March 1, 2023 Employee Forum meeting minutes
Delegates Attending: L.E. Alexander, Vanessa Blake, Randall Borror, David Bragg, Tiffany Carver, Elizabeth Dubose, Jay Eubank, Shayla Evans-Hollingsworth, Stephanie Forman, Adrianne Gibilisco, Chrissie Greenberg, Lonnie Hawley, Leah Hefner, Jessi Hill, Shayna Hill, Keith Hines, James Holman, Rebecca Howell, Brigitte Ironside, Kira Jones, Stacy Keast, Amber Meads, Arlene Medder, Mandy Melton, David Michaud, Manisha Mittal, Katie Musgrove, Joseph Ormond, Sara Pettaway, Laura Pratt, Charlissa Rice, Kelly Scurlock-Cross, Lori Shamblin, Theresa Silsby, Sarah Smith, Jake Stallard, James Stamey, Janet Steele, Annetta Streater, Matthew Teal, Julie Theriault, Alice Whiteside, Tracy Wetherby Williams, Tracey Wiley, Michael Williams, Tyrone Williams, Jacob Womack
Chair Katie Musgrove called the meeting to order at 9:18 a.m. She welcomed Provost Chris Clemens to speak in the Forum’s customary roundtable discussion. Clemens recalled attending the opera “Omar” at Carolina Performing Arts this past weekend. He praised the performances and production as “spectacular.” He also recalled attending the inaugural lecture for African-American History Month, saying he felt he had “learned more about history in one hour with this professor than [he had] learned in years.” He noted the great things happening on campus, along with various challenges.
The university is working with the UNC System Office to obtain guidance on the new rule around compelled speech. Clemens thought that the university would narrowly tailor some changes in hopes of satisfying the code while trying to leave most things as they are. He said that the university will not back off of its strategic plan or any of its goals around inclusion and diversity. The university will figure out what guidance to give but this issue will require more work.
Clemens thought that the university had wound down some of the more contentious conversations around the School of Civic Life and Leadership. He thought that discussions were leading in the right direction, in which faculty will direct efforts. Respect will be shown to the prerogatives of faculty as well as to the Board of Trustees’ right to ask the university to do things and hold the institution accountable.
Clemens noted recent protests about accessibility and recalled that the university had achieved passage of a fairly large capital funds request to address deferred maintenance on campus through the Board of Governors and the System Office. Clemens said that the legislature must act on this request to appropriate funds. He said that the university has received a large amount of funds to address these issues in the last couple of years and asserted that the state is engaged and trying to help the university in this area.
Still, with both operational and aging equipment, spares are difficult to find and replace in many campus buildings. He recalled meetings with the Board of Governors in a brand-new building that has only one of three elevators working. There is across the board difficulty with having crews come to repair elevators, partly due to pandemic and supply chain concerns. Clemens said that there has been a lot of activity to ensure that workplaces and classrooms are accessible. He is not at the center of these discussions, but he offered to respond to questions on these issues or others.
Elizabeth Dubose commented that her department had held discussions recently on accessibility and diversity, equity, and inclusion issues. She said that her department did not want to admonish without acting in some way. Clemens thanked the Forum for its constructive approach to these questions, noting that the legislature pays attention to how the university behaves collectively. He said that the university is really at the mercy of the appropriations process. He thought that the more constructive the university can be regarding its needs and the more grateful it can be for past investments, the better the flagship campus will function serving the people of the state. Clemens said that student, faculty, and staff stakeholders and taxpayers deserve state investment to keep the workplace accessible.
The discussion then turned to various elevators and other equipment which require repair. Clemens said that Facilities Services evaluates and inspects each instance. He wondered if the university could do a critical spares analysis or store spares for antique equipment. He mentioned that currently, if a system requires an obsolete part, the repair can be delayed by many months.
The Chair noted questions regarding the new School of Civic Life and Leadership in various Forum meetings this month. She said that staff have concerns over proposing a new school when staff are already stretched so thin. This proposal will require a massive amount of staff infrastructure. The Chair hoped that the university would hopefully move forward in a productive and intentional direction on that front.
Clemens responded that he was pleased that the Chair had used the designation “proposed” when speaking about the school. He said that no substantive work has been done thus far to develop the proposal. Now, there must be discussion as to whether it is the right thing for the university to do, and if so, how it would work and what size it would be. He said that addressing these questions is what faculty do, noting that the university undertook a similar process for a much larger effort for the School of Data Science and Society. He said that process proceeded in a thoughtful way and that this one will proceed similarly.
The Chair then welcomed University Ombuds Officer Dawn Osborne-Adams to speak about the work of her office. Osborne-Adams thanked the Chair for her welcome. She spoke on behalf of the University Ombuds Office, which features fellow Ombuds Officer Joshua Canzona and Assistant Ombuds Officer Victoria Dowd.
Osborne-Adams noted the typical conception of an Ombuds Office as a broad resource for navigating challenging situations. She said that the office is commonly conceived as it relates to conflict, as it was created to work on challenging situations. She said that the office is open to anyone on any issue related to Carolina. There are no jurisdictional constraints or limits about who can visit or what they can bring. Only the Chancellor’s Office and the Ombuds Office have this wide scope of consideration.
Secondly, Osborne-Adams said that the office is committed to an ethical practice: confidential, impartial, informal, and structurally independent from the rest of the university. She said that these ethical standards guide the heart of the Office, as people have a wide-open space to talk freely about whatever they are facing. Ombuds officers help people think about goals and options, and also do macro work through educational workshops. Officers sometimes facilitate among people or amongst groups, with a goal of trying to work in service to everyone on campus at every level to be more thoughtful in decisions about processes.
Osborne-Adams then spoke about the big ideas behind the office and why it exists. She said that everyone often has a different perspective of the same event. The office is a place not necessarily to reconcile those perspectives but to allow people to explore a range of perspectives and possibly also to talk through a situation in the hopes of achieving an understanding. She drew an analogy with a ball of yarn representing the personal experience of everyone on campus, and the office’s role in helping to untangle a tightly-wound and tangled ball. She said that the first key is to figure out the end of the string and to not pull the entire ball tighter prematurely.
Finally, Osborne-Adams noted that everyone on campus exists in a hierarchy. Everyone in a hierarchy is not in the same situation, the same level of authority, or possesses the same level of voice or agency. The Ombuds Office cannot change this characteristic of organizations but can help people access some agency within themselves and perhaps empower them a bit through information to achieve goals.
Osborne-Adams said that she had done a similar presentation for the Provost and the Chancellor’s Joint Cabinet. She thought it important that everyone have the same information. She declared that any problem is solved through interest or rights or power. The Ombuds Office is focused on solving problems through interest, through the luxury of time spent with people to get to the core of their values, hopes, fears, and needs.
The office also exists in a larger organization, the university, in which other units deal with the rights of people to go to EOC or OHR or to a supervisor to determine what policy and rules apply to a situation. People can stand on their rights to obtain a decision about who is right and wrong. Osborne-Adams noted that the university also exists in a system governed by power, in which people in authority may act unilaterally to make others do things that they otherwise would not want to do.
Osborne-Adams said that not every problem can be approached by every one of these systems. She said that the Ombuds Office really does focus on interest but relies on a system of processes associated with rights, and also has individuals with the power to act effectively and appropriately.
The Ombuds Office is a small but mighty team which works from their Franklin Street offices across from the Carolina Coffee Shop. The office no longer takes walk-in appointments, but can meet with people in person, by video, or by phone. Meetings may occur very early in the morning or late at night, as needed. Ombuds services are free and voluntary, with no attendance required.
Osborne-Adams recalled a saying that communication problems are the root of everything that goes wrong in a situation. She said that the Ombuds Office is a place in which people can talk through an issue with someone off-the-record without triggering an obligation for the university to act.
The Office helps people prepare for challenging conversations and the possibility of conflict. Osborne-Adams recalled that rights are at the heart of formal process and reporting. Interest occurs when people need things or want to have a better relationship. However, sometimes discussions deal with the realm of misconduct when a person is trying to decide whether to report another’s behavior to the university. The office can help with this process, but the decision remains with the individual. She hoped that the office’s aid in this grappling process has been helpful.
Osborne-Adams noted team dynamics facing people working on a common goal with limited resources and sometimes not very clear roles. Interpersonal conflict and requests for facilitation are other areas in which the Ombuds Office tries to help individuals when they must talk with another person to get through something. The office is a place in which staff will sit with people and support them in having a conversation that they might otherwise not have.
The office will also visit any unit, school, or division on campus to do a presentation about its work and services offered. Sometimes these discussions touch on conflict resolution. The office is also willing to build a program appropriate for a unit when needed, given appropriate lead time.
Osborne-Adams said that the office is right at or past capacity in terms of consultations it can undertake. Faculty and staff claim the most appointments, followed by graduate students and administrators. Undergraduates have more services at their disposal and do not typically consult the office unless they need a service to figure out a problem that does not fit elsewhere.
Osborne-Adams was proud that the office’s work has touched every part of the university, every division, and every school, over the past two years. The office has also founded the North Carolina Regional Ombuds Group and has hosted Ombuds in the UNC System for meetings. The office participates in the International Ombuds Association. Osborne-Adams noted existing links to good strategies and guidance regarding how campuses can manage conflict better. The office will serve as a community cornerstone institution along with K-12 education and faith leaders to embed skills of dialogue and constructive communication throughout an entire community. Osborne-Adams noted that this later contribution has been studied by scientists to learn how to create better laboratory and research environments.
Osborne-Adams concluded by noting that the UNC community has recently undergone a lot. She said that thoughtful deliberation really helps community members to make better decisions no matter at what level people are working. The Ombuds Office is a proactive resource which helps people arrive at better decisions when they consult earlier in their process. Osborne-Adams said that the office can also serve as a reactive or responsive space in addressing conflict. She said that the phrase “conflict resolution” was taboo to her as it promises too much. Instead, some conflict requires constant reflection about one’s goals and self-care because some conflicts endure. Finally, she observed that the little micro interactions that people have with one another day to day matter a lot.
Elizabeth Dubose asked Osborne-Adams to describe her phrase “thought partnership.” Osborne-Adams said that these relationships are sometimes administrative, in which an administrator simply needs to think through a question with someone, not to obtain any information, clarification, or intervention. In sum, a thinking partner literally provides a more distant and objective perspective on a problem.
James Holman thanked Osborne-Adams and the Ombuds Office for all the support given to the Housekeeping Department in its discussions of many different issues. The Chair gave huge thanks to Osborne-Adams, as well as Joshua Canzona and Victoria Dowd, for their great work on behalf of the university. She termed their work “amazing and valuable.” Osborne-Adams took a moment to mark her late mother’s birthday and how she taught her to be and do good in this world. She recalled her mother stating that there is good in everyone, even if one must sometimes look really hard to find it.
The Chair welcomed Vice Chancellor for Human Resources, Opportunity, and Compliance Becci Menghini to present the Forum’s customary HR update. Menghini praised the Ombuds Office’s work in addressing conflict that never really goes away. She recalled that OHR and EOC (Equal Opportunity and Compliance) are guided by regulations and compliance questions that often do not start in the same place that the Ombuds does. Menghini stressed that is why the two must be partners in this work.
Menghini recalled a talk by a researcher on leadership that summed up current scholarship around two questions between an employee and their employer: Can I trust you? And do you care about me? She was struck about the simplicity of this observation in the context of her work. She said that OHR and EOC are invested in trying to create a community where one feels that people care about you, and that you can trust what is said. Menghini recalled that the researcher transformed these questions into performance review metrics. She said that these questions present an opportunity to discuss issues beyond what an employee is doing for the university. She encouraged other supervisors to consider if similar questions might be useful in their performance reviews. Also, she encouraged non-supervisory employees to flip the script and perhaps ask their supervisors questions based on trust and care.
Menghini said that the General Assembly is now in session, with the House and Senate holding separate discussions about the state budget. The House hopes to issue its proposal by Easter, with the Senate to follow. Menghini had no concrete information yet regarding staff salary increases, though she noted a fair amount of advocacy suggesting that these are needed. Menghini recalled discussions about ranges and about making a request for an added labor market adjustment fund (LMAF), so that when and if ranges are adjusted, there are additional resources available for folks well below their range.
Menghini mentioned previously that the UNC System Office is studying both EHRA and SHRA salary ranges to address concerns that these ranges have not been updated for a long time. She said that the university has already undertaken one labor market adjustment reserve allocation from which some employees received increases.
Menghini emphasized that if the salary ranges move that does not mean everyone will receive an increase at once. Currently, more and more people at UNC-Chapel Hill earn above 100% of their market rate. She said that this is not a normal situation or in the explicit plans of the state moving forward. The intent is instead to understand and regulate the ranges, then the bell curves within the ranges over the long-term. The fact that the state has not given increases over time and has not updated salary ranges means that the current system is not working. The intent to cure this situation is to set ranges then work out how to move employees through these ranges. Additionally, UNC-Chapel Hill will prioritize putting additional campus resources into addressing any adjusted market ranges.
On another subject, Menghini said that OHR is working to reinstate recognition events for employees at the 20-year milestone, as well as reinstating the gift program. More detail will come soon regarding these developments. Menghini reminded attendees about the Employee Wellbeing Expo on Wednesday, March 15th that will provide an opportunity to consider wellness in all facets. OHR has asked deans and leaders to make March 15th a meeting-free day, if at all possible, to allow time to attend the Expo.
Elizabeth Dubose asked about a situation in which her department can only hire research coordinators and assistants that have a bachelor’s degree. People with this qualification often have plans to do something else beyond work in a staff position, leading to considerable turnover, reduced efficiency, and wasted money.
Menghini replied that OHR is aware of the problem and has articulated it to the UNC System Office. However, this is a requirement for now. There is hope for a change with the Office of State Human Resources (OSHR) but she did not count on an immediate revision of the policy. Dubose thought that there needs to be greater flexibility in hiring people with certificates and/or more money to pay these people.
The Chair hoped that there would be more communication about the timeline associated with the performance evaluation process. She said that this area had been problematic last year. Menghini deferred to Linc Butler, Associate Vice Chancellor for Human Resources, and other Communications personnel to ensure good communication about these expectations.
The Chair also commented that not enough supervisors are aware of the expectation that March 15th will be a meeting-free day. Menghini said that communications have gone out to leaders the other day with a request that leaders communicate with supervisors. The Chair said that she had not heard about the meeting-free day outside the Employee Forum. Menghini said that she counts on unit and school leaders to communicate these bulletins to supervisors and others, with broader communications to follow. She did not know the sequencing of these communications beyond the one that went out under her name. Randall Borror indicated via the chat that the School of Medicine had communicated this information well to its supervisors.
The Chair then welcomed Senior Work/Life Manager Jessica Pyjas to provide wellness updates for the Forum. Pyjas noted that the Employee Wellbeing Expo will indeed occur Wednesday, March 15th. She recalled that the email to deans and vice chancellors went out last week, with an all-campus email to follow this morning.
The Expo will be in person back at Fetzer Hall, its previous location in 2019. The Expo will run from 11-2 p.m., but the exhibit hall will open at 9 a.m. for wellness checks provided by the State Health Plan. Appointments for these checks are not required but are encouraged as screening supplies are limited. Time spent attending the Expo is considered work time with supervisor approval. Discounted lunch options will be available at Lenoir Dining Hall, which will also feature a healthy cooking demonstration provided by Carolina Dining Services at 11:45 a.m.
A variety of in-person fitness classes will be held in the Student Recreation Center Studio B starting at 11 a.m., with activity levels from boxing to Pilates to strength training. Smokey the Therapy Dog will visit the Expo from noon to 1:30 p.m. Volunteers will monitor a new play zone with various activities in Gymnasium B, located behind the exhibit hall.
Mammography screenings will be available Saturday morning at different locations before the Expo as well as Wednesday evening. These screenings require follow-up work and sign-up for these ended last Wednesday. The Mammogram bus did not obtain enough people to sign-up, but Pyjas hoped that people who did sign up would be available for the Spring Fling on May 5th.
Pyjas encouraged people to grab a tote bag at the event and then enjoy dance music as well as meditation sessions held at exhibitor’s booths and other activities. She would share the timeline and communications about the event with the Chair to share with the Forum. Pyjas said that volunteers for the event are still needed, with signup available through Friday. More information will also be available in Friday’s Work Well newsletter, as well as the event website.
Pyjas described the variety of other offerings from which employees can benefit. Descriptions are available at the hr.unc.edu/benefits website. Pyjas reported that in February, 123 employees attended three webinars, with much greater participation than recent events. She noted that the Miles for Wellness Challenge will begin on Monday, March 13th. Financial workshops will continue through March as well as wellness workshops led by the State Employees’ Credit Union.
The Governor’s Awards for Excellence nominations are now open through April 14th, recognizing outstanding accomplishments outside of one’s regular job and responsibility. Pyjas said that UNC-Chapel Hill employees have won these awards previously. She hoped that more employees would receive nominations this year.
Pyjas described the variety of discounts available to employees through the Blue 365 deals website. She described how to sign up for this website and obtain the many deals available.
The Chair asked for a motion to approve the consent agenda, asking that committee reports be considered separately. Arlene Medder made this motion, seconded by Janet Steele. The motion was approved without opposition.
There was no report from the Communications and Public Relations committee. Vanessa Blake said that the Forum Book Club will host a discussion on “Where the Crawdads Sing” March 23rd.
Jacob Womack reported that the Community Service committee will begin its March Kindness drive to support the Interfaith Food Shuttle. He asked that delegates use their individual listservs to contact their fellow employees about the drive. Laura Pratt said that the Carolina Blood Drive will take place May 3rd, with the appointment registration link now available, which will be sent out this week. Arlene Medder relayed news that Clare Lorch of the Community Garden was grateful for the Forum’s continued support. The Garden is considering issuing a staff survey in late April.
Janet Steele had no major updates from the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee beyond consideration of possible budgetary items. She thanked the Forum as a whole for its treatment of concerns of interest to the committee. There was no report from the campus level DEI Council.
L.E. Alexander said that the Education and Career Development committee would open professional development grant applications and Carolina Family Scholarship applications as of mid-April. The committee will seek reviewers for both of these endeavors.
Tiffany Carver reported that the Membership & Assignments committee met the previous day to establish the timeline for elections and the verbiage going out to those who are nominated. The Chair encouraged delegates to nominate others for the Forum elections through their local channels.
Leah Hefner said that the Personnel Issues committee has considered several potential resolutions on sexual assault, campus accessibility, the maintenance backlog, and affordable housing. Another resolution will potentially address healthcare and the State Health Plan. The Chair encouraged delegates interested in these topics to reach out to the committee to help develop these resolutions.
Tiffany Carver had no updates from the Recognition & Awards committee beyond needing readers to help with the Peer Recognition Awards process this spring. She would have more information available soon.
Shayna Hill reported that the UNC System Staff Assembly would meet April 3rd & 4th in Raleigh. The Assembly will discuss the policy revision regarding banning compelled speech, with work on a possible proclamation or resolution on this topic. She asked delegates to contribute their viewpoints to her in time for the April meeting. The Chair confirmed that Hill will take her seat as Chair of the Assembly in October, saying that she will be a fantastic leader of that organization.
The Chair made a call for updates from university committee representatives. She noted that the Advisory Committee on Transportation and Parking met for the first time to charge the committee and go through the timeline associated with developing the five-year plan. The Chair advocated providing staff affordable parking options and protecting the lowest paid employees with perhaps an alternative for these employees not to pay to park given their salaries. She offered to take feedback on this committee’s work to its next meeting, along with Vice Chair Keith Hines.
James Stamey of the Buildings and Grounds committee said the group met February 9th to discuss updates on the signage at the surgical tower at UNC Hospitals, to increase accessibility for non-English speakers. Stamey also noted that some of the Swain Lot booths are scheduled to come down as the islands there will be reconfigured which contain gates and parking booths. Access will no longer be associated with a card, as the hardware is supposed to read drivers’ tags. He noted the possible confusion regarding employees driving State government vehicles.
The Chair noted that the Staff Advisory Committee to the Chancellor (STACC) will meet March 17th.
The Chair said that the Forum did not have any old business to discuss. For new business, she welcomed Leah Hefner and Matthew Teal to present the proposed resolution 23-01 on sexual assault and sexual harassment for consideration on first reading. Hefner said that this resolution is based on previous years’ editions. She read the proposed resolution (https://employeeforum.unc.edu/ef-resolution/resolution-23-01-proposed/).
The Chair asked for discussion or questions regarding the first reading of this resolution. Arlene Medder asked if a proclamation requires two readings. Jacob Womack responded that it does not. The Chair recalled that the Forum has traditionally approved these resolutions during Sexual Assault Awareness month in April. Members suggested possible changes to the resolution draft. Hefner pledged to incorporate these changes into the second reading of the resolution, to come in April.
Janet Steele asked about the new One Cards that some employees will now have and whether this change will mean the end of time clocks for hourly employees. She asked if others had information about this question. The Chair proposed that Steele draft an email for submission to OHR seeking information and clarification on the change.
Rebecca Howell noted the change of graduation ceremonies from Sunday to Saturday starting in 2024. She said that this change will have a huge impact on support staff who work this event annually. She hoped to convince the Forum to begin planning early for this big change.
Chair Emeritus Charles Streeter encouraged delegates to discuss Forum service with their fellow employees. He noted that communication patterns have changed with the recent pandemic. Still, he urged delegates to speak about the advantages of Forum service for employees desiring perspective beyond their office. He also encouraged delegates whose term is ending to run for another term. He valued his experiences and friendships made while serving.
The Chair seconded Streeter’s comments. She also noted that the Forum was approached about attending next week’s faculty/administrator orientation meeting, the first of its kind here at UNC-Chapel Hill. The Chair and Vice Chair Hines will make a presentation about the Employee Forum to these new deans and administrators. She also encouraged delegates to follow through with their commitment to serve on at least one Forum committee. Finally, she called for a motion to adjourn. Arlene Medder made this motion, seconded by Janet Steele. The motion was approved by acclamation and the meeting was thus adjourned at 11:15 a.m.
Respectfully submitted, Matt Banks, Recording Secretary