Employee Assembly Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, September 18, 2002
12:15 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Day Hall Board Room

I. Call to Order and Introductions

Attendance:

Present: Carol Bader, Deb Billups, Christina Bucko, Joseph DeMarco, Donna Goss, Samuel Hultzman, Tammy Johnson, Patricia Mahoney, Dawne Martyniak, Gregory Pratt, Lisa Rose, Thomas Shelley

Absent: Leti McNeill

Others Present: Michael Esposito, Mary Smallwood Churchill, Dennis Stein

II. Approval of Minutes

The August 21st EA minutes were unanimously approved by the EA.

III. Open Forum

M. Esposito suggested making sure everyone on the EA had access to the Daily Sun. The Office of Assemblies will ask.

D. Stein commented that he liked the agenda but that other non EA committees were not listed on it. He asked about the “other committee reports.”

J. DeMarco replied that the plan is to list all of the EA committees, then list other committees. If other committees want to submit their report to G. Pratt, then he would make sure that the report is put on the agenda.

G. Pratt asked all the committees there to notify him if they have a report.

T. Shelley had extra copies of Robert’s Rules of Order for EA members who could not attend the retreat.

G. Pratt suspended the agenda to talk about the lunchtime forum. There were no objections.

M. Esposito suggested that he, D. Stein, and Cornell VP’s meet weekly or bi-weekly during lunch times at either one or different locations to hear what employee concerns are. He would like to meet with L. Rose, T. Shelley, D. Goss, D. Stein, M. Esposito, and C. Bader to plan. J. DeMarco asked if the EA is going to supply the drinks and have people bring their own lunch?

H. Mandeville mentioned that the Dean of the Grad School holds a weekly brown bag meeting.

G. Pratt was concerned that with inviting senior staff then the event should be well organized.

G. Pratt made a motion to resume the agenda.

T. Shelley seconded it.

IV. Committee Report

J. DeMarco stated that there was none listed for the Personnel Policy Committee because they were unsure of who the chair was.

D. Goss asked for a complete listing of EA committee assignments and UA committee needs.

H. Mandeville suggested having a master list that would make it easier for members to understand and will provide one. She asked T. Johnson to spread the word about the 4 vacancies that are on assemblies committees.

Employee Education Committee

C. Bucko said that the Employee Education Committee has not met since May. No surveys were returned and she wants to know what should the committee do?

D. Stein suggests keeping list of attendees and sending out survey’s. They’ve had good results. Use SEED listserve?

D. Goss mentioned that maybe Human Resources in Day Hall would be able to help out with some of the questions.

G. Pratt suggested that Christina talk to somebody in the Continuing Education Department. They might have feedback that they could share with the Employee Education Committee.

T. Shelley suggests reviewing Education Committee charters charge. It would be good for all of the committees to review their charters at the beginning and end of the year.

Finance Committee

C. Bucko Finance hasn’t received statements. Gave out excel spreadsheet of how she expects to track expenses. She asked that if anybody had spent any money out of the account, to please give the receipts to her.

H. Mandeville said the $9250 hasn’t shown up yet and is checking on it. Loreen Geiger will prepare report for C. Bucko before each meeting.

J. DeMarco has presented the appropriations form to C. Bucko for the President’s Address.

T. Shelley said that unless there are any major expenses, then receiving a copy of the budget once a month would be sufficient.

Emergency Grant Fund

D. Billups stated that the committee has not met since before the summer. The committee has been working during the spring to go over the steps and processe’s and update them. The staff auction will be discussed at their next meeting, and she asked if any EA member had any type of services, etc. that they could donate that would be greatly appreciated. The auction is going to take place Friday, October 18th at noon in Biotech.

Campus Planning Committee

D. Stein said that the committee is at a crisis point. The committee is trying to figure out how can it best impact the decisions that are made about how the space on campus is used. Some of the committee members feel like they are a rubber stamp committee and the decisions were already made by the administration, and it was brought to the committee after deals were already made.

D. Goss said there is a wide variety of members. New planner Mina Amundsen. The focus once narrowed will hopefully be effective.

D. Stein will bring items on their agenda to EA.

T. Shelley asked who the committee reports to?

D. Stein stated that they are looking for the flow chart of how decisions are made.

Communication Committee

G. Pratt announced that the GPADS just gave out the 150th award. D. Goss and A. Adams are compiling a list of all 150 recipients for 25th anniversary. A plaque to commemorate all 150 will be announced at Presidential Address. They are revising online nomination form and inviting all 150 awardees to Presidential Address. A funding proposal will be submitted to EA soon.

V. Unfinished Business

Employee Family Day

J. DeMarco encouraged those of the EA members that can make it to Employee Family Day, to please let Janet Beebe know. He brought up the discussion about bus transportation to the event?

P. Mahoney stated that Dr. Hunter very excited about encouraging Geneva employees to attend Employee Day and will sponsor the bus. This is something he wants to do. Would cost approximately $250.

D. Stein feels that we should let him do it. The Dean of Engineering is buying 500 tickets and PawPrint could showcase that and Geneva.

Members discussed whether or not to go forward with Dr Hunter’s offer to bring Geneva employees to Cornell for the event and the consensus was that the EA would like to see recognition of his support and to accept his offer. The EA would like to see a letter in Chronicle and PawPrint.

D. Goss thanked Pat Mahoney for making this happen!

VI. New Business

Advance follow-up

J. DeMarco asked for volunteers to present EA issues at the next UA meeting on 9/25.

President’s Address

J. DeMarco address will be videotaped.

D. Billups President’s Address T. Johnson and D. Goss co-chairing flow of speakers (Mary, M. Esposito, J. DeMarco, President), food, giveaways, theme. Get ideas for speech to them by September 30th

D. Stein said a theme might be around idea of “dedicated staff”.

H. Mandeville suggested using the next luncheon to generate ideas for the President.

Staff Celebration Week

D. Stein showed draft of staff celebration week poster to EA and stated that PawPrint would have a 4 page insert in the October 10th issue.

VII. Wrap Up

G. Pratt summarized the issues that were raised: Daily Sun menu Auction Committee Clarity

D. Billups Plants for Life raised over $20,000; second chance sale will be this Sat. 2–4 p.m. Kenneth Post Lab.

G. Pratt said L. McNeill’s concerns about health contract difference will be raised at a future meeting.

J. DeMarco said University Benefits Committee will be resurrected.

D. Stein said United Way kickoff September 26th soon

Respectfully submitted,
Amy Huizinga