought into the program. EAC will have their next meeting on July 15 & 16, 2004, at UI, Springfield. Because the Council of Councils will be at NIU and the October EAC meeting is also at NIU, EAC members will meet at 1:00 p.m. on the 13^th, all day on the 14^th, and then meet with attendees of the Council of Councils meeting on October 15, 2004.

F. UAC. No report.

G. University Council

Koch reported that the University Council met on Wednesday, May 5, 2004, and went into Executive Session to accept the review of the Executive Secretary and the President of the Faculty Senate. After Executive Session, Sue Willis was publicly thanked for the good work she has done as Executive Secretary. The new Executive Secretary will be Paul Stoddard, Associate Professor of Geology and Environmental Geosciences. He will take office July 1, 2004.

The President reported that he seemed to be well received in Springfield during the budget hearings and had quite a bit of individual contact. Peters reported that the governor’s FY05 budget recommends a two-percent reduction in general revenue funding for all public universities. This amounts to an additional reduction for NIU of approximately $2 million. While the governor added funding to NIU’s general revenue base for the recently announced Rockford baccalaureate completion program in business, the recommended reduction for NIU’s appropriated budget that applies to university operations is the full two percent. Peters commented on how well Steve Cunningham, Associate Vice President of Enterprise Planning & Human Resources, did in his testimony for Central Management Services [CMS.] Peters recognized Ada Hetland, Cathy Cradduck, and Wesley Coats as members of the operating staff who were in attendance at the meeting. Report on the Board of Trustees is that tuition is up 7.75% and for new, first-year students, tuition is up 15% over last year. However, the new students will be guaranteed this rate for four years.

Pat Henry, President of the Faculty Advisory Committee to the Illinois Board of Higher Education [IBHE], reported that PPQ is coming back under the name PPA, which is Priorities, Productivity, and Accountability. This summer the committee will be reviewing the results of the match between each public university’s mission and array of academic programs offered, examine the nature and scope of faculty work at public universities in light of its mission, focus to better understand and define faculty productivity, scrutinize state-level regulatory and other reporting requirements for ways to streamline this process, and prepare recommendations for the IBHE to determine the impact for the FY06 budget. The preliminary report should be ready in October 2004, with the final report ready by December 2004.

Professor Jerrold Zar spoke to the grievance procedure. It was called to a vote after discussion of changes in time frames for actions taking place. The procedure was approved without comment. This will be posted on the web page for the University Council and Turner will create a link to the OSC web page.

H. Special Events Committee

LaRonda Thuestad reported that the flyers for retirees are in the mail today and things are going nicely. The Council discussed possibilities of establishing ways to further recognize the wide range of contributions and exceptional service made to NIU by civil service employees. The Council decided to take no further steps of recognition of employees at this time.

VII. Old Business

A. Council of Councils Meeting

Andy Small reported that invitations should be sent again this week and that he needed help in getting those out to people in the surrounding area. Koch volunteered to send the invitations. Small also reported that at the June 2004 Council meeting, members would have the opportunity to select the committee[s] they will work on for the Council of Councils meeting.

VIII. New Business

A. Bylaws and Constitution Revision.

Smith led discussion on clarifying meetings that the OSC President should attend and read from the Bylaws, Article 1.1. After general discussion, the Council felt the OCS President should have the leeway to appoint designated alternates to attend meetings in their absence, if necessary. This issue will be revisited during the June 2004 Council meeting.

IX. ADJOURNMENT

A motion was made to adjourn the meeting at 10:30 a.m. Motion seconded and passed.

Gay Campbell

OSC Secretary