Employee Assembly Meeting
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
12:15—1:30 p.m.
310 Rhodes Hall
Minutes

I. Call to Order

B. Cornell called the meeting to order at 12:22 p.m.

II. Call for Late Additions to the Agenda

There were no late additions to the agenda.

IV. Report from Employee Elected Trustee

No Report.

V. Report from SA representative

J. Seymour said E. Cusick had passed along her report. He said the SA was holding elections and making changes to their bylaws. He also stated that E. Cusick is running for election again.

VI. Report from UA representative

B. Liddick said the UA committee on sustainability needs a representative. P. Korolov said people can submit applications for this online. P. Korolov read a note from the convener. University Assembly is looking to adjust committees; this could give EA ideas.

VII. Report from EA representative to the Faculty Senate

No Report.

VIII. Report from Staff Climate Survey Steering Committee representative

J. Seymour said M. Opperman came and shared her concerns about when the focus groups will meet. Some adjustments will be made. There was a document that addressed the major subject areas of what would be surveyed.

IX. Report from Chair

B. Cornell said we will continue to review the charter, and M. Opperman will visit today. He said M. Opperman will be giving more information on the retirement plans. He stated how important is will be to support employees who choose to take these options. The forums on this will be held soon.

He also reminded everyone elections are fast approaching. He suggested all those who are interested in running for office to reach out to people in the seats of interest.

X. Approval of Minutes — 2/18/09

B. Cornell asked members to review the Minutes. P. Korolov asked to add a statement made by B. Cornell where he spoke positively of G. Stewart’s credentials for Parliamentarian. P. Mahoney motioned to approve the minutes as amended. P. Korolov seconded. The minutes were voted on and approved with amendments.

XI. Committee Reports

B. Cornell asked that people state their names and committees before reporting.
a) Executive committee
Meeting was cancelled.
b) Staff Recognition & Award committee
B. Cornell said they are trying to schedule a meeting in late March. Applications will be reviewed through email. An email will go out for feedback and questions on the criteria for the new award being created.
c) Communications committee
No report.
d) Finance
No Report. P. Mahoney asked for a report on the President’s Address next meeting. The resolution to reduce the budget remains on hold.
e) Care Fund
P. Mahoney said L. Chappell-Williams came and spoke about the hardship fund. The fund would give $750 once for a problem. This is positive news that needs to get out to employees. The fund will be rolled out later this month. This committee will have another meeting tomorrow on processes and procedures. They have changed the fund name to the CARE Fund. The Office of Assemblies oversees the management of the account and the chair of the committee has access to the account.
f) Personnel Policy
No Report.
g) IOC
P. Korolov said elections are approaching. A. Epstein said the process will be the same as last year, except we will have online voting available. A. O’Donnell said elections packets will be available on Monday 3/9. P. Mahoney asked if he needed to know who is running again from the current EA. P. Korolov said yes, email him and the Office of Assemblies so everyone is aware who will remain. A. Epstein said people who are running need to fill out elections materials, only people who are appointed can skip this. There was a brief discussion about this.
h) University Benefits
No report.
i) Employee Education
No report.
j) “Ad Hoc” Charter Review
Continuing Review of draft document
J. Seymour said they needed to try to finish the review today, otherwise another meeting would be needed. J. Seymour led the discussion.

ARTICLE:

IV) B. Liddick asked who leads the meeting during elections. A. Epstein said a member who is not up for election. There was discussion on elections meetings, whether they should be open or closed.

III. Business of the Day-Update from VP Mary Opperman

M. Opperman arrived and the members welcomed her.

She began by saying there are two incentive retirement programs available. The first will be open to apply during the month of March and about 1,300 staff are eligible for this. Eligibility requirements are: 55 years or older and10 years of sevice or more. They will be given one year’s pay plus three years of retirement account contributions. Those who opt for this cannot come back as a regular employee only casual. This is an expensive program with a fifteen month span to recover costs. She reported seventy-one employees have already signed up, but the longest serving employees will have priority.

She then said the second option is an ongoing program that has no deadlines. This option allows employees to reduce their workweek to twenty hours, but keeps them at their full pension contribution for three years. No one has signed up for this option yet. Supervisors must approve the second option.

The amount of people approved depends on their payroll; the more money the employees that are accepted make- the fewer people that can be accepted. The packets have all resources listed. I. Mahler reported there had been some confusion and upset about eligibility at the Vet School. M. Opperman said yes, the Veterinary school, CALS and the College of Human Ecology are having this problem. They need to reduce payroll costs immediately. She clarified that statutory employees will get a special account which can be accessed immediately.

She asked if there were any more questions. With regards to layoffs, she went on to explain that severance will be given at one week per year up to twenty four weeks. Employees will be given about sixty days advance notice of layoffs. There will also be six months of outplacement help. In mid to late April is when layoffs will come. However, retirement plans will reduce the number of layoffs. The President is a proponent of these programs. However, some senior staff members are not in favor of the program because it is not strategic. These options are for people who would retire anyway. We don’t want people here who don’t want to be here. She concluded by saying the hardship fund information will be out in about two weeks. Specifics are still under review, but it will be a one time amount.

Continuing Review of draft Charter

V) Bill asked whom and how would committee chairs be appointed. Robert’s rules of order dictate how this should be done. There was discussion on the extent that Robert’s rules of order should be applied in meetings.

VI) There was discussion about attendance and the flexibility of dismissal of members.

The review was completed. J. Seymour said the document will be sent to all with the corrections made, and the members will not need another meeting to discuss.

XII. Old Business

None.

XIII. New Business

None.

XIV. Open Forum

No discussion.

XV. Adjournment

Meeting was adjourned at 2:25 p.m.