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June 14, 2017

 

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UNC-Chapel Hill Employee Forum

Hitchcock Multipurpose Room, Sonja H. Stone Center

NOTE:  This is a draft agenda and is subject to change without advance notice.

Annual Delegate Portrait to be Taken Before the Meeting; Please be Present and Picture-Ready at 9:00 a.m.!

Meet and Greet with Peer Recognition Award Recipients  (9:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.)

I. Call to Order—Chair Charles Streeter (9:15 a.m. – 9:20 a.m.)

  • Welcome to Guests & Members of the Press

II. Awards Ceremony (9:20 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.)

  • Peer Recognition Award Ceremony
  • Presentation of Certificates to Outgoing Delegates
  • Kay Wijnberg Hovious Outstanding Delegate Awards

III.  Special Presentation (10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.)

  • Herb Richmond, Director of Housekeeping

IV. Human Resources Update (10:15 a.m. – 10:35 a.m.)

  • Vice Chancellor for Workforce Strategy, Equity, and Engagement Felicia Washington
  • Associate Vice Chancellor for Human Resources Linc Butler

V. Consent Agenda (10:35 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.)

VI. Old Business (10:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.)

VII. New Business (11:00 a.m. – 11:25 a.m.)

  • Forum Officer Elections; Remarks from Forum Officer Candidates (candidates may be nominated from the floor)
    • Chair:         Shayna Hill
    • Vice Chair: Kathy Ramsey
    • Secretary:  Kathy James
    • Treasurer:  Naquan Hill
    • Parliamentarian:  Katie Turner

VIII. Announcements/Question (11:25 -11:30 a.m.)

IX.  Adjournment

MINUTES

June 14, 2017 Employee Forum minutes

Delegates Present (who signed in):

Delegates Excused:

The Chair called the meeting to order at 9:34 a.m.  He welcomed Natiaya Neal, Chair of the Forum’s Recognition & Awards committee, to present peer recognition awards to assembled employees.  Neal noted that the Forum had received over 200 nominations for these awards.  She distributed the awards as follows:

  • Back Office Award: Octavia Bullard, Jenny Burton
  • Big Buddy Award: Tasha Hudson McKiver, Maggie Jensen
  • Call of Duty Award: Bill Adams, Zanetta Bailey, Kenneth M. Brooks, Gloria Camarena, James Holman
  • Congeniality Award: Trinnette Cooper, Karen Gilliam
  • Customer Service: Denise Allen, Doug McAllister
  • Milestone Award: Ron Miller
  • Rookie Award: Damian Agers, Brandy Battisto
  • Unsung Hero Award: Evette Clement, Helena Knego

The Chair praised the winners who were recognized for achievement and outstanding efforts on behalf of the University.  He also thanked Debbie Cross of Human Resources Accounting for processing the $35 stipend checks which accompany the awards.

The Chair distributed certificates to outgoing Forum delegates, including Lois Douglass-Alston, John Williams, Sharon Brinson, Clare Counihan, Phillip Edwards, Chrissie Greenberg, David Fraley, Lori Haight, Shayna Hill, James Holman, Kathy James, Michael Penny, Heather Lewis, Katie Musgrove, Ben Triplett, Susan Lucas, Mary King, Krista Prince, Nakenge Robertson, Greg Smith, and Katie Turner.  He noted that a number of these delegates have been reelected or reappointed to remain on the Forum.  He also noted that Ben Triplett had been named the Director of Custodial Services at Washington State University.

The Chair presented the Kay Wijnberg Hovious Outstanding Delegate Awards to delegates who have served the Forum and the University above and beyond the call of duty.  He was proud to present the awards to Shayna Hill, Katie Musgrove, and Kathy Ramsey.

The Chair welcomed Director of Housekeeping Herb Richmond to provide an update on happenings in his department.  He noted regarding the department’s attendance policy that twenty-five people of 400 surveyed had raised concerns about the policy.  He said that fifty employees had perfect attendance this last quarter.  He proposed to address the Forum again in September.

Associate Vice Chancellor for Human Resources Linc Butler presented the Forum’s customary Human Resources update.  He noted that the Legislature hoped to pass its budget by the following week.  He said that the Governor’s budget would provide State employees a 2% raise or $800, whichever was greater, with an additional $500 bonus.  The Senate version would provide a 1.5% raise or $750, whichever was greater, and the House $1000 raise this and next fiscal year along with five days of special leave off.  He noted that this version of bonus leave is different than before as it would not last beyond the end of the fiscal year and would not be subject to payout upon departure from the University.  Butler said that much remains in the negotiation process which would reveal more later this month.

Butler noted that language in the House and Senate budget bills would extend pay out for two years, a departure from previous budgets.  The Governor will have ten days to sign or veto the budget which will emerge from conference committee.  He would keep the Forum posted on events in the Legislature.  Katie Turner asked about the State Health Plan’s audit of dependent eligibility which will conclude July 31.  Butler said that the State Health Plan had conducted a similar audit many years ago.  The University’s Office of Human Resources will provide training to departments and individuals on responding to this audit through July 31st.  He said that the University is working with General Administration and the State Treasurer’s Office to handle questions raised by the audit.  He said that his office was bound to help the Treasurer’s Office in this move towards fiscal responsibility, however he said that the timing for the UNC System was poor.

Alan Moran related that a dependent of an employee will soon reach his 26th birthday, leading him to no longer qualify under his parent’s State Health Plan coverage.  He said that he could not get release from the State Health Plan to obtain his own coverage for three months, leading him to lack coverage for this time.  Moran asked if this situation had happened to other employees or their dependents.  Butler said that this was the first he had heard of an employee or their dependent having problems obtaining release from the State Health Plan.  He suggested that the employee contact the Human Resources Benefits Office directly, particularly to speak with Benefits Manager Shauna Stackhouse.  Moran noted that employees or dependents having a lapse in service may suffer penalties if the Affordable Care Act is repealed.

Katie Musgrove asked what date the legislative salary increases would take effect.  Butler said that these increases typically are retroactive to July 1st, but the final decision remains with the Legislature.

Director for Organization and Professional Development Mark Haapala asked the delegation how many had filled out the recent professional development surveys.  He asked delegates to communicate the need to fill out the survey to their colleagues.  He was excited that the Chancellor has selected professional development as a priority issue in her administration.  Haapala said that the professional development surveys were addressed to supervisors and line employees.  The supervisor version asked about the needs of reports, particularly ways to improve decisions to build, buy and curate marketing strategies.  Haaapala said that the survey will be open until July 24th and should take ten minutes tops.  Employees filling out the survey could enter a drawing for an iPad mini.  So far, six-hundred five non-supervisors and two-hundred seventy-three supervisors have filled out the survey.

Clare Counihan asked if Haapala planned to share results from the survey.  Haapala said his office will put together a report broadly sharing information.  The Chair proposed to send out notification about the survey to University employees.  Arlene Medder asked if the survey will contain unit end data about the use of tuition credits for UNC campuses and community colleges.  Linc Butler said that General Administration is trying to expand this program but he did not know if these plans were moving ahead.

The Chair asked for a motion to approve the consent agenda, noting that the minutes from May were not yet ready.  Katie Musgrove asked that committee reports be moved out of the consent agenda.  Phillip Edwards said that Musgrove’s request is approved without a vote.

Katie Musgrove said that the Community Service committee will meet after the full delegate meeting.  She said that the committee’s annual report is on the Forum website.

Kathy James said that the Membership & Assignments committee has continued work on the agenda for the July 12th Forum retreat.  She also noted that the Forum’s 25th anniversary event will take place the first week of October.  She asked delegates’ opinions about possible dates.

Ricky Roach said that the June Blood Drive had run smoothly.  He said that the 2017 drive secured 786 pints from 648 donors, a bit short of the committee goal but still commendable.  Roach said that the Carolina Blood Drive has collected 32,714 pints of blood since 1988.  The committee will look at the December drive planning soon.

The Chair noted that the Forum Bylaws changes were ready for discussion on first reading.  He said that these changes would see further discussion at an upcoming Forum meeting.

The Chair noted that he had delegate placards made in response to a suggestion by Tiffany Carver.  He hoped that delegates would feel free to bring their issues, concerns, and suggestions to the Forum.  He urged new delegates to stay following the meeting to pick up their Forum t-shirts.

Phillip Edwards officiated the Forum elections.  He noted that delegates would have the opportunity to vote in one combined ballot following statements from candidates.

Edwards said that the Forum would accept self-nominations from delegates from the floor.  There were no nominations for Forum Chair or Forum Vice Chair.  Katie Turner nominated Tiffany Carver to run for Forum Secretary opposing current Secretary Kathy James.  There were no further nominations for Forum Treasurer or Parliamentarian.

Tiffany Carver said that she had been involved with the Forum several years and had nudged herself towards a leadership position.  She said that the Forum’s work was very important for staff employees.  If elected, she pledged to take seriously and support the Forum’s mission as best as she could.  She emphasized that she loved the University and was a Tar Heel.

Kathy James said that she had served as Secretary the previous two years.  She enjoyed her work as the organizer of Forum socials and other Forum events.  She has served the University for 21 years and felt that she knew everyone on campus.

Clare Counihan asked why delegates were required to sign their Forum officer ballots.  The Chair said that North Carolina’s general statutes on public records require signatures on ballots or hand-raising to elect officers.  He said that if a position is not contested, a voice vote is sufficient.

Katie Musgrove asked about scheduling a new date for the Forum’s rope course.  The Chair said that this decision would lie with the Forum’s incoming Chair.

Clare Counihan noted that the Education and Career Development Higher Education mini-conference had gone very well, with one-hundred seven people registering for spaces.  She thanked the Forum for its support for this great event.

Phillip Edwards had counted ballots with David Fraley while the meeting continued.  He then announced the results of the Forum election:  Shayna Hill was elected Chair, Kathy Ramsey Vice Chair, Tiffany Carver Secretary, Naquan Hill Treasurer, and Katie Turner Parliamentarian.

Kathy Ramsey commented that this was Chair Charles Streeter’s last meeting as Forum Chair.  She greatly hated to see him go.  The Forum gave him a round of applause.  The Chair sang a few bars from an opera to mark his departure.

Dustin Morris asked about obtaining parking permits for the July 12th retreat.  Matt Banks said that he would mail out these permits electronically closer to the event.  David Rogers noted that the ropes course is undergoing renovations that will make the Forum’s rescheduling fortuitous.

In the absence of further discussion, the meeting adjourned by acclamation at 11:02 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,

 

Matt Banks, Recording Secretary

“Finis Coronat Opus”

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