September 21, 2021 Executive Committee minutes
Attending: L.E. Alexander, Sharron Bouquin, Shane Brogan, Tiffany Carver, Jen DeNeal, Phil Edwards, Shayla Evans-Hollingsworth, Stephanie Forman, Adrianne Gibilisco, Natasha Hanks, Shayna Hill, Keith Hines, James Holman, Brigitte Ironside, Arlene Medder, Katie Musgrove, Anthony Lindsey, Brooke O’Neal, Natiaya Neal, Laura Pratt, Kevin Robinson, Matthew Teal, Alice Whiteside, Tracy Wetherby Williams, Jacob Womack
Chair Katie Musgrove called the meeting to order at 11:30 a.m. She invited Tracy Wetherby Williams and Matt Banks to present the Forum’s monthly budget update. Banks said that he had made corrections to last month’s budget as requested. He noted the number of professional development grants awarded this month. Overall, the budget for both accounts equals around $4,600. The Chair clarified that $3,000 of this money is dedicated to the Forum’s blood-drive efforts. Wetherby Williams confirmed that the blood drive’s budget had been completely restored. The Chair noted that the purchase of food for the drives will occur via transfers to other funding sources.
Shayna Hill asked about including a line regarding UNC System Staff Assembly allocation, regarding the Forum’s possible assumption of duties for future Assembly meetings. She anticipated that the Forum budget would be a passthrough for Assembly expenditures that would eventually be reimbursed. The Chair pledged to confer with Vice Chair Keith Hines to discuss this subject, notably the allocation of funds to UNC-Chapel Hill, at the Assembly Chairs’ meeting that month.
Hill noted the range of tasks still needed for the September 29th Chancellors’ Cup golf tournament. The delegation volunteered to help Hill in different ways to meet these needs. James Holman offered SEANC District 25’s help to purchase food items for the day.
The Chair noted that the Forum will meet in a hybrid format for the first time at its October 6th meeting, both via Zoom and in-person at the School of Social Work auditorium. She thanked Tiffany Carver for her work obtaining this reservation for the October, November, and December’s meetings. She proposed that the Forum’s committee meetings remain as virtual Zoom meetings for now.
The committee discussed a first draft of proposed Resolution 21-05 regarding acknowledgment and coding of inclusive religious and reflective holidays. Adrianne Gibilisco noted the current lack of options for non-Christian employees seeking to observe their own religious holidays or days of contemplation. She recalled personal difficulties having her absence on Yom Kippur recognized and coded via TIM as a religious holiday. Others have had to take vacation or sick leave to make these observances.
Gibilisco reported that even those who know how to code religious leave must ask permission of their supervisors to do so. Also, employees must obtain permission to work during Christian holidays to ensure that they do not double-dip their overall holidays taken. The resolution suggests creation of floating religious days to allow holidays to take place as is best for each individual employee.
There was a question as to whether approval of an alternative holiday schedule would require System or even legislative approval. Gibilisco hoped to bring Resolution 21-05 to the UNC System Staff Assembly eventually. Members had other suggestions for wording of the Resolution, and future steps.
The committee then discussed the pros and cons of prescheduling its community meetings each year, in response to administration questions. Members discussed the different kinds of community meetings and practices for publicizing and preparing for each. Stephanie Forman raised contrasts between community meetings’ purpose as a space for employee discussion versus administration presentation of concerns. The Chair proposed administration status reports on progress with Forum initiatives. Jen DeNeal envisioned the Forum’s role as elevating problems for administration awareness, not the creation of problems. She suggested giving administrators “nudges” about items about which the Forum would like updates.
Kevin Robinson reminded the committee that delegates must attend at least two high-level administrative meetings during their delegate term. The Chair asked that this reminder be included in the next Vice Chancellors’ representatives’ invitation to delegates.
In the absence of further discussion, the meeting adjourned at 1:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Matt Banks, Recording Secretary