OPERATING STAFF COUNCIL MEETING
MINUTES 9/9/04
8:30AM –
Present: Elizabeth Buck, Gay
Campbell, Sara Clayton, Michele Crase, Marcia Dick, Margie Foshe,
Linda Jennings, Glenda Jones, Theresa Kinniry, Jay Monteiro, Nancy
Schuneman, Andy
Small, Donna Smith and Rachel Turner.
Absent: Joe Koch and LaRonda
Thuestad
Guests: Tim Griffin, Jodi Tyrrell and Steve Cunningham
The regular meeting of the Operating Staff Council
was called to order at 8:40a.m. on Thursday, September 9, 2004, by President
Donna Smith.
A motion was made to accept the agenda as
presented. The motion was seconded
and passed.
III. Approval of Minutes of August 12, 2004,
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.
A. Smith
passed around a copy of an e-mail from a constituent. The e-mail expressed
concern about the current state of affairs at the university, specifically the
lack of raises and what she had read was happening at other universities. This person felt the Operating Staff
Council should be more vocal regarding salary and benefit issues. While Smith had responded to the e-mail,
the issue of the advocacy role of the Council was raised. Glenda Jones pointed out that perhaps
the Council should conduct a survey to obtain feedback on the perceptions of
operating staff on campus, which may further help to define the Council’s
role. After some discussion, Smith
suggested that the Public Relations Committee look into putting together a
survey or questionnaire and discuss advocacy issues.
B. Smith also presented an e-mail from another constituent. The e-mail discussed this person’s role in move-in day at the residence halls and she found that in the afternoon hours, workers seemed to disappear. The e-mail indicated that she worked through the lunch hour and was disappointed that a lunch was not provided. Council members pointed out that all volunteers are given juice and cookies, as well as a free t-shirt. It was also pointed out that food vendors are available on site for those wishing to purchase lunch, and that this is a volunteer activity so lunch should not be expected. After some discussion, it was decided that Smith would contact housing about the shortage of personnel in the afternoon hours on move-in day.
C. Jodi Tyrrell announced that an experiment was recently conducted on campus to test the new on-line Civil Service testing. Volunteers took some practice tests and everything seemed to go smoothly. The on-line testing option will likely be available soon.
A. Personnel/Staff
Developments/Benefits.
1. Sara Clayton presented Council members with
a draft letter to President Peters and Steve Cunningham regarding health
insurance and drug coverage benefits.
She asked Council members to review the letter and to provide feedback
to her via e-mail.
2. Clayton announced
that the Benefits Committee will meet every third Thursday at 9 a.m. in the
Blackhawk.
B. Elections
and Appointments.
1. Rachel Turner
provided the Council with a chart of the vacancies that still exist on several university
committees and commissions.
Interest forms from Scott Mooberry and Samuel Halstead had
been received for the Campus Security and Environmental Quality Committee.
Since there was only one vacancy on the committee a vote was held to determine
which person should be appointed. A
vote was taken and Samuel Halstead was chosen for the committee,
with one opposed and one abstention.
The Council also voted to re-appoint Dawn Ericksen to the
Libraries Advisory Committee. The
Council also voted to recommend that Patricia Liberty-Baczck be
appointed to the Presidential Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender
Identity. Two others (Shelly
Hamlin-Rodrick and Laura Mabel) have expressed an interest in
serving on the Presidential Commission on the Status of Women, and one person (Wesley
Coates) has expressed an interest in serving on the Presidential Commission
on the Status of Minorities. Mary
Schlagel has expressed an interest in serving on the Presidential
Commission on Persons with Disabilities.
However, interest forms have not been received from any of these people,
so the Council decided that the forms should be completed by the interested
parties and reviewed by the Council prior to a formal recommendation. Turner will contact them to complete the
paperwork.
C. Public
Relations.
1. The
Public Relations Committee met on September 2, 2004. Jay Monteiro was voted chair of the
committee. Monteiro said the
newsletter is going out pretty regularly and he asked for any information for
the next newsletter. Monteiro said
work will continue on the handbook for new OSC members that was discussed last
year. It was also pointed out that
the OSC brochure should be updated.
Andy Small had a copy and it was passed around the table so Council
members could update their information. Monteiro will update the brochure as
soon as possible in hopes that it can be included in the packets for the
Council of Councils participants.
D. Visiting
Committees/Guests.
Associate Vice President of
Administration Steve Cunningham from Human Resource Services was in attendance
to explain the new pay increments and to address any additional concerns of the
Council.
1. Cunningham
said there will be a 2% + 1% + up to 1% raise for operating staff. The 2% + 1% increase will be in the
October 29 paycheck, retroactive to July 1, 2004, with a possible additional 1%
in January, 2005. The January
increase is dependent on the budget situation, but Cunningham told the Council
it appears to be “fairly solid” that the increase will happen. He explained the 3% includes a 2%
across-the-board increase, along with a 1% range adjustment for non-exempt
civil service classifications. He
also explained that the increase for exempt civil service is slightly different
in that only 1% will be across-the-board and 2% will be merit based. The entire 3% increase for faculty and
for SPS will be merit based. He
said the 1% increase in January will be across-the-board for all civil service,
but will be merit-based for faculty and SPS. Increments for civil service staff in
negotiated classifications will be in accordance with their collective
bargaining agreements.
2. Small
asked Cunningham about any recent activity on the part of those Civil Service
employees who were trying to establish a union on campus. Cunningham said he recently received a
request from the IEA for a list of all non-union Civil Service employees on
campus. He said that under the
Freedom of Information Act they are entitled to the information, but he pointed
out that the information provided is no different than that which could be
obtained from a local telephone book.
3. Smith
asked Cunningham if there would be an extended closure period over the
Christmas holiday as there had been last year. Cunningham said the current schedule
indicates that the holiday period does not officially start until December 24
and that December 20-23 are regular work days. He said there has been some discussion
about closing the university all or part of that week to save on utility costs,
but the university feels it cannot ask for 4 additional days off. Cunningham suggested that two of the
days might be considered administrative closure days and the other two could be
scheduled closure days. That means that personnel would have to use vacation
time or take the days unpaid only for the scheduled closure days, not for the
administrative closure days. He
asked the OSC to make a recommendation.
Small made a motion that the OSC support December 22 & 23 being
scheduled closure days and to also support the university’s decision to
make the other two days administrative closure days. Margie Foshe seconded the motion and it
passed. It was pointed out that “last minute” changes to the
holiday calendar in the last 2 years have been necessitated by recent budget
constraints.
E. EAC
– The next meeting is October 13.
F. UAC
1. Smith
said the Academic Affairs, Student Affairs and Personnel Committee and Finance
and Facilities and Operations Committee of the Board of Trustees met last
week. Of note was the FFOC
approving raises. The full board
should make the final decision on September 23. President Peters said that some faculty
had contacted his office when it looked like raises would be 1% and said their
raises should be given to the operating staff.
2. A
lunch was also provided for all of the employee award winners, including the
winners of the Outstanding Service Award for Operating Staff.
G. University
Council.
1. Clayton
said that the new Vice President for Student Affairs, Brian Hemphill was
introduced at the meeting.
2. President
Peters spent most of the summer in Springfield. The president indicated that a letter
from presidents/chancellors of the 13 state universities was sent to Gov.
Bladgojevich regarding the budget situation. It is unprecedented to see this type of
unity.
3. The
university was forced to turn away 1,000 to 1,500 students this year due to
enrollment control and budget constraints.
4. The
Stevens Building is first on the list for infrastructure improvements this year
in capital projects.
5. Illinois
Attorney General Lisa Madigan was at NIU for a reception at the new Family
Violence and Sexual Assault Center on West campus.
6. The
president’s State of the University Address will take place on October 7
in Altgeld Hall.
7. There
have been some changes to the Academic Calendar for 2005. Summer school will now start on June 13
instead of June 20 and will end August 5 instead of August 12, with summer
commencement taking place on August 6.
The Fall semester will start August 22 and will end December 11 to allow
Records and Registration ample time to process grade reports and for the
colleges to review students on academic probation.
8. The
Higher Learning Commission accredited the university after their recent
visit. The accreditation is good
for 10 years.
H. Special
Events – No Report.
VII. Old Business
A. Council
of Councils
1. Small
said that for parking, a list of names will be provided to the attendant at the
pay parking lot to allow participants to park free of charge and the Council
will pay the final bill afterwards.
2. The
decorating committee met on August 30 to discuss decorations. Monteiro will provide table
decorations. Theresa Kinniry
suggested that yellow-gold tablecloths be used in keeping with the fall theme. Yellow-gold tablecloths are not
available; only green and maroon.
The Council suggested we go with maroon. Kinniry will look into this. Candies will be placed on each table as
well.
3. Small
also suggested that there should be some press coverage for the event as
well. It was suggested that Joe
Koch inform the proper media of the event.
4. Agenda
for the day is:
8:30
– 9:30 a.m. Registration
9:30
– 10:00 a.m. Welcome
Address
10:00
- 10:45 a.m. EAC/Merit
Bd. (Tom Morelock)
10:45
– 11 a.m. BREAK
11-11:45
a.m. Jim
Hacking
11:45
– 12 noon Move to Pheasant Room
12
– 1 p.m. Lunch
in Pheasant Room
1
– 2 p.m. Campus
Bus Tour
2
– 3 p.m. Kathy
Buettner, Bob Pritchard, Brad Burzynski
3
– 4 p.m. Wrap
up/Summary
B. Grievance
Procedures Pool
1. Smith
said she has added a few names to the list and she said if any other Council
members would like to have their name added to the list to let her know. It was agreed to approve the final list
via e-mail.
C. Salary Increases
– Addressed by Steve Cunningham above.
VII. New Business
A. Turner
pointed out that the annual photo should be taken. It was decided that the photo would be
taken prior to the October meeting, location TBA.
B. Clayton
reminded Council members that the Parade of Flags would take place on September
24.
VIII. Adjournment – The meeting
adjourned at 11:50 a.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Theresa Kinniry
OSC Secretary