Employee Assembly Minutes
Wednesday, April 7, 1999
Day Hall Boardroom
12:15 p.m. — 1:30 p.m.

I. Call to Order and Introductions

C.J.Lance-Duboscq called the meeting to order at 12:15 p.m.

Present: C.J.Lance-Duboscq, M.Esposito, L.Clougherty, T.Calvert, J.Worden, G.Brandt, J.DeMarco, C.Woodward, T.Hoebbel, D.Howland, D.DiBene, T.Anguish, B.Goodell, M.Overstrom, C.Hogan, C.Hayes, J.Gordon, A.Vail, C.Gardner.

II.Approval of Minutes

The Minutes of March 17, 1999 were approved by acclamation.

III. Open Forum

J.DeMarco announced committee appointments were currently underway. Nobody had been appointed to the TAC committee due to the sensitive nature of the appointment, but there is a lot of interest. He wondered what the EA would like to do with regard to appointments to TAC - would they like to hold interviews as a screening process?

M.Overstrom suggested that both members of TAC be EA members since it was such a heated committee and it was important to have close contact with the group.

T.Hoebbel agreed that it was important to maintain contact, but pointed out it was good to get new people to participate in committees.

C.J.Lance-Duboscq reminded the EA they had discussed having one TAC representative be an EA member, and the other a community member.

T.Calvert expressed her support for this idea, and asked that an interview be held for applicants.

C.J.Lance-Duboscq brought up the issue of staggered terms - there were supposed to be alternating terms for representatives, but both seats would be vacated for two-year terms this year. She suggested the EA member be appointed for only one year.

L.Clougherty asked if anyone had any information about the other applicants, and queried who would be interviewing them?

C.J.Lance-Duboscq said the entire EA should interview them.

M.Overstrom suggested an IOC interview through an email questionnaire, and then having copies of the responses distributed to EA members.

C.Hayes felt it was important to talk to people in person through interviews; several EA members concurred with this opinion.

D.DiBene said that by taking the time to interview candidates, the EA would be reinforcing the importance of this position.

C.J.Lance-Duboscq suggested candidates be given several questions which they would have a few minutes to answer at the meeting, and the EA voiced assent to this proposal.

L.Clougherty implored that TAC candidates be given a list of their responsibilities up front.

C.J.Lance-Duboscq asked if the EA could see the questions from the IOC before they went to TAC candidates.

J.DeMarco said he’d put the questions on the next meeting’s agenda; he added that appointments went well yesterday, with very few spots left open.

M.Esposito noted that L.Russell’s UA seat was still vacant, and should be filled. He also announced that L.Pendergast thanked the assembly very much, but she is leaving Cornell and wouldn’t be participating in the EA.

T.Hoebbel wondered if the EA could nominate and elect a new UA person immediately?

C.J.Lance-Duboscq pointed out that on April 14, there would be an organizational meeting. Here new assignments are chosen, and the decision can be made then.

D.Howland let the EA know a Sprinkles employee hadn’t gotten her ballot until after the second extended deadline. She doesn’t have her own office, but receives mail in a joint mailbox, so that may have been where the problem lay. She wanted to mention this problem for any mailings in the future, especially those with timelines.

G.Brandt said he knew a person without a ballot, and had heard of others as well — he suggested the EA might send out a questionnaire to check a random sample of employees and see if they received ballots and voted.

D.Howland suggested voting tables at employee locations, much like Student Assembly elections. She said it looks more official and names could be checked at the table to make sure there were no dual votes.

J.DeMarco felt this would be a logistical problem.

B.Goodell pointed out people could call the Office of Assemblies if they hadn’t received a ballot.

C.Gardner explained that not all addresses were accurate, which is why here was so much advertising of alternate places to get a ballot. Mailing labels are still being drawn off an old system - when the PeopleSoft operating system moves in, there will be more accurate data.

C.Gardner announced the ballot results for the referendum regarding an emergency hardship fund: 580 people voted yes, 210 people voted no, and more than both totals either didn’t vote or had no opinion.

M.Overstrom asked that PawPrint write about the referendum response, and J.DeMarco responded it would be in the next issue.

G.Brandt let the EA know that at the next Faculty Senate meeting, two dissection resolutions would come up for a vote, one written by a non-biology professor against all dissection, and one more moderate resolution. He noted he wouldn’t be able to be there, so others should go. G.Brandt also said he was on the judging committee for University Religious Sermons Competition, the finals of which would be in Anabel Taylor Hall the following Tuesday.

D.Howland passed out ribbons against hatred and intolerance which were designed by the RHA’s of IC and CU. There will be a candlelight vigil against hate attacks on Saturday, April 10th.

IV.Announcements and Reports

C.J.Lance-Duboscq went through all the Announcements quickly:

• A. EA Organizational Meeting, April 14 12:00 - 12:30.
• B. April 19, Rogers/Opperman Luncheon
• C. April 21, Final Meeting of EA 1998–1999 Members
• D. April 28, EA election Confirmation
• E. May 4, President’s Reception at Statler Hotel, Taylor Rowe Room
• F. June 7, Annual Presidential address to Employees.

She added that on May 10, there would be an outgoing and incoming officer’s meeting and a small reception with other Assembly officers at 4:30 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. in the Robert E. Dougherty Lounge at Ives Hall.

V. Business of the Day

A. President’s Address, June 7th -

C.J.Lance-Duboscq suggested that people volunteer for an ad-hoc committee to help plan the President’s address. The committee will work on ideas and suggestions for the address, which is being held in Kennedy Hall. G.Brandt, M.Overstrom, and A.Vail volunteered.

B.Employee Trustee Request for Family Day -

D.Stein presented information at the last meeting requesting the EA donate $200 to fund tickets for Family Sports Day.  C.J.Lance-Duboscq suggested that next year, when the EA makes its budget, they would include money for this event, but this year, there were no discretionary funds and it would be inappropriate to donate the money.

M.Overstrom said since the budget currently has a $6000 surplus, someone will want to know why there is extra money for the EA.

T.Hoebbel wanted to know what the $200 would pay for.

C.J.Lance-Duboscq explained it paid for volunteer meals and event admission; in her mind, D.Stein had said the $200 would go to cover athletics.

M.Overstrom said she doubted the money would go to athletics admission.

C.Gardner asked how many volunteers there would be?

J.DeMarco said roughly forty.

C.Gardner explained Human Resources usually donated money to cover volunteers’ meal tickets. Since there are forty volunteers, the group is being asking for $5/volunteer - the full meal and athletic admissions price.

C.J.Lance-Duboscq wondered why the administration was not paying this money for volunteers?

M.Overstrom thought money came out of what CRC made in the past, she wasn’t sure why the change was happening.

T.Hoebbel asked if despite past precedent, it was reasonable for the group to ask the EA to subsidize volunteer meals?

J.DeMarco wondered how the EA was listed as a sponsor of the event? People responded the EA had sponsorship through providing volunteers.

T.Hoebbel said the Communications Committee will spend the whole promotion budget by the end of the year.

C.Hayes asked what the EA would spend on the President’s address?

C.J.Lance-Duboscq explained that because of the sound system in Kennedy Hall (that is always there) the EA would be spending less rental money for the address.

M.Overstrom made a motion to continue to support Employee Sports and Family Day through volunteerism and giving $200 to subsidize volunteer meals.

The motion passed by a vote of 8 — 2 — 1 to subsidize volunteers’ meals at Employee Sports & Family Day in the amount of $200.00

C. Motion to appeal new lot signage and method of change -

C.J.Lance-Duboscq explained that new lot signs appeared around campus without warning, putting a 24 hour restriction on some lots that employees had been using after hours. This change did not come through the TAC committee.

C.Gardner noted transportation did not give out tickets for two weeks, then forgave tickets for some time thereafter. The UA and its committee need to communicate with Transportation Services better in the future. Transportation was told the Building Coordinator was the person in charge of letting employees know the lots had changed. They did contact them but the information did not filter throughout the organization as expected.

B.Goodell questioned the timeliness of Transportation’s change of signs - namely, during a break when less people would be around to find out what was going on.

A.Vail pointed out Transportation wanted to protect paying customers and ensure they had spots available at all times.

B.Goodell suggested that now, because you can’t get a spot even with a permit, Transportation was trying to make everything fairer for people with permits.

G.Brandt said Transportation must be willing to use the EA as a resource.

C.J.Lance-Duboscq explained no matter who was used as a resource, that doesn’t negate Transportation’s responsibility to go through TAC to make changes.

B.Goodell noted there would be lot changes by Lincoln Hall and the Sibley.

G.Brandt said there were spots added to the new Helen Newman Hall parking plan.

C.J.Lance-Duboscq announced the Transportation and Mail Services programming document was available and urged members to look at it and bring it back to the table in two weeks with suggestions.

VI.Committee Reports

Communications Committee - plans to create a supplement for the EA pamphlet that will include April 24th and June 7th events. The pamphlet will mimic a similar SA item that will have a changeable insert to include current EA photographs and names. For now, there will be a two sided update distributed since the brochure and insert are already printed.

Education Committee - The committee met once on Monday and again on Friday. Send suggestions for projects to D.Howland or D.DiBene.

Advisory Committee on work and Family Services- C.Woodward reported she had her first meeting, and didn’t have all the information but announced there would be a survey distributed to determine family needs with childcare; along with a voucher system initiative for child care.

IOC - J.DeMarco read the results of the EA elections and voter turnout.

Voter Turnout — 1243 (15% of Employee population) Population — 8261 EA seat assignments: Joseph DeMarco - Statutory Exempt Brian Goodell - At-Large (Geneva) Thomas Hoebbel - Statutory Non Exempt Denise Howland - Endowed Non Exempt Meg Overstrom - Endowed Exempt Cheri Woodard - Statutory Non Exempt VACANT - Statutory At-Large — Because L.Lynn Pendergast has left the University there is a vacancy on the 1999–2000 EA.

Referendum: If the Employee Assembly were to set up a hardship fund to help Cornell employees in crisis situations, would you be willing to contribute to such a fund? YES 587 NO 201 NO OPINION 455

M.Overstrom wondered if members had only received one email about the referendum? People affirmed that statement.

University Assembly - G.Brandt asked members to go to the last UA meeting where they would be reviewing the Campus Store and Transportation program document on the last Wednesday in April.

The meeting was adjourned at 1:15 p.m.

Respectfully submitted, Julia R. Gordon