December 1, 1999

 

Agenda – December 1, 1999

8:45 a.m.–Reception, Wilson Library Lobby

9:30 a.m.–Meeting, Wilson Library Assembly Room

I. Call to Order

II. Welcome Guests, Members of the Press

III. Employee Presentation

IV. Special Presentations

• Chris Brown from ABODE, Orange County Affordable Housing Coalition, on “Who Can Afford to Live in Orange County?”
• Steve Harward on Extension of Local Calling Area (delayed until 10:30 a.m.)

V. Human Resources Update

• Laurie Charest, Associate Vice Chancellor for Human Resources

VI. Remarks from Chancellor McCoy (these will occur when McCoy arrives from a prior commitment)

• Presentation of Certificates to Outgoing Members
• Swearing-In of New Delegates

VII. Approval of Minutes of the November 3, 1999 meeting P

VIII. Unfinished Business

• Motion: Personnel Policies Survey Analysis & Recommendations (second reading)
• Motion: Career Development Statement on Manager/Employee Responsibilities in Staff Training (second reading)

9. New Business

• Forum Officer Election Statements P

• Candidates for Chair:
• Candidates for Vice-Chair: Joanne Kucharski
• Candidate for Secretary: Karen Geer

X. Chair’s Report (Executive Committee): Jane Stine P4

• Wachovia Contract Discussion with Jack Evans
• Pedestrian Safety Discussion with Derek Poarch
• Community Award Not Presented
• Chair’s University Committee Service:
• Chancellor, Provost, & Vice Chancellor for Finance & Administration Search Committees
• Master Plan & Horace Williams Study Task Forces
• University Priorities & Budget Committee
• 27^th Payroll Study Task Force
• Student Fee Committee

XI. Stretch Time 

 

XII. Committee/Task Force Reports

• Career Development—Bobbie Lesane 4

• New Careers Training Board: Connie Boyce/Ken Perry

• Communications—

• Employee Presentations—Kathy Dutton

• Community Meeting

• Nominating—Lynn Ray P4

• Forum Officer Elections

• Orientation—Linda Drake P4

• Reception for New, Departing Delagates December 1

• Personnel Issues—Martha Barbour

• Recognition and Awards—Betty Averette

• University Committee Assignments—Denise Childress 4

• Committee Appointments?

XIII. Task Force/University Committee Reports

• 27^th Payroll Adjustment Team—Jane Stine
• Master Plan Executive Steering Team—Jane Stine
• Transportation & Parking Advisory —Betty Averette
• University Priorities & Budget—Jane Stine
• Chancellor Search Committee—Jane Stine
• Provost Search Committee—Jane Stine
• Vice Chancellor for Finance & Administration Search Committee—Jane Stine
• Faculty Council Liaison—Jane Stine

XIV. Announcements/Questions

XV. Adjournment

P = Included in Agenda Packet

4 = Annual Report Included in Agenda Packet

MINUTES

Minutes

December 1, 1999

Delegates Present

Forrest Aiken

Brenda Ambrose-Fortune

Betty Averette

Martha Barbour

Christine Barfield

Terry Barker

Maxcine Barnes

Linwood Blalock

Anita Booth

Connie Boyce

Denise Childress

Jean Coble

Bethany Cowan

Suzan deSerres

Linda Drake

Kathy Dutton

Monisia Farrington

Jeffery Fuchs

Linwood Futrelle

Kim Gardner

Karen Geer

Sherry Graham

Dorothy Grant

Shelby Harris

Michael Hawkins

John Heuer

Tom Jenswold

LaEula Joyner

Ken Litowsky

Peter Landstrom

Bobbie Lesane

Denise Mabe

Eileen McGrath

John Meeker

Margaret Moore

Diana Newton

Ken Perry

Lynn Ray

Cathy Riley

Joanna K. Smith

Jane Stine

Sheila Storey

Diane Strong

Cindy Stone

Rita Stone

Elaine Tola

Susan Toppin

Verdell Williams

Carol Worrell

Laurie Charest“

“ = Ex-Officio

Delagates Absent

Peggy Berryhill

Mary Braxton

James Evans

Linda Ford

Charlotte Kilpatrick

Joanne Kucharski

Jill Mayer

Rickey Robinson

Robert Thoma

Alternates Present

Janet Aliff

Deedra Donley

Lauren Mangili

Joanne Terry

Michael Ullman

Guests

Tommy Brickhouse

Lucille Brooks

Linda Collins

Jack Evans

William McCoy

JoAnn Pitz

Peter Schledorn

 

 

 

Call to Order, Welcome to Guests, Opening Remarks

Chair Jane Stine welcomed the Forum’s incoming Delegates, as well as members of the media from the Daily Tar Heel and the University Gazette, among others. She welcomed interim Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration to say a few words about the Wachovia contract. Later in the meeting, interim Chancellor Bill McCoy will make remarks and will present outgoing Delegates with their certificates of participation.

Evans said that the Wachovia agreement had grown out of a survey conducted to ascertain what services students want from their OneCard. The survey found that students want the capability to transfer funds directly to their OneCard account, and to u se their OneCard as an ATM card.

The University issued a request for proposals (RFP) to banks to provide this service on the UNC OneCard. While around five banks initially expressed interest in the project, only Wachovia entered a bid for the service. The University entered negotiations for the service in late May of this year, signing an agreement July 1.

Recently, faculty members have raised several issues about the Wachovia contract, and the Faculty Council has passed a resolution calling for the contract’s renegotiation. Evans met recently with the Forum Executive Committee to discuss the faculty concerns. Among these concerns were the question of whether the University was granting Wachovia a monopoly over its banking services and ATM machines. Evans said that users could only choose Wachovia for their ATM and account services (if they desire a service at all) because the card software is only compatible with the hardware of one bank at a time. Once again, only Wachovia bid to provide the OneCard service in the first place.

Faculty also raised concerns about the placement of corporate signage around the Pit area, worrying that a large sign would compromise the intellectual life of this central campus area. Evans said that Wachovia’s service center would resemble the ” Daily Grind” coffee shop in its placement and footprint. Any signage would need to be approved by the campus Buildings & Grounds committee.

Faculty also raised concerns about the use of the term “branch bank” in the contract. Evans said that Wachovia has no plans to operate what is considered legally to be a branch bank, with financial transactions and an installed vault. Instead, Wach ovia will operate a service center in which prospective account holders can receive information about the bank and its accounts.

There were also concerns about whether secondary banks would be excluded from placing ATMs on campus. These concerns were raised given Wachovia’s right of first refusal on ATM slots and the movement of the ATM kiosk from the bookstore to the east s ide of Davis Library. Evans said that Wachovia has indicated it would not bid on every ATM space, given the expense and the public relations problems that such a move would create.

Evans noted that the contract negotiation had taken seven weeks. The University has pledged to request a letter of clarification on these and other points raised by the faculty, but does not plan to renegotiate the contract. Evans was optimistic that the University would resolve these issues given its business relationship with Wachovia.

An Employee asked about the difference between a branch bank and a service center in the contract. Evans said that a service center implies a limited range of services, while a branch bank must comply with specific banking regulations. These regulations include the installation of a secure vault, and a provision for financial transactions. Evans expected that the letter of clarification would specify that the facility will be a service center and not a branch bank.

Evans said that all indications are that the State Employees’ Credit Union will have an ATM in the new kiosk on the side of Davis Library. He added that the Credit Union has an ATM at the Hospital and in another University building on South Campus. Other banks’ ATMs will remain on campus, including the Bank of America ATM in the McCall Building.

Evans understood the importance of the Credit Union on campus since it serves a majority of University Employees. Accordingly, the University will incorporate more than just financial considerations into its bid process for ATM slots. The criteria for selection specifically look at the size of the depositor base in evaluating space bids. While the Credit Union is not widely represented among students, it is the most popular financial institution among campus faculty and staff.

The Chair thanked Evans for his time and remarks.

The Chair introduced Chris Brown from ABODE, a coalition organized to support low income housing initiatives in Orange County. ABODE includes representatives from Empowerment, Habitat for Humanity, the Interfaith Council and other county organizations. The coalition has been created to research data and lobby political representatives to support affordable housing initiatives. Among these are influencing how the county will spend the $1.8 million housing bond and advocating enabling legislation for a housing trust fund.

Miles Pressler, the Executive Director of ABODE, asked Delagates how many owned a home in Orange County. Approximately 40% of the Forum owned a home in the county. Pressler said that many people cannot afford to live here in Orange County, where a typical two-bedroom apartment rents for $720 a month.

Pressler noted that all of the county’s affordable housing funds have come from the federal government, and only 5% of these funds come from local sources. Affordable housing emerged as one of the biggest issues in the last town council campaign.

ABODE is calling for the allocation of 1 penny of the county property tax to go to an affordable housing trust fund. This sum represents a $15/year increase for families owning a $150,000 house, and would generate another $2.5 million annually for affordable housing initiatives. Pressler said that this amount seemed to be a modest investment from property owners in Orange County.

Pressler said that ABODE must convince three of the five Orange County commissioners for the plan to be enacted. He asked the Forum to endorse this idea, and to write letters to local county commissioners.

Betty Averette said that as a Hillsborough resident, she was tired of seeing her tax dollars go to fund initiatives in the southern part of the county. She urged that any proposal take into account the needs of the county’s northern section.

Linwood Futrelle noted that a 1 penny property tax increase could have a drastic effect on an 80 year old that owns 200 acres and lives on a fixed income. He said that another property tax increase could force family farmers to turn their land over to developers. Futrelle noted that some people making $60,000 a year in Orange County have to pay $13,000 in taxes.

An Employee asked if the ABODE proposal called for a tax increase. Pressler said that ABODE advocates a dedication of one penny of the property tax to housing initiatives. The coalition leaves it to the county to decide whether to raise taxes to provide these funds, or to reallocate funds from other areas. The coalition hopes that tax abatements would be made available to deserving individuals, but knew of no silver bullet solution.

Pressler noted that the definition of “affordable housing” is rather flexible, and in some ways meaningless. Some real estate guides define affordable housing as anything in the area of $180,000 for a house. ABODE hopes to serve people making less than 50% of the median income for Orange County. He noted that programs through the US Department of Agriculture make it possible for some low income families to take out mortgages at a 1% rate of interest, so that a family earning $11,000 a year could afford to buy a $67,000 house. Pressler said that the ABODE proposal is a way for Orange County to demonstrate a serious commitment to support affordable housing initiatives. He noted that staff Employee Susan Toppin serves on the Board of Directors for ABODE, as part of the Orange County Land Trust.

Ken Litowsky asked what items in the county budget should be cut to fund the housing initiative. Pressler said that ABODE would leave that question to the county commissioners to decide. He did not want to make enemies by targeting particular programs for cuts.

Pressler said that information and petitions could be obtained through the Forum Office. He asked that the Forum vote to endorse the coalition’s idea. The Chair said that the Forum would consider the proposal on second reading in January, and thanked Pressler and Brown for their remarks. She added that the Forum is bound by rules governing political activities using State work time or resources.

The Chair introduced Chancellor William McCoy to make a few remarks before presenting certificates to the Forum’s outgoing Delegates. He thanked the Forum and Chair Jane Stine for the hard work done through the year, stating that this had been essential to the University’s work.

McCoy noted that the State Employees’ Combined Campaign had raised $887,000, a 12% increase over last year and well above the target of $832,000. He added that twenty-five campus units had 100% participation by their Employees. McCoy was proud that so many Employees recognize their sense of responsibility and community spirit.

McCoy addressed the pedestrian safety issue, referring to the march and rally scheduled for that afternoon. He recognized the loss of Doctor Yoshi Matsukama, an outstanding post-doctoral student in the School of Dentistry. The University is trying its best to make sure that pedestrians are safe, and to deal with this complicated subject successfully. Public Safety has already met with officials from the Town and the State Department of Transportation to organize their approach, and McCoy has been in direct contact with Secretary of the Department of Transportation David McCoy (no relation).

The University only controls two of its streets directly: Stadium Drive, which runs from the Bell Tower to the Alumni Center, and Smith Center Drive, otherwise known as Ram Road. Yesterday, University officials and community members met with town and State officials to organize a short and long-term plan to deal with pedestrian safety.

Commencement will take place on Saturday, December 18, with featured speaker Bland Simpson. McCoy thanked staff Employees involved in commencement planning for their work to make the event a success.

Concerning the Y2K issue, McCoy believed that the campus is ready. He cited reports that said that Employees have looked at the problem from every perspective, and noted that Employees are planning to spend New Year’s Eve on campus to monitor the situa tion throughout the night.

Linwood Futrelle asked if the State Legislature had seen fit to free up building project or renovation and repair money. McCoy said that Marvin Dorman of the Office of Management and Budget had said that his office could not yet release these frozen dollars until it learned more about federal funds for Hurricane Floyd relief. The State might hold a special session of the Legislature in December or January to act on Floyd relief and might approach campus funding needs then. Additionally, there has been no action from the Governor’s Office either.

At this point, McCoy presented outgoing members with their certificates of participation.

 

1999 Outgoing Forum Delagates

Betty Averette: 1999 Recognition & Awards Chair, 1998 Recognition & Awards, 1998 Executive Committee

Martha Barbour: 1999 Personnel Issues Chair, 1998 Personnel Policies, 1998 Compensation & Benefits

Linwood Blalock: 1999 Nominating, 1998 Orientation, 1998 Personnel Policies

Connie Boyce: 1999, 1998 Career Development

Mary Braxton: 1999 Personnel Issues, 1998 Recognition & Awards

Denise Childress: 1999 University Committee Assignments Chair, 1999 Executive Committee, 1998 University Committee Assignments, 1998 Nominating

Jean Coble: 1999 & 1998 Employee Presentations

Bethany Cowan: 1999 Communications

Linda Drake: 1999 Orientation Chair, 1999 & 1998 Nominating, 1998 Orientation

James Evans: 1999 Executive Committee

Linwood Futrelle: 1998 Forum Chair, 1998 Executive Committee Chair, 1999 Nominating

Kim Gardner: 1999 Employee Presentations

Sherry Graham: 1998 Career Development, 1998 & 1999 Employee Presentations

Peter Landstrom: 1999 Communications

LaEula Joyner: 1998 & 1999 Orientation, 1999 Recognition & Awards

Ken Litowsky: 1999 Personnel Issues, 1998 Personnel Policies

Eileen McGrath: 1999 University Committee Assignments, 1998 Employee Presentations

Jane Stine: 1999 Forum Chair, 1999 Executive Committee Chair, 1998 Nominating

Diane Strong: 1999 Personnel Issues

Robert Thoma: 1999 Personnel Issues

Carol Worrell: 1999 Executive Committee, 1998 Recognition & Awards

 

Human Resources Update

Associate Vice Chancellor for Human Resources Laurie Charest thanked outgoing Delegates for their service to the University, and welcomed incoming Delegates.

She said that there would be a 403(b), 401(k), and 457 program vendor fair for Employees on December 14 from 10-2 p.m. in the Great Hall. This event is a great chance for Employees to choose from among the list of approved vendor companies that have si gned a statement agreeing to comply with IRS regulations.

Charest noted that Human Resources would conduct a series of financial education seminars in January. More information will be made available in the University Gazette.

The North Carolina Flex program will move to a direct deposit of funds in the near future. This move is intended to help those with spending accounts that want to participate in direct deposit programs or enroll in specific accounts.

Charest encouraged Employees to participate in HEELS for Health’s Jingle Bell jog. She noted that Karen Bean, a nutritionist, would become the new director of HEELS for Health December 20.

The Red Cross will hold a mid-year blood drive to alleviate the disaster in the eastern part of the State on December 22 in Woolen Gym from 10-2 p.m.

Lastly, Charest noted that the New Careers Training Board’s computer lab has received new PlayDo computer assisted instruction. Durham Tech, Project Literacy and Human Resources have combined to assist the computer lab, which plans to hold an open hous e early in the New Year.

Tommy Brickhouse asked if Employees would be able to schedule appointments with vendors at the upcoming 403(b) fair. Charest said that tables should be spaced far enough apart so that Employees can discuss discrete issues. They will also have the opportunity to make appointments for later, if desired.

The Chair led the Forum’s incoming and continuing Delegates in a recitation of the Forum charge.

Approval of Minutes

The Chair asked that approval of the November minutes be held until January, due to unforeseen delays. She asked that those members without access to the web to contact the Forum Office to request a paper copy.

Unfinished Business

The Chair noted that the Personnel Issues Committee’s SPA exempt survey analysis and recommendations were scheduled for second reading. Martha Barbour noted that there had been some editorial changes in language to the document presented at the last me eting. She noted that this document and the Career Development Committee’s statement on staff training go hand in hand. Barbour complimented the University Gazette on their story about the proposal.

Linwood Futrelle noted that the proposal does not change the University’s policy manuals, but rather establishes a set of recommendations about the treatment of others in the workplace. Ken Litowsky noted that time worked at home is compensable time an d should be treated as such. A supervisor must grant approval before an Employee works outside their regular work schedule. This includes time worked at home and through an Employee’s lunch period.

Martha Barbour moved that the Forum approve these recommendations and forward them to the chancellor describing their purpose and asking that he send them on to al supervisory class Employees at the University. Maxcine Barnes seconded this motion. Laur ie Charest noted that there is not a way to mail the recommendations solely to all supervisory class Employees. Barbour said it might be useful to ask the chancellor to send the recommendations to all Employees. Tommy Brickhouse said that sending the recommendations to all Employees would be a great way to let the University know about the Forum’s work. Barbour accepted a friendly amendment to send the document to all Employees.

Nora Robbins asked to whom Employees with questions would be directed. Barbour said that these Employees could contact her at martha_barbour@dentistry.unc.edu. Robbins said that Employees could also contact Human Resources.

There was no further discussion, and the motion was approved unanimously. The Chair congratulated Barbour and the Personnel Issues Committee for its work. Barbour particularly thanked Peter Schledorn, Lucille Brooks, and Tommy Brickhouse for their support over the years of work the proposal required.

The Chair noted that a motion from the Career Development Committee on staff and manager responsibilities in Employee education was on the floor for second reading. Bobbie Lesane, chair of the committee, asked that the Forum send this document to the c hancellor also, adding the statement to new staff Employees’ orientation and to the work performance management plan. She said that supervisors and Employees should sign the document every year as part of their development plan review.

Ken Litowsky noted that many Employees do not have an annual development plan review. He was uncertain about the mechanics of adding this statement to the development plan in any case. Betty Averette suggested that the statement be made a part of supervisory resource training. Lesane said that the committee had targeted the WPPR process since every Employee is supposed to receive a review once a year.

The Chair noted that the Forum has a great friend in the University Gazette, and that the Forum could ask the Gazette to do a story on the statement to expose it to all Employees. The Forum also might examine creating a position paper for distribution to all staff, to establish broad exposure to the statement’s ideas. Lesane agreed that many committee members wanted the proposal sent to all Employees.

Martha Barbour said there should be a way to remind Employees and supervisors periodically about the statement’s content. She added that the Forum could talk with Training and Development to have the statement posted to their website.

Cindy Stone asked that the statement be sent to the chancellor now, so that the Forum could at least give its formal sanction to the proposal. Linwood Futrelle moved that the Forum ask the chancellor work with Human Resources and other designees to get the proposal out to the public. He also added that the date be changed to December 1, 1999. Stone seconded this motion.

Ken Perry asked how the Forum could make sure that managers are accountable to this document. Lesane said that the committee would need to continue to work on this point. However, the first step would be increasing awareness, through working with Train ing & Development and the Counseling Service. Gradually, Employees will be made aware of these avenues.

The Forum approved Futrelle’s motion unanimously. The Chair thanked Lesane and the Career Development Committee for its work through the year.

The Chair asked if members had found the Forum buddy system useful in the past, and asked if the Forum should continue this system in the future. Jill Mayer and Monisia Farrington said that they had found the system useful. The Chair explained that the buddy system matches continuing Delegates with incoming Delegates to discuss Forum procedures and questions. The Forum moved that the buddy system be continued.

The Chair introduced Forum Secretary Lynn Ray to outline the procedure for Forum officer elections, which is contained in the Forum Guidelines. She noted that candidates have submitted biographical sketches and pictures to the Forum Office for inclusion in the December agenda packet.

Candidates can be nominated from the floor in January, and can speak at that meeting for two minutes.

Ray spoke on behalf of Karen Geer, a candidate for Forum Secretary. She had known Geer for 10-15 years. Geer is responsible for accounting within facilities services, and has served on the Forum Nominating Committee. She has been instrument to increasing representation among Delegates from divisions 2 and 3. Ray said that Geer would be an effective and accessible Secretary for the Forum.

Geer wished the Forum good morning, and cited her 20 years of University service. She was proud to participate on the Forum and urged that it be heard on all campus issues. She noted that the campus had been recently recognized as one of the ten most beautifully kept in the United States. Geer thought that the University should recognize all of its Employees, including those who do not deal with students. She noted that the Forum could assist with morale issues by recognizing the outstanding efforts of all University Employees. She hoped to facilitate communication about the importance of staff to the mission of the University.

The Chair noted that Joanne Kucharski had withdrawn from consideration for the position of vice chair due to personal reasons. She recognized 1998 Forum Chair Linwood Futrelle to speak on his experiences working as a Forum officer. Futrelle recalled his experiences and asked Delegates to step up. The Chair said that she had experienced a very involving if tiring year working for the Forum. Futrelle said that campus administrators favoring staff need the Forum to maintain a strong presence to push for supportive management. The Chair said that the position of Forum chair and vice chair would represent an additional workload, but added that former chairs and the Forum Assistant would be willing to step in and help.

The Chair introduced Steve Harward, Director of Telecommunications, to speak on the extension of the University’s local calling area. She noted that the Forum had been requesting this benefit since 1997. Harward noted that the factual deed of the extension had been explained in various mailings and through a University Gazette article. He noted that former Vice Chancellor for Administration Elson Floyd’s initiative had begun two-three years ago. Floyd sought to create a benefit for University Employees by allowing more to be able to call home on a free basis. The expanded calling area would have required the University to pay a fee for each call.

Now, however, the University will pay on a per trunk line basis, rather than a per call basis. The University will not incur a direct expense for each call. While Employees are reminded of the personal use policy, many more Employees will be able to ca ll home without an expense. Departments also will not have to pay individually for business calls within the calling areas.

Harward noted that the in-State telecommunications network is not allowed for personal use, and the University has no authority to violate this rule. Thus, by finding a competitive communications network, the University will route its calls on the per trunk basis, creating a more manageable expense. All of these calls have been taken off of the State network.

Harward said the reaction since the change has been very favorable, with only a few questions and no complaints. Nonetheless, some Employees living outside the expanded calling area have wondered why they cannot make free calls home also. The general explanation is that the State Utilities Commission defines the BellSouth calling area, and Bellsouth has no direct control over the inclusion of other cities. There is the possibility that the State Utilities Commission might expand the area to cities like Burlington in the future.

Employees with questions about whether their home lies within the calling area should consult the deans, directors and department heads memorandum or consult for more information. Harward said that this information continues to change since the memorandum came out.

Betty Averette asked if Employees placing local calls in certain systems must continue to use a departmental pin number. Harward said that a feature of the campus system has been departmental restriction of long distance access through pin numbers and authorization codes. Employees prompted to entered authorization numbers for calls within the calling area should not receive bills for the usage, since it will not be charged as long distance.

Averette asked if there will be a way to lift the restriction on some telephone numbers calling what the system sees as long distance, namely the local calling area. Harward said that restrictions on these numbers should have been lifted. However, some numbers are still subject to these restrictions. Harward said that Employees finding these numbers should call 2-8353 to report the number, and telecommunications will make the change. Harward said that any campus Centrex line with the suffix 962, 966, o r 833 should be able to make extended calling area calls for no charge. However, all work station phones might not be able to complete these calls.

Karen Geer asked if the monthly phone bill for campus units would rise to support the extended calling area. Harward said that there should be no adjustment to the line charge ($27/month) through the remainder of the year. (The line charge is the means by which telecommunications supports its overhead and equipment costs.) Telecommunications will monitor the cost of the extended calling area with the possibility that additional charges might be incorporated into the base rate. He added that quite a few unit phone bills might decrease as a result of the per-trunk method of charging for extended area calls. There are estimates that the extension of the local calling area will save the University in excess of $500,000 a year in phone charges.

Harward noted that State appropriations for departmental budgets are based on expenditures from the prior year. He said that some excess funds could become available for departmental use as a result of these phone charge savings.

The Chair thanked Harward for his remarks and for his work to make the extended calling area a reality.

Chair’s Report

The Chair reported that she had the day before attended a meeting with Jack Evans, Susan Ehringhaus, and various officials from the State Department of Transportation and the Town of Chapel Hill on pedestrian safety issues. She said that a committee would soon be appointed to deal with short- and long-term issues. She asked Forum Delegates to consider volunteering for the committee if interested.

The Chair noted that there had been no nominations for the Forum’s Community Award (3-Legged Stool). The Forum Office had placed advertisements in the Daily Tar Heel, but had not received nominations from faculty, students, or staff. She urged next yea r’s Executive Committee to reexamine methods of publicizing the award.

The Chair noted that she had served on the Chancellor, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Administration search committees, the Horace Williams and Master Plan for Central Campus Committees, the University Priorities and Budget Committee, and the 27^{t h} payroll task force this year, among other assignments. She thanked the members of those committees who were strong Employee advocates. In addition, she thanked Linwood Futrelle for standing in for her at various Student Fee Committee meetings.

Committee Reports

Bobbie Lesane, Chair of the Career Development Committee, thanked Ken Perry, Cindy Stone, Forrest Aiken, Erica Phillips, Ron Strauss, and Norm Loewenthal for assisting her group. Ken Perry noted that the New Careers computer lab in the Cheek Building h ad not yet become fully operational.

Kathy Dutton, Chair of the Employee Presentations Committee, thanked Chair Jane Stine for her time, energy and leadership of the Forum this year. She thanked Stine for her endless hours representing the Forum and the University’s Employees, in meetings with Chancellor McCoy, Jack Evans, Laurie Charest, the Forum Executive Committee, and the various University committee meetings. Dutton praised Stine for her willingness to represent the University and to develop recommendations for its improvement. She presented Stine with an engraved frame expressing the Forum’s gratitude.

Dutton said that the Employee Presentations Committee was investigating holding its second community meeting in the first half of the Forum’s January 5 meeting. She said that further details are to follow. She thanked Jean Coble, Jill Mayer, Vicki Pine les, Kim Gardner, and the others who had assisted the committee this year.

Lynn Ray, chair of the Nominating Committee, said that group continues to solicit candidates to run for Forum chair and vice chair. The committee does not plan to meet in December.

Linda Drake, chair of the Orientation Committee, invited all Forum Delegates to attend the Forum’s annual all-day retreat January 21 at the Friday Center. She asked each committee to appoint a representative to describe the group’s work at the retreat’ s committee fair. She thanked all those who served on the Orientation Committee this year.

Martha Barbour, chair of the Personnel Issues Committee, thanked everyone who served with her on the committee and the Forum. She said that of the 25 years she had spent at the University, her two years on the Forum had been the best years she had spent here. She encouraged new Delegates to join the committee and planned to stay on as an “at-large” member.

Betty Averette, chair of the Recognition & Awards Committee, reported the group had not met in November. She thanked LaEula Joyner, Maxcine Barnes, and Verdell Williams for their work this year. She urged continuing Delegates to work to make a difference in the lives of Employees and to “keep being squeaky” with comments and concerns. She urged next year’s committee to continue work to develop recognition programs in various University departments, saying that Employees do deserve that occasional p at on the back.

Denise Childress, chair of the University Committee Assignments Committee, noted that group had made appointments throughout the year. She said that five committee appointments are still outstanding. Childress thanked Dorothy Grant, Joanne Kucharski, and Eileen McGrath for their work this year.

Ken Litowsky reported that the Transportation and Parking Advisory Committee (TPAC) discussed a proposal for an evening parking permit process for those needing access after 5 p.m. The committee is exploring allowing some lots free access while opening other lots up only to those holding evening permits. TPAC will discuss this issue at its next meeting.

The Chair noted that Betty Averette would soon leave her post as representative of the Transportation and Parking Advisory Committee. The Forum will need a representative to replace Averette.

The Chair noted that the Faculty Council had passed a resolution urging the University to renegotiate the Wachovia OneCard contract. After meeting with Jack Evans, the Executive Committee elected to postpone a decision on this subject until the University received a letter of clarification from Wachovia about specific items in the contract.

An Employee asked how the University could find ways for staff Employees to communicate on a peer level about general issues. He suggested a community box or address for emails on things like raffle tickets. Linwood Futrelle noted that the newsgroup unc.general could serve this purpose, but added that commercial messages are not considered appropriate use for the mail system. (The Forum newsgroup, unc.forum, is dedicated solely to discussion of issues of general interest to University Employees, not commercial messages.) The Employee said he would be willing to meet with Futrelle and other Forum members to clarify his idea.

In the absence of further discussion, the meeting adjourned at 11:48 a.m.

Finis Coronat Opus

Respectfully submitted,

 

Matt Banks, Recording Secretary