Staff Senate Minutes - February 16, 1999
Employee of the Month: Suzanne Exstrom, Educational Administration and KASE offices.
Present: Dave Bargen, Dennis Choplin, Dee Ellingson, Shelly Fleck, Carol Hines, John Lakey, Kathy Livingston, Tim McMullen, Mike Miller, Bonnie Mumm, Sue Petersen, and Steve Robinson.
Absent: Jane Sheldon.
Guest: Vice Chancellor Randal Haack.
- Call to Order and Introduction of New Member.
Dave Bargen was introduced and welcomed to the group. He is taking the place of Rex Kendall who has resigned. Bargen will also take Kendall's place on the Performance Management and Employee Recognition committees.
- Adoption of Agenda (Livingston/Fleck).
- Minutes were approved as printed.
- Unfinished Business
- Annual Report
Mumm noted that the report was currently being printed so members should have it shortly. The Executive Committee will then present the report to the Chancellor.
- Friday Afternoon Club Hosting Results
Mumm thanked everyone for providing snacks and noted that donations were enough to pay for the cost of the refreshments. The dollars left will pay for future incidental expenses.
- Committee and Search Reports.
- Employee Recognition. Mumm noted she is working on a Certificate of Excellence to be awarded when an individual from the University family does something exceptional. She stressed the need for everyone to turn in names to either herself or the secretary, Dee Ellingson. It was also noted that when there is a death of a retired employee or their immediate family, that needs to be mentioned to Lakey so that a sympathy card can be sent. Mumm announced that the Retirement Luncheon and Service Awards Presentation is scheduled for April 5th. The Chancellor chooses to have the two events continue on the same day. The Staff Senate, along with OSAC, had suggested they be held on two separate days. However it is to be setup so that individuals who can't come to the luncheon will be able to slip in and attend just the service awards.
A break in the normal agenda was taken so that Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance Dr. Randal L. Haack could discuss the budget. VCBF Haack noted the Board of Regents had requested a 6.85 percent increase for FY 2000 and a 6.07 percent increase for FY 2001. The Governor in turn recommended a 3.74 percent increase for the first year and a 3.48 percent in the second year. Although NU never gets the amount requested, the Governor's two-year request is $21,292,271 short of the Board's request. The Governor's request does not provide sufficient funds to meet our salary obligations, even at a 3.8 percent increase, let alone other identified needs. However the Governor supports the concept of a lump sum appropriation to the University which could allow the University to allocate the funds in any manner that it chooses. In capital construction funds, no funding was recommended for the UNK Education Building, UNO College of Public Affairs and Community Service, or the UN Library Central Storage facility. While the University is a priority among the Governor's spending initiatives, the proposed appropriation does not meet the University's needs. The University will now take its case to the Appropriations Committee of the Legislature. The hearing is scheduled for March 9, 1999. The next step after that will be when the Appropriations Committee presents its Appropriations Bill to the Legislature. So it is still too soon to know exactly what the University will receive. VCBF Haack also visited with members about the Regents' core requirements for the budget and also how the State's tax dollars are divided.
- Performance Management. Sue Petersen reported the committee met February 15th and reviewed the new list of recommended core competencies and discussed upcoming job families.
- Budget (UNK Committee). Livingston reported that the Budget Committee had met recently. There is some anticipation of a budget cut for the next fiscal year. The potential magnitude is unknown, but some are estimating around $770,000. There was also some discussion about possible initiatives which the campus may be obligated to consider for future funding including such things as faculty negotiations, salary increases, accreditation for Business and Technology, the sinking fund for new construction/renovation, technology, and the classification/compensation study. The composition of the Budget Committee was also discussed by the Senate.
- Strategic Planning (UNK Committee) - Highlights from recent meetings were shared with Senate members. The Committee recently approved the definition of what it means to be a scholarly teaching institution. There has also been discussion regarding improving communication. A video about the campus should be available by the end of the semester. A speaker's bureau has also been set up. Other issues included discussion regarding the gaps on campus between the present and the ideal. Examples include campus progress on diversity, coordination of marketing and student recruitment, and the need to set up predictable funding for equipment. Staff Senate members expressed a need for employees to be able to relate to the Strategic Plan, and the role they play on campus.
- Info Tech (UNK Committee) - Livingston reported that the technology plan has been approved. Plans for the webmaster position are progressing. Minimum standards for software have been developed. Resident halls will be wired for the fall semester. Draft guidelines for computer use were also shared with the Senate.
- TLTR - Livingston explained that a TLTR is a teaching, learning technology roundtable. UNK is in the process of developing this working group to facilitate the incorporation of technology into the curriculum.
- Searches - no reports
- New Business
- Staff Senate image on campus. Due to the lateness of the hour, this item was postponed until the next meeting.
- Announcements
- Effective Interviewing workshop is today.
- Adjournment was at noon. (Robinson/Hines).
The next meeting will be March 16 at 10:30 a.m.