Agenda – October 4, 2000
9:15 a.m. – Forum Portrait on Steps of Wilson Library!
9:30 a.m.– Assembly Room of Wilson Library
I. Call to Order
- Welcome Guests, Members of the Press
III. Special Presentations (tentative)
- Women’s Center Director, Dr. Diane Kjervik
- Dr. Tim Sanford, Records Retention Program
VI. Employee Presentations or Questions
VII. Human Resources Update
- Laurie Charest, Associate Vice Chancellor, Human Resources
VIII. Approval of Minutes of the September 6, 2000 meeting P
IX. Unfinished Business
- Forum Guidelines Review
X. Stretch Time
XI. New Business
- Fall Community Meeting
- Three Legged Stool Award
XII. Forum Committee Reports
- University Committee Assignments: John Heuer
- Recognition and Awards: Joanne Kucharski
- Personnel Issues: vacant
- Orientation: Bobbie Lesane
- Nominating: Karen Geer
- Employee Presentations: Kathy Dutton
- Communications: Suzan deSerres
- Forum Newsletter
- Career Development: Bobbie Lesane P
XIII. Chair’s Report (Executive Committee): Joanne Kucharski P
- Salary Pay Plan
- Tuition Waiver for Summer Session Pilot
- University/Installation Day
- Search Committees
- Faculty/Student/Staff Meeting
XIV. Task Force/University Committee Reports
- Pedestrian Safety Committee—Jill Mayer/Sheila Storey
- Transportation & Parking Advisory — Chris Barfield
- Transit System Improvement Committee — Joanne Kucharski
- Master Plan Executive Steering Team—Joanne Kucharski
- University Priorities & Budget— Joanne Kucharski
XV. Announcements/Questions
XVI. Adjournment
P = Included in Agenda Packet
MINUTES
Minutes
October 4, 2000
Delegates Present
Forrest Aiken
Brenda Ambrose-Fortune
Chris Barfield
Anita Booth
Maceo Bullock
Suzan deSerres
Kathy Dutton
Monisia Farrington
Linda Ford
Jeffery Fuchs
Karen Geer
Dorothy Grant
Tracey Haith
Shelby Harris
John Heuer
Diane Hill
Tom Jenswold
Karen Jordan
Ramona Kellam
Joanne Kucharski
Bobbie Lesane
Denise Mabe
Jill Mayer
John Meeker
Margaret Moore
Lynn Ray
Cathy Riley
Diane Strong
Cindy Stone
Sheila Storey
Darian Sturdivant
Joanne Terry
Robert Thoma
Elaine Tola
Susan Toppin
Laurie Charest“
“ = Ex-Officio
Delagates Absent
Terry Barker
Deedra Donley
Michael Hawkins
Ken Perry
Rickey Robinson
Joanna E. Smith
Rita Stone
Michael Ullman
Chanetta Washington
Jane Stine“
Excused Absences
Alternates Present
Tommy Griffin
Peter Landstrom
Christine Morrison
Guests
Diane Kjervik
JoAnn Pitz
Scott Ragland
Nora Robbins
Call to Order, Welcome to Guests
Chair Joanne Kucharski called the meeting to order at 9:30 a.m. She welcomed members and guests to the meeting, and asked Kathy Dutton to introduce the day’s first special presentation.
Dutton introduced Diane Kjervik, a professor in the School of Nursing and the first director of the Carolina Women’s Center. Kjervik noted that the Center is moving to Airport Road from the Steele Building. She has three work-study students working in her office and is looking for a part-time secretary. Employees interested in this position should contact her later for more information about this opportunity.
Kjervik thanked the Forum for its involvement in the effort to bring about the Women’s Center. She noted that the Forum had made its recommendation for the creation of the Women’s Center early on. The purpose of the Women’s Center is to promote the wellbeing of women on campus, although it will certainly welcome the help of men in this endeavor. Originally, Chancellor Hardin had recommended a survey on women’s issues at Carolina. The resultant report recommended creation of a Women’s Center, with which Chancellor Hooker moved ahead.
This report documented factors affecting the lives of female staff, faculty, and students on campus, although the findings were more directed to faculty and students. However, the Carolina Women’s Center, unlike those at Duke and North Carolina State, is devoted to improving the welfare of all three campus groups. Duke and North Carolina State’s programs are devoted only to students.
The Women’s Center reports to the Provost’s Office. From its inception, Marsha Collins has worked to involve staff in its deliberations. Five staff, faculty, and student positions have been reserved on the advisory board to work directly with the Center’s leadership. The staff positions were filled immediately, while it has been more difficult to fill the faculty and student positions. Kay Hovious, Angela Scott, Paula Schubert, Trevaughn Eubanks, and Angela Carmon are the five staff representatives to the advisory board. An additional ex-officio member from the Forum will also be appointed, in consultation with the University Committee Assignments Committee.
Kjervik has tried to find out what are staff needs and will try to provide advocacy services to formal and informal groups. The Center will also provide education services during Women’s Week and throughout the year, through hosting speakers, musical groups, and other campus events. The Center will seek to refer interested students to agencies throughout the community, such as the Rape Crisis Center.
Kjervik noted that the University wanted to celebrate those campus members who had done something outstanding in the course of their work. She thought that the StarHeels and Prize Patrol programs were good ways to recognize the unsung heroes of the University community. She hoped that the Women’s Center could play a role to improve Employees’ lives in the areas of child care, spousal hiring, career development, campus security, and women’s health, among other areas. She looked forward to studying the University’s mission and finding ways to work with the Forum and with staff to make the University a better place to work.
The Women’s Center is located at 920 Airport Road, in the Cedar Ridge office complex, past the police department. Soon, the Center will relocate to West House, once renovations are complete.
Human Resources Update
Associate Vice Chancellor for Human Resources Laurie Charest noted she had a number of updates. The health insurance enrollment period is now complete, and no further changes will be accepted until next year. The majority of changes have been from Employees moving from a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) to the State Health Plan.
With regard to the North Carolina Flex program enrollment, the State has sent a memorandum to all eligible Employees. This same information has gone to Human Resources facilitators. Employees should refer their information booklets soon, although the Office of State Personnel has experienced a delay due to contract difficulties. The University has asked whether this delay would mean an extension of the enrollment deadline, and the Office has replied only that there could be an extension depending on how long it takes to unravel the problem. The current deadline is November 9, and Employees should make their plans on this deadline unless they hear otherwise. Enrollment booklets will be sent to campus addresses as soon as they are available. Charest said that the situation should not present a problem if it resolves itself in the next day or two.
Charest reminded Delegates that the last portion of the $500 bonus would be paid in the October 20 paycheck for SPA Employees, and the October 31 paycheck for EPA Employees. Employees must be permanent Employees who were on the payroll as of April 1, 2000. A Frequently Asked Questions document about the bonus is available on the Human Resources website at http://www.ais.unc.edu/hrThis statement addresses Employees who have been out on disability leave and other topics.
Charest reported that Human Resources would work with its counterparts at North Carolina State to release a request for projects (RFP) for an SPA salary survey. The group expects to receive proposals from interested firms October 19. The selected firm will work with Human Resources to finalize benchmark positions, identify and gather data from markets about cash compensation analyze survey data and interpret results. Charest was excited about the salary survey and thought that the survey would o important things for campus staff by quantifying the relationship with relevant labor markets. She also thought that the survey would help in dealings with the Legislature and the Office of State Personnel in discussions about staff salary problems.
Data from the survey will possibly be used to discuss possible changes in the campus salary plan. Additionally, the data will help establish priorities for campus in-range adjustments. Of course, the University does not have enough money to do everything it needs to be done.
Christine Morrison asked how long it would take to complete the survey. Charest said that if everything goes to plan, it would take three months to complete the work.
Bobbie Lesane asked if data would be collected via mail or on-line. Charest said that whichever firm receives the bid will likely have already compiled data from other universities and firms. This data will likely be automated into a database, and the firm will compile data from the two universities into this database. Charest said that the RFP did not specify how the firm is to collect the data, whether by phone, mail, or web surveys.
Suzan deSerres asked when the RFP would release a final list of studied positions. Charest said that the RFP includes a draft list of positions, but the final list would depend on which positions have good matching market data. Campus representatives will meet to review benchmark positions to explore the possibility of changes early in the project.
Moving to other business, Charest noted that the StarHeels Employee recognition program had gotten underway thanks to a $10,000 sponsorship from TIAA-Cref. The program will enable applying departments to recognize 500 Employees with $20 gift certificates. Departments will be able to recognize their Employees immediately without waiting for the annual review cycle. Human Resources facilitators will serve as departmental liaisons to inform Employees about the program. The first two StarHeel recipients were Forum Chair Joanne Kucharski and Faculty Chair Sue Estroff. The Chair noted what a surprise it had been to receive the award, since she had been a member of the StarHeel organizing committee.
Dorothy Grant asked what had occurred with Carolina Premier closing its Highway 54 office after the enrollment deadline. Doctors at that office are now moving to Durham. Charest said that these changes could happen at any time with an HMO. Charest did not know that the closing had happened after the signup period.
Susan Toppin asked if Human Resources knew how many StarHeels awards would be given. Charest said that letters outlining the program had been mailed yesterday. All departments will receive an allocation of awards. If the awards are not used by the end of April, they will be reallocated.
Elaine Tola asked how departments would know how many people could be nominated for the StarHeels award. Charest said that departments would have the option to make one nomination a month. The Chair noted that the award format will resemble the “Prize Patrol” Employee Forum recognition awards. The committee did not want to establish a lot of rules that might discourage nominations.
Cindy Stone asked if TIAA-Cref planned to award the University $10,000 every year for this program. Charest hoped that the company would, but said that the current commitment now stands at 3 years.
The Chair thanked Charest for her role in writing the proposal to TIAA-Cref, which won in competition with others around the country.
Approval of the Minutes
The Chair moved to approval of the minutes. Cindy Stone noted that the roster of attendees listed was incorrect. Forum Assistant Matt Banks said he would correct the roster. With this change, the minutes were approved by acclamation.
Unfinished Business
The Chair moved to consideration of the Forum Guidelines revisions, submitted by the Executive Committee. She noted that the revisions had been posted on the web with the monthly agenda packet. The committee indicated deletions by striking through the relevant passage, and indicated additions with italics. The Chair said that most of the changes involved moving up the election process a month and expanding the role of ex-officio officers.
The Chair noted that two readings, over a period of two meetings, are required to approve revisions of the Guidelines. The first major revision addressed the worktime attendance of Forum alternates at monthly meetings. Chancellor McCoy had agreed to this change last year with the understanding that any attendance must occur with supervisor approval. The proposed change makes this condition explicit.
The Chair asked Charest if she recalled whether the original Guidelines writers wanted membership to be extended to part-time, permanent Employees. Charest said that originally, part-time (20 hours+ a week), permanent Employees are eligible to serve on the Forum. Forum members said they would be comfortable allowing part-time Employees to serve.
One proposed change outlined how delegate seats are apportioned among different divisions.
The Chair noted that Delegates would now be asked to serve 26-month terms in order to accommodate the new officer election plan. This plan will take place starting in 2001.
All Forum officers would serve an ex-officio term for whatever time they can commit. Officers would advise the Forum as a whole and the committee of that they chaired during their active year (Chair, Executive; Vice-Chair, Employee Presentations; Secretary, Nominating).
The quota, or number of Delegates present to begin a meeting, would be reduced from 50% of the membership to 33%, plus one delegate.
The timetable for the election of Forum officers would be advanced one month, and outgoing Delegates would join incoming and continuing Delegates in voting for officers each December.
The Forum would be allowed to move or suspend meetings occurring during weeks in which a holiday falls. This revision grew out of the realization that the Forum is scheduled to hold a meeting January 3, 2001, the same week as the New Year’s holiday.
Attendance at the annual retreat would now be formally required of all Forum Delegates.
The Executive Committee would be responsible for reviewing the Forum Guidelines each year. It was noted that the Forum had previously agreed to ask the Executive Committee to review the Guidelines every other year. Charest expressed a worry that the Forum might impose upon itself a requirement that it might not need to fulfill every year. She thought it might be best to leave this point open to future interpretation.
John Heuer moved that the word limit for written Forum officer biographical sketches be extended to 250 words from the previous 100 word limit. Kathy Dutton seconded the motion, and the motion was approved by acclamation. This revision will be included in the package of proposed Guidelines revisions to be considered by the Forum in November.
New Business
Kathy Dutton announced that the fall community meeting would take place Thursday, October 26, from 9:30-11 a.m. in Gerrard Hall. Chancellor James Moeser will be the featured speaker. This will be an all-campus community meeting to which faculty and students as well as staff are invited.
The Chair passed out nomination forms for the Forum’s Community Award (3-Legged Stool). The Recognition & Awards committee hopes to resurrect the award this year. The Forum has not presented the award the last two years. The committee has sent a copy of the award criteria to the University Gazette, and will submit the criteria to the Daily Tar Heel and the Faculty Council. She noted that the committee had seen good results with a no-frills nomination form. The Executive Committee will consider candidates at its November meeting.
Committee Reports
John Heuer, chair of the University Committee Assignments Committee, reported the group had last met September 19. The committee submitted nominations for the Sexual Harassment Advisory Committee and the Chancellor’s Pedestrian Safety Committee. The committee is still waiting to hear confirmation of appointments to childcare, grievance and trademark licensing committees. The committee also seeks representatives on the performance management and pay advisory board, which meets twice a year.
The committee has also explored possible procedures to govern when representatives’ terms end on their respective University committees. The University Committee Assignments Committee will generally try to appoint new Employees to University committees in the interest of encouraging a broad representation of staff. However, in certain circumstances such as the need for continuity or confidentiality, committee members will be reappointed.
Joanne Kucharski, chair of the Recognition & Awards committee, noted that group would be occupied with planning for the staff processional at University Day October 12. The rain site for the Chancellor’s Installation will be in the Smith Center, but if skies are clear the Installation will occur on Polk Place. The committee has taken over coordinating the staff processional from the Special Projects office. Forum officers Kathy Dutton and Karen Geer will lead the staff processional, followed by the six previous Forum chairs, and other current Forum Delagates, and then departmental representatives.
It was noted that the Faculty Council has decided to devote part of their October meeting to a discussion of benefits issues. That meeting will take place October 20 from 3-5 p.m. in the Wilson Library Pleasants Family Assembly Room.
Bobbie Lesane, chair of the Orientation committee, noted that group continues its search for a chair. The group will meet again October 5 and 19 in 101 Rosenau to plan the October 20 orientation, catering for the December 6 meeting, and the January retreat.
Karen Geer, chair of the Nominating committee, read the list of newly elected Delagates and alternates. She thanked the Chair for her work in automating the counting process. She also thanked the members of her committee for their work on the election.
Kathy Dutton, chair of the Employee Presentations committee, reported that UNC System Vice President for Human Resources Ron Penny is scheduled to make a special presentation to the Forum in November. Director of University Records Tim Sanford also may appear next month.
Suzan deSerres, chair of the Communications committee, noted that the StarHeels program is the featured item in the Forum newsletter InTouch. There will also be an article highlighting the Career Development committee.
Bobbie Lesane, chair of the Career Development committee, noted that no one had yet stepped up to serve as next year’s chair. The committee hopes to send out its flier on the staff and management training responsibilities around the end of the year. The cost of sending the flier to approximately 6,800 Employees will be around $480, according to recent estimates. The group will meet next October 19.
Chair’s Report
The Executive Committee had received a list of the University’s 2001 legislative priorities at its September meeting. Among these proposals were several items favorable to University Employees, including an extension of health benefit subsidies to family members.
The Executive Committee will also be asked to provide opinions on the University’s salary pay cycle at its October meeting.
The Chair continues work with Nora Robbins and Jim Murphy on the staff tuition waiver for summer school attendance. She hoped to have a proposal to the Provost’s office by the end of October. This benefit would be significant for Employees desiring to take classes in the summer.
The Chair noted that Employees are invited to a picnic on the lawn following University Day festivities October 12.
The Chair reported that she had received an email from Sue Estroff, chair of the faculty, concerning the plans of the UNC Public Service Workers Union 150 on South Building October 12, at the same time as University Day. Estroff had asked whether there was an association between UE 150 and the Forum, and the Chair replied that there was not. Estroff said that the e-mail was sent to encouraging faculty to protest during the University Day festivities.
The e-mail said that UNC public service workers were asking to negotiate with campus administrators given unfair reorganization of their department, in order to establish job security, fight job discrimination and secure regular wage increases. It asked students and the University community to gather at Polk Place on the steps of South Building October 12 from 11 a.m.-noon. The Chair commented that this protest could lead to a difficult situation for the campus on what was meant to be a day of celebration.
Dorothy Grant asked why Estroff assumed that the Forum had anything to do with this protest. The Chair thought that Estroff was still learning about the different staff associations on campus, although is a strong advocate of staff interests.
The Chair asked if anyone knew anything in particular about this group or its organizers. It was noted that UE 150 had grown out of the Housekeepers’ Association. A delegate noted that the Association had picketed the 1995 University Day festivities, also.
University Committee/Task Force Reports
The Provost and Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration search committees have almost completed their work. Dr. Robert Shelton of the University of California at Davis is expected to take office as University Provost February 1. Dr. Nancy Suttenfield of Case-Western University is expected to take office as Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration November 20. Forum representatives were closely involved with the recruitment of both of these fine people.
Sheila Storey reported that the pedestrian safety advisory committee is in the process of gearing up again after submitting its report to ex-Chancellor McCoy in the spring.
Chris Barfield reported that the Transportation and Parking Advisory committee had met to discuss its agenda for the year. Among the items on the docket will be the University Master Plan, the five-year capital plan, and appeals process revisions. The committee plans to meet monthly until the spring.
The Chair noted that the Transportation and Parking Advisory committee is tied to the city transit system improvement committee that the Town of Chapel Hill formed to study its transit system. This later committee features people from the town and the University to look at ways the campus can coordinate to improve the transit system. The Chair will serve on both of these committees, and Vice Chancellor for Auxiliary Services Carolyn Elfland will serve in an ex-officio capacity.
The Chair commented that she was amazed that the Transportation and Parking Advisory committee met so infrequently. She urged the committee to consider the issue of intracampus transit and Point2Point funding. She further thought that the University needed to be able to move people quickly around campus before it can gain the trust to move Employee parking off of campus to satellite lots.
The Chair noted that the Town of Chapel Hill had appointed a new transit director from Virginia.
The University Priorities and Budget committee has considered around 100 proposals for a pool of money from the Provost’s office. Committee members have read through the proposals and ranked them in the order of how they match the University’s mission. Winning proposals, selected via a cumulative point system, will be made public as soon as the selection process is complete.
In the absence of further discussion, the meeting adjourned at 11:08 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Matt Banks, Recording Secretary