Staff Council

Eastern Kentucky University

STAFF COUNCIL

Annual Report
2005

Prepared by:
Beverly Burrus
Stephanie King
Hossein Vaez
David Williams

Introduction
The Eastern Kentucky University Staff Council had its beginnings with the naming of a Presidential Advisory Council Steering Committee to establish the guidelines for a staff council by President Joanne Glasser in 2002. This Steering Committee worked diligently for over a year to provide a draft of bylaws, establish representative areas that were basically equal in number, and to allow for the first election of the council membership.

President Glasser, with her vision to establish an advisory staff council, is to be commended along with this Steering Committee for the attention, efforts, and hard work required to get the Staff Council off to an appropriate beginning.

The purpose of the Staff Council is to provide a communication vehicle for both the President and the staff concerning staff issues with a goal to make Eastern Kentucky University a better community. Other areas to be addressed by the Staff Council include staff development, staff appreciation and training along with the extremely important communication enhancement.

BEGINNINGS

Following elections in November of 2003, the newly established Eastern Kentucky University Staff Council began with an orientation by President Glasser and the Steering Committee in February of 2004. The first working meeting was held in March at which time Bylaws were approved, officers elected, and committees formed with the chairs selected. The initial Council and Committee memberships were as follows:

Crystal Barger, Issues and Benefits, Staff Recognition and Professional
Development Committees
          Beverly Burrus, Secretary-Treasurer, Issues and Benefits and
Communications Committees
            Denise Conner, Elections and Credentials Committee
            Don DeLuca, Issues and Benefits, Chair -- Staff Recognition and Professional
                        Development, and Communication Committees
            Elizabeth Forbes, Chair—Communications Committee
            Stephanie King, Vice Chair, Elections and Credentials Committee
            Lisa Laird, Chair, Issues and Benefits Committee
            Jey Marks, Chair – Elections and Credentials Committee
            Bennett Darrell Rowe, Issues and Benefits Committee
            JoAnn Storie, Staff Recognition and Professional Development Committee
            Carol Thomas, Elections and Credentials Committee
            Hossein Vaez, Chair—Issues and Benefits Committee and Communications
                        Committee
            David Williams – ex-officio member, Staff Regent

University committee appointments were also made as follows:
            Lisa Laird, Budget Council
            Crystal Barger, Strategic Planning Committee
            Hossein Vaez, University Benefits Committee
            Beverly Burrus, Student Success Council

Memberships

After the first year, the following one-fourth of the areas had elections for 3-year terms.   These included:
            Area 1, Athletics, Development, Public Relations and Marketing, Alumni
                        Relations, University Advancement and Arlington
                        Elizabeth Forbes was replaced by Donna Lazzara

Area 6, Custodians in Facilities Services and Housing
Denise Conner re-elected

Area 8, Financial Affairs and Administration
Don DeLuca was replaced by Anne Cross

Area 11, Student Affairs and Public Safety
Jey Marks was re-elected

In November 2005 for the 2006 year, four additional areas will have elections for 3-year terms. These include:
            Area 2, College of Arts and Sciences and College of Business and Technology
Area 5, Continuing Education and Outreach, Planetarium
            Area 7, Enrollment Management
            Area 10, Maintenance and Skilled Trades

In addition, Mr. Jey Marks has changed positions and is no longer employed in Area 11; therefore, an election will be held to complete the 3-year term he was elected for in 2005 (ending December 31, 2007). Also, Ms. Donna Lazzara, Area 1, resigned due to increased workload responsibilities. An election will be held for this position also to complete the term which ends December 31, 2007. Lisa Laird in Area 7 has resigned from the University. Lisa’s term ends December 31, 2005 allowing a normal 3-year election for this area.

Accomplishments

The Staff Council was involved in many issues this first year and was successful accomplishing several things—the most important of which was to create a method of communication from President Glasser and others to the staff and for staff concerns to be shared with the President. In this regard, President Glasser met with the Staff Council to discuss several issues, Jaleh Rezaie met to discuss the University’s SACS reaccreditation, Provost Chapman met to discuss several issues, and Gary Barksdale met with the staff to provide information on several areas including FMLA and the university equity plan. Providing this venue for the sharing of information was the goal of the establishment of the Staff Council and this has been successful.

The various committees discussed many issues during this initial year to be shared with the administration. These included:

Completed a study of Eastern’s benchmark institutions and the other Kentucky comprehensive institutions regarding vacations, holidays, and sick leave. This study was shared with President Glasser and then sent to the University Benefits Committee for review. A result of this was Mr. Barksdale recommending to President Glasser that a floating holiday be added to staff benefits. This was done.
Worked with the Provost concerning the University calendar. In order to allow equal classroom time for both the fall and spring semesters, it was determined that it would best suit the needs of the University for the President’s holiday in February to be eliminated and that holiday moved to the fall around the fall break students would receive. This would allow staff a four-day weekend in the fall rather than a three-day weekend in the winter.
A Staff Emeritus policy was presented to President Glasser and passed by the Board of Regents allowing staff members to be nominated for Staff Emeritus status upon their retirement.
Worked with the University Benefits Committee to raise the age limit for dependents from 23 to 24 for insurance purposes.
The Staff Council web page was enhanced to Include Minutes of all meetings, the Bylaws, and members. This will be an ongoing process to improve the Web page for increased communication for staff.
Successful in requesting the University Fitness and Wellness Center to prorate dues monthly from payroll rather than charging annual dues of $180 regardless of when you joined.
Requested Mr. Barksdale to hold forums to promote understanding of the equity adjustments being made to those being affected. This was done.
Met with the Parking consultant and provided input regarding the parking study.

Work-in-Progress

There are many ongoing issues to be addressed which are underway at this time. These include:

Have met with the Provost and are completing recommendations for a Staff Internship program much like the University’s Minority and Women’s Internship Program.
Working with the Provost to create a professional development fund for staff members.
Looking into the possibility of the athletic department offering ½ price individual game tickets to faculty and staff. Currently season tickets can be purchased at ½ price, but some could only attend one or two games.
Have requested that salary ranges and classifications be posted on the Human Resources Web site. Human Resources has indicated this information is currently not available.
Completing plans to have monthly luncheons where staff members can meet informally with Staff Council members and provide input.

Conclusion

It is believed that the Eastern Kentucky University Staff Council had a productive first year. Typically with the initial year of any new organization, there were some “bumps in the road” particularly in misunderstandings concerning the mission of the Council. The Staff Council clearly understands its role of communication and serving in an advisory capacity for the President. It is not—nor has the members ever felt that they were---a governing unit of the University. This message must be clearly understood by all members of the University community and the Council will work to improve that understanding.

It is also understood that the Staff Council does not serve as a “bargaining unit” or as a “union steward” for individuals, but works to enhance understanding and communication with the entire staff.

The Staff Council found it necessary to refine some parts of the Bylaws in the first year to allow for better representation for units if a member was no longer able to serve. It was also determined that more forceful language needed to be included in the Bylaws to encourage committee membership and participation.

It is felt that the Staff Council has been productive this first year and is continuing to come up with new and better ways to foster communication within the campus community.

Respectfully submitted,

Executive Committee

Eastern Kentucky University Staff Council