Employee Assembly Meeting Minutes
October 6, 2004
12:15–1:30pm
B12 Day Hall

Attendance

Present: Beth Burlew, Joseph DeMarco, Pamela Dusseau, Donna Goss, Meredith Graham, Nathaniel Guest, Patricia Mahoney, Janice Miles, Mary Smallwood Churchill

Excused: Hazel Hall, Seth Peacock, Cindy Williams

Unexcused:

Others present: T. Bishop, M. Esposito, K. Pillot, D. Stein, H. Mandeville

I. Call to Order

P. Dusseau called the meeting to order at 12:20 pm.

P. Dusseau announced that the agenda item pertaining to the “uportal” presentation by Jon Atherton will be removed from the agenda and added to the following meeting. The necessary equipment for the presentation was not available.

II. Call for late additions to the Agenda

There were no late additions.

III. Approval of Minutes

B. Burlew motioned to approve minutes with one correction on attendance. M. Graham seconded. Motion Carried.

IV. Report from the Chair

A. Membership Update: Stephanie McConnell’s has resigned her position as an EA member due to leaving the university. Bill Bryant, candidate for EA election, has agreed to join the EA

B. Confidentiality Agreement: The new members joining the EA will be introduced to the Confidentiality Agreement, as well as an orientation and a mentor program.

C. Items to Include in the Letter to the President:
a. Introduction of current membership and new executive committee. This will be noted in the letter and a new membership list will be sent.
b. Staff Award Recognition Committee (SARC) has been officially removed from Ad hoc status and requires the President’s approval. If the President does not reply within thirty days, it will receive de-facto approval. This information should be added to the letter.
c. Additional Employee Trustee seat will receive an antidotal note in the letter.
d. Goals for this year’s EA should be reiterated in the letter.
D. This letter will hopefully be completed by Monday and be reviewed with D. Stein. Copies will be sent to EA members.

E. October 5th meeting with VP Tommy Bruce Update: This meeting was formerly known as the “Leadership Breakfast” and occurred yesterday morning. Usually in attendance are the executive members of each of the different assemblies. Previously, the breakfast was usually used to set the agenda for the Leadership Meeting and the Leadership Meeting was with the senior administration. T. Bruce requested to meet on a monthly basis and Leadership meeting will replace the breakfast.
a. Up-coming Leadership Meeting will be on Friday, October 22 with the senior administration and the President is likely to attend.
b. Next meeting with VP Tommy Bruce will be on Wednesday, November 17.
c. “Annual Meeting” with the President and Senior Staff is to be determined. A date is also to be determined.

F. Supervisor’s Letter from VP Mary Opperman: The letter will be sent to all EA members’ supervisors by next week along with a copy to all EA members. The contact information is still needed for a few new members. The letter states the important work members do on the EA and its significance.

G. Communications Clarification: Numerous emails were sent on the President’s event. Given the limited amount of time, EA members were sound on the communication for this event. Official ad-hoc committee will be made in the future.

V. Unfinished Business

A. President’s Event: This event will take place October 14 from 11:45–1:00pm. All are encouraged to attend but attendance is not mandatory.

P. Dusseau announced that help is needed to publicize the event. M Graham has been working on a poster and quarter cards will be made. The quarter cards will be sent through campus mail campus mail or members can go to the Office of the Assemblies to pick them up.

J. DeMarco suggested the addition of large ID badges for EA members working the event. T. Bishop would be in charge of creating them.

P. Dusseau added that the Cornell Store is willing to help sponsor the event by giving the EA wooden discount token for staff who come to the event. An announcement can be made to the audience asking them to stop by an EA member to receive their token. Baskets for the wooden nickel will be needed.

A sample program for the event will is being sent around the table during the meeting. This program was made by N. Guest and any corrections could be made directly on the sample.

An example for the event poster is also being sent around.

H. Mandeville suggested that EA members could stay after the meeting to discuss the event in more detail. An email can be sent afterward to all members outlining what decisions were made.

VI. Committee Reports

A. Finance Committee:
This committee currently has only two members, D. Goss and P. Mahoney. The chairs reported that major decisions are being made by only two people and more members are needed and would be appreciated. An email has been sent calling for more members.

M. Smallwood Churchill commented that this could be incorporated to the EA’s public relations campaign in advertising the committees available to get people interested.

P. Mahoney remarked that she has sent around to committee chairs a budget document that she would like to have completed and returned to have them formalized.

J. DeMarco reported by EA charter rules, four members are required for a committee.

A call was made to EA members to join the committee. J. Miles and B. Burlew have volunteered to be on the committee.

P. Mahoney added that the budget is currently over $9,000.

B. Employee Day Committee:
M. Esposito reported that more volunteers are needed for the Employee Day event. This year will be the event’s 30Th anniversary. The current price is one dollar for meal tickets and one dollar for the football game. M. Esposito’s has submitted a request increase funding for the event. M. Esposito anticipates 3,500 staff members will attend with family and will be the largest staff event on campus. Current EA contribution is $150 and the increase proposal is for $1,500.

EA members will look over the proposal and have a decision by next meeting.

VII. New Business

A. Review of the Archives:
The archive records have been brought down. These records contain the action items of all the assemblies over the years. Through researching through EA records, P. Dusseau commented that she has learned that the EA has traditionally struggled with the same issues as now, have made substantial initiatives, significant position papers, and how far the EA has come and the power that the EA has.

P. Dusseau asked for all members to take one book, which contains one academic year, for review.

B. Goal Setting/Once Around: P. Dusseau asked members: How does the EA want to position themselves in the University? What is the voice of the EA? How would the EA communicate with constituents better? What issues do members want to react to? What goals should be accomplished by the EA for the year?

J. DeMarco asked to use what ever resources possible to change the climate around Cornell so that it might once again support and renew more people in volunteer activity.

D. Goss commented that knowing the President is going to speak to the Call to Engagement meeting in Trustee Weekend, the EA has a meeting after that November 3rd. D. Goss proposes to invite M. Esposito to report to the EA on what happened so that the EA could react to this.

M. Smallwood Churchill commented in how staff members respond to things from the administration. Rather than focusing on negative or how things can turn out, focus on what have staff done for Cornell and look at staff involvement, including volunteers, as part of a problem solving apparatus. All staff contribute to the community and the EA could try to focus on these things.

B. Burlew commented on letting EA constituents know EA members are there for them and let them know who the EA members are and become more visible.

J. DeMarco added that in the past the EA has sponsored an insert in the PawPrint dealing with the history of the EA and who is on the EA, maybe this can be done again.

J. Miles also added that it has been a problem on reaching everyone at Cornell. Maybe it is time to sit down and see how to communicate with everyone.

M. Graham remarked in terms of the contract side, grant money. and academic staff, people feel that their jobs are becoming more tenuous. There should be someway to communicate a different vision or that staff are still valued.

P. Mahoney stated a Geneva perspective and other satellite parts of the university in better incorporating them into the framework of Cornell.

D. Goss mentioned on how the EA could be proactive instead of reactive as a goal.

D. Dusseau remarked that she has taken notes and will send out these notes through email.

VIII. Open Forum

There was no open form.

IX. Meeting Adjourned at 1:30PM