Employee Assembly Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, January 19, 2000
12:15 - 1:30 p.m.
Day Hall Board Room

I. Call to Order and Introductions

M.Esposito called the meeting to order at 12:18 p.m.

Attendance:

Present: Trudie Calvert, Dawn Darby, Joe DeMarco, Michael Esposito, Brian Goodell, Tom Hoebbel, Denise Howland, Sarah Johnson, Marlene Reitz, Cheri Woodward, Jayne Worden

Absent: CJ Lance-Duboscq, Andrew Vail

Others Present: C. Gardner, C. Harrington, D. Martyniak, M. Moshella, D. Stein, C. Tkachuck and guests from Dining, P. Beach and N. Siddiqui

II. Approval of Minutes

The minutes of the December 15, 1999 meeting were unanimously approved.

III. Open Forum

M. Esposito wished everyone a happy new year.

T. Calvert raised the issue of the university’s lack of celebration for holiday for Martin Luther King Day. This is a point we can pursue with M. Opperman and H. Craft.

C. Gardner announced a celebration of Martin Luther King’s life on the Cornell campus on February 3. This date was chosen so students are included in the celebration.

C. Tkachuck announced the Employee Family Night on February 12.

C. Harrington spoke of annual awards banquet for employee service of twenty-five or more years. He left the university in 1995 and returned to campus the following day as an employee of the endowed campus. The university doesn’t recognize years of service after you retire. He is considered a five-year employee now although for several years he was a statutory employee. He would like to ask the Employee Assembly to investigate the policy and eligibility of years of service.

M. Esposito announced the replacement of vacancy left by M. Overstrom who resigned after six years on the Employee Assembly. The IOC reviewed the candidacy of her replacement, Marlene Reitz.

M. Esposito asked for comments from M. Reitz.

M. Reitz is a twenty-two year employee. She has previously served on the EA, the Communications Committee, the Personnel Policy Committee, and is currently on the CRC.

Unanimous approval was made to accept the appointment of M. Reitz to fill the seat vacated by M. Overstrom.

IV. Business of the Day

Employee Meal Plan

D. Darby announced the guests from Campus Dining who spoke of a proposed employee meal plan: M. Beach, Associate Director for Marketing and Support Services, Campus Life.

P. Beach distributed an outline of a draft meal plan. The plan is confidential at this point until points can be clarified. The plan idea came about from an increase in staff eating at the Robert Purcell facility. Employee begins with a $50 deposit to a debit plan. Additional deposits, in $25 increments, may be made at the employee’s discretion. A Cornell ID card permits employees to debit from the plan. There is a proposed 10% discount for employees for all dining facilities on-campus, Ivy Room, Trillium, Red Barn, Theory Center, etc. There are also all-you-care to eat facilities at Okenshields, Robert Purcell, Balch, Risley, and Jansen’s, among others. The plan would be open to all faculty and staff, part-time, and full-time. Temporary employees would also be eligible. An ID card may be made available for temporary employees. All twenty-two locations are eligible, including the dining facilities, convenience stores and reader-equipped vending machines. The proposed roll-out date is within the next month or two. Some of the details include an enrollment fee. There is a need to charge one for administrative purposes. Students currently pay a $45 enrollment fee for the year.

The reason for this plan is to increase sales, but to also provide a service. There is need to consider the availability of monies and perhaps setting a routine start date for enrollment. Campus Dining would like to provide incentives. Their goal is to target the plan for payroll deductions in the future which they are now exploring. She added that the plan has been received well.

Three things needing EA feedback:

M. Esposito questioned whether the dining halls will be closed during breaks. N. Siddiqui responded that there will be an attempt to have a facility open depending upon demand and use. P. Beach expressed that they will be receptive to reassessing what facilities might be open during holidays and summer periods.

M. Esposito also expressed concern about the enrollment fee.

T. Calvert questioned whether a marketing survey had occurred. Would Dining feel confident that employees would utilize such a plan? P. Beach responded saying, focus groups indicate there is strong interest. They are guessing 300–500 enrollments in the first year, perhaps two to three meals per week.

B. Goodell questioned the fee in light of temporary employees who are employed less than a full year. The fee is non-refundable. Would the fee be refunded if the employee is terminated prematurely?

M. Moschella made a point that operationally the $45 fee for students is tolerable but for staff this seems quite high in proportion to what amount of money they would spend on meals. If you expect students to spend $2,000 on a meal plan and a staff member to spend $500, the fee could be assessed proportionately. D. Darby expressed concern that the program might get off to a slow start due to start-up costs, including an enrollment fee. She asked, could the fee be deferred or could there be a way to pay into the plan and apply this amount toward the enrollment fee?

P. Beach suggested the fee might be $10–20 range and thus, more acceptable for many.

D. Stein suggested the first few enrollments might be exempted from the enrollment fee.

C. Gardner questioned whether the facilities could accommodate employees who are on a forty-two minute meal period.

N. Siddiqui responded that there will be express lines and dial-a-lunch options for people with limited time.

J. DeMarco asked how the debit system would be kept track of? P. Beach responded that the transaction will appear on the register screen and a balance will also appear. The employee may ask for a receipt.

M. Reitz questioned whether there is one cost for the students and a different cost for employees. What about summer traffic and RPCC?

D. Stein expressed concern about the administrative fee. Is there a way to recognize users, say with incentives like free meals?

P. Beach responded that there will be a recognition of frequent users. They favor the idea of two free meals at the all-you-care-to eat facilities (retail value $7.75 each). Once you spend $50 you would be eligible for free meals. Education about this value and incentive is important, as well the best times for employees to come to the dining facilities. Students tend to come to the dining facilities on the half-hour so staff should choose another time to attend.

D. Darby asked about forms of payment. Can someone else use the card?

N. Siddiqui responded that the plan administration will try to avoid exchange of or sharing use of the card. It is preferable to bring a guest and pay for their meal.

M. Esposito asked what the Employee Assembly could do in support of the plan?

P. Beach responded that the plan needs advocates to promote it. The publicity in Paw Print will be a tremendous means for getting the news out. She hopes the Assembly will embrace the program and will get the word out.

M. Esposito asked Dawn to be the point person for EA support.

D. Darby agreed, but first wants to know in what form of support is needed: committee, outreach, or otherwise.

Dawn, Michael, and Andy volunteered to work on this project.
D. Howland posed issue about service staff on limited lunch period, usually a half hour instead of forty-two minutes. Will the plan accommodate a change of dining staff positions from ten months to twelve months?

Siddiqui responded that a plan is not in place now to increase hours or length of service.

V. New Business

EA Spring Retreat

M. Esposito announced the mini retreat will be held at Cris Gardner’s house on February 2, 12:30–4:30 p.m. Details to follow. Lunch will be provided.

M. Esposito raised the issue of EA’s involvement in Employee Orientation. He asked if there is interest in pursuing this? J. DeMarco, D. Stein, and C. Woodward volunteered to help with this effort.

T. Calvert announced that N. Doolittle is formulating a new employee orientation and has formed a committee the EA might work with.

J. DeMarco added that H. Craft has an employee recognition program in his unit.

D. Darby announced that the new employee reception will be asking for funds from EA.

Budget

J. Worden reported on the proposed budget to be forwarded to VP H. Craft in mid-February timeframe. The committee reviewed items of business that are regularized and successful in the past and should be maintained. As well the budget asks for support of new initiatives. The total proposed request is for $9,250.

Discussion followed. C. Tkachuck pointed out the request is modest. It would be wise for the EA to ask for no less than $10,000.

J. DeMarco asked whether the amount designated for employee appreciation week also includes the employee day/night at the court. The proposed budget item does not include these costs.

T. Calvert inquired about costs for printing the EA brochure? The proposed $1,150 seems low.

J. Worden responded that this is what the Communications Committee provided as their request for funding.

D. Stein proposed an increase to the amount asked for. He is in full support of doing this.

D. Darby motioned to increase the amount of the request. T. Hoebbel concurred, stating the request be increased by $1,000 to be distributed among all activities. M. Reitz raised the question of the budget items? Are these line items?

J. Worden responded that the proposal contains only proposed budget categories.

M. Esposito added that these are not hard and fast items but rather a proposal for V.P. Craft. The committee looked at activities over a period of time and based amounts on actual expenses.

C. Gardner suggested the change in the name of one funding category, from Employee Appreciation Activities/Week to Employee Appreciation Activities.

The EA unanimously voted to make the amendments listed above and accept the proposed budget of $10,250 as follows:

2000–2001 Employee Assembly Budget

TASK FORCE FOR DOWNTOWN INITIATIVE

D. Stein reported needing support of the Employee Assembly for the downtown initiative partnership with Cornell. He asked for volunteers to e-mail him. More information will follow.

VI. Committee Reports

Frontline Feedback

needs help. Sessions have been completed in Human Ecology and others have been started in the Vet College.

Emergency Fund

S. Johnson reported she needs feedback from members. The committee is trying to define eligibility for the fund and what constitutes an emergency.

Work and Family Services

C. Woodward announced there will be a get-together this upcoming Friday for new appointees.

Campus Climate Planning

The next meeting is January 20. The endorsed statement was printed in this week’s Paw Print.

University Assembly

The next meeting is January 26, 2000. Among other items of business, J. Worden will report the status and progress of TAC.

Employee Education Committee

D. Howland has circulated a purpose statement and awaits feedback. Those comments received so far have been helpful.

Personnel Policy Committee

B. Goodell reported the committee is reviewing the vacation policy. The committee will examine the consistency of use of flex-time and how the policy is administered.

CRC

The next meeting is January 20. There is still a vacant seat (M. Overstrom’s). M. Reitz volunteered to fill this.

IOC

The committee met to review the candidate (M. Reitz) to fill seat vacated by M. Overstrom. A recommendation to approve this candidate was made.

TAC

J. Worden reported the next meeting is January 24. B. Wendt, Director of Transportation and Services, will address the group and present the proposed Transportation Demand Management Plan.

J. DeMarco questioned if there are alternative parking plans for the Summer ‘00 when the parking garage will be closed?

T. Calvert responded that permit holders will be notified. There will be announcements to the general community as well.

VII. Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 1:30 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Jayne Worden,
Secretary/Treasurer
M Employee Assembly 1998–2000