Meeting Minutes
June 4, 2018
Present:
D’angelo Sands, Chair
Cindy Gravitt
Grant Abston
Steve Rowlands
Jill Fortson
Berlin Fang
Curtis King
Marissa Beard
Kody Goode
Julie Goodenough
Nuria Hall
Karen Witemeyer
Call to Order – Welcome 9:02am
Prayer – D’Angelo
Approval of Minutes – Curtis moved to approve May’s minutes, Berlin seconded, motion passed
Old Business
IT, Physical Resources have not been outsourced
Appreciation – Thankful for the email and video from Dr. Schubert announcing the soft close of campus the week of July 4.
John C. Stevens Award
V. New Businesses
Fill Vacancies on committees
Committee Appointments – Will vote next meeting, July 9 at 9:00
Nominations Committee
Grant updated us on responsibilities of the Nominations and Elections committee
Last year Bylaws were reviewed and amended
Goals for this year: Add photos to staff senate ballot
Grant also discussed purpose of subcommittees –
2. Communications Committee
Cindy: Last year the communications committee focused on bringing back Town Hall meetings in such a way that would keep them fresh and staff would have reason to attend. Also mentioned plans for a staff senate newsletter to go out monthly.
3. Benefits and Advocacy
Last year, we asked Wendy Jones if the policy regarding bereavement leave could be clarified. Currently, it only applies to the loss/funeral of current family members, we asked that it be expanded to include leave for the funerals of close friends/coworkers.
4. Service
a. D’Angelo Sands – we help serve at the Staff Christmas Luncheon, serve at Summit and seek to help staff in their individual circumstances. This has been complicated due to the fact that departments take care of their own and others such as friends and church groups also tend to meet their needs. It is not always appropriate for the Staff Senate to be involved as well.
5. Development and Recognition
John C. Stevens Award winner shared – award will be publicly presented at the Staff Session in August
Employee Satisfaction Survey – goal is to assess staff needs and issues that can be assessed by Staff Senate
Sending Cards to Staff – New staff, special occasions
D’Angelo –
6. Ad Hoc – Bylaw Review – committee that reviewed the Staff Senate bylaws last year. D’angelo reminded us that it is appropriate to invite more staff to be involved in staff committees.
Concerns/Challenges
1. Time lapse between a staff member being told they no longer have a job.
2. Assistance to employees as they transition humanely to a new job
3. Jill – from the HR standpoint it is a case by case basis. There is not anything in place from the HR dept. to assist employees in transition to a new job. Concern that the Career Center will be overburdened helping these employees because they serve current students, online students, and alumni. It would be great if we could put something in place to help displaced employees.
4. Karen – what if you could give sample resumes and show them where to start.
5. Jill – we have all of that.
6. D’Angelo – Is there anyone in the community that we could partner with?
Jill – Yes, we sometimes send people to the Career Center at Goodwill especially if there are barriers to reemployment, Maybe we can even just let HR know to direct them to resources.
Curtis – Another great resource is Work Force Solutions. I wonder if the best time to tell people is when there isn’t a transition happening, be more proactive in letting people know.
Jill – I do think when it is happening HR could direct people to resources such as the Career Center
2. Steve – I think we need to find out from the staff what those concerns are and put together a task list for this senate to tackle this year and bring before senior leadership.
Meetings w/SLT, President of the University
We want to be consistent with this and have meetings with both at least once in the fall and in the spring. Suggest that we meet with the SLT first.
D’angelo would like to attend those meetings along with the chair elect. He will be communicating with Dr. Schubert regarding this issue.
Jill – if there is a representative from faculty at SLT meetings, we should also be represented.
D’angelo – be thinking of dates, we want to have meaningful conversations and ask pointed questions to provide clarity.
Steve – I think the sooner the better in the fall
Karen – I would love to have survey results to present to them
Jill – leading with data is always better
D’angelo – meetings with these groups must be strategic and data driven
Town Hall –
Think of dates for those when the majority of senators can be present
F. Increased Visibility
Staff senators are never really visible, no one knows who they are
Town Hall meetings and meetings in general – make attendance a priority
Chapel – once a semester to sit together on the floor
Staff Senate pins
Sit with faculty senate as well in chapel
Working on building relationships with faculty senate
Increase interactions outside of campus
Staff senate should also be recognized at graduation and other ceremonies
G. Development and recognition committee – Potential Campus Survey
Have collected data from past staff surveys, waiting on data from most recent survey
5 questions and setting up some open times to have senators and have staff come where questions would be asked.
We would collect that data and present it to the senior leadership and Dr. Schubert.
We would then work with Dr. Schubert and the SLT to come up with ways to develop and recognize staff.
Kody- I think there needs to be a correlation afterwards. If there is an overwhelming theme, we need to relate that back to staff. We never hear back after we fill out these surveys. I am very concerned that most of us do not answer honestly on those surveys because we need job security. “We heard what you said, here is what we did, here is the change that is coming or this is not happening.”
Steve -we will work with the communication committee on getting word back to staff
Karen – some are absolutely not going to come to that meeting out of fear. We are going to be here and we would love to hear from you, but we are also offering an online option for those who want more anonymity.
Kody – concerned about getting people to stand up in front of an open mic situation
Jill – I feel like there is a place for an anonymous focus group
Steve – Outside of committee, everyone can participate in this.
Marisa – We could send out of a survey and then ask if anyone would like to be on a focus group
Steve – and maybe we could even do that backwards
Marisa – If people knew they were coming for the purpose of creating a survey
Kody – could we not be our own focus group? Then we don’t put people at risk. Can’t we survey our own people and ask them the five questions? Each of us would bring back information.
Steve- How about D’angelo and I get together and draft questions and email them to you.
D’Angelo – I like this idea because it makes it more time efficient. By next meeting we can narrow down what groups each person will talk to.
Berlin – Will they be closed or open questions?
Jill -First step needs to be more open because we may find more issues will arise.
Kody – could even do both, i.e. How happy are you with your job? (scale) What makes you happiest? (open)
D’Angelo
I will meet with Committee chairs on the same day of the executive committee meeting.
IV. Adjournment
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