Employee Assembly Minutes
Wednesday, December 16, 1998
G08 Uris Hall
12:15 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Holiday Luncheon

I. Call to Order and Introductions

After M.Overstrom opened her baby shower gifts, C.J.Lance-Duboscq called the meeting to order at 12:45 p.m.

Present: G.Brandt, L.Clougherty, J.DeMarco, D.DiBene, M.Esposito, C.Hayes, T.Hoebbel, C.J.Lance-Duboscq, M.Overstrom, L.Russell, A.Vail, J.Worden, C.Gardner, P.Karn

II. Open Forum

J.DeMarco reported that an official ceremony to announce the renaming of the Dedicated Service Award to the George Peter Dedicated Service Award is planned for January 15, 1999 in the ILR Faculty Lounge at 2:00 p.m.

T.Hoebbel announced a CRC Holiday Celebration on December 17, 1998 in the Anabel Taylor Founders Room from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

L. Russell announced a retirement party for Tony Fraboni is planned for February 3 with a fall back date of February 10.

M.Esposito asked about status of Employee Night at the Court. J.DeMarco said it is tentatively planned to coincide with a Lacrosse game, probably in April. Some discussion ensued. It was decided that planning for the event should begin now so as to couple the event with a basketball game next year, as has been the tradition.

III. Approval of Minutes

The December 2, 1998 minutes were unanimously approved, with the following changes:

Section II, middle of paragraph 5: “…T.Hoebbel thought it would be a good idea to put it on the referenda ballot in the spring…”

Section V, Bullet “Charter Amendments” Add paragraph:

L.Clougherty and C.Gardner agreed to review with the IOC the proposed amendments to the Charter and suggest changes based upon the recommendations made.

IV. Announcements and Reports

Report From The Chair - C.J. Lance-Duboscq reported on the meeting she and T. Hoebbel had with Mary Opperman

• Diversity And Inclusion

Since administration was unprepared to take up a dialog about this issue, M.Opperman suggested that leaderships of the Assemblies look into these issues and come up with recommendations. Dean Bob Cooke wants to see that the climate on campus is inclusive and that these issues are productively addressed by having forums of the Faculty Senate along with the leadership of all other campus constituencies (EA, SA, GPSA, UA).

M.Opperman also suggested contacting a number of key players on campus; Ray Dalton, Winnie Taylor, James Turner, Susan Murphy, John Ford, Jane Mt. Pleasant, and Dr. Pedro Berry, to review plans with them and obtain support/recommendations.

T.Hoebbel reminded EA members that Mary Opperman and Susan Murphy will be glad to offer as much support as they can to our initiatives.

L. Clougherty proposed a motion that the EA support the development of a committee, comprised of members of the UA, EA, SA, GPSA and the Faculty Senate, for the purpose of developing forums to address diversity concerns of the university community, and of providing a foundation from which the Assemblies and the Faculty Senate can encourage the administration to join them in promoting diversity in the university community.

C.Gardner suggested the executive breakfast group would be good vehicle to initiate this committee inviting Dean Cooke and other representatives he would recommend. But the students will not be back from break before January 18.

C.J.Lance-Duboscq feels Dean Cooke wants to move on this before that time. C.J.Lance-Duboscq and T.Hoebbel both agreed there is strong support from the SA for improving the community concerning this issue and they would jump in when they return.

M.Esposito suggested that more than the Executive Committees be involved, that this is too exclusive, and it should be open to all Assemblies members.

G.Brandt agreed wholeheartedly and proposed an amendment to the motion to create a complete forum of all constituency groups (EA, SA, GPSA, UA, Faculty Senate, Trustees) thus including all Assemblies members. He said this issue is too divisive to omit any interested members.

The amendment was accepted as friendly.

After a unanimous vote C.J.Lance-Duboscq declared the motion passed, as amended.

T.Hoebbel and C.J.Lance-Duboscq will arrange a meeting with Dean Cooke to begin this effort.

• Task Forces

M.Opperman is putting together the following task forces asking these people to draft policies for their specified area:

Child Care - Lisa Kendall Sick Time and Time off Policy - Roxy Bohar Development Policy/Volunteering/Release Time (encompassing earned administrative leave) Chet Warzynski Compensation Philosophy - Ann Snell Use of Flex Policy - Regina Wharton Discipline and Grievance Policy - Pete Tufford Recruitment Packet - Nancy Doolittle Exempt Time Tracking - Ann Snell Performance Management Support Recommendations (includes supervisory expectation, performance dialog and leadership) - Roxy Bohar and Chet Warzynski Family Medical Leave Act - Vashti Peagler

When L.Clougherty asked to involve appropriate employee committees in this process she was told the Employee Assembly was not needed at this level. She says it sounds to her as if administration is developing/formulating all these policies rather than involving employee representatives. Other EA members agreed with her that these policies would then be coming from the administration rather than from the ranks.

After some discussion, C.Gardner explained that the lineage of personnel policies comes from the executive officer to the appropriate constituent assembly for review through a multitude of steps with one of the final stages being for the policy to go to the Policy Advisory Group. She reminded members that the PPC is their advisor on personnel policies and if the PPC has the opportunity to review the proposed policy and make recommendations (with the approval of the EA), that this is their vehicle for input.

Because of lack of time this issue was tabled for the time being.

• Transportation/TAC

M.Opperman suggested that we bring to F.Rogers attention at a Rogers/Opperman luncheon meeting promises made last year regarding TAC and Transportation. According to C.J.Lance-Duboscq, M.Opperman also questioned whether action had been taken to improve the effectiveness of TAC.

M.Overstrom said the only thing she remembers to be outstanding from meeting with Hal Craft and Fred Rogers in the Spring of ‘97 was that the makeup of TAC is not very effective because the committee is run by transportation. It may not be that the committee numbers are too few, but that the wrong people are trying to do the job.

C.J.Lance-Duboscq asked if there are any outstanding questions from the memorandum sent to employees in May ‘97 about the transportation and parking issues?

C.Gardner felt that it was agreed “there was a need to look at the composition of the TAC and determine if it was indeed representational and it had the proper composition that was needed, not necessarily the individual choices made in terms of who each of the assemblies appointed to the committees, but rather the designated seats. Were the right seats allocated to that committee to make sure that it was representative.”

C.Gardner reminded members it is the UA that can change the charge to the committee on transportation services and composition of the committee.

M.Esposito recommended looking at past EA minutes as well as correspondence for references to TAC. He also recommended that people be very active to help accomplish productive change.

Because there have been so many pressing issues and not all planned business has been conducted in the past few months L.Clougherty and C.J.Lance-Duboscq recommended increasing the number of EA meetings to 3 times a month. C.J.Lance-Duboscq proposed that she, T.Hoebbel and C.Gardner work on a schedule that could help accomplish this.

Additionally, J.DeMarco questioned why there is no meeting scheduled for January 6.

It was decided that a meeting would take place on January 6 and a place for this meeting will be identified.

C.J.Lance-Duboscq confirmed with P.Karn that a closed list serve for EA members has been set up. P.Karn will notify the members when their names have been entered.

The meeting was adjourned at 1:45 p.m.