Staff Senate Meeting
D. P. Culp, Forum Room
May 14, 2012
2:30pm
Page 1 of 3
STAFF SENATE MEETING
MINUTES
May 14, 2012
Note to Senators: Please share the senate agenda, minutes, and any other enclosures with your colleagues prior to the scheduled meeting. Senate meetings
are open to all staff. Agendas, minutes, and attendance rosters are available on the Staff Senate website at
http://www.etsu.edu/stsenate/default.asp
PRESENT:
Lisa Belcher, Lisa Bell, Brian Bennett, Gary Bishop, Carolyn Bond, Lisa Booher, Queen Brown, Christy
Buckles, Cindy Canter, Barbara Chamberlain, Phyllis Cooper, Linda Greenwell, Carshonda Harris, Kathy
Hawks, Thomas Hill, Helen Jones, Janet Keener, Paul Lavoie, Leigh Lewis, Candy Massey, Mary Maupin,
Diana McClay, Stephanie Nave, Margaret Pate, Chuck Patton, Betty Ann Proffitt, David Robinson, Sue Russell,
Kathy Smith, Debbie Starnes, Andre Stevens, Karen Sullivan, Dawn Marie Tipton, Carla Warner, Ray Webb
and Josh Whitlock
EXCUSED:
James Batchelder, Harvey Byerley, Kathy Carder, David Collins, Karen Holden, and Donna Miller
I.
Call to Order
President Elect Christy Buckles called the meeting to order at 2:35 pm.
II.
Approval of Minutes
The minutes from April 9, 2012 were approved and will be posted on the Staff Senate website.
III.
President’s Report – President James Batchelder
No report – President Elect Christy Buckles will preside over the meeting in the absence of President James Batchelder.
IV.
Treasurer’s Report – Senator Carolyn Bond
In the Staff Senate account, the balance is $4, 754.58. In the CBC account, there was $5,166.87. The Holiday Drive account
remains the same at $3.79.
V.
Report on Standing Committees
A. Committee on Committees: No report.
B. Committee of Elections: The committee will be preparing for elections soon. It looks like there will be 10 senators that
will need to be replaced.
C. Communications and Website Committee: Thanks to some feedback, the website has had several updates. If anyone
ever sees anything that needs to be changed or updated, please contact Senator Buckles.
D. Community Benevolence Committee (CBC): The Community Benevolence Committee (CBC) has been called into
service with the loss of a Staff members’ house. Through email the committee agreed to help with a check, which is in the
process of being done. The committee needs to meet to begin preparations for the Holiday Drive. We still have 9
cookbooks left.
E. Liaison Committee: A meeting will be scheduled in a few weeks. The employee survey is finished, but the format will be
changed per Jim Fulbright’s suggestions.
F. Staff Awards Committee: The committee met and decided on the winners of the Staff Awards. There were about twice as
many nominations as last year, with only a few more nominees because there were many nominees that had multiple
nominations. The winners will be announced at the picnic on Friday. A meeting will be set up in the next few weeks to
begin planning for the Outstanding Staff Senator Award.
G. Staff Concerns Committee: No report.
Submitted by Staff Senate Secretary: Senator Leigh Lewis
Staff Senate Meeting
D. P. Culp, Forum Room
May 14, 2012
2:30pm
Page 2 of 3
H. Staff Development and Evaluation Committee: Funds have been approved for the purchase of the SkillSoft training
software. This system is used by the University of Tennessee, so we were able to piggyback off their state contract. The
material will be available on July 1.
I.
VI.
Visibility Committee: The brochure is being finalized. The slogan was voted on during the last meeting, the winner was
ETSU: Your Campus Voice.
Report on Project Committees
A. Blood Drive Committee: The Blood Drive will be held on June 26, 2012 from 11:00am to 3:30pm with the Red Cross.
B. Staff Picnic Committee: The Staff Picnic is this Friday. Senators need to sign up for set-up, clean-up or serving food.
Please wear your ETSU t-shirt and Staff Senate name badge.
VII. Old Business
There was no old business.
VIII. New Business
A. SGA Veteran’s Legislation Resolution: Senator Patton explained that the SGA met and passed a resolution that requested
a Veterans Affairs Center on campus. The Veterans Affairs office has projected that ETSU will have 750-800 veterans on
campus over the next few years. There are currently 530 veterans on campus. It will continue to grow as the military
downsizes their missions overseas. A center would assist veterans by offering them a place where they could meet with
other veterans and relax. This would help with common post-combat issues like PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). A
motion to pass and support this resolution was made and seconded. The Senate voted unanimously in favor of the motion.
B. Job Audit Pool: Staff Senate was pleased to serve on the 2011 university’s Salary Equity Task Force. From information
gathered from the Task Force, and through discussions with the Office of Human Resources, the Staff Senate proposes the
following Compensation Plan (PPP-32) changes to assist staff employees:
(1) A pool of funds is re-established in the Budget Office to pay for job audits and pre-audits for non-grant-funded
positions. Currently, departments must pay for audits and pre-audits solely from departmental funds. These funds do not
always exist, hampering the ability of supervisors and departments to delegate functions and/or reorganize staff to better
utilize existing resources. It is also an HR concern that employees are being delegated higher level duties without the
benefit of a reclassification of their position due to a lack of departmental funding.
(2) A pool of funds is re-established in the Budget Office to assist in paying for promotions and transfers for non-grantfunded employees beyond the department’s budgeted salary. Currently, departments must pay for promotions and transfer
salaries solely through departmental funds. If funds are limited, the mobility of long-term employees on campus is
hampered; or the employees must accept a limited salary increase or no salary increase upon their move.
(3) Increase the percentage increase for promotions and reclassifications from 4% to 8%. The current Compensation Plan
increase of 4% or 90% of the new level midpoint does not provide adequate incentive or compensation for a change in
responsibility. An 8% salary increase is in-line with the newly updated Faculty Promotion Schedule.
IX.
Open Floor for New Agenda Items/Concerns
The Campus Access Committee needs a Staff Senate representative to serve on the committee.
Bucky’s Food Pantry has developed a Board of Directors. Senators Hill, Patton and Bond are serving on the board. A member
of the Staff Senate is needed to work as a volunteer coordinator for Bucky’s Food Pantry. Senator Helen Jones agreed to serve
in this role.
State legislature approved a 2.5% pay raise for state employees for the next fiscal year.
Submitted by Staff Senate Secretary: Senator Leigh Lewis
Staff Senate Meeting
D. P. Culp, Forum Room
May 14, 2012
2:30pm
Page 3 of 3
June 29 is National Olympics Day. There will be activities scheduled on campus for this day, including a torch run from 910am and youth activities promoting physical fitness from 10am-12:30pm. Everyone is invited to this event. Since ETSU has
become an Olympic training site, this is a very important day for the University.
X.
Announcements
Please remember that June’s meeting will take place at the CPA Challenge Course. Please meet in front of the CPA at 2:30pm.
XI.
Adjournment
There being no other business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned at approximately 3:00pm.
Submitted by Staff Senate Secretary: Senator Leigh Lewis