January 17, 2023 Employee Forum Executive Committee minutes
Attending: L.E. Alexander, Randall Borror, Sharron Bouquin, David Bragg, Shane Brogan, Elizabeth Dubose, Keith Hines, James Holman, Rebecca Howell, Amber Meads, Arlene Medder, Katie Musgrove, Joe Ormond, Sara Pettaway, Laura Pratt, Charlissa Rice, Lori Shamblin, James Stamey, Janet Steele, Annetta Streater, Matthew Teal, Tracey Wetherby Williams, Jacob Womack
Chair Katie Musgrove called the meeting to order at 11:32 a.m. She called for a motion to approve the December minutes. Arlene Medder made this motion, seconded by Janet Steele. The motion was approved by acclamation.
The Chair moved to the monthly budget report. Laura Pratt asked if Matt Banks had reconciled all of the expenses related to the Winter Blood Drive. Banks said that he had not but that he would soon. The Chair asked that the Forum expedite the Forum’s payment for the Community Garden stipend. Banks noted that the cost for the monthly captioning of general meetings is increasing as of this month.
The Chair asked that Banks work with Benny Ramos to obtain a printer for the Forum office to replace the office copier which the Forum had discontinued last year. Banks said that the Forum needs to purchase additional pins and placards for the honorary plaques in the front room. The Chair asked if there were any objections to these expenditures. The committee agreed that these purchases were necessary. The Chair thought that the Forum’s finances were in good shape this year.
Banks said that the Forum Chair would meet with OHR Business Officers Cheryl Gerringer and Candi Daye to work out backup finance protocols for the Forum Program Manager when away from the office. Banks continues work on obtaining a reimbursement from the Chancellor’s Office on a reimbursement for 30th anniversary expenses, as well as UNC System Staff Assembly expenses from October.
The Chair asked that discussion of Forum Bylaws revisions be delayed until February or March. She had provided the Chancellor’s Office a heads-up regarding these possible revisions.
The Chair said that she and Anna Wu had met before the winter break concerning the housekeeping moderated sessions. Facilities Services is planning these meetings with a similar structure to what the Executive Committee discussed in December. She said that the Forum’s involvement with this process likely ends at this point. She asked for feedback from any Service/Maintenance (Division 2) representatives involved in these discussions. The Chair did mention that the Forum had advised that there be some follow-up after these discussions to update attendees on developments. The Chair also recalled that she had asked about obtaining representation for the Employee Forum on the replacement search committee for Anna Wu’s position. This search committee has not yet been named.
Elizabeth Dubose noted differences between abilities of different-sized departments to provide increases for its employees. She worried that these differences constitute a real inequity in the ability to assist employees. The Chair recalled comments from a concerned employee regarding salary compression in Facilities and its effect on employee morale. She asked Jacob Womack if he could comment on this question given his position. Womack said that communication has been reactive on this question from management, leading some to feel blindsided regarding decisions made at the state level. The Chair thought that working on communications issues is something within the Forum’s purview. She understood that there are plans to update other bands, but these have not yet been funded. Meanwhile, managers and others affected by this compression may be upset without further context.
Womack noted the continuing departure of Facilities Services personnel for higher paying positions elsewhere. He said that these people will need retaining or replacement, otherwise university functions will be adversely affected. He recalled that the university already bears $1 billion of deferred maintenance costs.
James Holman said that the Forum needs to recruit more Facilities representatives as delegates. He said that differences among Facilities units are not quickly recognized when only a few delegates work in that area. He recalled that OHR used to run policies by Forum delegates in Facilities, whereas now policies are enacted without this feedback. The Chair recalled that the policy limiting vacation use which had irritated Facilities Services employees had been previously enacted in Housekeeping. She thought that there should be one set of expectations for the entirety of Facilities Services.
James Stamey suggested dividing Division 2 into a Housekeeping division and another division for other Facilities Services employees. Others thought that the Forum needs to find other ways to increase Facilities representation. The Chair hoped that increased representation would occur with the Forum’s upcoming annual elections.
Womack noted that many Facilities employees do not have access to computers to do Zoom meetings for Forum work. The Chair suggested that these employees could attend these meetings via the Forum Office. She also suggested asking the Chancellor or Vice Chancellor Becci Menghini about writing a letter urging supervisors to allow their employees to serve on the Forum, and asking for justification for any refusals.
Members discussed other ways of ensuring representation amongst all interested parties, and the difficulties of guaranteeing representation in a university this large. The Chair noted that she has the power to appoint delegates outside the election process. James Holman thought that many supervisors may resist the idea of one of their employees having direct access to the Chancellor and to OHR. The Chair thought that a discussion of respectful treatment of staff could morph into a request of university leadership to provide direct support during Forum elections. She proposed raising the topic during the upcoming Staff Advisory Committee to the Chancellor meeting that Friday.
Keith Hines thought that the Chancellor would be supportive of asking supervisors to give a reason why they do not support their staff running for election to the Forum. Members discussed the range of potential supervisor responses to this request of the Chancellor. Hines thought that a habitual ‘no’ from departments could be a sign of deeper concerns. Tracy Wetherby Williams noted a similar requirement of hiring managers when they decline to hire an applicant, that they supply some justification for their choice.
Keith Hines confirmed with the Chair that confirmation letters do not go out until delegates have received election. He proposed perhaps a committee of university leaders and Forum officers evaluate responses from supervisors opposing their employees’ standing for election. Matt Banks reported that the Forum usually does not have more than one or two employees who cite refusals from their supervisors when interested in election as delegates. He presumed that employees may eliminate themselves in advance of asking their supervisor for this permission. He noted that many delegates are elected then decide the process is overwhelming or that their time is more limited than previously thought.
The Chair proposed automating the supervisor approval letter via Qualtrics requiring a dropdown list of reasons for refusal. Hines preferred that a supervisor write out the reason for refusal instead. Delegates gave comments in the chat concerning the evaluation system for supervisor responses. The Chair asked that Hines work with Banks and other interested delegates to put together a process for consideration by Chancellor Guskiewicz.
The Chair read a chat question from Rebecca Howell asking if Forum meeting minutes are translated for Housekeeping employees. She said that these meetings are recorded for YouTube, which can provided limited translations. Matt Banks said that there is not a current process to provide these translations. James Holman told the group about his efforts to communicate minutes of interest to fellow employees. Shane Brogan confirmed that YouTube provides auto translation of videos into many different languages via the closed caption settings.
Howell raised another question about whether Housekeeping personnel could perhaps share a delegate position to minimize the impact of service. The Chair recalled that the Forum used to have an alternate system that led to elected alternates feeling unsure of their role in votes and quorum calls.
The Chair noted that the Carolina Black Caucus will hold a meeting on the Carolina Women’s Center on January 25th at 1 p.m. She advocated that the Forum hold a similar listening session.
The Chair recalled Arlene Medder’s point that the Forum should work to update its sexual assault and sexual harassment resolution for passage by April. She encouraged interested parties to work with the Personnel Issues committee on this document.
The Chair also recalled a resolution from Graduate and Professional Student Government regarding creation of a campus budget committee. She shared a draft of the resolution via the Zoom chat. Committee members thought that the resolution made some very good points but felt the resolution needed to be adapted to the Forum’s particular position. Members expressed general frustration with the opaqueness of how money is allocated. Matthew Teal and Leah Hefner said that they would work on adapting this resolution through the Personnel Issues committee.
The Chair noted a suggestion to invite Ombuds Director Dawn Osborne-Adams to address the Forum in February. She noted difficulties could emerge with an invitation to State Treasurer Dale Folwell to speak on the scheduled changeover of State Health Plan administrators. Laura Pratt proposed inviting someone from Campus Recreation to speak on programs available to staff employees. Lauren Mangili was advanced as a possible speaker.
Leah Hefner suggested asking the Associate Vice Chancellor for Real Estate and Campus Enterprises to speak about affordable housing initiatives. The Chair liked this idea but thought that it might work better in March.
The Chair said that the Forum would hold its next Vice Chancellors’ representatives’ meeting February 9th. She asked Vice Chair Keith Hines to possibly host some of the meetings in February, as this is her busy time for her regular job.
Laura Pratt was pleased to welcome L.E. Alexander back to campus following her pregnancy. She said the pair will work on professional development committee efforts for the remainder of the fiscal year. Pratt also reminded the committee that the summer blood drive will occur Wednesday, May 3rd this year, the same day of the May full body meeting of the Employee Forum.
Regarding the upcoming golf tournament, the Chair thought that NC A&T University had agreed to host this year. Keith Hines noted the UNC System Office’s relocation to Raleigh, and its affect on Staff Assembly concerns.
Joe Ormond noted that the Communications and Public Relations committee is scheduled to publish an edition of InTouch this month. The committee will schedule a meeting to this effect soon.
Arlene Medder said that Claire Lorch of the Carolina Community Garden hopes to do another employee survey following one back in 2013. She said that the Garden may ask the Forum’s help with producing or distributing the survey.
In the absence of further discussion, the meeting adjourned at 1:20 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Matt Banks, Recording Secretary