Operating Staff Council Meeting

Operating Staff Council Meeting

Minutes - July 10, 2008

Holmes Student Center, Room 406 – 9 A.M.

Present: Elizabeth Buck, Gay Campbell, Sara Clayton, Marcia Dick, Linda Jennings, Glenda Jones, Jay Monteiro, Danell Nixon, Carlos Raices, Pamela Rosenberg, Alan Smith, Brenda Smith, Karen Smith

Absent: Judy Burgess, Don Butler, Andy Small

Guests: Bobby Cesarek, Tim Griffin, Jodi Tyrrell, LaRonda Thuestad, Clair Williams

I. Call to Order

Vice President Gay Campbell opened the meeting at 9:08 a.m.

II. Approval of Agenda

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

III. Approval of Minutes of the June 12, 2008, Meeting

A motion was made to accept the minutes as amended. The motion was seconded and passed.

IV. Treasurer’s Report

A motion was made to accept the treasurer’s report. The motion was seconded and passed.

V. Announcements/Correspondence

Jodi Tyrrell announced HRS was observing pink Thursday (today July 10, 2008). Jodi will be participating in the Cancer Breast Walk on August 8, 2008. If you would like to sponsor Jodi contact her at jtyrrell@niu.edu

The Illinois State University Civil Service Newsletter was shared.

Administrative Professionals Advisory Council (APAC) minutes were shared for members to read. APAC still has openings on their council; they meet the second Wednesday of the month at 2:00 p.m., if you would like to submit your nominations contact Rose Miller in HRS.

NIU employees wanting to carpool to work can search the website at http://www.niu.edu/rideshare.

Carlos Raices was introduced as one of the new OSC members.

VI. Committee Reports

A. Personnel/Staff Developments/Benefits – no report

B. Elections and Appointments

President Jay Monteiro read the resignation letter of Judy Burgess. With Burgess leaving, Jesse Tellez will serve out her term, ending June 30, 2009.

Elections were held for the 2008-09 Operating Staff Council Officers. The results are as follows:

President – Jay Monteiro

Vice President – Sara Clayton

Secretary – Brenda Smith

Treasurer – Elizabeth Buck

Nominations for the second voting operating staff member of the University Council were held. The following were nominated:

Election will be held at the August meeting.

University Committees and/or Commission openings are:

Campus Parking – 1

Parking Appeals – 2 openings

Presidential Commission on the Status of Women – 1 opening

(Candidates need to send their resume which will be forward on to the President)

C. Public Relations

A new parking garage was discussed. A draft will be shared with members at a future OSC meeting.

D. EAC – meeting will be held late in July.

E. UAC – no meeting

Monteiro did report on a recent Board of Trustees meeting:

· NIU Foundation and True North promotion has reached 121 million of their goal of 150 million.

· Tuition will be raised for 2009 by 9 ½%, this is the lowest increase at a state university in Illinois.

· Patrick Lawson was named the new Dean of University Libraries

· Transportation has locked gasoline prices at $3.82 a gallon for FY 09

· The Police Officers’ union has settled their contract which will run through 2012.

F. University Council – no report

G. Special Events Committee

LaRonda Thuestad reported that there have been 1200 tickets requested for StaffFest. Thuestad announced a meeting on July 28, 2008 from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. to assemble the tickets for mailing out. Danell Nixon and Brenda Smith reported on prizes, so far, for StaffFest.

Monteiro presented Thuestad with a gift and certificate for her many years of service and dedication to OSC.

VII. Old Business

A. Clair Williams, chair of the Endowed Operating Staff Dependent Scholarship Committee, visited the OSC meeting. He discussed what the committee has been working on and how to get the award endowed. The Committee has put together a PowerPoint presentation that will be shown at StaffFest. Williams distributed handouts as to the cost of an education for one-year at NIU, gift transmittal form and a sample Payroll Deduction form. Currently there are only six people that have a regular NIU Foundation donation to the Dependent Award. Williams would like to encourage everyone to contribute to the fund.

Sara Clayton reported that the Dependent Award application needed to be updated and ask for suggestions/changes. There was a discussion on changes. The new application will be updated on the OSC website.

VIII. New Business

A. A discussion on the new insurance preauthorization required (as of March 2008) for physical therapy. The insurance for physical therapy is now handled through Ortho Net. Central Management System (CMS) has not yet contacted NIU of this change. This concern has been brought to the Benefits Committee.

B. There is a photo display at The House Restaurant in downtown DeKalb, of real women.

C. No news on wage increments as of today.

D. A member brought to OSC’s attention that the FIT program will be discontinued. We hope to have more information on this occurrence in August.

IX. Adjournment – at 10:53 a.m.

Sincerely,

Brenda Smith

Secretary