STAFF SENATE MEETING MINUTES July 20, 2011
President Kristie Galy presided over the July 20, 2011, Staff Senate meeting held at Peabody Hall, Room 225, on the LSU Campus at 10:30 a.m.
ATTENDANCE
Senators
Executive/Administrator/ Manager
A Torres, Donna (’12)
Service/Maintenance
P Chaney, Carolyn (’13)
A Dixon, Evelyn (’13)
Professional/Non-Faculty
P Carruth, Holly (’12)
P Chiasson, Denise (’12)
P Fields, Tim (’12)
Pr Frazier, James (’12)
P Kimball, Lynn (’12)
Pr Thibodeaux, Seth (’12)
Pr Verma, Lisa (’12)
P Galy, Kristie (’13)
Pr Guillory, Michael (’13)
P Landry, Carolyn (’13)
P Thomas, Joseph (’13)
P Winchell, Blake (’13)
P David, Emmett (’14)
Pr Gothreaux, Chad (’14)
P Millican, Tammy (’14)
P Moreau, Scott (’14)
P Perkins, Julie (’14)
Skilled Crafts
A Heil, Mark (’12)
P Adedeji, Funmilayo (’13)
Technical/Paraprofessional
Pr Pierce, Renee (’13)
P Sirman, Karen (’13)
P Love, Donna (’14)
Clerical/Secretarial
Pr Brown, Ruby (’12)
P Cooley, Judith (’13)
P Magee, Betty (’13)
P Collins, Judy (’14)
A - Indicates Absent
P - Indicates Present
Pr - Indicates Proxy
Sign-in Guests:
Igor Matkovic, Facility Services
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by President Galy at 10:30 a.m.
ATTENDANCE
There was a quorum with six proxies noted.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Senator Moreau led the Pledge of Allegiance.
President Galy introduced guest: Igor Matkovic with Facility Services.
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES – June 15, 2011, Staff Senate Meeting
Page 8, Paragraph 3, line 6 reads: The poem if should read: The poem is
A motion to accept the minutes as amended was made by Senator Carruth. The motion, seconded by Senator Chiasson, carried.
PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS
President Galy announced that as she begins her presidency, she would like to start with thanking Past-President Lisa Verma, President-Elect Chad Gothreaux, and Senators Donna Torres, Holly Carruth, and Seth Thibodeaux for their tireless work and dedication to the Staff Senate Executive Committee during the 2010-11 year. It has been an honor and privilege serving with these extraordinary people and she has learned a great deal from each and every one of them. She is particularly grateful to Past-President Lisa Verma and President-Elect Chad Gothreaux for their commitment to the LSU Staff Senate and the LSU Campus Community. Through the last several years the Staff Senate has built and nurtured a very positive relationship with Chancellor Martin and Provost Hamilton and she looks forward to its continued success, development, and growth.
Galy would like to recognize the newly elected Senators who are attending their first meeting in the Professional/Non-Faculty category: Scott Moreau, Business Manager for the Office of Research and Economic Development; Julie Perkins, Research Coordinator for the College of Engineering; Chad Gothreaux, Assistant Dean for the College of Education; Tammy Millican, Manager for Facility Services; and Emmett David, Director for Facility Services. In the Clerical/Secretarial category: Judy Collins, Administrative Program Specialist A for the College of Business. She welcomed Judy back and is looking forward to working with her. In the Technical/Paraprofessional category: Donna Love, Information Technology Analyst 2 for Information Technology Services/University Information Systems. She welcomed Donna back as well and is looking forwarding to working with her again.
Galy would be remiss in her duties as President if she did not introduce the 2011-2012 Staff Senate Executive Committee at this time: President-Elect, Chad Gothreaux, Assistant Dean for the College of Education; Past-President, Lisa Verma, Manager for Continuing Education; Members-at-Large, Donna Torres, Associate Vice Chancellor for Accounting and Financial Services; Lynn Kimball, Manager for Residential Life; and Secretary, Blake Winchell, Coordinator for Career Services.
The Executive Committee met on July 5, 2011, and the committee discussed instead of going through the slide show every year with the full senate, the committee decided on having a new senator orientation. The new senators (even those appointed during the year) were invited to attend last Friday, July 15, 2011. Galy believes it was a huge success! It was a very intimate meeting and a less intimidating setting for new senators to ask questions about their role and responsibility as a Staff Senator. If there are any current senators who would like the slide presentation, please send the request to Melonie Holden, Staff Senate Administrative Coordinator.
Staff Senators were elected to represent the greatest staff at the greatest university and it is an honor and privilege but it also requires a commitment; commitment to not only the Senate or LSU but more importantly to the staff members that we represent. The staff is the reason the Senate is here. Let’s recommit ourselves to serving them honestly and with pride through our active participation on committees, events, and Staff Senate monthly meetings.
Galy would like to bring up a couple of housekeeping items from the orientation slide presentation: Senators are allowed two absences and two proxies in a fiscal year; if a senator is absent for more than two meetings, the President can declare the seat vacant; if a Senator needs a proxy, please contact Melonie Holden to let her know you will not be attending the meeting but that you have designated someone as a proxy; the person who holds a proxy need not be on Staff Senate but they must be in the same category; if you would like something to be put on the agenda for the Staff Senate meeting, please get your request to Melonie Holden for the Executive Committee to discuss.
Galy mentioned the Committee Assignments: the Committee sign-up sheet is in the packets that Melonie Holden has passed out; please look at the committees and their charges and choose committees that are interesting; Galy’s challenge to each Senator to be an active member not only at the monthly Staff Senate meetings but as part of the committees as well; it is actually in the committees that we are most active and make a difference!
Galy discussed the handouts that Melonie Holden has printed out for each Senator: the Staff Senate Roster; the Schedule of Meetings which is the third Wednesday of the month, held in 225 Peabody Hall; the Proxy Authorization; the Staff Senate Fee Support Scholarship Criteria; the Payroll deduction form for the Scholarship; the Staff Senate Committees and their descriptions; and the Committee Sign-up sheet.
Galy is honored to be among all the Senate and the President looks forward to a year of moving forward to representing not only the staff who elected the Senate but each of you as well. The President thanked the Senate for having faith in her to lead you this year.
LIAISON COMMITTEE
Council of Staff Advisors
Melonie Holden announced that the Council of Staff Advisors to the Board of Supervisors met on July 15, 2011. The council is in the process of holding a “Call for Nominations” and President-Elect Chad Gothreaux can report at the next Staff Senate Meeting.
Office of Group Benefits
President Galy announced that Shanteal Baker with Accounting Services submitted a liaison report from the Office of Group Benefits meeting that was held on June 15, 2011, which was included in the meeting packet.
OLD BUSINESS
Benefit of the Month
President Galy requested that Senator Torres report a Benefit of the Month electronically to circulate to the full Staff Senate since she was unable to attend the meeting today.
NEW BUSINESS
Senator Appointments
President Galy announced the reappointment of two former Senators. In the Service/Maintenance category: Igor Matkovic, Custodian Manager for Facility Services. Igor has been employed at LSU since 2000. He has agreed to fill the vacancy through 2014. In the Executive/Administrative/Manager category: Patti Exner, Associate Dean for the College of Education. Patti has been employed at LSU since 1980. Patti has agreed to fill the vacancy through 2014.
Staff Senate Gift Fund
President Galy announced that the Staff Senate has a Gift Fund set-up and the Senate request voluntary contributions of $10 per year, per Senator. The guidelines for giving are: Death - send flowers ($50) upon death of a current Senator or former Senator, and for current Senator’s immediate family members which includes spouse, child, or parent. If memorial/donation is requested in lieu of flowers, the amount will be $50; Wedding - appropriate gift, cost not to exceed $30 (current Senators); Babies - send flowers or gift - $30 (current Senators); and Retirement – send an acknowledgement for current Senators as well as former Senators. The funds are kept in an LSU Bursar account and are maintained by the Administrative Coordinator of the LSU Staff Senate.
Committee Duties from Former Chairs
President Galy suggested that former Chairs give a brief description of prior committee initiatives to help Senators with their decision of which committees they would like to serve on.
Senator Kimball announced she chaired the Holiday on Campus Committee last year and has volunteered to chair again this year. The Committee will plan the 22nd annual event this year which is very much a tradition here at LSU and is open to the LSU community. Holiday on Campus is charity oriented and collects for the Baton Rouge Food Bank and the United States Marine Corps “Toys for Tots” program. While the committee is restricted to a budget, this event gets better every year. This committee is very active in the fall and needs as much help as possible. The committee meets every two weeks with lots of tasks that are needed from many of the departments on campus. The tasks can be very detailed oriented and we need volunteers who enjoy the holiday season. The committee does have fun and it is very worthwhile.
President Galy announced that she chaired the Scholarship Committee last year. This committee is charged with raising funds for the Staff Senate Fee Support Scholarship. The committee holds an annual Clovers & Quarters fundraising campaign in March of every year and have offered a pizza party to the Senator’s department who raises the most money for the past few years courtesy of the Executive Committee. Galy mentioned that newly elected Senator Tammy Millican is one of the recipients of this award. Senator Matkovic was also one of the winners of the pizza party and he mentioned that it was very nice and he and his son also received a photo taken with Football Coach Les Miles. The committee also holds an annual Holiday Door Decorating Contest where registration fees are donated to the Staff Senate Fee Support Scholarship.
President Galy announced that she also chaired the Long Range Review and Planning Committee which worked hard to create an event/activity guideline for planning Staff Senate Sponsored events and activities. This provides an easier transition for committee chairs and will hopefully provide historical information if necessary to move forward. The committee has also worked hard to identify the state-wide Higher Education Staff Senates outside of our system.
Senator Winchell announced that he chaired the Volunteer Committee which worked with the Holiday on Campus Committee to recruit volunteers to work the event. Winchell also worked with Public Affairs for the Commencement Hospitality Initiative which coordinated volunteers to work on Commencement to help with directions and golf cart shuttle service at the Pete Maravich Assembly center.
Senator Carruth announced that although she didn’t chair the Professional Committee last year, she has chaired in the past. This committee organizes and holds the annual Staff Senate New Staff Reception every year which is a lot of fun. The committee also organized a Lunch and Learn event which was recently held with LSU Baseball Coach Paul Mainieri. LSU Athletics gave a presentation on how their budget works and we toured the new Basketball Practice Facility. The Committee hopes to plan another Lunch and Learn in the fall and we will hopefully plan a Football Practice Facility tour and hopefully hear from LSU Football Coach Les Miles.
Senator Sirman announced although she did not chair the Communication Committee last year, she did serve as a committee member. This committee recently worked on the development of a new web site from Studio Web to Rhythmyx which is more user friendly. The committee worked on two newsletters this year and created a Facebook account/page. Sirman encouraged all Senators who are creative and would like to serve on this committee to please sign-up. Senator Sirman mentioned that she is also the liaison on Campus Communicators which is a campus-wide committee. President-Galy mentioned that the Staff Senate web site has been completely redesigned and will look a lot cleaner and will be easier to move around in. There were a lot of old minutes and information that did not necessarily need to be posted but can be requested from the Staff Senate office if requested. The committee hopes to launch August 1, 2011. Galy will send out a broadcast message to announce once the web site is ready.
Guest Speakers
President Galy mentioned that if any Senator would like to suggest a guest speaker to please submit to Melonie Holden to submit to the Executive Committee for consideration. Denise Scribner with Facility Development and the two new woman’s coaches were suggested.
Call for Volunteer “Smoke Free Task Force”
President Galy asked for a Senator volunteer to serve on a Smoke Free Task Force that Dr. Judith Sylvester has formed which is an ad hoc committee with Faculty Senate. Senator Betty Magee has agreed to serve on this committee. Melonie Holden will forward the information to her.
Sustainability “Parking Tags”
President Galy mentioned that the Executive Committee has discussed the sustainability issue of reprinting the parking tags every year and mailing every year. Galy asked Senator Pierce if she will continue to serve on the campus-wide Sustainability Committee which she agreed to do. Galy suggested that Pierce discuss at an upcoming meeting and possible invite Gary Graham to see if it will save the university money by not reprinting every year. There was discussion of some misuse of the parking tag system which can be discussed with Gary Graham.
Staff Senate Shirts
President Galy announced that the Staff Senate will now offer some other options beside the polo shirts which the color tends to fade. The options that were discussed are cardigans, button down shirts, dri-fit shirts, or vests. The Executive Committee has also discussed t-shirts for Fall Fest because the polo shirts tend to be thick and are hot. Melonie will order from Dream Silk Screens if Senators are considering ordering and who would like to go by and check out samples of the above. Melonie Holden will find out how much the t-shirts will run and circulate the choices with prices.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
General Circulars No. 2011-016, 017 & 018
President Galy announced that the July meeting packet included General Circulars No. 2011-016, 017, and 018 for review by Senators.
HR Handbook Updates No. 2011-0009 & 0010
President Galy announced that the July meeting packet included HR Handbook Updates No. 2011-0009 & 0010 for review by Senators.
Staff Senator Birthdays
President Galy announced that Senator Seth Thibodeaux celebrated his birthday on July 5, Senator Emmett David celebrated his birthday on July 6, Senator Carolyn Chaney celebrated her birthday on July 9, and Past-President Lisa Verma will celebrate her birthday on July 29. “Happy Birthday”
Information Technology Initiative
Senator Sirman announced that Information Technology Services will host “Go Wi-Fi” again this year which will help students configure their wireless devices once on campus. It will be held the first week of school at the Middleton Library, the Union, and at Frey Computing Services Center.
Classified Representation
Senator Landry discussed classified representation on the Clerical/Secretarial Category since there use to be five positions now there are only four positions. President-Elect Chad Gothreaux gave a presentation early this year on the classified versus unclassified representation on the Senate. The Executive will review and discuss at the next meeting.
Roaring in the Halls
Senator David announced that Roaring in the Halls will be held on August 18, 2011 which is still in need of volunteers. He encouraged Senators to volunteer. Senator Kimball mentioned that there are different shifts and buildings available upon request. Galy suggested that we also send out a request by email.
MOTION TO ADJOURN – With there being no more business, Senator Carruth moved to adjourn. The motion, seconded by Senator Chiasson, carried. The meeting adjourned before noon.
Blake Winchell, Secretary