Staff Senate Minutes
October 12, 2005
The Staff Senate met October 12, 2005 at 2 pm in Reynolds 210. Those in attendance were Beth Scroggins, Kay Sawyer, Sarajane Telford, La’Tricia Davis, Gaye Calhoun, Wayne Garner, Rebecca Chiles, Kellye Ogle, David Wingfield, Cledis Stuart, Diane Johnson, Pat King, and Houston Taylor.
Approval of Minutes
The meeting was called to order. A motion to change the September minutes Sick/Vacation Leave paragraph was made by La’Tricia Davis and seconded by Diane Johnson. Motion passed.
Draft as it appeared in the September minutes:
Sick/Vacation Leave
According to Mr. Roger Giles, the sick/vacation leave is mandated by the state and cannot be changed. An employee can only carry over 30 days – lose the rest or turn sick leave over to the catastrophic leave bank – and can only be paid for up to 30 days upon end of employment. It is not possible to cash out leave. Mr. Giles will also send out an updated catastrophic leave policy once that is updated.
Change to the following:
The following is taken from the July minutes of the Staff Senate meeting:
A question was brought before the Senate regarding cashing out an employee’s vacation and sick time while still employed at the University.
There is currently no policy in place to allow employees to cash out their accumulated vacation or sick time while they are still employed at the University. If an employee leaves the University they are paid for their remaining vacation time for up to 30 days. This question will be forwarded to the Administration for further clarification.
The question was forwarded to the administration and the response is listed below:
Sick/Vacation Leave
According to Mr. Roger Giles, sick/vacation leave is mandated by the state and cannot be changed. It is not possible to cash out leave. Mr. Giles will send out an updated catastrophic leave policy once it is updated. Refer to the University Handbook, Section 500 for more information on leave guidelines.
A motion to change the “pay for unused sick leave at retirement” paragraph under “Other” in the draft of the September minutes was made by Rebecca Chiles and seconded by Cledis Stuart. Motion passed.
Draft from September minutes:
Beth Scroggins cited an email from a constituent in response to Senate Bill 168. The bill would allow classified employees of state supported institutions of higher education to receive compensation for unused sick leave at retirement. More information regarding this bill can be found at www.state.ar.us/dfa/personnel_mgmt/opm_sick leave_policy.html. The staff member wanted to know if the administration had any plans to implement this policy in the future.
Change to the following:
Beth Scroggins cited an email from a constituent in response to Act 1288. The act allows classified employees of state supported institutions of higher education to receive compensation for unused sick leave at retirement. More information regarding this act can be found at www.state.ar.us/dfa/personnel_mgmt/opm_sick leave_policy.html.
The following is an addition to the September minutes:
Houston Taylor seconded the motion to table the Constitutional Review Committee issue.
Old Business
Earl Miller Memorial
A motion was made by Rebecca Chiles to purchase a bench with a second by Sarajane Telford. A 6 foot bench will be purchased pending engraving and a location. A weather resistant finish was selected due to wood needing a yearly treatment. The location must be approved through the buildings and grounds committee. Houston Taylor contacted Dr. James Tollett, chair of the committee and he is waiting on a response from him. The Senate recommends a location in the central part of campus near the main part of the sidewalk. Possibly on the slab already in place near the Bruce Center. After much discussion on wording for the engraving, the following was selected:
In memory of Earl Miller
XX years of service
Houston Taylor is going to check with Laurie Burks for exact years of service.
Constitutional Review Committee
Houston Taylor made a motion to table this issue. David Wingfield seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Committee Reports
Smoking Policy
Kellye Ogle reported a recommendation from the smoking committee to change the University smoking policy to the following:
1. In compliance with the Governor’s Policy Directive (GPD-15), smoking is not permitted in any building on campus. Smoking is not permitted within 25 feet
(of any entrance, deleted) of any building on campus.
2. Smoking is permitted in the outdoor areas of the campus that are not within 25 feet (of any entrance, deleted) of any building on campus. Smokers are requested to place ashes and residue (butts) in appropriate receptacles.
3. Smoking is not permitted in any SAU vehicle.
4. Chewing or dipping tobacco is subject to the same conditions as smoking (Faculty Handbook, 11th ed. X.414).
Rebecca Chiles stated that deleting “of any entrance” takes away what little shelter there is now for smokers during inclement weather. The Senate made an informal recommendation that “of any entrance” be put back in the policy. No motion was made.
Kellye Ogle will report the recommendations and concerns to the smoking committee.
Faculty Senate Liaison
Cledis Stuart reported that the Faculty Senate met and elected new officers. The new parking appeals committee chair is Paul Babbitt.
New Business
The Senate welcomed a new senator, Pat King. She was elected to fill the vacancy for the President’s Unit.
Other
The Staff Senate webpage information has been sent to Shelley Keith.
Beth Scroggins provided the senators with a list of current university committee’s with Staff Senate representation.
Beth Scroggins requested that next month’s Staff Senate meeting be moved to November 16th. A motion was made by Wayne Garner and seconded by Kellye Ogle. Motion passed.
Hanging parking tags were addressed by Cledis Stuart. Could the university switch to hanging parking tags instead of parking stickers? Rebecca Chiles said Dr. Rankin prefers the parking stickers due to their visibility to prospective students.
The snack vending machines were discussed. Some machines on campus do not have any fifty cent items in them or the items are expired or the machines are simply not stocked. Beth Scroggins is going to contact Dr. Donna Allen’s office.
Wayne Garner brought several issues before the Senate:
The issues as he presented them and the senates responses (in italics) are as follows:
Staff Senate Proposals
1) Campus Day Care
a) Win/Win Situation
1) Interest
(a) Warrick, Coleman, Story, Garner, Wilson, Reeves all at UCA.
(b) Staff workers would feel better having their children closer.
(c) Convenience for Faculty/Staff & Student’s children.
(d) After school care for SAU employees’ children.
2) Education Department
(a) Early Childhood students could use it as a lab.
(b) Education students could work there to relieve finances of it.
3) Non-Traditional Students
(a) Allows parents to take classes and have their child on campus.
Cledis Stuart made a motion for Wayne Garner to contact the administration concerning this issue. Rebecca Chiles seconded the motion. Motion passed
2) Quiet Dining Room
a) Faculty/Staff eat in the Cafeteria quite often, but don’t have a quiet place to eat.
b) Could the Cafeteria cordon off the far room on a daily basis? (Semi-private)
c) Students wishing to eat in there, too, could be required to remain quiet/orderly.
Wayne Garner is to contact the Dining Hall Director concerning this request.
3) Nelson Hall Parking
a) Resident Hall Parking
1) Pea Gravel Parking Lot for Harrod Hall.
2) Behind Bussey/Peace for East and Bussey Halls (except where marked)
3) Roadside spaces for Bussey and Harrod Halls.
b) Horseshoe Parking Lot
1) Staff parking.
2) Visitor parking against Nelson Hall.
Beth Scroggins is contacting the administration about making the parking spaces up at the building “staff only” parking.
4) Nelson Hall Beautification
a) Covered Porch area near Admission Entrance
b) Grassy Noll
1) One leaning, half-dead tree.
2) One swing with cigarette butts littered around it.
3) One dying youngling tree that had a limb broken off this summer.
(a) Could use some aesthetic help (flower bed, new tree(s))
The tree mentioned in #3 will be removed per Pat King. There are no sprinklers in the area and no other close water source available at this time so flower beds cannot be watered properly.
Adjournment
A motion was made by Wayne Garner and seconded by Kay Sawyer. Motion passed. The next meeting is November 16, 2005 at 2 pm in the Reynolds Center, Room 210.
