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Governance Minutes ArchiveOctober 15, 1992
VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE AND STATE UNIVERSITY STAFF SENATE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1992 ROOM 102 - PHASE IV - VETERINARY MEDICINE SENATORS PRESENT: Bill Aliff, Carolyn Alls, Pat Ballard, Lisa Barroso, Janet Bryant, Clara Cox, Marge Dellers, Patrick Donohoe, Spencer Foster, Betty Greene, Linda Haney, Diane Kaufman, Margie Lawrence, Don Massie, Sherilyn McConnell, Margie Murray, Charles Paige, Diane Patty, Fred Phillips, Carlile Price, Peggy Rasnick, Kathy Reynolds, Widget Shannon, Buddy Shaver, Barbara Shelor, Sonja Stone, Charlie Stott, Sarah Wheeler, Deb Williams, Pat Worrell. ALTERNATES IN ATTENDANCE: Joyce Smith GUESTS: Richard Lovegrove for SPECTRUM CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 5:35 p.m. by President McConnell who welcomed senators, alternates, and guests. ANNOUNCEMENTS President McConnell announced that Senator Rasnick has been appointed to the search committee for Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies and that Senator Reynolds has been appointed to the search committee for Dean of Human Resources. She said a senator will also be included on the search committee for Vice President for Information Systems. President McConnell encouraged Senators to attend the governance program organized by Personnel Services. She also extended congratulations to Senator Hise, who has married and changed her last name to Shelor. APPROVAL OF MINUTES The minutes of the September 17, 1992, Staff Senate meeting were approved with three corrections. Lola Yelverton is an alternate, not a senator. Pam Orcutt is not a member of the social committee, and Senator Paige should be quoted instead of Senator Donohoe on page 3. SENATE COMMITTEE REPORTS *COMMUNICATIONS--Senator Cox, chair, reported that Senator Shaver learned several impacts of the Americans with Disabilities Act on campus communi- cations: written information can be converted to braille with help from the library and telephone recordings can be made. Senator Shaver also learned that there are no plans to convert campus publications to some form that would be accessible to the visually impaired and that Personnel Ser- vices is developing a survey for each department to identify disabled em- ployees and submit plans for services to be offered these employees. Regarding information on illiterate employees, Senator Shaver learned that they are not identified; it is their responsibility to seek assistance. Senator Cox reported that the committee has suggested to Personnel Services that a telephone helpline be set up and has discussed various other ap- proaches with Linda Woodard, assistant director of Personnel Services, to assist illiterate and visually impaired employees. The committee will contact staff association presidents for help in identi- fying the "unofficial" campus mailing lists. The letter to new employees from Staff Senate has gone to Personnel Ser- vices for distribution. *ELECTIONS AND NOMINATIONS--Senator Phillips, chair, reported that two nom- inees had been selected for tonight's election to replace Senator Mertz on the Commission of Classified Staff Affairs. Nominees were provided to rep- resent staff on the Steering Committee for the Leadership Task Force - Lisa Barroso and the Personnel Advisory Committee - Wyatt Sasser. A letter will be sent to all non-senator representatives to University Standing Committees, asking them to report to Staff Senate any issues that may concern staff. Reports can be submitted in writing or by PROFS to the Senate secretary. A nominee form for Council, Commissions, and Committees will be mailed to local staff associations with a cover letter. Senator Phillips said the committee had discussed hardware and software options for a nominee data- base project. *LONG RANGE BUDGET AND PLANNING--Senator Ballard, chair, reported that the committee met October 13 and has begun hearing speakers address budget al- locations. Vernon Boggs from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences answered questions. The next meeting will be November 7. *POLICIES AND ISSUES--Senator Murray, chair, said the committee met October 1. She divided the committee into three subcommittees. The Staff Associ- ation Relations Subcommittee's first order of business was to schedule a meeting October 11 for the soon-to-be College of Forestry. The Council of Presidents Subcommittee scheduled the initial meeting of the Council of Presidents on November 12 at noon. Senator Murray said that staff association presidents will be getting a letter advising them of the meeting. The Policies and Issues Subcommittee suggested Richard Alvarez be ap- proached to provide an informational meeting to the Staff Senate. UNIVERSITY COUNCIL, COMMISSIONS, COMMITTEE REPORTS *UNIVERSITY COUNCIL--Senator Cox reported that the sole business of the last council meeting was to approve minutes of various commissions. Presi- dent McComas discussed several issues with the council, noting that a high priority of the university is to get raises for faculty and staff. Presi- dent McComas also talked about the importance of support for the higher ed- ucation bond issue. *HUMAN RIGHTS AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY--Senator Aliff reported that one issue discussed was what accountability managers have. *STRATEGIC BUDGETING AND PLANNING--President McConnell announced the coun- cil had held two informative meetings explaining budgeting and planning. *COMMISSION ON STAFF AFFAIRS--Vice President Stott reported that the com- mission plans to set short and long range priorities. Short term concerns are leave pay, parental leave, faculty/staff leave, educational aid policy, and academic year appointments for staff. Long range goals are issues of staff development and training, leadership and management issues on campus, promoting staff involvement in governance, and staff recognition. *COMMISSION ON FACULTY AFFAIRS--Alternate Senator Smith reported that the October 9 meeting was cancelled, and the next meeting is scheduled for Oc- tober 25. After the meeting she was approached about new employees having to purchase parking decals before receipt of their first check. Another issue of the same nature is initial payment of health care premiums. Sen- ator Williams stated that premium payments must be paid in advance. Presi- dent McConnell referred the issue to the Policies and Issues Committee. *COMMISSION ON GRADUATE STUDIES AND POLICIES--Senator Haney reported that a new computer lab will be built in Campbell Hall. The Student Government Association is encouraging support for the bond referendum for higher edu- cation. Most of the October 7 meeting was spent making committee assign- ments and appointments. Graduate students parking in faculty/staff lots did come up. *COMMISSION ON PUBLIC SERVICE AND EXTENSION--This commission has not met. *COMMISSION ON RESEARCH--Senator Rasnick reported that Linda Woodard wants input on how the human resources side of Personnel Services could stream- line paper work. *COMMISSION ON STUDENT AFFAIRS--Senator Cox reported for Senator Blecher, who was attending a commission meeting. No items of interest to staff were discussed. *COMMISSION ON UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES AND POLICIES--Senator Wheeler reported the commission has met twice and no items were discussed that involved staff. A faculty member was elected chair. *COMMISSION ON UNIVERSITY SUPPORT--Senator Donohoe stated that this commis- sion is a new one. Joe Falkinham was elected chair. *SCHEDULING AND REGISTRATION COMMITTEE--Senator Wheeler reported that Alan McDaniel was elected chair. The committee is in charge of the 1994-95 cal- endar and is now in the process of revising its mission statement. FACILITIES ADVISORY REVIEW COMMITTEE-- Senator Williams said the committee has received the Coopers and Lybrand report but was asked to keep its con- tents confidential. Senator Williams assured the Senate she had made care- ful notes and would be watching many things to see if the report was taken seriously. Senator Cox stated that two years ago the Learning Resources Center and University Relations were evaluated by an inhouse review team. At that time, Wayland Winstead indicated that an outside firm would conduct the next study and that future inhouse studies would be based on the proc- ess used by the outside consultant. Consequently, Senator Cox objected to keeping the Coopers and Lybrand report confidential. Senator Williams said the Facilities department heads and division heads would have an opportu- nity to rebutt the report at the next meeting. Senator Aliff stated it was fair to ask that the report be made public, or at least be made available to the Staff Senate. Senator Williams noted that a senator on the commit- tee who left university service was not replaced. She stressed the need to keep two senators on these review committees. PARKING AND TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE--Senator Shannon stated the committee is comprised of three members each from the faculty, staff, and students; Richard Alvarez, Director of Public Health, Safety, and Transpor- tation; and Curtis Lynch, Director of Parking. Senators expressed concern that the daily parking passes are easy to photocopy since they are printed in black and white. Faculty and staff stickers can be reproduced by some- one downtown. Special Purpose Housing students, who must buy a meal plan, requested 12 additional spaces at Owens Dining Hall. The committee asked the BT to swing around more at dinner time. Bike racks will be built on campus with a $60,000 allocation. There is a problem of inconsiderate bikers on campus; bike clubs are helping to monitor the problem through peer pressure. Registrations for bikes are voluntary but may become manda- tory by next fall. B Lot will be paved a third at a time, and its users will be directed to other lots. Parking tickets can be appealed to a re- view committee. Senator Patty asked why employees at off-campus buildings don't purchase decals. Senator Haney was told all university employees parking at university facilities must buy a permit. Senator Hancock said employees at rental properties do not buy decals. Other senators supplied information that decals are required, but there are only three full-time parking enforcement officers to patrol the entire campus. Senator Aliff stated there was an access problem at the Veterinary Hospital during foot- ball games since the hospital is always open. Customers with sick animals have difficulties getting to the hospital in football traffic. Senator Kaufman cited another problem at the CEC lot at 4:15 in the evenings when students are trying to find spaces. Senator Barroso suggested Senate cover commission reports through written reports due to the time it takes to report on all of them verbally. Presi- dent McConnell said there had been much discussion, and she felt that only pressing issues should be brought to the floor in Senate meetings. FACULTY SENATE--Senator Rasnick reported the first meeting of the academic year was hosted by Leon Geyer with Ray Smoot and Minnis Ridenhour as guests, who discussed the Hotel Roanoke, reported that advance funding would be repaid once the project was completed, and said they were looking for someone to run the facility. BUILDING COMMITTEE--Senator Donohoe announced the Building Committee has been changed to the Facilities Committee. It has not met. ELECTION Senator Phillips conducted the election for a Senate representative to the Commission on Classified Staff Affairs. Senator Bryant and Senator Hancock were candidates. The vote was taken by written ballot. OLD BUSINESS Vice President Stott reported that the Joint Health Care Task Force is still monitoring changes in the health care program. The task force urges senators to report to staff in their areas that adequate documentation is necessary for the task force to make a good argument for suggested changes in the system. Concerns should be sent to Senator Eschenmann and Vice President Stott. President McConnell discussed the University Awareness Program. She said the committee working on the program had decided it was not practical to put a university-wide program together this fall. The committee decided it would rather take more time and begin the program in the spring. NEW BUSINESS *BROCHURE-SEXISM ON CAMPUS--President McConnell announced that a brochure for sexism on campus was available at the front of the room and that sen- ators were encouraged to take the brochure. *ELECTION RESULTS--Senator Phillips announced the election of Senator Bryant to the Commission on Classified Staff Affairs. *MEETINGS--Faculty Senate President Leon Geyer and President McConnell will be meeting with Richard Alvarez, Carl Polan, and Curtis Lynch to discuss parking issues. President McConnell and Vice President Stott will be meeting with President McComas on a regular basis, along with Fred Carlisle, Minnis Ridenhour, Ann Spencer, Cornell Morton, and Carol Nickerson. President McConnell asked senators to send ideas for discussion items to her by November 1. *OTHER--Senator Cox stated one of her constituents had received a letter one day ago from Compensation and Benefits announcing that employees had the month of October for open registration for flex benefits. The letter should have gone out prior to the registration month instead of the middle of the enrolling month. President McConnell asked the Policies and Issues Committee to write a letter to Benefits, expressing the need to give em- ployees the full time alloted to make decisions. Senator Aliff announced that senators should be aware of a growing rabies problem in Montgomery County. There is no treatment for rabies, and se- veral cases have been reported in the last three months. Senator Shannon noted that an announcement was made to the Commission on Research that only faculty could chair commissions. The meeting was adjourned at 7:15 p.m. Barbara Hise Shelor Secretary
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