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.
I. Call to Order & Consent Agenda—Chair Charles Streeter (9:15 a.m. – 9:25 a.m.)
- Welcome to Guests & Members of the Press
- Approval of December Minutes, Consent Agenda (SharePoint Link, Delegate-Only Access)
II. Special Presentations (9:25 a.m. – 9:35 a.m.)
- Captain C. M. Bullock on Community Police Academy
III. Human Resources Update – Associate Vice Chancellor for Human Resources Linc Butler (9:35 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.)
IV. Old Business (10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.)
V. New Business (10:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.)
VI. Forum Committees (10:30 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.)
- Communications and Public Relations: Kelli Raker
- Community Service: Katie Musgrove
- Carolina Blood Drive: Ricky Roach
- Carolina Community Garden Advisory:
- Education and Career Development: Katie Cartwell/LaToya Taylor
- Carolina Family Scholarship: Jacquelyn Copeland
- Membership & Assignments: Kathy James
- Personnel Issues: Bryan Andregg
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- Compensation & Benefits: Christine Greenberg
- Legislative Action: Phil Edwards
- Staff Relations, Policies & Practices: Ben Triplett
- Recognition & Awards: Natiaya Neal
- UNC System Staff Assembly: Kathy Ramsey/James Holman/Charles Streeter/Kewana Smith
- Executive Committee: Charles Streeter
VII. Announcements/Questions (11:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.)
VIII. Adjournment
MINUTES
January 11, 2017 Employee Forum minutes
Attending (those who signed in): Bryan Andregg, Bonita Brown, Clare Counihan, Mary Dahlsten, Phillip Edwards, Christine Greenberg, Shannon Harvey, Shayna Hill, Mary King, Jackie Overton, Krista Prince, Kathy Ramsey, Ricky Roach, David Rogers, Greg Smith, Kewana Smith, Charles Streeter, Ben Triplett
Excused Absences: Sharon Brinson, Lori Haight, James Holman, Karen Jenkins, Katie Musgrove, Natiaya Neal, Debbie Norton, Michael Penny, Paula Poe, Katie Turner
Chair Charles Streeter called the meeting to order at 9:17 a.m. He noted that attendance was light that day due to the recent snow days and the first day of classes. He noted that the current class of Forum delegates has six months remaining in their term. He noted that the Carolina Higher Education mini-conference, the professional development grant program, notary public instruction classes, the Forum book club, the 25th anniversary event, and the Forum elections are but some of the items to take place over the next six months. He hoped that delegates would participate in finding sponsors for the May Chancellors’ Cup golf tournament. The peer recognition banquet, the June blood drive, and the July retreat all are items on the agenda for the current Forum.
The Chair asked for a motion to approve the consent agenda for January, most notably to approve the December minutes. Mary Dahlsten made this motion, seconded by David Rogers. There were three abstentions to this motion, which was approved. It was noted that a quorum for the Forum is one-third of the active membership, according to its Bylaws.
The Chair introduced Captain Connie Bullock and Sergeant James David of the UNC Police to speak on the Citizens’ Police Academy. Captain Bullock noted that the UNC Police Department has broken off from the Department of Transportation and Parking. The two entities were once combined in the Department of Public Safety, but no longer.
Bullock said that the Citizens’ Police Academy will address what police do related to procedural justice relating to the entire campus. Because of activities against police in 2016, this has been a tumultuous year for police and citizens. Thus, the Academy has gained particular weight in recent months. Bullock distributed fliers describing the Academy to delegates for distribution to campus units. He noted the Academy goal to build healthy relations between police officers and citizens, both to keep safe and to serve the community.
Sergeant David said that the Academy will allow participants to find out the reasons for different police procedures. Participants will have the chance to respond to mock calls. Areas of study will include Patrol, Criminal Investigations, and Community Oriented Policing, among others. A delegate asked if there were a cost for enrollment in the Academy. Bullock said that there is no cost but participants are expected to attend all but two of the classes, scheduled for Thursday evenings from 6-8 p.m. Bonita Brown said that she had participated in a similar class in Burlington. She said that the class had been awesome and that she had learned a great deal.
Shayna Hill noted that the School of Dentistry had sought de-escalation training for its faculty and staff, as many departments have upset patients and students with poor interaction skills. She asked if this training were available to campus units. David said that there is no formal training offered aside from a week-long class offered to supervisors. Bullock noted that de-escalation skills are taught to law enforcement officers in a week-long class. He said that this suggestion could be a good one for the Citizens’ Police Academy.
Noreen Montgomery asked if participants must pass a test to complete the Academy coursework. David said that this was not part of the Academy. Mary King commented that the Academy could reveal how people should react if stopped by police on the road or elsewhere. Bullock said that the 2 a.m. traffic stop requires officers and citizens to balance safety and possible violations so that all go home happy and go home. He noted that 2016 had been a hard year for the police.
Associate Vice Chancellor for Human Resources Linc Butler presented the Forum’s customary Human Resources update. He noted that the University had experienced Condition 2 Adverse Weather from 9 p.m. Sunday night to 6 a.m. Wednesday morning. He said that the challenging freezing temperatures made it very difficult to clear ice from sidewalks, doorways, and roads. He noted that under Condition 2, non-mandatory employees must not report to work and must use leave to account for time away from work. Butler said that meetings regarding adverse weather conditions continue at UNC General Administration, as each System campus is run as a small town or city.
Ricky Roach asked about equal time off worked for time worked during adverse weather for mandatory employees. Clare Counihan noted that some employees can work from home whereas others cannot. She asked if there was any consistency between these two situations. Butler said that the status of these employees depends on the supervisor and the type of work the employee performs. He said that there is no specificity in the policy around that. Christine Greenberg asked how managers can explain to their staff how some employees can work at home and others cannot. She observed that the disparity seems unfair. Butler said that communicating work status when the topic is appropriate is necessary for supervisors. He said that the logistical challenges of making up adverse weather days are mitigated somewhat by the 90 day period to make up time lost in this situation. He noted that this week is a holiday week that presents employees with the opportunity to make up the adverse weather time. He said that the adverse weather timecode should be available on TIM as of this morning.
Ricky Roach praised Ramshead and Lenoir Dining Halls for providing meals for free for those mandatory employees who battled the storm’s aftereffects. Butler thanked all who came in for their amazing work in making the campus habitable that entire weekend and afterwards.
Erica Guesten, University Benefits Consultant, spoke about the flexible spending plans for health care and dependent care. She said that employees have until March 15, 2017 to incur costs covered under their 2016 plans. Employees have until April 30, 2017 to file for reimbursement through either postmarked or e-mailed communication. Employees signing up for a new plan in 2017 should have received a welcome kit. Employees who have not received a kit should contact the Benefits Office. Flexible Health Plan enrollees should also receive a convenience card. Guesten noted that Health Care Savings Account enrollees need not have accumulated a balance before spending funds from that account. This exemption does not apply to dependent care savings accounts, however.
Guesten encouraged employees to examine their January paychecks to insure their deductions are correct. Clare Counihan asked if dependent care spending accounts apply for elderly parents. Guesten said that the account only covers tax dependents. David Rogers asked about the health reimbursement rollovers. Guesten said that health reimbursement accounts rollover from year to year but flexible spending accounts do not roll over.
Guesten said that the tuition waiver deadline for employees is January 18th, with a general request that employees submit their waiver requests 48 hours in advance for enrollment at UNC-Chapel Hill or 72 hours in advance for enrollment at another UNC institution. She noted that UNC-Chapel Hill now has a new on-line enrollment process for tuition waivers that eliminates much of the paperwork from the previous process.
Guesten noted that Fidelity and TIAA-Cref will hold webinars on debt and financial future on January 18th at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. She said that similar webinars will occur in February and March. An in-class session with box lunches will be offered to employees who can attend all four sessions on budgeting, debt control, managing risk, investment strategies and planning for retirement costs. These courses will take place in February (already full) and April and employees may enroll through ConnectCarolina.
Ben Triplett noted confusion about the existence of a pharmacy benefit card, given that a previous communication from the State Health Plan said that such a card would soon be upcoming. Guesten said that employees’ pharmacy numbers are different than last year, meaning that employees should provide their pharmacies with the new State Health Plan card. However, there is no separate new pharmacy benefit card. Clare Counihan confirmed that those who have lost a particular benefits card should contact University Benefits or the relevant company for a replacement.
The Chair said that the Forum had no old or new business. He hoped that that someone from Finance & Administration could present on the newly named Carolina Service project at the Forum’s February 1st meeting or at the Vice Chancellor representatives’ meeting February 9th.
Kewana Smith asked about divisional listservs and their turnover to divisional representatives for communication with their constituents. The Chair said that this turnover would occur as soon as possible. He said that this is a good time for divisional communications given the upcoming delegate elections and other Forum activities.
Kelli Raker reported that the Communications and Public Relations committee will have a January 26th deadline for submissions. On that same date, the Forum book club will host a discussion group based on the novel Fall on Your Knees.
Ricky Roach said that the Community Service committee would assist Habitat for Humanity in obtaining staff assistance with home-building efforts in Orange County.
Krista Prince reported that the Education and Career Development committee had met regarding the professional development grant program. She said that the committee needs extra volunteers for the higher education mini-conference, as well as recommendations for speaking panelists. The Chair suggested Meredith Weiss and Dwayne Pinkney as possibilities.
Clare Counihan reported that the Carolina Family Scholarship subcommittee was working to revise the application. The committee hopes to find a new online platform for the application, which should go live on April 15th of this year.
The Chair noted that the Membership & Assignments committee has work to do on the 25th anniversary event as well as the Chancellors’ Cup golf tournament.
Bryan Andregg said that the Personnel Issues committee will work with the School of Pharmacy to investigate that unit’s system of supervisory review and feedback.
Ricky Roach reported that the UNC Winter Blood Drive had produced more units than the previous year, although it did not meet its goal of 400 units collected. He said that the Drive had started late due to a networking issue with the Red Cross servers. Overall, the Drive had 446 donors scheduled, 361 pints given, 102 power (double) red donations and 54 deferrals. He said that the Drive suffered from not immediately having the Rapid Pass system available to prospective donors. The Drive also had a high number of walk-ins to process, leading to a high number of people waiting in the hallways.
Roach said that the Blood Drive committee plans to draft a letter to the Red Cross outlining these and other concerns. Among those concerns was the reliance on UNC staff do jobs that Red Cross staff seemed more appropriate to perform, such as handling donor placement through the line. The Chair said that the Red Cross should adjust for the fact that UNC-Chapel Hill generally has more walk-ins than other organizations. Roach said that he had donated the Power (double) Red. He noted that the Drive had collected more units than it had in the previous six years. He said that as blood has a 42 day shelf life, over 1,051 people were assisted by this year’s Drive. The Chair asked Matt Banks to help keep track of donations and participation. Roach said that the Red Cross is a for-profit business that makes money from blood collection, meaning that organizers should not have to beg for assistance to address logistical matters.
The Chair thanked Arlene Medder for sending on e-mails regarding the Carolina Campus Community Garden committee. He noted that recent service days have been cancelled due to inclement weather.
Phillip Edwards reported that the Legislative Affairs subcommittee sought to ask Clayton Summers, the newly appointed Vice Chancellor for Public Affairs, to address the full Forum. The Chair said that he would schedule this invitation.
The Chair said that the UNC System Staff Assembly would meet in February. He said that Assembly Chair Pernell Bartlett would address a General Administration request for an endorsement of a faculty resolution urging an increase in faculty salaries. He noted that the Assembly has partnered often with the Faculty Assembly on issues of mutual concern. He said that the Faculty Assembly has been an ally in arenas in which the Staff Assembly has not had a voice. He said that the Staff Assembly Executive Committee has sought feedback on this idea.
The Executive Committee will meet on January 17th, next week.
Kathy Ramsey asked that James Holman’s request for shared leave donations go out to the Forum listserv.
David Rogers invited the Forum to participate in a Ropes Challenge Course over spring break during training for course staff. He said that this would be a free opportunity to participate in either the high course or low course, for half a day or a day, for up to one hundred participants. The Chair said that he would create a Qualtrics form to gauge interest in these different options. Most all of the delegates present indicated their interest in the course. Delegates decided that the course should take place in March or early April, or “whenever it is warm.”
Jackie Overton advised that the Forum acknowledge all those who could not be present due to the adverse weather that week. The Chair thanked everyone who had served during the past week in this difficult work. Kathy James had suggested videotaping on social media the work of these employees as part of a social media message.
The Chair called for a motion to adjourn. Jackie Overton made this motion, which was adopted by acclamation at 10:26 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Matt Banks, Recording Secretary