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Thursday, September 18, 2008

KULSS- Exec  Meeting

Minutes

 

Present: Sarah, Thomas (08-09 Chair), Julie Warrick (08-09 Vice Chair); Jill Becker (07-08 Chair), Angie Rathmel (07-08 Secretary); Kyle Sederstrom (08-09 Group 1); Adam Reilly (08-09 Group 2); Robert Szabo (Group 4); Rita Wilson; Zachary Ingle

ABSENT: Meredith Huff (08-09 Secretary); Sheila Orth (08-09 Group 3);

 

PREVIOUS MEETING’S ACTION ITEMS

WHO?	BY WHEN?	WHAT?
Angie	DONE	Fwd LFA response re:  Grievance to Sarah
Sarah	Upon above	Email Scott for decision on Grievance membership from LFA
Sarah	DONE	Email all re: PRC recruitment, Recruitment still ongoing, need 1 more person as of 9/4/08
Jules	In progress	compile survey, list of possible topics for workshops, email out
Sarah	DONE	Get ISDC info for Kyle
Group Reps		Email all staff reminding them of opportunity to have input in Supervisory Forums
Sarah		Email all USS Staff re: Lorraine’s Office Notes 9/3/08 for input on Management Council
Robert		Can we help with the Staff Picnic?

Group Reports-

Group 1

- Nishon Hawkins will be honored at the Celebration of Excellence on Friday evening 9/19

Group 2

- Carmen Orth-Alfie was promoted to the U.S. Government Documents Coordinator position

- Aileen Ball will take her place and supervise the entire Special Services Unit until the proposed reorganization can occur after a supervisor search for the newly created unit is finished.

- Cataloging will be divided into 3 units:

1. Authorities/Monograph Cataloging - Supervisor, Miloche Kottman 2. Annex Records Management Unit - Supervisor, Aileen Ball 3. Complex Cataloging Unit (containing Serials, Gov Docs, and Maps) - Supervisor to be hired

(No other groups reported)

Committee Reports-

PRC - PRC has become PHRC = Planning and Human Resources Committee

- It will focus on orientation and staff development

ISDC - Identified action areas based on the wiki feedback from the Unconference

- The committee will take a class on efficiency for meetings

- The report is on the website but without action items as yet

Diversity -

- Still in need of a Chair

- We will discuss recruitment options with the Dean in the next meeting with her

University Support Staff (USS) Senate, early September 2008 meetings

 The date for the mini-Wheat State tour which we' renamed the Dust Devil tour, has been set for Monday, October 13.  All USS will have an opportunity to be chosen to take the Salina-Council Grove one-day bus trip.  Don Steeples, senior vice provost, will provide commentary along the way.  He has led the faculty week-long Wheat State tours.  Whoever goes must take a vacation day.  More details coming in the Senate newsletter and electronically.

We've been working on the charges to our committees.. Here are some continuing and possible new charges for our Personnel Committee:

1.    As departments across campus have difference interpretations about what constitutes abuse of leave policies, review policies campus-wide and make recommendations for a consistent policy for all departments.

2.    Review University Retiree’s Handbook to see if benefits might be added.  Coordinate with the Communications Committee and solicit input from USS members to see if any possibilities of benefits were not included in the Handbook.

3.    Look into the possibility of phased retirement for USS members. Discuss this with Ola Faucher, Director of KU Human Resources and Equal Opportunity.

4.    Monitor the activities of the State Health Care Committee.

5.    Investigate nursing mother accommodations on campus.

6.    Inquire if the university is considering changes in operations schedules to save on energy costs.

We may suggest that the USS Work Group (comprised of 5 USS members; Ola Faucher, head of HREO; Danny Anderson, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs; and formed to aid the transition of the Classified staff at the University from the Kansas Civil Service System to be University of Kansas Support Staff. Since the transition was completed, the USS Work Group meets as needed and continues to rework old procedures and policies, review new initiatives, and consider implementation issues, etc.) work on these issues:

1.    To help allay salary compression concerns, discover if analyses are ongoing to keep the salary bands current and competitive.

2.    Inquire about the possibility of more part-time position opportunities which might benefit both university departments and the work force.

3.    Look into and make recommendations for more / better training for awarding the merit portion of USS raises.

4.    Should budget cuts become necessary, be a part of the university discussion if USS layoffs are necessary and work to minimize effect of budget cuts on USS.

5.    Investigate how changes to university policies, handbooks, etc., are tracked electronically and when/how the university is informed of these changes.

6.    Request that a USS member not on the HREO staff be on the committee to consider shared leave requests.

7.    Find out if we still have USS employees paid below market value and, if so, how many and what percentage are they behind market value.

8.    Ask what is the current rate of USS employee turnover and how does that compare to the rate when USS were classified staff?  Investigate why there have been fewer appeals after terminations.

The USS Senate Staff Assessment of Supervisors and Managers Task Force is in negotiation with departments who will help us do our trial runs. 

University Senate meeting, 11 September 2008

Our first meeting this academic year.  We approved the charges for the University Senate committees.  The Faculty Senate President reported that the Board of Regents is concerned with potential budget cuts, the Student Body President reported that they are working on election reform, plans for an aquatic center on campus, and getting voters registered.  The Unclassified Senate President noted that the Provost will speak to their group and that they are working on their website.

University Senate Committee on Libraries

Has not met this year as yet but we did receive a request to turn in our schedules for meetings to be scheduled.  I am the representative from the USS Senate.  Nancy Hawkins is your KULSS rep to this committee.

Meeting Topics-

Staff Picnic - Robert has spoken with Judith Emde and Al Mauler and will talk with Mike Broadwell next.

- We are still unsure of who is running it this year

Supervisory Forum - Mike Broadwell has only 2 USS volunteers/participants for small group discussions

- Still open for input and volunteers, contact Courtney Foat

- Initial email might have been unclear whether all were welcome to the discussion or only concerned supervisors?

Management Council - Updating their mission and objectives

- Survey, possibly add a link to this survey in our minutes?

- More of a collaborative effort rather than the Dean's responsibility for running meetings

- Identify roles in information sharing (Assistant Deans)

- 1.5 hour meetings with rotating locations

Workshop Survey - Add tech issues, skill building, get to know your coworkers, building trust to examples?

- We voted to send out the survey with only categories and not old examples of previous ideas, but to acknowledge that we have feedback from previous surveys to incorporate along with the new ideas generated from this current survey

- The next will be to gather all suggestions together for a new voting form for this year's staff preferences on what to include in the workshop

 

Next Meetings Action Items

WHO?	BY WHEN?	WHAT?
Angie	DONE	Fwd LFA response re:  Grievance to Sarah
Sarah	Upon above	Email Scott for decision on Grievance membership from LFA
Jules	In progress	compile survey, list of possible topics for workshops, email out
Group Reps		Email all staff reminding them of opportunity to have input in Supervisory Forums
Sarah		Email all USS Staff re: Lorraine’s Office Notes 9/3/08 for input on Management Council
Robert		Can we help with the Staff Picnic?