University of Nebraska Kearney

Staff Senate Minutes - September 16, 1997

Employee of the Month: Karen Atteberry, administrative assistant to the vice chancellor for University Relations and Colleen Stevens, a custodian in West Center, were award recipients for July and September, respectively.

Present: Marilyn Andersen, Sue Betterman, Susan Downey, Dee Ellingson, Mike Heffernan, Carleen Jurgensen, Anita Kucera, John Lakey, Kathy Livingston, Bonnie Mumm, Glennis Nagel, Jane Sheldon, and Judy Spellman.

Absent: None.

1. The meeting was called to order by Judy Spellman, chair pro tem.

2. The agenda was adopted after amending Section IV. Dr. Bill Wozniak presented calendar information in place of Dr. David Anderson.

3. The minutes of the August meeting were accepted with no changes.

4. Dr. Wozniak presented inormation regarding a proposal to include a fall break in the UNK calendar in mid-October and the possibility of a "Diversity Day" observation during spring semester. The fall break proposal was based on a study former Student Body President Amy Kruse had done. The current calendar was reviewed, and there was a discussion regarding the impact of a fall break holiday or a "Diversity Day" break on staff, who have 12 official holidays that have been consolidated for use during the break between Christmas and New Year's. There was unanimous agreement that the week of break between Christmas and New Year's should not be changed. Thus, if the university has a fall break in October and/or observed a "Diversity Day" during the spring semester, staff would be willing to work while the students and faculty had the day off.

5. Unfinished Business:
   1. Stationery. Kucera reported that the Staff Senate stationery was ready for use.

6. Staff Senate Committee Reports:
   1. Election Committee. Livingston reported that the committee was meeting on Thursday.
   2. Performance Management Committee. There was discussion regarding the dollars set aside by the Legislature to be used for salary increases. It was pointed out that while the Legislature can designate total dollars for salaries, it cannot set the salary increases for individual university employees. Thus, some employees received more than the 3%; some received less. Supervisors could use the increases to bring salaries closer to "market value" or for pay for performance. Several commented that pay for performance should come only after university salaries for staff were at "market value." Surveys regarding UNK salary levels as compared with salary levels for the same or equivalent positions on other university campuses were discussed.
   3. Procedures Committee. Two items regarding bylaws were brought up for consideration by the Procedures Committee--Staff Senate members may be removed "for cause," but there is no fact-finding process in place in the bylaws to gather information "for cause," and secondly, the bylaws state that the secretary will distribute the agenda before every meeting, but, in actual practice, the chair has always distributed the agenda.

7. Campus Committee Reports:
   1. Gender Equity. Spellman reported on the Gender Equity Committee's recent report. She also noted that exit interviews would now include questions on possible gender equity issues.

8. New Business:
   1. Bylaws questions. (See "C" above in committee reports section.)
   2. Hosting a Friday gathering. There was general discussion and agreement that the Staff Senate would host the April 3 faculty/staff gathering at the Alumni House. Spellman said she would make the necessary reservations.

9. Announcements:
   1. Year end report information from the committees is to be provided to Kucera for her inclusion in the Staff Senate Report to the Chancellor.

10. Adjournment:
    1. The meeting adjourned, Spellman/Carleen at 11:20 a.m.