UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN INDIANA STAFF COUNCIL

Staff Council Home

By-Laws

Committees

• Bylaws
• Economic Benefits
• Employee Relations
• Nominating

FYI

• Staff Recognition award (new)

Minutes - Archive

Minutes - Current
Please note minutes will now display in PDF format. Download Adobe Acrobat reader to view the minutes.
You may download a free version of the reader if you do not already have it on your computer.

• 2007 Staff Council Election Results

HR home page

• Employee Resources

July 27, 2004
Staff Council Retreat
Approved minutes

Present: Debbie Clark, Christine Crews, Donna Hopf, Pam Van Vorst, Sheree Seib, Terri Schaefer, Linda Harmon, Chris Jines, Dan Rodgers, Darren Shelton, Lurretta Daugherty, Carol Diedrich, Yvonne Floyd, Terry Martin, Jalane Weber, Shannon Hoehn, and Julie Bordelon

Debbie Clark welcomed members of Staff Council to the retreat.

Chris Jines organized an ice breaker activity. Participants introduced and shared some fun trivia about themselves.

Employee Relations Committee members:

Terry Martin (co-chair)	Linda Harmon	Dan Rodgers
Sheree Seib (co-chair)	Jalane Weber	Carol Diedrich
Shannon Hoehn (co-chair)	Chris Jines

Economic Benefits Committee members:

Retta Daugherty (chair)	Terri Schaefer	Darren Shelton
Pam Van Vorst	Chris Crews	Yvonne Floyd
Julie Bordelon

Nominating Committee members: Donna Hopf      Jalane Weber

Traffic Committee Representative: Yvonne Floyd

Substance Abuse Committee Representative: Terri Schaefer

Safety Committee Representative: Jerry Bulger

Smoking Committee: Julie Bordelon

Guest Speakers:
Sherrianne Standley, Vice President for Advancement, spoke of the “NCA Self Study” to have focus groups and determine if USI is completing its mission statement with integrity. The groups will involve USI faculty, administrators, and staff; and community groups of legislators, elected officials, and educators. Sherrianne explained a brief history of USI’s unique beginnings to fill the need of the Evansville community, which are expressed in the mission. Evolving from a branch campus, to a state-wide institution, the mission statement incorporates how the “thou shall nots” from state and regional institutions of providing housing, expansive recruitment and granting masters degrees, were conquered. The first focus group will be USI staff on 8/12/2004. Volunteers to facilitate the groups are: Debbie Clark, Yvonne Floyd, Jalane Weber, Retta Daughtery, Shannon Hoehn, Chris Jines and Julie Bordelon, and Linda Harmon volunteered as a note taker.

Molly McConnell, Assistant Director of Human Resources, presented a short video “A Peacock in a Penguin World” during the lunch break. A discussion of diversity, acceptance and tolerance of workers’ differences, were the main themes of the film.

Stephen Bridges, Director of the Banner Project, spoke of the new network system to be intergrated into USI’s internet for the next 3 years. Human Resources and Financial Aid offices will be the first trained and using the program by 1/1/2005. With multiple logon processes, eventually all USI members through their MyUSI access, will manipulate information screens to complete necessary entries to student accounts. The advantages of Banner will increase department’s independence and work flow to perform work on account information.

Cynthia Brinker, Vice President for Governmental Relations, announced the upcoming building projects requested for the 2005 – 2007 budget in capital and general operations. A new School of Business and Engineering building, expansion of Physical Plant space for heating and chilling with an off site storeroom, implementation of the lower level in the new Education Center for the Social Work Department, and the 2nd of a 3-part expansion of the Physical Activities Center. The parking lot will be built, but currently is on hold. Funds will also need to be found to pay a maintenance operation budget for the Physical Plant, insurance and wages for employees, since 60% of wages are paid from non-tuition funds. Possible changes in health insurance in regard to having prescription drugs bought in bulk amounts in a state plan, and members will use a debit card to pay for a flexible plan. A general meeting of 8 legislators and 20 staff members will meet 8/19 and 8/20/2004 at USI to discuss how to be a more efficient government and the cost of higher education.

Committee Reports:

Employee Relations Committee:

• The Giving Tree - asking for names of families to be included for 2004, and how to help International Students alone on campus during the holidays when food services are closed
• Employee Picnic - separate from the SpringFest event
• Student worker appreciation week - 2/14 through 2/18/2004
• Family Day with the Eagles - 11/6/2004 USI vs UE Men’s Basketball game at Roberts Stadium, Jalane Weber will check to see what benefits we can have for families

Economic Benefits Committee:

• Starting a short term disability option included with health benefits
• How to increase wages
• How merit wage increases are determined, and possibly change to benefit more employees
• Increase fee waiver for USI classes from 15 to 18 credits per year
• Make employees aware of benefits for those who do not have computer access

Economic Benefits members proposed to Employee Relations members to combine efforts, and again have a newsletter. Yvonne Floyd and Jalane Weber agreed to try a quarterly publication to be presented on the website and on poster boards around campus.

Next meeting 8/24/2004 at 2pm in UC 215.