Staff Senate

DRAFT --- Staff Senate Minutes --- DRAFT
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
SUB 232

Attendance Code Key:  X = Attended     A = Apologies for Absence                                                        Staff, Joan Ford, was not present.

1. Call to Order.  The meeting was called to order by chair, Bill Van Horn.
2. Announcements.  Kay LaFrance’s job was recently changed to a professional position.  This change makes Kay ineligible to represent classified staff on the Campus Sustainability Advisory Council.  Senators wished Kay the best with her changed role at MSU.  The CSAC opening will be advertised.  Joan Ford announced that she will be taking FMLA starting April 29th and that office support will be limited until her return.
3. Approval of Minutes.  Minute of March 20, 2013 were approved with one correction.
4. Staff Senate Office Manual Task Force – Linda Roberts (Chair), Sylvia Sparkman, Bill Van Horn, and Joan Ford – the TF focused on two procedures; Committee Selection and Membership Elections.  No major functional changes were required.  However, since they were last updated in 2007 they needed to be clarified and made more concise.  Once the TF finishes editing the procedures will posted to the Staff Senate web page.  The balance of items reviewed were office processes performed by the Program Coordinator.  The TF polled the elected Senators to see if the work done to present would satisfy concerns raised at the March meeting.  The elected Senators present unanimously agreed that their concerns had been addressed and it would no longer be a sticking point for approving the proposed bylaws revisions.
5. Approval of Bylaws revisions – Senators reviewed and unanimously approved the proposed bylaws changes.
6. Committee Reports
   1. Association of Shared Governance Leaders – Staff Senate Chair – no report.
   2. Budget Council – Dave Court – nothing to update.
   3. Campus Sustainability Advisory Council – Kay LaFrance – reported that Tracy Ellig talked the group about lobbying the Legislature.  She announced upcoming events:  Earth Day, Campus Clean up Day, e-waste and glass recycling, and a composting pilot project.  Senators noted that sustainability is getting multi-group events and programs and hoped that the recently hired Director of MSU Office of Sustainability would be able for focus and coordinate campus events.
   4. Facilities Services Advisory – Justin van Almelo – no report.
   5. Fitness Center Oversight Committee & Recreation Sports Advisory Board – Eric Wold – no report.
   6. MSU Benefits & IUBC – Ron Brekke, Julie Heard and Kerri Marx – CHOICEs online is live.
   7. Outreach & Engagement Council – Diane Dorgan – the Council recently presented information to President Cruzado regarding the role of the Council.  Senators were interested in how staff will be measured in this area.  It was noted that faculty and professionals have metrics built into their annual review process but staff does not.  Senate conversation moved into recognition and how it is done in Bozeman verses other campuses where their Senate’s are responsible for selecting one or more candidates.  It was also noted that their recognition event is for faculty, professionals, and staff verses Bozeman where they are separate events.
   8. Parking & Transportation Advisory – Steve Beasley – no report 
   9. Planning Council –Shana Wold – the Council is pursuing metrics for the research section of Strategic Plan. 
   10. Space Management – Bill Van Horn –Romney renovation was the topic of discussion.  Who will stay, who will go, and where will they be placed.  Also discussed was providing day use office space.
   11. University Facilities Planning – Mandy Hansen – no report.
   12. University Council – Staff Senate Chair – met 4/3 one new item was discussed, a new policy on Emergency Management which will be developed over the summer months.  Two policies were voted on and passed: 1) Commemorative Tributes-building naming guidelines and 2) the Student Trip Policy.
   13. Other Committee reports –
       1. Bill appointed Donna Kelly and Diane Dorgan to the Officer Nominating Committee.
       2. The Car Rental/Motor pool replacement group is looking at the WISCA contract and the possibility of using the existing Motor pool lot as a drop location.
7. Old Business
8. Training Task Force –Justin van Almelo (Chair), Dave Court (Co-Chair), Julie Heard, Bill Van Horn, and Eric Wold
9. Public Relations Task Force – Shana Wold (Chair), Bill Van Horn, and Deb Wilke
10. Information Items
11. Updates and Other Business
1. Donna Kelly raised the concern that Pure Gold has become a competition.  The original concept was it would be recognition for the everyday, unsung stars on campus.  The conversation then broadened to the current recognition award program noting 1) it has no criteria and 2) it is held as a separate event.  Many Senators have been part of the selection process and all found it unsatisfactory.  It was suggest that the Senate examine recognition as its next project.
12. Guest speaker, Betsy Webb, Professional Development and Training Manager, joined the meeting at 10:30.  Betsy was hired to develop opportunities for professional development and training.  Since starting this position in February she has been visiting stakeholder groups across campus to identify what issues departments are experiencing to better define areas of development and training that are needed.  So far three main themes have surfaced; 1) the need for supervisor training; 2) looking at the current culture of customer service on campus and providing training in this arena and 3) providing increased opportunities for leadership development.  In the future she hopes to have a website and database established that would house information of the various professional development and training opportunities available to employees and become a one-stop, central location to make it easier to obtain information about those opportunities.  She requested anyone with questions or comments contact her.
13. Motion to Adjourn.  The meeting was adjourned at 11:00 a.m.

Next Meeting: Wednesday, May 15, 2013 at 9:00 a.m., SUB 232