THE
UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA
STAFF
SENATE
(NORMAN
CAMPUS)
Wednesday
March 25, 2009
Chair Linda McCarty called the meeting
to order at 1:32 p.m. in the Scholars Room of the Oklahoma Memorial Union.
Officers present — Linda
McCarty, Chair; Diana Fitzpatrick, Chair-Elect; Beth Gatewood, Immediate Past
Chair; Elaine Bradshaw, Recording Secretary
Staff
Present — Melissa
Hosler, Administrative Coordinator
Staff absent — KeYonna Wynn, Student Assistant
Representatives present — Hourly Employees Council: David Houck, Connie Hall, Kim Haddad, Tim Winkelman, Bobby Hardcastle, Donna Stephens, Carolyn Irons, Mary Peters, Cindy Simpson, David Kizer; Informational Staff Association: Michael Goodwin, Chris Cook, Debbie Copp, Dick Trim, Dan Hough; Organizational Staff Council: Sandi Emond, Fran Stephens, Cathy Trujillo, Luanne Howk, Nancy Matthews, Tami Kinsey; Administrative Staff Council: Robbie Wahnee, Terri Sarsycki
Representatives absent — Hourly
Employees Council: Linda Smith, Troy Schmidt; Informational Staff Association: Debi
Gentis
Guests present — Lezlie
Pilkington, Administration & Finance VP'S Office; Theta Dempsey, Director
of Parking Administration
BETH GATEWOOD, PRINTING, MAILING,
AND DOCUMENT PRODUCTION
Beth
spoke
about Campus Campaign 2009. The
Campaign is from March 1, 2009 through June 30, 2009. This is an opportunity for Faculty and Staff to give back to
the University, the goal for this year is Participation. The state
appropriations and tuition and fees compromise 44 percent of the OU Budget, so
gifts are very important to the University. All unrestricted funds will go to Sooner Heritage
Scholarships and this fund benefits any student of a faculty or staff member. Anybody that gives a new gift will
receive a latte from the Starbucks in the Union. The online auction begins Monday March 30, 2009 at 8am.
CHAIR’S COMMUNICATIONS
Linda, Diana, and Beth
attended a couple of dedications on March 10, 2009, the new Transportation Operations
Facility and the OUPD building.
Linda said she met with Nick Hathaway on Monday and talked about
budget. The budget issues are
about the same as they have been Nick does not feel that there will be
furloughs. There are some rainy
day funds and stimulus funds that are marked for Higher Education so he thinks
this will help to prevent tuition increases. No decision yet from the Benefits committee on the Benefits
Retirement Plan but something should be coming out pretty soon. We had a luncheon yesterday with the
Executive Committees from Norman Staff Senate, HSC Staff Senate and the Tulsa
Staff Senate. We took a tour of
Lissa and Cy Wagner Hall and then had an informal meeting. We talked about what everyone had been
doing in the past year, Staff Week and mostly about fundraisers.
ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES OF
February 18, 2009
On motion by David Houck, the minutes of the February
18, 2009, Staff Senate meeting were accepted.
OTHER
COMMUNICATIONS
Hourly
Employees Council: President David Houck
said HEC met on March 11, 2009. The committee announced Merit Award
Winners. The elections are on
schedule and the Ice Cream Social is going smooth. The Benefits Committee reported a problem with obtaining
funds from personal 403B Accounts.
Debbie Copp is going to look into the situation further and report back
to the Senate what she finds.
Organizational Staff Council: President
Sandi Emond said OSC met on March 5, 2009. The committee is in the process of
making arrangements for Staff Week Bingo.
Talked about the OSC website and updates that need to be done. Also they decided that they would be
donating something to the Campus Campaign silent auction, a movies night out
package for Warren Theaters.
Informational Staff Association: President Michael
Goodwin said ISA met March
4, 2009. It was a regular business meeting. The committee is still supporting
the Angel Food Ministry. The Art Show for Staff Week is on schedule, the Art
Show is going to be in the University Club. The logo contest has been narrowed down, they are tweaking
the designs and it should be unveiled shortly. Merit Award winners were also announced and notified.
Administrative Staff Council: President Robbie Wahnee said ASC met by e-mail. Asking for
volunteers for the Staff Week Picnic, tickets will be $3. They will also need help setting up and
taking down so if you would like to help please e-mail Robbie. Will be talking about and looking at elections
very soon.
STANDING
COMMITTEES
Awards
Committee: Chair Dan Hough said
the
committee was on schedule and that they have the winner for the awards the
students are giving out.
Communications
Committee: No report
OU Staff
Week Committee: Chair Karen Buntin showed
the tee shirt and said that they are in the Union Bookstore and in CCE Store. There are three colors and come in long
and short sleeve. Everything is
going well meeting tomorrow.
Please continue to check the Staff Week website for menus, activities,
and special promotions.
Personnel
Policies Committee: No report (Margaret
was unable to make it to the last meeting and has not seen the minutes yet.)
Staff
Professional Development: No
report
Ad Hoc
Committee (for member group Website Guidelines): Robbie is the chair and said they would
be meeting soon.
CORRESPONDENCE
REPORTS
The
following reports were linked to the February agenda:
Staff Senate
Foundation account report.
Minutes of
Employment Benefits Committee meeting for October and November 2008.
OLD BUSINESS
NEW BUSINESS
Faculty
Senate: Firearms/Concealed Carry Amendment to Handbook:
FYI
for everyone that the Faculty Senate is updating their policy, there is nothing
in the Staff Handbook. Please
contact your legislators as private citizens to voice your opinion. Motion to send to PPC to look into
adding to the Staff Handbook.
Motion made by Debbie Copp and seconded by Dan Hough, everyone was is
favor.
Campus
Campaign Auction Donation:
Does
Staff Senate want to donate something to Campus Campaign silent auction? (OSC
is) Vote to donate something did
not pass.
MISCELLANEOUS
4pm today there is a
send off for the Men’s Basketball Team to Memphis
More discussion on 403B
Debbie Copp will find the correct answer.
Pay Flex Accounts are
being audited. If you have been
contacted for an audit please send an e-mail to Linda and she will forward to the
benefits office. Audit is saying
that if it is not taken care of in 21 days that their cards will be
cancelled. Theta Dempsey said that
on the Regent’s Agenda for today there is a section on Pay Flex.
ADJOURNMENT
As there was
no further business, the meeting adjourned at 2:10 p.m.
NEXT REGULAR
MEETING: April 15, 2009 in the Scholars Room
Respectfully submitted,
Melissa Lane
Administrative Coordinator
Elaine Bradshaw
Recording Secretary