University of Nebraska Kearney

Staff Senate Minutes - March 18, 1997

Employee of the Month: Carol Best was presented the EOM Award at the opening of the meeting.

Present: Marilyn Andersen, Sue Bettermann, Sue Downey, Terry Fraley, Mike Heffernan, Carleen Jurgensen, Anita Kucera, John Lakey, Kathy Livingston, Glennis Nagel, Jane Sheldon, Judy Spellman and Judy Willett.

Absent: None.

Guest: Carol Best.

Minutes:

1. The meeting was called to order by Chair Anita Kucera at 9:30 a.m. in the Zikmund Conference Room.

2. Chair Kucera reminded the Senate that: minutes from committees were to be to Vice Chair Spellman for dissemination to the Executive Committee for review at least seven calendar days before the next Staff Senate meeting, and copies of committee reports are to be available to Senate members from the secretary. In addition, future Staff Senate meetings will be conducted using parliamentary procedure. Vice Chair Spellman and John Lakey will collect information to assist members in working with parliamentary procedure.

   As a point of information, Chair Kucera noted that Deb Schroeder will speak to the group at the April meeting to present information about outsourcing the university modem pool.

3. Reports from Non-senate Committees.
   1. Strategic Planning Committee. (Kucera) Student retention was discussed at the last meeting.
   2. Budget Committee. (Kucera/Livingston) Hearings are progressing.
   3. Marketing Plann Committee. No report.
   4. Information Technology Steering Committee. (Livingston) The committee has been discussing uses of the modem pool and looking at alternative ways for users to get into the system. KN Energy was discussed as an example of an entity that provides an option to the modem pool.

4. Reports of Standing Committees.
   1. Committtee on Committees. No report.
   2. Election Committee. No report.
   3. Employee Recognition Committee. Judy Willett reported that, beginning in April, the plaque would be in Founders Hall early in the month to give the Employee of the Month longer recognition. The committee is also exploring the possibility of a Pratt-Heins Award for staff to recognize service to the university. There was a question regarding involvement in nominating or receiving an Employee of the Month Award. Kathy Livingston replied that faculty members can nominate candidates for the award, but are not eligible to receive an EOM award.
   4. Executive Committee. No report.
   5. Performance Management Committee. No report.
   6. Procedures Committee. Carleen Jurgensen reported the group is working on the Employee Handbook, which will be available on the UNK Web site.
   7. Professional Development Committee. No report.

5. New Business. No new business was brought before the group.
6. General Staff Comments. Anita Kucera noted that Staff Senate will continue meeting monthly throughout the summer, and that the next meeting will be held at 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, April 15, in the Zikmund Conference Room.

   John Lakey noted that the Connections program would be offering sessions in April.