The University of Georgia Staff Council (UGASC)

Minutes of the 12/6/2006 meeting

President Scott called the meeting to order @ 2:00 p.m.

Brenda Keen called roll. 28 voting staff attending.

Old Business

Minutes approved for November 1, 2006 with no revisions.

Committee Reports:

Legislative: Meg Ginn

Communications: Morgan Nolan

• The Website is up and running. If it needs any changes contact Morgan.

Health & Safety: Greg Durham

Regarding the question about Call Boxes and the construction around Green Street, I talked to Jimmy Williamson at the UGA Police Department. There are 20 Call Boxes on campus and they cost around $1200 a month to operate. They are self contained and still use the old analog cellular system. As they become more obsolete they will probably not be replaced. Last year there were three calls made from them.

Due to the Green Street construction one Call Box was removed. Most of the Call Boxes are in parking lots. As I walked around the area there are three in the vicinity of the Museum. One is in the parking lot between River Rd and the river, one in the parking lot behind the School of Music and one near the East Campus Dining Hall. There is a Call Box locator on the UGA web site.

We both agreed that because of solid construction fences and dense vegetation the path that takes you north of the construction by the front doors of the Museum and the School of Music is pretty dark at night.

We talked about putting the Call Box they removed on this route, maybe near the old wooden bridge or at the intersection of Carlton and East Campus. The boxes need sunlight and a cellular signal. I walked around a little more and I am going to suggest moving a Call Box near the Creamery in that direction. Because of night time classes at Aderhold I think this area is probably the most sensitive on campus.

Greg will follow up but does not think Call Boxes can make the path north of the construction safe. Is there another step to take? Let him know. He will follow up.

Comments: Sounds like they would benefit from a lighting survey in that area.

Needs & Concerns: Theresa Bettis

• The ad hoc committee for tuition assistance program (TAP) met on Nov. 9. Sara Mckissik is the chair, Victoria Rico as secretary. They said thank you for organizing the committee and started by creating a list of recommended changes:

· Problems with registration (employees may register only after 2:00 p.m. on the last day of registration and many classes are filled by then.)

· Conflicts with supervisors allowing to take classes, especially classes only offered during the day

· Better promotion of the TAP program and keeping employees up to date

Proposed course of action:

· Forward list of changes to staff council

· Draft a letter regarding the existence of TAP program and with approval send to all institutions within the USG with the intention for each staff council to forward the letter to the president of each institution.

· The committee will meet again.

Comments: The letter should probably be forwarded to the Provost, University Council and Human Resources.

President Scott: Have the committee send me their ideas for addressing the issues and she will write the letter and send it.

Pay & Classification: Terry Blalock

• Ongoing research nothing to report at this time

Parking Appeals: Theresa Bettis

• We met the new head of parking services, (name?) He was very open to listening to any concerns.

• Previous comments regarding staff having 2 free passes for ticket fines is not correct (don’t try using that in your appeals) the corrected information is that you have 2 “failure to display” before receiving a fine for that particular violation.

New Business:

Security Cards

• New ID security cards for university building access are in use and the replacement fee for a card is $15 which is the cost for a new card. Staff members have said that cost is too high. Other departments only charge $3. Can a committee address this before it becomes an issue?

Comments:

• There could be different charges for lost verses broken or worn out cards.
• There are 2 different types of cards; proximity and magnetic swipe cards. The new cards will be swipe and they don’t seem to last as long.
• Greg Durham with the Health and Safety Committee will follow up.

Questions:

• Why so many different systems on campus? A: There was no central campus system until now.
• Who can we ask about this? A: Shayne Clayton at campus police.

Gender Inequity:

· There has been more media coverage of this issue recently - regarding faculty. It seems that this issue would be more of a problem with staff since the salary pool is less overall. Are there any ideas how we can increase awareness and action on this issue for staff? This would be a good time while it is getting attention.

President Scott: In February the University Council Benefits Committee is going to begin a study on gender equity on campus that includes staff.

Dangerous Intersection Corner of Baldwin and Lumpkin:

· The Theater and Film Department had a demonstration today due to a second accident with a professor getting hit by a car. It was held from 12:05-1:10 and included Mayor Heidi Davison, Red & Black, and the Banner Herald. Even the police chief expressed concern about safety at this intersection. What else can we do before another accident occurs?

Questions:

· Is it a timing problem with the traffic and crosswalk lights? A: There may be some overlap or confusing signals. Also pedestrians crossing regardless of signage. There is a ‘yield to pedestrian’ sign. Both pedestrians and drivers break the rules.

· Ask for enforcement of the traffic laws here? A: We have called the city about it but there is some confusion about whether city or campus police should enforce.

Comments:

• What about a crossing guard?
• Other cities have bridges and fences where pedestrians cannot access the street.
• The pedestrian crossing lights may provide a false sense of security since some push the button for lights and then walk without looking.
• A petition was signed at the demonstration to be mailed.

President Scott: please report back to me about what happens.

Insurance Hike:

• Getting a lot of complaints and questions about what to do.
• It comes from the Board of Regents, we need some answers for staff

Motorcycle Parking Spaces:

• There are some staff complaints that the spaces for motorcycles are not large enough and are also crowded and damaged by scooters.
• Some staff would like their regular parking spots back- to go back to the old system of using a tag permit and driving either a car or motorcycle.

President Scott: I will email Theresa Bettis again and maybe they can do something by next year.

Flu Shot

• Staff on the Indemnity Plan complained of not getting reimbursed for a flu shot because they got it outside of a doctor’s office.
• It might be covered as preventative care.

President Scott: Another suggestion is to have them call Human Resources for clarification.

Vote on Bylaw changes

• Voting on sections III, IV,V & VI
• Some last minute changes since last version posted on list serv:
• The 3^rd member of U.C. Benefits Committee does not have to be the Vice President. Now, the 3^rd member to the Benefits Committee will be a nonvoting member on U.C.
• Have the Nominating Committee convene twice a year. In November for candidates for Staff Council President, Vice President, Coordinator and Recording Secretary and University Council positions. In April for candidates for the three elected members of the Executive Committee. Bylaws change will have us electing officers in February which for this year is a little soon so we can agree to do that later but we do need to have our University Council candidates identified for a February election.
• In the June meeting, outgoing members will vote on any business but incoming members would vote on the 3 Executive Committee positions.

President Scott: This first year we will work through the details and it won’t seem so complicated later.

Question:

• Does anyone have a problem with the change that Staff Council Representatives get elected to a two year term? Any SRGs have problems with that? For SRGs with more than one representative they would need to stagger their elections to alternating years. A: No problems reported.
• Do SRG’s have to comply with the two year term? A: yes. Some SRGs may have to change their bylaws.

Result of voting: the first vote has passed. We will need a second vote to make the change official. We have called a special meeting for this second vote. That meeting is January 19 at 3:00 p.m. at the Student Learning Center room 250. It is very important that we all come to the meeting and vote to make these changes official.

Treasurers Report:

• The expenses for the Georgia Staff Council Conference was $536. 35 which leaves us a balance of $472.15

President’s report

Salary Compression:

• We have put in a request from Sr VP Tim Burgess to present data on 5 positions from which we may begin to look at staff salary compression. At the last Living Wage Committee meeting Dr. Arnett Mace and Tim Burgess said they will address the issue in their report to the University Council which includes recommendations on faculty salary compression. This is one of the most important issues for staff council to address this year. The administration knows this is an issue now.

Questions:

• Why were those positions chosen? (accountant, administrative assistant, librarian assistant, custodian II, utility worker) A: These classifications would have a lot of people and be a good, general, cross section.
• How well will this represent other positions like in the technology field? A: The administration is aware of IT professionals and compression problems. In the past some have gotten raises separately from the rest of UGA staff.

President Scott: It is bad for everybody, even looking at the Accountant I position.

Comments: The library system has tried to help their non-faculty employees in a small way by re-allocating some money to raise some base salaries.

President Scott: I would like to get a committee together to come up with some creative approaches to this problem. I want to welcome anyone on campus who thinks they have some creative solutions.

Shared Leave Proposal:

• The letter of proposal has been sent to Bob Wentworth to consider having UGA’s shared leave match the Family and Medical Leave Act, including maternity leave.

President Scott adjourned the meeting at 3:00 p.m.

Next Exec. Committee meeting:

· February 27, 11:00 a.m. at the Business Services Board Room

Next Staff Council meeting:

· January 19, 2:00 p.m. at the SLC, Room 250

The University of Georgia Staff Council (UGASC)

Minutes of the 1/19/2007 called meeting for 2^nd vote to approve bylaw changes.

Meeting called to order @ 3:00 p.m.

Roll taken by Brenda Keen

Handed out ballots and voted with 28 members

All passed

Elections in February

Meeting adjourned @ 3:15 p.m.

These minutes are respectfully submitted by Lanora Pierce, recording secretary.