Administrative Staff Council 2005 – 2006
Minutes: January 5, 2006
316 BTSU

Call to Order: Chair Lona Leck called the meeting to order at precisely 1:32 pm

Members present: Wendy Buchanan, Rob Cramer, Dave Crooks, Laura Emch, Kim Fleshman, Michael Ginsburg, Judy Hagemann (CSC), Sheila Irving, Ann Jenks, Steve Kendall, Deb McLean, Lona Leck, Naomi Lee, Paul Lopez, Joe Luthman, Susan Macias, Connie Molnar, Beth Nagel, Penny Nemitz, Paul Pawlaczyk, Pa’trice Pettaway, Diane Regan, Deborah Rice, Rachel Schaeffer, Mary Beth Zachary

Members Absent: Jill Carr, Nora Cassidy, John Clark, Gerry Davis, Adan Garcia, Larry Holland, Tim Hoepf, Ron Knopf, Teresa McLove, Celeste Robertson
Member Substitutes: Sid Maruna for Jena Ault

Guests: Christopher Gail-University of Toledo, Professional Staff Association was sick

Approval of Minutes Naomi Lee moved to approve minutes with changes. Penny Nemitz seconded. The minutes were approved with changes.

Chairs Report: Lona Leck reported the following:
Monitor Article-about Mayor Quinn’s visit for the ASC Luncheon
Executive Committee Meeting 12/13/05-Dr. Dobb was our guest and discussed changes to the handbook. The working group will first focus on linking out to all common university policies, with a goal for this semester, then developing a “philosophy” with a thrust toward fundamental fairness which will be brought to this group for approval.
3 Chair’s Meeting-12/16/05-UT/MUO merger and the need for administration to develop a strategic plan to bring more state dollars our way. We also learned of CSC’s ombuds election. That was to take place at the end of December.
EVP-1/03/06-Discussed: Life Insurance Option – HR is looking at plans that make the insurance more “portable” when staff members leave the institution. Also, the language in our annual contract renewal letter was discussed. This is a continuing discussion from the summer regarding ambiguous terms. Dr. Dobb asked us to present specific concerns as well as suggested changes to her in writing for review. I view this as positive. The ethics officer position was discussed. This will be a person to whom we can bring suggestions regarding code language. Dr. Dobb was also reminded of the existing Faculty Senate Code of Ethics committee, to which we have membership along with the other constituent groups, and the work they are beginning. The UT/MUO merger was also discussed as well as potential collaborative efforts BG may consider in this regard…without alarming anyone, areas such as purchasing, ITS have previously been discussed by the administration. BG will be positioning itself in a niche with providing a residential learning environment for the “traditional” student, we’ll have other things of course, but this will be the primary image.
Ombudsperson’s Role- HR has secured Capital University Law School to provide mediation training for BGSU. ASC will have four “seats” at the training session, one for our current ombudsperson. We need to determine other individuals for opportunity. Friday, Feb 24 and Thursday and Friday, March 9 and 10 (all day at CPOB).
PWC & Mercer-Working Session on 1/18/06
General Counsel-received a draft of the new Operating Procedures and form letters that will be used by the Office of Equity and Diversity to process complaints of harassment or discrimination. A quick target date for implementation is set for March 1. We have the opportunity to arrange a meeting with Tom Triboli regarding the procedures, and, the president desires to put together a working group to examine the underlying substantive policies. Executive could take this on or an ad-hoc group from ASC?

Chair Elect Report: Steve Kendall reported the following:
Dining Services Policies for their Employees-There is concern about the policies being implemented by Dining Services for their employees. Concerns that these rules could start to apply to everyone, where are the rules coming from, and what procedures are followed.
Amorous Relationship Policy-CSC thought it was too general, Faculty thought it was too specific, ASC is the only group to endorse it. This will be implemented 3/1/06. Dave Crooks asked what happens if you have a grievance against the policy. Diane Regan explained that the Harassment and EEO grievance Procedure changed. The first step is mediation. If either party does not accept this it goes straight to an attorney.
PeopleSoft-moving to an online contract.
Mercer-1 hour and 15 minutes meeting with questions and answers are planned 1/18/06.

Secretary: no report

Past Chair: no report

Guest: Christopher Gail of UT’s Professional Staff was to be our guest but he was sick.

Committee Reports:

Amendments: no report

Awards and Special Recognitions: no report

External Affairs: no report

Finance: no report

Health Wellness Insurance Committee: no repot however, Ann Jenks requested clarification on our Health Center now being a part of our PPO. Diane Regan explained that the Health Center accepts our insurance as payment for visits and accepts Medical Mutual’s amounts considered allowable for payment. Also, our Health Center is a Caremark provider for prescription purposes.

Internal Affairs: no report

Personnel Welfare/Salary: Continuing to work with the salary data and break down further.

Professional Development: 10 people attended the last session and the session was recorded for the web.

Scholarship: Raffle information will be mailed within the next week. Scholarship applications will be to students by early February 2006.

Faculty Senate: No Faculty Senate report since our last ASC meeting.

Classified Staff: Nancy Posey is serving on the Holiday Closure Committee. CSC is voting for their Ombudspersons in the Union on 1/12/06. Bernice Aguilar and Judy Hagemann are on the Faculty Senate Ad Hoc committee for the Code of Ethics. Committee includes GSS President, UGSS President, and Diane Regan from ASC. If Faculty Senate does not approve for inclusion in their Charter then they are not held to it. (This statement needs to be verified with the Charter.) CSC salary recommendation of 6% annual increase; the percentage for a successful job audit is 4% plus 2% more after probation period, or moving out of an area which is 4% during probation and 4% after probation. CSC is revamping their grievance policy in their handbook and incorporating the Violence in the Workplace Policy.

Reasonable Suspicion Testing Protocol: Will meet on 1/10/06. Penny Nemitz and Kim Fleshman are representing ASC for this committee.

Creative Thinking Committee f.k.a. Holiday Closure Committee: Rachel Schaeffer discussed how Miami closed between the holidays. The committee will send out a survey by the end of January and report this information to Dr. Dobb by March.
Ombudsman Joe Luthman: Joe request that people e-mail him at jluthma@wcnet.org

Old Business: None

New Business: Joe Luthman suggested the handbook committee look at adding ombudsperson’s role to the handbook. Lona requested ASC members to e-mail her questions for the UT Professional Staff meeting. Beth Nagel requested that we find out about the proposed merger between MUO and UT and to find out about the things shared between UT and BGSU. What happens with that? Laura Emch asked if we could still take classes at UT.

Good of the Order: Lona Leck: Alissa Czisny on ABC sports. Connie Molnar: Ballroom Dance Lessons available through the university. Diane Regan: 60 new international students this semester. Naomi Lee: Women’s basketball again Akron 1/7/06 and Men’s hockey 1/7/06. Sid Maruna: call him about the new BGSU Purchasing Cards. Susan Macias: President’s Day coming up. Fall Freshman Applications up 3.97%.

Next Meeting: Next meeting will be February 2, 2006 at 1:30 p.m. in 207 BTSU

Adjournment: Penny Nemitz made a motion to adjourn. Susan Macias seconded. The meeting adjourned at 3:00p.m.

Submitted by: Kim Fleshman ASC Secretary